Abstract:
In one embodiment, a method of using a biosample storage cartridge includes performing bioanalysis on one or more biosamples in one or more biosample plates in a holder of a biosample storage cartridge, the biosample storage cartridge having an enclosure having a same form factor as a data tape cartridge that is configured for use in an automated tape library, the holder being disposed in the enclosure, wherein the holder comprises a plurality of slots, each slot being configured to receive a biosample plate. In another embodiment, a computer program product for using a biosample storage cartridge, the computer program product including a computer readable storage medium having program instructions embodied therewith, the program instructions executable by an analytical system to cause the analytical system to perform the foregoing method.

Description:
BACKGROUND 
       [0001]    Embodiments of the invention relate to analytical devices and systems, and more particularly, to a cartridge having internal slots for storing biosample plates wherein the cartridge may be stored in the cartridge storage slots of tape library systems and handled by the robotic mechanisms of the tape library systems. 
         [0002]    Samples of biological matters are often analyzed in bio-assay processes to detect the presence of bacteria, viruses, cancer cells, and other substances of interest. The biological samples are typically placed on biosample plates to be analyzed by a biological detection instrument. The detection instrument may record the analysis results of a biosample on a data storage medium such as a computer memory, disk drive, magnetic tape, or compact disk, which may include an identification tag to correlate the biosample with the analysis results. 
         [0003]    High-performance computer data storage systems such as optical disc and magnetic tape libraries possess the automation to facilitate the scanning and analysis of biosamples, and to tabulate the resulting analysis data. For example, these systems may analyze the biosamples using magnetic tape read heads to detect magnetized nanoparticles attached to the biosamples. The biosamples and analysis data may be stored in different locations following the analysis, which make it difficult to correlate the biosamples with the corresponding data when needed. For a large number of biosamples and biosample plates, the task of correlating the biosamples to their data becomes even more complex. It is desirable to exploit the use of automation functions available in computer tape library systems to facilitate the correlation and management of biosample plates and biosample analysis data. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0004]    The disclosure relates to a biosample storage cartridge, as well as methods and computer program products configured for the use thereof. 
         [0005]    In one embodiment, a method of using a biosample storage cartridge includes performing bioanalysis on one or more biosamples in one or more biosample plates in a holder of a biosample storage cartridge, the biosample storage cartridge having an enclosure having a same form factor as a data tape cartridge that is configured for use in an automated tape library, the holder being disposed in the enclosure, wherein the holder comprises a plurality of slots, each slot being configured to receive a biosample plate. 
         [0006]    In another embodiment, a computer program product for using a biosample storage cartridge, the computer program product including a computer readable storage medium having program instructions embodied therewith, the program instructions executable by an analytical system to cause the analytical system to perform the foregoing method. 
         [0007]    The details of the exemplary embodiments of the disclosure, both as to its structure and operation, are described below in the Detailed Description section in reference to the accompanying drawings. The Brief Summary is intended to identify key features of the claimed subject matter, but it is not intended to be used to limit the scope of the claimed subject matter. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0008]      FIG. 1  illustrates an exemplary cartridge for storing biosample plates, in accordance with an embodiment of the invention. 
           [0009]      FIG. 2  illustrates a biosample storage cartridge with its cover opened to show the storage slots for holding biosample plates in the cartridge, in accordance with an embodiment of the invention. 
           [0010]      FIG. 3  illustrates a cross-sectional side view of a biosample plate storage cartridge with the slots for holding biosample plates, in accordance with an embodiment of the invention. 
           [0011]      FIG. 4  illustrates a block diagram of a memory component and a wireless communication interface, which may be part of a biosample plate storage cartridge, for storing and transferring information related to the cartridge, in accordance with an embodiment of the invention. 
           [0012]      FIG. 5  illustrates an automated data storage tape library that may be used with the disclosed biosample plate storage cartridge, in accordance with an embodiment of the invention. 
           [0013]      FIG. 6  illustrates a block diagram of the functional components in a data storage tape drive that may be used for analyzing a biosample and storing biosample identification and analysis data, in accordance with an embodiment of the invention. 
