Patent ID: 11940456
Assignee: BECTON, DICKINSON AND COMPANY
Field: Measurement (Instruments)
Classification: CPC G  B | IPC B  G

Claim 0:
1. An apparatus for biological sample preparation, preprocessing and/or diagnostic assay performed by one or more analyzers of the apparatus comprising:
a fiducial beacon within a workspace of an automated apparatus for biological sample preparation, preprocessing and/or diagnostic assay performed by one or more analyzers of the automated apparatus;
a robotic sample handler comprising a first motor and a second motor for moving the robotic sample handler in the workspace;
a sensor configured to generate a field detection signal when in a near vicinity of the fiducial beacon, the sensor adapted to couple with the robotic sample handler;
a controller, comprising at least one processor, the controller configured to operate the first and second motors to move the robotic sample handler in the workspace, the controller configured to move the robotic sample handler in the workspace in a search pattern, the search pattern comprising first movement along a first axis in a first direction, the search pattern further comprising a second movement along the first axis in a second direction, the second direction opposite the first direction;
the controller further configured with a sensing module to, during the search pattern, (a) receive, via the sensor, the field detection signal produced in a near vicinity of the fiducial beacon, and (b) to determine a first count on the first axis correlating with a location of a first detection of the fiducial beacon during the first movement, and (c) to determine a second count on the first axis correlating with a location of a second detection of the fiducial beacon during the second movement; and
the controller further configured with a position calculating module to calculate a third count on the first axis based on the first count and the second count, the third count correlating with a location of the fiducial beacon on the first axis.