Immunoassay chemistry cassette barcode for system customization

• US 20030157723A1
• Filed: 12/04/2002
• Published: 08/21/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 12/04/2001
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Dave Smith, Thomas J. Foley
• Original Assignee: Dave Smith, Thomas J. Foley
• Inventors: Smith, Dave, Foley, Thomas J.
• Application Number:
  US10/310,651
• Publication Number:
  US 20030157723A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 436/43
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 10/0051 for taking saliva or sputum samples devices for receiving spittle A61J9/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 10/0283 with vacuum aspiration, e.g. caused by retractable plunger or by connected syringe A61B10/025, A61B10/0266 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 2101/23 Mixing of laboratory samples e.g. in preparation of analysing or testing properties of materials
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 33/452 using independent floating stirring elements
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 33/81 Combinations of similar mixers, e.g. with rotary stirring devices in two or more receptacles
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 33/812 in two or more alternative mixing receptacles, e.g. mixing in one receptacle and dispensing from another receptacle
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 35/713 comprising breaking packages or parts thereof, e.g. piercing or opening sealing elements between compartments or cartridges containers or packages per se B65D
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 35/7137 Piercing, perforating or melting membranes or closures which seal the compartments
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 35/7161 the containers being connected coaxially before contacting the contents
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 35/7163 the containers being connected in a mouth-to-mouth, end-to-end disposition, i.e. the openings are juxtaposed before contacting the contents
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 35/7174 using pistons, plungers or syringes
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 35/754251 reciprocating in the mixing receptacle
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2200/0689 Sealing
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/041 Connecting closures to device or container
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/0825 Test strips
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/0864 comprising only one inlet and multiple receiving wells, e.g. for separation, splitting
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2400/0478 pistons
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2400/0622 distribution valves, valves having multiple inlets and/or outlets, e.g. metering valves, multi-way valves
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2400/0644 rotary valves
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/502 with fluid transport, e.g. in multi-compartment structures centrifugal-type cuvettes G01N21/07; analysis by separation into components G01N30/00; automatic analysers G01N35/00
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/5023 : with a sample being transported to, and subsequently stored in an absorbent for analysis
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 1/02 : Devices for withdrawing samples sampling of foundation soil E02D1/04; collecting or conveying radioactive samples G01T7/00, e.g. G01T7/02, G01T7/08
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2035/00158 : Elements containing microarrays, i.e. "biochip"
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/48714 : for determining substances foreign to the organism, e.g. drugs or heavy metals drugs by chemical analysis G01N33/94
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/54313 : the carrier being characterised by its particulate form
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/54366 : Apparatus specially adapted for solid-phase testing
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/54373 : involving physiochemical end-point determination, e.g. wave-guides, FETS, gratings
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/98 : involving alcohol, e.g. ethanol in breath
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/7036 : Jacketed
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 156/1002 : with permanent bending or reshaping or surface deformation of self sustaining lamina
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 436/11 : Automated chemical analysis
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 436/2575 : Volumetric liquid transfer

Abstract

Assemblies, systems, and methods are provided for using a chemistry cassette barcode to obtain information associated with the cassette. A barcode assembly for use with an analyte testing system includes a barcode affixed to the chemistry cassette, and the barcode assembly further includes a barcode reader mounted within a test console of an analyte testing system. The barcode includes information associated with the chemistry cassette, and the barcode reader is configured for scanning the barcode when the chemistry cassette is received within the test console. The barcode information can indicate a test panel contained within the chemistry cassette, e.g., the NIDA drugs-of-abuse test panel, a date of manufacture of the chemistry cassette, test calibration information, and/or information indicating whether the chemistry cassette has been previously used, e.g., a checksum code.

Claims

1. A barcode assembly for use with an analyte testing system having a test console and a chemistry cassette receivable within said test console, comprising:

a barcode affixed to said chemistry cassette, said barcode comprising information associated with said chemistry cassette; and

a barcode reader mounted within said test console, and configured for scanning said barcode when said chemistry cassette is received within said test console.

2. The barcode assembly of claim 1, wherein said barcode information indicates a test panel contained within said chemistry cassette.

