Patents Assigned to Roche Diagnostics
  • Publication number: 20210278425
    Abstract: A centering unit for diagnostics laboratory transporting compartment is presented. The centering unit for diagnostics laboratory transporting compartment comprises at least two arms with grippers for centering diagnostics laboratory transporting compartments of different diameters. For accurate and reliable centering of laboratory transporting compartments, the two arms are biased with a single elastic member. A laboratory system and a method for centering diagnostics laboratory transporting compartment and diagnostics laboratory transporting compartment holder are also disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 24, 2021
    Publication date: September 9, 2021
    Applicant: Roche Diagnostics Operations, Inc.
    Inventors: Daniel Arnold, Fabian Wenzler
  • Patent number: 11112365
    Abstract: An optical device for determining the presence and/or concentration of analytes in a sample is presented. The optical device comprises a detector and a detection unit comprising optical path components. The detection unit has wavelength-dependent responsivity. The optical device further comprises a light source for emitting light of different respective usable wavelength ranges. The light is guidable through the optical path to the detector to generate baseline signals and response signals relative to the baseline signal indicative of the presence and/or concentration of analytes in the optical path. The intensity of the light reaching the detector is adjusted inverse to the wavelength-dependent responsivity with respect to at least two respective usable wavelength ranges so that a reduction of the ratio between the maximum baseline signal at one of the selected usable wavelength ranges and the minimum baseline signal at another of the selected usable wavelength ranges is obtained.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 7, 2021
    Assignee: Roche Diagnostics Operations, Inc.
    Inventors: Rik Harbers, Kurt Schildknecht
  • Patent number: 11110464
    Abstract: A sample container carrier, a laboratory sample distribution system comprising such a sample container carrier and a laboratory automation system comprising such a laboratory sample distribution system are presented.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 7, 2021
    Assignee: Roche Diagnostics Operations, Inc.
    Inventors: Rudolf Durco, Marcel Kaeppeli
  • Patent number: 11112419
    Abstract: A laboratory distribution system is presented. The system comprises diagnostic laboratory container carriers and a conveyor. The conveyor comprises an endless drive defining a closed-loop conveyor pathway. The system comprises supporting elements attached to the endless drive. The supporting elements receive a container carrier and transport the container carrier in an upright position along a pathway section. The supporting elements are mounted pivotally about a horizontal pivot axis to the drive and structured such that a center of gravity of the supporting element with or without an empty or loaded container carrier is arranged below and vertically aligned with the pivot axis when the supporting element is in an upright position such that each supporting element is free to pivot about the associated pivot axis under the effect of gravitational forces acting on the supporting element for maintaining the supporting elements in an upright position while travelling along the path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 7, 2021
    Assignee: Roche Diagnostics Operations, Inc.
    Inventors: Hans van Mierlo, Gottlieb Schacher, Marcel Kaeppeli, Reto Huesser, Andreas Drechsler, Matthias Goetz, Nenad Milicevic
  • Patent number: 11110463
    Abstract: A sample container carrier, a laboratory sample distribution system comprising such a sample container carrier and a laboratory automation system comprising such a laboratory sample distribution system are presented.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 7, 2021
    Assignee: Roche Diagnostics Operations, Inc.
    Inventors: Tobias Huber, Rudolf Durco
  • Patent number: 11112421
    Abstract: A laboratory sample distribution system is presented. The laboratory sample distribution system comprises an optical inspection device adapted to optically inspect items that need to be optically inspected, at least one mirror device, a driver adapted to move the items to be optically inspected and to move the at least one mirror device, and a control device configured to move an item to be optically inspected relative to the optical inspection device by controlling the driver such that a field of view of the optical inspection device is extended.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 7, 2021
    Assignee: Roche Diagnostics Operations, Inc.
    Inventors: Achim Sinz, Tobias Huber
  • Patent number: 11103872
    Abstract: A positioning system for positioning a consumable rack in a diagnostic system is disclosed. The positioning system comprises a rack comprising an upper surface comprising holding positions and a receiving compartment comprising a rectangular chassis comprising front, rear, and two lateral sides. The receiving compartment comprises a holding structure coupled to the chassis to move between first and second positions. The rack comprises sidewalls. At least three sidewalls have a center alignment element. The chassis comprises three chassis alignment elements on the rear and two lateral sides. The holding structure comprises a corner push element between the chassis front and lateral sides to push against a side edge of the rack between two sidewalls when the holding structure is moved from the first position towards the second position forcing the three alignment elements against a chassis alignment element and laterally holding the rack in position by the chassis alignment elements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 31, 2021
    Assignee: Roche Diagnostics Operations, Inc.
