JP2002082120A - Automatic information-readable container for living organism/biological and automatic information reading system - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an improved method capable of reliably securing, accurately and speedily reading, and writing the identification information of living organism/biological samples. SOLUTION: This automatic information-readable container for living organism/biological samples is a container for analyzing or storing living things or biological samples. At least at part of the container, a two-dimensional code which enables the automatic reading of the information on the samples is marked directly, the two-dimensional code is displayed in a label, or an IC chip which enables the automatic reading of the information on the samples is arranged.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a biological / biological sample container capable of automatically reading information and a system for automatically reading the information.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, medical research institutions,
In hospitals, public health centers, and even universities, test tubes made of resin or glass, or tube-type sample containers, or plate-type sample containers such as slides for research and analysis of living organisms, medical care, medicine, etc. And the like are used in large quantities. In particular, due to the remarkable progress in medicine and medical technology in recent years, human blood and cells, and
Analysis and preservation of NA itself is becoming a routine task.

[0003] However, despite the increase in the number of samples for analysis and preservation and their work, information about these samples, especially ID identification information, is directly stored in the container with a Magic (registered trademark) pen or felt pen. , Manually filled out with a color pen, etc., so that the number and type of the sample, identification of the patient as a sample provider, the analysis purpose, and the results can be visually read. It is a fact.

In writing such information by hand, the hand-written ink is liable to be rubbed off and peeled off by contact with a hand, finger, or glove, and furthermore, by contact with a reagent, and to cause an atmosphere such as air, freezing. In addition, there is a problem that it is easily peeled off or disappears due to deterioration due to heat due to heating or light. Handwritten labels are also stuck to containers, but in this case, even if the adhesive strength of the labels is sufficient, the handwritten ink and the like will deteriorate and disappear, and the ID information described above will be lost. However, the problem that the data cannot be reliably held is not avoided.

Also, there is a large risk of reading information visually, and when handling a large number of sample specimens, the writer's habit is large in this visual check, and handwritten information that has become dull or partially lost can be quickly read. It is extremely difficult to read accurately.

[0006] Even if the ID identification information of a sample specimen is computer-managed, if the identification information of the container for analysis and storage cannot be read, or if reading errors are likely to occur, the computer management itself is not used. It becomes meaningless.

[0007] From the above, it must be said that, under the present circumstances, there is a very high risk that a medical practice or the like will be performed based on the analysis information of the sample specimen of another person other than the subject.

Accordingly, the invention of this application drastically solves the above-mentioned conventional problems, and solves the problem of I / O of biological and biological samples.
D information is securely retained, read accurately and quickly,
It is another object of the present invention to provide an improved new measure that enables writing.

[0009]

Means for Solving the Problems The invention of the present application solves the above-mentioned problems. First, a container for analyzing or preserving a biological or biological sample is provided. The part is directly marked with a two-dimensional code enabling information about the sample to be automatically readable, or the label is displayed on the two-dimensional code. A container is provided. Secondly, a biological / biological sample container in which a two-dimensional code is directly marked or labeled on a thin film provided on the surface of the container, and thirdly, characters are displayed together with the two-dimensional code. To provide a living / biological sample container.

The invention of this application is, fourthly, a container for analyzing or storing a biological or biological sample, and at least a part of the container can automatically read information on the sample. The present invention provides a biological / biological sample container capable of automatically reading information, characterized in that an IC chip provided therein is provided. Fifth, the IC chip is capable of reading information and writing information. Sixthly, the present invention provides a biological / biological sample container in which the IC chip is detached as a tag or which can be attached together with the detachment.

[0011] In the invention of this application, seventhly, the container has a main body and a closed lid, and any one of the above-mentioned ones in which information can be automatically read in the container main body and / or the closed lid. In the eighth aspect, the biological / biological sample container whose container body is made of resin or glass is provided, and in the ninth, the container body is
A living thing which is a tube-like body having one end closed or a tube plate-like body in which a plurality of the tube-like bodies are connected at or near each open end.
A biological sample container, tenth, a container body is a biological / biological sample container that is a plate-like body or a plate-like body having a groove, and eleventh, a container for analyzing or storing a DNA sample. Such a biological / biological sample container is provided.

[0012] Further, the invention of this application twelfth,
Provided is an automatic information reading system for a biological / biological sample container, comprising: a reader for reading information together with any one of the sample containers. And a fourteenth information automatic reading system in which a two-dimensional code of a sample container can be read by a reader equipped with a means. Read system
5 provides an information automatic reading system in which a reader has an information writing function.

