Biological specimen analysis system processing integrity checking apparatus
AssigneeNeoPath, Inc.
InventorsWilliam E. Ortyn, Louis R. Piloco, Jon W. Hayenga
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A suite of tests and parameter monitoring methods for at least five major subsystems that are found in most automated image processing systems, as well as calibration routines for three major system functions. The five areas of subsystem verification include processing quality, illumination quality, image collection quality, autofocus quality, and position quality. An automated biological specimen analysis system uses self measures of system parameters to provide a system status. The system status is reported to the user.
Claims23
An on-line, automated method, capable of performing biological specimen analysis without any operator intervention, of checking processing integrity for an automated biological specimen analysis system wherein the analysis of a biological specimen comprises measuring a feature of the biological specimen, the method comprising the steps of:
- (a) measuring an automated biological specimen analysis system parameter with a computer, wherein the automated biological specimen analysis system parameter relates to the processing integrity of the automated biological specimen analysis system to measure the feature;
- (b) comparing the automated biological specimen analysis system parameter to a limit to check processing integrity with the computer;
- (c) repeating steps (a) and (b) at regularly defined intervals while the automated biological specimen analysis system remains on line;
- and
- (d) stopping the automated biological specimen analysis system if the biological specimen analysis system parameter is not within the limit.
An on-line, automated method, capable of performing biological specimen analysis without any operator intervention, for checking biological analysis system processing integrity for an automated biological analysis system wherein the analysis of a biological specimen comprises measuring a feature of the biological specimen, the automated method comprising the steps of:
- (a) performing a system calibration with a computer;
- (b) performing a set of subsystem integrity checks at regular, predefined intervals to obtain an integrity measure with the computer while the automated biological specimen analysis system remains on line, wherein a condition of a subsystem affects the processing integrity of the automated biological specimen analysis system to measure the feature;
- and
- (c) determining a system status with the computer.
An on-line, automated method, capable of performing biological specimen analysis without any operator intervention, of checking processing integrity for an automated biological specimen analysis system wherein the analysis of a biological specimen comprises measuring a feature of the biological specimen, the method comprising the steps of:
- (a) calibrating the automated biological specimen analysis system with a computer;
- (b) performing a system calibration to provide a calibration parameter, wherein the calibration parameter relates to the processing integrity of the biological specimen system to measure the feature, with a computer;
- (c) repeating steps a) and b) a predetermined number of times if the at least one calibration parameter exceeds at least one predetermined limit until the at least one calibration parameter is within the at least one predetermined limit;
- and
- (d) indicating that the automated biological specimen analysis system is unsuitable to analyze the biological specimen if the predetermined number of times has been exceeded and the at least one calibration parameter exceeds the at least one predetermined limit, and otherwise passing the system.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.