Detection apparatus for detecting particles

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9964487-B2
Application number	US-201415106856-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 10, 2014
Priority date	Dec 23, 2013
Publication date	May 8, 2018
Grant date	May 8, 2018

Abstract

The invention relates to a detection apparatus ( 1 ) for detecting particles on or close to a particles detection surface ( 5 ) in a first optical detection mode and in a second optical detection mode, wherein a component of a light detection system ( 8 ) and/or a component of an optical system ( 9 ) of the detection apparatus is arranged to be used in the first detection mode and in the second detection mode. Since a component of the light detection system and/or a component of the optical system is arranged to be used in the first detection mode and in the second detection mode, this component does not need to be provided twice, i.e. for being used in the first detection mode and for being used in the second detection mode. This can lead to a reduced number of components and can make the detection apparatus technically less complex.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A detection apparatus for detecting particles on or close to a particle-detection-surface, the detection apparatus being operable in a first optical detection mode and in a second optical detection mode, the detection comprising:
a first light source for generating first light for illuminating the particle-detection-surface in the first optical detection mode;
a second light source for generating second light for illuminating the particle-detection-surface in the second optical detection mode,
a light detector for detecting the first light and the second light after meeting the particle-detection surface; and
an optical system for modifying the first light and the second light at least one before meeting the particle-detection-surface, and after meeting the particle-detection-surface,
wherein at least one of a component of the light detector and a component of the optical system is arranged to be used in the first detection mode and in the second detection mode, and
wherein the first light is modified by frustrated total internal reflection caused by the particles and the modified first light is detected.

2. The detection apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the second light is scattered by the particles and the scattered second light is detected.

3. The detection apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the light detector comprises a light detection surface configured for use in the first optical detection mode and in the second optical detection mode, wherein the first light is detected by a first part of the light detection surface and the second light is detected by a second part of the light detection surface.

4. The detection apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the optical system comprises a double telecentric arrangement for modifying the first light in the first optical detection mode and for modifying the second light in the second optical detection mode.

5. The detection apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the optical system comprises a permeable mirror for modifying the first light in the first optical detection mode and for modifying the second light in the second optical detection mode.

6. The detection apparatus of claim 5 , wherein the light detector comprises a light detection surface for use in the first optical detection mode and in the second optical detection mode, wherein:
in the first optical detection mode, the first light coming from the particle-detection-surface is directed to the permeable mirror and the first light traversing the permeable mirror is directed to the light detection surface, and
in the second optical detection mode, the second light provided by the second light source is directed to the permeable mirror, the second light reflected by the permeable mirror is directed to the particle-detection surface and the light coming from the particle-detection-surface is directed to the light detection surface.

7. The detection apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first light source and the optical system are configured such that in the first optical detection mode a larger area of the particle-detection-surface is illuminated, and wherein the second light source and the optical system are configured such that in the second optical detection mode a smaller area of the particle-detection-surface is illuminated.

8. The detection apparatus as defined in claim 7 , wherein the particle-detection-surface comprises a plurality of detection regions, in which particles are to be detected, wherein the first light source and the optical system area configured such that in the first optical detection mode the larger illuminated area of the particle-detection surface covers the plurality of detection regions and areas between the plurality of detection regions, and wherein the second light source and the optical system are configured such that in the second optical detection mode only one detection region is illuminated or only the plurality of the detection regions are illuminated, thereby illuminating the smaller area of the particle-detection-surface.

9. The detection apparatus of claim 1 , wherein a same optical path of the optical system is at least partly used, in opposite directions, in the first optical detection mode and the second optical detection mode.

10. The detection apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the optical system comprises an illumination optical path, along which the second light travels before meeting the particle-detection-surface in the second optical detection mode, and a detection optical path, along which the second light travels after having met the particle-detection-surface and before being detected by the light detection system in the second optical detection mode,
wherein the detection apparatus further comprises a light shield arranged between the illumination optical path and the detection optical path.

11. The detection apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the particles on the particle-detection-surface have been attached to a substance within a fluid, and wherein the detection apparatus further comprises a controller for detecting the substance based on at least one of the detected first light and the detected second light.

12. A detection method for detecting particles bound to a particle-detection surface, the detection method comprising:
generating first light for illuminating the particle-detection-surface in a first optical detection mode by a first light source;
generating second light for illuminating the particle-detection-surface in a second optical detection mode by a second light source;
modifying the first light and the second light using an optical system at least one of before illuminating the particle-detection-surface and after illuminating the particle-detection-surface, and
detecting the first light and the second light using a light detection system after the first light and the second light have illuminated the particle-detection-surface,
wherein at least one of a component of the light detection system and a component of the optical system is used in the first detection mode and in the second detection mode, and
wherein the first light is modified by frustrated total internal reflection caused by the bound particles and the modified first light is detected using the light detection system.

13. A non-transitory computer readable medium storing a computer program for detecting particles bound to a particle-detection surface, when executed by a computer processor,
first generating code causing first light to be generated by a first light source for illuminating the particle-detection-surface in a first optical detection mode;
second generating code causing second light to be generated by a second light source for illuminating the particle-detection-surface in a second optical detection mode, wherein the first light and the second light are modified at least one of before illuminating the particle-detection-surface and after illuminating the particle-detection-surface using an optical system; and
detecting code causing the first light and the second light to be detected by a light detection system, after having illuminated the particle-detection-surface,
wherein at least one of a component of the light detection system and a component of the optical system is used in the first detection mode and in the second detection mode, and
wherein the first light is modified by frustrated total internal reflection caused by the particles and the modified first light is detected.

14. The detection method of claim 12 , wherein the second light is scattered by the bound particles and the scattered second light is detected using the light detection system.

1

Assignees

• Koninklijke Philips Nv

Inventors

• Neijzen Jacobus Hermanus Maria
• Schleipen Johannes Joseph Hubertina Barbara

Classifications

• G01N2015/1452

  Adjustment of focus; Alignment · CPC title

• G01N2201/06

  Illumination; Optics · CPC title

• G01N21/27

  using photo-electric detection (G01N21/31 takes precedence){; circuits for computing concentration (logarithmic circuits G06G7/24; photometric circuits in general G01J)} · CPC title

• G02B21/18

  Arrangements with more than one light path, e.g. for comparing two specimens · CPC title

• G01N15/1436

  the optical arrangement forming an integrated apparatus with the sample container, e.g. a flow cell · CPC title