Patent ID: 7379823

Claim:
A control and communications system for a laboratory, the system comprising: a client component configured to control or monitor the operation of at least one biological analyzer; at least one analyzer component associated with the at least one biological analyzer configured to receive instructions from the client component and translate the instructions into commands capable of inducing the associated biological analyzer to conduct an analysis and provide data indicative of the analysis; at least one directory configured to provide information to the client component as to the logical location and parameters of said at least one analyzer component such that the client component is able to control or monitor the at least one biological analyzer by referencing the information provided by the at least one directory to induce the at least one biological analyzer to conduct the analysis; and a messaging service configured to communicate with the at least one analyzer component and the client component such that a new biological analyzer can be configured to be included in the laboratory by associating at least one of the analyzer components with said new biological analyzer and updating the at least one directory with information as to the logical location of the analyzer component allowing the client component to control or monitor the new biological analyzer using the parameters provided by the at least one directory.