Shared peripheral analytical system

Claim 3

An apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein the first analyzer is capable of performing a first type of chemical analysis and the second analyzer is capable of performing a different type of chemical analysis.

Claim 4

An apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein the first analyzer is a flow injection analyzer and the second analyzer is a ion chromatography analyzer.

Claim 5

An apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein the peripheral device is chosen from a group of devices consisting of a sampler, a pump and a diluter.

Claim 6

The apparatus as set forth in claim 1 further comprising a memory circuit configured to store a plurality of predetermined, operator selectable command routines for performing analyses by the analyzers and pre-analysis operations by the peripheral device.

Claim 7

In an analytical system including first and second analyzers for performing chemical analyses on a plurality of test samples and a peripheral device responsive to control signals to perform pre-analysis operations on the test samples, the analyses performed by the first analyzer being shorter in duration than the analyses performed by the second analyzer, a control system comprising: a memory circuit configured to store a predetermined sequence of analytical operations to be performed on each test sample; and a control circuit coupled to the first and second analyzers, the peripheral device and the memory circuit, the control circuit being configured to schedule analysis of a plurality of test samples on the first analyzer and to schedule analysis of at least one test sample on the second analyzer, the control circuit being further configured to generate control signals to execute the predetermined sequence of analytical operations by applying the control signals to the peripheral device to selectively command the peripheral device to perform said pre-analysis operations for the first analyzer on the plurality of test samples scheduled for the first analyzer and to interrupt performance of said pre-analysis operations for the first analyzer by the peripheral device after completion of a then current pre-analysis operation being performed on one of the plurality of test samples scheduled for the first analyzer but prior to completion of the pre-analysis operations on remaining test samples scheduled for the first analyzer and perform a pre-analysis operation on the at least one test sample scheduled for the second analyzer based on availability of the second analyzer to perform its scheduled analysis.

Claim 8

In an analytical system including first and second analyzers for performing chemical analyses on a plurality of test samples and a peripheral device responsive to control signals to perform pre-analysis operations on the test samples, the analyses performed by the first analyzer being shorter in duration than the analyses performed by the second analyzer, a control system comprising: a memory circuit configured to store a predetermined sequence of analytical operations to be performed on each test sample; and a control circuit coupled to the first and second analyzers, the peripheral device and the memory circuit, the control circuit being configured to schedule analysis of a plurality of test samples on the first analyzer and to schedule analysis of at least one test sample on the second analyzer, the control circuit being further configured to generate control signals to execute the predetermined sequence of analytical operations by applying the control signals to the peripheral device to selectively command the peripheral device to perform said pre-analysis operations for the first analyzer on the plurality of test samples scheduled for the first analyzer and to interrupt performance of said pre-analysis operations for the first analyzer by the peripheral device after completion of a then current pre-analysis operation being performed on one of the plurality of test samples scheduled for the first analyzer but prior to completion of the pre-analysis operations on remaining test samples scheduled for the first analyzer and perform a pre-analysis operation on the at least one test sample scheduled for the second analyzer based on availability of the second analyzer to perform its scheduled analysis.

Claim 9

The control system as set forth in claim 6 further comprising an operator interface coupled to the control circuit for inputting the analytical operations to be performed by each analyzer.

Claim 10

The control system as set forth in claim 6 further comprising a second memory circuit coupled to the control circuit and configured to receive and store data representative of the results of chemical analyses performed by the analyzers.

Claim 11

The control system as set forth in claim 6 further comprising an operator interface coupled to the control circuit for displaying the status of the analyzers and peripheral device.

Claim 14

The method set forth in claim 10 wherein the chemical analysis operation performed in step (b) is different from the chemical analysis operation performed in step (e).

Claim 15

The method set forth in claim 10 wherein the first chemical analyzer is a flow injection analyzer and the second chemical analyzer is an ion chromatography analyzer.

Claim 16

The method set forth in claim 10 wherein the peripheral device is chosen from a group of devices consisting of a sampler, a pump and a diluter.

Claim 17

The method set forth in claim 10 wherein the chemical analysis operation of step (b) is performed at least partially simultaneously with the chemical analysis operation of step (e).