Analysis system for analyzing biological samples, methods, and computer program product thereof

• US 8,651,377 B2
• Filed: 06/27/2013
• Issued: 02/18/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 09/17/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Roche Diagnostics Operations Incorporated (Roche Holding AG)
• Original Assignee: Roche Diagnostics Operations Incorporated (Roche Holding AG)
• Inventors: Steimle, Anton, Von Allmen, Bernhard
• Primary Examiner(s): Labaze, Edwyn
• Application Number:
  US13/928,821
• Publication Number:
  US 20130289888A1
• Time in Patent Office: 236 Days
• Field of Search: 235/380, 235/375, 235/376, 235/487, 235/485, 235/382
• US Class Current: 235/380
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 35/00732 Identification of carriers, materials or components in automatic analysers
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 35/00871 Communications between instruments or with remote terminals
• CPC Class Codes: G16B 99/00 Subject matter not provided for in other groups of this subclass
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 10/40 for data related to laboratory analysis, e.g. patient specimen analysis

Abstract

An analysis system for analyzing biological samples, such as body fluids, methods implemented by the analysis system, and a computer program product for implementing the analysis system are disclosed. The system may include first and second lab devices, at least one of the lab devices may have a user identification component for identifying a user, a device identification component for identifying the lab device, and an interface component for sending a user identifier of the identified user and a device identifier of the lab device. The system may include a server computer having a server interface component for receiving the user identifier and the device identifier, and a processing component for determining a step of a workflow to be executed by the identified user, wherein the server interface component is operable to send a signal being indicative of a determined workflow to the lab device identified by the device identifier.

Claims

1. An analysis system for a user to analyze biological samples comprising:

a first lab device;

a second lab device;

a storage component which stores a workflow, wherein the workflow comprises at least two steps which are to be executed at different lab devices;

a server computer coupled to the storage component; and

a mobile device,

wherein;

at least one of the first lab device and the second lab device comprises;

a user identification component for identifying the user via a user identifier,

a device identification component for identifying the lab device via a device identifier, and

an interface component which is configured to send the user identifier from the user identification component and the device identifier from the device identification component to the server computer;

the server computer comprises;

a server interface component which is configured to receive the user identifier and the device identifier, and

a processing component which is configured to determine a step from the steps of the workflow that is to be executed by the identified user, and

wherein the server interface component is operable to send a signal being indicative of at least one determined step of the workflow to be executed by the identified user to both the lab device identified by the device identifier and the mobile device; and

the mobile device is configured to receive the signal indicating the at least one determined step of the workflow to be executed by the identified user and the signal indicating which of the at least one of the first and second lab devices is to be used for execution of the at least one determined step of the workflow.

2. The analysis system of claim 1, wherein the mobile device is operable to signal completion of the at least one determined step of the workflow to the server computer.

3. The analysis system of claim 2, wherein the server computer is configured to mark the at least one determined step as completed in a database table upon receiving the signal from the mobile device indicating completion of the at least one determined step of the workflow.

4. The analysis system of claim 1, wherein the signal received from the server computer is indicative of an order of priority of the at least one determined steps of the workflow, and in response to receipt of the signal by the lab device identified by the device identifier and the mobile device, the lab device identified by the device identifier and the mobile device are configured to display the at least one determined step of the workflow in the order of priority giving by the signal.

5. The analysis system of claim 1, wherein the processing component generates a message when the at least one determined step is not assigned to the identified lab device, and wherein the server interface component sends the message to at least one of the identified lab device and the mobile device, and wherein the message indicates which of the lab devices the at least one determined step is assigned.

6. The analysis system of claim 5, wherein the message provides position information of the lab device that the at least one determined step is assigned, said position information comprises an indication of geographic and/or topological location of the lab device that the at least one determined step is assigned.

7. The analysis system of claim 1, wherein one of the first lab device and the second lab device is a lab device that is unconnected to the server computer.

8. The analysis system of claim 7, wherein the lab device that is unconnected to the server computer is one of a refrigerator, a reagent shelf, a sample self, a lab device that has no electronic components, a lab device that does not have a network interface for communicating with the server computer, and a receptacle of a sample, analytical adjuvant material, reagent, wash buffer, auxiliary liquid.

9. The analysis system of claim 1, wherein both the first lab device and the second lab device are connected to the server computer via a network.

10. The analysis system of claim 1, wherein both the first lab device and the second lab device are connected to the server computer via a network, and said analysis system comprises a third lab device that is unconnected to the server computer.

11. The analysis system of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first lab device and the second lab device is one of an automatic analyzer which provides analytical data related to a sample, a decapper device, a sample preparation and distribution systems, and an automated sample storage devices.

12. The analysis system of claim 1, wherein the mobile device is a battery powered mobile appliance having an interface for communicating with the server computer.

13. The analysis system of claim 12, wherein the mobile device is one of a mobile phone, a smart phone, a personal digital assistant, and an electronic appliance having a wireless interface for establishing a communication link with the server computer over a wireless digital cellular telecommunications network or a wireless communication channel.

