METHOD OF OPERATING A LABORATORY SAMPLE DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM, LABORATORY SAMPLE DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM, AND LABORATORY AUTOMATION SYSTEM

The disclosure refers to a method of operating a laboratory sample distribution system having: a plurality of carriers (4) having a number of n (n>3) carriers (4) each configured to carry one or more sample containers containing a sample to be analyzed by laboratory devices (3); a transport plane (1) configured to support to the plurality of carriers (4), wherein the transport plane (1) comprises a plurality of interconnected transport modules comprising a plurality of plane fields (5); and a driving device (13) configured to control movement of the plurality of carriers (4) along individual routes between the plurality of plane fields (5). The method com- prises: moving the plurality of carriers (4) along the individual routes on the transport plane (1), wherein the moving, for each carrier, comprises executing at least once steps of reserving a route segment along the individual route, the route segment being provided by one or more plane fields of the plurality of plane fields (5), and moving the carrier (4) along the route seg- ment; and preventing, for the plurality of carriers (4), a deadlock arrangement on the transport plane in which the plurality of carriers (4) block each other from further movement along the individual routes (6). The preventing is further comprising: determining, at a present operation time, a potential deadlock arrangement for the plurality of carriers (4) on the transport plane (1) at a future operation time, wherein the potential deadlock arrangement is assigned a number of n deadlock plane fields occupied by the plurality of carriers (4) in case of the potential dead- lock arrangement; for a first carrier from the plurality of carriers (4) moving along a first individ- ual route, reserving a first route segment ending with a first end plane field; and assigning a non-reserve flag to a next plane field which is next to the first end plane field along the first individual route. Further, a laboratory sample distribution system, and a laboratory automation system are provided. La divulgation concerne un procédé de fonctionnement d'un système de distribution d'échantillon de laboratoire ayant : une pluralité de supports (4) ayant un nombre de n (n>3) supports (4) conçus chacun pour porter un ou plusieurs récipients d'échantillon contenant un échantillon à analyser par des dispositifs de laboratoire (3); un plan de transport (1) conçu pour supporter la pluralité de supports (4), le plan de transport (1) comprenant une pluralité