    Inventors: Renato Belz, Armin Bucher, Christian Thalmann, Reto Joho, Thomas Huber
  • Patent number: 11099154
    Abstract: A method of quantifying the amount of at least two analytes A1 and A2 involving (a) adding at least one salt (S) to at least a portion (P1) of the sample comprising the at least two analytes A1 and A2, (b) ionizing at least a portion of the sample according to (a) thereby forming an analyte flow comprising the analytes A1 and A2 in ionized form, (c) separating the ionized analytes A1 and A2 from each other by using at least one ion mobility separator (124), wherein the analyte flow according to (b) at least partially passes through the ion mobility separator (124), and (d) quantifying the amount of the separated ionized analytes obtained according to (c), wherein A1 is a pharmaceutically active compound C or derivative thereof and A2 is a metabolite or stereoisomer of C.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 24, 2021
    Assignee: Roche Diagnostics Operations, Inc.
    Inventors: Uwe Kobold, Roland Thiele, Noah Weiss, Lauren Brown
  • Patent number: 11099149
    Abstract: A test element for electrochemically detecting at least one analyte in a bodily fluid is disclosed. The test element comprises at least one first electrode and at least one second electrode. The first electrode is designed as a working electrode and the second electrode is designed as a counter electrode. The test element comprises at least one capillary capable of receiving a sample of the body fluid. The first electrode and the second electrode are arranged on opposing sides of the capillary. The first electrode and the second electrode are arranged such that during a capillary filling the first electrode and the second electrode are wetted simultaneously and at an equal rate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 24, 2021
    Assignee: Roche Diagnostics Operations, Inc.
    Inventors: Klaus Andreas Bauer-Espindola, Michael Marquant, Christine Nortmeyer, Reiner Stein
  • Patent number: 11099180
    Abstract: The disclosure concerns a method and kits for measurement of an analyte in a microparticle-based analyte-specific binding assay. In the assay, the microparticles are coated with the first partner of a binding pair, mixing the coated microparticles and at least two analyte-specific binding agents, each conjugated to the second partner of the binding pair, and a sample suspected of containing the analyte. The second partner of the binding pair is bound to each of the analyte-specific binding agents via a linker comprising from 12 to 30 ethylene glycol units (PEG 12 to 30), thereby binding the analyte via the conjugated analyte-specific binding agents to the coated microparticles. The method also entails separating the microparticles having the analyte bound via the binding pair and the analyte-specific binding agent from the mixture and measuring the analyte bound to the microparticles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 24, 2021
    Assignee: Roche Diagnostics Operations, Inc.
    Inventors: Ralf Bollhagen, Barbara Upmeier, Werner Naser, Toralf Zarnt
  • Patent number: 11099171
    Abstract: A communication interface apparatus is provided for use with a handheld medical test device. The communication interface apparatus is comprised of an attachment member configured to detachably couple to a housing of the medical test device, where the attachment member substantially overlays a rear side of the medical test device. The communication interface apparatus houses an infrared receiver, a secondary transceiver and a controller. The infrared receiver is arranged such that its input port aligns with an output port of an infrared transmitter in the medical test device when the attachment member is coupled to the medical test device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 16, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 24, 2021
    Assignee: Roche Diagnostics Operations, Inc.
    Inventors: Howard Sams, Andreas Staubert
  • Patent number: 11092612
    Abstract: A system for dispensing vessels to an analyzer is disclosed. The system comprises a disc rotatable about an axis and comprising a groove, a drum arranged above and coupled to the disc to rotatable together about the axis, the drum comprising slots arranged along and around the axis, each slot comprising an input interface for stacking vessels in the slot and an output interface for dispensing the vessels, the output interface comprising a retainer, a crank translatable in a linear forwards and backwards direction orthogonal to the axis between a first, second, and third position. The crank comprises a pin for rotating the disc and bringing a slot into a dispensing position upon translation between the first and second position, the crank comprising an actuator pin for actuating the retainer in the dispensing position upon translation of the crank between the second and third position to dispense the vessels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 17, 2021
    Assignee: Roche Diagnostics Operations, Inc.
    Inventors: Thomas Guggisberg, Christian Marty, Jan Simon Portmann, Gottlieb Schacher, Rolf Schneebeli, Markus Troxler, Beat Rene Widmer, Urs Wittenwiler
  • Patent number: 11092613
    Abstract: A method of operating a laboratory sample distribution system is presented. The laboratory sample distribution system comprises a number of sample container carriers. The sample container carriers are adapted to carry one or more sample containers. The sample containers comprise samples to be analyzed by a number of laboratory stations. The laboratory sample distribution system also comprises a transport plane. The transport plane is adapted to support the sample container carriers. The method comprises allocating an area of the transport plane as a buffer area. The buffer area is adapted to store a variable number of sample container carriers. The method also comprises controlling the buffer area using a puzzle-based control scheme or using an aisle-based control scheme as a function of a storage density of the buffer area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 17, 2021
    Assignee: Roche Diagnostics Operations, Inc.
