Abstract: Automatic substance preparation and evaluation systems and methods are provided for preparing and evaluating a fluidic substance, such as e.g. a sample with bodily fluid, in a container and/or in a dispense tip. The systems and methods can detect volumes, evaluate integrities, and check particle concentrations in the container and/or the dispense tip.

Abstract: A system comprises: a sample analyzing device reading measurements associated with a liquid sample; a display device displaying a graphical user interface (GUI) to a current user of the automated sample analyzer; processing circuitry; and a memory storing: a receiving engine which receives the measurements associated with the liquid sample from the sample analyzing device and storing the received measurements in memory; a configuration control engine which sets a configuration of a user model to correspond to the current user of the automated sample analyzer; a learning engine which detects and collect at least one pattern of interaction of the current user with the GUI; and a user interface engine which configures the GUI according to user-dependent configuration data of the configuration of the user model corresponding to the current user.

Abstract: An external calibration curve relies on external calibrators containing known concentrations of a target analyte that can deteriorate over time, leading to inaccurate results. Generating new calibration curves often requires preparing several calibrators to obtain calibration points needed for generating the calibration curves. Preparing the calibrators necessary for multi-point calibration curves requires operator preparation time and can introduce handling errors. The presently claimed and described technology provides a clinical laboratory automation system, including a fluid handling system, an analyzer component, and a mass spectrometer. The clinical laboratory automation system can provide automated calibration using one calibrator to prepare one or more calibrator dilutions used to generate a calibration curve for the quantitative measurement of a target analyte in a sample.

Abstract: A luminometer (400) includes a light detector (630) configured to sense photons (135). The luminometer (400) includes an analog circuit (915a) configured to provide an analog signal (965) based on the photons (135) emitted from assay reactions over a time period and a counter circuit (915b) configured to provide a photon count (970) based on the photons (135) emitted from the assay reactions over the time period. The luminometer (400) includes a luminometer controller (905) configured to, in response to an analog signal value of the analog signal (965) being greater than a predetermined value, determine and report a measurement value of the photons (135) emitted from the assay reactions over the time period based on the analog signal value of the analog signal (965) and a linear function (1010). Optionally, the linear function (1010) is derived from a relationship between the analog signal (965) and the photon count (970).

Abstract: The presently claimed and described technology provides improved calibration and validation procedures for sample containers (e.g., cuvettes) in automated chemical analyzers. The claimed and described technology further provides methods of operating an automated analyzer that allows for the automation of calibrating and tracking the integrity of individual sample containers (e.g., cuvettes) in parallel with measuring constituent samples. These methods eliminate the need to alternate between a diagnostic mode and measurement mode when performing system maintenance, such as validating cuvette integrity, calibrating absorbance baseline, and replacing cuvettes. As such, the presently claimed and described technology can reduce downtime and improve the clinical lab productivity significantly by allowing for this system maintenance to occur simultaneously with sample analysis.

Abstract: One embodiment of the invention is directed to a sample processing system for analyzing a biological sample from a patient. The sample processing system comprises: a plurality of analyzers comprising at least one mass spectrometer, wherein each analyzer in the plurality of analyzers is configured to acquire at least one measurement value corresponding to at least one characteristic of the biological sample; at least one data storage component which stores (i) a list of parameters for the plurality of analyzers, and (ii) at least two condition sets, which contain data associated with completing one or more test orders. The condition sets contain data which differ by at least one variable; and a control system operatively coupled to the plurality of analyzers, and the at least one data storage component.

Abstract: A luminometer (400) includes a light detector (630) configured to sense photons (135). The luminometer (400) includes an analog circuit (915a) configured to provide an analog signal (965) based on the photons (135) emitted from assay reactions over a time period and a counter circuit (915b) configured to provide a photon count (970) based on the photons (135) emitted from the assay reactions over the time period. The luminometer (400) includes a luminometer controller (905) configured to, in response to an analog signal value of the analog signal (965) being greater than a predetermined value, determine and report a measurement value of the photons (135) emitted from the assay reactions over the time period based on the analog signal value of the analog signal (965) and a linear function (1010). Optionally, the linear function (1010) is derived from a relationship between the analog signal (965) and the photon count (970).

Abstract: One embodiment of the invention is directed to a sample processing system for analyzing a biological sample from a patient. The sample processing system comprises: a plurality of analyzers comprising at least one mass spectrometer, wherein each analyzer in the plurality of analyzers is configured to acquire at least one measurement value corresponding to at least one characteristic of the biological sample; at least one data storage component which stores (i) a list of parameters for the plurality of analyzers, and (ii) at least two condition sets, which contain data associated with completing one or more test orders. The condition sets contain data which differ by at least one variable; and a control system operatively coupled to the plurality of analyzers, and the at least one data storage component.

