Scheduling operation of an automated analytical system

• US 6,096,561 A
• Filed: 12/27/1996
• Issued: 08/01/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 03/27/1992
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Abbott Laboratories Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Abbott Laboratories Incorporated
• Inventors: Tayi, Apparao
• Primary Examiner(s): Chin, Christopher L.
• Application Number:
  US08/773,421
• Time in Patent Office: 1,313 Days
• Field of Search: 422/50, 422/63, 422/64, 422/65, 422/67, 422/68.1, 435/7.9, 435/7.91, 435/7.93, 435/7.94, 435/287.1, 435/287.2, 435/288.7, 436/43, 436/47-50, 436/172, 436/518, 436/808, 436/526
• US Class Current: 436/518
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 31/24 the containers being submitted to a rectilinear movement
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2200/142 Preventing evaporation
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/042 Caps; Plugs
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/043 Hinged closures
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/08 Flasks
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/5025 for parallel transport of multiple samples
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/5085 for multiple samples, e.g. microtitration plates
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/50853 with covers or lids
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 9/06 Test-tube stands; Test-tube holders
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 45/00 Injection moulding, i.e. forcing the required volume of moulding material through a nozzle into a closed mould; Apparatus therefor injection blow-moulding B29C49/06
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2995/0032 Birefringent
• CPC Class Codes: B29L 2023/22 Tubes or pipes, i.e. rigid bent tubes not for use as pipe couplings B29L2023/004
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2001/007 Devices specially adapted for forensic samples, e.g. tamper-proofing, sample tracking
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2021/6482 Sample cells, cuvettes
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2035/00168 Manufacturing or preparing test elements
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2035/00287 movable lid/cover for sample or reaction tubes
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2035/00356 Holding samples at elevated temperature (incubation)
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2035/00386 using fluid heat transfer medium
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2035/00455 Controlling humidity in analyser
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2035/00475 Filters
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2035/00495 : Centrifuges
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2035/00524 : Mixing by agitating sample carrier
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2035/00752 : bar codes
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2035/0093 : random access not determined by physical position
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2035/0405 : manipulating closing or opening means, e.g. stoppers, screw caps, lids or covers
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2035/0436 : with pre-packaged reagents, i.e. test-packs
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2035/0441 : for samples
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2035/0443 : for reagents
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2035/0444 : for cuvettes or reaction vessels
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2035/0446 : Combinations of the above
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2035/0448 : composed of interchangeable ring elements
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2035/0453 : Multiple carousels working in parallel
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2035/0465 : Loading or unloading the conveyor
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2035/1025 : Fluid level sensing
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2035/1076 : plurality or independently movable heads
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2035/1086 : Cylindrical, e.g. variable angle
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/03 : Cuvette constructions
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/253 : for batch operation, i.e. multisample apparatus analytical automats G01N35/00
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/6428 : Measuring fluorescence of fluorescent products of reactions or of fluorochrome labelled reactive substances, e.g. measuring quenching effects, using measuring "optrodes" in vivo A61B5/00; immunoassay G01N33/53
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/6445 : Measuring fluorescence polarisation
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/645 : Specially adapted constructive features of fluorimeters
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/6452 : Individual samples arranged in a regular 2D-array, e.g. multiwell plates
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/76 : Chemiluminescence; Bioluminescence
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/53 : Immunoassay; Biospecific binding assay; Materials therefor
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/5302 : Apparatus specially adapted for immunological test procedures
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/537 : with separation of immune complex from unbound antigen or antibody
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/538 : by sorbent column, particles or resin strip , i.e. sorbent materials
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/542 : with steric inhibition or signal modification, e.g. fluorescent quenching
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/54313 : the carrier being characterised by its particulate form
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 35/0092 : Scheduling
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 35/0099 : comprising robots or similar manipulators robots per se B25J
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 35/025 : having a carousel or turntable for reaction cells or cuvettes
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 35/1004 : Cleaning sample transfer devices
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 35/1065 : Multiple transfer devices
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 49/04 : Arrangements for introducing or extracting samples to be analysed, e.g. vacuum locks; Arrangements for external adjustment of electron- or ion-optical components
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 436/805 : Optical property
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 436/807 : Apparatus included in process claim, e.g. physical support structures
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 436/808 : Automated or kit
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 436/809 : Multifield plates or multicontainer arrays
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 436/11 : Automated chemical analysis
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 436/113332 : with conveyance of sample along a test line in a container or rack
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 436/114165 : with step of insertion or removal from test line
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 436/114998 : with treatment or replacement of aspirator element [e.g., cleaning, etc.]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 436/115831 : Condition or time responsive

