Adaptive scheduling system and method for operating a biological sample analyzer with variable interval periods
DCFirst Claim
1. In an analyzer having an analyzer unit into which a plurality of biological samples can be loaded for performing an assay of each of the samples, analyzer instrument systems in the unit for handling the samples and one or more reagents for conducting the assays, and means for operating the instrument systems to automatically perform operations to conduct the assay of each of the samples loaded into the analyzer, the improvement comprising:
- means for developing a schedule for performing the operations to be executed by the analyzer instrument systems, said schedule developing means comprising;
means for automatically and adaptively calculating an interval period between at least two operations performed by the analyzer instrument systems on at least one of the biological samples as a function of an entered load list unless a fixed interval period between operations is required; and
means for scheduling instrument system operations and the calculated interval periods.
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Abstract
An improved biological sample analyzer, and a method and system for operation thereof, wherein instrument systems used to perform assays of the biological samples loaded into the analyzer are operated in accordance with a schedule developed by a scheduler routine. The scheduler routine determines interval periods between operations performed by the analyzer instrument systems on each biological sample as a function of an entered load list unless a fixed interval period between the operations is required and schedules instrument system operations and the determined interval periods. The biological system analyzer performs assays of the biological samples by operating the analyzer instrument systems in accordance with the developed schedule.
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Citations
30 Claims
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1. In an analyzer having an analyzer unit into which a plurality of biological samples can be loaded for performing an assay of each of the samples, analyzer instrument systems in the unit for handling the samples and one or more reagents for conducting the assays, and means for operating the instrument systems to automatically perform operations to conduct the assay of each of the samples loaded into the analyzer, the improvement comprising:
means for developing a schedule for performing the operations to be executed by the analyzer instrument systems, said schedule developing means comprising; means for automatically and adaptively calculating an interval period between at least two operations performed by the analyzer instrument systems on at least one of the biological samples as a function of an entered load list unless a fixed interval period between operations is required; and means for scheduling instrument system operations and the calculated interval periods. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. In a method for operating a biological sample analyzer having analyzer instrument systems to perform assays of samples loaded therein, the improvement comprising the steps of:
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automatically and adaptively calculating an adjustable interval period between two operations performed by the analyzer instrument systems on at least one of the biological samples as a function of an entered load list unless a fixed interval period between operations is required; and scheduling instrument system operations and the calculated interval periods. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30)
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Specification