US 11,835,533 B2
Reflex testing of samples using residual materials from a prior test
Celine Roger Dalbert, Quebec (CA); Joel Daniel Krayer, Baltimore, MD (US); Adam Bruce Steel, Fallston, MD (US); and Denis Roy, Quebec (CA)
Assigned to BECTON, DICKINSON AND COMPANY, Franklin Lakes, NJ (US)
Filed by BECTON, DICKINSON AND COMPANY, Franklin Lakes, NJ (US)
Filed on Sep. 21, 2020, as Appl. No. 17/026,640.
Application 17/026,640 is a continuation of application No. 15/964,859, filed on Apr. 27, 2018, granted, now 10,782,309.
Application 15/964,859 is a continuation of application No. 14/510,875, filed on Oct. 9, 2014, granted, now 9,958,466, issued on May 1, 2018.
Application 14/510,875 is a continuation of application No. PCT/US2013/031072, filed on Mar. 13, 2013.
Claims priority of provisional application 61/624,198, filed on Apr. 13, 2012.
Prior Publication US 2021/0140986 A1, May 13, 2021
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. G01N 35/00 (2006.01); C12Q 1/689 (2018.01); G01N 35/04 (2006.01)
CPC G01N 35/00603 (2013.01) [C12Q 1/689 (2013.01); C12Q 2600/156 (2013.01); G01N 2035/0436 (2013.01); Y10T 436/11 (2015.01)] 20 Claims
 
1. A system comprising:
an automated instrument comprising a code reader, the automated instrument configured to receive a plurality of samples to be tested for target analytes;
a processor; and
an information storage capacity storing instructions for performing automated assays, wherein the instructions, when executed by the processor, cause the system to:
scan, via a code reader included in the automated instrument, indicia on vessels that contain the plurality of samples;
store, via the automated instrument, indicia on the vessels that contain the plurality of samples;
automatically transfer, via the automated instrument, a first portion of each sample of the plurality of samples to a respective plurality of first lanes;
automatically perform, via the automated instrument, a first test for a first target analyte on a first solution comprising the first portions of the plurality of samples and first reagents according to a first assay workflow, the first test providing a result indicating a presence of the first target analyte in a subset of samples from the plurality of samples;
select, via the automated instrument, the subset of samples from the plurality of samples;
assign each of the subset of samples from the plurality of samples to a second lane of the plurality of second lanes, wherein identifying indicia on the vessels that contain the plurality of samples used in the first assay workflow are accessed via the automated instrument to process the subset of samples during a second assay workflow, wherein the identifying indicia identifies the position of the first lane and the second lane relative to other lanes;
automatically transfer, via the automated instrument, a second portion of each of the subset of samples to a respective plurality of second lanes; and
automatically perform, via the automated instrument, the second test for a second target analyte on a second solution comprising the second portion of each of the subset of samples and second reagents according to the second assay workflow, wherein the first target analyte is different than the second target analyte, the second test providing a result indicating, for an individual sample included in the subset of samples, a presence of the second target analyte in the individual sample.