Method and system for managing specimen data

• US 20080263138A1
• Filed: 10/09/2007
• Published: 10/23/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 10/06/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: O'Sullivan, James John, Royce C. Heslep
• Original Assignee: O'Sullivan, James John, Royce C. Heslep
• Inventors: O'Sullivan, James John, Heslep, Royce C.
• Application Number:
  US11/973,824
• Publication Number:
  US 20080263138A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/203
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management

Abstract

An innovative system and method for laboratories, hospitals and others to manage stored specimens is described and claimed. One problem commonly encountered by medical researchers is the inability to effectively and efficiently track the large number of specimens generated in the course of their research. In an environment comprised of multiple researchers—each working on varied projects and often needing to interact—it is necessary to employ a centralized, fast and efficient way to track the location of stored samples and to identify changes or removed samples. A Method and System for Managing Specimen Data (or “VSM”) is a web-based software application designed to efficiently manage specimen samples. Examples of the VSM include the VSM software application and a database—each residing on a remote server—that displays web pages accessible by registered and logged in users through a standard web browser via a secure internet or intranet connection found on a client computer. A single or multiple registered and logged in user or users have the ability via web browser and secure internet or intranet connection to add or remove one specimen or multiple specimens simultaneously from the VSM database and to track the location and status of samples entered into the VSM database (e.g. whether a specimen remains in storage or has been removed for further analysis) as well as when they were removed and by whom. In at least some examples, specimens can be located by, among other criteria, owner name, clinical trial and/or location. Users have the ability to locate available space.

Claims

1. A client system for sending information regarding specimen data to a server comprising:

an identifier component that identifies a user;

a display component for displaying web pages and web page templates into which said specimen data can be entered;

a component that, in response to an action by the user of the client system, sends said specimen data to the server system.

2. The client system of claim 1 wherein said display component is a browser.

3. The client system of claim 1 wherein said action involves using a mouse to click on a button displayed on a web page.

4. The client system of claim 1 wherein said client system is a device comprising at least one microprocessor.

5. The client system of claim 4 wherein said device is a workstation or handheld device.

6. A server system for storing specimen data comprising:

a data storage component storing said specimen data;

a receiving component for receiving said specimen data;

a computational component for computing said specimen data;

an information retrieval component for retrieving from said data storage component specimen data.

7. The server system of claim 6 wherein said computational component comprises at least one microprocessor.

8. The server system of claim 6 wherein said data storage component is a database server.

9. A method for managing specimen data comprising

storing said specimen data on a server system;

displaying said specimen data on a graphical user interface located on a client system;

sending said specimen data to said server from said client system.

10. The method recited in claim 9, wherein said specimen data being sent from said client system modifies or replaces specimen data previously stored on the server system.

11. The method recited in claim 9 further comprising the step of organizing data concerning the location of specimen in the form of a locational hierarchy.

12. The method recited in claim 9 further comprising the step of allowing different levels of access to said specimen data for different users.

13. The method recited in claim 9 further comprising the step of allowing users to search said specimen data.

14. The method recited in claim 9 further comprising the step of allowing users to generate customized reports.

15. The method recited in claim 11 further comprising the step of giving administrators the option of adding, editing or deleting nodes on the locational hierarchy.