Patent ID: 8580569

Claim:
A method comprising: initiating detection of fluids at a first measurement zone of a microfluidic system; detecting a first wash fluid and a second wash fluid at the first measurement zone and forming a first signal corresponding to the first wash fluid and a second signal corresponding to the second wash fluid, wherein the detection step is performed by measuring light transmittance or light absorbance through the first and second wash fluids; counting a series of signals generated from detecting a series of wash fluids passing across the first measurement zone, each signal having an intensity above or below a threshold intensity; transmitting a first pattern of signals to a control system, the first pattern of signals comprising at least two of: a) an intensity of the first signal; b) a duration of the first signal; c) a position of the first signal in time relative to a second position in time; and d) an average time period between the first and the second signals, wherein the intensity of the first signal is indicative of a fluid type and the duration of the first signal is indicative of a volume and/or flow rate of the first fluid; and determining whether to modulate fluid flow in the microfluidic system and/or alerting a user of an abnormality in an analysis being conducted in the microfluidic system based at least in part on the number of signals having the intensity above or below the threshold intensity and/or the first pattern of signals.