System and Method for Interpolative Calibration
Systems and methods are provided for calibrating emission data or other information signals collected during a polymerase chain reaction (PCR), amplification reaction, assay, process, or other reaction. Calibration of multiple detectable materials can be achieved during a single cycle or run, or during a plurality of runs of the reaction. A reading from every well, container, or other support region of a sample support does not have to be taken. Interpolation can be used to determine values for emission data or other information signals that were not taken, or are unknown, using detected emission data, or other detected information signals. By calibrating the detected emission data and the interpolated data, a more accurate reading of emission data or information signal can be obtained.
1 . A method of generating emission data for a sample support, comprising:
providing a sample support, the sample support comprising a plurality of support regions;
loading a detectable material into the plurality of support regions such that at least one, but less than all, of the plurality of support regions contain the detectable material;
receiving emission data values for the detectable material detected from at least two or more of the plurality of support regions;
identifying at least one support region of the plurality of support regions, that did not emit an emission data value for the detectable material; and
interpolating an emission data value for the at least one support region.
2 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising calibrating the emission data with the received emission data.
3 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising calibrating the emission data with the interpolated emission data.
4 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising calibrating the emission data with the received emission data and the interpolated emission data.
5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the detectable material comprises a dry material.
6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the detectable material comprises a wet material.
7 . A method of generating emission data for a sample support, comprising:
providing a sample support, the sample support comprising a plurality of support regions;
loading a first detectable material into the plurality of support regions such that at least one, but less than all, of the plurality of support regions contains the first detectable material;
loading a second detectable material into the plurality of support regions such that at least one, but less than all, of the plurality of support regions contains the second detectable material;
receiving emission data values for at least one of the first and second detectable materials detected from two or more of the plurality of support regions;
identifying at least one support region of the plurality of support regions that did not emit an emission data value for at least one of the first and second detectable materials; and
interpolating an emission data value for the at least one support region.
8 . The method of claim 7 , further comprising calibrating the emission data with the received emission data.
9 . The method of claim 7 , further comprising calibrating the emission data with the interpolated emission data.
10 . The method of claim 7 , further comprising calibrating the emission data with the received emission data and the interpolated emission data.
11 . The method of claim 7 , wherein first detectable material comprises a plurality of different detectable materials.
12 . The method of claim 7 , wherein each of the first and second detectable materials is equally distributed between two or more of the plurality of support regions.
13 . The method of claim 7 , wherein at least one of the first and second detectable materials is distributed in the plurality of support regions according to a predetermined pattern of support regions of the sample support.
14 . The method of claim 13 , wherein the predetermined pattern comprises an alternating pattern.
15 . The method of claim 7 , wherein at least one of the first and second detectable materials is randomly distributed in the plurality of support regions.
16 . The method of claim 7 , wherein two or more of the plurality of support regions are left empty.
17 . The method of claim 16 , wherein the support regions containing the first detectable material, the support regions containing the second detectable material, and the two or more empty support regions, are arranged according to a predetermined pattern on the sample support.
18 . The method of claim 17 , wherein the predetermined pattern comprises an alternating pattern.
19 . The method of claim 16 , wherein the support regions containing the first detectable material, the support regions containing the second detectable material, and the two or more empty support regions, are randomly arranged in the sample support.
20 . A method of interpolating signal information for a sample support, comprising:
providing a sample support, the sample support comprising a plurality of support regions;
loading a first detectable material into the plurality of support regions such that at least one, but less than all, of the plurality of support regions contains the first detectable material;
loading at least a second detectable material into the plurality of support regions such that at least one, but less than all, of the plurality of support regions contains the second detectable material,
receiving signal information values for at least one of the first and second detectable materials detected from two or more of the plurality of support regions;
identifying at least one support region of the plurality of support regions, where signal information was not detected for at least one of the first and second detectable materials; and
interpolating signal information for the at least one support region.