Laboratory sample distribution system and corresponding operating method

Abstract

A laboratory sample distribution system comprises: a plurality of sample container carriers, each of which comprises at least one magnetic active device and is suitable for carrying a sample container; a conveying plane, which is suitable for supporting the sample container carriers; a plurality of electromagnetic actuators, which are stationarily arranged below the conveying plane, the electromagnetic actuators being suitable for moving the corresponding sample container carriers located on the top of the conveying plane by applying a magnetic force to the sample container carriers; a touch panel, which is arranged below the conveying plane and is suitable for generating a position signal according to the position of the sample container carrier located on the top of the conveying plane; a position determination unit, wherein the position determination unit is suitable for determining the position of the sample container carrier located on the top of the conveying plane in response to the position signal; and a control unit, which is suitable for controlling the operation of the laboratory sample distribution system in response to the determined position of the sample container carrier.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a laboratory sample dispensing system and a corresponding operating method. Background Art

[0002] For example, a laboratory sample distribution system is disclosed in document WO 2013 / 064656 A1. Such a laboratory sample distribution system provides high throughput and reliable operation. The laboratory sample distribution system includes a plurality of sample container carriers, each of which includes at least one magnetic active device and is suitable for carrying a sample container; a conveying plane, which is suitable for supporting the sample container carrier; a plurality of electromagnetic actuators, which are stationarily arranged below the conveying plane, and the electromagnetic actuators are suitable for moving the corresponding sample container carriers located on the top of the conveying plane by applying a magnetic force to the sample container carrier; and a plurality of IR-based reflective photoelectric tubes, which are suitable for sensing the presence and / or position of the container carriers located on the conveying plane. Summary of the invention

[0003] The object of the present invention is to provide a laboratory sample distribution system and a corresponding operating method which are able to determine the position of sample container carriers located on top of a conveying plane in a cost-effective, effective and reliable manner.

[0004] The laboratory sample distribution system includes a plurality of sample container carriers, for example, 1 to 100,000 sample container carriers, each of which includes at least one magnetic active device and is suitable for carrying a sample container; a conveying plane, which is suitable for supporting the sample container carriers; and a plurality of (for example, 1 to 1024) electromagnetic actuators, which are statically arranged in rows and columns below the conveying plane, and the electromagnetic actuators are suitable for moving the corresponding sample container carriers located on the top of the conveying plane by applying magnetic force to the sample container carriers.

[0005] The laboratory sample dispensing system further comprises a touch panel, which is arranged below the conveying plane and is adapted to generate position signals according to the corresponding positions of the sample container carriers located on the top of the conveying plane.

[0006] The laboratory sample dispensing system further comprises a position determination unit, for example in the form of a microprocessor-based device, wherein the position determination unit is adapted to determine the respective position of the sample container carrier located on top of the transport plane in response to the position signal.

[0007] The laboratory sample dispensing system further comprises a control unit, for example in the form of a personal computer, adapted to control the operation of the laboratory sample dispensing system in response to the determined position of the sample container carrier.

[0008] The control unit and the position determination unit may be embodied as different units or may be embodied using a common microprocessor based device.

[0009] According to an embodiment, the touch panel can be specifically a traditional multi-touch capacitive touch panel. Capacitive touch panels typically include an insulator, such as glass, coated with a transparent conductor such as indium tin oxide (ITO). Touching the surface of the touch panel typically causes a distortion of the electrostatic field of the touch panel, which can be measured as a change in capacitance. Different techniques can be used to determine the position of the sample container carrier, such as surface capacitance, inductive capacitance, mutual capacitance, self-capacitance, etc. Reference is also made to the relevant technical literature on multi-touch capacitive touch panels. According to the present invention, this basically well-known technology can also be used to determine the position of the sample container carrier located on top of the conveying plane.

