Methods, systems, and computer program products for verifying dispensing of a fluid from a pipette

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10456778-B2
Application number	US-201715713108-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 22, 2017
Priority date	Aug 15, 2014
Publication date	Oct 29, 2019
Grant date	Oct 29, 2019

Abstract

This invention relates to methods, systems, and computer program products for verifying dispensing of a fluid from a pipette.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A computer system, comprising:
a processor; and
a memory coupled to the processor, the memory comprising computer readable program code embodied therein that, when executed by the processor, causes the processor to perform operations comprising:
aspirating a gas into a pipette tip attached to a pipette in electronic communication with the processor and subsequently aspirating a liquid into the pipette tip;
collecting pressure data while dispensing fluid from the pipette tip attached to the pipette in electronic communication with the processor, wherein the pressure data includes a plurality of pressure values measured at an internal portion of the pipette and taken over a given time interval, wherein the plurality of pressure values includes a maximum pressure value and a minimum pressure value, and wherein the gas and liquid are aspirated into the pipette tip prior to collecting the pressure data while dispensing the fluid from the pipette tip;
estimating a pressure range value between the maximum pressure value and the minimum pressure value;
responsive to the pressure range value being greater than or equal to a first threshold, determining that the fluid included a liquid, or
responsive to the pressure range value being less than the first threshold, determining that the fluid did not include a liquid; and
responsive to a pressure area ratio being greater than a second threshold, determining that the fluid included a sufficient amount of the liquid, or
responsive to the pressure area ratio being less than or equal the second threshold, determining that the fluid did not include a sufficient amount of the liquid,
wherein the pressure area ratio corresponds to a pressure data curve.

2. The computer system of claim 1 , wherein dispensing fluid from the pipette tip attached to the pipette further comprises dispensing fluid from the pipette tip attached to the pipette over the given time interval.

3. The computer system of claim 1 , wherein collecting pressure data while dispensing fluid from the pipette tip attached to the pipette comprises dispensing the fluid at a given rate.

4. The computer system of claim 3 , wherein the given rate is in a range of about 5 μL/sec to about 400 μL/sec.

5. The computer system of claim 1 , wherein the memory comprises further computer readable program code embodied therein that, when executed by the processor, causes the processor to perform further operations comprising, prior to collecting pressure data while dispensing fluid from the pipette tip attached to the pipette, dispensing at least a portion of the liquid from the pipette tip.

6. The computer system of claim 1 , wherein collecting pressure data while dispensing fluid from the pipette tip attached to the pipette comprises dispensing all fluid present in the pipette tip in the given time interval.

7. The computer system of claim 1 , wherein estimating the pressure range value between the maximum pressure value and the minimum pressure value comprises subtracting the minimum pressure value from the maximum pressure value to obtain the pressure range value.

8. The computer system of claim 1 , wherein the memory further comprises computer readable program code embodied therein that, when executed by the processor, causes the processor to perform operations further comprising, prior to estimating the pressure range value between the maximum pressure value and the minimum pressure value, removing a portion of pressure values from the plurality of pressure values.

9. The computer system of claim 8 , wherein the portion of pressure values are a given number of consecutive pressure values.

10. The computer system of claim 9 , wherein the portion of pressure values includes an initial pressure value in the plurality of pressure values.

11. The computer system of claim 1 , wherein determining that the fluid did not include the liquid indicates that a dispensing error occurred.

12. A computer program product comprising:
a non-transitory computer readable storage medium having computer readable code embodied in the medium, the computer readable code comprising:
computer readable code that, when executed by a processor, causes the processor to perform operations comprising:
aspirating a gas into a pipette tip attached to a pipette in electronic communication with the processor and subsequently aspirating a liquid into the pipette tip;
collecting pressure data while dispensing fluid from the pipette tip attached to the pipette, wherein the pressure data includes a plurality of pressure values measured at an internal portion of the pipette and taken over a given time interval, wherein the plurality of pressure values includes a maximum pressure value and a minimum pressure value, and wherein the gas and liquid are aspirated into the pipette tip prior to collecting the pressure data while dispensing the fluid from the pipette tip;
estimating a pressure range value between the maximum pressure value and the minimum pressure value;
responsive to the pressure range value being greater than or equal to a first threshold, determining that the fluid included a liquid, or
responsive to the pressure range value being less than the first threshold, determining that the fluid did not include a liquid; and
responsive to a pressure area ratio being greater than a second threshold, determining that the fluid included a sufficient amount of the liquid, or
responsive to the pressure area ratio being less than or equal the second threshold, determining that the fluid did not include a sufficient amount of the liquid,
wherein the pressure area ratio corresponds to a pressure data curve.

13. The computer program product of claim 12 , comprising further computer readable code that, when executed by the processor, causes the processor to perform further operations comprising:
prior to collecting pressure data while dispensing fluid from the pipette tip attached to the pipette, dispensing at least a portion of the liquid from the pipette tip.

14. The computer program product of claim 12 , comprising further computer readable code that, when executed by the processor, causes the processor to perform further operations comprising:
prior to estimating the pressure range value between the maximum pressure value and the minimum pressure value, removing a portion of pressure values from the plurality of pressure values.

15. The computer program product of claim 14 , wherein the portion of pressure values are a given number of consecutive pressure values.

16. The computer program product of claim 14 , wherein the portion of pressure values includes an initial pressure value in the plurality of pressure values.

Assignees

• Bio Merieux Inc

Inventors

• Luebbert Daniel Oliver
• Pingel Daniel Joseph
• Harrison Joel Patrick
• Pionke Jeremey Joseph

Classifications

• B01L3/021 Primary

  Pipettes, i.e. with only one conduit for withdrawing and redistributing liquids · CPC title

• B01L2300/0681

  Filter · CPC title

• B01L3/0275

  Interchangeable or disposable dispensing tips · CPC title

• B01L3/0268

  using pulse dispensing or spraying, eg. inkjet type, piezo actuated ejection of droplets from capillaries · CPC title

• G01N35/1009

  Characterised by arrangements for controlling the aspiration or dispense of liquids · CPC title