Tube tray vision system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10145857-B2
Application number	US-201414774794-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 14, 2014
Priority date	Mar 14, 2013
Publication date	Dec 4, 2018
Grant date	Dec 4, 2018

Abstract

Images of a tube tray, which fits within a drawer and holds tubes in slots arranged in rows and columns, are captured to determine characteristics related to the tube tray. By analyzing the images, features of the tubes are determined, providing valuable information in an IVD environment in which a sample handler is processing the tubes. Each row of the tube tray is encoded to allow for detection of a new row moving into focus of cameras. The cameras capture an image of the tube tray, and the image is stored in a memory buffer. When the next row moves into focus, a subsequent image is taken and stored. The result is a series of images providing multi-perspective views of the rows of the tube tray. The images are analyzed to determine characteristics of the tubes, which are utilized by the sample handler in processing the tubes.

First claim

We claim:

1. A system for characterizing a tube tray handled by a sample handler in an in vitro diagnostics (IVD) environment, the tube tray configured to fit within a portion of a drawer that is movable between an open and a closed position and that is accessible by the sample handler, the tube tray comprising an array of rows and columns of slots, rows being oriented parallel to a face of the drawer and each slot being configured to hold a tube, the system comprising:
an image capture system comprising at least one overhead camera and a memory buffer, the image capture system configured to capture overhead images of the tube tray positioned in the drawer as the drawer is closed and temporarily store the captured images in the memory buffer for later analysis;
a position encoder in communication with the image capture system, the encoder configured to trigger the image capture system when each row of the tube tray in the drawer is at a predetermined position beneath the image capture system as the drawer is closed; and
one or more processors together configured to receive the captured images from the memory buffer after the drawer is closed and analyze the images,
wherein each camera of the image capture system captures a series of images that includes an image of each row captured responsive to the encoder as each row passes below the camera, each image of a row having an overhead view of tubes in that row and oblique views of tubes in adjacent rows, such that each tube appears in images of adjacent rows; and
wherein the one or more processors process the series of images to determine physical characteristics related to each tube in the tray by analyzing the overhead and oblique views of each tube in successive images.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the images of adjacent rows within the series of images provide different perspectives of tubes in a first row and the one or more processors analyze the images of adjacent rows to determine a height of each tube.

3. The system of claim 1 , further comprising a drawer sensor configured to detect one or more of (i) the drawer being fully closed and (ii) the drawer being fully opened; wherein the drawer sensor signals to the one or more processors upon detection of the drawer being fully closed.

4. The system of claim 3 , wherein the one or more processors begin the processing of the series of images upon receipt of the signal from the drawer sensor.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the image capture system is further comprised of a lighting source.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the physical characteristics related to the tubes are communicated to a module of the sample handler.

7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the physical characteristics related to the tubes comprise a height of each tube, a diameter of each tube, and one or more of: a center point of one or more tubes, whether one or more tubes have a cap or tube-top cup, barcode information on a top surface of a cap on one or more tubes, a color of a cap on one or more tubes, a type of a cap or tube-top cup on one or more tubes, a type of tube, a type of sample, a priority of the tubes, an orientation of one or more tubes, and the tube tray slots containing a tube.

8. The system of claim 1 , wherein the physical characteristics related to the tubes comprise one or more of: detecting the presence of condensation on at least one tube, detecting the presence of bubbles in at least one tube, detecting a fluid height of a fluid in at least one tube, detecting damage to at least one tube, detecting one or more anomalous quality of a sample contained in at least one tube, and detecting problems with a barcode on at least one tube.

9. The system of claim 1 , wherein the one or more processors process the series of images to determine one or more characteristics of the tube tray, comprising at least one of: an identity of the tube tray, the presence of debris or spillage in a slot of the tube tray, an orientation of the tube tray, and damage to the tube tray.

10. The system of claim 1 , wherein the tube tray comprises visual markings on the tray between slots to identify the rows of the tube tray, wherein the one or more processors use the visual markings to confirm an identity of the row in the series of images being processed.

11. The system of claim 1 , further comprising one or more memory devices, the one or more memory devices comprising look-up tables containing parameter and calibration data related to the tubes, the look-up tables accessible by the one or more processors when processing the series of images.

12. A method of characterizing tube trays handled by a sample handler in an in vitro diagnostics (IVD) environment, each tube tray configured to fit within a portion of a drawer that is movable between an open and a closed position and that is accessible by the sample handler, the tube tray comprising an array of rows and columns of slots, rows being parallel to a face of the drawer and each slot configured to hold a tube, the method comprising:
detecting, by a position encoder when each row of the tube tray in the drawer is at a predetermined position beneath the image capture system;
capturing, by an image capture system comprising at least one overhead camera, a series of images of the tube tray positioned in the drawer, the series including an image of each row captured responsive to the encoder as each row passes below the at least one overhead camera as the drawer is closed, each image of a row having an overhead view of tubes in that row and oblique views of tubes in adjacent rows, such that each tube appears in images of adjacent rows;
storing, temporarily as the drawer is closed, the series of images in a memory buffer for later analysis;
receiving, by one or more processors in communication with the image capture system, the captured images from the memory buffer after the drawer is closed; and
analyzing, by the one or more processors, the images to determine physical characteristics related to each tube in the tray by analyzing the overhead and oblique views of each tube in successive images.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein the images of adjacent rows within the series of images provide a different perspectives of tubes in a first row and the one or more processors analyze the images of adjacent rows to determine a height of each tube.

14. The method of claim 12 , further comprising:
detecting, by a drawer sensor, one or more of (i) the drawer being fully closed and (ii) the drawer being fully opened,
wherein the drawer sensor signals to the one or more processors upon detection of the drawer being fully closed.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein the one or more processors begin the processing of the series of images upon receipt of the signal from the drawer sensor.

16. The method of claim 12 , wherein the image capture system is further comprised of a lighting source.

17. The method of claim 12 , wherein the physical characteristics related to the tubes are communicated to a module of the sample handler.

18. The method of claim 12 , wherein the physical characteristics related to the tubes comprise a height of each tube, a diameter of each tube, and one or more of: a center point of one or more tubes, whether one or more tubes have a cap or tube-top cup, barcode information on a top surface of a cap on one or more tubes, a color of a cap on one or more tubes, a type of a cap or tube-top cup on one or more tubes, a type of tube, a type of sample, a priority of the tubes, an orientation of one or more tubes, and the tube tray

Assignees

• Siemens Healthcare Diagnostics Inc

Inventors

• Pollack Benjamin
• German Ryan

Classifications

• H04N23/56

  provided with illuminating means · CPC title

• H04N7/183

  for receiving images from a single remote source · CPC title

• G01N35/02 Primary

  using a plurality of sample containers moved by a conveyor system past one or more treatment or analysis stations {(G01N35/0098 and G01N35/0099 take precedence)} · CPC title

• G01N2035/0418

  Plate elements with several rows of samples · CPC title

• H04N5/2256

  Electricity · mapped topic