Appeal No. 2003-1017 Page 2
Application No. 08/287,358
plate, said method comprising the steps of:
distributing a predetermined amount of a liquid to a number of said plurality of
wells;
receiving an image of emissions emitted from said plurality of wells
simultaneously over a predetermined period of time, the image comprising an entire
view of each of the plurality of wells; and
processing emissions data from the received image.
32. A method for scheduling and performing a plurality of fluorescence assays
using a plurality of plates each including a plurality of wells, the method comprising the
steps of:
storing data representing at least first and second tracks and at least one critical
point at which the first and second tracks are tied together in time, each of the first and
second tracks defining a set of assay operations in time, at least a portion of the set of
assay operations of the first track to be performed simultaneously with the second
track; and
performing at least a portion of the sets of assay operations on at least one of
the plates such that a portion of the set of assay operations of the second track defined
prior to the at least one critical point is finished before beginning a portion of the set of
assay operations of the first track defined after the at least one critical point.
36. A method for simultaneously performing a plurality of fluorescence assays
using a plate containing a plurality of wells, the method comprising the steps of:
detecting fluorescence emitted from each of the plurality of wells; and
displaying in real or pseudo real time a graphical representation of the
fluorescence emitted from each of the plurality of wells, the graphical representation
indicating an arrangement in the plate of the plurality of wells.
The references relied on by the examiner are:
Tillotson 5,053,626 Oct. 1, 1991
Chow et al. (Chow) 5,112,134 May 12, 1992
Bjornson et al. (Bjornson) 5,125,748 Jun. 30, 1992
Ellis et al. (Ellis) 5,407,820 Apr. 18, 1995
Akong et al. (Akong) WO 93/13423 Jul. 8, 1993
The claims stand rejected as follows:
I. Claims 15, 17-28, 36-39 and 41-44 under 35 U.S.C. § 102 (b) as anticipated
by Akong.
II. Claims 15, 18-23, 27, 28, 32-38, 41 and 42 under 35 U.S.C. § 103 as
unpatentable over Bjornson and Chow.
III. Claims 24-26, 43 and 44 under 35 U.S.C. § 103 as unpatentable over
Bjornson, Chow and Ellis.
IV. Claims 17 and 39 under 35 U.S.C. § 103 as unpatentable over Bjornson,
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