Patent ID: 8119066

Claim:
A system for analyzing a target in a sample, the target being capable of generating an emitting light in response to an exciting light, the system comprising: a housing; a power source disposed in the housing; a detector disposed in the housing; a plurality of removable cartridges, at least one removable cartridge comprising a light source for producing an exciting light, a coupler for providing power to the light source from the power source, and a first optical system for directing the exciting light to the target; a read head configured for receiving the emitting light from the target; a movable sample carrier configured for aligning the sample with the read head; and a cartridge support movable in the housing and comprising a plurality of cartridge positions configured to receive the plurality of removable cartridges concurrently, the cartridge support configured to selectively align one or more of the removable cartridges with at least one of the detector and the read head, wherein each removable cartridge is removable from the cartridge support and exchangeable at the cartridge support with another cartridge.