Patent Application
20130244274
This application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. §119 to Japanese Patent Application No. 2012-060303 filed on Mar. 16, 2012, the entire content of which is hereby incorporated by reference.
The present invention relates to a sample processing apparatus for processing samples such as blood and urine using a reagent, and a reagent information informing method.
A sample processing apparatus for processing samples such as blood and urine described in U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2010/0248289 uses a plurality of reagents in sample processing. The reagent is contained in a reagent container, and the small reagent container is installed inside the sample processing apparatus. The large reagent container is installed outside the sample processing apparatus, and is connected to the sample processing apparatus by way of a fluid feeding tube. When replacing the large reagent container, identification information of the reagent contained in a new reagent container and reagent information such as the expiration date need to be registered in a control computer of the sample processing apparatus. The reagent information may be manually input by a user, but a method of inputting by reading a barcode attached to the reagent container with a barcode reader is proposed as a simpler and more convenient method.
In the conventional device, after the barcode is read by the barcode reader, the read information is displayed on a screen of the control computer. The user checks whether or not the barcode is accurately read, whether the type of read reagent is correct, whether the expiration date has not passed, and the like by looking at the displayed screen. If the read information is correct, the user pushes an OK button displayed on the screen. The read information is thereby registered in the control computer.
However, if the sample processing apparatus enlarges, the large reagent container may be installed at a position distant from the control computer. In this case, the user needs to move from the installed position of the reagent container to the control computer to check whether the information read from the barcode of the reagent container is correct.
The scope of the present invention is defined solely by the appended claims, and is not affected to any degree by the statements within this summary.
A first aspect of the present invention is a sample processing apparatus, comprising a sample processing unit that carries out processing of a sample using a reagent, an acquiring device that acquires reagent information regarding a reagent in a reagent container provided to the reagent container, an audio output unit that outputs audio, and a control device that manages the reagent information of the reagent in a state of being used by the sample processing unit, wherein the audio output unit outputs audio guidance regarding the acquired reagent information when the acquiring device acquires new reagent information regarding a reagent not in a state of being used by the sample processing unit.
A second aspect of the present invention is a reagent information informing method, comprising (a) processing a sample using a reagent, (b) acquiring reagent information regarding a reagent in a reagent container provided to the reagent container, and (c) outputting audio, wherein when new reagent information regarding a reagent not in a state of being used in the sample processing step is acquired by an acquiring device in the acquiring step, audio guidance regarding the acquired reagent information is output in the step (c).
A third aspect of the present invention is a sample processing apparatus, comprising a sample processing unit that carries out processing of a sample using a reagent, an acquiring device that acquires reagent information regarding a reagent in a reagent container provided to the reagent container, an audio output unit that outputs audio; and a control device that manages the reagent information of the reagent in a state of being used by the sample processing unit, wherein the audio output unit outputs audio guidance regarding the acquired reagent information when the acquiring device acquires new reagent information regarding a reagent in a state of being used by the sample processing unit.
and
The preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described hereinafter with reference to the drawings.
A sample container containing a sample is set in the inputting unit 21 while being held in a sample rack, and then transported from the inputting unit 21 to the pre-processing unit 22, and furthermore, to the measurement unit 4 through a supply line and a measurement line of the transportation unit 3. The measurement unit 4 processes the sample in the transported sample container. Thereafter, the sample container is collected by the collecting unit 23 through a collecting line of the transportation unit 3.
The measurement unit 4 takes out the sample container from the sample rack at a predetermined position (near dotted line arrow in the figure) on the measurement line to measure the sample contained in the relevant sample container in the measurement unit 4. After the measurement is completed, the sample container is again returned to the original sample rack. The measurement unit 4 includes an optical detector for carrying out optical measurement on the sample, and the optical information (lateral fluorescent signal, forward scattered light signal, lateral scattered light signal) is detected as data of the sample from each blood cell in a measurement specimen by the optical detector and output to the information processing unit 5.
The information processing unit 5 is communicably connected to two measurement units 4, and controls the operation of two measurement units 4. The information processing unit 5 is communicably connected with the host computer 8 through the communication network. The information processing unit 5 makes an inquiry of a measurement order to the host computer 8, gives a measurement instruction to the measurement unit 4 based on the inquiry result, and causes the measurement unit 4 to execute the measurement of the sample. The information processing unit 5 receives the data of the sample from the two measurement units 4 and analyzes the data, and transmits the analysis result such as the number of red blood cells and the number of white blood cells to the host computer 8.
The transportation controller 7 is communicably connected to the host computer 8 through the communication network. The transportation controller 7 controls the transporting operation of the inputting unit 21, the pre-processing unit 22, the collecting unit 23, and the two transportation units 3.
