Patent ID: 7002688

Claim:
A diagnostics apparatus for detecting fluorescence events related to the presence of an analyte in a sample applied to the apparatus, comprising (a) a housing, (b) a source of excitation light and a photodetector mounted in said housing, (c) a multi-surface optical module carried in said housing, adjacent said light source and photodetector, and comprising: (ci) an upstream portion having a first focusing surface for directing excitation light from said light source to a focal region within an analyte-detection zone in said apparatus, and (cii) a downstream portion having a second focusing surface and at least one reflecting surface for directing fluorescence-emission light produced by fluorescence events within said detection zone, in a direction substantially normal to the path of said excitation light within the detection zone, onto said photodetector, (d) a display carried on said housing, and (e) a microprocessor in said housing operatively coupled to: (ei) said excitation light source for activating the same, (eii) said photodetector for receiving electronic signals therefrom, and for converting said signals to an analyte-detection signal, and (eiii) to said display for displaying said detection signal.