Author: claimsbot

1. A method for determining the source of audio signal degradation in an Internet Protocol (IP) telephony environment, the method comprising the computer-implemented steps of:
for each switching device of a plurality of switching devices that are configured on a network along a path between a first endpoint and a second endpoint,
storing a reference version of an audio signal waveform at an originating device;
transmitting, from the originating device to the switching device, the reference version of the audio signal waveform;
receiving at the originating device from the switching device a second version of the audio signal waveform that represents the waveform after transmission at least to the switching device;
computing at the originating device audio signal degradation that occurred between the originating device and the switching device by comparing the reference version of the audio signal waveform with the second version of the reference version of the audio signal waveform;
determining which switching device along the path between the first endpoint and the second endpoint is the source of audio signal degradation based on the audio signal degradations associated with each of the switching devices of the switching devices; and
storing an identifier of the source of audio signal degradation.
2. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of computing audio signal degradation includes computing audio signal degradation with a perceptual measure.
3. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of computing audio signal degradation includes computing audio signal degradation using Perceptual Evaluation of Speech Quality (PESQ) techniques.
4. The method of claim 1,
wherein the step of receiving includes receiving the second version of the audio signal waveform over a reliable Transmission Control Protocol (TCP) connection after the switching device timestamps packets that it received that correspond with the reference version of the audio signal waveform that was transmitted by the originating device and buffers the packets before sending them to the originating device over the reliable TCP connection; and
wherein the step of computing the audio signal degradation consists of computing the audio signal degradation that occurred in a path from the originating device to the switching device.
5. The method of claim 1,
wherein the step of receiving includes receiving the second version of the audio signal waveform at the originating device from the switching device; and
wherein the step of computing the audio signal degradation consists of computing the audio signal degradation that occurred in a round-trip path between the originating device and the switching device.
6. The method of claim 1,
wherein the step of receiving includes receiving the second version of the audio signal waveform at the switching device; and
wherein the step of computing includes computing the audio signal degradation at the switching device.
7. The method of claim 6, further comprising the computer-implemented step of:
for each switching device of a set of switching devices, receiving from the switching device a measure of the audio signal degradation that was computed at the switching device.
8. The method of claim 1, further comprising the computer-implemented step of:
determining the set of network switching devices that are configured on the network between the first endpoint and the second endpoint.
9. The method of claim 1, further comprising the computer-implemented step of:
determining the set of network switching devices that are configured on the network between the first endpoint and the second endpoint by determining a set of network switching devices that are in a path from the first endpoint to the second endpoint.
10. The method of claim 9, further comprising the computer-implemented step of:
determining the set of network switching devices that are configured on the network between the first endpoint and the second endpoint by determining the set of network switching devices that are configured in a path from the second endpoint to the first endpoint.
11. The method of claim 10, wherein the path from the first endpoint to the second endpoint is different than the path from the second endpoint to the first endpoint.
12. The method of claim 1, wherein the set of switching devices comprises every switching device configured on a path between the first endpoint and the second endpoint.
13. The method of claim 1, wherein the set of switching devices comprises a subset of the switching devices configured on a path between the first endpoint and the second endpoint.
14. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of transmitting is performed for each switching device of the set of switching devices in a sequential order from a switching device that is nearest to the first endpoint to a switching device is that is nearest to the second endpoint.
15. The method of claim 1, wherein the steps are performed by one or more intermediate network switching devices.
16. The method of claim 1, wherein the steps are performed by one or more network routers.
17. A method for determining audio signal degradation in a path of an Internet Protocol (IP) telephony environment, the method comprising the computer-implemented steps of:
at a network switching device of a plurality of switching devices that are configured on a network along a path between a first endpoint and a second endpoint,
receiving from an originating device connected to the network, a reference version of an audio signal waveform; and
transmitting to the originating device a second version of the reference version of the audio signal waveform that represents the audio signal waveform after transmission at least to the network switching device, for computing audio signal degradation that occurred in a path between the originating device and the network switching device by comparing the reference version of the audio signal waveform with the second version of the reference version of the audio signal waveform, and for determining whether the network switching device along the path between the first endpoint and the second endpoint is the source of the audio signal degradation.
