Patent ID: 7645070

Claim:
A system comprising: a polymerase chain reaction detection instrument; an assembly electrically connected to the polymerase chain reaction detection instrument and adapted to be removed from the polymerase chain reaction detection instrument, the assembly comprising a sample block, thermoelectric devices, and a heat sink; a clamping mechanism that clamps together the sample block, the thermoelectric devices, and the heat sink to form a clamped assembly, wherein the clamped assembly is adapted to be removed from the polymerase chain reaction detection instrument and connected to a different polymerase chain reaction detection instrument; a power source configured to supply power to the thermoelectric devices and ramp the assembly through a series of known temperature profiles configured to effect a polymerase chain reaction; a temperature sensor in thermal communication with the assembly and configured to measure an actual temperature profile of the assembly; a programmed device for receiving a measurement signal from the temperature sensor, the programmed device being programmed to carry out a characterization process whereby a comparison is made between the actual measured temperature profiles and the series of known temperature profiles, the programmed device being programmed to adjust the power supplied to the thermoelectric devices until the actual measured temperature profiles match the series of known temperature profiles; and a memory device configured to store thermal characteristics obtained by the characterization process, the memory device being configured to operatively interface with the different polymerase chain reaction detection instrument such that the stored thermal characteristics adjust power supplied to the thermoelectric devices to control a temperature profile of the different polymerase chain reaction detection instrument.