JP3163729B2 - Aggregation pattern output device for blood etc. - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an apparatus for outputting an aggregation pattern of blood or the like, and more particularly to an apparatus for outputting an aggregation pattern of blood or the like using a CCD line sensor as a one-dimensional light receiving element.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In the medical field, as a method for detecting and analyzing various components and viruses in blood, a relatively large number of methods based on agglutination patterns of blood have been conventionally performed. Is provided. The determination of the presence or absence of this aggregation is often made by visual determination with the naked eye. Specifically, the presence / absence of agglutination can be taken as the area of a portion having a brightness equal to or less than the predetermined distribution of particles in the reaction vessel (well), compared with a standard agglutination pattern or a standard non-agglomeration pattern, and In many cases, it depends on comprehensive judgment by human eyes, for example, by creating a continuous step dilution series of a sample.

[0003] On the other hand, this visual judgment requires a high level of skill, or there is an inconvenience that the judgment varies among individuals. Therefore, in recent years, automation of determination using a one-dimensional light receiving element has been advanced. For this automation, generally, as a one-dimensional light receiving element, CC
A D sensor is used.

Conventionally, adjustment of gain and offset of an output waveform (raw waveform) from a CCD sensor has been performed with a semi-fixed resistor or the like. For this reason, once adjusted, it is customary to fix.

[0005] As for the gain, there is one in which the gain is made variable by D / A conversion of a digital signal from an AGC (automatic gain control) or a control unit. However, with respect to the offset, many measurement systems that have no meaning in themselves fix the offset (or reproduce the offset on the receiving side).

[0006]

In the above-mentioned conventional examples, in which the gain and the offset are fixed, the change of the measurement system due to aging (for example, the brightness of the illumination becomes dark) or the correction (calibration) for each measurement is performed. There is a drawback that it is not possible to deal with In addition, adjustments involving analogs often have difficult circuit configurations such as noise and temperature characteristics of analog systems. In addition, in the D / A conversion, the number of digital bits is limited, and the range of adjustment is narrowed, and if the range is too large, the adjustment becomes coarse.

[0007]

An object of the present invention is to improve the disadvantages of the prior art, and in particular, to eliminate the adverse effects of the offset of the CCD sensor output and to coagulate blood and the like which can capture and output required measurement data more clearly. It is an object of the present invention to provide a pattern output device.

[0008]

According to the present invention, a microplate comprising a plurality of reaction vessels arranged in a mesh and a transmitted light from each reaction vessel on the microplate are relatively transmitted to each reaction vessel. A one-dimensional light-receiving element part which moves in one direction and sequentially receives light, and outputs the one-dimensional light-receiving element part after A / D conversion corresponding to each light-receiving element, inputs, performs predetermined processing, and outputs as aggregation pattern data And an image processing control unit. The one-dimensional light receiving element unit further includes a light accumulation time setting unit that sets the light accumulation time of each light receiving element of the one-dimensional light receiving element unit, and an offset that variably sets a predetermined offset with respect to the output of each light receiving element. Equipped with a setting unit. Further, the image processing control section has a configuration in which an offset setting section drive control function for regulating the operation of the offset setting section is provided. This aims to achieve the above-mentioned object.

[0009]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS One embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS. Here, the same reference numerals are used for the same components as those in the above-described conventional example. The embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 to 6 includes a microplate 1 having a plurality of reaction vessels 1A, 1A,.
C as a one-dimensional light receiving element unit which receives the transmitted light from A in one direction relative to each reaction vessel 1A and sequentially receives the light.
The image sensor includes a CD sensor 10 and an image processing control unit 30 which performs A / D conversion of the output of the CCD sensor 10 corresponding to each light receiving element, inputs the processed data, performs predetermined processing, and outputs the processed data as aggregation pattern data.

The CCD sensor 10 is provided with a light accumulation time setting section 21 for setting the light accumulation time of each light receiving element of the CCD sensor 10, and an offset setting for variably setting a predetermined offset with respect to the output of each light receiving element. A part 22 is provided. Then, the image processing control unit 30
It has an offset setting section drive control function for regulating the operation of the offset setting section 22 described above, and a light accumulation time setting control function for appropriately setting and controlling the light accumulation time of the light accumulation time setting section 21 described above.

