Specimen container detection
First Claim
1. A system comprising:
- at least one image acquisition device configured to obtain one or more images of a sample container holder and a sample container in the sample container holder when positioned above the sample container holder, and wherein the sample container comprises a sample tube body and a sample tube cap including a tube cap indicator; and
an image analysis device comprising a processor, and coupled to the at least one image acquisition device and configured to analyze, by the processor, the one or more images of the sample container holder and the sample container in the sample container holder, to determine a status associated with the tube cap indicator of the sample tube cap,wherein the tube cap indicator is either (a) a centrifugation indicator providing a visual mark, which changes appearance during centrifugation according to a centrifugation time and force, or (b) an urgent sample indicator comprising a visual marker, which indicates that a sample in the sample container body is to be processed urgently or non-urgently.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
A system is disclosed. The system includes at least one image acquisition device configured to obtain one or more images of sample containers in a sample container holder. It also includes an image analysis device coupled to the at least one image acquisition device. The image analysis device is configured to analyze, by a processor, the one or more images of the sample containers in the sample container holder, to determine (a) a presence or absence of sample containers at sample container holder locations in the sample container holder, and (b) sample container characteristics of the sample containers in the sample container holder, wherein the sample container characteristics include one or more of cap color, cap shape, labels and markers associated with the sample containers, or one or more sample container holder characteristics.
328 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A system comprising:
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at least one image acquisition device configured to obtain one or more images of a sample container holder and a sample container in the sample container holder when positioned above the sample container holder, and wherein the sample container comprises a sample tube body and a sample tube cap including a tube cap indicator; and an image analysis device comprising a processor, and coupled to the at least one image acquisition device and configured to analyze, by the processor, the one or more images of the sample container holder and the sample container in the sample container holder, to determine a status associated with the tube cap indicator of the sample tube cap, wherein the tube cap indicator is either (a) a centrifugation indicator providing a visual mark, which changes appearance during centrifugation according to a centrifugation time and force, or (b) an urgent sample indicator comprising a visual marker, which indicates that a sample in the sample container body is to be processed urgently or non-urgently. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A method comprising:
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acquiring, by at least one image acquisition device, one or more images of a sample container holder and a sample container in the sample container holder, wherein the at least one image acquisition device is positioned above the sample container holder, and wherein the sample container comprises a sample tube body and a sample tube cap including a tube cap indicator; and analyzing, by a processor in an image analysis device, at least one image to determine a status of the tube cap indicator of the sample tube cap, wherein the tube cap indicator is either (a) a centrifugation indicator, providing a visual mark, which changes appearance during centrifugation according to a centrifugation time and force, or (b) an urgent sample indicator, providing a visual marker, which is indicates that a sample in the sample container body is to be processed urgently or non-urgently. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. A system comprising:
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at least one image acquisition device configured to obtain one or more images of a sample container in a sample container holder when positioned above the sample container in the sample container holder; and an image analysis device comprising a processor, and coupled to the at least one image acquisition device and configured to analyze, by the processor, the one or more images of the sample container in the sample container holder, to determine (a) a presence and a characteristic of the sample container holder, wherein the characteristic of sample container holder comprises a color or a shape of the sample container holder, or a label or marker associated with the sample container holder, and (b) a presence or absence, and a characteristic of the sample container in the sample container holder, wherein the characteristic of the sample container includes a color or shape of the sample container, or a label or marker associated with the sample container, wherein the determination of the presence or absence of the sample container in the sample container holder includes determining the presence or absence of the sample container in a recess of the sample container holder by analyzing a shape of the recess or a color of a portion of the sample container holder forming the recess. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20)
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Specification