Storage system for biological samples and the like
Inventors
Davidowitz, Hananel • Altman, Theodore N. • Wang, Ke • Or, Ron • Zhai, Zhengyan • Basch, Jeremy
Assignees
Interested in licensing this patent?
MTEC can help explore whether this patent might be available for licensing for your application.
Publication Number
US-11697119-B2
Publication Date
2023-07-11
Expiration Date
Abstract
A storage system having racks and an outer container that receives the racks, each rack receiving a plurality of sample boxes, each box having a wireless ID tag. In certain embodiments, the storage system has reader electronics external to and distinct from the racks and that directly read the wireless ID tag of each box in at least one rack without relying on any reader electronics of any rack. In other embodiments, each rack has a set of rack reader electronics that read the wireless ID tag of each box in at least one rack, and the storage system has at least one removable reader access device removably connectable to the set of rack reader electronics of a rack in order to transmit the ID number of the wireless ID tag of each box in the rack outside of the outer container.
Core Innovation
The invention relates to a storage system for biological sample receptacles inside an outer container, including a dewar. The system includes sample receptacles configured to receive one or more samples, where each sample receptacle is a box, a blood bag, or a wax tissue block having a wireless identification (ID) tag with an ID number. A plurality of racks have locations configured to receive the sample receptacles, and the outer container has an interior configured to receive the plurality of racks.
The invention provides reader electronics that are external to and distinct from the racks, while RFID reader antennae are located inside the outer container such that each antenna is located sufficiently close to a wireless ID tag of a corresponding sample receptacle in a corresponding rack to enable direct reading of the ID number. The read ID number is sent to a system controller located outside the outer container, with communication between the system controller and the plurality of RFID reader antennae.
The invention also includes rack-level access and rack configuration identification concepts for storage and retrieval of sample receptacles. In one embodiment, racks include sets of rack reader electronics and at least one removable reader access device comprising a read head removably electrically connected to the set of rack reader electronics of a rack, with a display configured to display the ID numbers with the read head located inside the outer container and the display located either inside or outside of the outer container.
Claims Coverage
The independent claims cover three distinct storage-system architectures, with core inventive features including wireless ID-tagged sample receptacles, rack-based location of sample receptacles, and RFID-based reading using either external reader electronics with internal antennae, rack reader electronics with a removable reader access device and display, or a relay circuit inside the outer container. Across the independent claims, the number of inventive features addressed includes sample receptacles with wireless ID tags, racks and rack locations configured to receive sample receptacles, an outer container receiving the racks, and specific reader-electronics arrangements and access/display mechanisms.
Rfid reader antennae inside a dewar with external system controller distinct from racks
A storage system comprising a plurality of sample receptacles each having a wireless identification (ID) tag with an ID number; a plurality of racks with locations configured to receive the sample receptacles; an outer container that is a dewar with an interior configured to receive the plurality of racks; and reader electronics external to and distinct from the racks, comprising RFID reader antennae located inside the outer container and a system controller located outside the outer container, configured to communicate with the RFID reader antennae, wherein each RFID reader antenna is located sufficiently close to a corresponding wireless ID tag in a corresponding rack to directly read the ID number and send the read ID number to the system controller.
Racks with rack reader electronics and removable reader access device with read head and display
A storage system comprising a plurality of sample receptacles each having a wireless ID tag with an ID number; a plurality of racks, each rack having a set of rack reader electronics comprising one or more RFID reader antennae and RFID reader circuitry electrically connected to the one or more RFID reader antennae and configured to read the ID number of the wireless ID tag of each sample receptacle in at least one rack; an outer container having an interior configured to receive the plurality of racks; and at least one removable reader access device comprising a read head removably electrically connected to the set of rack reader electronics of a rack and configured to receive the ID number of the wireless ID tag of each sample receptacle in the rack, and a display connected to receive the ID number from the read head via a wired or wireless connection and configured to display the ID number with the read head located inside the outer container and the display located either inside or outside of the outer container.
Relay circuit inside the outer container transmitting read wireless ID tag numbers to external system controller
A storage system comprising a plurality of sample receptacles each having a wireless identification (ID) tag with an ID number; a plurality of racks with locations configured to receive the sample receptacles; an outer container having an interior configured to receive the plurality of racks; and reader electronics external to and distinct from the racks, comprising RFID reader antennae located inside the outer container and a system controller located outside the outer container configured to communicate with the RFID reader antennae, wherein each RFID reader antenna is located sufficiently close to a corresponding wireless ID tag to directly read the ID number and send the read ID number to the system controller, and wherein the reader electronics comprises a relay circuit located inside the outer container configured to receive, from a corresponding RFID reader antenna, the ID number of a corresponding read wireless ID tag and transmit the ID number to the system controller located outside the outer container.
Across the independent claims, the inventive systems use wireless ID-tagged sample receptacles positioned in rack locations inside an outer container, with RFID reading performed by antennae inside the outer container. The claims differentiate the architecture by placing the reader electronics externally from the racks with an external system controller and internal antennae, including a relay circuit inside the outer container, and by additionally providing an alternative rack reader electronics arrangement with a removable reader access device that includes a read head and a display located either inside or outside the outer container.
Stated Advantages
Documented Applications
No documented applications found
Interested in licensing this patent?