Sample container with radiofrequency identifier tag

Abstract

There is provided a sample container comprising a retainer for retaining a sample; and a radiofrequency identifier comprising an antenna for transmitting or receiving radiofrequency energy; an integrated circuit chip connecting with said antenna; and a carrier for the radiofrequency identifier; wherein the radiofrequency identifier is on the carrier and the carrier connects to the retainer.

1 - 64 . (canceled)  
   
   
       65 . A sample container comprising 
 a retainer for retaining a sample, wherein the retainer is selected from the group consisting of a well, a microscope slide, a retainer having a sealing cap, and a tube having a lid selected from the group consisting of a screw-fit lid and a press-fit lid;    a radiofrequency identifier comprising 
 an antenna for transmitting or receiving radiofrequency energy;  
 an integrated circuit chip connecting with said antenna; and  
   a carrier for said radiofrequency identifier;    wherein the radiofrequency identifier is on said carrier and the carrier connects to said retainer,    and wherein characterized in that the integrated circuit chip has plural memory areas thereon including    a) a read only memory area containing a unique serial number; and    b) a read/write memory area which can be made read only.    
   
   
       66 . A sample container according to  claim 65 , wherein said memory areas further include c) a password protected memory area containing data in encrypted form.  
   
   
       67 . A sample container according to  claim 65 , wherein said retainer has a sealing cap selected from the group consisting of a snap-fit cap and a screw lid cap.  
   
   
       68 . A sample container according to  claim 65 , wherein the retainer comprises material selected from the group consisting of glass, organic polymer and metal.  
   
   
       69 . A sample container according to  claim 65 , wherein said antenna is capable of transmitting or receiving radiofrequency energy having a frequency of 50 KHz to 2.5 GHz.  
   
   
       70 . A sample container according to  claim 69 , wherein the antenna is adapted to transmit or receive radiofrequency energy having a frequency of 125 KHz.  
   
   
       71 . A sample container according to  claim 69 , wherein the antenna is adapted to transmit or receive radiofrequency energy having a frequency of 13.56 MHz.  
   
   
       72 . A sample container according to  claim 69 , wherein the antenna is adapted to transmit or receive radiofrequency energy having a frequency of 2.4 GHz.  
   
   
       73 . A sample container according to  claim 65 , wherein said carrier is adhesively mountable on the sample container.  
   
   
       74 . A sample container according to  claim 73 , wherein the carrier is a rigid disc.  
   
   
       75 . A sample container according to  claim 73 , wherein the carrier is a flexible label.  
   
   
       76 . A sample container according to  claim 73 , wherein the carrier is a ring.  
   
   
       77 . A sample container according to  claim 65 , wherein the carrier is mouldable to the retainer or said cap.  
   
   
       78 . A sample container according to  claim 65 , wherein the carrier bears a barcode thereon.  
   
   
       79 . A sample container according to  claim 65 , wherein the carrier encases the radiofrequency identifier.  
   
   
       80 . A sample container according to  claim 79 , wherein the carrier forms a hermetic seal for the radiofrequency identifier.  
   
   
       81 . A sample container according to  claim 65 , wherein the carrier comprises an insulating material.  
   
   
       82 . A sample container according to  claim 81 , wherein said insulating material comprises a glass material.  
   
   
       83 . A sample container according to  claim 65 , wherein the integrated circuit chip has a write only memory area.  
   
   
       84 . A sample container according to  claim 65 , wherein the integrated circuit chip has a one-time programmable memory area.  
   
   
       85 . A sample container according to  claim 65 , wherein the integrated circuit chip has a pre-set, non-read or writeable memory area.  
   
   
       86 . A sample container according to  claim 65 , wherein the sample container retains a biological sample.  
   
   
       87 . A sample container according to  claim 86 , wherein said biological sample is for use in studies selected from the group consisting of clinical trials, metabolism studies, pharmacokinetic studies, toxicity studies and environmental fate studies.  
   
   
       88 . A sample container according to  claim 86 , wherein the biological sample is derived from material selected from the group consisting of water, soil, prion, virus, fungus, alga, bacterium, insect, nematode, fish, reptile, plant, bird, mammal and human.  
   
   
       89 . A sample container according to  claim 86 , wherein the biological sample is selected from the group consisting of blood, plasma, urine, cerebral spinal fluid, faeces, cell and tissue.  
   
   
       90 . A sample container according to  claim 86 , wherein the biological sample is selected from the group consisting of protein, peptide, amino acid, antibody, carbohydrate, oligosaccharide, lipid, glycolipid, glyceride, polynucleotide, oligonucleotide and nucleotide.  
   
   
       91 . A sample container according to  claim 85 , wherein the sample container retains a chemical sample.  
   
   
       92 . A sample container according to  claim 91 , wherein said chemical sample is for use in an analytical assay or synthesis reaction.  
   