More specifically, in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, reference numeral 2 denotes a transfer means for reciprocatingly transferring the CCD sensor 10 in the direction perpendicular to the CCD sensor. This transfer means 2
A drive motor 3 for driving the transfer means 2 and a timing signal output means 5 for outputting a predetermined timing signal for detecting position information of the CCD sensor 10 are provided. Further, the CCD sensor 10 is driven by the image processing control unit 30 via the CCD drive sensor 20, and can output predetermined light receiving information to the image processing control unit 30.

The transfer means 2 for the CCD sensor 10 includes a CC
A sensor transfer table 11 on which the D sensor 10 is mounted so as to be reciprocally movable, a screw mechanism 12 for applying a running force to the sensor transfer table 11, and a driving screw portion of the screw mechanism 12 are arranged in parallel. And a guide member 13 provided. As a result, the above-described CCD sensor 10 is moved in the orthogonal direction as described above and sequentially outputs a predetermined light receiving signal.

The above-mentioned timing signal output means 5
Has an encoder 5A mounted on the rotating shaft 3A of the drive motor 3, and a rotation signal detector 5B for detecting a signal accompanying the rotation of the encoder. The output of the timing signal output means 5 is transmitted to the image processing controller 30.
After being counted, it is processed as predetermined position information.

Reference numeral 20 denotes a CCD driving circuit for driving the CCD sensor. The CCD driving circuit 20 is operated by the CCD sensor 1 according to an instruction from the image processing controller 30.
It has a function of setting the light-receiving enable state to 0 and sending the light-receiving data to the image processing control unit 30 described above.

The CCD drive circuit 20 includes a light accumulation time setting unit 21 and an offset setting unit 22 as described above,
CCD output from the image processing controller 30 as shown in FIG.
A serial converter that converts control data for sensors into parallel
A parallel conversion unit 23 is provided. The above-described light accumulation time setting unit 21 and offset setting unit 22 are configured to input predetermined control data via the serial / parallel conversion unit 23.

The output of the CCD sensor 10 is a gain circuit 2
After being amplified at 4, the signal is sent to the offset adjustment circuit 25. The offset adjusting circuit 25 has a function of applying a predetermined offset to the output of the CCD sensor according to a predetermined offset voltage variably set by the offset setting unit 22 described above. Reference numeral 26 denotes an A / D conversion unit that A / D converts the light signal of which the offset has been adjusted and sends it to the image processing control unit 30.

FIG. 3 shows a specific example of the offset setting section 22. In FIG. 3, IC1 indicates a variable shunt regulator (μPC1093, V _z = 2.5 [V], etc.)
IC2 indicates an analog multiplexer (4051 or the like). Symbols A to C indicate selection pins. The output (offset voltage) V _o of the circuit 22 in FIG. 3 is “V _o = V _z ·
(1+ (R ₁ / R _st )) ”. R _st indicates a resistance value connected to the switch selected by IC2.

FIG. 4 shows a description of each light receiving element (pixel) with respect to the offset voltage. In this case, C
The light receiving output of the CD sensor 10 is output lower than the offset value of the CCD sensor 10 itself. Since this offset value is slightly different for each pixel of the CCD sensor, it is clamped by an offset voltage generated externally (see FIG. 4 and (b)). Then, as shown at (c) in the figure, in order to obtain only the necessary light output, a sample-and-hold is applied to the light receiving output portion.

Next, the operation of the image processing controller 30 will be described. The image processing control unit 30 has an offset setting unit drive control function that regulates the operation of the offset setting unit 22 as described above. FIG. 5 shows an example of the signal processing operation in this case. The waveform transmitted from the A / D converter 26 is, for example, as shown in FIG. In this waveform, the necessary data is only the area A. Therefore, we want to raise the level to the full A / D input range. On the other hand, if you raise the level with a fixed offset,
As shown in the waveform of FIG. Therefore, by increasing the offset voltage, it is possible to set the waveform as shown in the figure, and the portion A desired as data can be extracted from the waveform set to fill the A / D input range.

