Patent Description:
Examination of tissue samples generally involves harvesting tissue from a patient. The tissue may be subsequently sliced into a block and transferred to a tissue cassette. The tissue block may be processed in the cassette, e.g., to replace water in the tissue with wax to facilitate subsequent sectioning. Sections of the tissue block can be mounted on a slide for examination. In some cases, a control tissue section and a patient tissue section can be mounted on a same slide for interrogation of qualitative parameters like morphology, presence or absence of a biological response, expression level of a biological response, or a location of a biological response. The control tissue section may have a known biological response to downstream processes, e.g., may have known biomarkers, and can validate the efficacy of downstream processes directed to the patient tissue section. Information corresponding to the control tissue section and the patient tissue section may be handwritten on different surfaces, e.g., a front and back, of the slide to provide traceability of the tissue samples.

<CIT> describes a microscope slide coverslip comprising a glass or plastic plate having one or more indicia thereon which can be used to uniquely or nonuniquely identify the microscope slide coverslip or the microscope slide to which the microscope slide coverslip is attached.

<CIT> describes printing on a microscope slide label information from a Laboratory Information System (LIS) barcode and a proprietary barcode pertaining to a single sample on a slide.

The barcodes encode information about each of the respective tissue samples. For example, the first barcode can encode information about a tissue type of the control tissue specimen, and the second barcode can encode information about a tissue type of the patient tissue specimen. The barcodes can have different configurations to allow downstream equipment to distinguish between the first barcode and the second barcode. For example, the first barcode can be a one-dimensional barcode and the second barcode can be a two-dimensional barcode.

The specimen slide having differently configured barcodes that encode information for different tissue samples can improve traceability of the tissue samples and can reduce the likelihood that the control tissue specimen is not properly matched to the patient tissue specimen. The downstream equipment can include one or more barcode readers capable of reading the first barcode, e.g., the one-dimensional barcode, and/or the second barcode, e.g., the two-dimensional barcode. When the barcode reader(s) scan the one-dimensional barcode, the equipment can identify the encoded information as corresponding to the control tissue specimen. By contrast, when the barcode reader(s) scan the two-dimensional barcode, the equipment can identify the encoded information as corresponding to the patient tissue specimen. Accordingly, the equipment can determine the tissue type of the control tissue specimen prior to printing the second barcode and/or mounting a biologically similar patient tissue specimen having the same tissue type.

Embodiments describe a specimen slide for holding specimens, and a method of loading specimens on the specimen slide. The specimen slide may be used to hold tissue specimens for tissue examination, as described below. The specimen slide, however, may be used in other applications, such as for holding cell lines or other biological materials for examination.

In various embodiments, description is made with reference to the figures. However, certain embodiments may be practiced without one or more of these specific details, or in combination with other known methods and configurations. In the following description, numerous specific details are set forth, such as specific configurations, dimensions, and processes, in order to provide a thorough understanding of the embodiments. In other instances, well-known processes and manufacturing techniques have not been described in particular detail in order to not unnecessarily obscure the description. Reference throughout this specification to "one embodiment," "an embodiment," or the like, means that a particular feature, structure, configuration, or characteristic described is included in at least one embodiment. Thus, the appearance of the phrase "one embodiment," "an embodiment," or the like, in various places throughout this specification are not necessarily referring to the same embodiment. Furthermore, the particular features, structures, configurations, or characteristics may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments.

The use of relative terms throughout the description may denote a relative position or direction. For example, "front surface" may indicate a first surface on a first side of a specimen slide. Similarly, "back surface" may indicate a second surface on a second side of the specimen slide, opposite of the first surface. Such terms are provided to establish relative frames of reference, however, and are not intended to limit the use or orientation of a specimen slide to a specific configuration described in the various embodiments below.

