AUTOMATED DIAGNOSTIC KIOSK FOR DIAGNOSING DISEASES

• US 20100152885A1
• Filed: 02/25/2010
• Published: 06/17/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 03/02/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lawrence Livermore National Security LLC (Government of the United States of America)
• Original Assignee: Lawrence Livermore National Security LLC (Government of the United States of America)
• Inventors: Birch, James Michael, Regan, John Frederick
• Granted Patent: US 8,647,573 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/217
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2001/028 Sampling from a surface, swabbing, vaporising
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2035/0091 GUI [graphical user interfaces]
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2035/0406 Individual bottles or tubes
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 35/00871 Communications between instruments or with remote terminals
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 35/04 Details of the conveyor system G01N35/021 - G01N35/028 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 436/114165 with step of insertion or removal from test line

Abstract

An automated and autonomous diagnostic apparatus that is capable of dispensing collection vials and collections kits to users interesting in collecting a biological sample and submitting their collected sample contained within a collection vial into the apparatus for automated diagnostic services. The user communicates with the apparatus through a touch-screen monitor. A user is able to enter personnel information into the apparatus including medical history, insurance information, co-payment, and answer a series of questions regarding their illness, which is used to determine the assay most likely to yield a positive result. Remotely-located physicians can communicate with users of the apparatus using video tele-medicine and request specific assays to be performed. The apparatus archives submitted samples for additional testing. Users may receive their assay results electronically. Users may allow the uploading of their diagnoses into a central databank for disease surveillance purposes.

Claims

1. A method of diagnosing diseases at hospitals, staffed pharmacies or unstaffed locations for analyzing a vial containing a specimen sample from a user that includes transferring the vial containing the specimen sample within an automated diagnostic vending machine body unit, comprising the steps of:

positioning the diagnostic vending machine body unit at the hospitals, the staffed pharmacies or the unstaffed locations,

removing the vial from a location where the user placed the vial,

delivering the vial to the automated diagnostic vending machine body unit for sample acquisition and processing,

diagnosing diseases from the specimen sample providing a disease diagnosis, and

communicating said disease diagnosis to the user.

2. The method of diagnosing diseases at hospitals, staffed pharmacies or unstaffed locations of claim 1 including the steps of receiving a vial from the user and delivering it to one of a multiplicity of locations where the said automated diagnostic instrument may acquire the sample through one of a multiplicity of sample acquisition needles.

3. The method of diagnosing diseases at hospitals, staffed pharmacies or unstaffed locations of claim 1 including the step of decontaminating the sample lines of the automated diagnostic instrument using cleansing solutions.

4. A method of diagnosing diseases at hospitals, staffed pharmacies or unstaffed locations for analyzing vials containing specimen samples from users that includes transferring the vials containing the specimen sample within an automated diagnostic vending machine body, comprising the steps of:

positioning the diagnostic vending machine body unit at the hospitals, the staffed pharmacies or the unstaffed locations,

removing a vial from a tray of the vials,

delivering and placing said vial in a location for user pickup,

removing said vial from a location where the user placed said vial,

delivering said vial to automated diagnostic instrument for sample acquisition and processing,

diagnosing diseases from the specimen sample in said vial providing a disease diagnosis,

communicating said disease diagnosis to the user, and

delivering said vial from said automated diagnostic instrument and placing said vial into tray for archiving purposes.

5. The method of diagnosing diseases at hospitals, staffed pharmacies or unstaffed locations of claim 4 including the step of decontaminating the sample lines of the automated diagnostic instrument using cleansing solutions.

6. The method of diagnosing diseases at hospitals, staffed pharmacies or unstaffed locations of claim 4 including the steps of picking up an archived sample vial and delivering it to said diagnostic instrument for additional sample acquisition and additional sample processing.

7. The method of diagnosing diseases at hospitals, staffed pharmacies or unstaffed locations of claim 4 including the steps of picking up an archived sample vial and delivering it to a user for additional sample processing outside of said body unit.

8. The method of diagnosing diseases at hospitals, staffed pharmacies or unstaffed locations of claim 4 including the steps of sorting the vials in the archive tray according to a particular classification or category.

9. A method of diagnosing diseases at hospitals, staffed pharmacies or unstaffed locations for analyzing a vial containing a specimen sample from a user that includes transferring vials in an automated diagnostic vending machine unit body including the steps of:

positioning the diagnostic vending machine body unit at the hospitals, the staffed pharmacies or the unstaffed locations,

instructing the user to place a specimen sample of mucus or sputum or skin cells or blood or pus or fecal matter or cerebral spinal fluid or tears or semen or vomit or genital secretions in the vial,

instructing the user to place the vial in the automated diagnostic vending machine unit body,

positioning a vial acquisition unit above and below the vial in a container,

vertically elevating the vial from said container from beneath using an extendable piston,

clasping the elevated vial above the container using a gripping mechanism,

removing the vial from its container for transport to another location,

delivering the vial to the automated diagnostic vending machine body unit for sample acquisition and processing,

diagnosing diseases from the specimen sample providing a disease diagnosis, and

communicating said disease diagnosis to the user.