A method of operating an analytical laboratory is presented. The method comprises the steps of: setting a load limit for each laboratory instrument at maximum instrument capacity; dispatching biological samples to laboratory instrument(s) at a dispatch rate not greater than the instrument load limit; each laboratory instrument sending test order queries to the laboratory middleware upon identifying a biological sample; in response to the test order queries transmitting test orders to the laboratory instruments corresponding to the biological samples; the laboratory middleware monitoring a query rate of the plurality of laboratory instruments in order to determine an effective flow rate corresponding to each laboratory instrument; decreasing the load limit of a first laboratory instrument if its effective flow rate is lower than the dispatch rate; increasing the load limit for the first laboratory instrument if its effective flow rate is greater than or equal to the dispatch rate.

In a scenario where a laboratory is required to perform a plurality of tests on biological samples from a plurality of tubes in a manner that satisfies certain constraints, it is possible that the laboratory could handle the samples and assign them to machines in a manner which ensures that the relevant constraints are met. This could include using matrices and optimization functions to represent tubes, tests, machines and prescriptions, and could also include dynamically determining whether and how to aliquot the samples so as to meet the constraints given the conditions under which the samples would be processed.

The purpose of the present invention is to provide an automatic analyzing device capable of carrying in/out a reagent suitable for the intended use of a user according to the state of the device. An automatic analyzing device has a reagent refrigerator for movably holding reagent containers and a reagent loader for carrying in/out the reagent containers to/from the reagent refrigerator through movement in a direction perpendicular to the reagent refrigerator. A reagent refrigerator cover covers an upper surface of the reagent refrigerator and has an opening through which the reagent loader can pass. A storage unit stores a device state of the automatic analyzing device and a reagent-carry-in/out-method is selected on the basis of the device state. A control unit controls the reagent holder and the reagent loader according to the selected reagent carry-in/out method so as to carry in/out a target reagent container.

A method, apparatus and system for detecting structural variations is provided. A management apparatus divides a test sequence according to loci of chromosomes to obtain at least two portions of detection tasks, sends respective detection tasks to respective detection apparatuses and activates the respective detection tasks; detects detection task completion situations of detection apparatuses and determines whether the number of uncompleted tasks is reduced to a preset proportion threshold of a total number of tasks; when the number is reduced to a preset proportion threshold of the total number of tasks, the management apparatus sends, to detection apparatuses that have not yet completed detection tasks, an instruction message to kill uncompleted detection tasks; the management apparatus further divides the uncompleted detection tasks into at least two portions, sends respective detection tasks to respective detection apparatuses, and activates said respective detection apparatuses to continue to perform detection of structural variations.

Maintenance time for an automated analysis device is reduced by executing a plurality of maintenance items in parallel. An automated analysis system 10 is provided with an automated analysis device 11 and a terminal device 38. The automated analysis system 11 measures a sample. The terminal device 38 includes a display unit 32, an operation unit 32, and a control unit provided in a computer 30. The display unit 32 displays maintenance items for maintaining the automated analysis device 11. The operation unit 31 selects one or more of the maintenance items displayed on the display unit 32. The control unit controls the automated analysis device 11 to execute in parallel all the maintenance items selected by the operation unit 31.

Provided is an automatic analyzer in which a consumable is appropriately managed and efficiently used.

An automatic analyzer includes: a housing container holder portion that holds a housing container housing a consumable; a transport mechanism that transports the consumable housed in the housing container; and a controller, in which the housing container contains a first consumable and a second consumable, and the controller determines a usage state of the housing container relating to the first consumable and a usage state of the housing container relating to the second consumable, determines whether or not the first consumable housed in the housing container is usable based on the usage state of the housing container relating to the first consumable, and determines whether or not the second consumable housed in the housing container is usable based on the usage state of the housing container relating to the second consumable.

A method for operating a laboratory system comprising instruments for processing samples and a control unit connected by a communication network is presented. The method comprises receiving and identifying a biological sample and retrieving an order list from a database. The list comprises a plurality of targets defining one or more processing steps to be carried out on the biological sample by one or more of the laboratory instruments. The method also comprises selecting a workflow strategy and retrieving workflow acceptance criterion corresponding to the workflow strategy. The control unit determines a sample workflow for processing the sample based on the workflow strategy and determines whether the sample workflow satisfies the workflow acceptance criterion. If the sample workflow does not satisfy the workflow acceptance criterion, workflow strategy and the workflow acceptance criterion is refined and the sample workflow is determined again until it satisfies the workflow acceptance criterion.

A sample measurement system according to an embodiment may include: sample measurement units that perform measurement on samples by using consumables; a consumable setting unit in which a consumable rack storing the consumables to be supplied to the sample measurement units is set; a sample setting unit in which a sample rack storing the samples to be supplied to the sample measurement units is set; a first transport path that transports the consumable rack from the consumable setting unit to at least one of the sample measurement units; and a second transport path that transports the sample rack from the sample setting unit to at least one of the sample measurement units.

A sample measurement system and method of transporting of racks are provided that collectively supply the consumables to the sample measurement units. The sample measurement system includes: sample measurement units that perform measurement on samples by using consumables; a setting part in which a user sets consumable racks housing the consumables; a first transport path that supplies the consumable racks set in the setting part to one of the sample measurement units; a collector that is arranged adjacent to the setting part and that collects empty racks that are emptied after being transported to at least one of the sample measurement units; and a second transport path that transports the empty racks to the collector.

Techniques are disclosed relating to assay configuration. Assay devices are often used to determine characteristics of test samples, e.g., using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) or Deoxyribonucleic Acid (DNA) melt techniques. Various disclosed techniques allow detailed specification of assay parameters. This may allow user modification of assays and/or assay development by third parties. In embodiments in which assay parameters are specified using a separate device, these techniques may reduce validation requirements resulting from modified assays. In some embodiments, assay configuration information that may be added/removed/modified may include: a sequence of operations, parameters for the sequence of operations, data processing parameters, call logic rules/dependencies, and/or reporting rules.