Automated analyzer
First Claim
1. An automated analyzer for performing chemical, biochemical or biological assays in a microplate format, comprising;
- a plurality of discrete carrier trays for holding and transporting microplates and other assay consumables, where said microplates and assay consumables have a uniquely identifiable label, and where microplates with microwells containing a reagent or standard are initially provided in a sealed format;
means of presenting said carrier trays to an operator for the purpose of loading or unloading said microplates and other assay consumables;
a plurality of carrier tray supports within said analyzer for holding said carrier trays in particular locations;
a carrier tray transport means for transporting said carrier trays as required within said analyzer;
a sample housing for holding one or more sample containers, where each sample container has a uniquely identifiable machine readable label;
reading means for reading a machine readable label;
piercing means for piercing said sealed microwells for allowing access to the reagents or standards within the microwells;
a liquid dispensing system for transferring a sample to said microwell and for transferring one or more of said reagent or standard to one microplate from another microplate;
agitation means for agitating one or more microplates;
a thermal incubator for thermally incubating contents of said microwells of one or more microplates;
an optical detection station including an optical detection system for measuring an assay signal from one or more microwells;
a user interface enabling interaction between the analyzer and an operator;
microprocessor control means including firmware pre-programmed with one more batch protocols, wherein said batch protocols describe all steps required for the automation of one or more assays performed on one or more samples; and
a means for field-updating said firmware for the purpose of adding, removing or modifying batch protocols.
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Accused Products
Abstract
The present invention provides a bar-code driven, completely automated, microplate-based analyzer system for performing chemical, biochemical or biological assays. The analyzer is a modular, bench-top instrument that compactly integrates subsystems for sample dispensing, liquid handling, microplate transport, thermal incubation, vortexing, solid phase separation and optical reading. An internal processor is included for automating the instrument, and a user interface to facilitate communication with the operator via a touch-sensitive liquid-crystal display (LCD), and communicating with a remote network via multiple protocols. The analyzer includes firmware resident within the processing system and the user interface allows the operator to select pre-defined assay batch protocols and the user interface is configured in such as way so as to restrict an operator from programming the firmware.
281 Citations
59 Claims
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1. An automated analyzer for performing chemical, biochemical or biological assays in a microplate format, comprising;
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a plurality of discrete carrier trays for holding and transporting microplates and other assay consumables, where said microplates and assay consumables have a uniquely identifiable label, and where microplates with microwells containing a reagent or standard are initially provided in a sealed format;
means of presenting said carrier trays to an operator for the purpose of loading or unloading said microplates and other assay consumables;
a plurality of carrier tray supports within said analyzer for holding said carrier trays in particular locations;
a carrier tray transport means for transporting said carrier trays as required within said analyzer;
a sample housing for holding one or more sample containers, where each sample container has a uniquely identifiable machine readable label;
reading means for reading a machine readable label;
piercing means for piercing said sealed microwells for allowing access to the reagents or standards within the microwells;
a liquid dispensing system for transferring a sample to said microwell and for transferring one or more of said reagent or standard to one microplate from another microplate;
agitation means for agitating one or more microplates;
a thermal incubator for thermally incubating contents of said microwells of one or more microplates;
an optical detection station including an optical detection system for measuring an assay signal from one or more microwells;
a user interface enabling interaction between the analyzer and an operator;
microprocessor control means including firmware pre-programmed with one more batch protocols, wherein said batch protocols describe all steps required for the automation of one or more assays performed on one or more samples; and
a means for field-updating said firmware for the purpose of adding, removing or modifying batch protocols. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51)
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52. A method of automating chemical, biochemical or biological assays in a microplate-based automated analyzer, comprising the steps of;
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instructing an operator to insert one or more sample containers into an analyzer, where each sample container contains a sample and has a uniquely identifiable machine readable label;
obtaining a list of assays to be performed on each sample by an assay list input means;
compiling a list of all assays to be performed on said samples;
cross-referencing said list of all assays with a set of sample batch protocols residing within firmware of said analyzer to determine a subset of sample batch protocols that can be employed to perform said list of assays, wherein said sample batch protocols describe the sequence and timing of all actions required to perform one or more assays on one or more samples, and wherein said sample batch protocols are pre-programmed into the firmware of said analyzer;
instructing said operator to select a sample batch protocol from said subset of sample batch protocols;
instructing said operator to load microplates and other assay consumables required by said selected sample batch protocol, where said microplates and assay consumables have a uniquely identifiable label, and where microplates with microwells containing a reagent or standard are initially provided in a sealed format;
performing said selected sample batch protocol; and
determining one or more analyte concentrations for each sample, wherein said analyte concentrations are obtained using assay signals measured during automation of said sample batch protocol and dose-response curves for assays performed by said sample batch protocol, and wherein said dose-response curves are determined by a separate calibration batch protocol and stored within said analyzer. - View Dependent Claims (53, 54, 55, 56)
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57. A method of calibrating automating chemical, biochemical or biological assays on a microplate-based automated analyzer, comprising the steps of;
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providing to an operator a list of calibration batch protocols residing within the firmware of said analyzer, wherein said calibration batch protocols describe the sequence and timing of all actions required to calibrate one or more assays; and
wherein said calibration batch protocols are pre-programmed into firmware of said analyzer;
instructing said operator to select a calibration batch protocol from said list of calibration batch protocols;
instructing said operator to load microplates and other assay consumables required by said calibration batch protocol, where said microplates and assay consumables have a uniquely identifiable label, and where microplates with microwells containing a reagent or standard are initially provided in a sealed format;
performing said selected calibration batch protocol; and
determining dose-response curves for each assay performed by said calibration batch protocol;
wherein said dose-response curves are obtained by fitting measured assay signal and known analyte concentrations to mathematical functions;
storing said dose-response curves within said analyzer for future use by a corresponding sample batch protocol, whereby analyte concentrations in samples are determined. - View Dependent Claims (58, 59)
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Specification