    Inventors: Mohammadreza Mahmudimanesh, Sophia Bruntsch, Soraya Garcia Bustos, Walter Ebner, Shubin Ren, Mohsin Reza, Daniel Diez Diaz-Calonge
  • Patent number: 11078545
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides a method and system for the PCR amplification of a target sequence which suppresses non-specific amplification products. The disclosure concerns the use of a primer pair optimized to amplify a nucleic acid of a contaminant in the background of genomic DNA of a first organism. When DNA from a second organism suspected for comprising the contaminant is subjected to the same PCR-based amplification reaction, detection sensitivity and specificity of the contaminant is enhanced when an amount of genomic DNA of the first organism is present in the amplification reaction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 3, 2021
    Assignee: Roche Diagnostics Operations, Inc.
    Inventor: Christian Birkner
  • Patent number: 11078511
    Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to the properties of certain glycosyltransferase variants having N-terminal truncation deletions or internal deletions. Any of the mutants disclosed in here exhibit alpha-2,6-sialyltransferase enzymatic activity in the presence of CMP-activated sialic acid as co-substrate, and in the presence of a suitable acceptor site. A fundamental finding documented in the present disclosure is that these enzymes are not only capable of catalyzing transfer of a sialidyl moiety but they are also capable of catalyzing hydrolytic cleavage of terminally bound sialic acid from a glycan.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 3, 2021
    Assignee: Roche Diagnostics Operations, Inc.
    Inventors: Harald Sobek, Michael Greif, Marco Thomann, Sebastian Malik
  • Patent number: 11078241
    Abstract: The disclosure relates to a multi-epitope fusion protein as well as to its use as calibrator and/or control in an in vitro diagnostics immunoassay for detecting HCV core antigen. The multi-epitope fusion protein has two to six different non-overlapping linear peptides present in the amino acid sequence of hepatitis C virus (HCV) core protein, wherein each of the peptides is separated from the other peptides by a spacer consisting of a non-HCV amino acid sequence and having a chaperone amino acid sequence. No further HCV specific amino acid sequences are present in the polypeptide. A further aspect relates to a reagent kit for detecting HCV core antigen containing said multi-epitope fusion protein as calibrator or control or both.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 3, 2021
    Assignee: Roche Diagnostics Operations, Inc.
    Inventors: Barbara Upmeier, Ralf Bollhagen, Toralf Zarnt
  • Publication number: 20210231641
    Abstract: A method for determining properties of a laboratory sample contained in a laboratory sample container is presented. The method comprises measuring projections of the laboratory sample container comprising the laboratory sample by irradiating light to the laboratory sample container at different projection angle and determining the properties by tomographic reconstruction based on the projections.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 15, 2021
    Publication date: July 29, 2021
    Applicant: Roche Diagnostics Operations, Inc.
    Inventor: Michael Rein
  • Publication number: 20210213450
    Abstract: A method to process a laboratory carrier in a laboratory system based on a feature of a test liquid in the laboratory carrier is presented. The laboratory system comprises the laboratory carrier comprising the test liquid, a terahertz wave source, a terahertz detector, a laboratory carrier processing device, and a control unit. Using terahertz technology and data analysis, the feature of the test liquid in the laboratory carrier can be determined. In addition, the control unit controls the laboratory carrier processing device based on the determined feature of the test liquid.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 5, 2021
    Publication date: July 15, 2021
    Applicant: Roche Diagnostics Operations, Inc.
    Inventors: Andreas Drechsler, Darko Klinec, Michael Koehler, Alexander Jakob, Michael Zeder
  • Publication number: 20210215731
    Abstract: A computer-implemented method for processing biological samples in an environment including multiple automated analyzers having multiple modules is presented. The method includes receiving data related to a plurality of orders for processing biological samples at a main workflow engine. The main workflow engine receives and processes data for each of the multiple automated analyzers having multiple modules. The method further includes providing a data snapshot to at least one shadow workflow engine associated with a subset of one or more modules of the multiple modules. The data snapshot comprises only a portion of the data related to the plurality of orders that is necessary to determine actions of the module of the multiple modules. The method further includes determining, by the shadow workflow engine, a plurality of actions for the subset of modules to process the plurality of orders based on the data snapshot.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 6, 2021
    Publication date: July 15, 2021
    Applicant: Roche Diagnostics Operations, Inc.
    Inventors: Alejandro Morcillo Montejo, Marco Maetzler, Juan Bacardit
  • Publication number: 20210215716
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for assessing atrial fibrillation in a subject, said method comprising the steps of determining the amount of SPON-1 in a sample from the subject, and comparing the amount of SPON-1 to a reference amount, whereby atrial fibrillation is to be assessed. Moreover, the present invention relates to methods for the prediction of stroke based on the amount of SPON-1.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 22, 2021
    Publication date: July 15, 2021
    Applicants: Roche Diagnostics Operations, Inc., Universiteit Maastricht, Academisch Ziekenhuis Maastricht
    Inventors: Peter Kastner, Manuel Dietrich, André Ziegler, Ursula-Henrike Wienhues-Thelen, Vinzent Rolny, Ulrich Schotten