The information processing unit 5 includes a main body 50, a display input unit 51 including a touch panel type display, and a handy type barcode reader 52. A speaker 51a for outputting an audio signal output from the main body 50 is installed at the lower part of the display input unit 51. The transportation controller 7 includes a main body 70 and a display input unit 71 including a touch panel type display. An operator operates the display input units 51, 71 to input instruction to the main bodies 50, 70, respectively.
The inputting unit 21, the pre-processing unit 22, the transportation unit 3, and the collecting unit 23 are each installed at the upper part of carts C1 to C4. The main body 50 of the information processing unit 5 and the main body 70 of the transportation controller 7 are respectively accommodated at the lower part of the carts C1, C4. The measurement unit 4 is installed on the back side than the cart C3, and the display input unit 51 of the information processing unit 5 and the display input unit 71 of the transportation controller 7 are supported by an arm from the back side of the carts C1, C4, respectively. The barcode reader 52 is connected to the main body 50 with a sufficiently long cable, and is placed near the lower side of the display input unit 51 so as to be easily taken out by the operator.
Reagent containers 31 to 36 are accommodated at the lower part of the two carts C3. The two measurement units 4 are respectively connected to the reagent containers 31 to 36 accommodated in the carts C3 through a tube 41 (see
The distal end of the tube 41 connected to the reagent container 31 is retrieved to the vicinity of the bottom surface of the reagent container 31. A prism sensor 42 is installed in the tube 41 at inside the measurement unit 4. The prism sensor 42 is configured to detect bubbles contained in the tube 41. When the prism sensor 42 detects the bubbles, determination is made that the reagent in the reagent container 31 are less than or equal to a predetermined amount. When replacing the reagent container 31, the tube 41 is detached from the reagent container 31, and then the tube 41 is connected to the new reagent container 31.
In
Barcode information including numbers is stored in the barcode of the barcode label 31a, and numbers corresponding to the barcode information are also described on the barcode label 31a. When the barcode information of the barcode label 31a is read by the barcode reader 52, such barcode information is output to the main body 50 of the information processing unit 5 to which the barcode reader 52 is connected. The barcode information includes lot number of the reagent, expiration date of the reagent, type of reagent, volume of the reagent container, serial number, and the like. The information processing unit 5 can retrieve such information contained in the barcode information from the received barcode information.
The barcode labels 32a to 36a also have configurations similar to the barcode label 31a. In other words, the barcode information are stored in the barcode of each barcode label 32a to 36a, and numbers corresponding to the barcode information are also described on the barcode label 32a to 36a. The barcode information of the barcode labels 32a to 36a also includes lot number of the reagent, expiration date of the reagent, type of reagent, volume of the reagent container, serial number, and the like.
The measurement unit 4 includes a communication unit 401, a drive unit 402, a sensor unit 403, a specimen preparing unit 404, and a detection unit 405.
The communication unit 401 is communicably connected to a communication unit 502 of the information processing unit 5. The communication unit 401 transmits a signal output from each section of the measurement unit 4 to the information processing unit 5, and outputs a signal from the information processing unit 5 to each section of the measurement unit 4. The drive unit 402 includes a mechanism for carrying out the measurement of the sample, and the sensor unit 403 includes a sensor for detecting the position of the mechanism in the measurement unit 4 and the position of the sample container, and the like. The sensor unit 403 includes the prism sensor 42 (see
The specimen preparing unit 404 appropriately mixes and stirs the aspirated sample and the reagent aspirated from the reagent containers 31 to 36 in the measurement unit 4 to prepare the specimen for measurement. The detection unit 405 measures the specimen prepared by the specimen preparing unit 404. The data of the sample obtained by such measurement is transmitted to the information processing unit 5 through the communication unit 401.
As shown in
The control unit 501 includes a CPU 501a and a memory 501b, and controls each unit of the information processing unit 5 by executing a computer program stored in the hard disc 504. A signal output from each unit of the information processing unit 5 is input to the control unit 501. The communication unit 502 is communicably connected to the communication unit 401 of the two measurement units 4. The communication unit 502 transmits the signal input from the control unit 501 to the two measurement units 4, and outputs the signal received from the two measurement units 4 to the control unit 501.
The control unit 501, the hard disc 504, the display input unit 51, and the barcode reader 52 are connected to the I/O interface 503. The control unit 501 reads the data from the hard disc 504 and writes the data to the hard disc 504 through the I/O interface 503. The control unit 501 also outputs a video signal to the display input unit 51 and outputs a signal to the barcode reader 52 through the I/O interface 503. The content input by the operator through the display input unit 51 and the barcode information read by the barcode reader 52 are input to the control unit 501 through the I/O interface 503.
