Sample rack recovery method and manipulation device, detection system, and computer-readable medium
A sample rack recovery method after an accidental interruption of operation of a sample rack manipulation device ( 10 ), a sample rack manipulation device ( 10 ) capable of performing the method, an automatic detection system ( 1 ) comprising the device ( 10 ), and a computer-readable medium in which a program for executing the method is stored. The device ( 10 ) comprises a conveying device ( 103 ) adapted to move in a transport area (TB) to convey a sample rack ( 30 ) between a loading/unloading area (TA), sampling areas (TD, TE) and a buffer area (TC). The method comprises: a conveying device detection step of detecting the state of a conveying device ( 103 ); a sample rack detection step of detecting the position of a sample rack ( 30 ) in a sample rack manipulation device ( 10 ); and a sample rack recovery step of conveying the sample rack ( 30 ) to a loading/unloading area (TA) by the conveying device ( 103 ) according to the detection results of the conveying device ( 103 ) and the sample rack ( 30 ).
1 . A method of recovering a sample rack after an interruption in an operation of a sample rack manipulation device comprising a shuttle configured to convey one or more sample racks to and from a loading and unloading area, a sampling area and a buffer area by moving within a transfer area, the one or more sample racks configured to hold one or more sample containers, the method comprising:
detecting a state of the shuttle;
detecting a position of the sample rack within the sample rack manipulation device; and
recovering the sample rack by conveying the sample rack to the loading and unloading area using the shuttle based on the detected state of the shuttle and the detected position of the sample rack.
2 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the detecting the state of the shuttle comprises:
detecting a position of the shuttle and a loading state of the sample rack.
3 . The method according to claim 2 , further comprising:
determining, based on the position of the shuttle and the loading state of the sample rack, whether the shuttle is either in a freely movable non-interactive state or is in an interactive state with either the loading and unloading area, the sampling area or the buffer area.
4 . The method according to claim 3 , further comprising:
with the shuttle is in the freely movable non-interactive state, determining whether there is any sample rack loaded on the shuttle; and
with a sample rack loaded on the shuttle, firstly-conveying the sample rack back to the loading and unloading area using the shuttle.
5 . The method according to claim 3 , further comprising:
with the shuttle is in the interactive state with the loading and unloading area, transferring the sample rack on the shuttle to the loading and unloading area.
6 . The method according to claim 3 , further comprising:
with the shuttle is in the interactive state with the buffer area, either transferring the sample rack on the shuttle to the buffer area or conveying the sample rack back to the loading and unloading area.
7 . The method according to claim 3 , further comprising:
with the shuttle is in the interactive state with the sampling area, determining whether the shuttle interferes with a return of a pushing device configured to move the one or more sample racks within the sampling area by controlling the one or more sample racks.
8 . The method according to claim 7 , further comprising:
with the shuttle not interfering with the return of the pushing device, returning the pushing device and determining whether there is any sample rack on the shuttle, and with a sample rack on the shuttle, conveying the sample rack back to the loading and unloading area with the shuttle.
9 . The method according to claim 7 , further comprising:
with the shuttle initially interfering with the return of the pushing device, moving the shuttle such that the shuttle does not interfere with the return of the pushing device, and with the shuttle not interfering with the return of pushing device, returning the pushing device.
10 . The method according to claim 9 , further comprising:
determining whether there is any sample rack on the shuttle; and
with a sample rack on the shuttle, conveying the sample rack on the shuttle back to the loading and unloading area using the shuttle.
11 . The method according to claim 4 , wherein the detecting the position of the one or more sample racks within the sample rack manipulation device comprises:
detecting whether the loading and unloading area is fully loaded with sample racks; and with the loading and unloading area fully loaded with the sample racks, further comprises manually removing one or more sample racks from the loading and unloading area before the recovering the sample rack.
12 . The method according to claim 4 , further comprising:
returning the shuttle to an initial position before the recovering of the sample rack by controlling the shuttle.
13 . The method according to claim 1 , further comprising:
returning the shuttle to an initial position after the recovering the sample rack by controlling the shuttle.
14 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the recovering the sample rack further comprises:
determining, based on a distance measured between the sample rack and the shuttle, a recovery priority for the sample rack.
15 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the recovering the sample rack further comprises:
conveying the sample rack within the sampling area to the loading and unloading area, and conveying the sample rack in the buffer area to the loading and unloading area.
16 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the detecting the position of the one or more sample racks further comprises:
detecting the position of a sample rack in the buffer area using a sensor disposed on the shuttle.
17 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the detecting the state of the shuttle further comprises:
detecting a loading state of the sample rack on the shuttle using a plurality of sensors, at least a first sensor at a first end of the shuttle, at least a second sensor at a second end of the shuttle and at least a third sensor at a middle part of the sensor.
18 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the detecting the state of the shuttle further comprises:
determining whether the detecting shuttle is in an interactive state with the sampling area by detecting a state of a track of a sample rack in the sampling area.
19 . The method according to claim 18 , wherein the detecting the state of the shuttle further comprises:
detecting, using a sensor disposed on the shuttle, an interaction between a pushing device for controlling the sample rack to move into the sampling area and the shuttle.