Patent ID: 8728396

Claim:
A sample analyzer comprising: a first measurement unit configured to measure a sample accommodated in a sample container; a second measurement unit configured to measure a sample accommodated in a sample container; a rack transport unit configured to transport each of a plurality of sample containers held in a sample rack to either the first or the second measurement unit, wherein the rack transport unit is configured to transport the sample rack on a transport path in a first direction from the first measurement unit to the second measurement unit when transporting a first sample container held in the sample rack to the second measurement unit, and while the first sample container is processed, to transport the sample rack backwards on the transport path in a second direction from the second measurement unit to the first measurement unit when transporting a second sample container held in the sample rack to the first measurement unit; and a controller configured to: acquire a measurement item information indicating a measurement item of each of samples accommodated in the plurality of sample containers held in the sample rack; determine a sample container to be a transport object by determining priorities of transportation of the plurality of sample containers held in the sample rack based on the acquired plurality of measurement item information; determine a measurement unit to be a transport destination of the sample container determined as the transport object; and control the rack transport unit to transport the sample container determined as the transport object to the measurement unit determined as the transport destination, wherein the controller determines a priority of transportation of a sample container accommodating a sample measurable by only one of the first and second measurement units higher than a priority of transportation of a sample container accommodating a sample measurable by both of the first and second measurement units.