Systems and methods for managing inventories of reagents

Abstract

A system for managing the inventory of reagents for a laboratory automation system. The system for managing the inventory of reagents comprises a controller, software for the controller, and a refrigerator capable of refrigerating reagents, detecting the presence or absence of reagents in the refrigerator, and detecting the location of reagents in the refrigerator. The system for managing the inventory of reagents is connected to a laboratory automation system. The laboratory automation system comprises at least one clinical analyzer. A typical system for managing inventories of reagents includes an operator interface for the loading of boxes of reagents and other supplies, radio frequency identification system for identification of inventory and tracking, robotic mechanisms for loading containers onto the track system and removing containers from the track system, de-capping equipment, refrigeration equipment, and information technology connections to laboratory analyzers and vendors.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A system comprising:
 a refrigerator to store a first reagent and a second reagent, the first reagent having a first characteristic and the second reagent having a second characteristic;   a controller configured to:
 identify the first reagent and the second reagent as being a same type of reagent as requested by a clinical analyzer; and 
 select the first reagent to be used by the clinical analyzer instead of the second reagent based on the first characteristic and the second characteristic; and 
   a transport mechanism to transfer the first reagent from the refrigerator to the clinical analyzer.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first characteristic or the second characteristic includes a recall status of the respective reagent. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first characteristic or the second characteristic includes an age of the respective reagent. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first characteristic or the second characteristic includes a time until expiration of the respective reagent. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first characteristic or the second characteristic includes a calibration status of the respective reagent. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first characteristic or the second characteristic includes a determination of whether the respective first reagent or second reagent has been opened. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first characteristic or the second characteristic includes a use level of the respective reagent. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 7 , further including a graphical user interface to display, via a fuel gauge liquid level indicator, the use level of the at least one of the first reagent or the second reagent. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 1 , further including an input/output module to transfer the first reagent from the refrigerator to the transport mechanism. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 9 , further including an XYZ robot to transfer the first reagent from a location within the refrigerator to the input/output module. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein the XYZ robot is to agitate the contents of the first reagent prior to transferring the first reagent to the input/output module. 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to retrieve the first characteristic from a first radio frequency identification (RFID) tag disposed on the first reagent and to retrieve the second characteristic from a second RFID tag disposed on the second reagent. 
     
     
         13 . A system comprising:
 a refrigerator to store a reagent;   a transport mechanism disposed along the refrigerator, a first clinical analyzer and a second clinical analyzer; and   a controller configured to:
 based on a first request from a first clinical analyzer for the reagent and a second request from the second clinical analyzer for the reagent, identify the presence and location of the reagent in the refrigerator; 
 select the first clinical analyzer or the second clinical analyzer to receive the reagent based on a priority level; and 
 control the transport mechanism to transfer the reagent from the refrigerator to the selected one of the first clinical analyzer or second clinical analyzer. 
   
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein the reagent is one of a plurality of reagents stored in the refrigerator, and the reagent is selected based on a calibration status. 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein the reagent is one of a plurality of reagents stored in the refrigerator, and the reagent is selected based on an age of the reagent. 
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein the reagent is one of a plurality of reagents stored in the refrigerator, and the reagent is selected based a determination of whether the reagent has been opened. 
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 13 , further including an input/output module, the controller configured to control the input/output module to transfer the reagent from the refrigerator to the transport mechanism. 
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 17 , further including an XYZ robot, the controller configured to control the XYZ robot to transfer the reagent from a location within the refrigerator to the input/output module. 
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 18 , wherein the controller is configured to control the XYZ robot to invert the reagent to suspend particles in the reagent prior to transferring the reagent to the transport mechanism. 
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 19 , further including a decapper, the controller configured to control the decapper to remove a cap from the reagent. 
     
     
         21 . The system of  claim 20 , further including a septum applicator, the controller configured to control the septum applicator to install a septum on the reagent.