Patent ID: 8315899
Filing Date: 2012-11-20
Classification: G01N,G06Q

Abstract:
1. A method of processing a plurality of biological samples in an apparatus, comprising: scheduling delivery of a reagent to a plurality of sample slides arranged in batches, via a robotic arm of the apparatus, according to a sequence of steps in a protocol, including: wherein the use time is a time when the robotic arm is in use by a step of a given protocol from among the plurality of protocols, and the free time is a time where duration of the step of the given protocol has not completed but the robotic arm is not in use by the given protocol, and use time violations occur where the robotic arm is required to be in use by two protocols from among the plurality of protocols at the same time, wherein the creating further comprises creating the schedule that contains interleaved blocks from each of the protocols by time shifting the blocks such that open time violations between the blocks are avoided, wherein an open time violation occurs when a gap between two blocks within the same protocol exceeds a predetermined maximum time indicated by a subsequent block among the two blocks.