[0013]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION The invention of this application has the features as described above, and embodiments thereof will be described below.

First, a container to which the invention of the present application is directed is a container for analyzing or storing a biological or biological sample. For example, human blood, urine, cells, tissues, DN
A, and a container for analyzing or storing various biological and biological samples such as non-human organisms and plants. This analysis naturally includes operations such as centrifugation.

A biological / biological sample container for these purposes is made of various shapes and materials according to the type, properties and size of the target sample, the purpose of analysis and storage, and the method. It may be.

The container of the present invention may include a container body, that is, a portion having a space for accommodating a sample, and a hermetic lid. In this case, the sealing lid may be integrated with the container body, or may be separate. Also, needless to say, the container of the present invention may not have such a closed lid.

Further, the container of the present invention may have an inner lid to form a multiple lid structure, and the container body may also have a multiple wall structure with an air gap therebetween. Is also good.

The container body and, if it has a lid, the lid may be made of various materials. Creatures
Considering that it is a container for analyzing and storing a biological sample container, it is exemplified that the container is made of resin or glass having light resistance, chemical resistance, weather resistance, heat resistance, and the like. These are preferably transparent in many cases, but may be light-blocking and colored in some cases.

For example, when the container body is made of a resin, a polypropylene resin, a polystyrene resin, a polyester resin or the like is used. As the lid, a high-density polystyrene resin or a phenol resin is used.

The container body may be of various shapes, including a bottle-shaped one, a tube-shaped body having one end closed, or an open-ended one. It may be a tube plate-like body connected at or near the portion, or a flat plate-like body or a plate-like body having a groove.

For example, with respect to the various biological / biological sample containers as described above, in the invention of this application, the information on the sample stored in the container can be automatically read.
A means to make this possible is to display a two-dimensional code on at least a part of the container. Then, the displayed two-dimensional code can be optically automatically read.

The two-dimensional code is a bar code which is a one-dimensional code, whereas information is displayed in two directions, that is, a bar code. And a matrix type in which a symbol is coded in black and white of a cell of the matrix to be a symbol.

This two-dimensional code has a large amount of information of 1 KB or more, and can be read accurately and quickly by optical means using, for example, a CCD image sensor.

In the invention of this application, it is assumed that the two-dimensional code is directly marked on at least a part of the container body. For direct marking in this case, for the material surface that constitutes the container body,
Alternatively, it can be applied on a thin film coated on the surface of the material. Direct marking on a thin film can be said to be a kind of label display.

The thin film may be provided only on the portion to be marked, or may be provided including other portions. The thin film may be formed by coating or by vapor deposition. For example, it is exemplified that the thin film is formed by coating or mounting as a silicon-based resin or silicon rubber-based material, or by mounting as aluminum or an aluminum alloy.

In addition to the direct marking, a two-dimensional code may be labeled on paper or film, and the two-dimensional code may be attached to a part of the container and integrated.

With respect to the marking itself, direct marking may be performed by mechanically or finely etching the surface of resin or glass or the surface of the thin film, or by laser etching. May be printed, or may be printed by a laser printer.

In the invention of the present application, a two-dimensional code can be displayed by two-color display by using a code reader system by red illumination newly developed by the inventor of the present application. That is, a character is printed in red and a two-dimensional code is printed in black. In a red illumination reader, red will be identified and detected as white.

For example, FIG. 1 shows a biological / biological sample in which a lid (2) that can be freely opened and closed is integrally held on a container body (1) made of a polypropylene resin. An example is shown in which the two-dimensional code (3) is engraved by machining or displayed in black. FIG. 2 shows an example in which characters are further marked in red.

The invention of this application also provides a new means characterized in that an IC chip capable of automatically reading information on a sample is provided in any of the containers.

The IC chip may be a contact type or a non-contact type having an antenna coil. And, of course, not only reading but also input (writing) may be enabled. Then, it can be detached from the container or can be attached to the container as a so-called tag system. The IC chip may be embedded in the container body or the lid as a non-contact type. In that case, it may be embedded as a mold.

For example, FIG. 3 shows an example in which an IC chip (4) is embedded at the lower end of the container body (1).
Shows an example in which the IC chip (4) is embedded in the lid (2). Of course, not only molding, but also IC
A chip may be inserted.

