Computer-aided design and analysis of circuits and semiconductor – Nanotechnology related integrated circuit design
Reexamination Certificate
2001-06-27
2004-12-07
Lee, Wilson (Department: 2821)
Computer-aided design and analysis of circuits and semiconductor
Nanotechnology related integrated circuit design
C716S030000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06829753
ABSTRACT:
The following concurrently filed, commonly owned, patent applications are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety:
U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/894,862, entitled “A Computer Aided design Method and System For Developing A Microfluidic System,” by Michael Lee, et. al.
U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/894,858, entitled “An Object Oriented Microfluidic Design Method And System,” by Gregory Harris, et. al.
The following references are incorporated herein by reference each in its entirety:
PCT Patent Application No. PCT/US00/17740, entitled “Microfabricated Elastomeric Valve and Pump Systems,” filed Jun. 27, 2000 (U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/605,520);
PCT Patent Application No. PCT/US99/13050, entitled “Microfabricated Sorter for Biological and Chemical Materials” filed May 21, 1999; and
U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 60/282,253, entitled “Microfabricated Fluidic Circuit Elements and Applications,” filed Apr. 6, 2001.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention generally relates to microfluidics and more particularly to the design of customized microfluidic systems using a microfluidic computer aided design system. Such customized microfluidic systems may be used, for example, for fluid analysis of biological samples.
Typically microfluidic systems for processing fluid samples employ a series of chambers each configured for subjecting the fluid sample to a specific processing step. As the fluid sample flows through the system sequentially from chamber to chamber, the fluid sample undergoes the processing steps according to a specific protocol. Because different protocols require different configurations, the design and manufacturing of such microfluidic systems can be time-consuming and costly.
Conventional computer aided design tools such as AutoCAD® are inadequate for the design and layout of microfluidic systems. For instance, AutoCAD® is a general tool, and has no drawing constraints and provides no specific microfluidic design information associated with a component.
Thus there is a need for computerized design techniques which allow the quick and easy formation of microfluidic systems with different configurations and utilizing different protocols.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention provides for the design of a microfluidic system, including a microfluidic chip or circuit, using a microfluidic computer aided design (CAD) system. The microfluidic CAD system, henceforth referred to as the “MCAD” system, provides the user with the tools to design, analyze, and implement a customized microfluidic system using a plurality of building block microfluidic components. The MCAD system overcomes the disadvantages of conventional CAD tools by providing, for instance, drawing constraints, design information associated with components, I/O ports, and connectivity to I/O ports, as well as easy layout and manipulation of multilayered components.
In one embodiment the microfluidic system may include a network of single or multi-layer elastomeric structures. In an alternate embodiment some or all the structures may include rigid materials (e.g., silicon-based materials). In yet another embodiment some of the structures may include a mixture of flexible materials, (e.g., elastomeric materials) with the rigid material. Utilization of such an MCAD system can lead to quick and easy implementation of simple to highly complex networks for use in general microfluidic transfer control systems, biological diagnostics systems, etc.
In one embodiment of the present invention a microfluidic device or chip is created from a plurality of microfluidic components according to a design. First a template is selected. Next, the components are placed on the template, manually or automatically, using a placement tool. The components include multilayered components. The components are then routed, manually or automatically, using a routing tool based on preset design rule constraints to achieve a physical layout. Functional analysis (e.g., logical microfluidic flow simulation) and/or physical analysis, (e.g., dynamic microfluidic flow simulation) may then be performed on the physical layout. Following the optional functional analysis and/or physical analysis, the physical layout is used to create the chip layout file, which is later used for fabricating the microfluidic device or chip. In one embodiment of the present invention a microfluidic circuit design method is provided. The method includes developing synthesizable computer code for a design. Next, a microfluidic circuit schematic, including a plurality of symbols for microfluidic components, is generated either interactively or using the synthesizable computer code. A symbol may include at least one control channel and at least one fluid channel. The microfluidic circuit schematic is then functionally simulated. The microfluidic components are placed and routed on a template to form a physical layout. Then the physical layout is physically simulated using dynamic simulation models of the microfluidic components; and the physical layout is written to a layout file.
Another embodiment of the present invention provides a microfluidic circuit design system including one or more of the following: a synthesis module for synthesizing software of a design into a schematic having a plurality of connected symbols of microfluidic components; a design capture module for displaying and manipulating the schematic; a functional analysis module for functionally simulating selected microfluidic components of the schematic; a physical implementation module for placing and routing the microfluidic components into a physical layout according to the design; and a physical analysis module for physically simulating the components in the physical layout.
Another embodiment of the present invention is directed to a method, using a physical layout system, for laying out a microfluidic circuit including a plurality of microfluidic components, where the microfluidic components include multilayered components. The method includes: placing a first component of the plurality of microfluidic components; placing a second component of the plurality of microfluidic components; and connecting the first component to the second component.
In another embodiment of the present invention a method is provided, using a computer system, for physically laying out a microfluidic circuit including a plurality of microfluidic components. The method includes: selecting a template; placing a first microfluidic component with an associated property, such as physical scaling, physical property, layer assignment, equations of motion, simulation data, macro logic functions, or functional definition, on the template; placing a second microfluidic component on the template; and connecting the first component to the second component. The connecting may include a design rule check.
In yet another embodiment of the present invention a microfluidic circuit physical layout method, using a computer, is provided. The method includes: selecting a template including an I/O port; placing a microfluidic component on the template, wherein the microfluidic component has a component control channel and a component fluid channel; and connecting the component control channel to the I/O port.
Another embodiment of the present invention includes a method for physical layout of a microfluidic system using a computer aided design tool. The microfluidic system includes a plurality of microfluidic components. First, a template is selected, including a plurality of layers. Next, a first symbol representing a first component of the plurality of microfluidic components is placed. The first symbol includes a first fluid channel symbol and a first control channel symbol. The first control channel symbol and the first fluid channel symbol are on different layers. Next, a second symbol representing a second component of the plurality of microfluidic components is placed. The second symbol includes a second fluid channel symbol. The first fluid channel symbol is connected or routed to t
Harris Gregory
Lee Michael
Montgomery James
Worthington Gajus
Fluidigm Corporation
Heinkel Gregory Lynn
Lee Wilson
Townsend and Townsend / and Crew LLP
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