An automated method for sampling seeds generally includes removing material from a seed at an automated sampling station and then, after removing the material from the seed, detecting, by at least one sensor, movement of the seed out of the automated sampling station. The automated method may also include, after removing the material from the seed, transferring the seed from the automated sampling station to a seed container and transferring the material removed from the seed from the automated sampling station to a sample container.

The present invention facilitates comprehension of the actual positions of constituent units of a sample measurement system regardless of a direction in which a user faces. The present invention provides a display device (6, 60) for displaying information about a sample measurement system (1) for measuring a sample, a display unit (509), a display control unit (101) that displays an image indicating an arrangement of a predetermined part of the sample measurement system on the display unit, and a receiving unit (102, 105) for receiving information on a display direction when displaying the arrangement of the predetermined part, wherein the display control unit (101) changes a display direction of the arrangement of the predetermined part according to the information. According to this aspect, the invention provides a display device (6, 60) for changing a display direction when displaying an arrangement of a predetermined part in the sample measurement system in accordance with a display direction in the received information.

The present invention facilitates comprehension of the actual positions of constituent units of a sample measurement system regardless of a direction in which a user faces. The present invention provides a display device (6, 60) for displaying information about a sample measurement system (1) for measuring a sample, a display unit (509), a display control unit (101) that displays an image indicating an arrangement of a predetermined part of the sample measurement system on the display unit, and a receiving unit (102, 105) for receiving information on a display direction when displaying the arrangement of the predetermined part, wherein the display control unit (101) changes a display direction of the arrangement of the predetermined part according to the information. According to this aspect, the invention provides a display device (6, 60) for changing a display direction when displaying an arrangement of a predetermined part in the sample measurement system in accordance with a display direction in the received information.

Disclosed is a fully-automatic chemiluminescence immunoassay analyzer, which comprises a base, a reaction cup conveyance module, a robot-arm sample injection module, an incubation module, a manipulator and transit module, a magnetic-separation cleaning module, and a detection module are mutually independently integrated on the base. The reaction cup conveyance module is used for conveying a reaction cup to a pre-determined position; the manipulator and transit module carries the reaction cup into the incubation module, to incubate the reaction cup for a constant-temperature reaction; the reaction cup in the incubation module is carried to the magnetic-separation cleaning module for magnetic-adsorption cleaning; and the reaction cup after cleaning is carried by the manipulator and transit module to the detection module for detection. A plurality of manipulators and a plurality of transit devices may be disposed as required, to link the mutually independent functional parts of the modules. Further, the instrument may be equipped with detection modules and process modules of various detection platforms, which cooperate with the manipulator and transit module to realize diverse detection in a table-top production line manner.

Disclosed is a fully-automatic chemiluminescence immunoassay analyzer, which comprises a base, a reaction cup conveyance module, a robot-arm sample injection module, an incubation module, a manipulator and transit module, a magnetic-separation cleaning module, and a detection module are mutually independently integrated on the base. The reaction cup conveyance module is used for conveying a reaction cup to a pre-determined position; the manipulator and transit module carries the reaction cup into the incubation module, to incubate the reaction cup for a constant-temperature reaction; the reaction cup in the incubation module is carried to the magnetic-separation cleaning module for magnetic-adsorption cleaning; and the reaction cup after cleaning is carried by the manipulator and transit module to the detection module for detection. A plurality of manipulators and a plurality of transit devices may be disposed as required, to link the mutually independent functional parts of the modules. Further, the instrument may be equipped with detection modules and process modules of various detection platforms, which cooperate with the manipulator and transit module to realize diverse detection in a table-top production line manner.

An automated method for handling an in-vitro diagnostics IVD container in an IVD laboratory is proposed. The method comprises at least the steps of measuring at least one physical quantity of an IVD container, storing the at least one physical quantity in a read and writeable data carrier attached to the IVD container, and retrieving the at least one physical quantity from the read and writeable data carrier attached to the IVD container.

An automated method for handling an in-vitro diagnostics IVD container in an IVD laboratory is proposed. The method comprises at least the steps of measuring at least one physical quantity of an IVD container, storing the at least one physical quantity in a read and writeable data carrier attached to the IVD container, and retrieving the at least one physical quantity from the read and writeable data carrier attached to the IVD container.

A method for performing a magnetic separation procedure that includes transporting a receptacle containing a fluid medium to a first location of a system, where the fluid medium contains both a sample material and a suspension of magnetically-responsive solid supports. At the first location, the fluid medium is exposed to a first magnetic field for a first dwell period, thereby isolating the solid supports within the receptacle, where no portion of the fluid medium is removed from the receptacle at the first location. The receptacle is then transported from the first location to a second location of the system, where the fluid medium is exposed to a second magnetic field for a second dwell period. Following the second dwell period, at least a portion of the fluid medium is removed from the receptacle. A suspension fluid is then dispensed into the receptacle, and the contents of the receptacle are agitated to suspend the solid supports within the suspension fluid.

In an automatic analyzer in which required maintenance can be executed efficiently, without omission, an operation control unit controls operations of an analysis module (ISE, AU1, AU2) including a sample vessel transport mechanism, a reagent vessel transport mechanism, a reaction vessel transport mechanism, a sample dispensing mechanism, and a reagent dispensing mechanism, and of a display unit, and analyzes a sample accommodated in a reaction vessel. The operation control unit stores a validity period for each maintenance item of the analysis module (ISE, AU1, AU2) and an execution time for each maintenance item in a memory, displays an execution time together with an identification representation of execution priority level based on the expiration dates on the display unit, rearranges the display order of the maintenance items on the basis of the execution priority level, in accordance with an operator's instruction inputted through an operation input portion.

In an automatic analyzer in which required maintenance can be executed efficiently, without omission, an operation control unit controls operations of an analysis module (ISE, AU1, AU2) including a sample vessel transport mechanism, a reagent vessel transport mechanism, a reaction vessel transport mechanism, a sample dispensing mechanism, and a reagent dispensing mechanism, and of a display unit, and analyzes a sample accommodated in a reaction vessel. The operation control unit stores a validity period for each maintenance item of the analysis module (ISE, AU1, AU2) and an execution time for each maintenance item in a memory, displays an execution time together with an identification representation of execution priority level based on the expiration dates on the display unit, rearranges the display order of the maintenance items on the basis of the execution priority level, in accordance with an operator's instruction inputted through an operation input portion.