SPECIMEN READER EMPLOYING OPTICAL AND RFID SCANNING

摘要

A specimen reader receives a specimen rack that includes multiple rack slots that receive respective specimen holders. The specimen holders may include an RFID and barcode. The specimen reader includes multiple sensing regions that align with respective rack slots of the specimen rack. The specimen reader optically senses the presence of specimen holders in the sensing regions that correspond to the rack slots. When the specimen reader detects a newly inserted specimen holder in a particular rack slot, the specimen reader sends RF interrogation signals to the sensing regions. The specimen holders in the sensing regions respond by transmitting their respective RFID unique identifiers. The specimen reader compares currently received RFID unique identifiers with prior received RFID unique identifiers to determine the RFID unique identifier of the newly inserted specimen holder.