           [0014]      FIG. 7  illustrates a block diagram of the functional components in a computer, which may be incorporated into a data storage tape library and a cartridge memory to provide control and processing functions, in accordance with an embodiment of the invention. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0015]    Embodiments of the disclosure relate to biosample cartridges that include internal storage slots for holding biosample plates that may be scanned, analyzed, and handled by a computer tape drive and stored in the cartridge storage slots of an automated tape library. The biosample plates may contain biological samples that are written to by electromagnetic tape heads. They may then be scanned and read from by anisotropic magneto-resistive (AMR), giant magnetoresistive (GMR) or tunnel magnetoresistive (TMR) read elements to detect the presence of target substances or micro-organisms in the biological samples. The biosample plates may have a width of 12.65 mm (½ inch), which is the width of commonly used magnetic data tapes. The biosample plate storage cartridge may have the same form factor as data tape cartridges used in automated data storage libraries and thus may be conveniently accessed, manipulated, and processed by robotic mechanisms in these libraries. The biosample cartridge may be handled through the same library internal-external mail slot as a tape cartridge. The same tape automation mechanisms and processes used in modern tape libraries may be used for long-term biological-archival storage of the biosamples contained in the biosample cartridge. 
         [0016]    The biosample storage cartridge may include a plate holder to retain a plurality of biosample plates in the cartridge when the cartridge is moved, for example by a robotic picker in a tape library, as well as when the cartridge is in storage. The plate holder may have a plurality of parallel storage slots for receiving the biosample plates, which may be in the form of thin strips of glass or a similar material. The biosample plate storage cartridge is described in detail below with reference to  FIGS. 1-3 . 
         [0017]    Referring to the drawings and in particular to  FIG. 1 , there is illustrated an exemplary biosample plate storage cartridge  100  in which a plurality of slots may be provided to hold the biosample plates. The biosample plate storage cartridge  100  comprises an enclosure  101 , which may include one or more parts. The cartridge  100  may have a movable side door  102  that can be slid open, for example by a tape drive, to gain access to the interior space of the cartridge  100 . The tape dive may be adapted to perform biosample analysis. In one embodiment, the biosample plate storage cartridge  100  may comprise a top shell  101 A and a bottom shell  101 B wherein the top shell  101 A is removably affixed to the bottom shell  101 B by screws or other fasteners. Alternatively, the biosample plate storage cartridge  100  may have a front, top, or rear door that is movable to provide access to the interior space of the cartridge. 
         [0018]    The biosample plate storage cartridge  100  may have the same size and exterior configuration as a magnetic tape storage cartridge based on LTO (Linear Tape Open) technology, the IBM TS1130 magnetic tape data storage cartridge, or the Oracle T10000 tape cartridge. In an alternate embodiment, older IBM single-reel tape cartridges could be used, such as the 3480, 3490, and 3590 tape cartridges. In a data storage cartridge, a data storage media such as a magnetic tape, may be mounted on a tape reel and occupy the space inside the biosample storage cartridge  100  rather than the biosample plates. Such a tape data storage cartridge may comprise a cartridge brake release button to allow the tape reel to freely rotate once the cartridge is loaded into a data storage drive. 
         [0019]    The biosample plate storage cartridge  100  may further include one or more cartridge memories  103  for storing identification information about the biosample storage cartridge  100 , data related to the biosample plates, and analysis data associated with the biosamples stored in the biosample storage cartridge  100 . Each cartridge memory  103  may comprise a transponder having a wireless interface, which is retained in the cartridge  100 , for example, by being encapsulated by the cartridge when it is assembled. The encapsulation process is understood by those of skill in the art as applied to a single cartridge memory. 
         [0020]      FIG. 2  illustrates a biosample plate storage cartridge  200  with its cover removed to show the storage slots for holding biosample plates, in accordance with an embodiment of the invention. The biosample storage cartridge  200  comprises a plate holder  204  for holding a plurality of biosample plates  205 . The plate holder  204  may be an integral part of the biosample storage cartridge  200  or a separate part that is attached to the data storage cartridge  200  by fasteners or adhesive. The plate holder  204  may comprise a plurality of parallel slots  206  to hold the biosample plates  205  in place and prevent the biosample plates  205  from separating from the plate holder  204  when the storage cartridge  200  is being moved. Movable door  202  is shown at the bottom corner of the cartridge  200 . 
         [0021]    In one embodiment, the width of the slots  206  is slightly larger than the thickness of the biosample plates  205  to snugly accommodate the biosample plates  205  and firmly retain the biosample plates  205  in the slots  206  by friction. In one embodiment, the biosample plates  205  may have a thickness of 1.0 mm and the width of the slots  206  is slightly larger than the thickness of the biosample plates. For example, for a thickness of 1.0 mm for the biosample plates, the width of the slots may be in the range of 1.05-1.2 mm. In an alternate embodiment, the material containing slots  206  is elastic, such as a polymer or elastomer, and the width of slots  206  is slightly smaller, ranging from 0.90 mm to 1.0 mm. 