Currently, when several tissue samples are loaded onto a same slide for examination, information corresponding to the samples is handwritten onto the slide with a pencil. The slides are space-limited, however, and to fit the information the manual entry process requires that the information corresponding to each tissue sample be written on different surfaces of the slide. For example, information corresponding to a control tissue section is written on a front surface of the slide, and information corresponding to a patient tissue section is written on a back surface of the slide. The manual entry process limits an amount of information that can be included on the slide. The handwritten information is not machine readable, and thus, downstream processes cannot be automated based on the information. Also, the pencil-written information can be smeared or erased during loading of the tissue specimens or downstream handling.

A specimen slide can hold several tissue specimens, and may include several barcodes corresponding to respective specimens. The specimen slide has a specimen area including a control specimen subarea to hold a control tissue specimen, and a patient specimen subarea to hold a patient tissue specimen. The specimen slide has a printing area including a first printing subarea corresponding to the control specimen subarea, and a second printing subarea corresponding to the patient specimen subarea. The specimen area and the printing area are on a same side of the specimen slide, e.g., a front surface. The printing area can include two machine readable barcodes indelibly printed and corresponding to respective tissue specimens. Each barcode has a different configuration to allow a downstream barcode scanning process to determine a correspondence between the barcode and the matching specimen. For example, a first barcode can be a one-dimensional barcode corresponding to the control tissue specimen, and a second barcode can be a two-dimensional barcode corresponding to the patient tissue specimen. Accordingly, the specimen slide can allow for automation of downstream processes by making information for several specimens readable from a same surface. The barcodes can encode more information per unit area than is possible by handwriting. Also, the printed barcodes can be resistant to smearing or erasure to provide robust traceability of the tissue specimens.

Referring to <FIG>, a perspective view of a slide printer is shown in accordance with an embodiment. A slide printer <NUM> may be used to print information on a specimen slide. Slide printer <NUM> can include a printer head, e.g., an inkjet, thermal, or laser printer head, to print on a surface of the specimen slide. The printer head may use positive or negative printing techniques (adding or removing material from the surface) to mark the specimen slide. In an embodiment, the slide printer <NUM> includes a receiving slot <NUM> in a housing <NUM> to receive the specimen slide. A user may insert a printing area of the specimen slide into receiving slot <NUM> to be printed by the printer head within housing <NUM>. The printer head may print directly on the printing area. For example, the printer head may print high-resolution one-dimensional or two-dimensional barcodes on the printing area.

Slide printer <NUM> may include a barcode reader (not shown) within housing <NUM>, or external to housing <NUM>. For example, the barcode reader may be a peripheral input device connected to a computer system <NUM>. The barcode reader can include a light source and a light sensor to read barcodes printed on the specimen slide. In an embodiment, the barcode reader can read barcodes having different configurations. For example, the barcode reader can read one-dimensional and two-dimensional barcodes. Similarly, the barcode reader may read barcodes of a same type, e.g., two-dimensional barcodes, that are oriented differently on the specimen slide. Slide printer <NUM> may include several barcode readers configured to read respective barcodes, e.g., different barcode types, printed on the specimen slide.

Slide printer <NUM> may include slide handling components. In an embodiment, slide printer <NUM> includes a slide actuator (not shown) to receive and eject the specimen slide at receiving slot <NUM>. The slide actuator may be a pulley system, a robotic gripper, etc., which may grasp and retract the specimen slide into housing <NUM>, or may eject the specimen slide from receiving slot <NUM>.

Slide printer <NUM> may include a standalone computer system within housing <NUM>. The computer system can have a processing system, e.g., a processor, to control the slide printer <NUM> components to perform the methods described below. Alternatively, slide printer <NUM> may be controlled by a connected computer system <NUM>, e.g., a desktop computer, to control the printing process.

