Modular chemistry analyzer

Abstract

A chemistry analyzer is disclosed that can include a unitary base with vertical and horizontal supports for constraining subassemblies. The subassemblies include at least a reagent/sample carousel subassembly, a transfer arm subassembly, and a reaction carousel subassembly. A centralized hydraulic system can also be provided behind a user access panel. The analyzer can use machine-readable test specifications coupled with its reagent vessels to define tests that include operations that employ the reagents. The analyzer can also display to the operator a pictorial representation that includes graphical elements that convey levels of usage for the storage vessels, and access icons that are each associated with a color and each lead to a set of screens for different types of operations for the analyzer.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 - 56 . (canceled) 
     
     
         57 . A method of operating a chemistry analyzer that includes: a processor and a storage device including instructions configured to run on the processor, a reagent/sample carousel subassembly for holding a plurality of reagent vessels and sample vials for holding samples of different patients, a plurality of different reagent vessels that each store one or more different reagents for testing different selected analytes and a plurality of sample vials for holding patient samples, a reaction carousel subassembly that defines cuvette locations, a transfer arm subassembly including a probe for transferring reagents and samples to the cuvette locations, a probe wash station positioned along an arc of motion of the transfer arm, a photometer positioned to acquire photometric measurements from the cuvette locations in the reaction carousel, and a touch screen, wherein the touch screen is operatively connected to the processor, comprising:
 simultaneously displaying on the touch screen a display area and a series of four access icons including a worklist icon, a results icon, a status icon, and a diagnostics, maintenance, and/or set up icon, which are each associated with a different color and each allow access to information for different types of operations for the analyzer, wherein the information is color coded to correspond to the color associated with their respective access icons,   displaying a worklist menu in response to user actuation on the touch screen of the worklist icon that is associated with a first color, while continuing to display the four access icons on the touch screen,   displaying in response to a user selection in the worklist menu one of a plurality of sub-screens that is color coded according to the first color in the display area, including a data table sub-screen that lists tests for the analyzer, while continuing to display the four access icons on the touch screen,   displaying a status menu in response to user actuation on the touch screen of the status icon that is associated with a second color, while continuing to display the four access icons on the touch screen,   displaying in response to a user selection in the status menu one of a plurality of sub-screens that is color coded according to the second color in the display area, including a status sub-screen that lists a plurality of status entries for the analyzer, while continuing to display the four access icons on the touch screen,   displaying a results menu in response to user actuation on the touch screen of the results icon that is associated with a third color, while continuing to display the four access icons on the touch screen,   displaying in response to a user selection in the results menu one of a plurality of sub-screens that is color coded according to the third color in the display area, including a results sub-screen that lists a plurality of results entries for the analyzer, while continuing to display the four access icons on the touch screen,   displaying a diagnostics, maintenance, and/or setup menu in response to user actuation on the touch screen of the diagnostics, maintenance, and/or setup icon that is associated with a fourth color, while continuing to display the four access icons on the touch screen,   displaying in response to a user selection in the diagnostics, maintenance, and/or setup menu one of a plurality of sub-screens that is color coded according to the fourth color in the display area, including a diagnostics, maintenance, and/or setup icon entry sub-subscreen for the analyzer, while continuing to display the four access icons on the touch screen.   
     
     
         58 . The method of  claim 57  further including the steps of:
 determining reagent fill levels associated with the plurality of reagent vessels that store the reagents for use by the analyzer, 
 displaying to the operator a pictorial representation that includes a plurality of graphical elements that convey the fill levels for the reagent vessels, wherein each graphical element corresponds to one of the reagent vessels, and wherein the fill levels of the reagent vessels are each represented by one of a plurality of different visual fill level representations that each resemble a different fill level in a corresponding graphical element, 
 transferring reagents from the reagent vessels to one or more reaction vessels in the analyzer to perform tests with the analyzer, 
 updating reagent fill levels associated with the reagent vessels from which reagents are transferred in the step of transferring, and 
 updating the graphical elements with new ones of the graphical fill level representations to reflect the updated fill levels as reagents are transferred from the vessels to perform tests with the analyzer. 
 
     
     
         59 . The method of  claim 58  wherein the step of displaying a pictorial representation is performed as part of displaying a combined worklist screen in the step of responding to user actuation of a worklist icon. 
     
     
         60 . The method of  claim 58  wherein the step of displaying a pictorial representation employs graphical elements that are shaped like the vessels provided in the step of providing a plurality of different reagent vessels that each store one or more different reagents for use by the analyzer. 
     
     
         61 . The method of  claim 60  wherein the graphical fill level representations that cover different amounts of area are each shaded areas in the vessel-shaped graphical elements. 
     
     
         62 . The method of  claim 58  further including the step of identifying the contents of a plurality of vessels that store samples for use by the analyzer, and the step of displaying to the operator a pictorial representation that includes a plurality of elements that identify the contents of the vessels. 
     