Abstract

Apparatus and method for simultaneously performing at least two assays using certain reagents for a plurality of liquid samples on a continuous analytical system is disclosed. The method comprising the steps of combining an aliquot of each liquid sample with at least one reagent in a first reaction container to form a first assay reaction for each liquid sample, and combining an aliquot of each liquid sample with at least one of the other reagents in a second reaction container to form a second assay reaction for each liquid sample. The method further comprises the steps of incubating the assay reactions of each assay being conducted at least one time, and performing other activities associated with each assay and using the first and second assay reactions to complete each assay, including analyzing the incubated assay reactions. The method finally comprises the step of scheduling the steps of combining, incubating, and performing other activities associated with each of the assays according to a predetermined protocol.

Claims

1. A method for modelling an assay for execution by instrumentation software used on a continuous analytical system for simultaneously performing at least two assays using certain reagents for a plurality of liquid samples, comprising the steps of:

identifying activities to be performed to accomplish the assay and the sequence of the activities for each assay;

identifying events to be accomplished for each activity and the time duration of each activity;

identifying at least one incubation period between two activities; and

scheduling the incubation period and the activities associated with each of the assays according to a predetermined protocol.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein the step of identifying activities includes the steps of:

combining an aliquot of a first liquid sample with at least one reagent in a first reaction container to form a first assay reaction mixture for said first liquid sample;

combining an aliquot of a second liquid sample with at least one reagent in a second reaction container to form a second assay reaction mixture for said second liquid sample; and

performing activities associated with each assay other than said combining and said incubating and using the first and second assay reaction mixtures to complete each assay, said other activities including analyzing the incubated assay reaction mixtures.

3. A method according to claim 2, wherein the step of identifying the incubation period includes the step of incubating the assay reactions of each assay being conducted, and the step of identifying the activities further includes the step of analyzing the incubated assay reactions.

4. A method according to claim 3, wherein the step of performing activities other than said combining and said incubating include those for a homogeneous assay.

5. A method according to claim 3, wherein the step of performing activities other than said combining and said incubating include those for a heterogeneous assay.

6. A method according to claim 3, wherein the step of performing activities other than said combining and said incubating include those for an immunoassay.

7. A method according to claim 3, wherein the step of performing activities other than said combining and said incubating include those for two immunoassays.

8. A method according to claim 7, wherein the two immunoasays are the microparticle enzyme immunoassay and the fluorescent polarization immunoassay.

9. A method according to claim 3, wherein the step of scheduling according to the predetermined protocol further comprises the step of using any one activity to initiate one or more incubating steps.

10. A method according to claim 3, wherein the step of scheduling according to the predetermined protocol further comprises the step of following any one incubating step with only one activity.

11. A method according to claim 3, wherein the step of scheduling according to the predetermined protocol further comprises the step of completing the assay only with an activity preceded by an incubating step.

12. A method according to claim 11, wherein the incubating step is preceded by at least one activity.

13. A method according to claim 12, wherein a second incubating step must immediately precede the activity preceding the first-mentioned incubating step.

14. A method according to claim 3, wherein the step of scheduling according to the predetermined protocol further comprises the step of performing an activity during the period of an incubating step.

15. A method according to claim 3, wherein the step of scheduling according to the predetermined protocol further comprises the step of setting a nominal period of time for the performance an incubating step between activities.

16. A method according to claim 15, wherein the step of setting the nominal period of time further comprises a window of time for varying the duration of the nominal period between activities to optimize performance.

17. A method according to claim 16, wherein the step of sequencing the events further comprises the step of setting a nominal period of time for certain events to optimize performance.

18. A method according to claim 3, wherein the reaction containers are part of a reaction vessel and further comprising the step of transferring the vessels to a processing workstation prior to commencement of the remaining steps.

19. A method according to claim 18, wherein the step of scheduling according to the predetermined protocol further comprises the step of sequencing the transfer of vessels in a predetermined order.