Referring to <FIG>, a perspective view of a specimen slide is shown in accordance with an embodiment. A specimen slide <NUM> can be a thin strip of material, e.g., glass, plastic, or any other suitable material, having a front surface <NUM> to receive one or more tissue specimens <NUM>. Specimen slide <NUM> includes a specimen area <NUM> on front surface <NUM>, and subareas of specimen area <NUM> are predetermined locations for mounting a control tissue specimen or a patient tissue specimen, as described below. Specimen slide <NUM> can have a rectangular profile, or a different profile shape. In an embodiment, a width and length of specimen slide <NUM> are both greater than a thickness of the slide.

Specimen slide <NUM> includes a printing area <NUM> for printing one or more barcodes <NUM> on front surface <NUM>. Printing area <NUM> may be separated from specimen area <NUM> by a divider <NUM>. Divider <NUM> may be a datum located between a first end <NUM> of specimen slide <NUM> and an opposite second end <NUM> of specimen slide <NUM>. Divider <NUM> can be a datum visually designating a transition between printing area <NUM> and specimen area <NUM>. Divider <NUM> may, but need not be, a transverse dividing line extending parallel to the slide edges at first end <NUM> and second end <NUM>, and between lateral side edges of the slide. In an embodiment, divider <NUM> is a transition between a frosted area of specimen slide <NUM> and a non-frosted area of specimen slide <NUM>. For example, printing area <NUM> may be an etched and visually opaque or translucent (frosted) portion of front surface <NUM>, and specimen area <NUM> may be a smooth and visually transparent (non-frosted) portion of front surface <NUM>. The boundary between the frosted and non-frosted portions can be recognized as divider <NUM>.

Referring to <FIG>, a plan view of a specimen slide is shown in accordance with an embodiment. Specimen area <NUM> and printing area <NUM> of front surface <NUM> can be further subdivided into control and patient subareas. Specimen area <NUM> includes a control specimen subarea <NUM> to hold a control tissue specimen <NUM>, and a patient specimen subarea <NUM> to hold a patient tissue specimen <NUM>. Control tissue specimen <NUM> is mounted on control specimen subarea <NUM>, and patient tissue specimen <NUM> is mounted on patient specimen subarea <NUM>. In an embodiment, control specimen subarea <NUM> can have a smaller surface area than patient specimen subarea <NUM>. For example, control specimen subarea <NUM> may have a rectangular subarea that is less than two thirds of a rectangular surface area of patient specimen subarea <NUM>.

In an embodiment, control specimen subarea <NUM> is between patient specimen subarea <NUM> and printing area <NUM>. Placement of control specimen subarea <NUM> nearer to first end <NUM> of specimen slide <NUM> can allow control tissue specimen <NUM> to be undisturbed during placement of patient tissue specimen <NUM>. More particularly, control tissue specimen <NUM> may be mounted on control specimen subarea <NUM> before mounting patient tissue specimen <NUM> on patient specimen subarea <NUM>. Second end <NUM> of specimen slide <NUM> may be lowered into a water bath to mount patient tissue specimen <NUM>, and thus, locating patient specimen subarea <NUM> between second end <NUM> and control specimen subarea <NUM> can allow control tissue specimen <NUM> to remain outside of the water bath during the mounting process.

Printing area <NUM> of specimen slide <NUM> may also be subdivided into regions respectively corresponding to control tissue specimen <NUM> and patient tissue specimen <NUM>. In an embodiment, printing area <NUM> includes a first printing subarea <NUM> and a second printing subarea <NUM>. Each printing subarea can include one or more machine readable or human readable markings. For example, first printing subarea <NUM> may include a first barcode <NUM>, which is a machine readable marking. Similarly, first printing subarea <NUM> may include a human readable text string <NUM>, which is a human readable marking. Second printing subarea <NUM> may include comparable markings, e.g., a second barcode <NUM>.

