Canon Kabushiki Kaisha of Tokyo received US Patent No. 6,737,238, “Substrate measuring method and device.” The patent covers a method of measuring a sample on a substrate that makes it possible to simplify the control and construction of a measuring device, shorten the measuring period, make the measuring conditions constant, and improve the positional accuracy. The method is performed by forming a circular orbit of detection areas.
Affymetrix received US Patent No. 6,733,977, “Hybridization device and method.” The patent covers a device to house microarray chips with inlets for introducing fluids for contact with the probes. The patent includes a scheme for using this technology in high-throughput assay systems.
Seiko Epson of Tokyo received US Patent No. 6,736,484, “Liquid Drop Discharge Method and Discharge Device; Electro Optical Device, Method of Manufacture Thereof, and Device for Manufacture Thereof; Color Filter Method of Manufacture Thereof, and Device for Manufacturing Thereof; and Device Incorporating Backing, Method of Manufacturing Thereof, and Device for Manufacture Thereof.” The patent covers a liquid drop discharge device with a head unit of ink jets that can be used in printing microarrays.
Vir of Taastrup, Denmark, received US Patent No. 6,738,141, “Surface plasmon resonance sensor.” The patent covers a replacable sensor constructed of laterally integrated arrays of planar sensor chips and an optical transducer.
The Iowa State University Research Foundation of Ames, Iowa, received US Patent No. 6,736,978, “Method and apparatus for magnetoresistive monitoring of analytes in flow streams.” The patent covers a technology for manipulating and monitoring analyte flowing in fluid streams. The technology includes a giant magnetoresistive sensor amidst a flow stream that produces electrical output signals that vary on changes in the magnetic field near the sensing elements. Electrical output signals are monitored as an indicator of analyte concentration or distribution in the stream flowing past the sensor. Changes in the magnetic field produced by the background stream are introduced by analyte molecules, and registered on an output reading.