Patent ID: 7214346

Claim:
An optoelectronic system for detecting a target particle, the system comprising a first reaction chamber; a specimen collector for collecting candidate particles present in a medium, the collector configured to deposit the candidate particles in the first reaction chamber; a first reservoir containing first emitter cells, each of the first emitter cells having first receptors which are expressed on the surface of each first emitter cell and are specific for a first target particle to be detected, wherein each first emitter cell further having a first emitter molecule which, in response to the binding of the first target particle to the first receptors, emits a first photon, wherein the first reservoir is configured to deposit at least a portion of the first cells into the first reaction chamber; a localization mechanism to facilitate contact between the first emitter cells and said candidate particles, said mechanism coupled to the reaction chamber; a control mechanism coupled to said reaction chamber for depositing said candidate particles and at least a portion of the first emitter cells in a sequential order; a particle detector coupled to said control mechanism, said particle detector arranged to detect the size of said candidate particles in the collector, wherein if the particle size detector detects the candidate particles having a size greater than a reference size, then the control mechanism is configured to deposit said at least portion of the first emitter cells first, and deposit the candidate particles thereafter and if the particle size detector detects the candidate particles having a size less than said reference size, then the control mechanism is configured to deposit the candidate particles first, and deposit said at least a portion of the first emitter cells thereafter; and an optical detector arranged for receiving the photon emitted from the first emitter cell.