Sample mixing control

Apparatus for controlling the mixing of a plurality of samples subject to a chemical process, comprising:

• a computer processor;
• a data receiver, implemented on the computer processor, configured to receive for each one of the samples, respective data on a result obtained for the sample using the chemical process, and for each one of at least two of the samples, to further receive respective data on classification of the sample into one of at least two classes;
• a rank calculator, in communication with said data receiver, configured to calculate for each one of the samples, a respective rank based at least on the result obtained for the sample using the chemical process;
• a pair finder, in communication with said rank calculator, configured to find among the samples, at least one pair of samples classified into different ones of the classes, such that for each respective one of the found pairs, none of the samples having a calculated rank in between the ranks calculated for the two samples of the found pair are classified into one of the classes;
• a least close pair identifier, in communication with said pair finder, configured to identify a pair consisting of samples that are least close to each other in their calculated ranks among the found pairs;
• and
• an instruction generator, in communication with said least close pair identifier, configured to generate instructions for mixing at least one pair of samples qualitatively identical to the identified pair, to yield a respective new sample, provided none of the samples have a calculated rank in between the ranks calculated for the identified pair.

A non-transitory computer readable medium storing computer processor executable instructions for performing steps of controlling the mixing of a plurality of samples subject to a chemical process, the steps comprising:

• a) for each one of the samples, receiving respective data on a result obtained for the sample using the chemical process, and for each one of at least two of the samples, further receiving respective data on classification of the sample into one of at least two classes;
• b) for each one of the samples, calculating a respective rank based on the result obtained for the sample using the chemical process;
• c) finding among the samples, at least one pair of samples classified into different ones of the classes, such that for each respective one of the found pairs, none of the samples having a calculated rank in between the ranks calculated for the two samples of the found pair are classified into one of the classes;
• d) identifying a pair consisting of samples that are least close to each other in their calculated ranks among the found pairs;
• and
• e) provided none of the samples have a calculated rank in between the ranks calculated for the samples of the identified pair, generating instructions for mixing at least one pair of samples qualitatively identical to the identified pair, to yield a respective new sample.