Apparatus, system, and method of archival and retrieval of samples
First Claim
1. A sample archive system comprising:
- a plurality of sample carriers configured to support a plurality of sample nodes in a predetermined spatial relationship;
sample storage means for selectively placing said plurality of sample carriers in an archive; and
sample node removal means for locating and removing selected ones of said plurality of sample nodes.
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A sample archive method and system implement a plurality of sample carriers configured to support a plurality of sample nodes in a predetermined spatial relationship, sample storage devices for selectively placing the plurality of sample carriers in an archive, and sample node removal apparatus for locating and removing selected ones of the plurality of sample nodes. Alternative embodiments are disclosed wherein the sample node removal apparatus comprises a laser and a mechanical clipping tool, which may be manually operated or automated. An optical component may be operative to detect the location of selected sample carriers in the archive, selected ones of the plurality of sample nodes, or both. A positioning component may position the sample node removal apparatus responsive to signals transmitted by the optical component. Various apparatus and methods of archiving samples and preparing the same for analysis are also disclosed.
-
Citations
115 Claims
-
1. A sample archive system comprising:
-
a plurality of sample carriers configured to support a plurality of sample nodes in a predetermined spatial relationship;
sample storage means for selectively placing said plurality of sample carriers in an archive; and
sample node removal means for locating and removing selected ones of said plurality of sample nodes. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
-
-
6. A sample archive system comprising:
-
a plurality of sample carrier receptacles;
each of said plurality of sample carrier receptacles configured to receive one or more sample carriers supporting a plurality of sample nodes;
a sample carrier storage device operative to place selected ones of said one or more sample carriers in selected ones of said plurality of sample carrier receptacles;
a sample carrier location device operative to locate said selected ones of said one or more sample carriers;
a sample carrier retrieval device operative to retrieve said selected ones of said one or more sample carriers from ones of said plurality of sample carrier receptacles; and
sample node removal means for identifying and removing selected ones of said plurality of sample nodes. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
-
-
16. A sample archive system comprising:
-
an archive comprising a plurality of sample carrier receptacles;
each of said plurality of sample carrier receptacles configured to receive one or more sample carriers supporting a plurality of sample nodes; and
a robotics system comprising mechanisms operative to store and to retrieve selected ones of said one or more sample carriers from said archive. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33)
-
-
34. A method of archiving samples;
- said method comprising;
selectively transferring a specimen to a plurality of discrete sample nodes attached to a sample carrier;
archiving said sample carrier in an archive facility; and
recording the location of said sample carrier in said archive facility. - View Dependent Claims (35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44)
- said method comprising;
-
45. A method of archiving samples;
- said method comprising;
obtaining a specimen from a source;
associating an identifier to said source and to said specimen;
writing said identifier and information associated with said source and said specimen to a data structure;
selectively transferring said specimen to a plurality of discrete sample nodes attached to a sample carrier; and
placing said sample carrier in a sample carrier receptacle at an archive facility. - View Dependent Claims (46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57)
- said method comprising;
-
58. A computer readable medium encoded with data and computer executable instructions;
- the data and instructions causing an apparatus executing the instructions to;
receive information regarding a sample and a source of said sample;
assign an identifier to said sample, said source, and said information;
record said identifier and said information in a data structure; and
record the location within a sample carrier of each of a plurality of discrete sample nodes supporting said sample. - View Dependent Claims (59, 60, 61, 62)
- the data and instructions causing an apparatus executing the instructions to;
-
63. A method of preparing an archive sample for analysis;
- said method comprising;
identifying a sample to be analyzed;
responsive to said identifying, ascertaining a location of said sample on a discrete sample node supported by a sample carrier;
responsive to said ascertaining, removing said discrete sample node from said sample carrier; and
preparing said sample for analysis. - View Dependent Claims (64, 65, 66, 67, 68, 69, 70, 71, 72, 73, 74, 75, 76)
- said method comprising;
-
77. A method of preparing an archive sample for analysis;
- said method comprising;
receiving a request related to an experiment;
identifying a sample suitable for said experiment;
responsive to said receiving and said identifying, locating a sample carrier supporting said sample on a discrete sample node;
detecting a location of said discrete sample node on said sample carrier;
removing said discrete sample node from said sample carrier; and
preparing said sample for analysis. - View Dependent Claims (78, 79, 80, 81, 82, 83, 84, 85, 86, 87, 88, 89, 90, 91, 92, 93)
- said method comprising;
-
94. A sample node removal system comprising:
-
a sample carrier configured to support a plurality of sample nodes in a predetermined spatial relationship; and
node removal means for locating and removing selected ones of said plurality of sample nodes. - View Dependent Claims (95, 96, 97, 98, 99, 100, 101)
-
-
102. A method of preparing an archive sample for analysis;
- said method comprising;
identifying a sample to be analyzed;
responsive to said identifying, obtaining said sample;
preparing said sample for analysis; and
selectively repeating said identifying, said obtaining, and said preparing at a rate sufficient to prepare in excess of 100 samples for analysis per day. - View Dependent Claims (103, 104, 105, 106, 107, 108, 109, 110, 111, 112, 113, 114, 115)
- said method comprising;
Specification