High throughput sample analyzer

Abstract

A sample processing system includes a sample carrier support configured to concurrently support multiple sample carriers in series, each sample carrier carrying a respective sample to be processed. The apparatus also includes a plurality of processing stations located at different positions along the sample carry support, each processing station configured to perform a different processing act of a plurality of processing acts to be performed on each sample. The apparatus further includes a support mover that moves the sample support and hence the sample carriers sequentially from processing station to processing station for processing.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method, comprising:
 concurrently processing a plurality of samples respectively on a different sample carriers, wherein each sample is serially processed by a plurality of different processing stations located at different positions, and each sample carrier is located at a different processing position respectively corresponding to one of the plurality of different processing stations.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein a processing time between samples carried by successive sample carriers corresponds to a time to complete a longest processing act of plurality of different processing stations. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , further comprising:
 concurrently advancing each sample carrier from processing station to procession station.   
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the sample carriers are advanced linearly along a linear processing path. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the sample carriers are advanced along a circular processing path. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 interfacing a sample carrier with a manifold of a processing station corresponding to the location of the sample carrier.   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the manifold only includes components utilized for processing performed by the processing station. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the components include one or more of a micro channel, a valve, a sensor, or an interface to a corresponding pressure control system. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the processing includes sequencing nucleotides in DNA in the samples. 
     
     
         10 . A sample carrier, comprising:
 a sample carrying region configured to carry a sample for processing by a plurality of different processing acts performed at a plurality of different processing locations by a plurality of different processing stations; and   a processing station interface, including: a plurality of sub-interfaces, each interface respectively corresponding to one of the plurality of different processing stations.   
     
     
         11 . The sample carrier of  claim 10 , wherein the sample moves from one sub-interface to another sub-interface using air pressure, micro fluidic channels and valves. 
     
     
         12 . The sample carrier of  claim 10 , wherein the plurality of sub-interfaces includes separate interfaces located at different positions on the sample carrier. 
     
     
         13 . The sample carrier of  claim 10 , wherein the plurality of sub-interfaces respectively interface with different processing manifolds of the plurality of different processing stations. 
     
     
         14 . The sample carrier of  claim 10 , wherein the sample carrier is moved from processing station to processing station for successive processing by the processing stations. 
     
     
         15 . The sample carrier of  claim 14 , wherein a second sample carrier is concurrently moved from processing station to processing station for successive processing by the processing stations along with the sample carrier, wherein the sample carrier and the second sample carrier are moved to different processing stations.