Method for automatic testing of laboratory specimens

A method of automatically testing and tracking a specimen in a laboratory, comprising the steps of:

• placing a first specimen to be tested into a first specimen container;
• marking the first container with a machine readable code;
• marking a first carrier for transporting the first container with the same machine readable code as said first container, and placing the container thereon;
• inputting information into a computer database relative to said first specimen, including information as to predetermined tests to be conducted on the specimen and the code marked on the container and carrier associated with the first specimen;
• moving the first carrier on a conveyor among a plurality of work stations, said work stations adapted to conduct predetermined tests on specimens;
• said computer tracking movement of said first carrier along said conveyor, and directing the movement of said first carrier according to information in the database regarding the first specimen, to predetermined work stations in a predetermined order to conduct predetermined tests;
• inputting the results of tests conducted on said first specimen into said computer database;
• said computer updating said database, with the first specimen test results, and directing movement of said first carrier to a different workstation of said plurality of workstations in response to said updated database;
• and
• said computer directing movement of said first carrier to an archiving station for storage of said first specimen, upon completion of all predetermined tests indicated in the database for said first specimen.