A sample measurement system includes: a measurement unit that measures a sample stored in a sample container; a transport unit that transports a rack capable of holding sample containers via the measurement unit; a first transport-in/transport-out unit and a second transport-in/transport-out unit in each of which racks can be set alongside in a first direction, and that send the set racks to be transported to the measurement unit and receive the racks transported from the measurement unit; and a controller that controls the first transport-in/transport-out unit and the second transport-in/transport-out unit so that the racks are sequentially sent from the first transport-in/transport-out unit and the second transport-in/transport-out unit. The first transport-in/transport-out unit and the second transport-in/transport-out unit are disposed alongside in a second direction crossing the first direction, and each send the racks from one side in the first direction, and receive the racks from the other side.

A sample examination automation system includes a conveyance line, a large-scale sample carrier buffer, an analyzer coupling unit, and a conveyance managing unit. The conveyance line conveys a sample carrier. One or a plurality of sample containers is mountable on the sample carrier. The large-scale sample carrier buffer stores a plurality of the sample carriers. The analyzer coupling unit, which is couplable to an analyzer, incorporates a sample carrier sub-buffer capable of storing the sample carriers by an amount smaller than an amount of the large-scale sample carrier buffer. The conveyance managing unit has a function of controlling a sample carrier conveyance destination. The conveyance managing unit is configured to determine an amount of the sample carriers supplied to the sample carrier sub-buffer via the large-scale sample carrier buffer according to a storage situation of the sample carriers in the sample carrier sub-buffer.

A method for operating a laboratory automation system, having: a control device and a transport system with carriers and a first empty carrier queue provided with a first fixed number of queue spaces, each assignable an empty carrier; the method comprising: providing additional queue spaces, each assignable an empty carrier, assigning a first number of additional queue spaces from the additional queue spaces to the first empty carrier queue, operating the first empty carrier queue with the first fixed number of queue spaces plus the first number of additional queue spaces, assigning, in response to receiving operation data in the control device, a second number of additional queue spaces from the additional queue spaces to the first empty carrier queue and operating the first empty carrier queue with the first fixed number of queue spaces plus the second number of additional queue spaces. Further, a laboratory automation system is provided.

A method of routing test samples during periods of laboratory disruption in a laboratory system is disclosed. The method comprises determining that a laboratory device is unavailable, masking a target laboratory device so that test samples are not sent to the target laboratory device and test samples cannot be retrieved from the target laboratory device, rerouting test samples from the target laboratory device to a buffer, calculating a new laboratory workflow after the laboratory device becomes available, unmasking the target laboratory device after the new laboratory workflow is calculated, and retrieving the test samples from buffer and sending the test samples to the target laboratory device.

The purpose of the present invention is to provide an automatic analysis system which, even when a large number of quality control samples is necessary, reduces the time necessary for quality control. To this end, this automatic analysis system is provided with multiple analysis devices (190), a conveyance unit (120) to which the analysis devices (190) are connected, and an operation unit (101) which operates the conveyance unit (120) to convey samples to the analysis device (190), wherein the automatic analysis system has a common storage cabinet (210) for storing the quality control samples that can be supplied to the multiple analysis devices (190), and in accordance with a rule registered in advance for each of the multiple analysis devices (190), the operation unit (101) operates the storage cabinet (210) to automatically convey a quality control sample to an analysis device (190).

A sample testing system comprising: a transporting apparatus; a testing apparatus for obtain a sample and performing testing on the obtained sample; and a controller. The controller executes operation of: controlling the transporting apparatus so as to transport the sample rack in first direction, such that each sample container held in a sample rack is transported to a obtaining position on which the testing apparatus obtains a sample and then the sample rack is transported toward the second position; changing, when retesting of a sample contained in a sample container is necessary, the transporting direction from the first direction to second direction, and then controlling the transporting apparatus so as to transport the sample container accommodating the sample, for which retesting is necessary, to the obtaining position again. Sample testing method and a computer program product are also disclosed.

This automated analysis device is provided with a plurality of analysis units for analyzing a specimen, a buffer portion which holds a plurality of specimen racks on which are placed specimen containers holding the specimen, a sampler portion which conveys the specimen racks held in the buffer portion to the analysis units, and a control portion which, when performing a process to deliver the specimen racks to the plurality of analysis units, outputs synchronization signals to all the plurality of analysis units, wherein the analysis unit performs a delivery process starting from the synchronization signal, and the analysis unit performs a delivery process starting from the synchronization signal.

A distribution system comprising a transport plane configured for distributing a plurality of tube holders, wherein the transport plane comprises at least one transportation area and at least one queue area, wherein the queue area comprises queues of a plurality of different queue types differentiating between tube holder with a sample container, empty tube holder, input queue and output queue; a drive system configured for moving the tube holders on the transport plane; a control system configured to control movement of the tube holders on the transport plane, wherein the control system comprises a routing system configured for calculating routes for the tube holders on the transportation area of the transport plane, wherein the control system comprises a queue manager configured for calculating routes for the tube holders in the queue area considering the different queue types.

A process and system for handling biological tissue samples through work stations in which at least one work stations includes a plurality of independent work locations. The handling system includes a main transport apparatus operatively connected to input and output stations and to the work stations for moving bidirectionally the samples among these; a plurality of secondary transport apparatuses operatively connected to the main transport apparatus and each respectively operatively connected to independent work locations of one of the work stations and configured to move bidirectionally the samples among these; and a control arrangement of the transport apparatuses for managing routing and handling of the samples in the work stations according to a work protocol associated with the samples and for managing routing and handling of the samples in the work locations according to a workload of the work locations and the work protocol associated with the samples.

An automated system and method for storing/retrieving vessel holders is presented. A first storage compartment comprises first storage sections. A first translating mechanism vertically translates one storage section to a loading level for loading holders into the first storage compartment and translates one storage section to a handing-in level for handing in holders to/from an analyzer. A second storage compartment comprises second storage sections. A second translating mechanism vertically translates one second storage sections to a handing-out level and translates one storage section to an unloading level for unloading holders from the second storage compartment. A first transport mechanism comprises a first conveyor for transporting holders from a first storage section at the handing-in level to a handing-over station. A second transport mechanism comprises a second conveyor for transporting holders from the handing-over station to a second storage section at the handing-out level. A controller operates the mechanisms.