Apparatus and method for automated teaching of locations in laboratory automation equipment

An automatic teaching system for an automated laboratory, the automatic teaching system comprising:

• a frame having a fungible laboratory device holding station;
• a robot transport mounted to the frame, the robot transport having:
• a drive with at least one degree of freedom, and
• a movable transport terminal for action with a fungible laboratory device,
• wherein at least one of the fungible laboratory device holding station and the movable transport terminal have a reference base;
• an electromagnetic beam sensor connected to the movable transport terminal in a predetermined location on at least one of the robot transport and the fungible laboratory device holding station, the predetermined location being relative to the reference base;
• a fixture with a predetermined geometric pattern formed of discriminant features, the discriminant features:
• are variant in at least two dimensions,
• characterize the predetermined geometric pattern, and
• are registrable by the electromagnetic beam sensor;
• and
• a controller operably coupled to the robot transport and communicably connected to the electromagnetic beam sensor to register sensor signals embodying distances sensed by the electromagnetic beam sensor;
• wherein:
• the discriminant features characterizing the predetermined geometric pattern are arranged in datum sets that are arrayed on the fixture, each datum set having corresponding feature datums,
• the corresponding feature datums of each datum set being deterministic of a unique discrete location and orientation on the fixture, where the unique discrete location and orientation:
• has a predetermined relation with the reference base, and
• deterministically identifies the reference base so that the controller determines the reference base from scanning, with the electromagnetic beam sensor in the at least one degree of freedom, of at least one of the movable transport terminal and but one datum set of the fixture located opposite the electromagnetic distance sensor.

A method for automatically teaching locations in an automated laboratory, the method comprising:

• providing an automated laboratory having:
• a frame having a specimen holder station,
• a robot transport mounted to the frame, the robot transport having:
• a drive with at least one degree of freedom, and
• a movable end effector for action with a specimen holder,
• wherein at least one of the specimen holder station and the movable end effector have a reference base, and
• an electromagnetic distance sensor connected to the movable end effector in a predetermined location on at least one of the robot transport and the specimen holder station, the predetermined location being relative to the reference base;
• positioning a fixture relative to the specimen holder station, where:
• the fixture has a predetermined geometric pattern formed of discriminant features, the discriminant features:
• are variant in at least two dimensions,
• characterize the predetermined geometric pattern, and
• are registrable by the electromagnetic distance sensor, and
• the discriminant features characterizing the predetermined geometric pattern are arranged in datum sets that are arrayed on the fixture, each datum set having corresponding feature datums,
• the corresponding feature datums of each datum set being deterministic of a unique discrete location and orientation on the fixture, where the unique discrete location and orientation:
• has a predetermined relation with the reference base, and
• deterministically identifies the reference base;
• registering, with a controller, sensor signals embodying distances sensed by the electromagnetic distance sensor, where the controller is operably coupled to the robot transport and communicably connected to the electromagnetic distance sensor;
• and
• determining, with the controller, the reference base from scanning, with the electromagnetic distance sensor in the at least one degree of freedom, of at least one of the movable end effector and but one datum set of the fixture located opposite the electromagnetic distance sensor.