The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Feb. 23, 1999
Filed:
Dec. 05, 1997
Steven A Bernstein, Los Olivos, CA (US);
Page A Erickson, Santa Barbara, CA (US);
Stephen Barker, Santa Barbara, CA (US);
Other;
Abstract
A system which performs a plurality of independent analysis procedures simultaneously, possibly involving differing types of tissues and differing process steps, comprising a robotic arm, which moves the different tissue samples among a plurality of processing stations, and a processor, which selects the next tissue sample to move, when to move it, and where to move it to. The processor directs the robotic arm to interleave the differing process steps. The processing stations comprise workstations for performing individual steps of the tissue assay procedures, such as solution trays. The processor selects a tissue sample to be moved in response to timing information about the procedures. While the processor is directing the robotic arm to move, the processor monitors progress information and can alter the sequence of process steps in response to the progress information and information from an operator.