FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention is generally in the field of robotics and concerns a method and system for loading items to a robotic system to allow the robotic system to identify and locate each of the items. The present invention further relates to item holding racks, adapted to cooperate with such a system and which may be used to transfer the items to the robotic system.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Robotic systems are generally adapted to handle and manipulate items for various purposes. Specific examples are various robotic systems used in medical diagnostics in which specimens are handled, processed and then analyzed automatically to eventually generate a diagnostic report. Such diagnostic systems are typically adapted to handle simultaneously a plurality of specimens and furthermore employ a large number of reagents for the different chemical, biochemical or biological tests conducted within the system.

In conventional robotic diagnostic systems, the reagents, typically liquids, are held in containers which are placed in designated receptacles. If the operator mistakenly places a reagent in an incorrect receptacle, the entire task of the system may be incorrectly performed.

A similar problem occurs also with respect to the specimens. It is today typically the practice to associate each test tube or other vessel containing a specimen to be tested, a tag, typically a bar code, which identifies the specimen. The operator then scans the bar code and thereafter places the specimen-containing vessel in the location ascribed to it by the system. However, mistakes in placing may occur which will give rise to an incorrect match between a patient and a specimen.

GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the invention to provide a method, system and device for loading items to a robotic system in a manner which will essentially avoid mistakes in identification of the items by the robotic system.

By a first aspect the present invention provides a loading station for loading items to a robotic system such that each of the items will be identifie and located, the station comprising: a sensing panel on which the items are placed and which has a sensing arrangement for emitting a location data signal responsive to placing an item thereon, and being indicative of the item's location on the tray; a reading assembly for reading a sign allocated for each different item prior to placing it on the tray and emitting an identity data signal corresponding to said sign ; and a processor for receiving said location data signal and said identity data signal, ascribing one to the other, and generating an output data signal to be transferred to the robotic system.

By a second aspect, the present invention provides a method for loading items to a robotic system, such that each of the items will be identifie and located by the system, the method comprising: (a) generating a readable item-identifying sign to be associated with each item;

(b) reading the sign of an item by an appropriate sign-reading assembly to generate an identity data signal corresponding to said sign and thereafter placing the item on a panel of a loading station having a sensing arrangement for identifying the placing and for emitting a location data signal indicative of location of said item on the tray; and (d) by means of a processor, receiving and matching the identity data signal and the location data signal for each of the items, to generate an output data signal for transferring to said robotic system, so as to allow the robotic system to locate each of the items.

The method of the invention is typically concerne with a batch process wherein a batch of items is placed on the panel of the loading station and then the processor generates an output data signal allowing the robotic system to identify each of the items in the batch.

By a preferred embodiment of the invention the loading station is intended for loading specimens and/or reagents to a diagnostic robotic system for simultaneous handling and performing one or more diagnostic assays on a plurality of biological specimens.

The tray, by one embodiment, is a flat panel, with each of the items, having a flat bottom surface, placed directly thereon. In accordance with another embodiment the panel has integral receptacles adapted to receive the items, each such receptacle being fitted with a sensor.

In accordance with one preferred embodiment, the sensing arrangement comprises a pressure sensitive panel. Typically, such a panel has an array of pressure sensors, each one at a different location, actuatable by an item placed on the tray at this location. As an alternative to a pressure sensitive panel, the sensing arrangement may comprise other types of sensors, e. g. optical sensors, electric sensors, magnetic sensors, laser scanners, combination of these, etc.

In accordance with one application of the invention, the loading station is located adjacent or within the robotic system, and the manipulating head or arm of the robot grabs the items directly from the station.

In accordance with another, embodiment of the invention, the items are loaded on racks which are adapted to cooperate with the loading station and the items are then transported to the robotic system within such racks. In accordance with this embodiment the racks are placed on the sensing panel and the racks being designed such that placing of an item in the rack actuates the sensing panel to generate a location data signal. Such a rack has a plurality of receptacles, each adapted to receive one of the items, and when placed on the panel, once an item is placed in the receptacle, the sensor on the panel is actuated. In the case where the sensor is a pressure sensor, each of the receptacles may have, in accordance with one embodiment, an opening at its bottom and the item, once placed in the receptacle directly actuates the pressure sensor situated below on the panel.

In accordance with another embodiment, each receptacle of the rack is fitted at its bottom face with a mediating actuating member, movable in a vertical direction; once the item is placed in the receptacle, it presses the member which in turn presses the sensor on the panel. Typically, the rack has an identifier tag readable by a reader unit both in the loading station and in the robotic system and the output data. signal contains also information bits identifying the particular racks. Once the rack (after loaded with the items) is transported to the robotic system, the reader within the robotic system identifies the rack, and the robotic system can then associate the rack with a specific output data signal of this rack and then identify and localize each of the items contained therein.

A rack adapted for use with a loading station of the invention, is novel and constitutes an independent aspect of the invention. Such a rack has typically a full proof positioning arrangement, e. g. a dedicated shape,

positioning pins or notches, etc., so as to ensure accurate placement thereof on the panel.

The reading assembly may typically comprise a bar-code reader, with the signs allocated to each item being accordingly bar-codes. The bar-code may be applied on a sticker attache to the item or may be placed on a separate substrate, e. g. sheet or board, in a manner allowing to associate it with the item.

The bar-code reader then scans the bar-code prior to placing the item on the panel. The bar-code reader may be a manually held reader, it may be a fixed reader on which the item is placed or passed by so that the bar-code typically on a sticker thereof, can be read, etc.

The output data signal may be transferred to the robotic system in line by data transfer lines, or may be transferred on a transferable storage media, e. g. a data storage disk or tape, or by transmission, etc.