3. The barcode assembly of claim 2, wherein said test panel is a NIDA drugs-of-abuse test panel.

4. The barcode assembly of claim 1, wherein said barcode information comprises a date of manufacture of said chemistry cassette.

5. The barcode assembly of claim 1, wherein said barcode information comprises test calibration information for said chemistry cassette.

6. The barcode assembly of claim 1, wherein said barcode information indicates whether said chemistry cassette has been used.

7. The barcode assembly of claim 6, wherein said barcode information comprises a checksum code.

8. The barcode assembly of claim 7, wherein said barcode reader is configured to obliterate said checksum code prior to removing said chemistry cassette from said test console.

9. A method of obtaining information within an analyte testing system, comprising:

receiving a chemistry cassette within a test console; and

scanning a barcode containing information associated with said chemistry cassette.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein said barcode information indicates a test panel contained within said chemistry cassette.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein said test panel is a NIDA drugs-of-abuse test panel.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein said barcode information comprises a date of manufacture of said chemistry cassette.

13. The method of claim 9, wherein said barcode information comprises one or more test calibration parameters for said chemistry cassette.

14. The method of claim 9, wherein said barcode information indicates whether said chemistry cassette has been previously used.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein said barcode information comprises a checksum code.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

obliterating said checksum code; and

removing said chemistry cassette from said test console.

17. The method of claim 14, further comprising preventing said chemistry cassette from being used within said test console if said barcode information indicates that said chemistry cassette has been previously used.

18. A self-customizing analyte testing system having one or more operational parameters, comprising:

a test console;

a chemistry cassette receivable within said test console;

a barcode affixed to said chemistry cassette, said barcode comprising information associated with said chemistry cassette;

a barcode reader configured for scanning said barcode;

circuitry electrically coupled to said barcode reader and being configured to modify said one or more operational parameters based on said barcode information.

19. The analyte testing system of claim 18, wherein said barcode reader and said circuitry are contained in said test console.

20. The analyte testing system of claim 18, wherein said barcode information identifies a test panel contained within said chemistry cassette, said one or more operational parameters comprises one or more testing parameters, and said circuitry is configured to modify said one or more testing parameters based on said barcode information.

21. The analyte testing system of claim 20, wherein said test panel comprises a multi-analyte test panel, and said circuitry is configured to modify said one or more testing parameters for each analyte in said multi-analyte test panel.

22. The analyte testing system of claim 21, wherein said circuitry is configured to differently modify said one or more testing parameters for each analyte in said multi-analyte test panel.

23. The analyte testing system of claim 20, wherein said barcode information comprises test calibration information, and said circuitry is configured to modify said one or more testing parameters by calibrating said test panel using said test calibration information.

24. The analyte testing system of claim 23, wherein said test panel comprises a multi-analyte test panel, and said circuitry is configured to modify said one or more testing parameters for each analyte in said multi-analyte test panel by calibrating said test panel using said test calibration information.

25. The analyte testing system of claim 24, wherein said circuitry is configured to differently calibrate said test panel for each analyte in said multi-analyte test panel.

26. The analyte testing system of claim 20, further comprising a flow immunoassay assembly having one or more flow channels, wherein said one or more testing parameters comprises one or more flow channel parameters, and said circuitry is configured to modify said one or more flow channel parameters based on said barcode information.

27. The analyte testing system of claim 26, wherein said one or more flow channel parameters comprises a flow rate.

28. The analyte testing system of claim 26, wherein said one or more flow channel parameters comprises a flow volume.

29. The analyte testing system of claim 26, wherein said one or more flow channel parameters comprises a flow rate and a flow volume.

30. The analyte testing system of claim 26, wherein said test panel comprises a multi-analyte test panel, said one or more flow channels comprises a plurality of flow channels, and said circuitry is configured for modifying said one or more flow channel parameters for each of said plurality of flow channels.

31. The analyte testing system of claim 30, wherein said circuitry is configured to differently modify said one or more flow channel parameters for each of said plurality of flow channels.

32. The analyte testing system of claim 18, wherein said barcode reader is configured to scan said barcode while said chemistry cassette is received within said test console.

