Sample testing system with automated control of sample retesting

Abstract

A sample testing system comprising: a transporting apparatus; a testing apparatus for obtain a sample and performing testing on the obtained sample; and a controller. The controller executes operation of: controlling the transporting apparatus so as to transport the sample rack in first direction, such that each sample container held in a sample rack is transported to a obtaining position on which the testing apparatus obtains a sample and then the sample rack is transported toward the second position; changing, when retesting of a sample contained in a sample container is necessary, the transporting direction from the first direction to second direction, and then controlling the transporting apparatus so as to transport the sample container accommodating the sample, for which retesting is necessary, to the obtaining position again. Sample testing method and a computer program product are also disclosed.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A sample testing method comprising:
 transporting, from an input buffer, a sample rack including a plurality of holders, wherein each of the plurality of holders is configured to hold a sample container;   reading a label attached to the sample container;   after the label is read, transporting the sample rack to a sample handling position where the sample container is provided to test a sample contained in the sample container;   aspirating and testing the sample contained in the sample container held at each of the plurality of holders;   after the sample contained in the sample container held at a last holder of the plurality of holders is aspirated, transporting the sample rack to a parking position; and   retesting the sample before the sample rack is transported to the parking position if the sample is contained in at least one sample container held at the holders other than the last holder, and retesting the sample after the sample rack is transported to the parking position and then transported to the sample handling position if the sample is contained in the sample container held at the last holder.   
     
     
         2 . The sample testing method according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the transporting the sample rack to the parking position is performed when the sample contained in the sample container held at the last holder is tested.   
     
     
         3 . The sample testing method according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 while the sample rack is located at the sample handling position, transporting a subsequent sample rack from the input buffer to read a subsequent label attached to a subsequent sample container in the subsequent sample rack.   
     
     
         4 . The sample testing method according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 while the sample rack is located at the parking position, transporting a subsequent sample rack from the input buffer to read a subsequent label attached to a subsequent sample container in the subsequent sample rack.   
     
     
         5 . The sample testing method according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the parking position is provided on a transport path before an output buffer.   
     
     
         6 . The sample testing method according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 transporting the sample rack to an output buffer from the parking position when testing and retesting which are required for each of samples in the sample rack are completed.   
     
     
         7 . The sample testing method according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 reading the label at the sample handling position.   
     
     
         8 . The sample testing method according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 reading the label at the sample handling position;   determining whether a first identifier matches a second identifier, wherein the first identifier is obtained when the label is read before the sample rack is transported to the sample holding position, and the second identifier is obtained when the label is read at the sample handling position; and   when it is determined that the first identifier does not match the second identifier, providing an alert representing an identification mismatch.   
     
     
         9 . A sample testing system comprising:
 a testing unit configured to aspirate and test a sample; and   a sample transporting apparatus configured to transport a sample rack including a plurality of holders from an input buffer to an output buffer, the sample transporting apparatus comprising:
 the input buffer configured to feed the sample rack, wherein each of the plurality of holders is configured to hold a sample container; and 
 the output buffer configured to receive the sample rack; 
   a first reader configured to read a label attached to the sample container at a position located between the input buffer and the testing unit; and   a controller configured to control the sample transporting apparatus to:
 after the label is read by the first reader, transport the sample rack to a sample handling position where the sample container is provided to the testing unit to test the sample contained in the sample container; and 
 after the sample contained in the sample container held at a last holder of the plurality of holder is aspirated by the testing unit, transport the sample rack to the parking position, 
 wherein the testing unit is configured to retest the sample before the sample transporting apparatus transports the sample rack to the parking position if the sample is contained in at least one sample container held at the holders other than the last holder, and retest the sample after the sample transporting apparatus transports the sample rack to the parking position and then transports the sample rack to the sample handling position if the sample is contained in the sample container held at the last holder. 
   
     
     
         10 . The sample testing system according to  claim 9 , wherein the sample transporting apparatus is configured to:
 transport the sample rack to the parking position when the sample contained in the sample container held at the last holder is tested by the testing unit.   
     
     
         11 . The sample testing system according to  claim 9 , wherein the sample transporting apparatus is configured to:
 transport the sample rack in either a downstream or an upstream direction between the input buffer and the output buffer.   
     
     
         12 . The sample testing system according to  claim 9 , wherein the sample transporting apparatus is configured to:
 transport a subsequent sample rack from the input buffer to the first reader while the sample rack is located at the sample handling position, wherein the first reader is configured to read a subsequent label attached to a subsequent sample container in the subsequent sample rack.   
     
     
         13 . The sample testing system according to  claim 9 , wherein the sample transporting apparatus is configured to:
 transport a subsequent sample rack from the input buffer to the first reader while the sample rack is located at the parking position, wherein the first reader is configured to read a subsequent label attached to a subsequent sample container in the subsequent sample rack.   
     
     
         14 . The sample testing system according to  claim 9 , wherein the sample transporting apparatus is configured to:
 transport the sample rack to the output buffer from the parking position when testing and retesting which are required for each of samples in the sample rack are completed.   
     
     
         15 . The sample testing system according to  claim 9 , wherein the testing unit is configured to:
 aspirate the sample from the sample container while the sample container is held in the sample rack.   
     
     
         16 . The sample testing system according to  claim 9 , wherein the sample transporting apparatus further comprises:
 a pusher configured to push the sample rack from the input buffer to a feed-in position,   wherein the sample transporting apparatus is configured to transport the sample rack from the parking position to the sample handling position without transporting the sample rack back to the feed-in position.   
     
     
         17 . The sample testing system according to  claim 9 , further comprising:
 a second reader configured to read the label attached to the sample container at the sample handling position,   wherein the controller is further configured to:
 determine whether a first identifier read by the first reader matches a second identifier read by the second reader; and 
 when it is determined that the first identifier does not match the second identifier, provide an alert representing an identification mismatch. 
   
     
     
         18 . The sample testing system according to  claim 9 , wherein:
 the first reader is included in the sample transporting apparatus, and   the testing unit further comprises a second reader that is configured to read the label attached to the sample container at the sample handling position.