An automatic analyzer includes an input reception unit that receives an operation to specify a search condition for sample information, an operation to execute search of the sample information, and an operation to specify whether only pieces of the sample information of samples under measurement among all samples are set as search targets; and a display control unit that, when the operation to execute search of the sample information is performed in a state in which only pieces of the sample information of samples under measurement are specified to be search targets, sets only pieces of the sample information of samples under measurement among the sample information of all samples as search targets based on the progress information, extracts pieces of the sample information of samples matching with a specified search condition, and causes the extracted pieces of the sample information to be displayed in a list form.

One embodiment provides a method of controlling a payload temperature in in vitro diagnostics including: moving, using a track system, a plurality of carriers, along one or more paths between a plurality of testing stations, wherein the carrier is configured to hold one or more payloads, and limiting, using a temperature controlling device, temperature change of the one or more payloads, wherein each carrier is configured to hold one or more payloads and move the one or more payloads to one of the plurality of testing stations. Other aspects are described and claimed herein.

A device for separating one or more molecules of interest in a liquid specimen including a monolithic body defining a fractionation column. The column includes an inlet opening at a proximal end of the fractionation column; an outlet opening at a distal, opposite end of the fractionation column; a solid phase chamber positioned between the inlet opening and the outlet opening; a specimen introduction area adjacent a proximal end of the solid phase chamber; an analyte exit area adjacent a distal end of the solid phase chamber; an inlet chamber adjacent the inlet opening that tapers into the specimen introduction area; and an outlet chamber that extends from the analyte exit area to the outlet opening. A metered amount of solid phase packed within the solid phase chamber between a first porous frit and a second porous frit of the solid phase chamber.

Systems and methods are described to determine a prioritization schedule for samples handled by a system with multiple remote sampling systems. A system embodiment includes, but is not limited to, an analysis system at a first location; one or more remote sampling systems at remote from the first location, the one or more remote sampling systems configured to receive a liquid segment and transfer a liquid sample to the analysis system via a transfer line; and a controller communicatively coupled with the analysis system and the one or more remote sampling systems, the controller configured to assign a priority value to a sample for analysis by the analysis system and to manage a queue of samples received from at the one or more remote sampling systems on the basis of the assigned priority value.

A method of identifying a tube type. The method includes capturing one or more pixelated images of a cap affixed to a tube; identifying a color of one or more pixels of the pixilated image of the cap; identifying one or more gradients of a dimension of the cap; and identifying the tube type based at least on: the color of the one or more pixels, and the one or more gradients of a dimension of the cap. Apparatus adapted to carry out the method are disclosed as are other aspects.

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.

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.

A method of calibrating an imaging device adapted to characterize a feature of a sample container, such as a cap color or cap type. The method includes providing a calibration tube including an imaging surface at an imaging location of a first imaging apparatus; illuminating the imaging surface with light emitted from multiple front light sources; adjusting a drive current to each of the multiple front light sources to establish a substantially uniform intensity of the imaging surface; recording drive current values for the multiple front light sources; replacing the calibration tube with a calibration tool having a calibration surface of a known reflectance; and measuring target intensity values of the calibration tool at the respective drive current values. Calibration tools, imaging apparatus, quality check modules, and health check methods are provided, as are other aspects.

A method is presented. The method comprises establishing, by a communication module, a connection between an instrument data processing module and a laboratory management module via a network; identifying, by a protocol identification module, an instrument communication protocol supported by the instrument data processing module and a laboratory management module communication protocol supported by the laboratory management module; and transmitting, by the communication module, messages from the instrument data processing module to the laboratory management module in the instrument communication protocol when it is determined that the instrument communication protocol is the same as or compatible with the laboratory management module communication protocol and/or transmitting, by the communication module, messages from the laboratory management module to the instrument data processing module in the laboratory management module communication protocol when it is determined that the laboratory management module communication protocol is the same as or compatible with the instrument communication protocol.

A display control unit (52) displays a screen for setting sample information on a display unit (8) for each sample placed in a sample placement section (20), and an input processing unit (53) receives information such as a culture name and seeding date and time information input by an operator via an operation unit (7), and stores the information in a storage unit (55). This file is transferred to a data processing unit (4) and stored in a sample information storage unit (40). After analyzing the respective samples in an LC-MS (3), a quantitative analysis unit (42) performs a quantitative analysis based on the obtained data, associates the analysis result with the sample information, and stores the data in an analysis result storage unit (43). As a result, the sample information and the analysis result of the respective samples in the preprocessing stage are associated with each other. Result display processing unit (44) arranges sample information and an analysis result for one sample on the same screen and displays them on display unit (8). With this display, an operator can easily and accurately grasp the correspondence relationship between the sample information and the analysis result of a plurality of sample to be subjected to preprocessing.