Automation tube positioning methodology
AssigneeSiemens Healthcare Diagnostics Inc.
InventorsRyan German, Benjamin S. Pollack
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Methods and systems allow characterization of sample vessels and carriers in an automation system to determine any physical deviation from nominal positions. In response, an offset can be calculated and applied when positioning a carrier relative to a station, such as a testing or processing stations (or vice-versa). This may allow for precise operation of an instrument with a sample vessel on an automation track, while compensating for deviation in manufacturing and other tolerances.
Claims34
A method for aligning a sample vessel relative to instruments in an automation system in an in-vitro diagnostic (IVD) environment comprising steps of:
- measuring at least one distance between a reference point in a carrier and a position of a vessel within the carrier;
- automatically determining, using a processor, an offset between the vessel position and a nominal position based on the at least one distance;
- moving the carrier to a station within the automation system for interaction between a sample contained in the vessel and the station;
- and
- positioning the carrier at a location accessible to the station, the location being chosen to compensate for the offset.
A method for aligning a sample vessel relative to instruments in an automation system in an in-vitro diagnostic (IVD) environment comprising steps of:
- observing a sample vessel carried by a carrier to compare an observed position of the sample vessel to a predetermined nominal position;
- automatically determining, using a processor, an offset that accounts for the comparison of the observed position and the predetermined nominal position of the vessel;
- moving the carrier along an automation track to a processing station for interaction between a sample contained in the vessel and the station;
- and
- positioning the carrier at a location accessible to the station utilizing the offset such that the sample is placed at a predetermined location relative to the station.
An automation system for use with a clinical chemistry analyzer comprising:
- at least one processor;
- an automation track configured to facilitate moving a plurality of carriers holding samples between a plurality of stations;
- and
- a characterization station configured to observe sample vessels in a plurality of carriers on the automation track and communicate observation information to the at least one processor,
- wherein the at least one processor is configured to determine an offset corresponding to a distance between the centerline of each sample and a nominal position of each corresponding carrier from the information received from the characterization station and facilitate positioning of each corresponding carrier at a stopping position on the automation track, the specific location of the stopping position being determined by the offset such that the centerline of each sample aligns with a predetermined position accessible to one of the plurality of stations in an analyzer.
A method for aligning a sample vessel in an automation system in an in-vitro diagnostic (IVD) environment comprising steps of:
- observing a sample vessel carried by a carrier to compare an observed position of the sample vessel to a predetermined nominal position;
- automatically determining, using a first processor, an offset that accounts for the comparison of the observed position and the predetermined nominal position of the vessel;
- moving the carrier along an automation track to a processing station for interaction between a sample contained in the vessel and the station;
- stopping the carrier at a predetermined location at the processing station;
- and
- positioning an interaction device of the station at a location relative to the carrier that varies according to the offset determined for the carrier, such that interaction device aligns with the sample vessel.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.