The hard disc 504 is installed with various computer programs to be executed by the control unit 501 such as operating system and application program, as well as data used in executing the computer program. For example, the hard disc 504 is installed with a program for analyzing the data of a sample received from the two measurement units 4 to generate the measurement result such as the number of red blood cells and the number of white blood cells, and causing the display input unit 51 to perform the display based on the generated measurement result, a program for accepting the reagent replacement, and the like.
The hard disc 504 stores a “reagent management DB (database)” in which information regarding the reagent containers 31 to 36 connected to the two measurement units 4 are stored. The reagent management DB stores the information on the reagent container, which is being used (connected) in the measurement unit 4, and the like for every measurement unit 4. The reagent management DB will be described later with reference to
The hard disc 504 stores the remaining number of usage times of the reagent containers in correspondence with the reagent container being used stored in the reagent management DB. Such number of usage times is calculated and updated for every measurement based on the capacity of the reagent container obtained from the barcode information of the reagent container, the number of times used in the measurement, and the capacity used in one measurement.
The audio interface 505 includes an audio output terminal. The audio interface 505 converts the audio signal (digital) input from the control unit 501 and outputs the audio signal (analog) from the audio output terminal. The audio output terminal of the audio interface 505 is connected to the speaker 51a by way of an analog signal cable. The speaker 51a outputs the audio signal (analog) input from the audio interface 505 as an audio.
The menu screen A1 includes a tool bar region A10, a main region A20, and a measurement operation region A30. The tool bar region A10 and the main region A20 include a plurality of buttons. The operator can give various instructions to the information processing unit 5 by touching the buttons.
The measurement operation region A30 includes operating portions M1, M2 corresponding to the measurement unit 4 on the right side and the measurement unit 4 on the left side, respectively. The operating portions M1, M2 are similarly configured, and respectively includes a status notifying part P11, an error message display region P12, an error button P21 including an icon indicating error warning, and an operating portion menu button P22.
The status notifying part P11 is displayed in green if the corresponding measurement unit 4 is operating normally, and is displayed in red if the corresponding measurement unit 4 has error. An error message is displayed in the error message display region P12 when error occurs in the corresponding measurement unit 4. In
The error button P21 is a button displayed when error occurs in the corresponding measurement unit 4. When error occurs, the error button P21 is displayed, and a help dialogue (see
The color of the status notifying part P11 of the operating portion M2 is red since error occurred in the measurement unit 4 on the left side. The error message is displayed in the error message display region P12. Since the error occurred in the measurement unit 4 on the left side, the error button P21 is displayed in the operating portion M2, and the help dialogue D1 is displayed at the upper part of the operating portion M2. If the reagent runs out in the measurement unit 4 on the right side, similar help dialogue D1 is displayed at the upper part of the operating portion M1.
The help dialogue D1 includes an error message D11, an execute button D12, and a close button D13. The error message list D11 displays an error content, and displays a plurality of error items when a plurality of errors simultaneously occur in the measurement unit 4 on the left side. As shown in
When the operator touches the execute button D12, the help dialogue D1 is closed, and instead, the reagent replacement dialogue D2 (see
The reagent replacement dialogue D2 includes an execute button D22 and a cancel button D23. The reagent replacement dialogue D2 displays a list of reagents set in the measurement unit 4, and information indicating the reagent remaining amount of the reagent container, the expiration date of the reagent, and the like are displayed in a display region corresponding to each reagent. The “cell pack DCL”, the “sulfolyser”, “cell pack DFL”, “lyser cell WPC”, “lyser cell WNR”, and “lyser cell WDF” shown in the reagent replacement dialogue D2 are respectively corresponded to the reagent contained in the reagent containers 31 to 36 shown in
When the operator touches the execute button D22 with a new reagent container prepared in place of the reagent container that needs replacement, the reagent replacing operation is started for all the reagent containers in which the replacement of the reagent is ready of the reagent containers 31 to 36. When the operator touches the cancel button D23, the reagent replacement dialogue D2 is closed, and the state shown in
In the state of
The reagent replacement dialogue D2 is not only displayed by the execute button D12 of the help dialogue D1, and is also displayed even if the reagent insufficiency or the passing of the expiration date of the reagent has not occurred. In other words, even if the measurement unit 4 does not have error and the menu screen A1 is displayed as shown in
If the reagent replacement dialogue D2 is displayed when there is no error, the state region D21 is not displayed in the reagent replacement dialogue D2. In this case, the operator can check the display region corresponding to each reagent of the reagent replacement dialogue D2, and replace in advance the reagent in which the reagent remaining amount is small and the reagent which expiration date is soon.
