System and method of load balancing specimen containers within detection instruments

• Main Authors: Vincent, Warren, Vivet, Thierry
• Format: Patent
• Language: English
• Published: 11.04.2023
• Subjects: CONTROL OR REGULATING SYSTEMS IN GENERAL; CONTROLLING; FUNCTIONAL ELEMENTS OF SUCH SYSTEMS; INVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIRCHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES; MEASURING; MONITORING OR TESTING ARRANGEMENTS FOR SUCH SYSTEMS ORELEMENTS; PHYSICS; REGULATING; TESTING

The present invention is directed to a system and method for load balancing specimen containers between a plurality of automated detection apparatuses. The method may include receiving a specimen container at a container pick-up station in a first automated detection apparatus; determining loading ability, transfer status, and cell availability of the first automated detection apparatus and one or more downstream automated detection apparatuses; and transferring the specimen container from the first automated detection apparatus to a downstream automated detection apparatus when a first ratio of effective available cell count to effective capacity in the first automated detection apparatus is less than a second ratio of total effective available cell count to total effective capacity of a sum of the first automated detection apparatus and the one or more downstream automated detection apparatuses.