US 12,131,399 B2
System and method for automated reagent verification
Shanti Shankar, Cheshire, CT (US); Sean Zimmerman, Encinitas, CA (US); Mark Beauchemin, Glastonbury, CT (US); and John Thompson, Trumbull, CT (US)
Assigned to LIFE TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION, Carlsbad, CA (US)
Filed by LIFE TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION, Carlsbad, CA (US)
Filed on Aug. 16, 2019, as Appl. No. 16/543,475.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/855,643, filed on May 31, 2019.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/719,085, filed on Aug. 16, 2018.
Prior Publication US 2020/0075130 A1, Mar. 5, 2020
Int. Cl. G16B 45/00 (2019.01); G01N 1/28 (2006.01); G06T 1/00 (2006.01); G16B 30/10 (2019.01); G01N 35/00 (2006.01)
CPC G06T 1/0014 (2013.01) [G01N 2035/00801 (2013.01)] 13 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method for user guided initiating of an instrument, the method comprising:
receiving a run plan via a user interface of the instrument, the run plan identifying a test to be performed by the instrument and parameters associated with the test, the test to utilize a set of consumables;
indicating on the user interface, based on the run plan, the set of consumables to be used by the instrument when implementing the run plan;
detecting the presence of a consumable of the set of consumables using a vision system including a camera;
determining with the vision system that the consumable is a used consumable, the used consumable including a set of reagent containers;
determining with the vision system a number of unused reagent containers of the set of reagent containers, wherein determining a number of unused reagent containers includes determining a number of used reagent containers by detecting foil piercings of the used reagent containers with the vision system based on a comparison of pixel values of an image acquired by the vision system with the camera to expected values;
determining whether the number of unused reagent containers is sufficient to perform the run plan;
indicating the presence of the used consumable via the user interface; and
detecting a position of a latch with the vision system, the latch to hold an associated reagent container of the set of reagent containers in place when in a locked position, wherein detecting the locked position includes detecting a set of indicators on the outer surface of the associated latch with the vision system.