18. The method of claim 17, wherein the steps are performed by an intermediate network switching device.
19. The method of claim 17, wherein the steps are performed by a network router.
20. The method of claim 17, wherein the reference version of the audio signal waveform is received as a series of packets, the method further comprising the computer-implemented steps of:
attaching a timestamp to each of the packets of the series of packets;
buffering each of the packets of the series of packets;
wherein the step of transmitting comprises, upon receiving the complete series of packets that represent the reference version of the audio signal waveform, transmitting the second version of the reference version of the audio signal waveform to the originating device over a reliable Transmission Control Protocol (TCP) connection, for computing the audio signal degradation that occurred in a path from the originating device to the switching device.
21. The method of claim 20, wherein the steps are performed by an intermediate network switching device.
22. The method of claim 20, wherein the steps are performed by a network router.
23. A computer-readable storage medium storing one or more sequences of instructions for determining the source of audio signal degradation in an Internet Protocol (IP) telephony environment, which instructions, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to carry out the steps of:
for each switching device of a plurality of switching devices that are configured on a network along a path between a first endpoint and a second endpoint,
transmitting, from an originating device to the switching device, a reference version of an audio signal waveform;
receiving a second version of the reference version of the audio signal waveform that represents the waveform after transmission at least to the switching device;
computing audio signal degradation that occurred between the originating device and the switching device by comparing the reference version of the audio signal waveform with the second version of the reference version of the audio signal waveform; and
determining which switching device along the path between the first endpoint and the second endpoint is the source of audio signal degradation based on the audio signal degradations associated with each of the switching devices of the switching devices.
24. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 23, wherein the instructions cause the one or more processors to carry out the step of computing audio signal degradation by computing audio signal degradation with a perceptual measure.
25. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 23, wherein the instructions cause the one or more processors to carry out the step of computing audio signal degradation by computing audio signal degradation using Perceptual Evaluation of Speech Quality (PESQ) techniques.
26. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 23, wherein the instructions cause the one or more processors to carry out the step of receiving by receiving the second version of the reference version of the audio signal waveform at the originating device from the switching device.
27. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 26, wherein the instructions cause the one or more processors to carry out
the step of receiving by receiving the second version of the reference version of the audio signal waveform over a reliable Transmission Control Protocol (TCP) connection after the switching device timestamps packets that it received that correspond with the reference version of the audio signal waveform that was transmitted by the originating device and buffers the packets before sending them to the originating device over the reliable TCP connection; and
the step of computing the audio signal degradation by computing the audio signal degradation that occurred in a path from the originating device to the switching device.
28. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 23, wherein the instructions cause the one or more processors to carry out
the step of receiving the second version of the reference version of the audio signal waveform at the originating device from the switching device; and
the step of computing the audio signal degradation by computing the audio signal degradation that occurred in a round-trip path between the originating device and the switching device.
29. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 23, wherein the instructions cause the one or more processors to carry out
the step of receiving the second version of the reference version of the audio signal waveform at the switching device; and
the step of computing by computing the audio signal degradation at the switching device.
30. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 29, wherein the instructions cause the one or more processors to carry out:
for each switching device of a set of switching devices, receiving from the switching device a measure of the audio signal degradation that was computed at the switching device.
31. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 23, wherein the instructions cause the one or more processors to carry out:
determining the set of network switching devices that are configured on the network between the first endpoint and the second endpoint.
32. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 23, wherein the instructions cause the one or more processors to carry out:
determining the set of network switching devices that are configured on the network between the first endpoint and the second endpoint by determining a set of network switching devices that are in a path from the first endpoint to the second endpoint.
33. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 32, wherein the instructions cause the one or more processors to carry out:
determining the set of network switching devices that are configured on the network between the first endpoint and the second endpoint by determining the set of network switching devices that are configured in a path from the second endpoint to the first endpoint.
34. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 33, wherein the path from the first endpoint to the second endpoint is different than the path from the second endpoint to the first endpoint.
35. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 23, wherein the set of switching devices comprises every switching device configured on a path between the first endpoint and the second endpoint.
36. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 23, wherein the set of switching devices comprises a subset of the switching devices configured on a path between the first endpoint and the second endpoint.
37. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 23, wherein the instruction cause the one or more processors to carry out the step of transmitting by transmitting to each switching device of the set of switching devices in a sequential order from a switching device that is nearest to the first endpoint to a switching device is that is nearest to the second endpoint.
38. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 23, wherein the steps are performed by one or more intermediate network switching devices.
39. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 23, wherein the steps are performed by one or more network routers.
40. A computer-readable storage medium storing one or more sequences of instructions for determining audio signal degradation in a path of an Internet Protocol (IP) telephony environment, which instructions, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to carry out the steps of:
at a network switching device of a plurality of switching devices that are configured on a network along a path between a first endpoint and a second endpoint,
receiving from an originating device connected to the network, a reference version of an audio signal waveform; and
transmitting to the originating device a second version of the reference version of the audio signal waveform that represents the audio signal waveform after transmission at least to the network switching device, for computing audio signal degradation that occurred in a path between the originating device and the network switching device by comparing the reference version of the audio signal waveform with the second version of the reference version of the audio signal waveform, and for determining whether the network switching device along the path between the first endpoint and the second endpoint is the source of the audio signal degradation.
41. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 40, wherein the steps are performed by one or more processors configured on an intermediate network switching device.
42. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 40, wherein the steps are performed by one or more processors configured on a network router.
43. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 40, wherein the reference file is received as a series of packets, and wherein the instructions cause the one or more processors to carry out the steps of:
attaching a timestamp to each of the packets of the series of packets;
buffering each of the packets of the series of packets;
wherein the step of transmitting comprises, upon receiving the complete series of packets that represent the reference version of an audio signal waveform, transmitting the second version of the reference version of the audio signal waveform to the originating device over a reliable Transmission Control Protocol (TCP) connection, for computing the audio signal degradation that occurred in a path from the originating device to the switching device.
44. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 43, wherein the steps are performed by one or more processors configured on an intermediate network switching device.
45. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 43, wherein the steps are performed by one or more processors configured on a network router.
46. A system for determining the source of audio signal degradation in an Internet Protocol (IP) telephony environment, the system comprising:
means for transmitting a reference version of an audio signal waveform from an originating device to each switching device of a set of switching devices that are configured on a network between a first endpoint and a second endpoint;
means for receiving a second version of the reference version of the audio signal waveform that represents the waveform after transmission at least to each respective switching device of a plurality of switching devices that are configured on a network along a path between a first endpoint and a second endpoint;
means for computing audio signal degradation that occurred between the originating device and each switching device of the set of switching devices by comparing the reference version of the audio signal waveform with the second version of the reference version of the audio signal waveform; and
means for determining which switching device along the path between the first endpoint and the second endpoint is the source of audio signal degradation based on the audio signal degradations associated with each of the switching devices of the switching devices.
47. The system of claim 46, wherein the system is configured on a network router.
48. A system for determining audio signal degradation in a path of an Internet Protocol (IP) telephony environment, the system comprising:
at a network switching device of a plurality of switching devices that are configured on a network along a path between a first endpoint and a second endpoint,
means for receiving from an originating device connected to the network, a reference version of an audio signal waveform; and
means for transmitting to the originating device a second version of the reference version of the audio signal waveform that represents the audio signal waveform after transmission at least to the network switching device, for computing audio signal degradation that occurred in a path between the originating device and the network switching device by comparing the reference version of the audio signal waveform with the second version of the reference version of the audio signal waveform, and for determining whether the network switching device along the path between the first endpoint and the second endpoint is the source of the audio signal degradation.