A case in which the reagent replacement task is carried out using the reagent replacement dialogue D2 will be described below. The procedure of a case of replacing the reagent container 31 of the cell pack DCL (reagent 1) will be described. The procedure for replacing the reagent containers 32 to 36 is similar to the procedure for replacing the reagent container 31, and thus the description will be omitted herein.
The operator first references the reagent replacement dialogue D2 displayed as shown in
The operator touches the execute button D22 displayed on the display input unit 51 to start the reagent replacing operation of the reagent container 31. The reagent 1 is thereby aspirated from the new reagent container 31 through the tube 41, and whether or not the reagent container 31 is appropriately connected is determined from the output signal of the prism sensor 42. The new reagent container 31 thus becomes a usable state, and the reagent replacing operation of the reagent container 31 is completed.
However, if the reagent replacement task is carried out using the reagent replacement dialogue D2, the operator needs to go back and forth between the installed position of the reagent container and the display input unit 51, and carry out a series of tasks such as reading the barcode information from the reagent container with the barcode reader 52, attaching/detaching the tube 41 with respect to the reagent container, and input (touch operation) to the display input unit 51.
Specifically, if the new reagent containers 31 to 36 are arranged in the vicinity of the installed position of the reagent container (e.g., back side of the cart C3) in advance, the operator needs to read the barcode information of the new reagent at the relevant position, and move to the front of the display input unit 51 from the vicinity of the installed position to check the information such as the reagent remaining amount and the expiration date of the reagent container in which reading is carried out. After reconnecting the tube 41 to the new reagent container, the operator also needs to move to the front of the display input unit 51 from the vicinity of the cart C3 and touch the execute button D22 displayed on the display input unit 51 to start the reagent replacing operation for the relevant reagent container. Thus, the operator needs to go back and forth between the installed position of the reagent container 31 to 36 and the display input unit 51 for every reagent replacement.
In the present embodiment, the reagent replacement mode by the audio guidance is prepared separate from the reagent replacement mode using the reagent replacement dialogue D2 described above. In the reagent replacement mode by the audio guidance, the reference of the display input unit 51 can be omitted and the operation to the display input unit 51 can be omitted by the reagent management DB configured as described below, the reading of the barcode reader 52, and the audio output from the speaker 51a. The operator thus can carry out the reagent replacement similar to the above without going back and forth between the installed position of the reagent container 31 to 36 and the display input unit 51.
In the reagent replacement mode by the audio guidance, the barcode label of the (existing) reagent container currently being connected to the measurement unit 4 is read by the barcode reader 52, so that the relevant reagent container is set as the target of replacement. The operator reads the barcode label of the desired reagent container of the existing reagent containers with the barcode reader 52, so that the relevant reagent container can be set as the target of replacement. After the barcode label of the (existing) reagent container currently being used is read, the audio guidance indicating the operation necessary for replacing the relevant reagent container with a new reagent container is output from the speaker 51a. This audio guidance includes the content that urges the replacement to a new reagent container and the content that urges the barcode label of the new reagent container to be read after the preparation for replacement is completed. The audio guidance includes content indicating the status (remaining amount, etc.) of the reagent in the existing reagent container set to be the target of replacement. The operator replaces the existing reagent container with the new reagent container according to the audio guidance, and then reads the barcode label of the new reagent container with the barcode reader 52 to replace with the new reagent container. After the operator carries out the operation necessary for replacing to a new reagent container, the reagent information of the new reagent container is registered in the reagent management DB, and the operation (reagent replacing operation) of aspirating the reagent contained in the new reagent container is executed in the measurement unit 4. The replacement of the reagent is thereby completed.
The reagent management DB is prepared and a control using the reagent management DB is carried out to realize the reagent replacement mode described above. A configuration of the reagent management DB and a flowchart showing the flow of control will be hereinafter described.
The reagent management DB includes a device name item, a reagent name item, a usage state item, a usage barcode item, an accepting state item, and an accepting barcode item. In the device name item, “device 1”, which represents the measurement unit 4 on the right side, or “device 2”, which represents the measurement unit 4 on the left side is set. The measurement unit 4 on the right side and the measurement unit 4 on the left side are hereinafter respectively referred to as “device 1” and “device 2”.
In the reagent name item, the type (name) of the reagent container connected to the devices 1, 2 is set. In the present embodiment, the type of reagent container connected to the devices 1, 2 is reagents 1 to 6, as described above.
