Abstract: A method for detecting an error state when aspirating a liquid to identify whether a pre-determined volume of liquid was aspirated. The method including: immersing a tip of an aspiration needle in the liquid, aspirating a predetermined partial volume of the liquid in the aspiration needle, continuously acquiring a sensor signal curve, which indicates a pressure in the aspiration needle, during an overall time period, detecting the error state in the case that the sensor signal falls below a first threshold value during the predetermined time period, characterized by providing a reference signal curve, determining a deviation measure, which indicates a deviation of the sensor signal curve from the reference signal curve during the further time period, providing a predetermined second threshold value, detecting the error state as a function of the deviation measure and the second threshold value.

Abstract: A method is proposed for detecting an error state when aspirating a liquid, including: immersing a tip of an aspiration needle in the liquid, generating a negative pressure in the aspiration needle for a predefined time period to aspirate a predetermined partial volume of the liquid in the aspiration needle, continuously acquiring a sensor signal curve by means of continuous measurement of a sensor signal, which indicates a pressure in the aspiration needle, during an overall time period, which comprises the predetermined time period and furthermore a further time period following the predetermined time period, detecting the error state in the case that the sensor signal falls below a first threshold value during the predetermined time period, characterized by providing a reference signal curve, determining a deviation measure, which indicates a deviation of the sensor signal curve from the reference signal curve during the further time period, providing a predetermined second threshold value, detecting the e