Patents by Inventor Andrew McCaughey

Andrew McCaughey has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 11879904
    Abstract: A method of washing an aspiration probe of an in-vitro diagnostic system is disclosed. The aspiration probe comprises an outer surface and an inner surface forming an inner space for receiving a fluid. The method comprises dipping the aspiration probe into a first wash fluid so that the outer surface is immersed at least in part into the first wash fluid, aspirating an amount of the first wash fluid into the inner space of the aspiration probe, propagating an ultrasonic vibration to the outer surface of the aspiration probe via the first wash fluid, and rinsing the outer surface and the inner surface of the aspiration probe with a second wash fluid. Further, an in-vitro diagnostic method and an in-vitro diagnostic system are disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2024
    Assignees: Roche Diagnostics Operations, Inc., Hitachi High-Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Kouhei Nonaka, Takamichi Mori, Yoichi Aruga, Yosuke Horie, Andrew McCaughey, Alexander Seiler
  • Patent number: 11719714
    Abstract: The automatic analyzer includes: a liquid dispensing mechanism that performs suction of a liquid; a pressure sensor that measures a change of an internal pressure of a probe provided at the liquid dispensing mechanism; a determination section that determines whether the suction of the liquid by the probe is normal suction or air suction abnormality; an analysis section; a storage section that stores a cumulative number of times of air suction abnormality per liquid and an allowable cumulative number for the cumulative number of times of air suction abnormality; and a controller that exercises operation control over the liquid dispensing mechanism, the determination section, and the analysis section. The controller exercises control such that the cumulative number of times of air suction abnormality is updated and the updated cumulative number is stored in the storage section even if the air suction abnormality occurs non-consecutively.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2023
    Assignees: HITACHI HIGH-TECH CORPORATION, ROCHE DIAGNOSTICS OPERATIONS, INC.
    Inventors: Sayaka Sarwar, Masaharu Nishida, Yoko Inoue, Masafumi Shimada, Kenichi Yagi, Naohiko Fukaya, Andrew McCaughey
  • Publication number: 20220113331
    Abstract: A method of washing an aspiration probe of an in-vitro diagnostic system is disclosed. The aspiration probe comprises an outer surface and an inner surface forming an inner space for receiving a fluid. The method comprises dipping the aspiration probe into a first wash fluid so that the outer surface is immersed at least in part into the first wash fluid, aspirating an amount of the first wash fluid into the inner space of the aspiration probe, propagating an ultrasonic vibration to the outer surface of the aspiration probe via the first wash fluid, and rinsing the outer surface and the inner surface of the aspiration probe with a second wash fluid. Further, an in-vitro diagnostic method and an in-vitro diagnostic system are disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 22, 2021
    Publication date: April 14, 2022
    Applicants: Roche Diagnostics Operations, Inc., Hitachi High-Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Kouhei Nonaka, Takamichi Mori, Yoichi Aruga, Yosuke Horie, Andrew McCaughey, Alexander Seiler
  • Patent number: 11169169
    Abstract: A method of washing an aspiration probe of an in-vitro diagnostic system is disclosed. The aspiration probe comprises an outer surface and an inner surface forming an inner space for receiving a fluid. The method comprises dipping the aspiration probe into a first wash fluid so that the outer surface is immersed at least in part into the first wash fluid, aspirating an amount of the first wash fluid into the inner space of the aspiration probe, propagating an ultrasonic vibration to the outer surface of the aspiration probe via the first wash fluid, and rinsing the outer surface and the inner surface of the aspiration probe with a second wash fluid. Further, an in-vitro diagnostic method and an in-vitro diagnostic system are disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 9, 2021
    Assignees: ROCHE DIAGNOSTICS OPERATIONS, INC., HITACHI HIGH-TECH CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kouhei Nonaka, Takamichi Mori, Yoichi Aruga, Yosuke Horie, Andrew McCaughey, Alexander Seiler
  • Publication number: 20200264206
    Abstract: The automatic analyzer includes: a liquid dispensing mechanism that performs suction of a liquid; a pressure sensor that measures a change of an internal pressure of a probe provided at the liquid dispensing mechanism; a determination section that determines whether the suction of the liquid by the probe is normal suction or air suction abnormality; an analysis section; a storage section that stores a cumulative number of times of air suction abnormality per liquid and an allowable cumulative number for the cumulative number of times of air suction abnormality; and a controller that exercises operation control over the liquid dispensing mechanism, the determination section, and the analysis section. The controller exercises control such that the cumulative number of times of air suction abnormality is updated and the updated cumulative number is stored in the storage section even if the air suction abnormality occurs non-consecutively.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 19, 2019
    Publication date: August 20, 2020
    Inventors: Sayaka SARWAR, Masaharu NISHIDA, Yoko INOUE, Masafumi SHIMADA, Kenichi YAGI, Naohiko FUKAYA, Andrew MCCAUGHEY
  • Publication number: 20200116745
    Abstract: A method of operating an analytical laboratory is disclosed. The method comprises receiving and identifying a biological sample by a pre-analytical laboratory instrument, retrieving corresponding test order(s), determining a target laboratory instrument for each of the test order(s), determining whether the target laboratory instrument(s) is ready to carry out the test order, transmitting a readiness command to the target laboratory instrument(s) if the target laboratory instrument is not ready, executing instructions of the readiness command by the target laboratory instrument, instructing the target laboratory instrument(s) to process the biological sample according to the test order if the target laboratory instrument is ready to carry out the test order, and processing the biological sample by the target laboratory instrument(s) according to the test order as instructed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 9, 2019
    Publication date: April 16, 2020
    Applicant: Roche Diagnostics Operations, Inc.
    Inventors: Matthias Frenzel, Marco Maetzler, Andrew McCaughey
  • Publication number: 20190369132
    Abstract: A method of washing an aspiration probe of an in-vitro diagnostic system is disclosed. The aspiration probe comprises an outer surface and an inner surface forming an inner space for receiving a fluid. The method comprises dipping the aspiration probe into a first wash fluid so that the outer surface is immersed at least in part into the first wash fluid, aspirating an amount of the first wash fluid into the inner space of the aspiration probe, propagating an ultrasonic vibration to the outer surface of the aspiration probe via the first wash fluid, and rinsing the outer surface and the inner surface of the aspiration probe with a second wash fluid. Further, an in-vitro diagnostic method and an in-vitro diagnostic system are disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 7, 2019
    Publication date: December 5, 2019
    Applicants: Roche Diagnostics Operations, Inc., Hitachi High-Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Kouhei Nonaka, Takamichi Mori, Yoichi Aruga, Yosuke Horie, Andrew McCaughey, Alexander Seiler