Serial No.: 12/810,391
`Examiner: Yelena G. Gakh, PhD.
`Reply to Office Action Mailed July 24, 2012
`Page 3 of 12
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`Amendments to the Claims:
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`This listing of claims will replace all prior versions, and listing, of claims in the
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`application.
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`1.
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`(Currently Amended) A solution measurement method in which a solution to be
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`tested is temporarily stored in a solution storage portion of a test piece after the solution
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`iiwhen added to the test piece, the solution te—be—tested is transferred from the solution
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`storage portion to a development layer of the test piece and is developed on th_e[[a]]
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`development layer etlthe—test—pieee—Erem—the—selutien—steeage—pertien, the development
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`layer having an immobilizing Hal} portion at which the solution is to be measured, and an
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`amount of a substance to be measured in the solution te—be—tested is calculated by
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`measuring an optical property of the solution at the immobilizing portion te—be—meaeueed,
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`the method comprising:
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`obtaining a first image of a first amount ofsolution stored in the solution storage
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`portion of the test piece;
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`obtaining a second image of a second amount of solution stored in the solution
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`storage portion Where the first amount of solution is greater than the second amount of
`solution'—7.
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`measuring an area difference between the first and second images to calculate a
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`reduction of solution in the solution storage portion;
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`comparing the reduction of solution in the solution storage portion with a
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`predetermined volume;
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`measuring the optical property of the solution at the immobilizing portion if the
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`reduction of solution in the solution storage portion reaches the predetermined volume
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`
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`calculating the amount of the substance to be measured in the solution te—be—testeel,
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`based on a measured value;
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`wherein the solution storage portion includes a capillary space.
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`

`

`Seriai No.: 12/810,391
`Examiner: Yelena G. Gakh, PhD.
`Reply to Office Action Mailed July 24, 2012
`Page 4 of 12
`
`2.
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`(Currently Amended) The solution measurement method according to claim 1,
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`further comprising:
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`measuring a flowing time from addition of the solution te—he—tested to the test
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`piece to the reduction of the solution te—be—tested in the solution storage portion to the
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`predetermined amount or less;
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`waiting a time period corresponding to the flowing time after the solution te—be
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`tested in the solution storage portion reduces to the predetermined amount or less; and
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`calculating the amount of the substance to be measured in the solution te—be—tested,
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`after the time period and based on the measured value of the portion to be measured.
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`3.
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`(Currently Amended) A solution measurement method in which a solution to be
`
`tested is temporarily stored in a solution storage portion of a test piece after the solution
`
`iiwhen added to the test piece, the solution te—be—testeel is transferred from the solution
`
`storage portion to a development layer of the test piece and is developed on fliflafl
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`development layer etLthe—test—pieee—firem—the-selutien—stefiage—pemen the development
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`layer having an immobilizing [[afl portion at which the solution is to be measured, and an
`
`amount of a substance to be measured in the solution te—be—tested is calculated by
`
`measuring an optical property of the solution at the immobilizing portion te—be—measureel,
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`the method comprising:
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`measuring an initial storage amount of the solution te—be—tested in the solution
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`storage portion of the test piece, when the solution te—lae—tested is added to the test piece
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`mounted at a predetermined mounting location or when the test piece on which the
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`solution te—be—tested has been added is mounted at the predetermined mounting location;
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`measuring a storage amount of the solution storage portion also after the solution
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`te—he—testeel is added;
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`calculating a reduction of the solution in the solution storage portion by
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`comparing the initial storage amount of the solution with the storage amount of the
`solution after the solution is added
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`measuring the optical property of the solution at the immobilizing portion if the
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`reduction of the solution in the solution storage portion reaches te—lae—measuredrm
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`

