System for tracking vessels in automated laboratory analyzers by radio frequency identification
First Claim
1. A system comprising a plurality of containers, each of which has a radio frequency identification tag attached thereto at a suitable position thereon, the system further including at least one radio frequency identification reader, said at least one radio frequency identification reader capable of reading signals from a plurality of antennas, said plurality of antennas disposed in a plurality of banks of antennas, each bank of antennas capable of being attenuated at a different power level, whereby physical differences in between antennas and radio frequency identification tags can be compensated for.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A system for automation of laboratory analyzers that utilizes radio frequency identification (RFID) tags and radio frequency identification (RFID) readers to identify containers and vessels, and the contents thereof, that are employed in the system. Radio frequency identification tags, conforming to the guidelines of ISO 18000 and either of ISO 14443 or ISO 15693, are positioned on the items of interest, such as, for example, reagent containers, sample containers, and microplates. These tags can be read by and written to by a stationary antenna connected to a radio frequency identification reader. Reading of radio frequency identification tags and writing to radio frequency identification tags are controlled by software.
44 Citations
38 Claims
- 1. A system comprising a plurality of containers, each of which has a radio frequency identification tag attached thereto at a suitable position thereon, the system further including at least one radio frequency identification reader, said at least one radio frequency identification reader capable of reading signals from a plurality of antennas, said plurality of antennas disposed in a plurality of banks of antennas, each bank of antennas capable of being attenuated at a different power level, whereby physical differences in between antennas and radio frequency identification tags can be compensated for.
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27. A method of analyzing a biological sample in a system comprising an automated analyzer, the method comprising the steps of:
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(a) providing a biological sample in a container having a radio frequency identification tag associated therewith; (b) interrogating a radio frequency identification tag on at least one container containing said biological sample to obtain information therefrom relating to storage information, wherein said interrogating is carried out by means of a radio frequency identification reader, and said radio frequency identification reader is capable of reading signals from a plurality of antennas, said plurality of antennas disposed in a plurality of banks of antennas, each bank of antennas capable of being attenuated at a different power level, whereby physical differences in between antennas and radio frequency identification tags can be compensated for; (c) comparing the storage information to a set of acceptable storage conditions; and (d) rejecting or accepting the sample container for analysis of the sample, based on the comparing step performed in (c), wherein steps (b), (c) and (d) are automatically performed by an automated analyzer system. - View Dependent Claims (28, 29, 30, 31, 32)
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33. A method of automated analysis of a biological sample in an automated analyzer system comprising the steps of:
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(a) providing at least one reagent in a container having a radio frequency identification tag associated therewith, wherein the radio frequency identification tag comprises an information device that contains information on storage conditions to which the reagent container has been exposed; (b) interrogating a radio frequency identification tag on said at least one reagent container to determine the information on storage conditions for the at least one reagent container, wherein said interrogating is carried out by means of a radio frequency identification reader, and said radio frequency identification reader is capable of reading signals from a plurality of antennas, said plurality of antennas disposed in a plurality of banks of antennas, each bank of antennas capable of being attenuated at a different power level, whereby physical differences in between antennas and radio frequency identification tags can be compensated for; (c) comparing the information on storage conditions to a set of acceptable storage conditions; and (d) rejecting or accepting the reagent container for use in an automated analyzer system, based on the comparing step performed in step (c), wherein steps (b), (c) and (d) are automatically performed by an automated analyzer system. - View Dependent Claims (34, 35, 36, 37, 38)
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Specification