Contactless Memory Information Storage for Sample Analysis and Hand-Holdable Analyzer for Use Therewith

• US 20090057422A1
• Filed: 08/28/2008
• Published: 03/05/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 08/28/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Thermo Niton Analyzers LLC (Thermo Fisher Scientific Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Thermo Niton Analyzers LLC (Thermo Fisher Scientific Incorporated)
• Inventors: Martin, Kenneth P., Hamilton, Mark, DUGAS, Michael E.
• Application Number:
  US12/200,729
• Publication Number:
  US 20090057422A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 235/494
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2035/00326 Analysers with modular structure
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2035/00841 results of the analyses
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2035/00861 printing and sticking of identifiers
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/65 Raman scattering
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2223/0766 X-ray fluorescence with indicator, tags
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2223/301 portable apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 35/00732 Identification of carriers, materials or components in automatic analysers
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/0008 General problems related to the reading of electronic memory record carriers, independent of its reading method, e.g. power transfer

Abstract

An analytical instrument stores and/or reads information related to a sample in a contactless memory, such as a passive or active radio-frequency identification (RF-ID) tag. The information may include information about: composition of the sample, one or more analytical instruments that were used to analyze the sample, operator(s) who used the instrument(s) to analyze the sample, user-entered data about the sample (such as an origin of the sample) or a combination thereof or the like. The memory may be attached to the sample or to a container, in which the sample is stored or transported. One or more copies of such a memory may be loosely stored with the sample, such as with soil in a plastic bag or a rail car. When the memory is attached to, or stored with, the sample, the sample becomes essentially self-documenting. Information about the sample, such as its composition or origin, may be read by a contactless memory reader, such as an RF-ID reader.

Claims

1. A method for tagging an analyzed sample with characterizing information, the method comprising:

analyzing composition of the sample;

storing information about the composition of the sample in a contactless memory; and

physically associating the memory with the sample.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein the physically associating the memory with the sample comprises attaching the memory to the sample.

3. A method according to claim 1, wherein the physically associating the memory with the sample comprises:

placing the sample in a container; and

attaching the memory to the container.

4. A method according to claim 1, wherein the physically associating the memory with the sample comprises:

placing the sample in a container; and

placing the memory in the container.

5. A method according to claim 1, wherein the contactless memory comprises a radio-frequency identification (RF-ID) tag.

6. A method according to claim 1, wherein the contactless memory comprises a barcode.

7. A method according to claim 1, wherein the contactless memory comprises a magnetic stripe.

8. A method according to claim 1, wherein analyzing the composition of the sample comprises analyzing the composition with an optical emission spectrometric analyzer.

9. A method according to claim 1, wherein analyzing the composition of the sample comprises analyzing the composition with an X-ray fluorescence analyzer.

10. A method according to claim 1, wherein analyzing the composition of the sample comprises analyzing the composition with a mass spectrometer.

11. A method according to claim 1, wherein analyzing the composition of the sample comprises analyzing the composition with a Raman spectrometer.

12. A method according to claim 1, wherein storing the information in the contactless memory comprises writing the information to a passive radio frequency identification (RF-ID) tag.

13. A method according to claim 1, wherein storing the information in the contactless memory comprises writing the information to an active radio frequency identification (RF-ID) tag.

14. A method according to claim 1, further comprising storing, in the memory, information about an analysis device used to analyze the sample and to produce the information about the composition of the sample.

15. A method according to claim 1, further comprising storing, in the memory, information about a user of an analysis device used to analyze the sample and to produce the information about the composition of the sample.

16. A method according to claim 15, further comprising:

reading an RF-ID tag associated with the user; and

ascertaining the information about the user from information read from the RF-ID tag.

17. A method according to claim 1, wherein physically associating the memory with the sample occurs after analyzing the composition of the sample.

18. A method according to claim 1, wherein physically associating the memory with the sample occurs before analyzing the composition of the sample.

19. A method according to claim 1, further comprising:

further analyzing composition of the sample;

storing additional information, based on the further analysis, about the composition of the sample in the contactless memory.

20. A method according to claim 19, wherein the analyzing the composition of the sample and the further analyzing the composition of the sample are performed by separate analytic devices.

21. A method according to claim 20, wherein each of the separate analytic devices is capable of detecting a different set of constituents in the sample.

22. A method according to claim 20, wherein:

the analyzing the composition of the sample comprises analyzing the composition of the sample with an optical emission spectrometric device; and

the further analyzing the composition of the sample comprises analyzing the composition of the sample with an X-ray fluorescence device.

23. An analyzer for analyzing composition of a sample, comprising:

a source for producing an excitation signal that produces a response signal from the sample;

a detector for receiving the response signal and for producing an output signal;

a contactless memory writer; and

a processor coupled to the detector and to the contactless memory writer and programmed to;

process the output signal from the detector; and

control the contactless memory writer so as to write information related to the composition of the sample to a contactless memory.

24. An analyzer according to claim 23, further comprising a contactless memory dispenser.

25. An analyzer according to claim 24, wherein the contactless memory dispenser comprises:

a holder for holding a supply of contactless memories; and

a mechanism for advancing the contactless memory from the holder to a position where the contactless memory is written by the contactless memory writer.

26. An analyzer according to claim 24, wherein the processor is further programmed to control operation of the contactless memory dispenser so as to dispense the contactless memory before the contactless memory writer writes the information to the contactless memory.

27. A method according to claim 24, wherein the contactless memory comprises a radio-frequency identification (RF-ID) tag.

28. A method according to claim 24, wherein the contactless memory comprises a barcode.

29. A method according to claim 24, wherein the contactless memory comprises a magnetic stripe.