49. The system of claim 48, wherein the system is configured on a network router.
50. A network device that can determine the source of audio signal degradation in an Internet Protocol (IP) telephony environment, the device comprising:
a network interface;
a processor coupled to the network interface and receiving messages from a network through the network interface;
a computer-readable storage medium storing one or more stored sequences of instructions which, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to carry out the steps of:
for each switching device of a plurality of switching devices that are configured on a network along a path between a first endpoint and a second endpoint,
storing a reference version of an audio signal waveform at an originating device;
transmitting, from the originating device to the switching device, the reference version of the audio signal waveform;
receiving a second version of the reference version of the audio signal waveform that represents the waveform after transmission at least to the switching device;
computing audio signal degradation that occurred between the originating device and the switching device by comparing the reference version of the audio signal waveform with the second version of the reference version of the audio signal waveform;
determining which switching device along the path between the first endpoint and the second endpoint is the source of audio signal degradation based on the audio signal degradations associated with each of the switching devices of the switching devices; and

storing an identifier of the source of audio signal degradation.
51. A network device that can determine audio signal degradation in a path of an Internet Protocol (IP) telephony environment, the device comprising:
a network interface;
a processor coupled to the network interface and receiving messages from a network through the network interface;
a computer-readable storage medium storing one or more stored sequences of instructions which, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to carry out the steps of:
at a network switching device of a plurality of switching devices that are configured on a network along a path between a first endpoint and a second endpoint,
receiving from an originating device connected to the network, a reference version of an audio signal waveform; and
transmitting to the originating device a second version of the reference version of the audio signal waveform that represents the audio signal waveform after transmission at least to the network switching device, for computing audio signal degradation that occurred in a path between the originating device and the network switching device by comparing the reference version of the audio signal waveform with the second version of the reference version of the audio signal waveform, and for determining whether the network switching device along the path between the first endpoint and the second endpoint is the source of the audio signal degradation.

The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.

1-14. (canceled)
15. A field device, especially a sensor andor an actuator, comprising:
at least one memory; and
at least two replaceable modules, each of which has hardware and firmware associated with the hardware, wherein:
firmware version information of a compatible firmware version combination of said modules of the field device is stored in said at least one memory or such is storable therein at a first-time start-up of the field device;
the field device is embodied in such a manner that a comparison in the case of at least one module of the field device of its firmware version with the firmware version information stored in said at least one memory is automatically performable; and
the module is automatically switchable to the firmware version according to the firmware version information, in case the comparison shows a deviation of the firmware version of the module from the firmware version of the firmware version information stored for the corresponding module.
16. The field device as claimed in claim 15, wherein:
the compatible firmware version combination corresponds to a firmware version combination, such as is present at delivery of the field device.
17. The field device as claimed in claim 15, wherein:
the field device is embodied in such a manner that, after a starting of the same, the comparison is performed automatically for all modules of the field device and, in given cases, switching of one or more of the modules to the firmware version as claimed in the firmware version information occurs automatically.
18. The field device as claimed in claim 15, wherein:
the firmware version information contains the firmwares of the modules, in each case, in the firmware version of the compatible firmware version combination.
19. The field device as claimed in claim 18, wherein:
the field device is embodied in such a manner that, in the context of the automatic switching of a module to the firmware version as claimed in the firmware version information, the firmware corresponding to this module is loaded from the firmware version information into the module and activated therein.
20. The field device as claimed in claim 15, wherein:
at least one module is embodied in such a manner that it is operable in different firmware versions and that, as a function of the result of the comparison, the firmware version as claimed in the firmware version information is activatable in said module.
21. The field device as claimed in claim 20, wherein:
the firmware version information contains information concerning the firmware versions of the compatible firmware version combination, not, however, the firmware of the compatible firmware version combination.
