JPH11281652A - Inspection and pretreatment system for sample and its operating method - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To arbitrarily change the output order of samples charged in a system and to quickly treat the samples. SOLUTION: A rack into which samples are put is conveyed by a conveyance line 40 from a charging part 11 or 12, and various inspections and pretreatments are executed. First, the rack is centrifugally treated by a centrifugal treatment part 41, and it is then unstoppered and treated by an unstoppering treatment part 24. After that, the rack is dispensed and treated by a dispensing treatment part 34, it is conveyed to a sorting treatment part 34 via a stoppering treatment part 32, and it is conveyed to an output part 36. A degree of priority is set to the rack, and the rack is conveyed according to the degree of priority. In addition, the set degree of priority of the rack can be changed freely from an input part 103 while a screen is being observed.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a sample test preprocessing system and a method for operating the same, and more particularly to a sample test for performing tests such as centrifugation and dispensing prior to the test for testing samples such as blood and urine. The present invention relates to a preprocessing system and an operation method thereof.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In a hospital test, a specimen is collected in each department in the hospital and brought to a laboratory. The examination items vary depending on the medical condition, and are transmitted from the doctor to the examination room using an online information processing system. Many tests require pre-processing operations such as centrifugation, dispensing, opening, and closing prior to analysis of the test. The proportion of the preprocessing work to the entire inspection work time is large.

[0003] Centrifugation is a process for separating serum components from blood into test samples. The dispensing process is a process of collecting a required amount of a test sample according to the number of test items and transferring the sample to another container. The opening process is a process of opening the stopper of the test tube after the centrifugal process, and the closing process is a process of closing the stopper on the test tube of the storage specimen that is not used immediately.

[0004] Today, pre-processing automation systems have become widespread, and by automating pre-processing work, which had conventionally relied on manual labor, the processing time was reduced while ensuring the accuracy and safety of the work. The work efficiency of inspection work has been improved.

[0005] As the pre-processing work for inspections becomes more sophisticated, the automation system is required to have high reliability, as well as enhancement of functions and flexibility of system operation. From the viewpoint of improving the reliability, the reliability of the information processing is improved and the user interface is enhanced to eliminate the operator's cognitive error.

On the other hand, in terms of enhancement of functions and flexibility of the system, there remains a problem in system operation when an emergency sample with a high degree of urgency interrupts during the processing of general samples processed in the order of arrival. There is a strong demand for a proposal of a flexible system operation method capable of prompt processing of emergency samples.

[0007]

As described above, since the examination system is basically designed to sequentially process the specimens put into the system, a doctor needs to urgently perform an examination for an urgent specimen or the like. If the urgent inspection that judges that the system is interrupted frequently, it is difficult to operate the system.

[0008] Conventionally, in the sample test pre-processing system,
It has been developed with a primary focus on how to increase the processing speed of each processing step. For this reason, in the conventional systems, the processing function for the priority sample is not regarded as important, and the urgent test is performed manually or a separate emergency dedicated system is prepared.

A method of prioritizing specimens in a system for prioritizing test specimens exists as a system that has been implemented as described above. However, in the conventional systems, the use of sample priority is limited, such as a system that assigns a fixed priority according to the sample input location and a system that assigns two categories, “general sample” and “urgent sample”. It is stopped at.

[0010] It is an object of the present invention to provide a sample test pre-processing system suitable for quickly changing the output order of samples input to the system and arbitrarily changing the output order, and an operation method thereof.

[0011]

According to the present invention, a sample transport line for transporting a sample or a group of samples, and a sample processing unit coupled to the sample transport line for pre-test processing of the sample or the group of samples are provided. And are provided. When the priority of the sample or the sample group is set, the sample transport line is controlled so that the sample or the sample group is transported according to the set priority. The set priority can be freely changed.

[0012]

FIG. 1 shows an outline of an embodiment of a sample test pre-processing system according to the present invention. Samples to be processed by the system are liquid samples such as blood and urine.

