Analysis system for testing a sample

Abstract

An analysis system and a method for testing a biological sample, wherein an operating instrument is provided which preferably can be separated from an analysis device with respect to a data connection and/or wirelessly connected to the analysis device.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . Analysis system for testing a biological sample, comprising:
 an analysis device,   at least one cartridge for receiving the sample, said cartridge having a sensor apparatus configured to obtain measurement results from testing of the sample received in the cartridge, the cartridge further including electrical contacts from which the measurement results from the testing of the sample can be read out or transmitted to the analysis device, and   an operating instrument which is connected to the analysis device by a disconnectable data interface connection,   wherein a memory is located inside of the sensor apparatus and in which a cartridge identifier corresponding to the cartridge is stored,   wherein said sensor apparatus comprises a chip having electrochemical detection electrodes for detecting at least one analyte of the sample,   wherein the analysis device is configured to receive the cartridge and subsequently carry out the testing of the sample received inside the received cartridge, and wherein said analysis device further comprises a connection apparatus with electrical contact elements configured to establish an electronic connection to the sensor apparatus via the contacts on the cartridge,   wherein the operating instrument is configured to retrieve the cartridge identifier corresponding to the cartridge from said memory of the sensor apparatus via said data interface connection and to use the cartridge identifier to retrieve evaluation information from a database for evaluating the measurement results obtained by the sensor apparatus,   wherein the analysis device is configured to read out the measurement results from the sensor apparatus via the same connection apparatus by which the cartridge identification is read out from the memory and to transmit the measurement results to the operating instrument via said data interface connection, and   wherein the operating instrument is configured to receive the measurement results from the analysis device via said data interface connection and to evaluate the measurement results using said evaluation information to obtain evaluation results.   
     
     
         2 . Analysis system according to  claim 1 , wherein the operating instrument is configured to perform the evaluation with the data interface connection disconnected. 
     
     
         3 . Analysis system according to  claim 1 , wherein the analysis device is configured to perform the testing with the data interface connection disconnected. 
     
     
         4 . Analysis system according to  claim 1 , wherein the analysis device is configured to transmit the measurement results to the operating instrument without any prior evaluation. 
     
     
         5 . Analysis system according to  claim 1 , wherein the data interface connection is a wireless connection. 
     
     
         6 . Analysis system according to  claim 1 , wherein the evaluation information comprises a set of instructions that are contained in a software module which can be implemented by the operating instrument, as a result of which operation of the operating instrument is changed or changeable. 
     
     
         7 . Analysis system according to  claim 6 , wherein the instructions are commands, machine code, pre-compiled source code or source code. 
     
     
         8 . Analysis system according to  claim 6 , wherein the instructions are provided in a replaceable plugin unit 
     
     
         9 . Analysis system according to  claim 1 , wherein the operating instrument comprises an output apparatus and is configured to output the evaluation results via the output apparatus. 
     
     
         10 . Analysis system according to  claim 1 , wherein the operating instrument comprises an input apparatus by means of which the transmission of commands or information to the analysis device is triggerable. 
     
     
         11 . Analysis system according to  claim 1 , wherein the operating instrument comprises different interfaces that are independent of one another for establishing data connections to the analysis device and to the database, and wherein the analysis device is a peripheral device of the operating instrument and is configured to communicate exclusively with or via the operating instrument 
     
     
         12 . Analysis system according to  claim 1 , wherein the operating instrument is configured to send the evaluation results to the at least one database. 
     
     
         13 . Analysis system according to  claim 1 , wherein said operating instrument is separable from the analysis device with respect to the at least one database. 
     
     
         14 . Analysis system according to  claim 1 , wherein the analysis system comprises said at least one cartridge that is configured for carrying out different tests or said at least one cartridge comprises a plurality of different cartridges configured for carrying out different tests, wherein different pieces of evaluation information correspond to one or more of said different tests or to measurement results resulting therefrom. 
     
     
         15 . Analysis system according to  claim 1 , wherein the analysis device is configured to control at least one apparatus of the analysis device by which the sample is conveyed inside the cartridge to the sensor apparatus, or valves of the cartridge are opened or closed, or one or more temperature-control apparatuses of the analysis device such that the sample and/or the sensor apparatus is temperature-controlled. 
     
     
         16 . Analysis system for testing a biological sample, comprising:
 a cartridge for receiving the sample,   an analysis device configured to receive the cartridge and subsequently carry out the testing of the sample received inside the received cartridge,   an operating instrument which is connected to the analysis device by a disconnectable data interface connection, and   at least one of control information by means of which the analysis device is controllable to carry out the testing of the sample received in the cartridge or evaluation information for evaluating measurement results obtained from the testing of the sample received in the cartridge,   wherein the at least one of the control information or the evaluation information comprises instructions that are implementable by at least one of the analysis device or the operating instrument for changing operation of the at least one of the analysis device or the operating instrument, and   wherein the instructions are provided in a replaceable software module for at least one of the operating instrument or the analysis device.   
     
     
         17 . Analysis system according to  claim 16 , wherein the instructions are at least one of commands, machine code, pre-compiled source code or source code. 
     
     
         18 . Analysis system according to  claim 16 , wherein the instructions are provided in a replaceable plugin unit. 
     
     
         19 . Analysis system according to  claim 16 , wherein the control information comprises a set of instructions that are contained in a software module which can be implemented by the analysis device, as a result of which operation of the analysis device is changed or changeable. 
     
     
         20 . Analysis system according to  claim 16 , wherein the evaluation information comprises a set of instructions that are contained in a software module which can be implemented by the operating instrument, as a result of which operation of the operating instrument is changed or changeable.