Methods, apparatus, articles of manufacture, and user interfaces for performing automated biological assay preparation and macromolecule purification

• US 6,326,147 B1
• Filed: 05/13/1999
• Issued: 12/04/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 05/13/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Applied Biosystems LLC (Thermo Fisher Scientific Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Perkinelmer Incorporated
• Inventors: Honebein, Peter Carlton, Oldham, Mark Floyd
• Primary Examiner(s): Brusca, John S.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Lundgren, Jeffrey S.
• Application Number:
  US09/311,036
• Time in Patent Office: 936 Days
• Field of Search: 435/6, 435/91.2, 435/65, 422/65
• US Class Current: 435/6.12
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 1/34 Purifying; Cleaning processes or apparatus for extracting or separating nucleic acids from biological samples C12N15/1003
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 1/4044 by chemical techniques; Digestion; Chemical decomposition
• 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 35/028 having reaction cells in the form of microtitration plates
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/32128 Gui graphical user interface
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/32287 Medical, chemical, biological laboratory
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/45092 Analysing or chemical synthesis robot, moving samples from station to station
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 10/40 for data related to laboratory analysis, e.g. patient specimen analysis

Abstract

Systems, methods, graphical user interfaces, and articles of manufacture consistent with the present invention allow for biological assay preparation and automated biological macromolecule purification. Consistent with the present invention, a user may instruct the system to perform a series of assay preparation and purification procedures. A user may choose a series of procedures to be performed by a single automated workstation, one after the other, without human intervention. A user may specify, for example, a combination of lysis, archive, purification, and isolation protocols, including polymerase chain reaction (PCR). For each chosen procedure, a user may select a standard protocol or create a new protocol. Parameters for each of the protocols are cross-checked against parameters of other chosen protocols and system hardware for physical and rational limitations.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for performing automated sample processing, wherein the sample processing is performed on an automated laboratory work station including a robot, the method comprising:

receiving a first set of user-specified protocol parameters;

receiving a second set of user-specified protocol parameters;

comparing the first set of user-specified protocol parameters to the second set of user-specified protocol parameters to identify incompatibility;

modifying the first or second set of protocol parameters to correct the incompatibility;

manipulating the robot to perform a first procedure on a first sample tray in response to computer instructions based on the modified first set of protocol parameters to obtain a second sample tray;

without intermediate human intervention following performance of the first procedure, manipulating the robot to perform a second procedure on the second sample tray in response to computer instructions based on the modified second set of protocol parameters; and

outputting the second sample tray comprising a result following the automated sample processing.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

storing the modified first and second sets of protocol parameters such that they can not be modified.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 2, further comprising:

automatically modifying the first or second set of protocol parameters to eliminate the incompatibility.

4. A computer-implemented method for performing automated sample processing wherein the sample processing is performed on an automated laboratory work station including a robot, comprising:

permitting a user to

specify a first set of protocol parameters for controlling the robot to perform a first protocol on a first sample tray to obtain a second sample tray; and

specify a second set of protocol parameters for controlling the robot to perform a second protocol on the second sample tray without additional human instruction following completion of the first protocol, wherein the second protocol is different from the first protocol; and

displaying representations of the first and second sample trays showing graphically the protocol to be performed on each well of the first and second sample trays.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 4, further comprising:

comparing the first and second sets of protocol parameters to identify incompatibilities.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 5, further comprising:

permitting the user to modify the first or second set of protocol parameters to eliminate the incompatibility.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 4, further comprising:

alerting the user to incompatibilities between the first and second sets of protocol parameters.

8. An automated sample processing system including a user interface for inputting and displaying protocol parameters, the user interface comprising:

a first view configured to receive instructions defining a first protocol with multiple parameters;

a second view configured to receive instructions defining a second protocol with multiple parameters, wherein the second protocol is different from the first protocol, wherein the instructions defining the first and second protocols manipulate a robot to perform the second protocol immediately following completion of the first protocol and without intermediate instruction from a user; and

a third view configured to display representations of a first and a second sample tray showing graphically the first and second protocol to be performed on each well of the first and second sample trays.

9. The automated sample processing system of claim 8, the user interface further comprising:

a fourth view configured to receive instructions for modifying the first or second protocols to eliminate incompatibilities between the protocols parameters.

10. A computer-readable medium containing instructions for controlling a robot to perform a method for automated sample processing, the method comprising the steps of:

displaying a first view configured to receive instructions defining a first protocol with multiple parameters;

displaying a second view configured to receive instructions defining a second protocol with multiple parameters, wherein the second protocol is different from the first protocol, wherein the instructions defining the first and second protocols manipulate the robot to perform the second protocol immediately following completion of the first protocol and without intermediate instruction from a user; and

displaying a third view configured to display representations of a first and a second sample tray showing graphically the first and second protocol to be performed on each well of the first and second sample trays.