Barcodes <NUM> on specimen slide <NUM> encode information related to the tissue mounting subareas, and more particularly, to the tissue specimens <NUM> mounted (or to be mounted) on the subareas. For example, first barcode <NUM> encodes information corresponding to control specimen subarea <NUM>, or control tissue specimen <NUM>. Similarly, second barcode <NUM> encodes information corresponding to patient specimen subarea <NUM>, or patient tissue specimen <NUM>. The information encoded in each barcode may be the same, different, or partially the same and partially different. By way of example, first barcode <NUM> can encode information about a type of tissue or cell line making up control tissue specimen <NUM>, e.g., breast or colon tissue having a predetermined antigen level. That is, control tissue specimen <NUM> can have a first tissue type, and first barcode <NUM> can encode information corresponding to the first tissue type. First barcode <NUM> may encode information identifying a tissue block from which control tissue specimen <NUM> is sectioned. Second barcode <NUM> can encode information about a type of tissue making up patient tissue specimen <NUM>. That is, patient tissue specimen <NUM> can have a second tissue type, and second barcode <NUM> can encode information corresponding to second tissue type. Second barcode <NUM> may encode information identifying a tissue block from which patient tissue specimen <NUM> is sectioned. The first tissue type and the second tissue type may match, but control tissue specimen <NUM> may be sectioned from a different tissue block than patient tissue specimen <NUM>.

The information encoded in first barcode <NUM> can differ, at least in part, from the information encoded in second barcode <NUM>. For example, in addition to a tissue type and tissue block identifier of patient tissue specimen <NUM>, second barcode <NUM> can encode an accession number corresponding to a patient identifier or specimen source of patient tissue specimen <NUM>, a unique identifier for a lab that processed patient tissue specimen <NUM>, a unique identifier for a container or cassette used to transport patient tissue specimen <NUM>, etc. Barcodes <NUM> can encode hundreds of bytes of data depending on their size, and thus, first barcode <NUM> and second barcode <NUM> may encode a range of different data types. Information that may be encoded in one or more of first barcode <NUM> or second barcode <NUM> includes a manufacturing date, a list of biomarkers that the tissue samples may be used for, or other data.

The human readable markings on first printing subarea <NUM> or second printing subarea <NUM> may include a subset of the information included in the barcode that is located in the same subarea. For example, first barcode <NUM> may encode information about a tissue type of control tissue specimen <NUM>, e.g., prostate tissue, and human readable text string <NUM> may read "prostate. " Accordingly, a user may, at a glance, determine whether an appropriate specimen slide <NUM> is being used when mounting a prostate tissue specimen in the patient specimen subarea <NUM>. Barcodes <NUM> in printing area <NUM> may be configured to allow scanning equipment to distinguish between first barcode <NUM> and second barcode <NUM>. More particularly, first barcode <NUM> can have a first configuration and second barcode <NUM> can have a second configuration different than the first configuration. The barcode configurations can include a barcode type and/or a barcode orientation. At least one of the type or the orientation of the barcodes <NUM> can differ.

In an embodiment, first barcode <NUM> and second barcode <NUM> have a different barcode type and a same barcode orientation. By way of example, first barcode <NUM> can have a first barcode type, e.g., a one-dimensional barcode, and second barcode <NUM> can have a second barcode <NUM> type that is different than the first barcode type, e.g., a two-dimensional barcode. First barcode <NUM> can be recognizable as a horizontally-oriented one-dimensional barcode by barcode scanning equipment, and second barcode <NUM> may be recognizable as a horizontally oriented two-dimensional barcode by barcode scanning equipment. Alternatively, first barcode <NUM> can be a two-dimensional barcode and second barcode <NUM> can be a one-dimensional barcode.

The one-dimensional barcode is a barcode type, and encompasses any of several different one-dimensional barcode subtypes. For example, the one-dimensional barcode can be a linear barcode having a discrete or continuous symbology and any number of different bar widths.

