Hierarchical sample storage system
First Claim
1. A system for storing samples, the system comprising at least one first cabinet, and at least one first box, 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;
the first cabinet control electronics are configured to communicate with the first box control electronics via corresponding non-ohmic coupling;
the first box control electronics are configured to communicate with the container electronics of each corresponding sample container via corresponding non-ohmic coupling;
the first cabinet control electronics are configured to transfer operating power to the first box control electronics box via the corresponding non-ohmic coupling; and
the first box control electronics are configured to transfer operating power to the container electronics of each corresponding sample container via the corresponding non-ohmic coupling.
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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.
54 Citations
25 Claims
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1. A system for storing samples, the system comprising at least one first cabinet, and at least one first box, 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 first cabinet control electronics are configured to communicate with the first box control electronics via corresponding non-ohmic coupling; the first box control electronics are configured to communicate with the container electronics of each corresponding sample container via corresponding non-ohmic coupling; the first cabinet control electronics are configured to transfer operating power to the first box control electronics box via the corresponding non-ohmic coupling; and the first box control electronics are configured to transfer operating power to the container electronics of each corresponding sample container via the corresponding non-ohmic coupling.
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2. A system for storing samples, the system comprising at least one first cabinet and at least one first box, 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 a plurality of slots, each slot configured to receive a different sample container, 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, wherein the sample-identification information uniquely identifies each sample; 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; and for each sample container located in a corresponding slot of the first box, the first box control electronics is configured to identify the corresponding slot for said each sample container. - View Dependent Claims (3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25)
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Specification