In the usage state item, the usage state of the reagent container connected to the devices 1, 2 is set. Specifically, in the usage state item, one of “in use”, which indicates that the reagent container is being used without any problem, “reagent shortage”, which indicates that the relevant reagent container is short of reagent, “past expiration date” which indicates that the reagent container passed the expiration date, and “in replacement”, which indicates that the reagent replacing operation is being carried out for the relevant reagent container is set. In the usage barcode item, the barcode information of the reagent container connected to the devices 1, 2 is set.
In the accepting state item, when replacing the reagent container connected to the device 1, 2, one of “−”, which indicates no-setting state (Reset state), “acceptance standby”, and “accepted” is set according to the progress of acceptance of the new reagent container. The “acceptance standby” state is a state in which the existing reagent currently connected to the measurement unit 4 is set as the target of replacement, and the “accepted” state is a state in which the new reagent is accepted for replacement with respect to the existing reagent set as the target. The accepting barcode item is set with either “−”, which indicates the no-setting state (reset state), or the barcode information attached to the new reagent container.
With reference to
After the barcode information is read by the barcode reader 52 (S101: YES), the control unit 501 references the reagent management DB stored in the hard disc 504 (S103). The control unit 501 then determines whether or not the barcode information read in S101 exists in the usage barcode item of the reagent management DB (S104). In other words, whether or not the reagent container having the barcode information read in S101 is the reagent container (hereinafter referred to as “existing reagent container”) currently connected to one of the devices 1, 2 is determined.
If the barcode information read in S101 is not the barcode information of the existing reagent container (S104: NO), the process proceeds to a combinator B (S121 of
If determined as NO in S105, the control unit 501 determines whether or not the accepting state item of the reagent indicated by the barcode information read in S101 is the “acceptance standby” state (S107). For instance, when the reagent management DB is in a state shown in
If determined as NO in S107, the control unit 501 changes the accepting state item of the reagent indicated by the barcode information read in S101 to the “acceptance standby” state (S109). The control unit 501 then determines whether the corresponding reagent replacement dialogue D2 is displayed on the display control unit 51 (S110). If the corresponding reagent replacement dialogue D2 is not displayed (S110: NO), the control unit 501 displays the corresponding reagent replacement dialogue D2 on the display input unit 51 (S111).
For example, when the display of the display input unit 51 is in the state shown in
The control unit 501 then determines whether the existing reagent container having the barcode information read in S101 is useable, has insufficient remaining amount, or past the expiration date (S112, S114), and outputs the corresponding audio guidance from the speaker 51a.
If the existing reagent container is useable, that is, is not running out of reagent and is not past the expiration date (S112: YES), the audio guidance 1 indicated with number 1 in
After the existing reagent container is set to the acceptance standby state, and the processes of S113, S115, S116 are finished, the process proceeds to a combinator A (S101). As shown in
A case in which the barcode information is read from the existing reagent container of the reagent 1 of the device 1 when the state of the reagent management DB is the state shown in
Therefore, since two or more reagents of the same type are not simultaneously in the acceptance standby state or the accepted state, the control unit 501 can specify to which reagent of the same type to perform the reagent replacing operation, and hence the process can be simplified. If determined as YES in S105, the control unit 501 outputs an audio guidance 4 indicated with number 4 in
A case in which the barcode information is read from the existing reagent container of the reagent 1 of the device 2 when the state of the reagent management DB is the state shown in
Therefore, when the barcode information is again read from the existing reagent container that is already in the acceptance standby state (S107: YES), the control unit 501 cancels (reset state) the accepting state item of the existing reagent container (S108). The existing reagent container thereby returns to the state before the acceptance of the reagent replacement. The procedure for canceling the acceptance standby state is informed to the operator in advance in the audio guidance 1 to 3 output in S113, S115, S116.
When the state of the reagent management DB is a state shown in
The process of replacing the existing reagent container set to the acceptance standby will now be described.