Examples include the Codabar linear barcode symbology. Similarly, the two-dimensional barcode is a barcode type, and encompasses any of several different two-dimensional barcode subtypes. For example, the two-dimensional barcode can be a matrix code, such as a QR code. Referring to <FIG>, a plan view of a specimen slide is shown in accordance with an embodiment. Printing subareas can be located at different positions on printing area <NUM>. In an embodiment, first printing subarea <NUM> can be nearer to first end <NUM> than second printing subarea <NUM>. First barcode <NUM> can be nearer to first end <NUM> than second barcode <NUM>. Barcodes <NUM> may be printed on printing area <NUM> at axially adjacent locations as shown in <FIG>. Alternatively, first barcode <NUM> and second barcode <NUM> may be positioned laterally adjacent to each other on printing area <NUM>. For example, barcodes <NUM> may be located side-by-side on printing area <NUM>, as shown in <FIG>.

Referring to <FIG>, a plan view of a specimen slide is shown in accordance with an embodiment. In an embodiment, first barcode <NUM> and second barcode <NUM> have a same barcode type and a different barcode orientation. First barcode <NUM> can be located laterally adjacent to second barcode <NUM>. Alternatively, first barcode <NUM> can be axially above or below second barcode <NUM> as shown in <FIG>. The barcodes <NUM> can both be two-dimensional barcodes, and may be oriented differently. More particularly, each barcode may have an orientation datum <NUM>, e.g., an L-shaped datum, to indicate to a barcode scanner an appropriate orientation for scanning the barcode data.

In an embodiment, first barcode <NUM> can have a first orientation as indicated by a rotational position of orientation datum <NUM>. For example, orientation datum <NUM> of first barcode <NUM> may be zero degrees with respect to a predetermined direction, e.g., an axial direction extending between first end <NUM> and second end <NUM>. By contrast, second barcode <NUM> can have a second orientation as indicated by a rotational position of orientation datum <NUM>. Orientation datum <NUM> of second barcode <NUM> may be <NUM> degrees with respect to the predetermined direction. Accordingly, although first barcode <NUM> and second barcode <NUM> may both be two-dimensional barcodes, a barcode scanner may distinguish the barcodes based on the predetermined rotational orientation. That is, the barcode having orientation datum <NUM> at zero degrees with respect to the predetermined direction may be ascertained as corresponding to control tissue specimen <NUM>, and the barcode having orientation datum <NUM> at <NUM> degrees with respect to the predetermined direction may be ascertained as corresponding to patient tissue specimen <NUM>.

Referring to <FIG>, a flowchart of a method of loading tissue specimens on a specimen slide is shown in accordance with an embodiment. The method can print barcodes <NUM> directly on specimen slide <NUM> at different times without altering the printed information or disturbing the loaded specimens. For example, the control barcode can be printed on specimen slide <NUM> at a first time when control tissue specimen <NUM> is mounted on specimen area <NUM>, and the patient barcode can be printed on specimen slide <NUM> afterward when patient tissue specimen <NUM> is mounted on specimen area <NUM>. Although the patient barcode may be printed after control tissue specimen <NUM> is already loaded on specimen slide <NUM>, the printing may be performed without affecting the loaded tissue.

Tissue specimens <NUM> may be prepared separately from the printing operations. For example, a tissue block, either a control block or a patient block, may be sectioned to provide control tissue specimen <NUM> and/or patient tissue specimen <NUM>. Control tissue specimen <NUM> and patient tissue specimen <NUM> may be prepared at different times, e.g., days apart, and in different operations, e.g., at different facilities.

At operation <NUM>, first barcode <NUM> is printed on printing area <NUM> of specimen slide <NUM>. First barcode <NUM> encodes control information corresponding to control tissue specimen <NUM>. The control information may be entered into computer system <NUM> by a user. Slide printer <NUM> may be controlled by computer system <NUM>, and thus, the control information may be encoded in a barcode format that is printed onto specimen slide <NUM> by the printer head. In an embodiment, printing area <NUM> of specimen slide <NUM>, e.g., the frosted area, may be inserted into receiving slot <NUM>. The slide actuator can grasp and move specimen slide <NUM> to locate first printing subarea <NUM> below printer head for printing. The printer head prints first barcode <NUM> on first printing subarea <NUM> in a first configuration, e.g., as a one-dimensional barcode. Printer head may also print human readable text on printing area <NUM> adjacent to first barcode <NUM>. After printing first barcode <NUM>, the slide actuator may eject specimen slide <NUM> from slide printer <NUM>.

