Network of cell processing systems and related method

A method of operating a cell processing system, the cell processing system comprising a processor to receive a biological fluid to be processed and to be operated according to at least one modifiable process parameter, the method comprising:

• receiving an identifier and at least one process parameter control associated with the at least one process parameter that limits modification of the at least one process parameter if applied, wherein the process parameter control is received from another processor in a network of cell processors, wherein a transmitter/receiver device is configured to download the identifier from the network;
• determining if the identifier is associated with an administrator authorization;
• applying the at least one processor control to the at least one process parameter if the identifier is associated with an administrator authorization, wherein receiving the at least one process parameter control comprises receiving a protocol comprising a plurality of process parameter controls from the another processor, and wherein applying the at least one process parameter control comprises applying the process parameter controls of the protocol if the identifier is associated with an administrator authorization;
• receiving from a touch screen user input data for a plurality of protocols, each protocol including values for a set of process parameters for cell processing procedures;
• storing each protocol in memory;
• receiving a second identifier associated with a user;
• applying one of the protocols based at least in part on the second identifier;
• and
• processing the biological fluid employing a process that includes the at least one process parameter or the applied one of the protocols.

A network of cell processing systems, comprising:

• at least one cell processing system, the at least one cell processing system comprising:
• a processor to receive a biological fluid to be processed;
• a controller coupled to the processor, the controller configured to operate the processor according to at least one modifiable process parameter, the controller configured to permit control of the at least one cell processing system based on a hierarchy of authorizations comprising at least an administrator authorization and an operator authorization, the controller configured to assume as a default that a user has operator authorization unless the user attempts to enter an identifier, at which point it is determined if the user has the administrator authorization, wherein a transmitter/receiver device is configured to download the identifier from the network;
• and
• at least one input coupled to the controller, the at least one input configured to receive at least one process parameter control associated with the at least one process parameter that limits modification of the at least one process parameter if applied,
• a non-transitory computer-readable memory storage device coupled to the at least one cell processing system, the memory storage device including a plurality of process parameter controls stored therein and configured to transmit one or more process parameter controls to the at least one cell processing system,
• wherein one of the controller and the memory storage device is configured to receive the identifier and to determine if the identifier is associated with the administrator authorization, and the controller is configured to apply the at least one process parameter control to the at least one process parameter if the identifier is associated with the administrator authorization;
• wherein one or more protocols are stored in the memory storage device, each protocol comprising a plurality of process parameter controls, wherein the one or more protocols are transmitted from one or more of the cell processing systems to the memory storage device.