DNA sequence autoradiogram digitizer and methodology implemented in the same

Claim 1

A method for processing nucleotide base data in a DNA sequencing autoradiogram comprising the steps of: manually placing an optical gel code reader over said autoradiogram; manually activating at least one switch on said gel code reader in response to a selected nucleotide base in predetermined registration with said gel code reader; generating a data signal corresponding to said manually activated switch to input to a computer: entering a predetermined corresponding nucleotide base code corresponding to said selectively activated switch into a predetermined database format; and selecting a mode within said computer wherein activation of said gel code reader switches and of a keyboard are interpreted according to said mode selected.

Claim 2

A method for processing nucleotide base data in a DNA sequencing autoradiogram comprising the steps of: manually placing an optical gel code reader over said autoradiogram; manually activating at least one switch on said gel code reader in response to a selected nucleotide base in predetermined registration with said gel code reader; generating a data signal corresponding to said manually activated switch to input to a computer: entering a predetermined corresponding nucleotide base code corresponding to said selectively activated switch into a predetermined database format; and selecting a mode within said computer wherein activation of said gel code reader switches and of a keyboard are interpreted according to said mode selected.

Claim 6

A method for processing nucleotide base data in a DNA sequencing autoradiogram comprising the steps of: manually placing an optical gel code reader over said autoradiogram; manually activating at least one switch on said gel code reader in response to a selected nucleotide base in predetermined registration with said gel code reader; generating a data signal corresponding to said manually activated switch to input to a computer; entering a predetermined corresponding nucleotide base code corresponding to said selectively activated switch into a predetermined database format; providing a selected audio feedback in response to entry of said nucleotide base code into said computer; and selecting a mode within said computer wherein activation of said gel code reader switches and of a keyboard are interpreted according to said mode selected; where said step of selecting said mode selects a find sequence mode comprising: the steps of serially entering a selected nucleotide base sequence to form a series of nucleotide bases; advancing through said database of sequences of nucleotide bases stored within said computer to find a nucleotide base sequence which matches at least in part said series formed from said selected nucleotide base sequence; repeating said steps of serially entering a selected nucleotide base sequence to form said series of nucleotide bases, and advancing through said database of sequences of nucleotide bases stored within said computer to find a nucleotide base sequence which matches, said series being concatenated with each additional entry of a selected nucleotide base until a complete sequence of nucleotide bases has been entered and a final matching sequence found within said nucleotide sequences database stored within said computer; and generating distinguishable audio tones within said computer at each entry of said nucleotide database to indicate searching for said sequence, finding said sequence and failing to find said sequence as is appropriate at each step.

Claim 7

A method for processing nucleotide base data in a DNA sequencing autoradiogram comprising the steps of: manually placing an optical gel code reader over said autoradiogram; manually activating at least one switch on said gel code reader in response to a selected nucleotide base in predetermined registration with said gel code reader; generating a data signal corresponding to said manually activated switch to input to a computer; entering a predetermined corresponding nucleotide base code corresponding to said selectively activated switch into a predetermined database format; providing a selected audio feedback in response to entry of said nucleotide base code into said computer; and selecting a mode within said computer wherein activation of said gel code reader switches and of a keyboard are interpreted according to said mode selected; where said step of selecting said mode selects a find sequence mode comprising: the steps of serially entering a selected nucleotide base sequence to form a series of nucleotide bases; advancing through said database of sequences of nucleotide bases stored within said computer to find a nucleotide base sequence which matches at least in part said series formed from said selected nucleotide base sequence; repeating said steps of serially entering a selected nucleotide base sequence to form said series of nucleotide bases, and advancing through said database of sequences of nucleotide bases stored within said computer to find a nucleotide base sequence which matches, said series being concatenated with each additional entry of a selected nucleotide base until a complete sequence of nucleotide bases has been entered and a final matching sequence found within said nucleotide sequences database stored within said computer; and generating distinguishable audio tones within said computer at each entry of said nucleotide database to indicate searching for said sequence, finding said sequence and failing to find said sequence as is appropriate at each step.

Claim 8

A method for processing nucleotide base data in a DNA sequencing autoradiogram comprising the steps of: manually placing an optical gel code reader over said autoradiogram; manually activating at least one switch on said gel code reader in response to a selected nucleotide base in predetermined registration with said gel code reader; generating a data signal corresponding to said manually activated switch to input to a computer; entering a predetermined corresponding nucleotide base code corresponding to said selectively activated switch into a predetermined database format; providing a selected audio feedback in response to entry of said nucleotide base code into said computer; and selecting a mode within said computer wherein activation of said gel code reader switches and of a keyboard are interpreted according to said mode selected; where said step of selecting said mode selects: an EDIT MODE wherein said nucleotide base entries within said computer is edited in a selected manner, where said EDIT MODE is a TALK-BACK MODE wherein said DNA sequence stored within said computer is automatically audibly read back through voice synthesis to permit visual checking of said autoradiogram in verification of said sequence of nucleotide bases entered in said computer; a check sequence mode comprising the steps of repeating said steps of manually placing said gel code reader over said autoradiogram, repeating said step of manually activating said switches on said gel code reader, and generating a comparison signal in synchronization to entry of nucleotide bases entered through said gel code reader to indicate whether nucleotide bases stored within some computer read in order and in synchronization with activations of said repeated step of activating said buttons of said gel code reader compare accurately or not; and a find sequence mode comprising the steps of entering in series a selected nucleotide base sequence, advancing through said database of nucleotide bases stored within said computer to the nearest matching series, said series being cumulative expanded with each additional entry of a nucleotide base until said entire sequence of nucleotide bases has been entered and a matching sequence found within said nucleotide sequence database stored within said computer, audio tones being generated within said computer at each entry of said nucleotide database indicating searching for said sequence, finding said sequence and failing to find said sequence as is appropriate at each step.