The operator reads the barcode information of the existing reagent container, on which to perform the reagent replacement, with the barcode reader 52, and then reads the barcode information of a new reagent container (hereinafter referred to as “new reagent container”) of the same type as the existing reagent container with the barcode reader 52. When the barcode information is read from the new reagent container (S101: YES), the control unit 501 of the information processing unit 5 references the reagent management DB (S103), and determines whether or not the read barcode information is registered in the reagent management DB (S104), similar to above. If the barcode information read in S101 is not the barcode information of the existing reagent container (S104: NO), the process proceeds to a combinator B (S121 of
With reference to
If determined as YES in S121, the control unit 501 determines whether or not the new reagent container passed the expiration date based on the expiration date indicated by the barcode information read in S101 (S122). If the new reagent container passed the expiration date (S122: YES), the control unit 501 outputs the audio guidance 5 indicated with number 5 in
For example, when the reagent management DB is in the state shown in
As shown in
The control unit 501 outputs an audio guidance 6 indicated with number 6 in
When the barcode information is read from the new reagent container and the process proceeds from S101, S103, and S104 of
If determined as YES in S127, the control unit 501 determines whether the barcode information read in S101 is stored in the accepting barcode item corresponding to the reagent determined as the accepted state in S127 (S128). For example, when the reagent management DB is in the state shown in
If determined as YES in S128, the control unit 501 changes the usage state item corresponding to the new reagent container to “in replacement” (S129) as shown with the reagent 1 of the device 2 of
After the reagent replacing operation is terminated (S131: YES), the control unit 501 registers the new reagent container in the reagent management DB (S132). The control unit 501 changes the usage state item corresponding to the reagent performed with the reagent replacing operation to “in use”, and resets the accepting state item and the accepting barcode item corresponding to the reagent performed with the reagent replacing operation (S133). For example, if the reagent replacing operation is executed on the reagent 1 of the device 2, as shown in
A case in which the barcode information of another new reagent container is read when the reagent management DB is in the state shown in
If the reagent of the new reagent container in which the barcode information is read in S101 is the reagent of the same type as one of the existing reagents 1, 2, 3, 6, and the barcode information of the new reagent container is different from the barcode information already stored in the accepting barcode item corresponding to the existing reagent of the same type, determination is made as NO in S121, YES in S127, and NO in S128. In this case, the control unit 501 determines whether or not the new reagent container passed the expiration date from the barcode information read in S101 (S134). If the new reagent container passed the expiration date (S134: YES), the control unit 501 outputs the audio guidance 5 indicated with number 5 in
If the new reagent container has not passed the expiration date (S134: NO), the control unit 501 switches to the barcode information already stored in the accepting barcode item of the reagent 1 of the device 2 to store the barcode information read in S101 (S136), and outputs an audio guidance 7 indicated with number 7 in
When the barcode information is read from the new reagent container, if the existing reagent container corresponding to the new reagent container is not yet set to the acceptance standby state nor the accepted state, that is, if the barcode information is read from the new reagent container before reading the barcode information from the existing reagent container, determination is made as NO in S127, and the control unit 501 outputs an audio guidance 8 indicated with number 8 in
The control unit 501 of the information processing unit 5 determines if there is a remaining amount of the reagent containers 31 to 36 based on the prism sensor 42 installed in correspondence with the tube 41 connected to the reagent containers 31 to 36, and determines if the existing reagent container connected to the measurement unit 4 is within the expiration date based on the usage barcode item of the reagent management DB (S201).
If there is an existing reagent container in which the reagent is insufficiency or the expiration date is passed (S201: YES), the control unit 501 interrupts the measurement after the sample scheduled to be measured next in the measurement unit 4 (S203). If there is no existing reagent container in which the reagent is insufficient or existing reagent container in which the expiration date passed (S201: NO), the control unit 501 references the reagent management DB and determines if there is an existing reagent container in which the accepting state item is the “accepted” state of the measurement unit 4 (S202).
If there is an existing reagent container that is in the accepted state (S202: YES), the control unit 501 interrupts the measurement of the sample scheduled to be measured next (S203), similar to S203. If there is no existing reagent container that is in the accepted state (S202: NO), the process returns to S201 unless shutdown is carried out (S204: NO).
The control unit 501 of the information processing unit 5 waits the process until the reagent replacement dialogue D2 corresponding to the measurement unit 4 is displayed on the display input unit 51 (S301). In other words, if the reagent replacement dialogue D2 corresponding to the measurement unit 4 is not displayed (S301: NO), the process returns to S301 unless the shutdown is carried out (S302: NO).
When the reagent replacement dialogue D2 corresponding to the measurement unit 4 is displayed (S301: YES), the control unit 501 starts the timer (S303), and determines whether or not which of the reagents 1 to 6 is newly in the acceptance standby state in the reagent management DB corresponding to the measurement unit 4 (S304).
When one of the reagents is in the acceptance standby state (S304: YES), the control unit 501 resets the counter of the timer started in S303 (S305). If none of the reagents is in the acceptance standby state (S304: NO), the counting of the timer is continued, and the process proceeds to S306.
The control unit 501 then determines whether or not the count of the timer started in S303 is greater than Ts (S306). If the count of the timer is greater than Ts (S306: YES), the control unit 501 determines whether there is a reagent in the accepted state in the reagent management DB corresponding to the measurement unit 4 (S307). If the count of the timer is smaller than or equal to Ts (S306: NO), and if there is a reagent in the accepted state (S307: YES), the process returns to S304.