FIG. 6 shows a relationship between a time chart and a change in data due to a change in the light accumulation time. In FIG.
1 indicates data before the light accumulation time is changed, and reference numeral H2 indicates data after the light accumulation time is changed. In other words, under the control of the image processing control unit 30, it becomes possible to adjust the light accumulation time in the CCD sensor and obtain data of a desired sensitivity, and the sensitivity can be adjusted by digital and fine resolution.

[0021]

Since the present invention is constructed and functions as described above, according to this, it is possible to adjust the offset adjustment with respect to the measurement data by an arbitrary adjustment width, and thus the measurement data is effectively amplified. In addition, it is possible to provide an unprecedented superior coagulation pattern output device for blood or the like, which can effectively extract a portion desired to be captured as data, and thus can capture and output measurement data more clearly as a whole.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is an overall configuration diagram showing an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a detailed circuit diagram showing a CCD driving unit in FIG.

FIG. 3 is a detailed circuit diagram showing a specific example of an offset setting unit in FIG.

FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram showing a relationship between a CCD sensor output and an offset voltage in FIGS. 1 and 2;

5 and 6 are explanatory diagrams each showing an operation of the image processing control unit in FIG. 1;

[Explanation of symbols]

 Reference Signs List 1 microplate 1A reaction vessel (well) 10 CCD sensor as one-dimensional light receiving element unit 20 CCD drive unit 21 light accumulation time setting unit 22 offset setting unit 30 image processing control unit

──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continuing on the front page (72) Inventor Hideo Suda 2-1, Sakuranamiki, Midori-ku, Yokohama-shi, Kanagawa Prefecture Suzuki Co., Ltd. (72) Inventor Shogo Kida No.2, Sakuranamiki, Midori-ku, Yokohama-shi, Kanagawa No. 1 in Suzuki Co., Ltd. (72) Inventor Fujiko Kikuchi 2-1 Suzuki Co., Ltd. in Suzuki R & D Co., Ltd. 2-1, Sakuranamiki, Midori-ku, Yokohama, Kanagawa Prefecture (56) References JP-A-4-29037 (JP, A JP-A-4-57562 (JP, A) (58) Fields investigated (Int. Cl. ⁷ , DB name) G01N 21/00-21/61 H04N 7 / 18,1 / 04 H04N 5 / 335,9 / 04

Claims (2)

(57) [Claims] 1. A microplate comprising a plurality of reaction vessels arranged in a mesh, and light transmitted from each of the reaction vessels on the microplate is moved in one direction relative to each of the reaction vessels and sequentially received. A one-dimensional light receiving element section, and an image processing control section for performing an A / D conversion of the output of the one-dimensional light receiving element corresponding to each light receiving element, inputting the converted data, performing predetermined processing, and outputting as aggregate pattern data. In the apparatus for outputting an agglutination pattern of blood or the like, the one-dimensional light receiving element unit is provided with a light accumulation time setting unit for setting the light accumulation time of each light receiving element of the one-dimensional light receiving element unit. An offset setting unit that variably sets a predetermined offset with respect to an output is provided, and the image processing control unit has an offset setting unit drive control function that regulates an operation of the offset setting unit. An agglutination pattern output device for blood and the like, characterized by the following. 2. A microplate comprising a plurality of reaction vessels arranged in a mesh, and light transmitted from each reaction vessel on the microplate is moved in one direction relative to each reaction vessel and sequentially received. A one-dimensional light receiving element section, and an image processing control section for performing an A / D conversion of the output of the one-dimensional light receiving element corresponding to each light receiving element, inputting the converted data, performing predetermined processing, and outputting as aggregate pattern data. In the apparatus for outputting an agglutination pattern of blood or the like, the one-dimensional light receiving element unit is provided with a light accumulation time setting unit for setting the light accumulation time of each light receiving element of the one-dimensional light receiving element unit. An offset setting unit that variably sets a predetermined offset with respect to an output, wherein the image processing control unit has an offset setting unit driving control function that regulates an operation of the offset setting unit; A coagulation pattern output device for blood or the like, comprising: a light accumulation time setting control function for appropriately setting and controlling the light accumulation time of the interval setting section.