METHOD OF OPERATING A LABORATORY SAMPLE DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM, LABORATORY SAMPLE DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM AND A LABORATORY AUTOMATION SYSTEM

• US 20160341751A1
• Filed: 05/13/2016
• Published: 11/24/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 05/22/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Roche Diagnostics Operations Incorporated (Roche Holding AG)
• Original Assignee: Roche Diagnostics Operations Incorporated (Roche Holding AG)
• Inventors: Huber, Tobias, Mahmudimanesh, Mohammadreza, Fleischmann, Timo, Jenz, Domenic, Sinz, Achim, Mallikarjunaiah, Namitha, Denninger, Oliver
• Granted Patent: US 10,352,953 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 43/00 Control devices, e.g. for safety, warning or fault-correcting
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2035/0406 Individual bottles or tubes
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2035/0462 Buffers [FIFO] or stacks [LIFO] for holding carriers between operations
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2035/0477 Magnetic
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 35/00584 Control arrangements for automatic analysers
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 35/0092 Scheduling
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 35/04 Details of the conveyor system G01N35/021 - G01N35/028 take precedence

Abstract

A method of operating a laboratory sample distribution system is disclosed. The laboratory sample distribution system comprises a plurality of sample container carriers. The sample container carriers carry one or more sample containers. The sample containers comprise samples to be analyzed by a plurality of laboratory stations. The system also comprises a transport plane. The transport plane supports the sample container carriers. The transport plane comprises a plurality of transfer locations. The transfer locations are assigned to corresponding laboratory stations. The system also comprises a drive. The drive moves the sample container carriers on the transport plane. The method comprises, during an initialization of the laboratory sample distribution system, pre-calculating routes depending on the transfer locations and, after the initialization of the laboratory sample distribution system, controlling the drive such that the sample container carriers move along the pre-calculated routes.

Claims

1. A method of operating a laboratory sample distribution system, wherein the laboratory sample distribution system comprises a plurality of sample container carriers, wherein the sample container carriers are adapted to carry one or more sample containers, wherein the sample containers comprise samples to be analyzed by a plurality of laboratory stations, a transport plane, wherein the transport plane is adapted to support the sample container carriers, wherein the transport plane comprises a plurality of transfer locations, wherein the transfer locations are assigned to corresponding laboratory stations, and a drive, wherein the drive is adapted to move the sample container carriers on the transport plane, the method comprising:

during an initialization of the laboratory sample distribution system, pre-calculating routes on the transport plane depending on the transfer locations; and

after the initialization of the laboratory sample distribution system, controlling the drive such that the sample container carriers move along the pre-calculated routes on the transport plane.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the routes are calculated using an informed search algorithm.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the informed search algorithm is an A*-algorithm or a D*-algorithm.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the routes are calculated such that a number of intersections between different routes are minimized.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein during the initialization of the laboratory sample distribution system, buffer areas located on the transport plane are allocated to the laboratory stations, wherein samples waiting to be analyzed by the laboratory stations are buffered in the buffer areas.

6. The method according to claim 5, wherein the buffer areas are allocated such that the pre-calculated routes do not intersect the buffer areas.

7. The method according to claim 5, wherein sample container carriers are entered into the buffer areas or removed from the buffer areas over the transfer locations.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein the transport plane is segmented into logical fields, wherein in a time-prioritized reservation scheme an adjustable number of logical fields positioned on a pre-calculated route is reserved for sample container carriers to be moved, wherein sample container carriers moving on routes comprising logical fields being reserved with a higher time priority for other sample container carriers are stopped.

9. The method according to claim 1, further comprises,

after the initialization of the laboratory sample distribution system, collecting operating data of the laboratory sample distribution system;

and

during a next initialization of the laboratory sample distribution system, pre-calculating the routes additionally depending on the operating data.

10. The method according to claim 9, wherein the operating data comprise information regarding a volume of traffic on the routes.

11. The method according to claim 10, wherein pre-calculating the routes comprises that a plurality of lanes assigned to the routes is determined depending on the volume of traffic.

12. The method according to claim 1, wherein samples and/or sample containers and/or sample container carriers are transferred to/from the laboratory stations using the transfer locations.

13. The method according to claim 1, wherein during the initialization of the laboratory sample distribution system, the routes are pre-calculated between the transfer locations.

14. A laboratory sample distribution system, the laboratory sample distribution system comprising:

a plurality of sample container carriers, wherein the sample container carriers are adapted to carry one or more sample containers, wherein the sample containers comprise samples to be analyzed by a plurality of laboratory stations;

a transport plane, wherein the transport plane is adapted to support the sample container carriers, wherein the transport plane comprises a plurality of transfer locations, wherein the transfer locations are assigned to corresponding laboratory stations;

a drive, wherein the drive is adapted to move the sample container carriers on the transport plane; and

a control unit, wherein the control unit is adapted to pre-calculate routes depending on the transfer locations during an initialization of the laboratory sample distribution system and to control the drive such that the sample container carriers move along the pre-calculated routes after the initialization of the laboratory sample distribution system.

15. The laboratory sample distribution system according to claim 14, wherein the sample container carriers comprise at least one magnetically active device.

16. The laboratory sample distribution system according to claim 15, wherein the at least one magnetically active device is a permanent magnet.

17. The laboratory sample distribution system according to claim 15, wherein the drive means comprises a plurality of electro-magnetic actuators being stationary arranged in rows and columns below the transport plane, the electro-magnetic actuators being adapted to apply a magnetic force to the container carriers.

18. The laboratory sample distribution system according to claim 17, wherein the control unit is adapted to activate the electromagnetic actuators such that the sample container carriers move along the pre-calculated routes.

19. A laboratory automation system, the laboratory automation system comprising

a plurality of laboratory stations;

and

a laboratory sample distribution system according to claim 14.

20. The laboratory automation system according to claim 19, wherein the plurality of laboratory stations comprise pre-analytical, analytical and/or post-analytical stations.