Method of operating a laboratory sample distribution system, laboratory sample distribution system and laboratory automation system

US11092613B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• Roche Diagnostics Operations, Inc. · US

Inventors

• Mohammadreza Mahmudimanesh · Waiblingen, DE
• Sophia Bruntsch · Stuttgart, DE
• Soraya Garcia Bustos · Stuttgart, DE
• Walter B. Ebner · Warminster, US
• Shubin Ren · Beijing, CN
• Mohsin Reza · Stuttgart, DE
• Daniel Diez Diaz-Calonge · Stuttgart, DE

Key dates

• Filing date: Nov 10, 2017
• Grant date: Aug 17, 2021
• Expiry date: Oct 9, 2038

Classification

• Technology area (CPC G): Physics
• CPC primary: G01N2035/0462
• WIPO field: Measurement
• WIPO sector: Instruments

Abstract

A method of operating a laboratory sample distribution system is presented. The laboratory sample distribution system comprises a number of sample container carriers. The sample container carriers are adapted to carry one or more sample containers. The sample containers comprise samples to be analyzed by a number of laboratory stations. The laboratory sample distribution system also comprises a transport plane. The transport plane is adapted to support the sample container carriers. The method comprises allocating an area of the transport plane as a buffer area. The buffer area is adapted to store a variable number of sample container carriers. The method also comprises controlling the buffer area using a puzzle-based control scheme or using an aisle-based control scheme as a function of a storage density of the buffer area.