AUTOMATED SYSTEM FOR SAMPLE PREPARATION AND ANALYSIS

• US 20130295597A1
• Filed: 10/28/2011
• Published: 11/07/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 10/29/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Thermo Fisher Scientific Oy (Thermo Fisher Scientific Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Thermo Fisher Scientific Oy (Thermo Fisher Scientific Incorporated)
• Inventors: DeWitte, Robert, Siidorov, Juhani, Nuotio, Vesa, Saukkonen, Jukka, Brann, John Edward III, Olney, Terry N., Salminen, Raimo, Vehkomaki, Jarmo, Ostman, Bill, Senteno, Joseph M., Herman, Joseph L., Zonderman, Jeffrey A.
• Granted Patent: US 10,088,460 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 435/23
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2030/027 Liquid chromatography
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2030/067 by reaction, e.g. derivatising the sample
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2030/628 Multiplexing, i.e. several columns sharing a single detector
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2030/8804 automated systems
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2030/8813 biological materials
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 27/62 by investigating the ionisation of gases, e.g. aerosols; by investigating electric discharges, e.g. emission of cathode
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 30/06 Preparation
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 30/16 Injection G01N30/24 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 30/72 Mass spectrometers mass spectrometers per se H01J49/00
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 30/7233 interfaced to liquid or supercritical fluid chromatograph interfaces in general for introducing or extracting samples to be analysed with specially adapted mass spectrometer, see H01J49/04
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 30/8658 Optimising operation parameters
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 30/88 Integrated analysis systems specially adapted therefor, not covered by a single one of the groups G01N30/04 - G01N30/86
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 35/00871 Communications between instruments or with remote terminals
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 35/0092 Scheduling
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 35/026 having blocks or racks of reaction cells or cuvettes
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 35/08 using a stream of discrete samples flowing along a tube system, e.g. flow injection analysis
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 49/00 Particle spectrometers or separator tubes
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 49/0031 Step by step routines describing the use of the apparatus H01J49/0081 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 49/0409 Sample holders or containers containers for retaining a material to be analyzed, B01L3/50, for DNA, C12Q1/6834, for biological materials, G01N33/543
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 49/0413 for automated handling
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 49/0431 : for liquid samples interfaces to liquid chromatographs G01N30/7233
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 49/10 : Ion sources; Ion guns
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 436/24 : Nuclear magnetic resonance, electron spin resonance or other spin effects or mass spectrometry

Abstract

A sample preparation and analysis system. The system 10 includes a sample preparation system 12 and a sample analysis system 14. The sample preparation system 12 prepares samples in accordance with an assay that is selected from a database containing a plurality of unique assays. The sample analysis system 14 includes an analyzer 110 that is dynamically reconfigurable based on the selected assay so as to analyze the prepared sample in accordance with that selected assay. A data communication link 115a communicates data from the sample preparation system 12 to the sample analysis system 14 to reconfigure the analyzer 110 in accordance with the selected assay.

Claims

1. A sample preparation and analysis system, comprising:

a sample preparation system configured to prepare a sample in accordance with an assay selected from a database containing a plurality of unique assays;

a sample analysis system comprising an analyzer, the analyzer being dynamically reconfigurable in response to the selected assay to analyze the prepared sample in accordance with the selected assay; and

a data communication link configured to communicate data from the sample preparation system to the sample analysis system that reconfigures the analyzer in accordance with the selected assay.

2. The sample preparation and analysis system of claim 1, wherein the data communication link is configured to communicate data from the sample preparation system to the sample analysis system representing at least one of an identification of the selected assay, an identification of the volume of the prepared sample, an identification for the prepared sample, an identification of one or more analytes to be analyzed, or combinations thereof.

3. The sample preparation and analysis system of claim 1, wherein the data communication link is configured to communicate data from the sample analysis system to the sample preparation system representing at least one of a result of the analysis, an identification for the prepared sample that the result of the analysis is associated with, a status of one or more components comprising the sample analysis system, a status of the analysis of the prepared sample, or combinations thereof.

4. The sample preparation and analysis system of claim 1, wherein the data communication link includes at least one of a high level data link or a low level data link.

5. The sample preparation and analysis system of claim 4, wherein the high level data link is a TCP/IP data link

7. The sample preparation and analysis system of claim 4, wherein the low level data link includes an I/O data link.

10. The sample preparation and analysis system of claim 1, wherein the sample preparation system includes a first controller configured to control the operation of the sample preparation system and a second controller configured to control the operation of the sample analysis system.

12. The sample preparation and analysis system of claim 10, wherein the data communication link electrically couples the first controller and the second controller.

14. The sample preparation and analysis system of claim 1, wherein the sample preparation system includes an injector pipette assembly and the sample analysis system includes an injector port, and wherein the data communication link includes a low level data link that connects the injector pipette assembly and the injector port.

15. The sample preparation and analysis system of claim 1, wherein the analyzer includes one of a mass spectrometer or a liquid chromatography mass spectrometer.

6. (canceled)

8. (canceled)

9. (canceled)

11. (canceled)

13. (canceled)

16. (canceled)

17. A method of preparing and analyzing a sample, comprising:

preparing, with a sample preparation system, a sample taken from a specimen in accordance with an assay selected from a database containing a plurality of unique assays;

dynamically reconfiguring an analyzer of a sample analysis system in response to the selected assay to analyze the prepared sample in accordance with the selected assay;

analyzing the prepared sample in accordance with the selected assay; and

communicating data between the sample preparation system and the sample analysis system over a data communication link, the data being used to reconfigure the analyzer in accordance with the selected assay.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the data represents at least one of an identification of the selected assay, an identification of the volume of the prepared sample, an identification for the prepared sample, an identification of one or more analytes to be analyzed, or combinations thereof.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein the data represents at least one of a result of the analysis, a status of one or more components comprising the sample analysis system, or combinations thereof.

20. The method of claim 17, wherein the data is communicated over a data communication link that includes at least one of a high level data link or a low level data link.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the high level data link is a TCP/IP data link.

23. The method of claim 20, wherein the low level data link includes an I/O data link.

27. The method of claim 17 further comprising:

transporting the prepared sample from the sample preparation system to the sample analysis system.

28. The method of claim 17 further comprising:

sequencing the sample for preparation in accordance with the selected assay; and

sequencing the analysis of the prepared sample in accordance with the selected assay.

29. The method of claim 17 further comprising:

receiving a specimen and acquiring the sample from the specimen.

22. (canceled)

24-26. -26. (canceled)

30-130. -130. (canceled)