Status displaying sample carriers

• US 9,494,609 B2
• Filed: 02/01/2013
• Issued: 11/15/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 02/03/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Siemens Healthcare Diagnostics Incorporated (Siemens AG)
• Original Assignee: Siemens Healthcare Diagnostics Incorporated (Siemens AG)
• Inventors: Gelbman, Alexander, Pollack, Benjamin Samuel
• Primary Examiner(s): Mui, Christine T
• Application Number:
  US14/376,120
• Publication Number:
  US 20140370608A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,383 Days
• Field of Search: 436/47, 436/43, 422/67, 422/63, 422/500
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/022 Transponder chips
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/023 Sending and receiving of information, e.g. using bluetooth
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/024 Storing results with means integrated into the container
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/027 Digital display, e.g. LCD, LED
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/545 for laboratory containers
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2035/00306 Housings, cabinets, control panels (details)
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2035/00782 reprogrammmable code
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2035/00801 Holders for sample carriers, e.g. trays, caroussel, racks
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2035/00891 Displaying information to the operator
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2035/0406 Individual bottles or tubes
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2035/0467 Switching points ("aiguillages")
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2035/0477 Magnetic
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 35/00584 Control arrangements for automatic analysers
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 35/00732 Identification of carriers, materials or components in automatic analysers
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 35/0095 introducing urgent samples with priority, e.g. Short Turn Around Time Samples [STATS]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/147 using display panels
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2340/14 Solving problems related to the presentation of information to be displayed
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2380/04 Electronic labels
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 436/113332 with conveyance of sample along a test line in a container or rack

Abstract

An automation system for an in vitro diagnostics environment includes a plurality of intelligent carriers that include onboard processing and navigation capabilities. To aid in operator handling of payloads and carriers, carriers include an electronically rewritable display on a surface visible to an operator. The display can include an LCD, E-ink, or other rewritable display and can utilize color, pattern, or text to convey status information of the payloads to the operator.

Claims

1. A carrier for use in an in vitro diagnostics environment comprising:

a bracket for accepting one or more patient sample tubes; and

at least one surface of the carrier having an electronically rewritable display, the at least one surface including an opening to receive the one or more patient sample tubes,

wherein the carrier automatically updates the electronically rewritable display to provide a visual indication of status information regarding the status of the one or more patient sample tubes, where the status information is displayed in addition to any barcode label affixed to the one or more patient sample tubes.

2. The carrier of claim 1, wherein the status information can be updated wirelessly by a central controller.

3. The carrier of claim 1, wherein the electronically rewritable display is a bi-stable display.

4. The carrier of claim 1, wherein the display can be updated by temporary application of power to electrical contacts on the carrier.

5. The carrier of claim 1, wherein the electronically rewritable display is a non-volatile display.

6. The carrier of claim 1, wherein the status information is conveyed by displaying a color on at least a portion of the electronically rewritable display.

7. The carrier of claim 1, wherein the status information is conveyed by displaying a pattern on at least a portion of the electronically rewritable display.

8. The carrier of claim 7, wherein the pattern comprises a blinking pattern.

9. The carrier of claim 1, wherein the status information is conveyed by displaying text on at least a portion of electronically rewritable display.

10. The carrier of claim 9, wherein the text comprises instructions for the handling of the one or more patient sample tubes.

11. The carrier of claim 1, wherein the status information indicates a priority of the one or more patient sample tubes.

12. The carrier of claim 1, wherein the status information indicates an identity of at least one patient sample among the one or more patient sample tubes.

13. The carrier of claim 1, wherein the status information indicates a response to a query by an operator.

14. The carrier of claim 13, wherein at least a portion of the rewritable electronic display is made to appear different from a group of other carriers in response to the query.

15. The carrier of claim 1, wherein the rewritable electronic display comprises more than one region for displaying the status information.

16. The carrier of claim 1, wherein the carrier comprises one or more sensors for determining the presence of the one or more patient sample tubes.

17. A method for displaying status information of one or more patient sample tubes being transported in an in vitro diagnostics environment comprising the steps of:

determining the identity of the one of more patient sample tubes from identifying information affixed to the one or more patient sample tubes;

associating information pertaining to the one or more patient sample tubes with a carrier holding the one or more patient sample tubes;

receiving, by the carrier, status information pertaining to the one or more patient sample tubes; and

displaying the status information on an electronically rewritable surface of the carrier, the surface being configured receive the one or more patient sample tubes.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising the step of updating the electronically rewritable display to reflect one or more changes in the status information of the one or more patient sample tubes.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the one or more changes comprises an error condition pertaining to the one or more patient sample tubes.

20. The method of claim 17, wherein the step of associating information pertaining to the one or more patient sample tubes comprises reading a barcode on the one or more payloads to determine an identity of the patient sample tubes.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the step of associating information pertaining to the one or more patient sample tubes further comprises changing the display of the carrier to distinguish the carrier from a group of carriers and to instruct the operator to place the one or more patient sample tubes into the carrier.

22. The method of claim 20, wherein the step of associating information pertaining to the one or more patient sample tubes further comprises detecting the presence of a new patient sample tube in the carrier after the barcode has been read to determine that the new patient sample tube has been placed in the carrier.

23. The method of claim 17, further comprising the step of updating the electronically rewritable display to reflect the result of a query if the one or more patient sample tubes meets a criteria of the query.

24. A carrier for use in an in vitro diagnostics environment comprising:

an electronically rewriteable display configured to display status information, the electronically rewriteable display being disposed on at least one surface of the carrier that is configured to receive one or more patient sample tubes;

a processor configured to update the electronically rewriteable display; and

a wireless receiver configured to receive the status information for display, wherein the status information relates to the status of the one or more one or more patient sample tubes being carried by the carrier and is displayed in addition to any barcode label affixed to the one or more patient sample tubes.

25. The carrier of claim 24, wherein the electronically rewritable display is an electronic ink display.

26. The carrier of claim 24, wherein the display can be updated by temporary application of power to electrical contacts on the carrier.

27. The carrier of claim 24, wherein the electronically rewritable display is a non-volatile display.

28. The carrier of claim 24, wherein the status information is conveyed by displaying a color on at least a portion of the electronically rewritable display.

29. The carrier of claim 24, wherein the status information is conveyed by displaying a pattern on at least a portion of the electronically rewritable display.

30. The carrier of claim 29, wherein the pattern comprises a blinking pattern.

31. The carrier of claim 24, wherein the status information is conveyed by displaying text on at least a portion of electronically rewritable display.

32. The carrier of claim 31, wherein the text comprises instructions for the handling of the one or more patient sample tubes.

33. The carrier of claim 24, wherein the status information indicates a priority of the one or more patient sample tubes.

34. The carrier of claim 24, wherein the status information indicates an identity of at least one patient sample among the one or more patient sample tubes.

35. The carrier of claim 24, wherein the status information indicates a response to a query by an operator.

36. The carrier of claim 35, wherein at least a portion of the rewritable electronic display is made to appear different from a group of other carriers in response to the query.

37. The carrier of claim 24, wherein the rewritable electronic display comprises more than one region for displaying the status information.

38. The carrier of claim 24, wherein the carrier comprises one or more sensors for determining the presence of the one or more patient sample tubes.