Sample mixing control

Abstract

A method for controlling the mixing of a plurality of samples subject to a chemical process, the method comprising computer executed steps, the steps comprising: for each one of the samples, receiving respective data on a result obtained for the sample using the chemical process, and for each one of at least two of the samples, further receiving respective data on classification of the sample into one of at least two classes, for each one of the samples, calculating a respective rank based on the result obtained for the sample using the chemical process, finding among the samples, at least one pair of samples classified into different ones of the classes, such that for each respective one of the found pairs, none of the samples having a calculated rank in between the ranks calculated for the two samples of the found pair are classified into one of the classes.

1 . A method for controlling the mixing of a plurality of samples subject to a chemical process, the method comprising computer executed steps, the steps comprising:
 a) for each one of the samples, receiving respective data on a result obtained for the sample using the chemical process, and for each one of at least two of the samples, further receiving respective data on classification of the sample into one of at least two classes;   b) for each one of the samples, calculating a respective rank based on the result obtained for the sample using the chemical process;   c) finding among the samples, at least one pair of samples classified into different ones of the classes, such that for each respective one of the found pairs, none of the samples having a calculated rank lower than the calculated rank of a first one of the samples of the found pair and higher than the calculated rank of a second one of the samples of the found pair, are classified into one of the classes;   d) identifying a pair consisting of samples that are least close to each other in their calculated ranks among the found pairs; and   e) generating instructions for mixing at least one pair of samples qualitatively identical to the identified pair, to yield a respective new sample, said generating being conditioned upon none of the samples having a calculated rank lower than the calculated rank of a first one of the samples of the identified pair and higher than the calculated rank of a second one of the samples of the pair identified through steps a to d.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the generated instructions are usable in controlling a machine for mixing the at least one pair of samples qualitatively identical to the identified pair. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising generating instructions for mixing at least two pairs of samples qualitatively identical to the identified pair, each pair of samples being mixed in a different ratio. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising an additional step preceded by step d, the additional step comprising obtaining data on classification of a sample of a calculated rank closest to an average of the ranks calculated for the samples in the identified pair, and following said obtaining, performing again said steps b to d. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising an additional step preceded by step d, the additional step comprising obtaining data on classification of a sample of a calculated rank closest to an average of the ranks calculated for the samples in the identified pair from a user, and following said obtaining, performing again said steps b to d. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising an additional step preceded by step d, the additional step comprising retrieving data on classification of a sample of a calculated rank closest to an average of the ranks calculated for the samples in the identified pair from a database, and following said retrieving, performing again said steps b to d. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising an additional step preceded by step d, the additional step comprising classifying a sample having a calculated rank closest to an average of the ranks calculated for the samples in the identified pair according to predefined heuristics, and following said classifying, performing again said steps b to d. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said generating of the instructions for the mixing is further conditioned upon compliance with a predefined criterion. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said generating of the instructions for the mixing is further conditioned upon compliance with a criterion predefined for the chemical process. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said generating of the instructions for the mixing is further conditioned upon compliance with a criterion predefined for a machine to be used for the mixing of the samples. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising a step of running a PCR (Polymerase Chain Reaction) process on the sample for obtaining the result. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising a step of deriving the results from measurements carried out during the chemical process. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said calculating of the rank is further based on a Fiedler Vector. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprises identifying a most significant parameter based on the received results, wherein said calculating of the ranks is further based on the identified most significant parameter. 
     
     
         15 . Apparatus for controlling the mixing of a plurality of samples subject to a chemical process, comprising:
 a computer processor;   a data receiver, implemented on the computer processor, configured to receive for each one of the samples, respective data on a result obtained for the sample using the chemical process, and for each one of at least two of the samples, to further receive respective data on classification of the sample into one of at least two classes;   a rank calculator, in communication with said data receiver, configured to calculate for each one of the samples, a respective rank based at least on the result obtained for the sample using the chemical process;   a pair finder, in communication with said rank calculator, configured to find among the samples, at least one pair of samples classified into different ones of the classes, such that for each respective one of the found pairs, none of the samples having a calculated rank lower than the calculated rank of a first one of the samples of the found pair and higher than the calculated rank of a second one of the samples of the found pair, are classified into one of the classes;   a least close pair identifier, in communication with said pair finder, configured to identify a pair consisting of samples that are least close to each other in their calculated ranks among the found pairs; and   an instruction generator, in communication with said least close pair identifier, configured to generate instructions for mixing at least one pair of samples qualitatively identical to the identified pair, to yield a respective new sample, said generating being conditioned upon none of the samples having a calculated rank lower than the calculated rank of a first one of the samples of the identified pair and higher than the calculated rank of a second one of the samples of the identified pair.   
     
     
         16 . The apparatus of  claim 15 , wherein the generated instructions are usable in controlling a machine for mixing the at least one pair of samples qualitatively identical to the identified pair. 
     
     
         17 . The apparatus of  claim 15 , further comprising a reaction apparatus, in communication with said data receiver, configured to run the chemical process on the sample for obtaining the result, wherein said data receiver is adapted for receiving the data on the result obtained for the sample using the chemical process, from said reaction apparatus. 
     
     
         18 . The apparatus of  claim 15 , further comprising a PCR machine, in communication with said data receiver, configured to run a PCR (Polymerase Chain Reaction) process on the sample for obtaining the result, wherein said data receiver is adapted for receiving the data on the result obtained for the sample using the chemical process, from said PCR machine. 
     
     
         19 . A non-transitory computer readable medium storing computer processor executable instructions for performing steps of controlling the mixing of a plurality of samples subject to a chemical process, the steps comprising:
 a) for each one of the samples, receiving respective data on a result obtained for the sample using the chemical process, and for each one of at least two of the samples, further receiving respective data on classification of the sample into one of at least two classes;   b) for each one of the samples, calculating a respective rank based on the result obtained for the sample using the chemical process;   c) finding among the samples, at least one pair of samples classified into different ones of the classes, such that for each respective one of the found pairs, none of the samples having a calculated rank lower than the calculated rank of a first one of the samples of the found pair and higher than the calculated rank of a second one of the samples of the found pair, are classified into one of the classes;   d) identifying a pair consisting of samples that are least close to each other in their calculated ranks among the found pairs; and   e) generating instructions for mixing at least one pair of samples qualitatively identical to the identified pair, to yield a respective new sample, said generating being conditioned upon none of the samples having a calculated rank lower than the calculated rank of a first one of the samples of the identified pair and higher than the calculated rank of a second one of the samples of the pair identified through steps a)-d), the at least one pair of samples being mixed being.   
     
     
         20 . The computer readable medium of  claim 19 , wherein the generated instructions are usable in controlling a machine for mixing the at least one pair of samples qualitatively identical to the identified pair.