   
       93 . A sample container according to  claim 91 , wherein the chemical sample is a drug candidate.  
   
   
       94 . A sample container according to  claim 91 , wherein the chemical sample is an agrochemical.  
   
   
       95 . A sample container according to  claim 94 , wherein said agrochemical is selected from the group consisting of herbicide, insecticide, fungicide, rodenticide, nematocide, acaracide and plant growth regulator.  
   
   
       96 . A sample container according to  claim 91 , wherein the chemical sample is a marking material.  
   
   
       97 . A sample container according to  claim 96 , wherein said marking material is selected from the group consisting of toner, ink, dye, pigment, acid and alkali.  
   
   
       98 . A sample container according to  claim 91 , wherein the chemical sample is a light-sensitive material.  
   
   
       99 . A system for identifying a sample container comprising 
 a sample container according to  claim 65;     a carrier support for supporting said sample container; and    a reader for reading data from the radiofrequency identifier by transmitting radiofrequency energy thereto and receiving radiofrequency energy therefrom.    
   
   
       100 . A system according to  claim 99 , comprising a plurality of the sample containers supported by said carrier support, wherein said reader is capable of reading each radiofrequency identifier separately by differentiating between individual radiofrequency identifiers within the same antenna field.  
   
   
       101 . A system according to  claim 99 , wherein the carrier support is selected from the group consisting of rack, carousel, array, micro well plate, square well plate, deep well plate, solid phase extraction block and tube block.  
   
   
       102 . A system according to  claim 99 , wherein the reader is capable of reading multiple radiofrequency identifiers simultaneously by differentiating between individual radiofrequency identifiers within the same antenna field.  
   
   
       103 . A system according to  claim 99 , additionally comprising a writer for writing data to the radiofrequency identifier by transmitting radiofrequency energy thereto.  
   
   
       104 . A system according to  claim 103 , wherein said writer is capable of writing to multiple radiofrequency identifiers simultaneously by differentiating between individual radiofrequency identifiers within the same antenna field.  
   
   
       105 . A system according to  claim 103 , wherein said writer forms part of the reader.  
   
   
       106 . A system according to  claim 99 , wherein the reader is capable of reading and/or writing to one or more radiofrequency identifiers simultaneously at low temperature within the range of 4° Celsius to −200° Celsius.  
   
   
       107 . A system according to  claim 106 , wherein said temperature is in the range of −15° Celsius to −25° Celsius.  
   
   
       108 . A system according to  claim 106 , wherein the temperature is in the range of −75° Celsius to −85° Celsius.  
   
   
       109 . A system according to  claim 105 , wherein the reader is connectable to a sample preparation device and said data are producible from said sample preparation device.  
   
   
       110 . A system according to  claim 109 , wherein the sample preparation device is selected from the group consisting of weighing scales, solid dispensing system and liquid dispensing system.  
   
   
       111 . A system according to  claim 97 , additionally comprising an electronic data management system for receipt of data from the reader comprising 
 a memory for storage of data;    a microprocessor for performing operations on said data; and    a signal output for outputting a signal relating to the data or the outcome of an operation on the data.    
   
   
       112 . A system according to  claim 111 , wherein said electronic data management system is separate from the reader.  
   
   
       113 . A system according to  claim 111 , wherein electronic data management system connects to a public access or private access network computer system for transfer of data thereto.  
   
   
       114 . A system according to  claim 111 , wherein the electronic data management system forms part of the reader.  
   
   
       115 . A system according to  claim 111 , wherein the electronic data management system forms part of a robotics system.  
   
   
       116 . A system according to  claim 115 , wherein said robotics system employs an antenna to locate the position of the sample container.  
   
   
       117 . A system according to  claim 99 , additionally comprising a data input system for user input of data to the electronic data management system.  
   
   
       118 . A system according to  claim 116 , wherein said data input system comprises a man machine interface.  
   
   
       119 . A system according to  claim 111 , additionally comprising a display for display of data from the electronic data management system to the user.  
   
   
       120 . A sample container comprising a retainer for retaining a sample; and 
 a radiofrequency identifier comprising 
 an antenna for transmitting or receiving radiofrequency energy;  
 an integrated circuit chip connecting with said antenna; and  
   a carrier for said radiofrequency identifier;    wherein the radiofrequency identifier is on said carrier and the carrier connects to said retainer,    characterized in that said retainer is a microscope slide.    
   
   
       121 . A sample container according to  claim 120 , wherein said microscope slide comprises glass material.  
   
   
       122 . A sample container according to  claim 120 , wherein the carrier is mouldable to the microscope slide.  
   
   
       123 . A sample container according to  claim 120 , wherein the carrier is adhesively mountable on the microscope slide.  
   
   
       124 . A sample container according to  claim 120 , wherein the carrier encases the radiofrequency identifier.  
   
   
       125 . A sample container according to  claim 124 , wherein the carrier forms a hermetic seal for the radiofrequency identifier.