Patent ID: 9027730
Filing Date: 2015-05-12
Classification: G01N

Abstract:
1. A method of handling a priority microplate in a microplate handling system, the method comprising: (a) placing the priority microplate in a priority microplate storage unit of the microplate handling system; (b) transporting a first non-priority microplate from a microplate processing area of the microplate handling system to a non-priority microplate holding area of the microplate handling system using a microplate transport mechanism of the microplate handling system; (c) placing the first non-priority microplate onto a non-priority microplate holding component disposed in the non-priority microplate holding area using the microplate transport mechanism; (d) transporting the priority microplate from the priority microplate storage unit to the microplate processing area using the microplate transport mechanism; (e) transferring material to and/or from one or more selected wells of the priority microplate using a material transfer component of the microplate handling system, and; (f) transporting the priority microplate from the microplate processing area to a second non-priority microplate storage unit of the microplate handling system or to the priority microplate storage unit using the microplate transport mechanism, thereby handling the priority microplate in the microplate handling system.