Claim 9

A method for processing nucleotide base data in a DNA sequencing autoradiogram comprising the steps of: manually placing an optical gel code reader over said autoradiogram; manually activating at least one switch on said gel code reader in response to a selected nucleotide base in predetermined registration with said gel code reader; generating a data signal corresponding to said manually activated switch to input to a computer; entering a predetermined corresponding nucleotide base code corresponding to said selectively activated switch into a predetermined database format; providing a selected audio feedback in response to entry of said nucleotide base code into said computer; and selecting a mode within said computer wherein activation of said gel code reader switches and of a keyboard are interpreted according to said mode selected; where said step of selecting said mode selects: an EDIT MODE wherein said nucleotide base entries within said computer is edited in a selected manner, where said EDIT MODE is a TALK-BACK MODE wherein said DNA sequence stored within said computer is automatically audibly read back through voice synthesis to permit visual checking of said autoradiogram in verification of said sequence of nucleotide bases entered in said computer; a check sequence mode comprising the steps of repeating said steps of manually placing said gel code reader over said autoradiogram, repeating said step of manually activating said switches on said gel code reader, and generating a comparison signal in synchronization to entry of nucleotide bases entered through said gel code reader to indicate whether nucleotide bases stored within some computer read in order and in synchronization with activations of said repeated step of activating said buttons of said gel code reader compare accurately or not; and a find sequence mode comprising the steps of entering in series a selected nucleotide base sequence, advancing through said database of nucleotide bases stored within said computer to the nearest matching series, said series being cumulative expanded with each additional entry of a nucleotide base until said entire sequence of nucleotide bases has been entered and a matching sequence found within said nucleotide sequence database stored within said computer, audio tones being generated within said computer at each entry of said nucleotide database indicating searching for said sequence, finding said sequence and failing to find said sequence as is appropriate at each step.

Claim 10

A method for processing nucleotide base data in a DNA sequencing autoradiogram comprising the steps of: manually placing an optical gel code reader over said autoradiogram; manually activating at least one switch on said gel code reader in response to a selected nucleotide base in predetermined registration with said gel code reader; generating a data signal corresponding to said manually activated switch to input to a computer; and entering a predetermined corresponding nucleotide base code corresponding to said selectively activated switch into a predetermined database format, where said step of selecting said mode selects an EDIT MODE wherein said nucleotide base entries within said computer is edited in a selected manner; where in said step of selecting said mode said mode is a TALK-BACK MODE wherein said DNA sequence stored within said computer is automatically audibly read back through voice synthesis to permit visual checking of said autoradiogram in verification of said sequence of nucleotide bases entered in said computer; where in said step of selecting said mode said mode is a check sequence mode comprising the steps of repeating said steps of manually placing said gel code reader over said autoradiogram, repeating said step of manually activating said switches on said gel code reader, and generating a comparison signal in synchronization to entry of nucleotide bases entered through said gel code reader to indicate whether nucleotide bases stored within some computer read in order and in synchronization with activations of said repeated step of activating said buttons of said gel code reader compare accurately or not; and where in said step of selecting said mode said mode is a find sequence mode comprising the steps of entering in series a selected nucleotide base sequence, advancing through said database of nucleotide bases stored within said computer to the nearest matching series, said series being cumulative expanded with each additional entry of a nucleotide base until said entire sequence of nucleotide bases has been entered and a matching sequence found within said nucleotide sequence database stored within said computer, audio tones being generated within said computer at each entry of said nucleotide database indicating searching for said sequence, finding said sequence and failing to find said sequence as is appropriate at each step.

Claim 11

A method for processing nucleotide base data in a DNA sequencing autoradiogram comprising the steps of: manually placing an optical gel code reader over said autoradiogram; manually activating at least one switch on said gel code reader in response to a selected nucleotide base in predetermined registration with said gel code reader; generating a data signal corresponding to said manually activated switch to input to a computer; and entering a predetermined corresponding nucleotide base code corresponding to said selectively activated switch into a predetermined database format, where said step of selecting said mode selects an EDIT MODE wherein said nucleotide base entries within said computer is edited in a selected manner; where in said step of selecting said mode said mode is a TALK-BACK MODE wherein said DNA sequence stored within said computer is automatically audibly read back through voice synthesis to permit visual checking of said autoradiogram in verification of said sequence of nucleotide bases entered in said computer; where in said step of selecting said mode said mode is a check sequence mode comprising the steps of repeating said steps of manually placing said gel code reader over said autoradiogram, repeating said step of manually activating said switches on said gel code reader, and generating a comparison signal in synchronization to entry of nucleotide bases entered through said gel code reader to indicate whether nucleotide bases stored within some computer read in order and in synchronization with activations of said repeated step of activating said buttons of said gel code reader compare accurately or not; and where in said step of selecting said mode said mode is a find sequence mode comprising the steps of entering in series a selected nucleotide base sequence, advancing through said database of nucleotide bases stored within said computer to the nearest matching series, said series being cumulative expanded with each additional entry of a nucleotide base until said entire sequence of nucleotide bases has been entered and a matching sequence found within said nucleotide sequence database stored within said computer, audio tones being generated within said computer at each entry of said nucleotide database indicating searching for said sequence, finding said sequence and failing to find said sequence as is appropriate at each step.