Abstract: A luminometer (400) includes a light detector (630) configured to sense photons (135). The luminometer (400) includes an analog circuit (915a) configured to provide an analog signal (965) based on the photons (135) emitted from assay reactions over a time period and a counter circuit (915b) configured to provide a photon count (970) based on the photons (135) emitted from the assay reactions over the time period. The luminometer (400) includes a luminometer controller (905) configured to, in response to an analog signal value of the analog signal (965) being greater than a predetermined value, determine and report a measurement value of the photons (135) emitted from the assay reactions over the time period based on the analog signal value of the analog signal (965) and a linear function (1010). Optionally, the linear function (1010) is derived from a relationship between the analog signal (965) and the photon count (970).

Abstract: Automatic substance preparation and evaluation systems and methods are provided for preparing and evaluating a fluidic substance, such as e.g. a sample with bodily fluid, in a container and/or in a dispense tip. The systems and methods can detect volumes, evaluate integrities, and check particle concentrations in the container and/or the dispense tip.

Abstract: A rotating electric machine includes a rotor rotatable about an axis, a stator, and a motor housing accommodating the rotor and the stator. The motor housing includes a refrigerant channel through which the refrigerant flows, and a pair of channel ports respectively located at both end portions of the refrigerant channel. The refrigerant channel includes a meander channel extending in a wave shape along the circumferential direction, and a pair of end channels connecting an end portion of the meander channel and a channel port. At least one of the end channels includes a first circumferential channel portion extending along the circumferential direction, a second circumferential channel portion extending along the circumferential direction and overlapping the first circumferential channel portion as viewed along the axis, and an axial channel portion extending along the axial direction and connecting the first circumferential channel portion and the second circumferential channel portion.

Abstract: An integrated sample processing system including an analyzer and a mass spectrometer is disclosed. The integrated sample processing system can perform multiple different types of detection, thereby providing improved flexibility and better accuracy in processing samples. The detection systems in the sample processing system may include an optical detection system and a mass spectrometer.

Abstract: A configurable washing arrangement (176) washes away at least unreacted components (230, 630) of patient samples (224, 624) from a reaction cell (220, 320) with a multiple number of wash actions (206, 210, 606). The configurable washing arrangement is suitable for use with an immunoassay diagnostic system (100) and washes the reaction cell within a predetermined timed sequence (Tww). The number of the wash actions correspond with an assay type of a plurality of assay types (200, 600). The various number of wash actions may be selected without compromising overall process speed. The immunoassay diagnostic system is configured to perform the plurality of the assay types and thereby detect analytes (244, 644) in patient samples (224, 624) by at least combining each of the patient samples with at least one reagent (216, 232, 616) in the reaction cell.

Abstract: A method (10) for automatically diluting a patient sample (20) onboard an immunoassay diagnostic system (100) includes: a) pipetting a first amount (22) of the patient sample (20) from a primary sample vessel (30) at a sample presentation unit (142) to a sample vessel (32) with a sample pipetting device (152); b) pipetting a second amount (26) of the patient sample (20) from the sample vessel (32) to a first dilution vessel (36) with the sample pipetting device (152); c) pipetting a first amount (62) of diluent (60) to the first dilution vessel (36) with a reagent pipetting device (162) thereby making a first patient sample dilution (50); and d) storing the first dilution vessel at a sample storage unit (158).

Abstract: An integrated sample processing system including an analyzer and a mass spectrometer is disclosed. The integrated sample processing system can perform multiple different types of detection, thereby providing improved flexibility and better accuracy in processing samples. The detection systems in the sample processing system may include an optical detection system and a mass spectrometer.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for automatically tailoring treatment of samples in sample containers carried in a rack. The systems and methods may identify sample containers in the rack and/or detect various characteristics associated with the containers and/or the rack. This information may then be used to tailor their treatment, such as by aspirating and dispensing fluid from the sample containers in a way that accounts for the types of the samples/containers carrying them.

Abstract: Automatic substance preparation and evaluation systems and methods are provided for preparing and evaluating a fluidic substance, such as e.g. a sample with bodily fluid, in a container and/or in a dispense tip. The systems and methods can detect volumes, evaluate integrities, and check particle concentrations in the container and/or the dispense tip.

Abstract: Quality control tests for a diagnostic instrument can be run in an efficient manner by using a subset of the potential quality control materials to perform tests for identifying failures in the diagnostic instrument's components. Such subsets could be defined in a variety of manners, and could allow component failures to be tested relatively more frequently in a more efficient manner. Additionally, issues for particular components of diagnostic instruments may be identified based on analysis of quality control results. This identification may be part of a method that comprises receiving a plurality of quality control results wherein each quality control result from the plurality of quality control results is obtained based on performing a measurement of a corresponding quality control sample using the diagnostic instrument.

Abstract: A method for operating and diagnosing faults in a laboratory instrument comprising a plurality of subsystems may comprise performing an analytic sequence and a set of diagnostic steps. Such a method may be performed using a diagnostic reagent comprising paramagnetic particles and lacking an antibody component. Such a method may also include evaluating a set of the instrument's subsystems in the opposite of the order in which those subsystems are used during analysis.

Abstract: Service for a machine such as a laboratory instrument can be facilitated by capture of images showing the field of view of a user of the machine, and modification of those images to remove confidential information. Modified images can then be provided to service technicians so that the service technicians can have visual information that would allow them to more effectively communicate and interact with the machines' users.