33. The analyte testing system of claim 18, wherein said circuitry comprises a central processor unit.

34. A method of customizing an analyte testing system having one or more operational parameters, comprising:

receiving a chemistry cassette within a test console;

scanning a barcode containing information associated with said chemistry cassette; and

modifying said one or more operational parameters based on said barcode information.

35. The method of claim 34, wherein said barcode information indicates a test panel contained within said chemistry cassette, said one or more operational parameters comprises one or more testing parameters, and said modification comprising modifying said one or more testing parameters based on said barcode information.

36. The method of claim 35, wherein said test panel comprises a multi-analyte test panel, and said modification comprises modifying said one or more testing parameters for each analyte in said multi-analyte test panel.

37. The method of claim 36, wherein said modification comprises differently modifying said one or more testing parameters for each analyte in said multi-analyte test panel.

38. The method of claim 35, wherein said barcode information comprises test calibration information, and said modification comprises modifying said one or more testing parameters by calibrating said test panel using said test calibration information.

39. The method of claim 38, wherein said test panel comprises a multi-analyte test panel, and said modification comprises modifying said one or more testing parameters for each analyte in said multi-analyte test panel by calibrating said test panel using said test calibration information.

40. The method of claim 39, wherein said modification comprises differently calibrating said test panel for each analyte in said multi-analyte test panel.

41. The method of claim 35, wherein said chemistry cassette comprises a flow immunoassay assembly having one or more flow channels, said one or more testing parameters comprises one or more flow channel parameters, and said one or more flow channel parameters is modified based on said barcode information.

42. The method of claim 41, wherein said one or more flow channel parameters comprises a flow rate.

43. The method of claim 41, wherein said one or more flow channel parameters comprises a flow volume.

44. The method of claim 41, wherein said one or more flow channel parameters comprises a flow rate and a flow volume.

45. The method of claim 41, wherein said test panel comprises a multi-analyte test panel, said one or more flow channels comprises a plurality of flow channels, and said one or more flow channel parameters is modified for each of said plurality of flow channels.

46. The method of claim 45, wherein said one or more flow channel parameters is modified differently for each of said plurality of flow channels.

47. The method of claim 34, wherein said barcode is scanned while said chemistry cassette is received within said test console.

48. A self-customizing multi-analyte flow immunoassay testing system, comprising:

a flow immunoassay assembly comprising a plurality of flow channels corresponding to said a plurality of analytes to be tested, each of said plurality of flow channels having one or more flow channel parameters;

a barcode comprising information associated with said flow immunoassay assembly,

a barcode reader configured for scanning said barcode; and

control circuitry electrically coupled to said barcode reader and being configured to modify said one or more flow channel parameters for each of said plurality of flow channels based on said barcode information.

49. The multi-analyte testing system of claim 48, further comprising:

a test console, wherein said barcode reader is mounted within said test console; and

a chemistry cassette receivable within said test console, wherein said flow immunoassay assembly is contained within said chemistry cassette, and said barcode is affixed to said chemistry cassette.

50. The multi-analyte testing system of claim 48, wherein said control circuitry is configured to differently modify said one or more flow channel parameters for each of said plurality of flow channels.

51. The multi-analyte testing system of claim 48, wherein said one or more flow channel parameters comprises a flow rate.

52. The multi-analyte testing system of claim 48, wherein said one or more flow channel parameters comprises a flow volume.

53. The multi-analyte testing system of claim 48, wherein said one or more flow channel parameters comprises a flow rate and a flow volume.

54. The multi-analyte testing system of claim 48, wherein said control circuitry comprises a central processor unit.

55. A method of customizing a multi-analyte flow immunoassay testing system, comprising:

scanning a barcode comprising information associated with a flow immunoassay assembly, said flow immunoassay assembly having a plurality of flow channels corresponding to said a plurality of analytes to be tested, each of said plurality of flow channels having one or more flow channel parameters; and

modifying said one or more flow channel parameters for each of said plurality of flow channels based on said barcode information.

56. The method of claim 55, wherein said one or more flow channel parameters is modified differently for each of said plurality of flow channels.

57. The method of claim 55, wherein said one or more flow channel parameters comprises a flow rate.

58. The method of claim 55, wherein said one or more flow channel parameters comprises a flow volume.

59. The method of claim 55, wherein said one or more flow channel parameters comprises a flow rate and a flow volume.