Systems and methods for tagging and acoustically characterizing containers

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2020188902-A1
Application number	US-201916705807-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Dec 6, 2019
Priority date	Oct 12, 2015
Publication date	Jun 18, 2020
Grant date	—

Abstract

Embodiments of the present invention provide systems and methods for tagging and acoustically characterizing containers.

First claim

1 .- 11 . (canceled)

12 . A method of characterizing a container configured to hold a fluid, the method comprising:
providing the container, the container comprising:
at least one vertical sidewall; and
a bottom coupled to the at least one vertical sidewall, the bottom being configured to receive an acoustic signal, the bottom including a plurality of recesses, grooves, or protrusions thereon or therein;
transmitting an acoustic signal through the bottom, the plurality of recesses, grooves, or protrusions providing a plurality of times of flight of the acoustic signal through the bottom; receiving a reflection of the transmitted acoustic signal; and characterizing an acoustic impedance of the container based on the reflection.

13 . The method of claim 12 , further comprising:
retrieving from a computer-readable medium a value characterizing a thickness of the bottom based on the reflection; and wherein the characterizing the acoustic impedance of the container is based on the retrieved value characterizing the thickness of the bottom.

14 . The method of claim 12 , wherein a first subset of the plurality of recesses, grooves, or protrusions includes a first depth providing a first time of flight of the acoustic signal, and wherein a second subset of the plurality of recesses, grooves or protrusions includes a second depth providing a second time of flight of the acoustic signal, the first depth being different from the second depth.

15 . The method of claim 12 , wherein a first one of the plurality of recesses, grooves, or protrusions includes a different length, aspect ratio, or depth than a second one of the plurality of recesses, grooves, or protrusions.

16 . (canceled)

17 . The method of claim 15 , wherein the plurality of recesses, grooves, or protrusions include a hydrophobic micropillar array.

18 . The method of claim 12 , wherein the plurality of recesses, grooves, or protrusions are located outside of an acoustic path between the fluid and an acoustic transducer generating the acoustic signal.

19 . The method of claim 12 , wherein the plurality of recesses, grooves, or protrusions are located along and within an acoustic path between the fluid and an acoustic transducer generating the acoustic signal.

20 . The method of claim 12 , wherein the container includes a multiwell plate, and a vertical sidewall of the at least one vertical sidewall and the bottom correspond to a single well of the multiwall plate.

21 . The method of claim 12 , wherein the sidewall and the bottom include a plastic.

22 . The method of claim 21 , wherein the plastic is selected from the group consisting of cyclic olefin polymer, cyclic olefin copolymer, polypropylene, and polystyrene.

23 .- 35 . (canceled)

36 . A method for characterizing a fluid within a container configured to hold the fluid, the method comprising:
providing a container holding a first fluid, the container including:
at least one vertical sidewall; and
a bottom connected to the at least one vertical sidewall, the bottom being at least partially coupled to a coupling fluid;
sending a first acoustic signal to the bottom of the container, the bottom configured to provide a plurality of times of flight of the first acoustic signal; receiving a first reflection of the first acoustic signal; characterizing a first acoustic impedance of the container based at least in part on the first reflection of the first acoustic signal; sending a second acoustic signal to the bottom of the container and the first fluid through the coupling fluid; receiving a second reflection of the second acoustic signal through the coupling fluid; characterizing a second acoustic impedance of the first fluid based at least in part on the first acoustic impedance of the container and the second reflection of the second acoustic signal; obtaining one or more parameters for an acoustic droplet ejection based at least in part on the second acoustic impedance of the first fluid; and performing the acoustic droplet ejection based at least in part on the obtained one or more parameters.

37 . A method for characterizing a fluid within a container configured to hold the fluid, the method comprising:
providing a container holding a first fluid, the container including:
at least one vertical sidewall; and
a bottom connected to the at least one vertical sidewall, the bottom being at least partially coupled to a coupling fluid;
sending a first acoustic signal to the bottom of the container, the bottom configured to provide a plurality of times of flight of the first acoustic signal; receiving a first reflection of the first acoustic signal; characterizing a first acoustic impedance of the container based at least in part on the first reflection of the first acoustic signal; sending a second acoustic signal to the bottom of the container and the first fluid through the coupling fluid; receiving a second reflection of the second acoustic signal through the coupling fluid; characterizing a second acoustic impedance of the first fluid based at least in part on the first acoustic impedance of the container and the second reflection of the second acoustic signal; obtaining one or more parameters for the first fluid based at least in part on the second acoustic impedance of the first fluid; and outputting the obtained one or more parameters for the first fluid.

Assignees

• Labcyte Inc

Inventors

• Sackmann Eric
• DATWANI Sammy
• HINKSON Stephen

Classifications

• G01N2291/2695

  Bottles, containers · CPC title

• G01N29/09 Primary

  by measuring mechanical or acoustic impedance · CPC title

• B05B17/06

  using ultrasonic {or other kinds of} vibrations · CPC title

• B01L2400/0439

  ultrasonic vibrations, vibrating piezo elements · CPC title

• B01L2300/0851

  Bottom walls · CPC title