If there is no reagent in the accepted state (S307: NO), the control unit 501 resets all accepting state items corresponding to the measurement unit 4 (S308). Thus, even if the reagent in which the accepting state item is the “acceptance standby” state, that is, the reagent set to be the target of replacement is remaining, the acceptance of reagent replacement with respect to the relevant reagent is canceled. The control unit 501 then closes the reagent replacement dialogue D2 corresponding to the measurement unit 4 (S309), and returns the process to S301.
According to the present embodiment described above, the operator first reads the barcode information of the existing reagent container to be replaced and then reads the barcode information of the new reagent container when carrying out reagent replacement. Thereafter, the operator again reads the barcode information of the new reagent container, whereby the reagent replacing operation is started on the new reagent container. The audio guidance indicated with the procedures is output from the speaker 51a according to the progress. At the time of the reagent replacing task, the operator can start the reagent replacing operation without the need to go back and forth between the installed position of the reagent container and the display input unit 51. Therefore, even if the sample processing system 1 is enlarged and the reagent containers 31 to 36 are installed at positions distant from the display input unit 51, the reagent replacing operation can be smoothly started.
According to the present embodiment, the audio guidance 1 to 3 are output when the accepting state item is the acceptance standby state, and the audio guidance 6 is output when the accepting state item is the accepted state. The operator thus can check that the existing reagent container and the new reagent container are appropriately input to the information processing unit 5 with the audio guidance without moving away from the installed position of the reagent container.
According to the present embodiment, the audio guidance 1 to 3 includes the reagent name of the existing reagent container in the acceptance standby state and the procedure for reagent replacement, and the audio guidance 6 includes the reagent name of the new reagent container in the accepted state and the procedure for reagent replacement. The operator thus can check whether the existing reagent container and the new reagent container to replace are intended reagents, and smoothly proceed the reagent replacing task. The audio guidance 1 to 3 also urges the reading of the barcode information of the new reagent container. The operator thus can proceed to the replacement to the new reagent container with a simple and easy operation of reading the barcode information of the new reagent container after the existing reagent container is set to the acceptance standby state.
According to the present embodiment, whether or not the expiration date of the new reagent information is passed is determined in S122, S134 of
According to the present embodiment, when the barcode information of the new reagent container is read again according to the audio guidance 6 after achieving the accepted state, the reagent replacing operation is started and the new reagent container is registered in the reagent management DB (S132 of
As shown in
According to the present embodiment, when the barcode information of the new reagent container of the same type as the type of reagent of the accepted new reagent container and different from the new reagent container is read (S128: NO in
In this case, even if the barcode information of another new reagent container is read by mistake although there is no intention of changing the new reagent container in the accepted state to the another new reagent container, the operator can recognize the wrong reading operation, and appropriately carry out the desired tasks such as again returning the new reagent container that is originally in the acceptance standby state again to the accepted state.
According to the present embodiment, the audio guidance 1 output in S113 of
According to the embodiment described above, the operator can display the reagent replacement dialogue D2 on the display input unit 51 without touching the execute button D12 of the help dialogue D1 or without touching the operating portion menu button P22 by simply carrying out the reading operation of the barcode reader 52 as shown in S111 of
According to the embodiment described above, when the barcode information of the existing reagent container in the acceptance standby state is read again (S107 in
According to the embodiment described above, “acceptance standby” and “accepted” are displayed in the reagent replacement dialogue D2, and thus the operator can check the progress of the current reagent replacing task by looking at the display input unit 51 during the series of tasks of reagent replacement.
The embodiment of the present invention has been described above, but the embodiment of the present invention is not limited thereto.
For example, in the embodiment described above, a case in which the measurement target of the measurement unit 4 is blood has been described by way of example, but the measurement target of the measurement unit 4 may be urine. In other words, the present invention can be applied to the sample processing system including the measurement unit for measuring urine using the reagent, and the present invention can also be applied to a clinical sample processing system including a measurement unit for measuring other clinical samples using the reagent. The present invention can also be applied to a sample processing system including a smear creating device for creating a smear of the sample using the reagent. The present invention can also be applied to a reagent preparation apparatus for preparing a diluted reagent by mixing high concentration reagent and water. When the present invention is applied to the reagent preparation apparatus, “reagent container” mentioned in the Claims corresponds to the reagent container containing the concentrated reagent before dilution.
Even when the measurement target is another clinical sample, the measurement unit for measuring another clinical sample is connected to the information processing unit 5, similar to the embodiment, and the reagent is replaced using the barcode reader 52, similar to the embodiment. When the smear is created by the smear creating device as well, the smear creating device is connected to the information processing unit 5, similar to the embodiment, and the reagent is replaced using the barcode reader 52, similar to the embodiment.
