System and method for providing improved event reading and data processing capabilities in flow cytometer

Abstract

A system and method for use with a flow cytometer to improve event reading and data processing capabilities of the flow cytometer, while also providing efficient system configuration assessment capabilities. The system and method enables the flow cytometer to capture and sample an entire waveform representative of an event being read, and provides improved processing and analysis of the sampled data in a real time or near real-time basis. The system and method further enable the flow cytometer to assess its configuration and provide assessment results to an operator in an efficient and effective manner.

Description

[0001] The present invention claims benefit under 35 U.S.C. § 119(e) of a U.S. Provisional Patent Application of Dwayne Yount et al. entitled “Hardware and Electronics Architecture for a Flow Cytometer”, Ser. No. 60 / 203,515, filed May 11, 2000, of a U.S. Provisional Patent Application of Michael Lock et al. entitled “Cluster Finder Algorithm for Flow Cytometer”, Ser. No. 60 / 203,590, filed May 11, 2000, of a U.S. Provisional Patent Application of Michael Goldberg et al. entitled “User Interface and Network Architecture for Flow Cytometer”, Ser. No. 60 / 203,585, filed May 11, 2000, and of a U.S. Provisional Patent Application of John Cardott et al. entitled “Digital Flow Cytometer”, Ser. No. 60 / 203,577, filed May 11, 2000, the entire contents of each of said provisional patent applications being incorporated herein by reference. CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS [0002] Related subject matter is disclosed in a copending U.S. patent application of Pierce 0. Norton entitled “Apparat...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

"The present invention provides a system and method for improving the event reading and data processing capabilities of a flow cytometer. The system can capture and sample an entire waveform representative of an event being read, and provide improved processing and analysis of the sampled data in a real-time or near real-time basis. The system can also efficiently assess the configuration of the flow cytometer to an operator. Additionally, the invention provides a removable device that includes an optical element and a memory, which can be coupled to a port of a flow cytometer to provide information pertaining to the optical element. Overall, the invention enhances the performance and accuracy of flow cytometers."

Problems solved by technology

Hence, a time delay exists from when the cell is at the interrogation point until the cell reaches the actual break-off point of the droplet.

Although the flow cytometers described above can be suitable for reading events as intended, these existing systems do suffer from certain drawbacks.

These existing systems also do not capture the entire image of the event.

However, these techniques do not enable the existing systems to sample individual regions of the cell or particle of interest, nor are they capable of being performed on a real-time or near real-time basis.

Furthermore, these systems are typically incapable of comparing data from multiple events effectively and in a real time or near real-time manner.

In addition, these types of existing systems do not provide a mechanism that indicates the configuration of the system to the operator effectively.

However, if an incorrect filter is placed in front of a particular detector, the detector will detect the incorrect light (e.g., green light instead of blue light).

The system will therefore give erroneous results.

However, the operator of the system will have difficulty determining which filters are arranged incorrectly, and in the worst case, the error may go unnoticed.

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