(19)

(11)

EP 1 960 480 A2

(12)

(88) Date of publication A3: 09.08.2007 (43) Date of publication: 27.08.2008 Bulletin 2008/35 (21) Application number: 06846279.5 (22) Date of filing: 10.11.2006

(51) International Patent Classification (IPC):  C09B 69/10(2006.01) G01N 33/84(2006.01) G01N 33/533(2006.01) G09B 19/00(2006.01) (86) International application number: PCT/US2006/060805 (87) International publication number: WO 2007/059449 (24.05.2007 Gazette 2007/21)

(84) Designated Contracting States: AT BE BG CH CY CZ DE DK EE ES FI FR GB GR HU IE IS IT LI LT LU LV MC NL PL PT RO SE SI SK TR (30) Priority: 10.11.2005 US 735314 P (71) Applicant: Beckman Coulter, Inc. Fullerton, CA 92834-3100 (US)	(72) Inventors: BAKKER, Eric West Lafayette, Indiana 47906 (US) QIN, Yu Beijing 100089 (CN) (74) Representative: Harrison Goddard Foote  Belgrave Hall Belgrave Street Leeds, Yorkshire LS2 8DD Leeds, Yorkshire LS2 8DD (GB)