The invention will now be described with reference to a specific, non-limiting embodiment, shown in the annexed drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a loading station, in accordance with an embodiment of the invention, for loading specimens and reagents to a robotic diagnostic system; Fig. 2 shows a loading station of Fig. 1, on which there are placed a specimen-holding rack and a reagent-holding rack; Fig. 3A is a perspective, partially cut-out, view of a rack in accordance with one embodiment of the invention ; Fig. 3B is a cross-section through lines III-III in Fig. 3A; Fig. 4A is a perspective, partially cut-out view of a rack in accordance with another embodiment of the invention; Fig. 4B is a cross-section through lines IV-IV in Fig. 4A;

Fig. 5 is a schematic representation of the various steps in the method of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The specific embodiment illustrated herein refers to a station for loading vials, reagent vesses, etc., into a robotic system where specimens are automatically diagnose. As will be appreciated, the invention should not be construed as being limited only to this embodiment, and applies, mutatis mutandis, also to loading stations of other types of items which are to be loaded into a robotic system. Examples are machining tools, robots of assembly lines, etc.

Fig. 1 shows a loading station 20 having a base structure 22, holding a sensing panel 24, slightly depressed below the open surface of the base structure, and user operable push buttons 26,28 and 30. The loading station further comprises a reading assembly generally designated 32 comprising a stationary bar-code reader 34, a manually held, pencil-like bar-code reader 36 and an LCD display 38.

Panel 24 has a plurality of pressure sensors of different dimensions and spatial distribution 40,42,44 and 46, each emitting a data signal once pressure is applied thereon, indicative of its location.

Panel 24 has three rack-receiving zones 50,52 and 54 and has circumferential edges 58,60,62 and 64. Zone 50 of panel 24 is defined by edge 58, the respective portions of edges 60 and 64 and by a triangular projection 66; zone 52 is defined by respective portions of edges 60 and 64 and by triangular projections 66 and 68; and zone 54 is defined by edge 62, the respective portions of edges 60 and 64 and triangular projection 68. As can be seen, the corner 70 of zone 54 is truncated. Thus, while zones 50 and 54 differ from zone 52 by their overall dimension, they are distinguished from one another by the

existence of the truncated corner 70 in zone 54. Thus, a rack which will be designed to fit in one zone cannot be misplaced in another zone.

The station further comprises a data port 80, for connection to the robotic system or for connection to remote data system, e. g. for receiving information associating each bar-code to an item.

Push buttons 24,28 and 30 are usable for various manual functions including onloff, cancel a last input, general reset, etc.

Fig. 2 shows the station 20 fitted with two racks 82 and 84, the former holding a reagent vessel 86 and the latter a plurality of specimen vials 88. Receptacles 92 and 94 of rack 82, and each of receptacles 96 of rack 84, are placed such that each corresponds to one of respective pressure sensors 40,42,44 or 46, respectively, and thus once a vessel or a vial is placed into a receptacle, a respective pressure sensor below is actuated.

Two different embodiments of racks for use with the loading station of the invention, are shown in Figs. 3 and 4. The rack shown in Fig. 3, is rack 84 which is shown in Fig. 2, but designed so as to fit specifically into zone 54, with the various receptacles 96 being each above one of the pressure sensors 46, as can be seen specifically in Fig. 3B. Each of receptacles 96 is defined by aligned openings, consisting of three openings 97 in the racks' upper and two intermediate horizontal boards 98, which have a diameter corresponding to the external diameter of vial 88, and an opening 97'at bottom board 98', which has a diameter such that it allows only the tip of the curved bottom end of vial 88 to protrude therethrough. Thus, on the one hand, when the rack is lifted, the opening is sufficiently small so as to support the vial 88, but on the other hand allows the bottom end to actuate pressure sensor 46, as can specifically be seen in Fig. 3B.

Rack 100 which can be seen in Fig. 4, is designed to fit into zone 52. This rack has a plurality of bores 102 each being a receptacle adapted to receive a vial 104, and each fitted with a movable actuating member 106 at

its bottom. Actuating member 106 has a tapered bottom end 108 for actuating the pressure sensor 46 (zig. 4B). Once a vial 104 is placed in the receptacle, pressure is transferred by member 106 to pressure sensor 46 thus inducing the latter to issue a location data signal.

A rack in accordance with the embodiment shown in Fig. 3 can be used for vials or other vessels having a concave bottom and thereby can directly actuate the pressure sensor. Against this, the rack of the kind shown in Fig. 4 is useful in cases where the vessel or the vial has a flat bottom whereby the actuating member serves to focus the pressure onto the pressure sensor.

The sequence of operation of a'oading station in accordance with the invention is shown in Fig. 5. At a first step (Fig. 5A) a tag 120 is prepared, typically a bar-code, which identifies a specific vessel. The tag 120 may then be fixed on to a vessel 122 which in the specific example is a vial, (Fig. 5B), and then the vessel 122 is brought to the loading station where the sticker is read by an appropriate reading unit, e. g. a manual pen-like bar-code reading unit 124 which reads the bar-code on tag 120 (Fig. 5c). Thereafter (Fig. 5D) the vessel 122 is placed into a receptacle 126 of a rack 128 (of which only a small section is shown) which then actuates the pressure sensor 130 on the sensing pad 132.

The rack has typically a readable identifiable tag which identifies the rack once it is transferred to the robotic system with its load of vials or vesses. The identifie tag may, for example, be an array of small magnets and the reader an array of ball sensors. The pattern of the magents thus identifies the racks. The loading station generates an output data signal, which provides information on identity (established in the steps shown in Fig. 5C) and location (established in the steps shown in Fig. 5D) to provide to the robotic system an identity/location data for each of the different items.