         [0022]    The biosample plate storage cartridge  200  may include one or more cartridge memory  203  for storing data related to the biosample cartridge  200 , for example, the identification of the biological samples, biosample plates, analysis data on the biological samples, and relevant dates such as creation dates and analysis dates. The cartridge memory  203  may be in communication with a wireless communication interface to send information to and receive information from a remote transceiver, for example, in a tape library system that handles the biosample plate storage cartridge  200 . 
         [0023]    Although  FIGS. 1-2  illustrate a biosample plate storage cartridge that has the same form factor as a single reel magnetic tape cartridge, the biosample storage cartridge may have the same form factor as a dual reel cartridge, such as the IBM 3570 cartridge. In a dual reel cartridge, the magnetic tape is fed between the two reels of the cartridge. Such a biosample plate storage cartridge may comprise a biosample plate holder  204  in the space occupied by the two tape reels, as similarly described with reference to  FIGS. 1-2 . 
         [0024]      FIG. 3  illustrates a cross-sectional side view of a biosample plate storage cartridge  300  with storage slots for holding the biosample plates  305 , in accordance with an embodiment of the invention. The biosample plates  305  are retained by the slots in the biosample storage cartridge  300  as described with reference to  FIGS. 1-2 . Cartridge memory  303  is shown at a generally 45 degree angle, so that the memory may be wirelessly accessed by either the robotic picker in the automated library or the tape drive modified to perform bio-analysis. 
         [0025]      FIG. 4  illustrates a block diagram of the functional components of a memory component  403  and a wireless communication interface  407 , which may be part of a biosample storage cartridge  100 , such as cartridge memories  103 ,  203 , and/or  303 . The memory component  403  may store information about the biosample cartridge, biosample plates in the cartridge, and biosamples on the biosample plates. The memory component  403  may comprise a nonvolatile memory  409 , such as an electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM), a phase-change memory, flash memory, NOR memory, or a NAND memory arranged to operate in a low power environment. Memory component  403  also may comprise memory processor  408 , such as logic or a microprocessor chip, for example, an Intel Pentium™ chip arranged to operate in a low power environment, such as a portable computer. 
         [0026]    The memory processor  408  may have computer readable program code embodied therein, including suitable security and encryption/decryption algorithms, and the logic for accessing and operating the memory component  403 . The memory component  403  may comprise a nonvolatile storage  409 , as is known to those of skill in the art. The nonvolatile storage  409  may comprise a separate chip attached to the logic or memory processor  408 , or may comprise a portion of the same chip. The computer readable program code may be stored in a nonvolatile internal memory of the processor  408  or in the nonvolatile memory  409 , and loaded into the processor  408 . Alternatively, the memory component  403  may be operated by a control system or processor of an analytical system that uses the biosample storage cartridge  100 . 
         [0027]    In the illustrated embodiment, the wireless communication interface  407  may be a radio frequency (RF) wireless interface. An example of an RF wireless interface is described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,941,201. A high frequency inductive wireless interface may also be employed, which is of sufficiently high frequency so that it does not adversely affect magnetic storage media that may be present in a tape library system that handles the biosample storage cartridge. Examples of high frequency inductive wireless interfaces are described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,650,981, U.S. Pat. No. 4,758,836, and U.S. Pat. No. 3,859,624. 
         [0028]    The wireless communication interface  407  includes an antenna  410  for receiving an RF signal from an RF interface of either a tape drive modified to perform bio-analysis or a robotic picker that moves the biosample plate storage cartridge  300  in a tape library system. The antenna  410  may be positioned at an angle in the range of 30-60 degrees for optimal reception of the RF signal, e.g., at 45 degrees as shown for the cartridge memory  303  of  FIG. 3 . The antenna  410  may be a quarter wave antenna, a fractal antenna, or the inductor of an inductor-capacitor oscillator. A coupler  411  supplies the received signal to a power conversion circuit  412  and to a data demodulator  413 . The power conversion circuit  412  converts the received signal to a power current, supplying the current on line  415  to all devices on the biosample storage cartridge  300 , including the memory component  404 , the data demodulator  413 , and a data modulator  414 . The received signal from antenna  410  may be encoded. The data demodulator  413  receives the incoming coded signal from coupler  411  and demodulates the signal to provide data signals to the memory component  404  and for writing to memory  409 . Data signals being read from memory  409  and memory component  404  are provided to the data modulator  414  which encodes the signals for transmission by coupler  411  and antenna  410  to an RF interface, which may be in either the robotic picker of the tape library system that handles the biosample plate storage cartridge  300  or in the tape drive modified to perform bio-analysis. 