The specimen is usually capped and placed in a test tube,
Then, a predetermined number of samples, for example, five samples, are held by the rack as sample groups, and set in the input units 11 and 12 in sample group units, that is, in rack units. Input units 11 and 1
The rack set to 2 is transported by the transport line 40
Transported to various processing units coupled to the transport line,
The sample held by the rack is processed (a simple pause in the processing unit may be regarded as a process), and then transported to the output unit 36. In FIG. 1, the processing units are a buffer unit 18, a centrifugal processing unit 41, an opening processing unit 24, and a bypass unit 28.
29, a dispensing section 30, a plugging section 32, and a classification section 34. Reference numerals 13 to 17, 19, 26, 27, 31, 33, and 35 between the input units 11 and 12 and the output unit 36 indicate the transport path portions of the rack of the transport line 40.

The rack set in the loading section 11 is transported to the transport path section 15 via the transport path section 13, and the rack set in the loading section 12 is transported to the transport path section 15 via the transport path section 14. Since the transport path section 15 is a junction, which of the racks is the transport path section 1 which is the junction section first.
5 is determined by the priority described later. The rack transported to the transport path unit 15 is transported to the transport path unit 16. In this case, the standby unit or the buffer unit 18
If there is a rack that is waiting for the rack, the priority of the rack is compared with the priority of the rack transported to the transport path unit 16 as described later, and the rack with the higher priority is transferred to the transport path unit 1.
It is conveyed to the centrifugal processing section 41 via 7, 19. The above steps are repeated, whereby the racks conveyed to the centrifugal processing unit 41 are taken into the rack taking-up units therein. In the example shown in the figure, four racks are loaded into the loading units 20 to 23, respectively, and the samples held by those racks are centrifuged. When the sample is blood, the centrifugation is a process for separating serum in blood.

The rack after the centrifugal processing is completed
The rack is conveyed to the opening processing section 25 through the opening section, where the rack opening processing is performed, and the rack after the processing is completed is conveyed to the conveyance path section 26. As will be described later, the priority of the rack is compared with that of the rack that has been opened by the opening processing unit 25. If the following rack has a higher priority, the rack that was in the transport path unit 26 earlier is replaced by the bypass unit 28.
Transported to That is, the preceding rack is overtaken by the following rack. The racks remaining in the transport path unit 26 as a result of the priority comparison are compared with the racks, as described later, assuming that there are racks in the bypass unit 29. Is transported to the transport path 27. The rack transported to the transport path unit 27 is transported to the dispensing processing unit 30, where the amount of serum required for the test is collected from the original sample for each test item, and a dedicated cup for each automatic analyzer (not shown) is collected. Or distributed to test tubes.
The dispensed sample is called a child sample, while the original sample is called a parent sample.

When the parent sample and the child sample are stored for storage or transported to another analyzer at a remote location, the sample is transported to the stopper processing unit 32 via the transport path unit 31, It is capped.

The child sample is not closed through the transport path section 31, the stopper processing section 32, and the transport path section 33, and the classification processing section 3
4 and are classified here by destination. When the sample test preprocessing system is directly connected to the automatic analyzer, the child sample is supplied to the analysis system via the output unit 36 via the transport path unit 35.

The entire system is totally controlled by a control management unit 101. The control management unit 101 mainly controls the transport between the processing units of the rack and the sample transport line and the processing information control. The control management unit 101 performs the determination and comparison of the priority described later, and the transport line 40 performs the rack transport control based on the determination and comparison. Data relating to the priority is stored in the storage unit 105. The operator monitors the system on the display output unit 102 and inputs parameters and instructions from the input unit 103 if necessary. The input of the priority for setting the priority and the change of the priority after the priority is determined can be performed from the input unit 102. The data management unit 104 manages a storage unit 105 that stores system setting parameters, sample or rack processing information, and test result information.

FIG. 2 shows a database in the storage unit 105 for storing sample and rack (sample group) IDs and priorities. There are various methods of managing the information of the sample or the rack depending on the system. Usually, the sample and the rack have information of the sample ID and the rack ID for identifying each other.

The sample priority is defined in association with the ID of each sample. The priority of the rack is also defined corresponding to the rack ID, and the system is operated by this.

By expressing the priorities as integers or natural numbers having a number system capable of adding and subtracting, arbitrary priorities can be set for samples and racks, and the priorities can be easily synthesized by calculation.