Furthermore, the sample processing system 1 according to the embodiment includes the inputting unit 21, the pre-processing unit 22, the collecting unit 23, two transportation units 3, and the transportation controller 7 for controlling transportation other than the blood cell analyzer 6. However, not limited thereto, the sample processing system 1 may include only the blood cell analyzer 6 and a transportation unit for allocating the sample rack to the front of the two measurement units 4.
In the embodiment described above, the display input unit 51 of the information processing unit 5 is configured by a touch panel type display, but instead, may be configured by an input unit including a mouse and a keyboard, and a display unit including a display. The audio guidance is output from the speaker 51a integrally installed with the display input unit 51, but is not limited thereto, and may be output from a speaker separately arranged. The speaker 51a may be arranged in the barcode reader 52.
In the embodiment described above, the barcode reader 52 is connected to the main body 50 with a sufficiently long cable, but instead, may be communicably connected to the main body 50 wirelessly.
In the embodiment described above, when the existing reagent container is appropriately input, the audio guidance 1 to 3 are output from the speaker 51a in S113, S115, S116 of
In the embodiment described above, if the new reagent container is usable, the audio guidance 6 including the type and expiration date of the reagent contained in the new reagent container is output from the speaker 51a based on the barcode information of the new reagent container in S126 of
In the embodiment described above, the audio guidance output in S113 of
In the embodiment described above, when the reagent is in the acceptance standby state, and barcode information of the new reagent container of the same type as the relevant reagent is read thereafter, such reagent is in the accepted state. The reagent replacing operation is started when the barcode information of the new reagent container is read again. Thus, in the embodiment described above, the reagent replacing operation is started when the barcode information of the new reagent container is read again once after being in the accepted state, but the number of times to read the barcode information with respect to the new reagent container is not limited. For example, if the barcode information of the new reagent container is read again, the audio guidance notifying the start of the reagent replacing operation is output with the registration of the barcode information and the reading of the barcode information of one more time, and the reagent replacing operation may be started by the reading of the barcode information one more time thereafter.
In the embodiment described above, the reagent replacing operation is started when the barcode information of the new reagent container is read again once after being in the accepted state for each reagent, but the reagent replacing operation may be started for all reagents in the accepted state when the barcode information of the new reagent container is read again once for all the reagents in the accepted state. Furthermore, the reagent replacing operation may be started for all reagents in the accepted state when the barcode information of the new reagent container is read again once for any reagent in the accepted state.
In the embodiment described above, when the new reagent container is in the accepted state, the audio guidance including the phrase “this reagent will be registered in the reagent management DB by reading the barcode of the reagent again” may be output from the speaker 51a. In this case, when the barcode information of the new reagent container is read again, the registration of the new reagent container may be carried out, and then the audio guidance 6 may be output from the speaker 51a. The reagent replacing operation is started when the barcode information of the new reagent container is read again.
In the above embodiment, the measurement is interrupted when the reagent is in the accepted state, as shown in S202 and S203 of
In the above embodiment, the reagent replacing operation of the new reagent container is started when the barcode information of the new reagent container in the accepted state is read again, but instead, for example, the reagent replacing operation of all new reagent containers in the accepted state may be started when the ID card for identifying the operator is read by the barcode reader 52.
In the above embodiment, the barcode labels 31a to 36a are attached to the reagent containers 31 to 36, but are not limited thereto, and a two-dimensional barcode and RFID (Radio Frequency IDentification) tag may be attached. In this case, the information regarding the reagent is stored in the two-dimensional barcode, the RFID tag, and the like, similar to the barcode information described above. The main body 50 of the information processing unit 5 may be connected with a reader for reading the information regarding the reagent from the two-dimensional barcode or an antenna for reading out the information regarding the reagent from the RFID tag in place of the barcode reader 52.
In the above embodiment, the barcode labels 31a to 36a are attached to the reagent containers 31 to 36 that directly contain the reagent, but is not limited thereto, and merely needs to be attached to a portion that can specify the reagent containers 31 to 36. For example, the barcode labels 31a to 36a may be attached to containers and boxes for accommodating the reagent containers 31 to 36 from the outer side, that is, containers and boxes on the outer side when the reagent container has a multiple structure. The barcode labels 31a to 36a may be attached to a tag (label) attached to the reagent containers 31 to 36. If the reagent containers 31 to 36 are packed in a packing material at the time of conveyance, the barcode labels 31a to 36a may be attached to the packing material or the barcode may be directly printed thereon.
Furthermore, the embodiment of the present invention can be subjected to various modifications appropriately within a scope of a technical concept defined in the Claims.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2012-060303 | Mar 2012 | JP | national |
