Patent ID: 7960178

Claim:
A method of adaptively scheduling robot tasks for a robot coupled to a stainer, wherein the robot processes slides in the stainer according to a protocol, the method comprising the steps of: establishing a network connection between a computer and the stainer; sending commands from the computer to the stainer over the network connection; introducing a first at least one slide into the stainer, the stainer being configured to process the first at least one slide using a plurality of desired slide process operations comprising one or more robot tasks; creating a robot task list of the one or more robot tasks for the stainer, wherein robot tasks include dispensing reagents to the slide with a moveable robotic dispenser; processing the first at least one slide according to the robot task list; during processing of the first at least one slide according to the robot task list, receiving a second at least one slide into the stainer; and adaptively rescheduling the robot tasks of the robot task list to create an altered robot task list of the one or more robot tasks for the stainer.