1. A system comprising:
an aggregate log generator, stored as computer-executable code on a tangible computer-readable medium, for receiving from at least one event log stream generator a first log stream and a second log stream generated by events occurring during a single time period, wherein events that generate the first log stream are marked by a first temporal marker defined by a first time epoch that is equal in length to the single time period, and wherein events that generate the second log stream are marked by a second temporal marker defined by multiple second time epochs, the multiple second time epochs being within the first time epoch; and wherein the aggregate log generator creates an aggregate log of the first and second sets of data, and wherein each said entry in the second log stream is identified as occurring within the first time epoch while retaining the temporal ordering information from the second log stream’s temporal markers.
2. The system of claim 1, wherein the aggregate log generator is further capable of reordering the first log stream according to a known initiatorconsequential relationship between a first event in the first log stream and a second event in the second log stream.
3. The system of claim 2, wherein the aggregate log generator is further capable of, in response to the second event occurring during the first time epoch and the first event not occurring during the first time epoch, determining that the first event occurred during a previous time epoch that is prior to the first time epoch.
4. The system of claim 1, wherein the aggregate log generator is further capable of receiving a third log stream in which each event in the third log stream is marked by a third temporal marker defined by a third time epoch that is greater than the first time epoch; and the aggregate log generator is further capable of adding the third log stream to the aggregate log, wherein each said entry in the aggregate log is identified as occurring within the third time epoch.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. A droplet actuator comprising:
(a) electrodes configured for effecting droplet operations transporting droplets on a surface;
(b) a sensor arranged in proximity to one or more of the electrodes establishing a detection window on the surface for detection of one or more properties of one or more droplets on the surface;
wherein the electrodes establish at least two pathways for transport of droplets into the detection window.
2. The droplet actuator of claim 1 comprising a droplet on the one or more paths of electrodes.
3. The droplet actuator of claim 1, comprising a droplet on the one or more paths of electrodes in the detection window.
4. The droplet actuator of claim 1, wherein the droplet is partially or completely surrounded by a filler fluid.
5. The droplet actuator of claim 4 wherein the filler fluid comprises an oil.
6. The droplet actuator of claim 5 wherein the oil comprises a silicone oil.
7. The droplet actuator of claim 1, wherein the detection spot is aligned with a hydrophilic patch on the surface.
8. The droplet actuator of claim 1, comprising a substrate and a perimeter enclosing the surface and configured to provide a gap in which the droplet operations may be conducted.
9. The droplet actuator of claim 2, wherein the droplet is disposed between the surface and a separate substrate.
10. The droplet actuator of claim 3 wherein the droplet comprises beads.
11. The droplet actuator of claim 3 wherein the droplet comprises biological cells.
12. The droplet actuator of claim 1, wherein the electrode paths are arranged generally radially with respect to a point located in the detection window.
13. The droplet actuator of claim 1, wherein the electrode paths are arranged generally radially with respect to a center of the detection window.
14. The droplet actuator of claim 1, wherein the electrode paths are arranged generally radially relative to a central electrode positioned in the detection window.
15. The droplet actuator of claim 1, wherein the electrode paths are arranged generally radially relative to an electrode loop positioned at least partially within the detection window.
16. The droplet actuator of claim 1, wherein the electrode paths are arranged generally radially relative to a central electrode loop positioned generally concentrically within the detection window.
17. The droplet actuator of claim 1, wherein the electrode paths are:
(a) arranged generally radially relative to a center of the detection window; and
(b) connected to each other by one or more additional electrode paths.
18. The droplet actuator of claim 17 wherein the one or more additional electrode paths comprise a loop positioned generally concentrically outside the detection window.
19. The droplet actuator of claim 2, wherein the droplet operations comprise electrode-mediated droplet operations.
20. The droplet actuator of claim 2, wherein the droplet operations comprise electrowetting-mediated droplet operations.
21. The droplet actuator of claim 2, wherein the droplet operations comprise dielectrophoresis-mediated droplet operations.
22. The droplet actuator of claim 1, wherein the electrode paths establish a single path to each detection spot in each detection window.
23. The droplet actuator of claim 1, wherein the electrode paths establish two or more paths to a single detection spot in a detection window.
24. The droplet actuator of claim 1, wherein the electrode paths establish at least three pathways for transport of droplets into the detection window.
25. The droplet actuator of claim 1, wherein the electrode paths establish at least six pathways for transport of droplets into the detection window.
26. The droplet actuator of claim 1, wherein the electrodes are established in a polygonal pattern comprising polygonal electrodes, wherein each electrode has five or more sides.
27. The droplet actuator of claim 1, wherein the electrodes comprise:
(a) electrodes established in a regular rectagonal array; and
(b) electrodes converging from the rectagonal array into a detection window.
28. The droplet actuator of claim 29 wherein the unit cells comprise at least one nucleic acid amplification unit cell.
29. The droplet actuator of claim 1, wherein the electrode paths join the detection window with two or more droplet actuator unit cells.
30. The droplet actuator of claim 29 wherein the unit cells comprise at least one affinity assay unit cell.
31-86. (canceled)