System and Method for Histological Tissue Specimen Processing
First Claim
1. A method of managing resources of a histological tissue processor, the tissue processor comprising at least one retort selectively connected for fluid communication to at least one of a plurality of reagent resources by a valve mechanism, the method comprising the step of:
- nominating resources according to one of;
group, where a group nomination corresponds to a resource'"'"'s function;
type, where a type nomination corresponds to one or more attributes of a resource within a group;
station, where a station nomination corresponds to a point of supply of a resource.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method of managing resources of a histological tissue processor, the tissue processor comprising at least one retort (12, 14) selectively connected for fluid communication to at least one of a plurality of reagent resources (26) by a valve mechanism (40), the method comprising the step of: nominating resources according to one of: group, where a group nomination corresponds to a resource'"'"'s function; type, where a type nomination corresponds to one or more attributes of a resource within a group; station, where a station nomination corresponds to a point of supply of a resource.
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Citations
61 Claims
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1. A method of managing resources of a histological tissue processor, the tissue processor comprising at least one retort selectively connected for fluid communication to at least one of a plurality of reagent resources by a valve mechanism, the method comprising the step of:
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nominating resources according to one of;
group, where a group nomination corresponds to a resource'"'"'s function;
type, where a type nomination corresponds to one or more attributes of a resource within a group;
station, where a station nomination corresponds to a point of supply of a resource. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 6, 7, 8, 51, 52, 53)
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5. A method of determining availability of resources of a histological tissue processor, the tissue processor comprising at least one retort selectively connected for fluid communication to at least one of a plurality of reagent resources by a valve mechanism, the method comprising the steps of:
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predetermining steps for at least one tissue processing protocol;
nominating resources required by the predetermined protocol steps in accordance with a selection methodology;
for all nominated resources, setting a nominated resource as unavailable if the resource fails to meet a first predetermined operating criteria when the resource is scheduled for use by the predetermined protocol steps;
determining a user requirement comprising one of a schedule mode and a run time mode;
setting nominated resources that meet the first predetermined operating criteria and fail to meet further predetermined operating criteria corresponding to the determined user requirement as unavailable;
setting all remaining nominated resources as available. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 25, 27, 28, 29, 54, 55)
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9. A method of selecting a resource of a histological tissue processor, the tissue processor comprising at least one retort selectively connected for fluid communication to at least one of a plurality of reagent resources by a valve mechanism, the method comprising the steps of:
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determining the availability of one or more of the plurality of resources;
determining the status of a tissue processing protocol step within a tissue processing protocol based on a resource selection methodology;
determining at least one characteristic of the plurality of resources;
selecting an available resource in accordance with a predetermined selection criteria wherein the predetermined selection criteria is based on the determined status of the tissue processing protocol step and the determined resource characteristic.
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17. A method of scheduling tissue processing protocols of a histological tissue processor, the tissue processor comprising at least two retorts selectively connected for fluid communication to at least one of a plurality of reagent resources by a valve mechanism, the method comprising resolving conflict between protocol steps allocated respectively to the retorts, comprising the steps of:
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determining a priority for each tissue processing protocol;
selectively modifying at least one protocol step of at least one of the tissue processing protocols based on the determined priority. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 26, 59)
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30. A method of managing thermal resources of a histological tissue processor, the tissue processor comprising at least one retort in operative connection with thermal resources for accelerating tissue processing steps and the at least one retort further selectively connected for fluid communication to at least one of a plurality of reagent resources by a valve mechanism, the method comprising the steps of:
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a) evaluating existing system heating power states of the thermal resources comprising the steps of;
retrieving existing heating power states of the thermal resources;
determining whether one or more thermal resources has signalled a heating power request;
selecting a corresponding heating power setting for each signalled heating power request;
b) delegating system heating power comprising the steps of;
determining updated thermal resource heating power states in accordance with a first predetermined criteria;
allocating heating power to the thermal resources in accordance with a second predetermined criteria wherein the second predetermined criteria is based on the updated thermal resource heating power states. - View Dependent Claims (31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 56)
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36. A method of controlling heaters of a selected component of a histological tissue processor for decreasing heat up times of the component and accelerating tissue processing steps, the tissue processor comprising at least one retort selectively connected for fluid communication to at least one of a plurality of reagent resources by a valve mechanism, the method comprising the steps of:
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ascertaining at least one of a plurality of temperature readings from each tissue processor component;
determining the fill state of the selected component;
selecting a predetermined heater control algorithm based on at least one or more of;
the number of ascertained temperature readings;
the location at which the temperature of the temperature readings is measured;
the determined fill state of the selected component. - View Dependent Claims (37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 57)
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43. A method of accelerating the processing of histological tissue samples comprising the steps of:
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sensing the temperature of a selected component of a tissue processor with a first temperature sensor operatively connected to the selected component;
heating the selected component with at least one heating device operatively connected to the selected component;
wherein the at least one heating device is maintained at a temperature at or above a desired operating temperature of the selected component until the first temperature sensor senses the desired operating temperature. - View Dependent Claims (44, 45, 58)
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46. A method of managing reagent resources of a histological tissue processor, the tissue processor comprising at least one retort selectively connected for fluid communication to at least one of a plurality of reagent resources by a valve mechanism, the method comprising the steps of:
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determining a purity of a reagent associated with at least one of the reagent resources comprising an estimation of a carry over volume of the reagent during a predetermined time interval of a tissue processing protocol;
assigning the reagent for use in a predetermined tissue processing protocol step in accordance with the determined purity of the reagent. - View Dependent Claims (47)
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48. A method of scheduling tissue processing protocols of a histological tissue processor, the tissue processor comprising at least two retorts selectively connected for fluid communication to at least one of a plurality of reagent resources by a valve mechanism, the method comprising the steps of:
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allocating a tissue processing protocol to each respective retort;
assigning a priority for each allocated tissue processing protocol;
selectively modifying at least one protocol step of the tissue processing protocol assigned with a lower priority. - View Dependent Claims (49, 50)
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60. A method, system or protocol substantially as herein described with reference to at least one of the accompanying drawings.
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61. An apparatus substantially as herein described with reference to at least one of the accompanying drawings.
Specification