SPECIMEN SLIDE UNIT FOR HOLDING A SPECIMEN THAT IS TO BE EXAMINED UNDER A MICROSCOPE OR ANALYZED WITH A LABORATORY ANALYSIS SYSTEM

• US 20070279735A1
• Filed: 06/10/2005
• Published: 12/06/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 06/12/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Leica Microsystems CMS GmbH (Danaher Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Leica Microsystems CMS GmbH (Danaher Corporation)
• Inventors: Sieckmann, Frank
• Granted Patent: US 7,760,428 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 359/396
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2035/00138 Slides
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2035/00782 reprogrammmable code
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 35/00029 provided with flat sample substrates, e.g. slides G01N35/028 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 35/00732 Identification of carriers, materials or components in automatic analysers
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 35/00871 Communications between instruments or with remote terminals

Abstract

A specimen slide unit for holding a specimen that is to be examined under a microscope or analyzed with a laboratory analysis system includes a specimen slide, a data carrier device and a signal element. The data carrier device has a radio frequency identification tag that can be read out and/or written on using Phase Jitter Modulation so as to switch a communication carrier frequency between two predefinable communication carrier frequencies. The signal element can be activated so as to assist an operator in following a predefinable processing sequence including a second specimen slide unit when the RFID tag is in a range of action of the read/write device. The signal element can be a visual or an acoustic signal element.

Claims

1-42. -42. (canceled)

43. A specimen slide unit for holding a specimen that is to be examined under a microscope or analyzed with a laboratory analysis system, the specimen slide unit comprising:

a specimen slide configured to receive the specimen;

a data carrier device configured to be read out and/or written on in a contact-free manner by a read/write device, the data carrier device including a radio frequency identification tag (RFID tag) configured to be read out and/or written on using Phase Jitter Modulation so as to switch a communication carrier frequency between at least a first and a second predefinable communication carrier frequency; and

a signal element activatable so as to assist an operator in following a predefinable processing sequence including a second specimen slide unit when the RFID tag is in a range of action of the read/write device and the specimen slide unit is next in the sequence, the signal element being at least one of a visual and an acoustic signal element.

44. The specimen slide unit as recited in claim 43 wherein the RFID tag is configured to be read out and/or written on using Phase Jitter Modulation so as to constantly switch the communication carrier frequency between the at least first and second predefinable communication carrier frequencies.

45. The specimen slide unit as recited in claim 43 wherein the RFID tag includes an item tag, a position of the item tag being determinable relative to the read/write device so as to determine a spatial location of the specimen slide unit with a predefinable precision.

46. The specimen slide unit as recited in claim 43 wherein the RFID tag includes an antenna configured to determine a position or location of the specimen slide unit with a predefinable level of precision.

47. The specimen slide unit as recited in claim 46 wherein the antenna has a dipole characteristic.

48. The specimen slide unit as recited in claim 43 wherein the RFID tag includes a stack tag configured to almost simultaneously identify the specimen slide unit and the second specimen slide unit.

49. A specimen slide unit for holding a specimen that is to be examined under a microscope or analyzed with a laboratory analysis system, the specimen slide unit comprising:

a specimen slide configured to receive the specimen;

a data carrier device configured to be read out and/or written on in a contact-free manner by a read/write device, the data carrier device including a radio frequency identification tag (RFID tag) configured to be read out and/or written on using Phase Jitter Modulation so as to switch a communication carrier frequency between at least a first and a second predefinable communication carrier frequency; and

a signal element activatable so as to locate the specimen slide unit when the RFID tag is in a range of action of the read/write device, the signal element being at least one of a visual and an acoustic signal element.

50. The specimen slide unit as recited in claim 49 wherein the data carrier device includes an electronic circuit, and wherein the signal element includes a visual signal element having a light source activatable by the electronic circuit.

51. The specimen slide unit as recited in claim 50 wherein the light source includes a light emitting diode.

52. The specimen slide unit as recited in claim 50 wherein the light source is activatable in a plurality of colors.

53. The specimen slide unit as recited in claim 49 wherein the data carrier device is configured to store first data and is connectable via the read/write device to a computing system so as to store or provide a data record of the specimen slide on the computing system, the computing system including at least one of a computer, a data processing system and a computer network, the data record including at least one of a portion of the first data and second data relating to the specimen slide.

54. The specimen slide unit as recited in claim 53 wherein the data record is at least one of storable in and accessible from a patient database.

55. A microscope comprising:

a read/write device;

a specimen slide unit including;

a specimen slide configured to receive a specimen that is to be examined or analyzed;

a data carrier device configured to be read out and/or written on in a contact-free manner by the read/write device, the data carrier device including a radio frequency identification tag (RFID tag) configured to be read out and/or written on using Phase Jitter Modulation so as to switch a communication carrier frequency between at least a first and a second predefinable communication carrier frequency; and

a visual signal element activatable so as to emit light; and

a light-sensitive detector configured to detect the light emitted by the visual signal element so as to determine a position, relative to the microscope, of the specimen slide unit.

56. The microscope as recited in claim 55 wherein the microscope includes a stage, and wherein the tight-sensitive detector is disposed on the stage.

57. The microscope as recited in claim 55 wherein the light-sensitive detector includes a photodiode.

58. The microscope as recited in claim 55 wherein the specimen slide unit is configured to be marked as being actively processed.

59. The microscope as recited in claim 58 wherein the specimen slide unit is configured to be marked, as being actively processed, in at least one of a database and a computer connected to the microscope.

60. The microscope as recited in claim 55 wherein the data carrier device is configured to store information useable to at least one of automatically set and suggest to the operator a mode of operation of the microscope suitable for examining the specimen.

61. The microscope as recited in claim 55 wherein the data carrier device is configured to store information useable to automatically adjust the microscope.

62. The microscope as recited in claim 55 wherein the data carrier device is configured to store information useable to automatically carry out processing steps.