`

`Serial No.: 12/810,391
`Examiner: Yelena G. Gakh, PhD.
`Reply to Office Action Mailed July 24, 2012
`Page 5 of 12
`
`
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`calculating, based on a measured value, the amount of the substance to be
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`measured in the solution; te—be—tested
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`wherein the solution storage portion includes a capillag space.
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`4.
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`(Currently Amended) The solution measurement method according to claim 3,
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`further comprising:
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`measuring a flowing time from addition of the solution te—be—testeel to the test
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`piece to the reduction of the solution te—be—testeel in the solution storage portion by the
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`predetermined amount;
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`waiting a time period corresponding to the flowing time after the reduction of the
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`solution te—be—testeel in the solution storage portion by the predetermined amount; and
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`calculating the amount of the substance to be measured in the solution table—tested;
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`after the time period and based on the measured value of the solution at the immobilizing
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`portion te—be—meaetued.
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`5.
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`(Currently Amended) The solution measurement method according to claim 1,
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`further comprising:
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`measuring an initial storage amount of the solution te—be—tested in the solution
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`storage portion of the test piece, when the solution te—be—testeel is added to the test piece
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`mounted at a predetermined mounting location or when the test piece on which the
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`solution te—be—testeel has been added is mounted at the predetermined mounting location;
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`and
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`performing at least one of a measurement terminating operation and a warning
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`operation when the initial storage amount of the solution te—be—tested is smaller than
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`predetermined initial storage setting.
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`6.
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`(Previously presented) The solution measurement method according to claim l,
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`wherein the test piece is a test piece for chromatography.
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`

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`Seriat No.: 12/810,391
`Examiner: Yelena G. Gakh, PhD.
`Reply to Office Action Mailed Juty 24, 2012
`Page 6 of 12
`
`7.
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`(Withdrawn-Currently Amended) A solution measurement apparatus in which a
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`solution to be tested is temporarily stored in a solution storage portion of a test piece after
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`the solution is when added to the test piece, the solution te—be—tested is transferred from
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`the solution storage portion to a development layer of the test piece and is developed on a
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`development layer etLthe—test—pieee—firem—the-selutren—stemge—pemen and an amount of a
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`substance to be measured in the solution te—be—testeel is calculated by measuring an
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`optical property of the solution at a predetermined portion fits—beflaeasured—en—the
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`development layer of the test piece;
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`the solution measurement apparatus comprising:
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`an imaging device for imaging the solution at the predetermined portion te—be
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`measured—and the solution storage portion of the test piece;
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`a solution amount detector for detecting, based on imaging information, an
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`amount of the solution te—be—tested in the solution storage portion; and
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`a controller for measuring the solution at the predetermined portion te—be
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`measured; in response to a reduction of the solution te—be—tested to a predetermined
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`amount or less in the solution storage portion or a reduction of the solution te—be—tested by
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`the predetermined amount or more in the solution storage portion; and calculating, based
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`on a measured value, the amount of the substance to be measured in the solutiorp te—be
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`tested
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`wherein the solution storage portion includes a capillagg space.
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`8.
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`(Original) The solution measurement apparatus according to claim 7, further
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`comprising an illuminator for illuminating the test piece with measurement light; and a
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`light receiver for receiving reflected light of the measurement light having illuminated the
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`test piece.
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`9.
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`(Original) The solution measurement apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the
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`illuminator is one of an LED, an LD, and a lamp.
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`

`

`Seriai No.: 12/810,391
`Examiner: Yelena G. Gakh, PhD.
`Reply to Office Action Mailed Juiy 24, 2012
`Page 7 of 12
`
`10.
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`(Original) The solution measurement apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the
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`light receiver is an image sensor.
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`ll.
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`(Original) The solution measurement apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the
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`test piece is a test piece for chromatography.
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`12.
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`(Currently Amended) The solution measurement method according to claim 3,
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`further comprising:
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`measuring an initial storage amount of the solution te—be—testeel in the solution
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`storage portion of the test piece, when the solution te—be—tested is added to the test piece
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`mounted at a predetermined mounting location or when the test piece on which the
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`solution te—be—testeel has been added is mounted at the predetermined mounting location;
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`and
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`performing at least one of a measurement terminating operation and a warning
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`operation when the initial storage amount of the solution te—be—testeel is smaller than
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`predetermined initial storage setting.
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`13.
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`(Previously presented) The solution measurement method according to claim 3,
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`wherein the test piece is a test piece for cln‘omatography.
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`14.
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`(New) The solution measurement method according to claim 3, wherein
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`measuring an initial storage amount of the solution in the solution storage portion of the
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`test piece includes: obtaining a first image of solution stored in the solution storage
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`portion of the test piece; and
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`measuring a storage amount of the solution storage portion after the solution is
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`added includes: obtaining a second image of solution stored in the solution storage
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`portion of the test piece.
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`