Patent ID: 8473104
Filing Date: 2013-06-25
Classification: B01F,B01J,B01L,G01N,Y10T

Abstract:
1. A system for controlling the operation of a microfluidic device comprising a substrate having a micropassage configured for holding a micro-volume of liquid having a volume between one nano-liter and one micro-liter, a reaction chamber, and one or more active components, wherein one of the one or more active components comprise a hierarchical organization of device level components, the system comprising: a processor configured for receiving a user request for the microfluidic device to perform a reaction program; memory comprising stored instructions corresponding to hierarchical signals configured to direct the microfluidic device to perform the user-requested reaction program the hierarchical signals corresponding to: wherein the programmable digital acquisition unit generates control signals for the at least one active component corresponding to a component level instruction and responsive to the user-requested reaction program; and wherein the control signals of the programmable digital acquisition unit control (i) heating the micro-volume of liquid, (ii) detecting a temperature related to the micro-volume of liquid, and (iii) detecting reaction products in the micro-volume of liquid.