Ultracentrifuge operation by computer system

• US 5,926,387 A
• Filed: 06/14/1996
• Issued: 07/20/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 06/30/1995
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Beckman Coulter Incorporated (Danaher Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Beckman Instruments, Inc. (Danaher Corporation)
• Inventors: Furst, Allen
• Primary Examiner(s): Grant, William
• Assistant Examiner(s): Marc, McDieunel, Marc, McDieunel
• Application Number:
  US08/664,156
• Time in Patent Office: 1,131 Days
• Field of Search: 364/188, 364/413.07, 318/3, 318/801, 318/449, 422/64, 422/67, 422/56, 424/189.1, 395/127, 395/500, 494/37, 210/695, 210/782, 233/11, 356/23
• US Class Current: 700/83
• CPC Class Codes: B04B 13/00 Control arrangements specially designed for centrifuges; Programme control of centrifuges control arrangements for feed, charge, or discharge B04B11/00

Abstract

A system and method of operating a centrifuge is disclosed. The operational parameters of the centrifuge are determined on the basis of the experimental protocol selected by the user. Parameters relevant to the particular experimental protocol are supplied by the user, while the run-time operating parameters of the centrifuge are automatically computed by the system. The centrifugal protocols contemplated in the present invention include pelleting, rate-zonal and isopycnic experiments. Depending upon the specific experimental protocol, the user must provide certain minimum information such as sedimentation rate and gradient concentrations used in the experiment. The user also must identify the rotor to be used, unless the centrifuge device is capable of identifying the rotor automatically. For unusual situations, the user may set the specific operating parameters of a centrifugal run in order to provide for customized experiments.

Claims

1. A method to control a centrifuge device for centrifugation of a sample, said method comprising the step of:

operating a computer system to display a set of centrifugation experiments capable of being performed by said centrifuge device and selecting a centrifugation experiment therefrom;

operating said computer system to display a plurality of hardware configurations for seating said sample to said centrifuge device and selecting a hardware configuration therefrom;

selecting physical parameters of said sample related to said selected centrifugation experiment;

computing usinq said computer system run parameters based on said selected centrifugation experiment, said selected hardware configuration and said specified physical parameters, said run parameters including a rotor speed and a run time; and

operating said centrifuge device in accordance with said computed run parameters thereby performing said selected centrifugation experiment, including communicating said run parameters to said centrifuge device and displaying a current operating status of said centrifuge device.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein said step of having said computer system display a set of centrifugation experiments includes displaying a list designating pelleting, rate-zonal and isopycnic experimental protocols.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein said step of having said computer system display a plurality of hardware configurations includes displaying a list designating a plurality of rotors.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein said step of having a computer system display a plurality of hardware configurations further includes displaying a list designating a plurality of adapters.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein said computer system displays a current operating status of said centrifuge device which includes displaying a current rotating speed of a rotor spinning within said centrifuge device, measuring the elapsed time of said selected centrifugation experiment and displaying the remaining time thereof.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein said computer system includes a video display screen and each of said steps of displaying includes presenting information in the form of graphical menu items on said video display screen.

7. A method of obtaining information relating to centrifugation of a sample containing biochemical specimens and operating a centrifuge device in accordance with said information, said method comprising the steps of:

controlling a computer to display a list of centrifugation protocols, said list of centrifugation protocols including a step program protocol wherein centrifugation is carried out in one or more steps, each step specifying a step speed and a step duration;

choosing a centrifugation protocol from said list of centrifugation protocols;

if said chosen centrifugation protocol is other than a step program protocol, controlling said computer to display physical parameters of said sample which are related to said chosen centrifugation protocol, and specifying values for said physical parameters;

having said computer system display a list of rotor identifiers, said list of rotor identifiers including an identifier signifying automatic rotor detection by said centrifuge device;

choosing a rotor identifier from said list of rotor identifiers;

controlling said computer to display a selection of adapters and choosing an adapter therefrom;

if said chosen centrifugation protocol is other than a step program protocol, controlling said computer to compute a rotor speed and a run time based upon said chosen centrifugation protocol, said specified physical parameters, said chosen rotor identifier and said chosen adapter, said computing a rotor speed and a run time including detecting the presence of a rotor and determining the type of said detected rotor, if said chosen rotor identifier signifies automatic rotor detection; and

transmitting a computed rotor speed and a computed run time to said centrifuge device and activating said centrifuge device to perform said chosen centrifugation protocol.

8. The method of claim 7 further including specifying a temperature setting for centrifugation of said sample, said step of controlling said computer to compute further being based upon said specified temperature setting.

9. The method of claim 7 further including using said computer system to specify a first step speed and a first step duration, if said step program protocol is chosen.

10. The method of claim 7 wherein said having a computer system display a list of centrifugation protocols includes listing pelleting, rate zonal and isopycnic protocols.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein said having a computer system display physical parameters includes displaying a plurality of ranges of sedimentation coefficients if a pelleting or rate zonal protocol is chosen, whereby the sedimentation coefficient of said biochemical specimen can be selected.

12. The method of claim 10 wherein said having a computer system display physical parameters includes displaying a list of gradient compositions if a rate zonal or isopycnic protocol is chosen, whereby the gradient composition of said sample can be selected.

13. The method of claim 10 further including displaying a sedimentation resolution if a rate zonal protocol is chosen, including displaying an iconic representation of a centrifuge tube and displaying first and second marks, said marks demarcating a region on said iconic representation between which said sedimentation resolution will occur.

14. A system for centrifugation of a sample, comprising:

a centrifuge device;

a plurality of rotors;

a plurality of adapters; and

a computing sub-system;

said computing sub-system having means for specifying a centrifugation protocol;

said computing sub-system further having means for specifying a rotor from among said plurality of rotors;

said computing sub-system further having means for specifying an adapter from among said plurality of adapters;

said computing sub-system further having means for computing a rotor speed and a run time, said means for computing being responsive to said means for specifying a centrifugation protocol, means for specifying a rotor and means for specifying an adapter;

said computing sub-system further having means for operating said centrifuge device to spin a rotor at a computed rotor speed for a duration of time equal to a computed run time.

15. The system of claim 14 wherein said means for operating said centrifuge device includes data means for communicating said computed rotor speed and said computed run time to said centrifuge device, means for initiating operation of said centrifuge device, means for obtaining a current rotor speed from said centrifuge device and means for displaying said current rotor speed and for displaying an elapsed time of a centrifugation run.

16. The system of claim 14 wherein said centrifuge device includes automated means for ascertaining the type of rotor installed therein and means for communicating an ascertained type of installed rotor to said means for computing, said means for computing further being responsive to said ascertained type of installed rotor.

17. The system of claim 14 wherein said means for specifying a centrifugation protocol includes graphics means for displaying a menu having pelleting, rate zonal and isopycnic menu items.

18. The system of claim 17 wherein said computing sub-system further includes an input device comprising at least one of a mouse, a touch screen, a graphics tablet and a keyboard.