US 11,994,471 B2
Optical signal detection modules and methods
Norbert Hagen, San Diego, CA (US); George Walker, San Diego, CA (US); and David Combs, Sam Diego, CA (US)
Assigned to GEN-PROBE INCORPORATED, San Diego, CA (US)
Filed by GEN-PROBE INCORPORATED, San Diego, CA (US)
Filed on Jan. 25, 2023, as Appl. No. 18/159,638.
Application 18/159,638 is a continuation of application No. 16/633,985, granted, now 11,585,760, previously published as PCT/US2018/043594, filed on Jul. 25, 2018.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/537,145, filed on Jul. 26, 2017.
Prior Publication US 2023/0358682 A1, Nov. 9, 2023
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. G01N 21/64 (2006.01); C12Q 1/6806 (2018.01); G02B 6/08 (2006.01)
CPC G01N 21/6486 (2013.01) [C12Q 1/6806 (2013.01); G01N 21/6452 (2013.01); G02B 6/08 (2013.01); G01N 2021/6484 (2013.01)] 19 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A system for detecting an optical signal emission from at least one signal emission source, comprising:
at least one signal transmission fiber comprising a plurality of cores having a first spatial core arrangement at a first end and a second spatial core arrangement at a second end that is the same as the first spatial core arrangement, the first end is configured to be optically coupled to a respective signal emission source such that an optical signal emitted by the respective signal emission source is transmitted from the first end of the at least one signal transmission fiber to the second of the at least one signal transmission fiber; and
at least one signal detector configured to generate an excitation light and detect the optical signal emitted by the respective signal emission source, wherein the at least one signal detector is configured to be optically coupled to the second end of the at least one signal transmission fiber such that the excitation light is transmitted from the second end of the at least one signal transmission fiber to the first end of the at least one transmission fiber and the optical signal emitted by the respective signal emission source is detected at the second end of the signal transmission fiber,
wherein the at least one signal detector and the second end of the at least one signal transmission fiber being arranged such that (i) an intensity pattern of the transmitted excitation light at the first end of the at least one signal transmission fiber that is symmetric is an indication that the at least one signal detector and the second end of the at least one signal transmission fiber are optically aligned, and (ii) an intensity pattern of the transmitted excitation light at the first end of the at least one signal transmission fiber that is asymmetric is an indication that the at least one signal detector and the second end of the at least one signal transmission fiber are optically misaligned.