14. The analysis system of claim 1, wherein the workflow is stored on at least one of the server computer, the first lab device, the second lab device, and the mobile device, and wherein the workflow is static, generated dynamically, and/or adapted dynamically in response to events, triggers, and/or user actions.

15. The analysis system of claim 1, wherein the lab device identified by the device identifier and/or the mobile device in response to receipt of the signal displays output descriptive of the at least one determined step of the workflow to be executed by the identified user.

16. The analysis system of claim 1, wherein the mobile device is operable for identifying the user to the server computer.

17. The analysis system of claim 1, wherein the user identification component is configured to identify the user by a user login operation, RFID, a chip card, or a biomertic feature.

18. The analysis system of claim 1, wherein the device identification component is configured to indentify the lab device by providing from a protected storage area or computing via a predefined algorithm the device identifier.

19. The analysis system of claim 1, wherein the storage component is an integral part of the server computer or a database server that is connected directly or over a network to the server computer.

20. The analysis system of claim 1, further comprising a database server that is connected directly or over a network to the server computer, the database server storing the workflow, wherein the processing component is configured to query the database server using the user identifier and/or the device identifier as a search term in order to determine the step from the variety of steps of the workflow that is to be executed by the identified user.

21. The analysis system of claim 1, wherein in response to receipt of the signal from the server computer by the lab device identified by the device identifier and the mobile device, the lab device identified by the device identifier and the mobile device are configured to inform the user of the at least one determined step of the workflow via a text box, a symbol, visual output, haptic output, and/or acoustic output.

22. An analysis system for a user to analyze biological samples comprising:

a storage component which stores a workflow, wherein the workflow comprises at least two steps which are to be executed at different lab devices;

a server computer coupled to the storage component;

a first lab device which comprises;

a user identification component for identifying the user via a user identifier,

a device identification component for identifying the first lab device via a device identifier of the first lab device, and

an interface component which is configured to send the user identifier from the user identification component and the device identifier of the first lab device from the device identification component to the server computer;

a second lab device which comprises;

a user identification component for identifying the user via the user identifier,

a device identification component for identifying the second lab device via a device identifier of the second lab device, and

an interface component which is configured to send the user identifier from the user identification component and the device identifier of the second lab device from the device identification component to the server computer;

wherein the server computer comprises;

a server interface component which is configured to receive the user identifier and the device identifier from the first and second lab devices, and

a processing component which is configured to determine a step from the steps of the workflow that is to be executed by the identified user, and

wherein the server interface component is operable to send a signal being indicative of at least one determined step of the workflow to be executed by the identified user to both the lab device identified by the device identifier and the mobile device; and

a mobile device configured to receive the signal indicating the at least one determined step of the workflow to be executed by the identified user and the signal indicating which of the at least one of the first and second lab devices is to be used for execution of the at least one determined step of the workflow.

23. A method being implemented by an analysis system used to analyze biological samples, the method comprising:

identifying a user of a first lab device;

identifying a user of a second lab device, said second lab device being separate from said first lab device;

sending a user identifier of the user of the first lab device and a device identifier of the first lab device to a server computer;

sending a user identifier of the user of the second lab device and a device identifier of the second lab device to the server computer;

determining via the server computer using the user identifier and the device identifier of the first lab device at least one determined step from a variety of steps of a workflow that is to be executed by the identified user of the first lab device;

determining via the server computer using the user identifier and the device identifier of the second lab device at least one determined step from a variety of steps of a workflow that is to be executed by the identified user of the second lab device, wherein said workflow comprises at least two steps which are to be executed at different lab devices;

sending from the server computer to the first lab device a first signal comprising the at least one determined step that is to be executed by the identified user of the first lab device and the device identifier of the first lab device;

sending from the server computer to the second lab device a second signal comprising the at least one determined step that is to be executed by the identified user of the second lab device and the device identifier of the second lab device; and

receiving at least one of the first and second signals on a mobile device, wherein said mobile device in response to receiving the at least one of the first and second signals displays the at least one determined step that is to be executed by the identified user on the lab device identified by the device identifier provided in the received signal.

24. The method according to claim 23, further comprises providing in the signal received by the mobile device position information indicating a geographic or topological location of the device identified by the device identifier provided in the received signal.

25. The method according to claim 23, further comprises providing in the signal received by the mobile device one or more steps of the workflow to be executed at an at least one unconnected lab device, wherein the unconnected lab device comprises a lab device that is not coupled to the server computer.

26. The method according to claim 25, further comprises executing the one or more steps of the workflow at the at least one unconnected lab device.

27. The method according to claim 23, further comprises providing in the first and second signals sent by the server a priority of the steps of the workflow, and displaying the steps in a prioritized order on the lab devices and/or mobile device.

28. The method according to claim 23, further comprises signaling completion of the at least one determined step of the workflow from the mobile device to the server computer.