At operation <NUM>, control tissue specimen <NUM> is loaded on specimen area <NUM> of specimen slide <NUM>. Control tissue specimen <NUM> may be selected based on the printed control information. The control information may indicate a particular tissue type. For example, first barcode <NUM> and human readable text <NUM> may indicate that the control type is breast tissue having a predetermined response to a staining process. Accordingly, the user may obtain a breast tissue control specimen and load the specimen on control specimen subarea <NUM>.

First barcode <NUM> may be printed before loading control tissue specimen <NUM> as described above. Alternatively, control tissue specimen <NUM> may first be loaded onto specimen slide <NUM>, and specimen slide <NUM> may then be printed with first barcode <NUM>. After loading control tissue specimen <NUM> onto specimen area <NUM>, specimen slide <NUM> is a preloaded control slide. The control preloaded control slide can be stored for future use. For example, the preloaded control slide can be placed in a container and sent to another facility to be used with patient tissue specimen <NUM> at a later date, e.g., several days later.

At operation <NUM>, in preparation for printing second barcode <NUM> on specimen slide <NUM>, first barcode <NUM> may be scanned. To scan first barcode <NUM>, the preloaded control slide can be inserted into receiving slot <NUM> of slide printer <NUM>. More particularly, printing area <NUM> may be inserted into receiving slot <NUM> without disturbing the non-frosted area of specimen slide <NUM>. That is, the biological material mounted on specimen slide <NUM> may not be touched when printing area <NUM> is inserted into slide printer <NUM>. The slide actuator of slide printer <NUM> can grip and move specimen slide <NUM> to position first barcode <NUM> under the barcode reader.

At operation <NUM>, slide printer <NUM> can determine the control information encoded in first barcode <NUM>. The barcode reader can scan first barcode <NUM>, and computer system <NUM> can decode the scanned barcode to obtain information corresponding to control tissue specimen <NUM>. The information may be encoded directly in first barcode <NUM>. Alternatively, first barcode <NUM> can encode reference information that computer system <NUM> uses to access and/or retrieve information stored in a data structure on a memory of computer system <NUM>, or a remote data processing system, e.g., a server. The control information may include tissue type data corresponding to control tissue specimen <NUM>. As a quality check, computer system <NUM> may determine that the tissue type data matches a tissue type data of patient tissue specimen <NUM> that is to be mounted on specimen slide <NUM>. For example, the computer system may verify that the preloaded control slide includes breast tissue and that patient tissue specimen <NUM> is of the same type of breast tissue, or the biological response of the control tissue is adequate to establish that the biological response of the patient tissue performed downstream in a process is valid if the biological response of the control tissue within the same process is correct.

At operation <NUM>, second barcode <NUM> can be printed on printing area <NUM>. Printing of second barcode <NUM> (<FIG>) may be in response to determining that the tissue type data corresponding to control tissue specimen <NUM> matches the tissue type of patient tissue specimen <NUM>. More particularly, when the computer system determines that the tissue types match, second printing subarea <NUM> may be moved under the printer head for printing. Alternatively, if the computer system determined that the tissue types do not match, the slide actuator may eject specimen slide <NUM> and a notification may be displayed to the user indicating that a different preloaded control slide is needed.

Second barcode <NUM> encodes patient information corresponding to patient tissue specimen <NUM>. The patient information may be entered into computer system <NUM> by a user. Slide printer <NUM> may be controlled by computer system <NUM>, and thus, the patient information may be encoded in a barcode format that is printed onto specimen slide <NUM> by the printer head. Printer head prints second barcode <NUM> on second printing subarea <NUM> in a second configuration, e.g., different than the first configuration used to print first barcode <NUM>. Second barcode <NUM> can be printed without disturbing first barcode <NUM> or control tissue specimen <NUM>. The second configuration may be different than the first configuration of first barcode <NUM>, as described above. The printer head may optionally also print human readable text <NUM> on printing area <NUM> adjacent to second barcode <NUM>. After printing, specimen slide <NUM> may be ejected from slide printer <NUM> by the slide actuator.