22. The field device as claimed in claim 15, wherein:
the field device has a processor unit, which can perform the automatic comparison and the automatic switching, in each case, in reference to all modules of the field device.
23. The field device as claimed in claim 15, wherein:
said at least one memory is embodied in the field device independently of the modules of the field device.
24. The field device as claimed in claim 16, wherein:
the field device contains at least one of the following modules:
a) a central processing unit;
b) a measurement amplifier module;
c) a sensor module;
d) a user interface module; andor
e) a communication interface module.
25. The field device as claimed in claim 24, wherein:
the field device is embodied in such a manner that in said at least one memory at least one of the following pieces of information isare storable andor at least one of the following pieces of information isare capable of being read out from said at least one memory:
f) configuration parameters of at least one module of the field device; andor
g) information for device integration of the field device.
26. A method for long-term maintenance of firmware compatibility of a field device, especially a sensor andor an actuator, which field device includes at least one memory and at least two replaceable modules, each of which has hardware and firmware associated with the hardware, comprising the steps of:
storing firmware version information of a compatible firmware version combination of the modules of the field device in the at least one memory;
automated performing of a comparison in the case of at least one module of the field device of its firmware version with the firmware version information stored in the memory; and
automated switching of the module to the firmware version of the firmware version information, in case the comparison shows a deviation of the firmware version of the module from the firmware version of the firmware version information stored for the corresponding module.
27. The method as claimed in claim 26, wherein:
step of storing is performed by the manufacturer of the field device or at a first-time start-up of the field device and firmware version information of an original firmware version combination, such as present at delivery of the field device, is stored.
28. The method as claimed in claim 26, wherein:
the step of storing is performed after a first-time start-up of the field device and firmware version information of a compatible firmware version combination, which differs from the original firmware version combination of the field device, is stored.

1. A computer enabled system for exposing distributed transaction services as web services, comprising:
a transaction service gateway server, running on one or more processors, that operates to invoke one or more distributed transaction services on a distributed transaction server upon receiving a request in a web service message from a web service client, wherein the transaction service gateway server includes:
a web service message engine to handle the web service message for the one or more distributed transaction services; and
a plug-in interface that expands functionality of the web service message engine; and

a plug-in shared library, associated with the plug-in interface, that includes a set of plug-in implementation functions, wherein the plug-in library uses a virtual table that stores one or more function pointers to at least one said plug-in implementation function for the plug-in interface, and
wherein the web service message engine operates to
access the virtual table in the plug-in shared library through the plug-in interface and use the at least one said plug-in implementation function to convert the web service message into one or more distributed transaction data structures, and
use another plug-in implementation function in the plug-in shared library to convert a response received from the distributed transactional server into another web service message for the web service client, wherein the response is associated with another one or more distributed transaction data structures.
2. The system according to claim 1, wherein:
the web service message uses a web service protocol.
3. The system according to claim 1, wherein:
the transaction service gateway server supports two way communication between the web service client and the distributed transaction server.
4. The system according to claim 1, wherein:
the plug-in shared library is dynamically loaded by the web service message engine using a plug-in mechanism.
5. The system according to claim 4, wherein:
the plug-in shared library includes a set of plug-in register functions.
6. The system according to claim 1, wherein:
the plug-in interface allows usage of data types not defined within the one or more distributed transaction services.
7. The system according to claim 1, wherein:
the plug-in interface allows usage of security tools not defined within the one or more distributed transaction services.
8. The system according to claim 1, wherein:
the plug-in interface allows usage of a handler not defined within the one or more distributed transaction services.
9. The system according to claim 1, wherein:
the web service message engine operates to convert between complex types in a web service message and complex distributed transaction data structures.
10. The system according to claim 1, further comprising:
the transaction service gateway server is in a group of transaction service servers, wherein the group of transaction service gateway servers support failover capability.
