Hierarchical sample storage system
First Claim
1. A system for storing samples, the system comprising at least one first cabinet, at least one first box, and one or more sample containers, wherein:
- the first cabinet comprises first cabinet control electronics and is configured to receive the first box;
the first box comprises first box control electronics and is configured to receive the one or more sample containers, each sample container comprising container electronics and configured to store a sample;
the first box control electronics is configured to communicate with the container electronics of each sample container received by the first box;
the container electronics of each sample container is configured to communicate sample-identification information for the sample stored in the sample container to the first box control electronics;
the first box control electronics is configured to communicate the sample-identification information towards the first cabinet control electronics;
the first cabinet control electronics is configured to communicate the sample-identification information to a host computer for the system;
each container electronics is an RFID tag having an associated tag coil;
the first box has at least one reader coil associated with each sample container received by the first box; and
the first box has a plurality of slots, each slot having an associated reader coil, such that, if a sample container is inserted within a slot, the associated reader coil is configured to energize the tag coil of the corresponding slot to activate the associated RFID tag.
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
In one embodiment, a cold storage system for biological samples has one or more freezers, each freezer having one or racks, each rack receiving one or more boxes, each box receiving one or more sample containers. In addition to the biological sample, each sample container has a unique passive RFID tag. Control electronics in each box energize reader coils to query individual RFID tags. Control electronics in each rack communicate with and provide power to the control electronics of each corresponding box, and control electronics in each freezer communicate with and provide power to the control electronics of each corresponding rack, and a host computer communicates with the control electronics in each freezer. In each instance, communication and power provisioning is implemented using magnetic inductive coupling. The system is able to determine the identity of each sample container in the system and maintain that information in a database.
13 Citations
31 Claims
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1. A system for storing samples, the system comprising at least one first cabinet, at least one first box, and one or more sample containers, wherein:
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the first cabinet comprises first cabinet control electronics and is configured to receive the first box; the first box comprises first box control electronics and is configured to receive the one or more sample containers, each sample container comprising container electronics and configured to store a sample; the first box control electronics is configured to communicate with the container electronics of each sample container received by the first box; the container electronics of each sample container is configured to communicate sample-identification information for the sample stored in the sample container to the first box control electronics; the first box control electronics is configured to communicate the sample-identification information towards the first cabinet control electronics; the first cabinet control electronics is configured to communicate the sample-identification information to a host computer for the system; each container electronics is an RFID tag having an associated tag coil; the first box has at least one reader coil associated with each sample container received by the first box; and the first box has a plurality of slots, each slot having an associated reader coil, such that, if a sample container is inserted within a slot, the associated reader coil is configured to energize the tag coil of the corresponding slot to activate the associated RFID tag. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
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27. A system for storing samples, the system comprising at least one first cabinet, at least one first box, and one or more sample containers, wherein:
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the first cabinet comprises first cabinet control electronics and is configured to receive the first box; the first box comprises first box control electronics and is configured to receive the one or more sample containers, each sample container comprising container electronics and configured to store a sample; the first box control electronics is configured to communicate with the container electronics of each sample container received by the first box; the container electronics of each sample container is configured to communicate sample-identification information for the sample stored in the sample container to the first box control electronics; the first box control electronics is configured to communicate the sample-identification information towards the first cabinet control electronics; the first cabinet control electronics is configured to communicate the sample-identification information to a host computer for the system; the system further comprises at least one first sample container; and the first sample container comprises (i) an untagged tube configured to contain the sample and (ii) a tagged tube containing the container electronics, wherein the untagged tube is inserted within the tagged tube. - View Dependent Claims (28, 29, 30, 31)
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Specification