Listing of Claims:
`
`This listing of claims reflects all claim amendments and replacesall prior versions, and
`
`listings, of claims in the application. Material to be inserted is in bold and underline, and material
`
`to be deletedis in strikeout or (if the deletion is of five or fewer consecutive characters or would be
`
`difficult to see) in double brackets [[ ]].
`
`1.
`
`(Currently amended) A method of detection for droplets, comprising:
`
`illuminating an examination region of a channel with first pulses of light interleaved with
`
`second pulses of light as droplets pass through the examination region, the first pulses being
`
`spectrally distinct from the second pulses; and
`
`collecting data representing light detected during illumination of the examination region
`
`with the first pulses and the second pulses;
`
`wherein each droplet is illuminated with a beam of light that is narrower than a
`
`diameter of the droplets.
`
`2.
`
`(Original) The method of claim 1, wherein the first pulses define a first range of
`
`wavelengths of light and the second pulses define a second range of wavelengths oflight, and
`
`wherein the first rangeis different from the second range.
`
`3.
`
`(Original) The method of claim 1, wherein the first pulses are produced by a
`
`pulsed light source.
`
`4.
`
`(Original) The method of claim 1, wherein the first pulses, the second pulses, or
`
`both the first and second pulses are produced by at least one continuous light beam that is
`
`transmitted intermittently to the examination region.
`
`Page3
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`-
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`AMENDMENT AND RESPONSETO OFFICE ACTION;
`Serial No. 13/341,678; KH File — QLI317
`
`

`

`5.
`
`(Original) The method of claim 1, wherein overlapping volumes of
`
`the
`
`examination region are illuminated by the first pulses and the second pulses.
`
`6.
`
`(Original) The method of claim 1, further comprising a step of detecting light from
`
`overlapping volumes of the examination region during the first pulses and the second pulses.
`
`7.
`
`(Original) The method of claim 1, wherein each dropletis illuminated with at least
`
`one first pulse and at least one second pulse.
`
`8.
`
`9.
`
`(Canceled)
`
`(Original) The method of claim 1, wherein the first pulses and second pulses
`
`contain light emitted by respective first and second light sources, further comprising a step of
`
`passing the light emitted by the first and second sources through a slit before such light
`
`illuminates the examination region.
`
`10.
`
`(Original) The method of claim 1, wherein the data represents light detected with
`
`a same detector during illumination of the examination region with the first pulses and the
`
`second pulses.
`
`11.
`
`(Original) The method of claim 1, further comprising a step of detecting light from
`
`the examination region during the first pulses and the second pulses, wherein the step of
`
`detecting light creates a first signal and a second signal, and wherein the step of collecting data
`
`includes a step of periodically gating the first signal and the second signal in correspondence
`
`with the first pulses and the second pulses, respectively.
`
`Page4
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`-
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`AMENDMENT AND RESPONSETO OFFICE ACTION;
`Serial No. 13/341,678; KH File — QLI317
`
`

`

`12.
`
`(Original) The method of claim 1, wherein the step ofilluminating includes a step
`
`of intersecting the channel with a beam of light having a cross section that
`
`is elongated
`
`transversely to a long axis defined by the channel.
`
`13.
`
`(Currently amended) A system for detection in droplet-based assays, comprising:
`
`a channel;
`
`an illumination assembly configured to produce a beam oflight that
`
`illuminates an
`
`examination region of the channel as droplets pass through suchregion;
`
`a detector configured to detect light received from the examination region; and
`
`a controller that collects data representing light detected by the detector,
`
`wherein the beam of light is elongated in cross section where the beam intersects the
`
`channel;_and
`
`wherein the beam of light is narrower than the diameter of each droplet when it
`
`illuminates the examination region.
`
`14.
`
`(Original) The system of claim 13, wherein the illumination assembly includes a
`
`light source andaslit, and wherein light emitted by the light source travels through the slit
`
`before reaching the examination region.
`
`15.
`
`(Original) The system of claim 13, wherein the beam oflight is elongated in cross
`
`section in a direction transverse to a long axis defined by the channel.
`
`16.
`
`(Original) The system of claim 13, wherein a cross section of the beam, at a
`
`position halfway across the channel, extends outside opposing surfaces of the channel.
`
`Page5— -
`
`AMENDMENT AND RESPONSETO OFFICE ACTION;
`Serial No. 13/341,678; KH File — QLI317
`
`

`

`17.
`
`(Original) The system of claim 13, wherein the beam oflight illuminates a disk-
`
`shaped volume of the channel.
`
`
`
`18. (Currently amended) The system of claim 13, wherein the beam of light isa
`
`blade having an elongated cross section with opposing sides that are generally
`
`
`
`planarhas-eppesingplanarsides.
`
`19.
`
`(Original) The system of claim 13, wherein the beam of light has a dimension
`
`measured parallel to a long axis of the channel where the channel and the beam intersect, and
`
`wherein the dimension is less than a diameter of the channel.
`
`20.
`
`(Currently amended) A method of detection for droplet-based assays,
`
`comprising:
`
`generating at least two separate signals each representing light detected with a different
`
`detection configuration during a series of time intervals from a stream offluid carrying droplets;
`
`combining the at least two separate signals to form a combined signal; and
`
`processing the combinedsignal to identify time intervals that correspond to droplets;
`
`wherein the two separate signals are generated byillumination of the droplets by
`
`two separate light sources, and wherein each light source illuminates the droplets with a
`
`beam oflight that is narrower than the average diameter of the droplets.
`
`Page6
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`-
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`AMENDMENT AND RESPONSETO OFFICE ACTION;
`Serial No. 13/341,678; KH File — QLI317
`
`

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