KR20080052349A - Biochip Reader - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a reader capable of obtaining more accurate optical sensing results from a biochip or strip chip using a three-color light source in the field of bio-microelectromechanical devices (Bio-MEMS). Light emitting means composed of three color light emitting elements; Light-receiving means for receiving the light generated by the light-emitting means is reflected, refracted or transmitted by the chip to be analyzed and converted into an electrical signal; Processing means for controlling and driving the light emitting means in a switching form when the analysis target chip is mounted, and receiving and analyzing an electrical signal converted by the light receiving means; Memory means for storing a program driven by the processing means, and temporarily storing the analysis result processed by the processing means; And display means for displaying the result analyzed by the processing means.

Description

Biochip Reader Apparatus

The present invention relates to a biochip reader, and more particularly, to a biochip reader capable of determining optical sensing results obtained from biochips or strip chips in the field of bio-microelectromechanical devices (BIO-MEMS), and transmitting and receiving the readout results. will be.

The present invention is derived from the research conducted as part of the IT new growth engine core technology development project of the Ministry of Information and Communication and the Ministry of Information and Communication Research and Development. [Task Management No .: 2006-S-007-01, Title: Ubiquitous Health Care Module System ].

Typically, the strip chip is a female strip chip for pregnancy or ovulation diagnostics. The strip chip displays the results so that the user can visually check for pregnancy or ovulation. The strip chip is easy for the user to use without any auxiliary devices. However, such a strip chip has a detection range that is difficult to visually determine the color pattern resulting from the detection, due to the characteristics of the strip chip using a porous sheet such as nitrocellulose, there is a disadvantage that the accuracy of the identification can be reduced. In addition, this strip chip has a lot of obstacles to use because there is no way to store the pattern to utilize the test results.

Another example is a reader that reads an optical pattern result analyzed using a strip chip that can transmit light such as visible light through its thickness. Korean Registered Patent Publication No. 10-251999 discloses a "test strip reading device" registered by UNION PASS LIMITED.

Patent No. 10-251999 discloses a transmissive light sensing type reading device capable of directly or indirectly detecting a detectable substance in a detection zone with respect to a strip chip including a strip sheet through which light can pass, and the reading device; The analytical devices used together and the use of these devices are described. This makes it possible to inspect the pattern more accurately than to read the pattern with the naked eye. However, this can be less accurate when reading weak patterns due to light refraction. It is used for the purpose of simple yes / no reading, and a separate device is required to store or transmit data.

Recently, there is an urgent need for the development of a new concept of diagnostic and reading reader that can inspect and monitor the health of the general public anytime, anywhere, and an advanced method is required to overcome the limitations of existing technologies.

Recently, readers using light emitting devices, light receiving devices, and microprocessors have been proposed.

However, such conventional readers use a single white light source as a light emitting device. However, when using a single white light source in this way, the signal-to-noise ratio is high, and there is a problem in that the accuracy of the determination is lowered near the decision threshold value when analyzing the signal detected by the microprocessor.

Accordingly, the present invention has been proposed to solve the above problems of the prior art, and in the field of bio-microelectromechanical devices (Bio-MEMS), it is possible to obtain more accurate optical sensing results from biochips or strip chips using three-color light sources. The purpose is to provide a reader.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a biochip reader capable of remotely transmitting a reading result or receiving information anytime and anywhere.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention can be understood by the following description, and will be more clearly understood by the embodiments of the present invention. Also, it will be readily appreciated that the objects and advantages of the present invention may be realized by the means and combinations thereof indicated in the claims.

A reader according to the present invention for achieving the above object, the reader for reading the inserted analysis target chip, the light emitting means consisting of three color light emitting element; Light-receiving means for receiving the light generated by the light emitting means is reflected, refracted or transmitted by the chip to be analyzed and converted into an electrical signal; Processing means for controlling and driving the light emitting means in a switching form when the analysis target chip is mounted, and receiving and analyzing an electrical signal converted by the light receiving means; Memory means for storing a program driven by the processing means, and temporarily storing the analysis result processed by the processing means; And display means for displaying the result analyzed by the processing means.

In addition, the reader according to the present invention for achieving the above object, the reader for reading the inserted analysis target chip, the light emitting means consisting of three color light emitting element; Light-receiving means for receiving the light generated by the light-emitting means is reflected, refracted or transmitted by the chip to be analyzed and converted into an electrical signal; Processing means for controlling and driving the light emitting means in a switching form when the analysis target chip is mounted, and receiving and analyzing an electrical signal converted by the light receiving means; Memory means for storing a program driven by the processing means, and temporarily storing the analysis result processed by the processing means; Display means for displaying a result analyzed by said processing means; Communication means arranged to transmit a result analyzed by the processing means to a remote terminal; And a side wall disposed between the light emitting means and the light receiving means to prevent interference by light generated by the light emitting means.