By expressing the priority by a numerical value and setting the numerical value arbitrarily, the output order of the racks in the system can be freely changed. For example, the priority of a rack that has been put in late is made higher than the priority of a rack that was put in earlier (the higher the numerical value is, for example, the higher the priority), and a rack having a higher priority than the rack being processed arrives at the processing unit. At that point, processing of the rack that arrived earlier is temporarily stopped, and the rack with the higher priority later is processed first and sent to the next process, so that the latter rack can be output earlier. is there. In addition, by changing the priority of racks that have already been introduced into the system as needed, the priority order of racks that have increased urgency on the way can be controlled.

The priority of a rack is, for example, 5
In the case of holding a plurality of samples, as shown in FIG. 2, the determination may be made as the sum of the priorities of the five samples. Rack I of racks R0001 and R0002 in FIG.
D is the sum of the priorities of the five samples on the rack. As a result, the rack R0002 has a higher priority than the rack R0001. In this case, the relative comparison of the average priority of the samples on the rack is performed. As another example,
There is also a method of operating the priority of the sample having the highest priority among the five as the priority of the rack. In this case, the priority of the sample having the highest priority on the rack is the representative priority of the rack.

By defining the priority of the rack as a function of the priority of the sample on the rack, the priority of the sample on the rack can be automatically reflected on the priority of the rack. it can.

The priority of the rack may be determined in proportion to the number of pre-processing steps. A rack having a larger number of pre-processing items, that is, a larger number of pre-processing steps, has a longer processing time, so that the time required for output from the system is longer. By setting the priority of racks with a large number of processing items to high priority and performing the processing as much as possible in the system, the time loss of samples input later waiting for the processing of the sample input earlier is reduced, Output time can be shortened.

When the rack priority is made to be proportional to the number of pre-processing steps, the priority may be reduced every time a processing item is completed so that priority is not given more than necessary. The setting of the priority in this case is effective when it is desired to equalize the output time zone of the racks with respect to the racks that have been simultaneously loaded.

That is, in the case where the rack priority is proportional to the number of pre-processing steps, the first high-priority rack having many pre-processing items and the low-priority rack having few processing items are simultaneously input to the system. Consider the case. At first, racks with many processing items and high priority are preferentially processed and processed first. On the other hand, a rack having a small number of processing items and a low priority has a short processing time, but tends to be processed later. As each processing step is completed,
Higher priority racks precede lower priority racks, and there is no longer a need to prioritize them.

In some systems, a mechanism for prioritizing a rack having a higher priority causes a time loss in switching from interruption to resumption of processing. Therefore,
According to the present embodiment, it is possible to perform a system operation that excludes a state in which priorities are set more than necessary and prevents a problem that lowers overall processing performance.

In the above description, the sample is transported in the rack unit, that is, in the sample group unit on the rack. However, the sample may be transported in the sample unit instead. The idea is basically the same.

FIG. 3 schematically shows the vicinity 37 of the junction in FIG. The rack 41 moves from the transport path unit 13 to the transport path unit 15 and the transport path unit 16 in this order.
Moves from the transport path section 14 to the transport path section 15 and then to the transport path section 16. The rack 41 and the rack 42 are simultaneously
5, the priorities are determined in descending order of rack priority. However, when the priorities are the same, a rule for determining which route has priority is necessary.

Usually, the conveying path section 13 → the conveying path section 1
The route of No. 5 is prioritized, but when the difference obtained by subtracting the priority of the rack 41 from the priority of the rack 42 becomes a certain value or more,
An operation method in which the route from the transport path unit 14 to the transport path unit 15 is prioritized is also possible.

FIG. 4 schematically shows the vicinity 38 of the buffer section in FIG. The rack 43 is normally provided with the transport path unit 1.
From 6, the transport path 17 and the transport path 19 move in this order. On the other hand, the rack 44 is on standby in the buffer section 18 and thereafter moves in the order of the transport path section 17 and the transport path section 19. At this time, the priority of the movement of the racks 43 and 44 to the transport path 17 is determined in the descending order of the priority of the racks. Alternatively, the priority order of the normal racks is fixed to the buffer 18 and the priority of the rack 43 is subtracted from the priority of the rack 43.
Is also possible. If the priority of the rack 43 is lower than the priority of the rack in the transport path unit 15 in the preceding stage, the rack 43 is
To wait.