[0010] A conventional multi-touch capacitive touch panel may be a conventional so-called inductive capacitive touch sensor (PCT), which is used, for example, in smartphones or tablets. A PCT for a smartphone or tablet usually comprises a touch sensor foil and a display. According to the invention, only the touch sensor foil is used for position determination. These touch sensor foils can be manufactured in any shape and size and can be adhesively mounted, for example, below the conveying plane.

[0011] Since PCT sensors are used to detect changes in capacitance, a conductive area or a ground connection usually has to be provided. However, it has been found that a magnetically active device of the sample container carrier, for example in the form of a permanent magnet, induces a specific signal pattern in the capacitive touch sensor foil. By means of a position determination unit, this specific signal pattern can be used to determine the position of the sample container carrier located on top of the transport plane (i.e. on top of the touch sensor foil).

[0012] According to an embodiment, the touch panel is a passive panel based on electromagnetic induction. The passive touch panel utilizes electromagnetic induction, wherein the horizontal and vertical wires of the touch panel operate as transmitting and receiving coils at the same time. The touch panel generates an electromagnetic signal or a magnetic signal, which can be received, for example, by a transmission device of a sample container carrier. Then, the wires in the touch panel are changed into a receiving mode and read the signal generated by the transmission device. By using the (electro)magnetic signal, the touch panel can use the signal to power the sample container carrier, so that the sample container carrier used with the touch panel does not require a battery. Also refer to the relevant technical literature.

[0013] According to an embodiment, an inductively based passive touch panel comprises a thin, in particular self-adhesive sensor foil having horizontal and vertical conductor paths at different layers of the sensor foil, and switching electronics connected to the horizontal and vertical conductor paths, wherein the switching electronics are adapted to connect the horizontal and vertical conductor paths such that coils at different locations on the touch panel are formed in a time-division multiplexed manner, wherein each of the position signals is formed in a corresponding one of the coils.

[0014] According to an embodiment, each sample container carrier comprises a data transmission device adapted to transmit data to the control unit via the touch panel.

[0015] According to an embodiment, the data transmission device is supplied with electrical energy in a contactless manner by means of a touch panel.

[0016] The method for operating a laboratory sample distribution system as described above includes the steps of transmitting data to a control unit via a touch panel, wherein the data is selected from the group consisting of: a sample container carrier ID of the sample container carrier, a version number of the sample container carrier, information about whether the sample container is in a closed or open state, information about the type of the sample container, information about the type of sample contained in the sample container, information about whether the sample container has been removed from the sample container carrier, information about the charge level of a battery supplying power to the sample container carrier, and information about the operating time of the sample container carrier.

[0017] According to an embodiment, the data to be transmitted are transmitted by means of load modulation.

[0018] According to an embodiment, it is checked whether the determined position of the sample container carrier corresponds to a predetermined processing position on the conveying plane, and if the determined position of the sample container carrier corresponds to the predetermined processing position on the conveying plane, data transmission between the sample container carrier located at the processing position and the control unit is started, for example, by generating an alternating magnetic field by means of a touch panel that supplies power to the sample container carrier. The predetermined processing position can be, for example, a position where the pick-and-place device removes the sample container from the sample container carrier or a position where the pick-and-place device inserts the sample container into the sample container carrier, etc.

[0019] According to an embodiment, the data transmission device of the sample container carrier located in the processing position is supplied with electrical energy in a contactless manner by means of the touch panel. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0020] The present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0021] FIG. 1 shows a view of a laboratory sample distribution system according to the present invention, and

[0022] FIG. 2 shows a sensor foil having horizontal conductor paths and vertical conductor paths at different layers of the sensor foil, the sensor foil being part of a touch panel used in the laboratory sample dispensing system of FIG. 1 . DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0023] FIG. 1 shows a laboratory sample dispensing system 100 .

[0024] The laboratory sample dispensing system 100 comprises a sample container carrier 140 adapted to carry a sample container 145 containing a laboratory sample to be analyzed. Each sample container carrier 140 comprises a magnetically active device in the form of a permanent magnet 141 .

