US Patent 9354147 Automated system and method of processing biological specimens

An apparatus including at least one of a stainer module and a coverslipper module; an imaging module; a storage module; an automated transport module for transporting at least one slide between at least one of the stainer module and the coverslipper module, the imaging module and the storage module; and a controller. A method including processing at least one slide; determining whether an imaging module is available for imaging of a biological specimen on the at least one slide; transporting the at least one slide to the imaging module using an automated transport module; and transporting the at least one slide to a storage module using the automated transport module when it is determined that the imaging module is not available. A system including a processing module for processing at least one slide including a biological specimen thereon. A machine readable medium.