Printing of second barcode <NUM> may occur after loading of control tissue specimen <NUM>, as described above. However, both barcodes <NUM> may be printed before loading tissue specimens <NUM> on specimen slide <NUM>. Similarly, printing of barcodes <NUM> may occur at a same or different workstation, e.g., a same or different slide printer <NUM>, even though barcodes <NUM> are printed at different times.

At operation <NUM>, patient tissue specimen <NUM> can be loaded on specimen area <NUM>. Patient tissue specimen <NUM> can correspond to the patient information encoded in second barcode <NUM>. Prior to mounting patient tissue specimen <NUM>, the user can read human readable text <NUM> on printing area <NUM> that indicates a same tissue type that was confirmed prior to printing second barcode <NUM>. For example, the user may read "breast," and know that breast tissue can be mounted on specimen area <NUM>. Accordingly, the method described above provides verification of matching control and patient tissue specimens <NUM> at both the printing stage and the tissue mounting stage. As such, the method improves the traceability of specimen loaded slides and reduces a likelihood that an incorrect preloaded control slide will be used to examine a patient tissue sample. The reduced likelihood of mistake can reduce the associated costs of rework. Referring to <FIG>, a block diagram of a slide printer is shown in accordance with an embodiment. The components of slide printer <NUM> include computer system components and slide handling components. For example, the computer system components may be coupled to and control the slide actuator, the barcode reader, the printer head, etc. The computer system may also receive and analyze information provided by sensors or input devices, e.g., the barcode reader.

Computer system <NUM> of slide printer <NUM> may be connected (e.g., networked) to other machines or systems in a Local Area Network (LAN), an intranet, an extranet, or the Internet. For example, computer system <NUM> may be networked with a laboratory information system (LIS) in a hospital. Computer system <NUM> may operate in the capacity of a server or a client machine in a client-server network environment, or as a peer machine in a peer-to-peer (or distributed) network environment. Computer system <NUM> may be a personal computer (PC), a tablet PC, a set-top box (STB), a Personal Digital Assistant (PDA), a cellular telephone, a web appliance, a server, a network router, switch or bridge, or any machine capable of executing a set of instructions (sequential or otherwise) that specify actions to be taken by that machine. Further, while only a single machine is illustrated for the computer system, the term "machine" shall also be taken to include any collection of machines (e.g., computers) that individually or jointly execute a set (or multiple sets) of instructions to perform any one or more of the methodologies described herein.

Computer system <NUM> may include a non-transitory machine readable and/or machine accessible storage medium storing instructions, which may be used to program computer system (or other electronic devices) to perform a method according to embodiments. A machine readable medium <NUM> includes any mechanism for storing or transmitting information in a form readable by a machine (e.g., a computer). For example, machine readable (e.g., computer readable) medium <NUM> includes a machine (e.g., a computer) readable storage medium (e.g., read only memory ("ROM"), random access memory ("RAM"), magnetic disk storage media, optical storage media, flash memory devices, etc.), a machine (e.g., computer) readable transmission medium (electrical, optical, acoustical or other form of propagated signals (e.g., infrared signals, digital signals, etc.)), etc..

In an embodiment, the computer system includes a processing system <NUM>, e.g., a system processor, a main memory <NUM> (e.g., read-only memory (ROM), flash memory, dynamic random access memory (DRAM) such as synchronous DRAM (SDRAM) or Rambus DRAM (RDRAM), etc.), a static memory <NUM> (e.g., flash memory, static random access memory (SRAM), etc.), and a secondary memory (e.g., a data storage device <NUM>), which communicate with each other via a bus <NUM>.

