System and method for generating user interfaces for different instrument types

Abstract

An instrumentation interface application that obtains information from an instrument directory and generates a graphic user interface populated based on the information. The information for a given instrument may be formatted in a manner so as to allow the interface application to interpret the information to be displayed in a certain manner. By delegating the such details of the instrument information to a directory instead of the interface application, the interface application can be utilized more effectively for relatively large biological laboratories that have many instruments of different types. The graphic user interface generated in such a manner can be used to monitor and control a variety of different aspects of the laboratory, including instrument management, sample management, and study-related management.

Description

CLAIM OF PRIORITY[0001] This U.S. patent application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 60 / 386,296 entitled "Informatics System Architecture" filed Jun. 4, 2002 and U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 60 / 411,574 entitled "Integration Instructions For Informatics System Architecture" filed Sep. 16, 2002 which are hereby incorporated by reference. Additionally, this application relates to the following co-pending applications filed on the same date which are hereby incorporated by reference in their entirety: attorney docket number ABIOS.044A entitled "System And Method For Open Control And Monitoring Of Biological Instruments", attorney docket number ABIOS.045A entitled "System And Method For Discovery Of Biological Instruments", and attorney docket number ABIOS.046A entitled "System And Method For Providing A Standardized State Interface For Instrumentation".[0002] 1. Field[0003] The present teachings generally relate to a system and methods for interacti...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

The patent text describes a system and method for creating a centralized user interface for a biological laboratory that contains multiple biological processing instruments. The system includes an information component for the instruments that includes information about the instruments' parameters and their capabilities. The interface application generates the user Interface based on this information and can adapt to different laboratory setups. The system also includes an information component for samples that allows the interface application to generate adaptable user Interfaces based on the samples' information. The method involves receiving a request for the user Interface and obtaining information associated with it before generating the requested User Interface. The technical effects of this patent include reducing human intervention and errors, simplifying the integration of different instruments, and providing a common user interface for monitoring and controlling each instrument.

Problems solved by technology

Communication complexity in the laboratory environment represents another area of potential inefficiency where problems may arise.

A particular limitation of many conventional systems is that not all biological instruments / applications are designed to communicate readily with each other and, as a consequence, human intervention is frequently required to coordinate the activities of each instrument and application.

However, because a given laboratory environment may contain many different instruments / applications, produced by different manufacturers with different requirements and input / output data types, it is difficult to integrate conventional instrument platforms into a unified system.

Furthermore, as new instruments / applications are introduced into the laboratory environment with existing systems, additional difficulties may be encountered arising from configuration limitations associated with previous laboratory setups.

A still further drawback found in many conventional systems is that a common user interface for monitoring or controlling each of the instruments / applications in the laboratory environment is not available.

As a consequence, certain instruments / applications must be monitored and controlled separately from other laboratory components resulting in a less desirable decentralized system architecture.

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