         [0029]      FIG. 5  illustrates an automated data storage tape library  500  that may be used with the biosample plate storage cartridge shown in  FIGS. 1-4 , in accordance with an embodiment of the invention. The data storage tape library  500  is an automated tape library that may include a number of tape drives  510  for reading and writing data on magnetic tape media, such as single-reel or two-reel magnetic tape cartridges. Examples of the library  500  include IBM TS3400™ and TS3500™ Tape Libraries. IBM TotalStorage™ 3494 Tape Libraries, and IBM 3952™ Tape Frames Model C20, which store magnetic tape cartridges and use IBM TS1130™ tape drives. Other examples of the library  500  include IBM TS3310™ and TS3100/3200™ tape libraries which store magnetic tape cartridges and use IBM LTO (Linear Tape Open) tape drives. Tape drives modified to perform bio-analysis accept cartridge  100 ,  200 ,  300  from the robotic picker, withdraw a biosample plate through door  202  of cartridge  200 , and perform the bio-analysis. 
         [0030]    A plurality of cartridges  520  are stored in banks or groups of cartridge storage slots  521 . Cartridges  520  may comprise tape media for data storage, tape substrate for biosamples, or biosample plates  205  and  305  for bio-analysis. Tape media may encompass a variety of media, such as that contained in magnetic tape cartridges, magnetic tape cassettes, and optical tape cartridges, in various formats. For universal reference to any of these types of media, the terms “tape media” or “media” are used herein, and any of these types of containers are referred to as “tape cartridges” or “cartridges” herein. An access robot  523 , including a cartridge picker  522  and a bar code reader  524  mounted on the cartridge picker  522 , transports a selected cartridge  520  between a cartridge storage slot  521  and a drive  510 . Bar code reader  524  is mounted directly on picker  522  so that the library  500  can check the bar code on cartridge  520  before picking the cartridge and transporting it to a drive  510 , storage slot  521 , or import/export mail slot  526 . 
         [0031]    The automated tape library  500  further has a library controller  525  which includes at least one microprocessor. The library controller  525  may serve to provide an inventory of the cartridges  520  and to control the library  500 . Typically, the library controller  525  has suitable memory and data storage capability to control the operation of the library  500 . The library controller  525  controls the actions of the access robot  523 , cartridge picker  522 , and bar code reader  524 . Barcode reader  524  may read a barcode from cartridge  100 ,  200 , or  300 . The library controller  525  is interconnected through an interface to one or more host processors, which provides commands requesting access to a particular biosample plate, a tape media, or a cartridge in particular storage slots. A host, either directly or through the library controller, controls the actions of the drives  510  which either perform data  10  with tape media or, if suitably modified, perform bio-analysis on the biosamples stored on plates  205  and  305 . Commands for accessing data or locations on the tape media and biosample plates, and information to be recorded on or to be read from selected tape media and biosample plates, are transmitted between the drives  510  and the host. The library controller  525  is typically provided with a database for locating the cartridges  520  in the appropriate storage slots  521  and for maintaining the cartridge inventory. 
         [0032]    Library  500  also includes an import/export mail slot  526 , which is a portal allowing cartridges  520  to be entered into or removed from library  500 . Since cartridges  520  have a generally identical exterior dimensions regardless of whether they hold data tape or biosample plates, cartridges  520  may enter library  500  through import/export mail slot  526 , picked up by picker  522  and transported to either cartridge-storage slot  521  or drives  510 . Drives  510  would have a common cartridge loader mechanism, whether the drive is a data drive or a bio-analysis drive, because of cartridges  520  having identical exterior dimensions. Similarly picker  522  may pick cartridge  520  from a drive  510  or cartridge-storage slot  521  and place it in import/export mail slot  526  for removal from library  500 . In an alternate embodiment, biosample cartridges  520  are a different color from cartridges containing digital data, as well as containing information regarding their intended purpose in memories  103 ,  203 , and  303 . 
         [0033]      FIG. 6  illustrates a block diagram of the functional components in a tape drive that may be used for analyzing a biosample and storing biosample identification and analysis data, in accordance with an embodiment of the invention. The magnetic tape drive  600  comprises a memory interface  631  for reading information from and writing information to one or more of the cartridge memory  632  of the magnetic tape cartridge  633 , for example, in a contactless manner. 
