Patent ID: 8124362

Claim:
A method for detecting an analyte in a sample in an assay procedure comprising: a) providing a sample containing or suspected to contain the analyte and a solid support having immobilized thereon 1) a chemiluminescent compound, and 2) a first specific binding partner for the analyte; b) contacting the sample and the solid support to permit analyte to bind to the immobilized specific binding partner for the analyte; c) providing an excess of an activator compound conjugate comprising an activator compound conjugated to either a second specific binding partner for the analyte or to the analyte; d) permitting the activator compound conjugate to undergo a specific binding pair reaction thereby bringing a first portion of the activator compound conjugate into proximity to the immobilized chemiluminescent compound, wherein a second portion of the activator compound conjugate does not undergo a specific binding pair reaction and is not brought into proximity to the immobilized chemiluminescent compound, and wherein the portion of the activator compound conjugate in proximity to the immobilized chemiluminescent compound activates a portion of the immobilized chemiluminescent compound; e) providing a trigger solution to produce chemiluminescence from the activated portion of the chemiluminescent compound; f) detecting the chemiluminescence produced; and g) relating the chemiluminescence produced to the presence, location, or amount of the analyte in the sample.