FIG. 5 schematically shows the vicinity 39 of the detour section in FIG. The priority of the racks of the transport path unit 25 and the transport path unit 26 is compared, and then the priority of the racks of the transport path unit 26 and the transport path unit 29 are compared. If the rack 46 in the transport path section 25 has a higher priority than the rack 47 in the transport path section 26, the rack 47 is transported to the bypass section 28 and bypassed, and the rack 46 is moved ahead. Can be.

The rack 47 returns from the detour section 28 to the transport path section 27 via the detour section 29, but the preceding rack 46 stops at the transport path section 27, during which the rack 45 of the transport path section 24 stops.
When the rack 46 retreats from the transport path unit 27 after is transported to the transport path unit 26, the priority of the rack 47 of the transport path unit 26 and the priority of the rack of the bypass unit 29 are compared. If the priority of the rack is rack 45> rack 4
If the racks are higher in the order of 6> rack 47, the remaining two racks will overtake rack 47.

As a condition for the rack to enter the detour section,
There is also an operation method in which the rack 47 enters the detour when the difference obtained by subtracting the priority of the rear rack 46 from the priority of the preceding rack 47 becomes a certain value or more.

FIG. 6 shows an example rack position and priority monitor screen according to the present invention. This is the display output unit 1.
The screen displayed at 02 is shown corresponding to FIG. Therefore, the components corresponding to each other are denoted by the same reference numerals so that the corresponding relationship can be understood. However, FIG.
In FIG. 1, portions 31 to 36 in FIG. 1 are omitted to avoid complication of the drawing.

The IDs and priorities of the racks in the system are stored in the storage unit 105 in FIG. 1, managed by the data management unit 104, and referred to as needed. On the display screen, the rack ID and priority are paired, and the rack route and current position are displayed. It is assumed that the current position information of the rack is updated periodically.

It is desirable that the screen display of the current position of the rack is color-coded according to the priority level range of the rack so that the difference in the priority level can be visually recognized. With such a display, the priority of the rack being processed by the operator and the priority of the surrounding racks can be easily compared.

When the operator inputs the ID of the rack whose priority is to be changed in the upper part of the search field 315, the input I
The position of the rack D and its priority are highlighted and the operator can check the current position of the rack. When the priority of the rack is to be changed, the priority to be changed is input to the lower part of the search column 315 using the input unit 103 such as a keyboard, so that the priority on the screen is updated. The updated priority is, of course, stored in the storage unit 105, and the transport line 40 controls transport of the rack according to the updated priority. If the operator wants to shorten the output time of an arbitrary rack on the system, he or she can specify the rack on the screen and change the priority of the rack to be higher than the priority of surrounding racks.

FIG. 7 is a flow chart showing the relationship between the operator's operation related to the screen of FIG. 6 and the response of the system. When the monitor screen of FIG. 6 is started, the IDs and priorities of the racks in the system are displayed on the screen in a vertical order in the order of paths (FIG. 7 (1)). Since the position information of the rack changes over time, the system periodically updates the position information (FIG. 7).
(2)). For example, when the operator inputs a sample ID from the keyboard into the upper part of the search box 315 and presses the ENTER key to confirm the input (FIG. 7 (3)), the system searches for the rack position in the system, The priority is highlighted and the cursor is moved to the priority input box at the bottom of the rack 315, and the operator waits for an input (FIG. 7 (4)). Next, when the operator inputs the rack priority from the input unit 102 and confirms the input with the ENTER key (FIG. 7 (5)), the system according to the changed input value, the corresponding rack priority data. Is changed, and the priority on the screen is also updated (FIG. 7 (6)). If necessary, the operator returns to (FIG. 7 (2)) and repeats the same procedure.

FIG. 8 shows an example of a display screen used when searching for and changing the priority of racks flowing in the system. This is displayed on the display output unit 102.
FIG. 9 shows a flow of searching and changing the priority in relation to this screen.
Shown in

Referring to both figures, first, when the operator inputs the sample ID of the sample whose priority is to be changed into the input column 112 (FIG. 9A), the sample is displayed in the priority display column 111. The priority of the rack ID is searched and the result is highlighted (FIG. 9 (2)). Next, the priority is entered in the input column 11
3 (FIG. 9 (3)), and a list of rack IDs having a priority higher than the input priority is displayed on the display unit 111 in ascending order of priority (FIG. 9 (4)). At this time, the result of the previous operation is cleared. The list is displayed in association with the rack ID displayed in the display field 115. Therefore, the operator has to adjust the sample I
D knows the priority of the rack on which the sample was placed,
After checking the priorities of the racks already set in the system, it is possible to determine how much the priority of the rack to be changed should be set.