The present invention as described above, it is possible to read more accurately than the conventional reader through the analysis of the intensity of the color and light reflected using the tricolor light source. In addition, the present invention by combining the RFID and wireless communication module, it is possible to store the analysis results anytime and anywhere to transmit in real time to the desired place. The reader according to the present invention can be widely used by both professionals and the public in emergency rooms, private hospital offices, ambulances and homes.

The above objects, features and advantages will become more apparent from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, whereby those skilled in the art may easily implement the technical idea of the present invention. There will be. In addition, in describing the present invention, when it is determined that the detailed description of the known technology related to the present invention may unnecessarily obscure the gist of the present invention, the detailed description thereof will be omitted. Hereinafter, exemplary embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

The present invention is to improve the inaccuracies caused by the determination by the naked eye or the determination using the transmission characteristics of the analysis result detected through the biochip or strip chip, and also to transmit the determination result to the terminal of the hospital or the personal physician anytime, anywhere. It has a feature. Accordingly, the present invention performs a quick and accurate qualitative or quantitative analysis of the optical information of the detected biochip, and the user can easily read the reading result. In addition, the present invention, in combination with the wireless communication module, by transmitting the medical information of the individual to the terminal of a specific hospital or doctor, it is possible to facilitate their health management in the upcoming ubiquitous social environment. Target biomaterials of the biochip may include cancer-related biomarkers, pregnancy or ovulation-related hormones, body fluids such as blood representing personal health conditions, pathogen viruses such as bird flu, or addictive drugs.

1 is a functional block diagram of a biochip reader according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, Figure 2 is a detailed configuration diagram for explaining the structure of the reader according to the present invention.

As shown in FIG. 1, the biochip reader according to the present invention receives a light emitting unit 101 including a three-color light source and light transmitted by the light emitted by the light emitting unit reflected or refracted or transmitted through the biochip. A light receiving unit 102, an amplifier 103 for amplifying the electrical signal received by the light receiving unit 102, and an analog-to-digital converter (ADC) for converting the signal amplified by the amplifier 103 into a digital signal. 104, a micro control unit (MCU) 105 for analyzing a digital signal input through the ADC 104, a program driven by the MCU 105, and storing the MCU ( And a memory 106 for temporarily storing the data read by the 105, and a display unit (LCD) 107 for displaying the information analyzed by the MCU 105.

In addition, the reader according to the present invention, the communication module 108 for transmitting the reading result by the MCU 105 to the remote site, and the movement of the microfluid and stop in order to ensure that the analysis in the biochip efficiently And a fluid control module configured to be mixed, and may include sidewalls 202 installed between the light emitting unit 101 and the light receiving unit 102 to efficiently perform light discrimination.

As shown in FIG. 3, the light emitting unit 101 of the biochip reader according to the present invention is configured by combining three color light emitting diodes (LEDs) of red 301, green 302, and blue 303, respectively.

In general, when a single white light source is used, the signal-to-noise ratio is high, so that the accuracy of the decision is reduced near the decision threshold value in the process of being received by the light receiver and analyzed by the MCU. In order to overcome such a problem, the light emitting unit 101 is configured in the form of a combination of the three color light sources 301 to 303. Accordingly, the present invention can greatly reduce the signal-to-noise ratio, and when using a light-emitting diode or a transistor suitable for each wavelength, the wavelength and brightness analysis can be performed at the same time, thereby improving accuracy and reproducing the analysis result of the biochip 201. Can be read. The three color light source elements LEDs of the light emitting unit 101 may be controlled discontinuously in a switching form.

The light receiver 102 may be a conventional silicon sensor component such as a silicon photo diode or a photo tride. By configuring the sensors in an array, it is possible to ensure sensitivity and ease of mounting the biochip.

On the other hand, between the light emitting unit 101 and the light receiving unit 102 to prevent the light emitted by the light emitting unit 101 is directly transmitted to the light receiving unit 102, the side wall 202 is provided to improve the accuracy of light identification Is installed.

In addition, the reader according to the present invention includes a fluid control module to allow the movement, stopping and mixing of the microfluid in order to efficiently perform analysis in the biochip. That is, the reader according to the present invention includes a fluid control module including a flow path capable of moving, mixing, and stopping related solutions (buffers, body fluids, blood, etc.) in order to facilitate analysis of biological samples. do. The fluid control module includes a storage tank 203 for storing the fluid, a pump 204 for transferring the fluid, a valve 205 for controlling the transfer of the fluid, and a mixer 206 for controlling the fluid. can do. Drives for moving, stopping, and mixing fluids may be various conventional driving methods such as electrostatic motors, piezoelectric pumps, hydraulic or pneumatic, and ultrasonic waves.

Meanwhile, the process of mounting the strip chip or biochip 201 to the reader will be described below.

The strip chip or biochip 201 is inserted using a lever including an elastic body (spring) installed in the reader, and is fixed to a groove formed in the lever when the specified position is reached. At this time, the chip fixing structure coupled with the spring mounted on the reader is installed in the upper part of the biochip, and the chip fixing structure enables the biochip to be measured regardless of external impact or shaking.