         [0034]    A read/write system is provided for reading and writing information to the data storage media, such as magnetic tape, or nanoparticles on the biosample plates  205  and  305 , and may comprise a read/write head  634  with a servo system for moving the head laterally of the magnetic tape  635  or a biosample plate (not shown in  FIG. 6 ). The servo system may comprise a read/write and servo control  636  and a drive motor system  637  which moves the magnetic tape  635  between the cartridge reel  638  and the take up reel  639  and across the read/write head  634 . The read/write and servo control  636  controls the operation of the drive motor system  637  to move the magnetic tape  635  across the read/write head  634  at a desired velocity. The read/write and servo control  636  may determine the location of the read/write head  634  with respect to the magnetic tape  635 . 
         [0035]    In one example, the read/write head  634  and read/write and servo control  636  employ servo signals on the magnetic tape  635  to determine the location of the read/write head  634 , and in another example, the read/write and servo control  636  employs at least one of the reels, such as by means of a tachometer, to determine the location of the read/write head  634  with respect to the magnetic tape  635 . The read/write head  634  and read/write and servo control  636  may comprise hardware elements and may comprise any suitable form of logic, including a processor operated by software, or microcode, or firmware, or may comprise hardware logic, or a combination. In an alternate embodiment, tape  635  is simply a flexible substrate, such as a MYLAR™ substrate, and biosamples are stored directly on this substrate and wound around reel  638  in cartridge  633 . 
         [0036]    A control system  640  communicates with the memory interface  631 , and communicates with the read/write system, e.g., at read/write and servo control  636 . The control system  640  may comprise any suitable form of logic, including a processor operated by software, or microcode, or firmware, or may comprise hardware logic, or a combination thereof. The control system  640  typically communicates with one or more host systems  641 , and operates the data storage drive  600  in accordance with commands originating at a host. Alternatively, the data storage drive  600  may form part of a subsystem, such as a library, and may also receive and respond to commands from the subsystem. 
         [0037]    As illustrated, the data storage drive  600  provides information to a cartridge memory  632  of the magnetic tape cartridge  633 , and provides data to the magnetic tape  635  of the magnetic tape cartridge  633 . 
         [0038]    In one embodiment, the data storage tape drive  600  may function as an analytical system for scanning the biosample plates  205 ,  305  and analyzing biological samples deposited on the biosample plates  205 ,  305  to detect the presence of target antigens or substances. The magneto-resistive (MR) heads of the read/write head  634  in data storage drive  600  may act as the scanners for reading data from the biosamples. Write heads of read/write head  634  may magnetize nanoparticles used to tag the biosamples which are subsequently read or detected by the MR heads. For example, an MR read/write head  634  may be used to detect micro-organisms and antigens that are attached to magnetized nanoparticles. 
         [0039]    An MR read-write head may scan a large number of biosamples deposited on a magnetic tape media as the MR read-write head traverses the tape media a high speed. The tape drive electronics may then process the signals from the read-write MR head to detect the presence of target micro-organisms or antigens in the biosamples. Such as bio-assay process is described, for example, in the commonly-assigned US patent application entitled “Detection Of Analytes Via Nanoparticle-Labeled Substances With Electromagnetic Read-Write Heads”, Ser. No. 12/888,388, herein incorporated by reference in its entirety. 
         [0040]      FIG. 7  illustrates a block diagram of a representative computer system, some of which may be incorporated in a data storage tape library and a cartridge memory to provide control and processing function, for providing aspects of the disclosure. Data processing system  700  includes a processor  701 , a memory  702 , a persistent storage  703 , a communication interface  704 , an input/output unit  705 , a display  706  and a system bus  707 . Computer programs are typically stored in persistent storage  703  until they are needed for execution by an operating system running in memory  702 . Persistent storage  703  may comprise one or more hard disk drives and multiple hard disk drives may be organized into a RAID, CD (Compact Disk) drives. DVD (Digital Versatile Disk) drives. BD (Blu-Ray) drives, SSD (Solid State Drives), and solid state memory. At that time, the programs are brought into the memory  702  so that they can be directly accessed by the processor  701 . The processor  701  selects a part of memory  702  to read and/or write by using an address that the processor  701  gives to memory  702  along with a request to read and/or write. Usually, the reading and interpretation of an encoded instruction at an address causes the processor  701  to fetch a subsequent instruction, either at a subsequent address or some other address. The processor  701 , memory  702 , persistent storage  703 , communication interface  704 , input/output unit  705 , and display  706  interface with each other through the system bus  707 . 
         [0041]    The subject matter described above is provided by way of illustration only and should not be construed as limiting. Various modifications and substitutions of the described components and operations can be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the present disclosure defined in the following claims, the scope of which is to be accorded the broadest interpretation so as to encompass such modifications and equivalent structures.