Decoupling spatial and temporal processes for clinical analyzers.

The separation of time and space in processing a sample greatly simplifies the design of automation for clinical testing. The efficient spatial arrangement of analytical units and sample manipulators has become a more complex task because of the degree of automation required on today's state-of-the-art analyzer. Minimization of sample volume and the reduction of overall analyzer size further complicate the design problem. We report the development of a proprietary method of decoupling the temporal and spatial elements required for analysis of samples. This process is based on number theory and can be used to optimize the distance between the physical processing stations while allowing these same stations to operate on samples over a substantial range of times. The technique is versatile and can also be used when it is desirable to sequentially move groups of items from location to location.