Patent ID: 9140713
Filing Date: 2015-09-22
Classification: B01L,B04B,G01N,Y10T

Abstract:
1. An automated sample workcell for processing one or more biological samples, the automated sample workcell comprising: a sample input station for receiving the one or more biological samples, wherein each biological sample of the one or more biological samples is contained in a sample tube and each sample tube has a tube type; an instrument manager (IM) module for receiving test orders for the one or more biological samples and for determining whether a test order was received for the one or more biological samples; and a tube type detector for determining the tube type of the sample tube containing the biological samples, wherein if the test order was received for the one or more biological samples by the instrument manager, the test order specifies one or more first processing steps for the at least one of the biological samples for which a test order was received by the instrument manager and the automated sample workcell automatically executes the one or more first processing steps on the at least one of the biological samples for which a test order was received, and wherein if the test order was not received for the one or more biological samples by the instrument manager, the automated sample workcell automatically determines one or more second processing steps for the at least one of the biological samples for which a test order was not received based on the tube type of the sample tube that contains the at least one of the biological samples detected by the tube type detector and executes the one or more second processing steps on the at least one of the biological samples for which the test order was not received without delay until the test order is received.