Radiant energy – Photocells; circuits and apparatus – Optical or pre-photocell system
Reexamination Certificate
1998-02-10
2003-05-27
Le, Que T. (Department: 2878)
Radiant energy
Photocells; circuits and apparatus
Optical or pre-photocell system
C250S239000, C356S213000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06570176
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to the field of detecting and measuring bioluminescence.
BACKGROUND OF INVENTION
Specifically the present invention relates to in situ measurements of bioluminescence intensity in the ocean and other bodies of water. Bioluminescence is one measure of the number and type of organisms in water, which is helpful in understanding population dynamics and certain sound transmission characteristics of water.
Bioluminescence in aquatic environments comes from a wide variety of sources. Tett and Kelly (Oceanogr. Mar. Biol. Ann. Rev, 1973, p 89-173) gives a detailed review of the physics of the measurements, and a phyletic review. Many different species, belonging to most of the phyla exhibit bioluminescence, including Bacteria, Dinoflagellates, Radiolaria, Hydrozoa, Siphonophora, Scyphozoa, Anthozoa, Ctenophora, Polychaeta, Lamellibrachiata, Cephalopoda, Crustacea, Urochordata and Actinopterygii. Studies indicate that these organisms use bioluminescence for a great variety of vital functions. It is an important mechanism for understanding physiological processes. Work has shown that certain species can be identified on the basis of their bioluminescence. Clearly it is one of the commonest radiative processes of organisms as well as one of the most complex. As such, a considerable body of research has accumulated; in fact there is a Journal of Bioluminescence and Chemiluminescence.
Beginning in the 1940's, instrumentation for quantitative measurements of bioluminescence was developed in several countries. Yentsch and Yentsch (Oceanogr. Maar. Biol. Ann. Rev, 1984, p 55-98), and Gitelson and Levin (Jour Bioluminescence and Chemiluminescence, 1989, p 555-562) describe some of the technology. A more recent paper by Case et al, (Naval Research Reviews, Two 1993, p 31-41) gives a good overview and bibliography. Also, there are several U.S. patents describing techniques and instrumentation for observing bioluminescence. See for example:
U.S. Pat. No. 4,563,331 to Losee and Lapota, “System for measuring bioluminescence flash kinetics”
U.S. Pat. No. 4,689,305 to Stiffey, Blank and Loeb, “Solid-state photometer circuit”
U.S. Pat. No. 4,978,854 to Lapota, Mastny, Copeland, “Bioluminescent detector”
U.S. Pat. No. 5,264,906 to Fever, Case, Widder, Bernstein, Lowenstine, “Biolumescence bathyphotometer”
U.S. Pat. No. 5,554,035 to Gooch, “Bioluminescent algae in light bulb shaped viewing device”
U.S. Pat. No. 5,565,360 to Lapota, Mastny, Copeland, Rosenberger, “Biolumescent bioassay system”
The foregoing instrumentation literature and patents describe tailored systems for fairly specific applications, such as laboratory apparatus to study isolated organisms, or determination of organism response to certain physical or chemical stimulus.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The specificity of the foregoing research objectives overlooks the more flexible observation strategies available in accordance with the present invention which utilizes a suite of small, inexpensive, stable, robust building blocks to make, in concert with other sensors, practical synoptic observations of bioluminescence at ocean fronts, where differing water masses meet.
Accordingly, the present invention provides an economical underway bioluminescence detector that can be used for vertical profiles, horizontal profiles at a fixed depth, or in a vertically undulating mode. The detector is compact and can be attached to a towed or autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV). The vehicle's motion causes water to flush through a grid in the detector housing to generate the requisite turbulence within the instrument for stimulation of luminescent organisms, which provides a measurement of bioluminescence. The detector can also be used for moored (stationary) applications.
In a preferred embodiment of the invention a submersible bioluminescence detector system is comprised of a housing having an inlet port and an outlet port and a grid disposed at the inlet port in the path of water entering the inlet port to excite organisms in the water to exhibit bioluminescence. The bioluminescence is detected by a photodetector disposed in an hermetically sealed optically clear envelope facing the grid. The biodetector generates a first bioluminescence electrical signal. An analog or digital circuit samples, integrates and amplifies the electrical signal and transmits the signal to a host computer for further processing and display.
REFERENCES:
patent: 3797999 (1974-03-01), Witz et al.
patent: 4689305 (1987-08-01), Stiffey et al.
patent: 4978854 (1990-12-01), Lapota et al.
patent: 5264906 (1993-11-01), Ferer et al.
Tett, P.B., et al., “Marine Bioluminescence,”Oceanogr. Mar. Biol. Ann. Rev., 11:89-173 (1973).
Case, J.F., et al., “Assessment of Marine Bioluminescence,”Naval Research Reviews, XLV:31-41 (1993).
Gitelson, I.I., et al., “Bioluminescence in Oceanology,”Journal of Bioluminescence and Chemiluminescence, 4:555-562 (1989).
Yentsch, C.M., et al., “Emergence of Optical Instrumentation for Measuring Biological Properties,”Oceanogr. Mar. Biol. Ann. Rev., 22:55-98 (1984).
Aiken, J., et al., “A solid state sensor for mapping and profiling stimulated bioluminescence in the marine environment,”Continental Shelf Research, 4:455-464 (1984).
Hamilton Brook Smith & Reynolds P.C.
Le Que T.
Luu Thanh X.
Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution
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