US 11,927,598 B2
Automated clinical analyzer system and method
David Stein, Succasunna, NJ (US); Roy Barr, Delaware, NJ (US); Mark Edwards, Armonk, NY (US); Colin Mellars, Tucson, AZ (US); Thomas J. Bao, Livingston, NJ (US); Charles V. Cammarata, Ledgewood, NJ (US); Benjamin S. Pollack, Jersey City, NJ (US); Baris Yagci, Montclair, NJ (US); and Beri Cohen, Hartsdale, NY (US)
Assigned to Siemens Healthcare Diagnostics Inc., Tarrytown, NY (US)
Filed by Siemens Healthcare Diagnostics Inc., Tarrytown, NY (US)
Filed on Jun. 15, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/807,112.
Application 17/807,112 is a continuation of application No. 16/319,306, granted, now 11,378,583, previously published as PCT/US2017/042943, filed on Jul. 19, 2017.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/365,314, filed on Jul. 21, 2016.
Prior Publication US 2022/0308078 A1, Sep. 29, 2022
Int. Cl. G01N 35/00 (2006.01); G01N 1/00 (2006.01); G01N 35/02 (2006.01); G01N 35/04 (2006.01); G01N 35/10 (2006.01)
CPC G01N 35/0099 (2013.01) [G01N 35/026 (2013.01); G01N 35/04 (2013.01); G01N 1/00 (2013.01); G01N 35/025 (2013.01); G01N 2035/0415 (2013.01); G01N 2035/0453 (2013.01); G01N 2035/0465 (2013.01); G01N 2035/0467 (2013.01); G01N 2035/0498 (2013.01); G01N 2035/1032 (2013.01)] 19 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An analyzer system for use in an in vitro diagnostics (IVD) environment comprising:
one or more analyzer modules configured to aspirate a portion of a patient sample from each of a plurality of patient samples and perform a clinical analysis of that patient sample;
a vessel moving system comprising:
an automation track comprising a plurality of track sections forming a plurality of branches, and
a plurality of sample carriers configured to accept at least one of the plurality of patient samples and a plurality of tubes of control and calibrator fluids and to traverse the automation track under processor control;
a sample handler module comprising:
one or more drawers configured to accept a plurality of trays holding the plurality of patient samples, wherein the patient samples are held in tubes, at least a portion of which are capped,
a plurality of cameras that record overhead images of sample tubes while in the drawers, and
a robot arm configured to move patient sample tubes between the drawers and carriers on an automation system; and
a processor configured to monitor the status of the patient sample tubes and vessel moving system, to de-cap patient samples on demand, prioritize delivery of uncapped samples within the vessel moving system, and to maintain a timer of an amount of time a patient sample is uncapped prior to routing to an analyzer module to ensure the timer does not exceed a predetermined time limit.