Enhanced scheduling sample processing system and methods of biological slide processing

• US 8,673,642 B2
• Filed: 02/04/2013
• Issued: 03/18/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 12/20/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Agilent Technologies, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Dako Denmark A/S (Agilent Technologies, Inc.)
• Inventors: Key, Marc, Feingold, Gordon, Welcher, Rosanne
• Primary Examiner(s): Nagpaul, Jyoti
• Application Number:
  US13/758,810
• Publication Number:
  US 20130217108A1
• Time in Patent Office: 407 Days
• Field of Search: 422 63- 67, 436/180, 435/288.7
• US Class Current: 436/43
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 1/30 Staining; Impregnating ; Fixation; Dehydration; Multistep processes for preparing samples of tissue, cell or nucleic acid material and the like for analysis
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 1/31 Apparatus therefor
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 1/312 for samples mounted on planar substrates
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2035/00039 Transport arrangements specific to flat sample substrates, e.g. pusher blade
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2035/00089 Magazines
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2035/00306 Housings, cabinets, control panels (details)
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2035/00326 Analysers with modular structure
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2035/00366 Several different temperatures used
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2035/00376 Conductive heating, e.g. heated plates
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2035/00435 Refrigerated reagent storage
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2035/00881 network configurations
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2035/00891 Displaying information to the operator
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2035/009 alarms, e.g. audible
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2035/0091 GUI [graphical user interfaces]
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 35/00712 Automatic status testing, e.g. at start-up or periodic
• 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: G01N 35/0092 Scheduling
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 35/0099 comprising robots or similar manipulators robots per se B25J
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 50/20 for computer-aided diagnosis, e.g. based on medical expert systems
• CPC Class Codes: Y02A 90/10 : Information and communication technologies [ICT] supporting adaptation to climate change, e.g. for weather forecasting or climate simulation
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 901/02 : Arm motion controller
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 901/41 : Tool
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 436/11 : Automated chemical analysis
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 436/112499 : with sample on test slide
• 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 436/25 : including sample preparation
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 436/2575 : Volumetric liquid transfer

Abstract

A sample processing system 101 that may be automated and methods are disclosed where sample(s) 198 are arranged on a carrier element 197 and a process operation control system 171 automatically processes the sample(s) perhaps robotically according to an desired aggregation of event dictated by an input 173. Alteration of an initial aggregated event topology may be accepted while the system is processing an initial aggregation and varied-parameter robotic control simulation functionalities 606 may be accomplished to determine an enhanced sequence for processing. Suggested operator actions may be displayed that might further enhance the scheduling of the altered aggregated event topology together with an automatic operator need prompt 608 that may inform an operator of a need for a particular action in order to accomplish the desired tasks. Reversibility to proposed changes may be made available so that an operator may avoid having to activate proposed changes if they cause a processing result that is not acceptable.

Claims

1. An automated sample processing system, the system comprising:

at least one automated sample processing apparatus including;

a robotic motion system configured to perform sample processing functions; and

a control unit configured to;

perform automated process operation events including robotic sample process functions;

establish a network connection with a computer server;

identify a first slide on the automated sample processing system;

obtain from the computer server the automated process operation events to be performed on the first slide;

direct the robotic motion system to perform the robotic sample processing functions on the first slide;

identify a second slide inserted into the system during processing of the first slide; and

schedule robotic sample processing functions for the second slide without interrupting processing of the first slide.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one sample processing apparatus further includes a thermal device configured to apply heat to a slide, wherein the control unit is further configured to control the thermal device to heat the first slide according to the automated process operation events.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the control unit controls the thermal device to heat the first slide according to a target retrieval protocol.

4. The system according to claim 1, wherein the control unit is further configured to discontinue processing of the first slide according to a robot task list and commence processing of the first slide according to an altered robot task list.

5. The system according to claim 1, wherein the control unit configured to schedule robotic sample processing functions for the second slide is further configured to run one or more simulations using varied schedules in order to determine an altered robot task list.

6. The system according to claim 1, wherein the control unit configured to schedule robotic sample processing functions for the second slide is further configured to:

determine a robot task priority for each robot task in a robot task list; and

sort the robot task list in order of robot task priority.

7. The system according to claim 1, wherein the first slide includes a sample.

8. The system according to claim 1, wherein the at least one automated sample processing apparatus further includes a slide retention assembly configured to arrange the first slide in a substantially horizontal position.

9. The system according to claim 1, wherein the at least one automated sample processing apparatus further includes a slide retention assembly configured to arrange the first slide in a substantially vertical position during the pretreatment of the first slide.

10. The system according to claim 9, wherein the slide retention assembly is configured to rotate the slide to a nonvertical position for further processing.

11. The system according to claim 1, wherein the at least one automated sample processing apparatus further includes a slide retention assembly configured to arrange the first slide in a substantially horizontal position during the pretreatment of the at least one slide.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein the automated process operation events include a target retrieval protocol.

13. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one automated sample processing apparatus includes a plurality of automated sample processing apparatuses, each connected via a network connection to the computer server.

14. The system of claim 1, wherein the control unit is further configured to identify at least one reagent inserted into the system during robotic sample processing without interrupting the robotic sample processing.

15. The system of claim 1, wherein the control unit is further configured to identify at least one reagent removed from the system during robotic sample processing without interrupting the robotic sample processing.