Intelligent pressure control apparatus and methods for maintaining manifold pressure in a diagnostic testing apparatus

A pressure control method for maintaining manifold pressure in a manifold chamber of a flow control apparatus in a diagnostic testing apparatus, comprising:

• characterizing an operational state combination of a plurality of flow control valves in flow paths connected to the manifold chamber;
• providing a drive setting to a pump supplying liquid to the manifold chamber;
• measuring a pressure in the manifold chamber to provide a measure pressure;
• determining if the measured pressure in the manifold chamber is within predetermined pressure threshold limits of a target pressure;
• and
• either:
• increasing or decreasing the drive setting if not within the predetermined pressure threshold limits, or
• storing an optimal drive setting for the operational state combination of the plurality of flow control valves if within the predetermined pressure threshold limits.

A pressure control method for maintaining pressure in a manifold chamber of a flow control apparatus in a diagnostic testing apparatus, comprising:

• selecting a new operational state combination of a plurality of flow control valves in flow paths connected to the manifold chamber;
• measuring the manifold pressure in the manifold chamber of an existing operational state combination before making a change to the new operational state combination;
• outputting a pump drive setting to a pump supplying liquid to the manifold chamber;
• changing from the existing operational state combination to the new operational state combination;
• determining if the measured pressure in the manifold chamber is within predetermined pressure threshold limits of a target pressure;
• and
• either:
• selecting another new operational state combination, or
• adjusting the pump drive setting for the existing operational state combination if not within the predetermined pressure threshold limits.