Storage devices for RFID-tracked biological and other samples
Inventors
Assignees
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Publication Number
US-10328431-B2
Publication Date
2019-06-25
Expiration Date
Abstract
A storage system for storing samples, such as frozen biological samples in RFID-tagged vials. The storage system has (i) a storage device having a device antenna and (ii) a plurality of storage components adapted to be stored within the storage device, each storage component having a component circuit. Each storage component is configured to store one or more samples. The storage device is configured to (i) transmit electrical power and downlink data signals wirelessly to each storage component via the device antenna and the corresponding component circuit and to (ii) receive uplink data signals from each storage component wirelessly via the corresponding component circuit and the device antenna such that a control system located outside of the dewar can identify any specified storage component stored within the storage device.
Core Innovation
The invention provides a storage system for storing samples that uses a dewar comprising a dewar antenna and a plurality of canisters adapted to be stored within the dewar. Each canister comprises a canister circuit and is configured to store one or more samples, where each sample has a unique RFID tag. The dewar transmits electrical power and downlink data signals wirelessly to each canister via the dewar antenna and the corresponding canister circuit, and receives uplink data signals from each canister wirelessly via the corresponding canister circuit and the dewar antenna.
The dewar circuit is adapted to communicate with the RFID tag of each sample stored in the dewar via the dewar antenna and the at least one RFID antenna, such that a control system located outside of the dewar can identify the canister associated with any specified sample stored within the dewar. In this architecture, the dewar can identify any specified canister stored within the dewar and associate samples with their canisters through RFID-based identification.
The disclosed concepts are extended to a storage system comprising a dewar antenna and a plurality of racks, where each rack comprises a rack circuit and stores one or more samples. In the rack and box configuration, each rack is configured to store a plurality of boxes, each box is configured to store a plurality of samples, and the rack and box circuits provide wireless power and wireless data signaling so the control system located outside of the dewar can identify the rack associated with any specified box stored within the dewar.
Claims Coverage
The provided partial content includes four independent claims, covering a dewar-based storage system with wireless power and bidirectional downlink/uplink data for RFID-based identification, plus separate independent claims directed to a dewar, a canister, and a rack/box based storage system. Across these independent claims, the main inventive features consistently include a dewar antenna, dewar circuit, canister (or rack/box) circuits with RFID antennas, wireless power and downlink/uplink data, and external control for identifying specified storage components and their association to RFID-tagged samples.
Wireless power and RFID-based canister identification in a dewar
A storage system for storing samples comprising a dewar comprising a dewar antenna and a plurality of canisters adapted to be stored within the dewar, each canister comprising a canister circuit, each canister configured to store one or more samples with a unique RFID tag, the dewar configured to transmit electrical power and downlink data signals wirelessly to each canister via the dewar antenna and corresponding canister circuit and to receive uplink data signals from each canister wirelessly via the corresponding canister circuit and the dewar antenna so a control system located outside of the dewar can identify any specified canister stored within the dewar, and a dewar circuit adapted to communicate with the RFID tag of each sample stored in the dewar via the dewar antenna and the at least one RFID antenna to identify the canister associated with each sample stored within the dewar.
Dewar for wireless power and bidirectional data to RFID-tagged canisters
A dewar for a storage system further comprising a plurality of canisters adapted to be stored within the dewar, each canister comprising a canister circuit and at least one RFID antenna, wherein the dewar comprises a dewar antenna and a dewar circuit, each canister configured to store one or more samples with a unique RFID tag, the dewar circuit configured to transmit electrical power and downlink data signals wirelessly to each canister via the dewar antenna and the corresponding canister circuit and to receive uplink data signals from each canister wirelessly via the corresponding canister circuit and the dewar antenna such that a control system located outside of the dewar can identify any specified canister stored within the dewar, and the dewar circuit adapted to communicate with the RFID tag of each sample stored in the dewar via the dewar antenna and the at least one RFID antenna to identify the canister associated with each sample stored within the dewar such that the control system located outside of the dewar can identify the canister associated with any specified sample stored within the dewar.
Canister with RFID antennas supporting wireless power and dewar-based identification
A canister for a storage system further comprising a dewar, wherein the canister comprises at least one RFID antenna and a canister circuit, the dewar comprises a dewar antenna and a dewar circuit, the canister adapted to be stored within the dewar, the canister configured to store one or more samples each sample having a unique RFID tag, the dewar configured to transmit electrical power and downlink data signals wirelessly to the canister via the dewar antenna and the canister circuit and to receive uplink data signals from the canister wirelessly via the canister circuit and the dewar antenna such that a control system located outside of the dewar can identify the canister stored within the dewar, and the dewar circuit adapted to communicate with the RFID tag of each sample stored in the dewar via the dewar antenna and the at least one RFID antenna to identify the canister associated with each sample stored within the dewar such that the control system located outside of the dewar can identify the canister associated with any specified sample stored within the dewar.
Rack and box storage in a dewar with wireless power and hierarchical identification
A storage system for storing samples comprising a dewar comprising a dewar antenna and a plurality of racks adapted to be stored within the dewar, each rack comprising a rack circuit, each rack configured to store one or more samples, the dewar configured to transmit electrical power and downlink data signals wirelessly to each rack via the dewar antenna and the corresponding rack circuit and to receive uplink data signals from each rack wirelessly via the corresponding rack circuit and the dewar antenna such that a control system located outside of the dewar can identify any specified rack stored within the dewar, each rack configured to store a plurality of boxes, each box configured to store a plurality of samples, each rack circuit hard-wired to corresponding rack electronics, each box has a box circuit hard-wired to corresponding box electronics, the dewar antenna configured to transmit electrical power wirelessly to each rack circuit to provide electrical power to operate the corresponding rack electronics, each box circuit configured to receive electrical power wirelessly to provide electrical power to operate the corresponding box electronics, and each rack electronics adapted to receive and transmit data signals wirelessly via the corresponding rack circuit and each box electronics adapted to receive and transmit data signals wirelessly via the corresponding box circuit in order to identify the rack associated with each box stored within the dewar such that the control system located outside of the dewar can identify the rack associated with any specified box stored within the dewar.
Across the independent claims, the central claim coverage is directed to a dewar-based storage architecture that wirelessly transmits electrical power and exchanges downlink and uplink data with canisters (and/or racks and boxes), where RFID tags on samples and corresponding RFID antennas enable the dewar circuit and external control system to identify specified storage components and associate specified samples to their canister (or box-to-rack association in the rack/box configuration).
Stated Advantages
Enable a control system located outside of the dewar to identify any specified canister stored within the dewar.
Enable the control system located outside of the dewar to identify the canister associated with any specified sample stored within the dewar.
Enable the control system located outside of the dewar to identify any specified rack stored within the dewar.
Enable the control system located outside of the dewar to identify the rack associated with any specified box stored within the dewar.
Documented Applications
Ultra-cold sample storage using a liquid nitrogen dewar and/or mechanical freezers for biological samples, where external control can identify specified storage components such as vials/canisters/racks/boxes.
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