Patent ID: 8900876

Claim:
A method for determining a wash abnormality in an analyzer that measures an analyte, the analyzer having a plurality of wash stations, the method comprising: a) adding to a first cuvette a first magnetic particle that is not designed to react with the analyte; b) washing the first magnetic particle using a selected wash station; c) adding to the first cuvette a first amount of the analyte, a first labeled antibody, and a second magnetic particle that is designed to react with the analyte to form a first complex; d) washing the first complex using the selected wash station; e) measuring a first value corresponding to a signal from the first complex; f) adding to a second cuvette a second amount of the analyte and a third magnetic particle that is not designed to react with the analyte; g) washing the third magnetic particle using the selected wash station; h) adding to the second cuvette, a second labeled antibody, and a fourth magnetic particle that is designed to react with the analyte to form a second complex; i) washing the second complex using the selected wash station; j) measuring a second value corresponding to a signal from the second complex; and k) determining that the wash process at the selected wash station is abnormal if the second value exceeds the first value by a predetermined multiple, wherein the first amount of the analyte is less than the second amount of the analyte.