11. The computer-readable medium containing instructions for controlling a robot to perform a method for automated sample processing of claim 10, the method further comprising the step of:

displaying a fourth view configured to receive instructions for modifying the first or second protocols to eliminate incompatibilities between the protocols parameters.

12. An apparatus for performing automated sample preparation, the apparatus comprising:

a robot;

processor configured to;

receive a first set of user-specified protocol parameters defining a first procedure;

receive a second set of user-specified protocol parameters defining a second procedure;

compare the first set of user-specified protocol parameters to the second set of protocol parameters to identify incompatability;

modifying the first or second sets of protocol parameters to correct any identified incompatability;

means for converting the modified first and second set of protocol parameters into program instructions; and

transmitting the program instructions to a robot controller;

a memory for storing program instructions, and

a robot controller configured to use the program instructions to;

manipulate the robot to perform in response to program instructions based on the modified first set of protocol parameters the first procedure on a first sample tray to obtain a second sample tray; and

without intermediate human intervention following the first procedure, manipulate the robot to perform in response to program instructions based on the modified second set of protocol parameters the second procedure on the second sample tray to obtain a third sample tray, wherein the second procedure is different from the first procedure.

13. A computer-implemented method for performing automated sample processing, wherein the sample procedures are performed on an automated laboratory work station including a robot, the method comprising:

receiving a set of user-specified protocol parameters;

checking the set of protocol parameters for incompatability between parameters in the set of protocol parameters;

modifying the set of protocol parameters to correct the incompatibility;

manipulating the robot to perform a procedure on a sample tray in response to computer instructions based on the modified set of protocol parameters; and

outputting the sample tray comprising a result of the automated sample processing.

14. A computer-readable medium containing instructions for controlling a robot to perform a method for automated sample processing, the method comprising the steps of:

receiving a first set of user-specified protocol parameters;

receiving a second set of user-specified protocol parameters;

comparing the first set of user-specified protocol parameters to the second set of user-specified protocol parameters to identify incompatibility;

manipulating the robot to perform a first procedure on a first sample tray in response to computer instructions based on the modified first set of protocol parameters to obtain a second sample tray; and

without intermediate human intervention following performance of the first procedure, manipulating the robot to perform a second procedure on the second sample tray in response to computer instructions based on the modified second set of protocol parameters.

15. A computer-implemented method for performing automated sample processing, wherein the sample processing is performed on an automated laboratory work station including a robot, the method comprising:

receiving a first set of user-specified protocol parameters;

receiving a second set of user-specified protocol parameters;

comparing the first set of user-specified protocol parameters to the second set of user-specified protocol parameters to identify incompatibility;

alerting a user to incompatabilities;

manipulating the robot to perform a first procedure on a first sample tray in response to computer instructions based on a modified first set of protocol parameters to obtain a second sample tray; and

without intermediate human intervention following performance of the first procedure, manipulating the robot to perform a second procedure on the second sample tray in response to computer instructions based on a modified second set of protocol parameters; and

outputting the second sample tray comprising a result of the automated sample processing.

16. A computer-implemented method for performing automated sample processing, wherein the sample procedures are performed on an automated laboratory work station including a robot, the method comprising:

receiving a set of protocol parameters;

checking the set of protocol parameters for incompatability between parameters within a protocol;

alerting a user to incompatabilities;

manipulating the robot to perform a procedure on a sample tray in response to computer instructions based on a modified set of protocol parameters and;

outputting the sample tray, wherein the sample tray comprises the result following the procedure.

17. A computer-readable medium containing instructions for controlling a robot to perform a method for automated sample processing, the method comprising the steps of:

receiving a first set of user-specified protocol parameters;

receiving a second set of user-specified protocol parameters;

comparing the first set of user-specified protocol parameters to the second set of user-specified protocol parameters to identify incompatibility;

alerting a user to incompatabilities;

manipulating the robot to perform a first procedure on a first sample tray in response to computer instructions based on a modified first set of protocol parameters to obtain a second sample tray; and

without intermediate human intervention following performance of the first procedure, manipulating the robot to perform a second procedure on the second sample tray in response to computer instructions based on a modified second set of protocol parameters.

18. An apparatus for performing automated sample preparation, the apparatus comprising:

a robot;

a processor configured to;

receive a first set of user-specified protocol parameters;

receive a second set of user-specified protocol parameters;

compare the first set of user-specified protocol parameters to the second set of user-specified protocol parameters to identify incompatibility;

alert a user to incompatabilities;

accept user modifications to the first or second set of protocol parameters;

means for converting the modified first and second set of protocol parameters into program instructions; and

transmitting the program instructions to a robot controller;

a memory for storing program instructions, and

a robot controller;

configured to use the program instructions to;

manipulate the robot to perform in response to program instructions based on the modified first set of protocol parameters the first procedure on a first sample tray to obtain a second sample tray; and

without intermediate human intervention following the first procedure, manipulate the robot to perform in response to program instructions based on the modified second set of protocol parameters the second procedure on the second sample tray to obtain a third sample tray, wherein the second procedure is different from the first procedure.