System and method of load balancing specimen containers within detection instruments

Abstract

The present invention is directed to a system and method for load balancing specimen containers between a plurality of automated detection apparatuses. The method may include receiving a specimen container at a container pick-up station in a first automated detection apparatus; determining loading ability, transfer status, and cell availability of the first automated detection apparatus and one or more downstream automated detection apparatuses; and transferring the specimen container from the first automated detection apparatus to a downstream automated detection apparatus when a first ratio of effective available cell count to effective capacity in the first automated detection apparatus is less than a second ratio of total effective available cell count to total effective capacity of a sum of the first automated detection apparatus and the one or more downstream automated detection apparatuses.

That which is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method for load balancing specimen containers between a plurality of automated detection apparatuses, said method comprising:
 receiving a specimen container at a container pick-up station in a first automated detection apparatus; and   balancing the specimen containers across said first automated detection apparatus and a downstream automated detection apparatus by loading the specimen container into the first automated detection apparatus upon determination that the first apparatus is less full than an average of plurality of automated detection apparatuses and transferring the specimen container from the first automated detection apparatus to the downstream automated detection apparatus upon determination that the first automated detection apparatus is fuller than the average apparatus.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising assigning a transfer status to the first automated detection apparatus and/or the downstream automated detection apparatus, the transfer status selected from the group consisting of active, disabled, load-only, and pass through. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , further comprising determining that the first automated detection apparatus having an active status is capable of loading a specimen container into a cell of the first automated detection apparatus and is capable of transferring to the downstream automated detection apparatus. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 2 , further comprising determining that the downstream automated detection apparatus having a disabled status is incapable of loading a specimen container into a cell of the downstream automated detection apparatus and is incapable of transferring to and from the downstream automated detection apparatus. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 2 , further comprising determining that the downstream automated detection apparatus having a load-only status is capable of loading a specimen container into a cell of the downstream automated detection apparatus and is incapable of transferring to a second downstream automated detection apparatus. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 2 , further comprising determining that the downstream automated detection apparatus having a pass through status is incapable of loading a specimen container into a cell of the downstream automated detection apparatus and is capable of transferring to and from the downstream automated detection apparatus. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising transferring the specimen container from the downstream automated detection apparatus to the first automated detection apparatus upon determination that the downstream automated detection apparatus is fuller than the average apparatus. 
     
     
         8 . A plurality of automated detection apparatuses linked together in operative communication to allow load balancing of specimen containers between the plurality of automated detection apparatuses, wherein the plurality of automated detection apparatuses comprise a system controller configured to perform the steps of  claim 1 . 
     
     
         9 . A method for load balancing specimen containers between a plurality of automated detection apparatuses, said method comprising:
 receiving a specimen container at a container pick-up station in a first automated detection apparatus; determining a loading ability of the first automated detection apparatus;   determining a second loading ability of a downstream automated detection apparatus;   determining a transfer status of the first automated detection apparatus;   determining a second transfer status of the downstream automated detection apparatus;   determining cell availability in the first automated detection apparatus and in the downstream automated detection apparatus;   transferring the specimen container from the first automated detection apparatus to said downstream automated detection apparatus upon determination that a first ratio of available cell count to capacity in the first automated detection apparatus is less than a second ratio of total available cell count to total capacity of the first automated detection apparatus and the downstream automated detection apparatus, wherein the available cell count and capacity are determined at least in part by the loading ability and transfer status of the first automated detection apparatus, and wherein the total available cell count and total capacity are determined at least in part by the loading ability and transfer status of the first automated detection apparatus as well as the second loading ability and second transfer status of the downstream automated detection apparatus;   transferring the specimen container from the downstream automated detection apparatus to the first automated detection apparatus upon determination that the first ratio of available cell count to capacity in the first automated detection apparatus is greater than or equal to the second ratio of total available cell count to total capacity of the first automated detection apparatus and the downstream automated detection apparatus; and   balancing the specimen containers evenly across the first automated detection apparatus and the downstream automated detection apparatus whereby the first automated detection apparatus and the downstream automated detection apparatus handles an equivalent capacity to reduce overall temperature variation within the first automated detection apparatus and the downstream automated detection apparatus.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , further comprising assigning a transfer status to the first automated detection apparatus and/or the downstream automated detection apparatus, the transfer status selected from the group consisting of active, disabled, load-only, and pass through. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising determining that the first automated detection apparatus having an active status is capable of loading a specimen container into a cell of the first automated detection apparatus and is capable of transferring to the downstream automated detection apparatus. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising determining that the downstream automated detection apparatus having a disabled status is incapable of loading a specimen container into a cell of the downstream automated detection apparatus and is incapable of transferring to and from the downstream automated detection apparatus. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising determining that the downstream automated detection apparatus having a load-only status is capable of loading a specimen container into a cell of the downstream automated detection apparatus and is incapable of transferring to a second downstream automated detection apparatus. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising determining that the downstream automated detection apparatus having a pass through status is incapable of loading a specimen container into a cell of the downstream automated detection apparatus and is capable of transferring to and from the downstream automated detection apparatus. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising triggering an alarm when the cell availability in the first automated detection apparatus and in the one or more downstream automated detection apparatuses is determined to be zero. 
     
     
         16 . A plurality of automated detection apparatuses linked together in operative communication to allow load balancing of specimen containers between the plurality of automated detection apparatuses, wherein the plurality of automated detection apparatuses comprise a system controller configured to perform the steps of  claim 9 . 
     
     
         17 . A non-transitory computer-readable medium for load balancing between a plurality of automated detection apparatuses with instructions stored thereon, that when executed by a processor, perform the steps comprising:
 receiving a specimen container at a container pick-up station in a first automated detection apparatus;   determining a loading ability of the first automated detection apparatus;   determining a loading ability of one or more downstream automated detection apparatuses;   determining a transfer status of the first automated detection apparatus;   determining a transfer status of the one or more downstream automated detection apparatuses;   determining cell availability in the first automated detection apparatus and in the one or more downstream automated detection apparatuses; and   transferring the specimen container from the first automated detection apparatus to a downstream automated detection apparatus when a first ratio of effective available cell count to effective capacity in the first automated detection apparatus is less than a second ratio of total effective available cell count to total effective capacity of a sum of the first automated detection apparatus and the one or more downstream automated detection apparatuses; and   transferring the specimen container from the downstream automated detection apparatus to the first automated detection apparatus upon determination that the first ratio of available cell count to capacity in the first automated detection apparatus is greater than or equal to the second ratio of total available cell count to total capacity of the first automated detection apparatus and the downstream automated detection apparatus.