In addition, a detachable lever is additionally installed with a tilting spring to facilitate the detachment of the biochip. In addition, the reader upper case and the lower case may be forcibly fastened by using an additional structure in the form of a clip, or may be combined by making an embossed groove in one of the upper case and the lower case of the reader and inserting a recessed groove in the other. Can be. In this case, when the upper case and the lower case are combined, a polymer layer having elasticity may be added to the contact surface so that a minute gap does not occur.

The structure for attaching and detaching the reader and the biochip as described above is just one example, which can be easily implemented by those skilled in the art as needed, which will be omitted in the detailed description of the present invention.

On the other hand, the reader according to the present invention may include a mobile communication modem capable of wirelessly communicating with the mobile communication network as a communication module. In this case, the MCU 105 configures the read result in a specific data format and transmits the read result to the mobile communication modem, and the mobile communication modem transmits the read result to the terminal selected by the user through wireless data communication.

On the other hand, the reader according to the present invention may include an RFID chip as a communication module. In this case, the MCU 105 writes the read result to the RFID chip. And, if the user wants to transmit the read result to a remote location, the user reads the read result from the RFID chip using a wired or wireless terminal equipped with an RFID reader and transmits the read result to the remote terminal.

The operation of the reader according to the present invention having such a structure will be described.

When the biochip 201 is inserted into the reader, the switch is turned on, and the biochip insertion signal is applied to the MCU 105. When the biochip insertion signal is applied, the MCU 105 determines that the biochip 201 is inserted into the reader and applies power to drive the light emitting unit 101 including the three color light emitting diodes. At this time, the MCU 105 discontinuously applies power to the three-color light emitting diode in the switching form.

Then, light is output by the light emitting unit 101, and the output light is reflected or refracted or transmitted by the biochip to be received by the light receiving unit 102, and the light receiving unit 102 transmits the received light signal to an electrical signal. Convert to The electrical signal converted by the light receiving unit 102 is amplified by the amplifier 103, and the amplified signal is converted into a digital signal by the ADC 104 and transferred to the MCU 105. The MCU 105 analyzes the input digital signal and displays the result via the LCD 107.

In addition, the MCU 105 may record the read result on the RFID chip or transmit the read result to the remote terminal through the mobile communication modem.

The present invention described above is capable of various substitutions, modifications, and changes without departing from the technical spirit of the present invention for those skilled in the art to which the present invention pertains. It is not limited by the drawings.

1 is a block diagram of a reader according to the present invention;

2 is a detailed configuration diagram for explaining the structure of a reader according to the present invention;

3 is a detailed configuration diagram of the light emitting unit and the light receiving unit according to the present invention.

Claims (9)

In the reader for reading the inserted analysis target chip, Light emitting means composed of three color light emitting elements; Light-receiving means for receiving the light generated by the light-emitting means is reflected, refracted or transmitted by the chip to be analyzed and converted into an electrical signal; Processing means for controlling and driving the light emitting means in a switching form when the analysis target chip is mounted, and receiving and analyzing an electrical signal converted by the light receiving means; Memory means for storing a program driven by the processing means, and temporarily storing the analysis result processed by the processing means; And Display means for displaying a result analyzed by the processing means Reader that includes. The method of claim 1, And a communication means arranged to transmit a result analyzed by the processing means to a remote terminal. In the reader for reading the inserted analysis target chip, Light emitting means composed of three color light emitting elements; Light-receiving means for receiving the light generated by the light-emitting means is reflected, refracted or transmitted by the chip to be analyzed and converted into an electrical signal; Processing means for controlling and driving the light emitting means in a switching form when the analysis target chip is mounted, and receiving and analyzing an electrical signal converted by the light receiving means; Memory means for storing a program driven by the processing means, and temporarily storing the analysis result processed by the processing means; Display means for displaying a result analyzed by said processing means; Communication means arranged to transmit a result analyzed by the processing means to a remote terminal; And A side wall disposed between the light emitting means and the light receiving means to prevent interference by light generated by the light emitting means; Reader that includes. The method of claim 2 or 3, The light emitting means, Composed of a combination of red diodes, green diodes, and blue diodes, The processing means, And each diode of the light emitting means is discontinuously controlled in a switching form. The method of claim 4, wherein The communication means, And a radio frequency identification (RFID) chip coupled to said processing means. The method of claim 5, wherein And said processing means writes the analysis result to said radio recognition chip. The method of claim 4, wherein The communication means, And a mobile communication modem for transmitting an analysis result to a remote terminal through a mobile communication network in association with the processing means. The method of claim 3, wherein And a fluid control module for moving, stopping, and mixing the microfluid in order to efficiently perform analysis in the analysis target chip. The method of claim 8, The fluid control module, A storage tank for storing the fluid; A pump for conveying fluid; A valve for controlling the transfer of fluid; And A reader comprising a fluid control mixer.

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