System, method and computer implemented process for assaying coagulation in fluid samples

A method of using a sample analyzing device having a sample retaining area for holding a sample and at least one sensor having a sensing surface located at least partially within said sample retaining area, said at least one sensor being capable of detecting a presence of the sample when the sample is in contact with the sensing surface and of detecting an absence of the sample when the sample is not in contact with the surface, said method comprising the steps of:

• (a) introducing the sample into said sample retaining area;
• and
• either or both of steps (b) and (c);
• (b) mixing a reagent by moving an air-liquid boundary of the sample through a reagent mixing region of said sample retaining area until the reagent is at least substantially dissolved in a vicinity of the air liquid boundary of the sample to form a reagent rich portion of the sample;
• and
• (c) preventing an accumulation of material on said sensing surface by moving an air-liquid boundary of the sample over said sensing surface until completion of a sample analysis;
• wherein said reciprocating movement comprises moving the sample toward the sensing surface until the sensor detects the presence of the sample, and moving the sample away from the sensing surface until the sensor detects the absence of the sample.

A computer readable medium storing instructions for using a sample analyzing device having a sample retaining area for holding a sample and at least one sensor located at least partially within said sample retaining area, said at least one sensor having at least one edge which defines a sample detection location, said at least one sensor further being capable of detecting a presence or an absence of the sample in said sample detection location, said instructions being executable by a computer and comprising the steps of:

• (a) introducing the sample into said sample retaining area;
• (b) mixing a reagent with the sample to commence formation of a reagent product;
• (c) upon detecting the absence of the sample from the sample detection location by said at least one sensor, moving an edge of the sample past an edge of the at least one sensor into said sample detection location so that at least a given portion of the sample is located therein;
• (d) upon detecting the presence of the sample in the sample detection location by said at least one sensor, moving the edge of the sample past the edge of the at least one sensor and out of said sample detection location so that less than the given portion of the sample is located therein;
• and
• (e) preventing an accumulation of material on or about said at least one sensor by repeating steps (c)-(d) until passage of a predetermined period.

A computer readable medium storing instructions for using a sample analyzing device having a sample retaining area for holding a sample and at least one sensor having a sensing surface located at least partially within said sample retaining area, said at least one sensor being capable of detecting a presence of the sample when the sample is in contact with the sensing surface and of detecting an absence of the sample when the sample is not in contact with the surface, said instructions being executable by a computer and comprising the steps of:

• (a) introducing the sample into said sample retaining area;
• and
• either or both of steps (b) and (c);
• (b) mixing a reagent by moving an air-liquid boundary of the sample through a reagent mixing region of said sample retaining area until the reagent is at least substantially dissolved in a vicinity of the air liquid boundary of the sample to form a reagent rich portion of the sample;
• and
• (c) preventing an accumulation of material on said sensing surface by moving an air-liquid boundary of the sample over said sensing surface until completion of a sample analysis;
• wherein said reciprocating movement comprises moving the sample toward the sensing surface until the sensor detects the presence of the sample, and moving the sample away from the sensing surface until the sensor detects the absence of the sample.

A system for analyzing a sample and usable with a computer, comprising:

• a sample analyzing device having a sample retaining area for holding a sample and at least one sensor located at least partially within said sample retaining area, said at least one sensor having at least one edge which defines a sample detection location, said at least one sensor further being capable of detecting a presence or an absence of the sample in said sample detection location;
• and
• a memory medium readable by the computer and storing computer instructions, the instructions comprising the steps of:
• (a) introducing the sample into said sample retaining area;
• (b) mixing a reagent with the sample to commence formation of a reagent product;
• (c) upon detecting the absence of the sample from the sample detection location by said at least one sensor, moving an edge of the sample past an edge of the at least one sensor into said sample detection location so that at least a given portion of the sample is located therein;
• (d) upon detecting the presence of the sample in the sample detection location by said at least one sensor, moving the edge of the sample past the edge of the at least one sensor and out of said sample detection location so that less than the given portion of the sample is located therein;
• and
• (e) preventing an accumulation of material on or about said at least one sensor by repeating steps (c)-(d) until passage of a predetermined period.

A system for analyzing a sample and useable with a computer, comprising:

• an analyzing device having a sample retaining area for holding a sample and at least one sensor having a sensing surface located at least partially within said sample retaining area, said at least one sensor being capable of detecting a presence of the sample when the sample is in contact with the sensing surface and of detecting an absence of the sample when the sample is not in contact with the surface;
• and
• a memory medium readable by the computer and storing computer instructions, the instructions comprising the steps of:
• (a) introducing the sample into said sample retaining area;
• and
• either or both of steps (b) and (c);
• (b) mixing a reagent by moving an air-liquid boundary of the sample through a reagent mixing region of said sample retaining area until the reagent is at least substantially dissolved in a vicinity of the air liquid boundary of the sample to form a reagent rich portion of the sample;
• and
• (c) preventing an accumulation of material on said sensing surface by moving an air-liquid boundary of the sample over said sensing surface until completion of a sample analysis;
• wherein said reciprocating movement comprises moving the sample toward the sensing surface until the sensor detects the presence of the sample, and moving the sample away from the sensing surface until the sensor detects the absence of the sample.

A method for calculating a sample transformation time by utilizing a device comprising a sample retaining area and a sensor located at least partially within the sample retaining area to form a data collection region, wherein data is collected from the sample when the sample is moved into said data collection region, said method comprising the steps of:

• (a) introducing the sample into said device;
• (b) mixing a reagent with the sample to commence formation of a reagent product and transformation of the sample;
• (c) moving the sample into said data collection region;
• (d) collecting data by said sensor when the sample is moved into said data collection region;
• (e) moving the sample out of said data collection region;
• (f) repeating steps (c)-(e) until a sufficient predetermined transformation is detected from said data collected in said step (d);
• (g) extracting reagent product information from said data collected in said collecting step (d);
• (h) calculating the transformation time by utilizing said reagent product information extracted in said extracting step (g);
• and
• wherein said movement steps (c) and (e) prevent the accumulation of material on or about said sensor.