Tailored sample handling based on sample and/or sample container recognition
AssigneeBeckman Coulter, Inc.
InventorsTakayuki MIZUTANI, Amit SAWHNEY, Iustin CORNEA
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Systems and methods are provided for automatically tailoring treatment of samples in sample containers carried in a rack. The systems and methods may identify sample containers in the rack and/or detect various characteristics associated with the containers and/or the rack. This information may then be used to tailor their treatment, such as by aspirating and dispensing fluid from the sample containers in a way that accounts for the types of the samples/containers carrying them.
Claims21
An automated clinical analyzer comprising:
- a) a sample presentation unit (104) comprising a sample presentation lane (128);
- and b) a computing device (208) configured to perform one or more acts selected from a set consisting of:
- i) identify a type for a sample container (180) in the sample presentation lane (128) based on an image of that sample container (180) captured by a camera (202), and, based on the type, differentiate downstream processing for fluid contained in the sample container (180);
- and
- ii) based on identification information for the sample container (180) in the sample presentation lane (128), determine a target location and transfer fluid from the sample container (180) in the sample presentation lane (128) to the target location.
2-18. (canceled)
A method of operating an automated clinical analyzer, the method comprising:
- a) presenting a sample container (180) in a sample presentation lane (128) of a sample presentation unit (104);
- b) a computing device (208) performing one or more acts selected from a set consisting of:
- i) identifying a type for the sample container (180) in the sample presentation lane (128) based on an image of that sample container (180) captured by a camera (202) and, based on the type, differentiating downstream processing for fluid contained in the sample container (180);
- and
- ii) based on identification information for the sample container (180) in the sample presentation lane (128), determining a target location and transferring fluid from the sample container (180) in the sample presentation lane (128) to the target location.
A method of operating an automated clinical analyzer, the method comprising:
- a) presenting a first sample container on a sample presentation lane (128) of a sample presentation unit (104);
- b) presenting a second sample container on the sample presentation lane (128) of the sample presentation unit (104);
- c) using a camera (202) to capture a first image, wherein the first image depicts the first sample container,
- d) using a camera (202) to capture a second image, wherein the second image depicts the second sample container;
- e) a computing device (208) determining, based on the first image, a type for the first sample container,
- f) the computing device (208) determining, based on the second image, a type for the second sample container;
- g) based on the determined type for the first sample container, aspirating a first amount of fluid from the first sample container, wherein the first amount of fluid comprises an amount of fluid sufficient to perform an assay ordered for a sample in the first sample container and a dead space amount sufficient to fill dead space in an intermediate sample vessel;
- and
- h) based on the determined type for the second sample container, aspirating a second amount of fluid from the second sample container, wherein the second amount of fluid comprises an amount of fluid sufficient to perform an assay ordered for a sample in the second sample container but does not comprise the dead space amount sufficient to fill dead space in the intermediate sample vessel.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.