Distributed automation apparatus for laboratory diagnostics

A distributed automation apparatus for laboratory diagnostics comprising

• first modules for carrying out operations of various types on biological product containers inserted in dedicated transport devices which are transported on an automatic conveyor and second modules for interfacing with analysis devices of biological product specimens, both the first and second modules being connected to said automatic conveyor,
• a central control unit comprising a first computer processor in communication with a first storage device storing instructions that are executable to enable the first computer processor to provide worklists to respective first and second modules dynamically read and updated by said central control unit and to temporarily isolate faulty or inoperable first or second modules from the rest of the automation apparatus, which continues to operate normally,
• each of said first and second modules being independent with respect to the other first and second modules, and being provided with its own control board comprising a second computer processor in communication with a second storage device storing instructions that are executable to enable the second computer processor to autonomously manage the flow of operations for processing the biological material specimens,
• said apparatus also comprises nodes between said central control unit and said first or second modules, one node for each first or second module,
• said central control unit being connected to the nodes by an Automation Network,
• said central control unit transmitting a worklist to each node for each module,
• wherein each module reads and updates the respective worklist at the respective node by the results of its processing on the specimen, each node in turn communicating said results to the central control unit.