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US 12,656,361 B2Granted
Automated clinical analyzer system and method
AssigneeSiemens Healthcare Diagnostics Inc.
InventorsDavid Stein, Roy Barr, Mark Edwards, Colin Mellars, Thomas J. Bao, Charles V. Cammarata, Benjamin S. Pollack, Baris Yagci, Beri Cohen
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An analyzer system for in vitro diagnostics includes a sample handler module having a robot arm that delivers samples from drawers into carriers on a linear synchronous motor automation track. Samples are delivered via the automation track to individual track sections associated with individual analyzer modules. Analyzer modules aspirate sample portions directly from the sample carriers and perform analysis thereon.
Claims18
An analyzer system for use in an in vitro diagnostics (IVD) environment comprising:
- a plurality of modules including:
- a sample handler module configured to accept a plurality of trays holding a plurality of patient sample tubes via one or more drawers;
- and
- one or more analyzer modules configured to aspirate a portion of a patient sample from each of the plurality of patient samples and perform a clinical analysis of that patient sample;
- a plurality of sample carriers configured to accept at least one of the plurality of patient samples and transport the patient sample between the plurality of modules, each carrier having one or more magnets in the base thereof;
- an automation track comprising a plurality of track sections forming a plurality of branches, each track section having a surface that includes a set of magnetic coils that propel the plurality of sample carriers along the plurality of track sections;
- a plurality of local control boards, each providing synchronous control signals to the set of magnetic coils of one of the plurality of track sections;
- a node controller configured to make routing decisions for the plurality of sample carriers and to control the plurality of local control boards to move the sample carriers;
- and
- a plurality of networking switches that are daisy-chained and configured to provide network communication between the node controller and the plurality of local control boards and to each provide power to one of the plurality of track sections from a first one of the plurality of modules during normal operation and automatically from an adjacent second one of the plurality of modules if power is unavailable from the first one.
7 more elements
An automation system for an analyzer system for use in an in vitro diagnostics (IVD) environment comprising:
- a plurality of sample carriers configured to accept at least one of the plurality of patient samples and transport the patient sample between a plurality of analyzer modules, each carrier having one or more magnets in the base thereof;
- an automation track comprising a plurality of track sections forming a plurality of branches, each track section having a surface that includes a set of magnetic coils that propel the plurality of sample carriers along the plurality of track sections;
- a plurality of local control boards, each providing synchronous control signals to the set of magnetic coils of one of the plurality of track sections;
- a node controller configured to make routing decisions for the plurality of sample carriers and to control the plurality of local control boards to move the sample carriers;
- and
- a plurality of networking switches that are daisy-chained and configured to provide network communication between the node controller and the plurality of local control boards and to each provide power to one of the plurality of track sections from a first one of the plurality of modules during normal operation and automatically from an adjacent second one of the plurality of modules if power is unavailable from the first one.
3 more elements
A method of automating an analyzer system for use in an in vitro diagnostics (IVD) environment comprising:
- utilizing a plurality of sample carriers configured to accept at least one of the plurality of patient samples to transport the patient sample between a plurality of analyzer modules, each carrier having one or more magnets in the base thereof;
- operating an automation track comprising a plurality of track sections forming a plurality of branches, each track section having a surface that includes a set of magnetic coils that propel the plurality of sample carriers along the plurality of track sections;
- providing synchronous control signals to the set of magnetic coils of one of the plurality of track sections via each of a plurality of local control boards;
- making routing decisions for the plurality of sample carriers and to control the plurality of local control boards to move the sample carriers using a node controller;
- providing network communication between the node controller and the plurality of local control boards and providing power to one of the plurality of track sections using a plurality of daisy-chained networking;
- and
- providing power to one of the plurality of track sections from a first one of the plurality of modules during normal operation and automatically from an adjacent second one of the plurality of modules if power is unavailable from the first one via the plurality of daisy-chained networking switches.
4 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.