Automated immunoassay analyzer with pictorial display of assay information

Claim 1

An automated immunoassay analyzer, comprising: an instrument which includes (i) a single platform loading station for receiving both sample tubes and assay tubes, said sample tubes containing a sample to be assayed and said assay tubes containing a bound biomaterial for selectively binding an analyte of interest in a sample wherein said different assay tubes may contain a bound biomaterial for binding the same or different analytes of interest, (ii) means for identifying said sample tubes and said assay tubes and for generating identifying information for each of said sample tubes and said assay tubes wherein each of said sample tubes is identified and related to one or more of said assay tubes and wherein the number of related assay tubes for each sample tube can be the same or different, (iii) a pipetting station having a pipetter for transferring sample from a sample tube to a related assay tube, (iv) means for selecting a reagent to be added to said related assay tube for performing a particular assay in said related assay tube and for generating selection information corresponding to the selection of a reagent, (v) an incubating station for incubating assay tubes containing sample and reagent, (vi) a washing station for washing said bound biomaterial in said assay tube after said assay tubes have been incubated at said incubating station, (vii) a detection station for detecting a quantity of analyte bound to said biomaterial in said assay tubes after said assay tubes have been washed at said washing station, said detection station producing a signal proportional to the concentration of analyte for each assay tube, and (viii) an assay tube transport pathway connecting said loading station, said pipetting station, said incubating station, said washing station and said detection station, whereby said sample tubes and said assay tubes are separately transported from said loading station to said pipetting station, then said assay tubes are transported to said incubation station then to said washing station and finally to said detection station; means, connected to said instrument, for monitoring said identifying information obtained from said means for identifying said sample tubes and said assay tubes, said selection information from said means for selecting said reagent, said signal proportional to the concentration of analyte from said detection station and a progression of said assay tubes in said assay tube transport pathway; control means for automatic controlling of various components of the analyzer in a coordinated manner; a display connected for said means for monitoring; means for displaying a pictorial representation of said assay tube transport pathway and said means for selecting a reagent on said display; means for presenting said identifying information in a pictorial format on said pictorial representation related to said progression of assay tubes in said assay tube transport pathway where the position of said assay tubes in said assay tube transport pathway and the assay being performed in each assay tube can be determined; means for presenting said selection information on a pictorial format on said pictorial representation where the reagents selected can be determined; and means for presenting said concentration information for said signal proportional to the quantity of analyte on said display which allows the concentration of an analyte in a particular sample to be determined.