Patent ID: 8717569

Claim:
A method of obtaining information regarding at least one particle suspended within a flowing fluid, the method comprising: applying light to the fluid and to the at least one particle suspended within the fluid as the fluid flows through a fluidic channel; obtaining scattered or fluorescent light resulting from an interaction between the light incident on the at least one particle and the at least one particle by way of a first plurality of optical channels extending away from the fluidic channel to at least one detection device; obtaining at least one signal at the at least one detection device based upon the scattered or fluorescent light; and performing a calculation based upon the at least one signal and one or more transit times required for the at least one particle to proceed between a neighboring pair of the first plurality of optical channels resulting in the information, the information being indicative of at least one characteristic of the at least one particle, wherein the first plurality of optical channels form an array of substantially-parallel optical channels having respective ends that are spaced apart from one another along the fluidic channel and wherein the optical channels merge with one another as they extend away from the fluidic channel, so that the scattered or fluorescent light propagating through the first plurality of optical channels is demultiplexed to arrive at a single, overall signal.