11. A computer enabled method for exposing distributed transaction services as web services using plug-in mechanism, comprising:
receiving a request in a web service message, at a transaction service gateway server, from a web service client, wherein the transaction service gateway server operates to invoke one or more distributed transaction services on a distributed transaction server upon receiving the request from the web service client, and wherein the transaction service gateway server includes:
a web service message engine to handle the web service message for the one or more distributed transaction services; and
a plug-in interface that expands functionality of the web service message engine;

associating a plug-in shared library with the plug-in interface , wherein the plug-in shared library includes a set of plug-in implementation functions, wherein the plug-in library uses a virtual table that stores one or more function pointers to at least one said plug-in implementation function for the plug-in interface; and
allowing the web service message engine to
access the virtual table in the plug-in shared library through the plug-in interface and use the at least one said plug-in implementation function to convert the web service message into one or more distributed transaction data structures, and
use another plug-in implementation function in the plug-in shared library to convert a response received from the distributed transactional server into another web service message for the web service client, wherein the response is associated with another one or more distributed transaction data structures.
12. A non-transitory machine readable storage medium having instructions stored thereon that when executed cause a system to:
receive a request in a web service message, at a transaction service gateway server, from a web service client, wherein the transaction service gateway server operates to invoke one or more distributed transaction services on a distributed transaction server upon receiving the request from the web service client, and wherein the transaction service gateway server includes:
a web service message engine to handle the web service message for the one or more distributed transaction services; and
a plug-in interface that expands functionality of the web service message engine;

associating a plug-in shared library with the plug-in interface , wherein the plug-in shared library includes a set of plug-in implementation functions, wherein the plug-in library uses a virtual table that stores one or more function pointers to at least one said plug-in implementation function for the plug-in interface; and
allow the web service message engine to
access the virtual table in the plug-in shared library through the plug-in interface and use the at least one said plug-in implementation function to convert the web service message into one or more distributed transaction data structures, and
use another plug-in implementation function in the plug-in shared library to convert a response received from the distributed transactional server into another web service message for the web service client, wherein the response is associated with another one or more distributed transaction data structures.
13. The system according to claim 1, wherein: the distributed transaction data structures are in a format that is specific to the distributed transaction server.
14. The system according to claim 1, wherein:
the virtual table is implemented using a programming language structure, and wherein the programming language structure indicates the set of plug-in implementation functions that need to be implemented for the plug-in interface in the plug-in shared library.
15. The system according to claim 1, wherein:
the set of plug-in implementation functions includes a plug-in initiating function, a plug-in exiting function, one or more plug-in setting functions.
16. The system according to claim 1, wherein:
the plug-in shared library is loaded in by the transaction service gateway server, and wherein the plug-in interface is defined by a configuration file.
17. The system according to claim 1, wherein:
the plug-in interface is associated with a different plug-in shared library that uses a different virtual table.
18. The system according to claim 1, wherein:
the transaction service gateway server can automatically look for a plug-in implementation function in the plug-in shared library to prepare input data in a specific data type for the distributed transaction server.
19. The system according to claim 1, wherein:
the web service message engine operates to publish a web service description of the one or more distributed transaction services based on a metadata repository associated with the distributed transaction server.

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 magnetic particle separator for use with a microplate, comprising:
a) a base plate;
b) a plurality of magnets; and
c) a plurality of spacers, each having a first end and a second end;
d) wherein the first ends of said plurality of spacers are secured to the base plate and the second ends of said plurality of spacers are secured to said plurality of magnets;
e) whereby said plurality of magnets are separated from said base plate by a distance of at least 15 mm.
2. The magnetic particle separator of claim 1, wherein the plurality of magnets are diametrically charged.
3. The magnetic particle separator of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of spacers is cylindrical.
4. The magnetic particle separator of claim 1, wherein there are at least twenty-four magnets secured to at least twenty four spacers, said spacers being secured to said base plate, for use with a ninety-six well microplate.
