Patent ID: 6141602
Filing Date: 2000-10-31
Classification: G01N

Abstract:
A specimen processing system comprising a specimen carrier carrying specimen containers each being capable of containing specimen, a transportation line for transportating the specimen carrier and a plurality of specimen processing devices arranged along the transportation line, further comprisingspecimen tags each attached on the outer wall of the respective specimen containers and including a code representing specimen number and a group code representing one of grouped combinations of processing items performed by at least one of the plurality of specimen processing devices for the specimen contained in the concerned specimen container;identifiably coded carrier tags each formed on the specimen carrier;a specimen tag reader for reading the specimen tags prior to transporting the specimen carrier toward the plurality of specimen processing devices;a first carrier tag reader for reading the carrier tag prior to transporting the specimen carrier toward the plurality of specimen processing devices;second carrier tag readers arranged for each of the plurality of specimen processing devices;processing device controllers each forming a pair with each of the respective specimen processing devices and for receiving information read from the concerned second carrier tag reader; andan information managing and controlling unit which registers corresponding relationship between the carrier tag and the group code for individual specimen carriers based on the read results of the specimen tags by the specimen tag reader and of the carrier tags by the first carrier tag reader, wherein each of the processing device controllers receives the registered corresponding relationship from the information managing and controlling unit and manages the carrier tag relating to the specimen processing device which forms a pair with the concerned processing device controller.