FIG. 5 shows an example in which a notch (5) provided in the container body (1) allows the IC chip (4) to be removed as a tag, and FIG. 6 shows an IC chip tag (6). Can be removed. In the example of FIG. 6, a tube plate-shaped container is illustrated.

Incidentally, the IC chip tag (6) may be mounted on the container again.

In the invention of this application, a system provided with a reader for reading information is provided along with the biological / biological sample container as described above.

The two-dimensional code has a reader function using light. In the case of an IC chip, for example, a non-contact type has a reading function by radio waves.

For example, FIG. 7 illustrates the configuration of a reader for optically reading a two-dimensional code. In the example of FIG. 7, reading is enabled as the next step.

Step 1: Illumination by LED light emitter Step 2: Light reflection of code Step 3: CCD image reading of direct marking two-dimensional code Step 4: Digital processing of read image signal Step 5: Image signal value to PCS The converted and read information is displayed on the liquid crystal display unit shown in FIG. 7, for example. Alternatively, the information may be output to a separate printer or display.

As shown in FIG. 8, the reader having the configuration shown in FIG. 7 may be rotatable as indicated by an arrow, or may be variable in height (zoom height).

[0040]

According to the invention of the present application as described above, for example, in the analysis and storage of various biological and biological samples such as genetically engineered DNA samples and blood and cells, the ID information of these samples is securely retained. Can be read accurately and automatically. Conventional problems such as erasure of ID information by handwriting in the handling of a sample are eliminated, and ID information is retained for a long time, and quick and accurate reading is enabled.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an example of a two-dimensional code holding container.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing another example of a two-dimensional code holding container.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an example of a container in which an IC chip is embedded.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing another example of a container in which an IC chip is embedded.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing an example of a container having a removable IC chip.

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing an example of a container having an IC chip tag.

FIG. 7 is a configuration diagram illustrating a two-dimensional code reader;

FIG. 8 is a diagram showing a modification of FIG. 7;

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Container main body 2 Lid 3 2D code 4 IC chip 5 Cut 6 IC chip tag

Continuation of the front page (51) Int.Cl. ⁷ Identification symbol FI Theme coat II (reference) G06K 19/00 G06K 19/00 Q (72) Inventor Atsutoshi Okamoto Morioka character rice yard, No. 7, Higashiura-cho, Chita-gun, Aichi Prefecture 21 of the ground F-term (reference) in ADS Co., Ltd.

Claims (15)

[Claims] 1. A container for analyzing or storing a biological or biological sample, wherein at least a part of the container is directly marked with a two-dimensional code capable of automatically reading information on the sample. Or 2
A biological / biological sample container capable of automatically reading information, wherein a dimension code is labeled. 2. The biological / biological sample container according to claim 1, wherein the two-dimensional code is directly marked or labeled on a thin film provided on the surface of the container. 3. The biological / biological sample container according to claim 1, wherein characters are displayed together with the two-dimensional code. 4. A container for analyzing or storing a biological or biological sample, wherein at least a part of the container is provided with an IC chip capable of automatically reading information on the sample. A biological / biological sample container capable of automatically reading information. 5. The biological / biological sample container according to claim 4, wherein the IC chip is capable of reading information and writing information. 6. The biological / biological sample container according to claim 4, wherein the IC chip is detachable as a tag or can be attached together with the tag. 7. The biological / biological sample container according to claim 1, wherein the container has a main body and a closed lid, and the information is automatically readable on the container main body and / or the closed lid. . 8. The biological / biological sample container according to claim 1, wherein the container body is made of resin or glass. 9. The container body is a tube-shaped body having one end closed or a tube plate-shaped body in which a plurality of the tube-shaped bodies are connected at respective open ends or in the vicinity thereof. Any one of the biological / biological sample containers according to any one of Items 1 to 8. 10. The biological / biological sample container according to claim 1, wherein the container body is a plate-like body or a plate-like body having a groove. 11. The biological / biological sample container according to claim 1, which is a container for analyzing or storing a DNA sample. Reading system. 12. A system for automatically reading information on a biological / biological sample container, comprising: a sample container according to claim 1; and a reader for reading information. 13. The automatic information reading system according to claim 12, wherein a two-dimensional code of the sample container can be read by a reader having a light irradiating means and a reflected light receiving center means. 14. The information of an IC chip embedded in a sample container can be read by a reader.
Automatic information reading system. 15. The automatic information reading system according to claim 14, wherein the reader has a function of writing information.