[0025] The laboratory sample dispensing system 100 also includes a flat conveying plane or surface 110 that is suitable for supporting or carrying the sample container carrier 140 .

[0026] The laboratory sample distribution system 100 further comprises electromagnetic actuators 120 which are statically arranged in rows and columns below the conveying plane 110. The electromagnetic actuators 120 are adapted to move corresponding sample container carriers 140 located on top of the conveying plane 110 by applying magnetic force to the sample container carriers 140.

[0027] The laboratory sample dispensing system 100 further comprises a touch panel 200 with multi-touch capabilities, which is arranged below the transport plane 110 and is adapted to generate a position signal PS according to the position of the sample container carrier 140 located on top of the transport plane 110 .

[0028] The laboratory sample dispensing system 100 further comprises a position determination unit 170 , wherein the position determination unit 170 is adapted to determine a position of the sample container carrier 140 located on top of the transport plane 110 in response to the position signal PS .

[0029] The laboratory sample dispensing system 100 further comprises a control unit 180 adapted to control the operation of the laboratory sample dispensing system 100 in response to the determined position of the sample container carrier 140 .

[0030] The touch panel 200 may specifically be a multi-touch capacitive touch panel or a passive touch panel based on electromagnetic induction or a combination thereof.

[0031] Fig. 2 shows a sensor foil 210 having horizontal conductor paths 211 and vertical conductor paths 212 at different layers 213, 214 of the sensor foil 210. The sensor foil 210 may be part of an electromagnetic induction based passive touch panel 200 used in a laboratory sample dispensing system based on Fig. 1. The electromagnetic induction based passive touch panel 200 may further comprise switching electronics 215 connected to the horizontal conductor paths 211 and the vertical conductor paths 212, wherein the switching electronics 215 is adapted to connect the horizontal conductor paths 211 and the vertical conductor paths 212 such that coils 216 at different sensitive locations on the touch panel 200 are formed in a time division multiplexed manner, wherein corresponding ones of the position signals PS are formed in the corresponding ones of the coils 216.

[0032] 1 , each sample container carrier 140 comprises a data transmission device 142, which is suitable for transmitting data to the control unit 180 via the touch panel 200. The data transmission device 142 is supplied with electrical energy contactlessly by means of the touch panel 200. In order to supply electrical energy to the data transmission device 142, an alternating magnetic field can be generated by means of the coil 216 of the touch panel 200, wherein the alternating magnetic field induces an alternating voltage in the receiving coil of the transmission device 142.

[0033] The sample container carrier 140 communicates data with the control unit 180 via the touch panel 200 , for example by means of load modulation, as is used in and is known from RFID technology.

[0034] The data to be transmitted may, for example, be selected from the group of the following data: a sample container carrier ID of the sample container carrier 140, a version number of the sample container carrier 140, information about whether the sample container 145 is in a closed or open state, information about the type of the sample container 145 (geometric characteristics / dimensions, material, etc.), information about the type of sample contained in the sample container 145 (blood, urine, etc.), information about whether the sample container 145 has been removed from the sample container carrier 140, information about the charge level of the battery supplying power to the sample container carrier 140, and information about the operating time of the sample container carrier 140.

[0035] The control unit 180 can check whether the determined position of the sample container carrier 140 corresponds to a defined processing position 111 on the transport plane 110. The processing position 111 can, for example, be a position where the sample container carrier 140 can be processed, the sample container 145 can be processed, and / or the sample contained in the sample container 145 can be processed. The processing position 111 can, for example, correspond to a position where the sample container 145 is transferred to the laboratory station 20 so that the sample contained in the sample container 145 can be analyzed by means of the laboratory station 20.

