Identifying Nucleotides By Determining Phasing

What is this patent about?

’275 is related to the field of nucleic acid sequencing and, more generally, to the analysis of image data obtained from multiple reference points. A common challenge in this field is the need to analyze vast amounts of image data generated during sequencing processes, such as sequencing-by-synthesis. Existing methods often struggle to balance the need for rapid data acquisition and storage with the computationally intensive task of image analysis, leading to bottlenecks in the overall sequencing workflow.

The underlying idea behind ’275 is to prioritize image data acquisition and storage while performing image analysis in the background. This is achieved by scheduling image analysis tasks to run when the processor is not actively acquiring or storing image data. This approach allows for efficient use of computational resources, reducing data storage requirements and improving the overall speed and accuracy of sequence data analysis.

The claims of ’275 focus on a system and method for base calling in nucleic acid sequencing . Specifically, the claims cover acquiring fluorescent emissions from labeled nucleotides hybridized to a cluster of identical nucleic acids, calculating the fraction of labeled nucleotides that are out of phase, identifying a particular base called nucleotide based on the acquired fluorescent emissions and the calculated fraction of labeled nucleotides that are out of phase, and assigning a quality score to the particular base called nucleotide based on the identification.

In practice, the invention involves a system with a processor, storage, and a program that manages the acquisition, storage, and analysis of image data. The program identifies instances where acquiring image data conflicts with analyzing existing data, resolving these conflicts by prioritizing data acquisition. This allows the system to perform tasks like template generation, registration, intensity extraction, color matrix estimation, phasing estimation, base calling, and quality scoring in a streamlined manner, even with limited computational resources.

The invention differentiates itself from prior approaches by intelligently scheduling image analysis tasks around data acquisition, rather than treating them as separate, sequential processes. This time-division multiplexing approach reduces the need for high-end computing infrastructure and minimizes data transfer requirements, making high-throughput sequencing more accessible and efficient. The system also incorporates real-time metrics and control nucleic acids to ensure data quality and accuracy.