Patent ID: 8852536

Claim:
A system for storing samples, the system comprising at least one first cabinet, and at least one first box, wherein: the first cabinet comprises first cabinet control electronics and is configured to receive the first box; the first box comprises first box control electronics and is configured to receive the one or more sample containers, each sample container comprising container electronics and configured to store a sample; the first box control electronics is configured to communicate with the container electronics of each sample container received by the first box; the container electronics of each sample container is configured to communicate sample-identification information for the sample stored in the sample container to the first box control electronics; the first box control electronics is configured to communicate the sample-identification information towards the first cabinet control electronics; the first cabinet control electronics is configured to communicate the sample-identification information to a host computer for the system; the first cabinet control electronics are configured to communicate with the first box control electronics via corresponding non-ohmic coupling; the first box control electronics are configured to communicate with the container electronics of each corresponding sample container via corresponding non-ohmic coupling; the first cabinet control electronics are configured to transfer operating power to the first box control electronics box via the corresponding non-ohmic coupling; and the first box control electronics are configured to transfer operating power to the container electronics of each corresponding sample container via the corresponding non-ohmic coupling.