Method of Automated Calibration and Diagnosis of Laboratory Instruments

Abstract

Method and system providing an automated workflow for installing and/or calibrating laboratory equipment. The workflow empowers an end user to perform installation and calibration thereby reducing the costs associated with such activities. The automated workflow taught herein, can greatly reduce the incidence of calibration error by providing for verification of certain events during the calibration process.

What is claimed: 
     
         1 . A method for the calibration of a laboratory instrument comprising:
 providing a thermal cycling instrument adapted to image a multi-well plate;   performing at least one calibration test on the thermal cycling instrument, wherein the calibration test is automated;   verifying the progress of the calibration test by applying at least one expert knowledge based test; and   reporting the status of the calibration test as a result of the at least one expert knowledge based test.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the automation eliminates user interaction. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the automation minimizes user interaction. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein verifying the progress comprises applying at least one expert knowledge based test to verify that a correct multi-well plate was installed. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the multi-well plate contains fluorescent dyes. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the automated calibration test is a region of interest (ROI) calibration test. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the automated calibration test is a background calibration test. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the automated calibration test is a multi-dye calibration test. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the automated calibration test is a pure dye calibration test. 
     
     
         10 - 12 . (canceled) 
     
     
         13 . A method for the analysis of data on a laboratory instrument comprising:
 providing a thermal cycling instrument adapted to image a multi-well plate;   analyzing data generated using the multi-well plate on the thermal cycling instrument, wherein the data analysis is automated;   verifying the progress of the data analysis by applying at least one expert knowledge based test; and   reporting the status of the data analysis as a result of the at least one expert knowledge based test.   
     
     
         14 . (canceled) 
     
     
         15 . A method for the assessment of the function of a laboratory instrument comprising:
 providing a thermal cycling instrument adapted to image a multi-well plate;   performing at least one instrument function test on the thermal cycling instrument, wherein the calibration test is automated;   verifying the progress of the instrument function test by applying at least one expert knowledge based test; and   reporting the status of the instrument function test as a result of the at least one expert knowledge based test.   
     
     
         16 . (canceled)