Adaptive scheduling system and method for operating a biological sample analyzer with variable rinsing
First Claim
1. An improved biological sample analyzer for conducting assays of samples loaded therein and which includes instrument systems for performing operations on each biological sample and a scheduling means for scheduling the operations of the instrument systems, the improvement comprising:
- (a) means for scheduling an adaptive cleaning operation prior to any scheduled instrument system operation; and
(b) means for conducting the assays of the biological samples by performing the scheduled instrument system operations and performing a cleaning operation prior to any scheduled instrument system operation, said cleaning operation determined by the instrument system operation scheduled prior to said cleaning operation.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An improved biological sample analyzer for conducting assays of samples loaded therein, and a method and system for operation thereof, that schedules operations by instrument systems on each biological sample and schedules a conditional cleaning operation prior to a scheduled instrument system operation. The analyzer conducts the assays of the biological samples by performing the scheduled instrument system operations and performs a cleaning operation prior to any scheduled instrument system operation conditioned upon the instrument system operation scheduled prior to the cleaning operation. The biological analyzer can perform a warming operation prior to a scheduled instrument system operation determined upon the lapse of time between the scheduled instrument system operation and the instrument system operation scheduled prior thereto.
127 Citations
29 Claims
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1. An improved biological sample analyzer for conducting assays of samples loaded therein and which includes instrument systems for performing operations on each biological sample and a scheduling means for scheduling the operations of the instrument systems, the improvement comprising:
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(a) means for scheduling an adaptive cleaning operation prior to any scheduled instrument system operation; and (b) means for conducting the assays of the biological samples by performing the scheduled instrument system operations and performing a cleaning operation prior to any scheduled instrument system operation, said cleaning operation determined by the instrument system operation scheduled prior to said cleaning operation. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4)
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5. A biological sample analyzer for conducting assays of biological samples loaded therein comprising:
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(a) means for scheduling operations by instrument systems on each biological sample; (b) means for scheduling a conditional cleaning operation prior to any instrument system operation; and (c) means for conducting the assays of the biological samples by performing the scheduled instrument system operations and performing a cleaning operation prior to any scheduled instrument system operation, said cleaning operation conditioned upon the instrument system operation scheduled prior to said cleaning operation. - View Dependent Claims (6, 7, 8)
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9. An improved method of operating a biological sample analyzer for conducting assays of samples loaded and in which operations by instrument systems are scheduled to be performed on each biological sample, the improvement comprising the steps of:
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(a) scheduling a conditional cleaning operation prior to any scheduled instrument system operation; and (b) conducting the assays of the biological samples by performing the scheduled instrument system operations and performing a cleaning operation prior to any scheduled instrument system operation, said cleaning operation determined by the instrument system operation scheduled prior to said cleaning operation. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A method of operating a biological sample analyzer for conducting assays of biological samples loaded therein comprising the steps of:
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(a) scheduling operations by instrument systems on each biological sample; (b) scheduling a conditional cleaning operation prior to any instrument system operation; and (c) conducting the assays of the biological samples by (1) performing the scheduled instrument system operations, and (2) performing a cleaning operation prior to any scheduled instrument system operation, said cleaning operation conditioned upon the instrument system operation scheduled prior to said cleaning operation. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
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27. An improved method of operating a biological sample analyzer for conducting assays of biological samples loaded therein comprising the steps of:
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(a) scheduling operations by instrument systems on each biological sample; and (b) conducting the assays of the biological samples by performing the scheduled instrument system operations and performing a warming operation prior to a scheduled instrument system operation, said warming operation determined upon the lapse of time between the scheduled instrument system operation and the instrument system operation scheduled prior thereto.
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28. An improved biological sample analyzer for conducting assays of biological samples loaded therein comprising:
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(a) means for scheduling operations by instrument systems on each biological sample; and (b) means for conducting the assays of the biological samples by performing the scheduled instrument system operations and performing a warming operation prior to a scheduled instrument system operation, said warming operation determined upon a lapse of time between the scheduled instrument system operation and the instrument system operation scheduled prior thereto. - View Dependent Claims (29)
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Specification