Processing system <NUM> represents one or more general-purpose processing devices such as a microsystem processor, central processing unit, or the like. More particularly, the system processor may be a complex instruction set computing (CISC) microsystem processor, reduced instruction set computing (RISC) microsystem processor, very long instruction word (VLIW) microsystem processor, a system processor implementing other instruction sets, or system processors implementing a combination of instruction sets. Processing system <NUM> may also be one or more special-purpose processing devices such as an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC), a field programmable gate array (FPGA), a digital signal system processor (DSP), network system processor, or the like. Processing system <NUM> is configured to execute processing logic <NUM> for performing the operations described herein.

Computer system <NUM> may further include a system network interface device <NUM> for communicating with other machines or systems, e.g., an LIS, over a network <NUM>. The computer system may also include one or more output devices, such as a display unit <NUM> (e.g., a video display such as a liquid crystal display (LCD), a light emitting diode display (LED), or a cathode ray tube (CRT)). Display unit <NUM> can present a graphical user interface to a user. Computer system <NUM> can include an input device <NUM> (e.g., an alphanumeric input device such as a keyboard). Input device <NUM> can be any device that receives an input from an external source, e.g., from a user or an object. For example, input device <NUM> can be the barcode reader used to scan first barcode <NUM> and/or second barcode <NUM>, an RFID scanner, or a microphone.

Computer system <NUM> may include other input devices <NUM>, such as a cursor control device (e.g., a mouse), and other output devices, such as a signal generation device (e.g., a speaker).

The sets of instructions described above, e.g., software <NUM>, can be stored on data storage device <NUM>. Software <NUM> can embody any one or more of the methodologies or functions described herein. Software <NUM> may also reside, completely or at least partially, within main memory <NUM> and/or within processing system <NUM> during execution thereof by the computer system, main memory <NUM> and the system processor also constituting machine readable storage media. Software <NUM> may further be transmitted or received over network <NUM> via system network interface device <NUM>.

While the machine-accessible storage medium is shown in an exemplary embodiment to be a single medium, the term "machine readable storage medium" should be taken to include a single medium or multiple media (e.g., a centralized or distributed database, and/or associated caches and servers) that store the one or more sets of instructions. The term "machine readable storage medium" shall also be taken to include any medium that is capable of storing or encoding a set of instructions for execution by the machine and that cause the machine to perform any one or more of the methodologies. The term "machine readable storage medium" shall accordingly be taken to include, but not be limited to, solid-state memories, and optical and magnetic media. Slide printer <NUM> can include the slide actuator <NUM> and the printer head <NUM> under the control of computer system <NUM> to perform the operations described above. More particularly, processing system <NUM> can execute instructions of software <NUM> to cause slide actuator <NUM> to retract or eject specimen slide <NUM>, or cause printer head <NUM> to print first barcode <NUM>, second barcode <NUM>, or human readable text <NUM> (and optionally <NUM>) on printing area <NUM> of specimen slide <NUM>.

Claim 1:
A specimen slide, comprising:
a specimen area (<NUM>) on a front surface, wherein the specimen area includes a control specimen subarea (<NUM>) comprising a control tissue specimen and a patient specimen subarea (<NUM>) comprising a patient tissue specimen, wherein the specimen slide includes a printing area (<NUM>) on the front surface of the slide, wherein
the printing area includes a first barcode (<NUM>) printed directly on the front surface of the specimen slide, the first barcode (<NUM>) having a first configuration that is at least one of a bar code type and an orientation on the slide, and a second barcode (<NUM>) printed directly on the front surface of the specimen slide, the second barcode (<NUM>) having a second configuration that is at least one of a bar code type and an orientation on the slide and the second configuration is different than the first configuration,
wherein the first barcode (<NUM>) encodes information corresponding to the control specimen subarea (<NUM>), wherein the second barcode (<NUM>) encodes information corresponding to the patient specimen subarea (<NUM>).