     
         63 . The method of  claim 62  wherein the pictorial representation of the reagent vessels and the sample vessels are part of a combined representation. 
     
     
         64 . The method of  claim 62  wherein the step of displaying the worklist icon displays a first pictorial representation in the worklist icon, wherein the step of displaying the status icon displays a second pictorial representation in the status icon, wherein the step of displaying the results icon displays a third pictorial representation in the results icon, wherein the step of displaying the diagnostics, maintenance, and/or set up icon displays a fourth pictorial representation in the diagnostics, maintenance, and/or set up icon, wherein the first, second, third, and fourth icons are all different. 
     
     
         65 . The method of  claim 58  wherein the pictorial representation is a mapped pictorial representation in which positions of the graphical elements on the display correspond to positions of the vessels in the analyzer. 
     
     
         66 . The method of  claim 65  wherein the step of displaying a pictorial representation employs graphical elements that are shaped like the vessels provided in the step of providing a plurality of different reagent vessels that each store one or more different reagents for use by the analyzer. 
     
     
         67 . The method of  claim 66  wherein the graphical fill level representations that cover different amounts of area are each shaded areas in the vessel-shaped graphical elements. 
     
     
         68 . The method of  claim 58  wherein the pictorial representation employs colored bars having different areas to convey the fill levels. 
     
     
         69 . The method of  claim 58  wherein the pictorial representation includes elements that identify the reagents in the reagent vessels. 
     
     
         70 . The method of  claim 57  wherein the step of displaying the worklist icon displays a first pictorial representation in the worklist icon, wherein the step of displaying the status icon displays a second pictorial representation in the status icon, wherein the step of displaying the results icon displays a third pictorial representation in the results icon, wherein the step of displaying the diagnostics, maintenance, and/or set up icon displays a fourth pictorial representation in the diagnostics, maintenance, and/or set up icon, wherein the first, second, third, and fourth icons are all different. 
     
     
         71 . A chemistry analyzer, including:
 a reagent/sample carousel subassembly for holding a plurality of sample vials for samples of different patients and for holding a plurality reagent vessels that each store one or more different reagents for testing different selected analytes in blood,   a reaction carousel subassembly that defines cuvette locations,   a transfer arm subassembly including a probe for transferring reagents and samples to the cuvette locations,   a probe wash station positioned along an arc of motion of the transfer arm, and   a photometer positioned to acquire photometric measurements from the cuvette locations in the reaction carousel,   a touch screen,   a programmed computer operatively connected to the touch screen and including stored software operative to simultaneously display on the touch screen a display area and series of four access icons including a worklist icon, a results icon, a status icon, and a diagnostics, maintenance, and/or set up icon, which are each associated with a different color and each allow access to information for different types of operations for the analyzer, wherein the information is color coded to correspond to the color associated with their respective access icons,   wherein the programmed computer is responsive to user actuation on the touch screen of the worklist icon that is associated with a first color to display a worklist menu while continuing to display the four access icons on the touch screen, and wherein the worklist menu is responsive to a user selection in the worklist menu to display one of a plurality of sub-screens that is color coded according to the first color in the display area, including a data table sub-screen that lists tests for the analyzer, while continuing to display the four access icons on the touch screen,   wherein the programmed computer is responsive to user actuation on the touch screen of the status icon that is associated with a second color to display a status menu while continuing to display the four access icons on the touch screen, and wherein the status menu is responsive to a user selection in the status menu to display one of a plurality of sub-screens that is color coded according to the second color, including a status sub-screen that lists a plurality of status entries, while continuing to display the four access icons on the touch screen,   wherein the programmed computer is responsive to user actuation on the touch screen of the results icon that is associated with a third color to display a results menu while continuing to display the four access icons on the touch screen, and where in the results menu is responsive to a user selection and the results menu to display one of the plurality of sub-screens that is color coded according to the third color, including a results sub-screen that lists a plurality of results entries, while continuing to display the four access icons on the touch screen, and   wherein the programmed computer is responsive to user actuation on the touch screen of the diagnostics, maintenance, and/or setup icon that is associated with a fourth color to display a diagnostics, maintenance, and/or setup menu while continuing to display the four access icons on the touch screen, and wherein the diagnostics, maintenance, and/or setup menu is responsive to user selection in the diagnostics, maintenance, and/or setup menu to display one of a plurality of sub-screens that is color coded according to the fourth color, including a diagnostics, maintenance, and/or setup icon entry sub-subscreen, while continuing to display the four access icons on the touch screen.   
     
     
         72 . The apparatus of  claim 71  wherein the programmed computer is operative to display a first pictorial representation in the worklist icon, wherein the programmed computer is operative to display a second pictorial representation in the status icon, wherein the programmed computer is operative to display a third pictorial representation in the results icon, wherein the programmed computer is operative to display a fourth pictorial representation in the diagnostics, maintenance, and/or set up icon, wherein the first, second, third, and fourth icons are all different.