Patent ID: 6635886
Filing Date: 2003-10-21
Classification: G01N

Abstract:
A method of performing a biomedical assay in which light is emitted by a sample or samples when excited by incident radiation in order to obtain an error corrected measurement signal, comprising the steps of:exciting the sample or samples along an excitation path with incident radiation of a given wavelength, thereby causing the sample to emit radiation of another wavelength transmitted along an emission path, measuring the quantity of light falling on a detector receiving the emitted radiation from the sample along the emission path, thereby to produce a first measurement, at a different time illuminating the sample or samples along the same excitation path with incident radiation of a different wavelength which does not cause the sample or samples to emit any significant radiation, detecting the quantity of light transmitted along the same emission path to fall on the same detector, thereby to produce a second measurement, and correcting the first measurement with respect to the second measurement, whereby to correct the first measurement in respect of errors, including errors inherent in the measurement system.