Specimen processing device and specimen processing method

A specimen processing device comprising:

• a processing unit configured to aspirate a specimen from a specimen container accommodating the specimen, and to process the aspirated specimen;
• and
• a control unit configured to control the operation of the processing unit;
• wherein
• the control unit
• makes the processing unit undergo transition to a pause state,
• accepts an instruction to start processing of the specimen when the processing unit is in the pause state, and
• releases the processing unit from the pause state to make the processing unit perform the processing of specimen when the instruction to start the processing is accepted.

A specimen processing device comprising:

• a conveyance unit configured to convey a specimen container accommodating a specimen to an aspirating position;
• a processing unit configured to aspirate the specimen from the specimen container conveyed to the aspirating position, and to process the aspirated specimen;
• a state transition section configured to make the processing unit undergo transition to a pause state;
• a detection unit for detecting existence of the specimen container at a predetermined position on a conveyance path on which the conveyance unit conveys the specimen container to the aspirating position;
• and
• a pause releasing section for releasing the processing unit from the pause state based on the detection of the existence of the specimen container by the detection unit.

A specimen processing device comprising:

• a conveyance unit configured to convey a specimen container accommodating a specimen to a predetermined position;
• a processing unit for acquiring the specimen container conveyed to the predetermined position, aspirating the specimen from the specimen container, and processing the aspirated specimen;
• a state transition section configured to make the processing unit undergo transition to a pause state;
• a detection unit configured to detect existence of the specimen container at a second predetermined position on a conveyance path on which the conveyance unit conveys the specimen container to the predetermined position;
• and
• a pause releasing section configured to release the processing unit from the pause state based on the detection of the existence of the specimen container by the detection unit.

A specimen processing device comprising:

• a conveyance unit configured to convey a specimen container accommodating a specimen to an aspirating position;
• a processing unit configured to aspirate the specimen from the specimen container conveyed to the aspirating position, and to process the aspirated specimen;
• a control unit configured to control the processing unit;
• and
• a detection unit configured to detect existence of the specimen container at a predetermined position on a conveyance path on which the conveyance unit conveys the specimen container to the aspirating position;
• wherein
• the control unit,
• makes the processing unit undergo transition to a pause state, and
• releases the processing unit from the pause state based on the detection of the existence of the specimen container by the detection unit.

A specimen processing method using a specimen processing device including a processing unit configured to process a specimen, the method comprising the steps of:

• making the processing unit undergo transition to a pause state;
• accepting an instruction to start processing of the specimen when the processing unit is in the pause state;
• and
• releasing the processing unit from the pause state to make the processing unit perform the processing of specimen when the instruction to start the processing by the processing unit is accepted;
• wherein
• each step is automatically executed by the specimen processing device.