[0036] If the determined position of the sample container carrier 140 corresponds to a predetermined processing position 111 on the transport plane 110, data transmission between the sample container carrier 140 located at the processing position and the control unit 180 can be initiated, for example by activating the coil 216 located below the processing position 111 to generate an alternating magnetic field. The alternating magnetic field supplies electrical energy to the data transmission device 142 without contact, so that data can be transmitted to the control unit 180.

Claims

1. A laboratory sample distribution system (100), the laboratory sample distribution system (100) comprising: A plurality of sample container carriers (140), each of the sample container carriers (140) comprising at least one magnetically active device (141) and being adapted to carry a sample container (145); a conveying plane (110) adapted to support the sample container carrier (140); a plurality of electromagnetic actuators (120) stationarily arranged below the conveying plane (110), the electromagnetic actuators (120) being adapted to move corresponding sample container carriers (140) located on top of the conveying plane (110) by applying magnetic force to the sample container carriers (140); a touch panel (200) arranged below the conveying plane (110) and adapted to generate a position signal (PS) according to the position of the sample container carrier (140) located on top of the conveying plane (110); a position determination unit (170), wherein the position determination unit (170) is adapted to determine the position of the sample container carrier (140) located on top of the transport plane (110) in response to the position signal (PS); as well as a control unit (180) adapted to control operation of the laboratory sample dispensing system (100) in response to the determined position of the sample container carrier (140); The touch panel (200) is a multi-touch capacitive touch panel and comprises A sensor foil (210) having horizontal conductor paths (211) and vertical conductor paths (212) at different layers (213, 214) of the sensor foil (210); and A switching electronic device (215) connected to the horizontal conductor path and the vertical conductor path (211, 212), wherein the switching electronic device (215) is suitable for connecting the horizontal conductor path and the vertical conductor path (211, 212) so that coils (216) at different positions on the touch panel (200) are formed in a time-division multiplexed manner, wherein each of the position signals (PS) is formed in a corresponding coil in the coils (216); wherein the position determination unit (170) determines the position of a sample container carrier (140) located on top of the conveying plane (110) using a specific signal pattern in the capacitive touch sensor foil (210), the specific signal pattern being induced in the capacitive touch sensor foil (210) by the magnetic active device (141) of the sample container carrier (140).

2. The laboratory sample distribution system (100) according to claim 1, characterized in that The touch panel (200) is a passive panel based on electromagnetic induction.

3. The laboratory sample distribution system (100) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that Each sample container carrier (140) comprises a data transmission device (142), which is suitable for transmitting data to the control unit (180) via the touch panel (200).

4. The laboratory sample distribution system (100) according to claim 3, characterized in that By means of the touch panel (200), the data transmission device (142) is supplied with electrical energy in a contactless manner.

5. A method of operating a laboratory sample distribution system (100) according to one of the preceding claims, the method comprising the following steps: The data is transmitted to the control unit (180) via the touch panel (200), wherein the data is selected from the group consisting of: the sample container carrier ID of the sample container carrier (140), the version number of the sample container carrier (140), Information about whether the sample container (145) is closed or open, information about the type of sample container (145), information about the type of sample contained in the sample container (145), information as to whether the sample container (145) has been removed from the sample container carrier (140), Information about the charge level of a battery (143) supplying power to the sample container carrier (140), and information about the operating time of the sample container carrier (140).

6. The method according to claim 5, characterized in that The data to be transmitted are transmitted by means of load modulation.

7. The method according to claim 5 or 6, comprising the following steps: checking whether the determined position of the sample container carrier (140) corresponds to a predetermined processing position (111) on the conveying plane (110); If the determined position of the sample container carrier (140) corresponds to the predetermined processing position (111) on the transport plane (110), data transmission between the sample container carrier (140) located at the processing position (111) and the control unit (180) is initiated.

8. The method according to claim 7, comprising the steps of: By means of the touch panel (200), electrical energy is supplied to the data transmission device (142) of the sample container carrier (140) located at the processing position (111) in a contactless manner.

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