Further, when an emergency rack is to be loaded, the priority set to the rack already flowing in the system is known, and the initial priority is determined in consideration of the urgency of the rack to be loaded. You can decide. Finally, the rack ID that the operator will enter
The priority of the rack ID is changed or registered by inputting the priority and the priority in the priority registration field 116 (FIG. 9).
(5), (6)).

In FIG. 8, reference numeral 114 denotes a scroll bar which can be scrolled when the rack priority list on the left side is large and cannot be displayed on one screen.

When an urgent sample arrives, depending on the degree of urgency, there is also an operation method in which the urgent sample is preferentially processed even if the processing of the sample already being processed in the system is interrupted. When an emergency sample with a very high degree of urgency is loaded, the rack on the path of the preprocessing step through which the loaded emergency sample passes is evacuated to a buffer or an evacuation route, or temporarily discharged from the system. It is assumed that a predetermined value is given in advance to the priority given to the emergency sample, and that the operation mode of the system is automatically changed when the operator sets a priority higher than that value. This allows
Even when the processing of the sample in the system is interrupted, the system can be operated in a case where an extremely urgent sample test that requires quick processing is required.

When a rack stays in a buffer or a bypass as shown in FIG. 4 or FIG. 5 for a long time, there is an operation method in which the priority of the rack is increased as time elapses to prevent sample decay. . If the priority of the rack in the buffer or the detour is constant, the priority of the rack continuously moving to the buffer or the detour exit is higher than the priority of the rack in the buffer or the detour. Racks cannot exit the buffer or detour when it lasts for a long time. As a measure in such a case, the priority of the rack in the buffer is increased over time.

According to the embodiment described above, the following effects can be expected.

(1) Since the stored priority of a sample or a group of samples can be freely changed, the output order of the samples input to the system can be arbitrarily changed to perform rapid processing.

(2) Since the priority of the sample group is given by a function of the priority of the sample in the sample group, the sample group automatically reflects the importance of the sample from the priority of the sample constituting the sample group. Can be configured.

(3) Since the priority is given as a function of the number of processing steps of a sample or a sample group, a sample or a sample group having a large number of processing items in the system can be output with priority.

(4) Since the priority decreases each time the process of processing a sample or a sample rack having the priority is completed, it is possible to reduce the dependency of the sample or rack pre-processing time on the number of processing items. It is possible.

(5) The transport line has a junction of the sample or the sample group, and the transport order of the sample or the sample group at the junction is determined by its priority. It is possible to define the sample or sample group priority.

(6) A buffer unit connected to the transport line is provided, and the higher the priority of the transport order of the sample or the sample group at the entrance or the exit of the buffer unit is, the higher the priority is. It is possible to define the priority of a sample or a group of samples in the system.

(7) A sample or a group of samples is connected to the transport line, and a bypass of the sample or the group of samples is introduced to the bypass. The priorities can be set or changed in real time and freely to control the sample pre-processing order.

(8) It includes means for displaying a screen showing the transport position of the sample or sample group and the priority, and the displayed priority can be changed from the input means. System operation to process

(9) When a sample or a sample group having a priority higher than the prescribed standard is introduced into the system, the processing procedure of the processing step is automatically changed, and the sample or sample group having the higher priority is processed in the processing path. The sample or sample group that hinders the process is evacuated or temporarily ejected from the system, and other processes are suspended until the high-priority sample or sample group process is completed. The specimen group can be prevented from staying in the buffer or the detour for a long time.

In summary, it is possible to operate the system so that the operator can quickly process urgent samples of various urgencies which are input in a mixture with ordinary general samples while operating the priority.

[0058]

According to the present invention, there is provided a sample test pre-processing system suitable for quickly changing the output order of samples input to the system and arbitrarily changing the output order, and an operation method thereof.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of an embodiment of a sample test preprocessing system according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a database of a storage unit in FIG. 1 that stores IDs and priorities of samples and racks (sample groups).

FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram of the vicinity of a merging section in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram of the vicinity of a buffer unit in FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram of the vicinity of a detour in FIG. 1;

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a rack position and priority monitor screen as an example according to the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a flow chart as an example showing a relationship between an operator's operation related to the screen of FIG. 6 and a response of the system.

FIG. 8 searches for the priority of racks flowing in the system,
The figure which shows the display screen as an example used when changing.

FIG. 9 is a flowchart showing an example of a search and change of priority in relation to the screen of FIG. 8;

[Explanation of symbols]

11, 12: injection unit, 18: buffer unit, 41: centrifugal processing unit, 25: open processing unit, 39: detour unit, 30: dispensing processing unit, 32: plug processing unit, 34: classification processing unit, 36 : Output unit, 40: transport line, 13 to 17, 19, 24, 2
6, 27, 31, 33, 35: transport path section of transport line,
101: control management unit, 102: display output unit, 103: input unit, 104: data management unit, 105: storage unit.

Claims (13)

[Claims] 1. A transport line for transporting a sample or a group of samples,
A sample test pre-processing system including a processing unit coupled to the transport line for the test pre-processing of the sample or sample group, and a setting device for setting a priority of the sample or sample group, A control device for controlling the transport line so as to transport the sample or the sample group according to the set priority, wherein the set priority is configured to be freely changeable. Sample test preprocessing system. 2. A transport line for transporting a specimen or a group of specimens,
A sample test preprocessing system including a processing unit coupled to the transport line for the test preprocessing of the sample or the sample group, and an input device for inputting a priority of the sample or the sample group, A storage device that stores the input priority, and a control device that controls the transport line to transport the sample or sample group according to the stored priority, wherein the stored priority is the A sample test pre-processing system characterized in that it can be freely changed from an input means. 3. The sample test preprocessing system according to claim 1, wherein the priority of the sample group is given by a function of the priority of the sample in the sample group. 4. The sample test pre-processing system according to claim 1, wherein the priority is given as a function of the number of processing steps of the sample or sample group. 5. The sample test pre-processing system according to claim 4, wherein the priority is reduced each time a process of processing a sample or a sample rack having the priority is completed. 6. The transport line according to claim 1, wherein the transport line has a junction of the sample or the sample group, and a transport order of the sample or the sample group at the junction is determined by its priority. A sample test pre-processing system characterized in that: 7. A buffer according to claim 1, further comprising a buffer unit coupled to said sample transport line, wherein the transport order of the sample or sample group at an entrance or an exit of said buffer is determined by its priority. A sample test preprocessing system characterized by being performed. 8. The sample or sample group according to claim 1, further comprising: a detour portion for the sample or the sample group, the detour portion being coupled to the transport line, and guiding the sample or the sample group having a low priority to the detour portion. A sample test pre-processing system, characterized in that: 9. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising means for displaying a screen showing the transport position of said sample or sample group and said priority, and changing said displayed priority from said input means. A sample test pre-processing system, characterized in that it is obtained. 10. A processing procedure of a processing step is automatically changed when a sample or a sample group having a priority higher than a prescribed standard is introduced into the system according to any one of claims 1 to 9, and It is necessary to evacuate the sample or sample group that interferes in the processing route related to the group or temporarily discharge the sample or sample from the system, and suspend the other processes until the high-priority sample or sample group process is completed. Characteristic sample pretreatment system. 11. The sample test preprocessing system according to claim 7, wherein the priority of the sample or the sample group that has been stopped in the buffer unit for a long time is increased as time elapses. 12. A method for operating a sample test pre-processing system including a transport line for transporting a sample or a group of samples and a processing unit coupled to the transport line for pre-test processing of the sample or the sample group. Setting a priority of the sample or the sample group, and controlling the transport line to transport the sample or the sample group in accordance with the set priority, and A sample test preprocessing system characterized in that the priority can be freely changed. 13. A sample test pre-processing system comprising a sample transport line for transporting a sample or a group of samples, and a sample processing unit coupled to the sample transport line for pre-test processing of the sample or the group of samples. An operation method, wherein a priority of the sample or the sample group is input from an input device, a step of storing the input priority in a storage device, and the sample or the sample is stored in accordance with the stored priority. Controlling the sample transport line so as to transport the group, and wherein the stored priority can be freely changed from the input device.