5. A magnetic particle separation system comprising:
a) a microplate having a plurality of wells for holding a plurality of biological samples containing magnetic particles and recesses being formed between the plurality of wells; and
b) a magnetic particle separator comprising a base plate, a plurality of magnets producing, respectively, a plurality of magnetic fields, and a plurality of spacers fixedly securing the plurality of magnets, respectively to the base plate;
c) wherein said plurality of spacers imposes a sufficient distance between the plurality of magnets and the base plate, such that when the microplate and the magnetic separation device are joined together by inserting the plurality of magnets into the recesses of the microplate, the plurality of magnetic fields produced by said plurality of magnets cause the magnetic particles in the plurality of biological solutions to be attracted to the sides of the plurality of wells and away from the bottoms of said plurality of wells.
6. The magnetic particle separation of claim 5, wherein when the microplate and the magnetic separator are joined together, the distance between the bottoms of the wells and the plurality of magnets is at least 15 mm.
7. The magnetic particle separation system of claim 5, wherein the plurality of magnets are diametrically-charged.
8. The magnetic particle separation system of claim 5, wherein each of the plurality of spacers is cylindrical.
9. The magnetic particle separation system of claim 5, comprising at least twenty-four magnets secured to at least twenty four spacers, respectively, said twenty four spacers being secured to said base plate.
10. The magnetic particle separation system of claim 5, wherein the microplate is a deep-well microplate.
11. The magnetic particle separation system of claim 5, wherein the plurality of magnetic fields produced by said plurality of magnets are oriented in the same orientation.
12. A method for separating magnetic particles and bound antibodies out of a plurality of biological samples contained in a microplate, the microplate having a plurality of wells with recesses formed therebetween, each well having a well depth, the method comprising:
a) providing a magnetic particle separator having a base plate, a plurality of magnets producing, respectively, a plurality of magnetic fields, and a plurality of spacers, each spacer fixedly securing one of the plurality of magnets to the base plate; and
b) inserting the plurality of magnets and at least a portion of each spacer into the recesses between the wells of the microplate such that the distance between the bottoms of the wells and the plurality of magnets is equal to not less than one third of the well depth;
c) whereby the plurality of magnetic fields produced by the plurality of magnets, respectively, cause the magnetic particles and bound antibodies in the plurality of biological samples to aggregate along the sides of the plurality of wells and away from the bottoms of said plurality of wells.
13. The method of claim 12, wherein each of the plurality of magnets is diametrically charged.
14. The method of claim 12, wherein each of the plurality of magnets is cylindrical.
15. The method of claim 12, wherein the well depth is at least 30 mm.
16. A method for isolating an analyte from a biological sample held in a microplate, the microplate having wells and recesses therebetween, the wells having a well depth, the method comprising the steps of:
a) combining magnetic particles and the biological sample in the wells of the microplate, thereby producing a mixture;
b) incubating the mixture under such conditions that the analyte binds to the magnetic particles;
c) applying a magnetic field to the incubated mixture in the wells to cause the particles and bound analyte to move toward the sides and away from the bottoms of the wells; and
d) recovering the magnetic particle bound analyte.
17. The method of claim 16, wherein said magnetic field is applied by
a) providing a magnetic particle separator having a base plate, a plurality of magnets that produces the magnetic field, and a plurality of spacers, each spacer fixedly securing one of said plurality of magnets to the baseplate; and
b) inserting the plurality of magnets and at least a portion of each spacer into the recesses between the wells of the microplate so that the distance between the bottoms of the wells and the magnets is equal to not less than a third of the well depth;
18. The method of claim 16, wherein the well depth is at least 30 mm.
19. The method of claim 16, wherein the step of recovering comprises removing the non-bound components of the biological sample from the wells.
20. The method of claim 16, wherein the step of recovering comprises removing the magnetic particle bound analyte from the wells.