IE904656A1 - A Test Control Apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

A test control apparatus (1) is disclosed having a control unit (3) with a data controller (4) and a functionally separate processing controller (5). The data controller (4) is connected to test instruments (2) and to a user interface (6) for creation of all data files including files for captured test data, test specifications, test instructions or sample identification codes. Such data files are created independently of the processing controller (5) and of the format of instrument (2) data file. The processing controller (5) uses a program library (9) to assist in processing data retrieved in data files via the data controller (4) to generate test reports at output interfaces (7). Because data and processing operations are carried out separately, modification of the apparatus (1) for use with different types of test or test instruments may be easily carried out. Further, access to data is relatively quick because the data controller (4) stores data in separate active and historical databases (15 and 17). Data is stored in a relational manner which ensures that reports tying together information relating to a particular product may be easily carried out.

Description

The present invention relates to a test control apparatus for the control and monitoring of test instruments and for capturing and processing test data from the test instruments. Typical tests carried out by such test instruments are analysis of food samples in the laboratory or in a food processing plant.

At present, such test control apparatus have relatively little versatility as the processing operations carried out may be used for only the format of data file generated by a particular instrument so that addition of different instruments and capture of test data in a different manner is difficult. Often, such additions involve re-writing of programs and changing of control circuits. A typical test control apparatus is described in United States Patent Specification No. 4,858,154 (COULTER) in which data from different instruments are co-related and thus there is little versatility.

Another problem at present is that data files are generated and stored by the processing circuit and this may be retrieved and processed only by that processing circuit. - 3 A further problem with presently available test control apparatus is that generation of test reports involves complex processing operations because related data must be sorted and much of the required data may have been created a relatively long time previously. Access to relatively old data may be difficult and in many cases will involve access to back-up tapes. This is particularly disadvantageous when generation of test reports is important such as in food, chemical or pharmaceutical processing plants where such reports provide the information necessary to enable passing by a quality control department of a batch of finished products.

In this specification, the term test instrument is intended to cover terminals or computers receiving manually inputted test data from manual tests, in addition to what are conventionally referred to as test instruments.

An object of the present invention is to provide a test control apparatus which is versatile in use and may be easily adapted for use with different test instruments. A further object is that test data may be processed in any desired manner when captured. A still further object is that captured test data may be processed efficiently for generation of reports . - 4 According to the invention, there is provided a test control apparatus comprising:a user interface; an interface for connection with test instruments; an interface for connection with code reading instruments for identification of samples; user output interfaces including a printer and a visual display unit; a control unit for capturing test data from the instruments, for controlling operation of the test instruments, and for processing captured and stored test data for generation of test reports and control of further tests, the control unit comprising:a data controller connected to an historical database and to an active database on one or more disk drives and to a security database on a separate disk drive, the data controller comprising means for writing active data in parallel to the active and security databases and for retrieving data from the historical database for report generation, all data being stored in a relational manner, captured data - 5 being selected from instrument data files and stored in a present format independently of processing of data; and a separate processing controller comprising means 5 for retrieving data files from the databases via the data controller and for carrying out processing operations on the data to generate test reports.

In one embodiment, the test instrument interface is connected to an instrument buffer circuit for connection with a plurality of test instruments, the data controller comprising means for capturing data from instrument data files stored in the instrument buffer circuit.

Preferably, the instrument buffer circuit comprises a processor having means for processing and storing captured data until accessed by the data controller.

Ideally, the data controller comprises means for periodically downloading data from the historical database to a back-up tape drive.

The invention will be more clearly understood from the following description of some preferred embodiments thereof, given by way of example only with reference to the - 6 accompanying drawings in which :Fig. 1 is a schematic diagram of a test control apparatus of the invention; and Figs. 2(a) and 2(b) are flow diagrams illustrating 5 operation of the apparatus .

Referring to Fig. 1 there is illustrated a test control apparatus of the invention, indicated generally by the reference numeral 1. The apparatus 1 is for connection with a set of test instruments 2, for example, for testing of food samples in a food processing plant. Instruments may be for measurement of pH value in a liquid, for use in measuring water content in milk, for measuring assay factors in substances or for ultra violet analysis . The test instruments 2 may also include computer terminals o microcomputers for reception of data from manual tests. The test control apparatus 1 controls operation of the test instruments 2, captures test data and processes the test data to generate reports and further control of the instruments in a feed-back loop.

The test control apparatus 1 comprises a control unit 3 shown by interrupted lines. The control unit 3 comprises two functionally separate portions, namely, a data controller 4 and a processing controller 5. The apparatus 1 also includes - 7 a user interface, namely, a keyboard and keyboard encoding circuits connected to both the processing controller 5 and to the data controller 4 of the control unit 3. The processing controller 5 is connected to output interfaces 7, in this embodiment a printer and a visual display unit. Test reports 8 generated by the printer are shown. To assist in carrying out processing operations, the processing controller 5 is connected to a library 9 of processing programs in a disk drive. The data controller 4 is connected to the test instruments 2 via an instrument buffer circuit 10 which acts as a buffer between the data controller 4 and test instruments 2. The data controller 4 is also connected to modems 11 for communication with remote test instruments. Further, portable terminals 12 are connected to the data controller 4 and these may collect test data for passing on to the data controller 4. Microcomputers 13 are also connected to the data controller for transmission of test data.

For storage of data, the data controller 4 is connected to an active database 15 and to a security database 16 on a separate disk drive. An historical database 17 is also connected to the data controller 4. For backing-up purposes, the data controller 4 is connected to a back-up tape drive 18.

Referring now to Figs. 2(a) and 2(b), operation of the apparatus 1 is briefly outlined. In Fig. 2(a), operation of the apparatus 1 for laboratory quality control analysis is - 8 described. Initially, in step 25 the data controller 4 receives via the user interface 6 instructions from a user for the creation of test instructions. The test instructions set up by the data controller 4 specify the type of tests required 5 and include indications of test instruments to be used, numbering systems for identification of samples, security access to the apparatus 1 and layouts for graphical and printing test reports. The test instructions are stored in a test instruction file created by the data controller 4 and stored in the active database 15. In step 26, the data controller creates specification files, again on receipt of user instructions via the user interface 6. Such test specifications generally comply with standard specifications for a particular industry. Using access security techniques, the data controller 4 in step 27 receives approval of at least one authorised person before storage of a test specification in the active database 15.

Steps 25, 26 and 27 initialise the apparatus 1 and it is now ready for carrying out tests on a sample. In step 28, the data controller 4 receives via the user interface 6 identification numbers for all samples which are to be tested by the test instruments 2. This results in generation of a sample file. When writing data files to the active database 15, the data controller 4 simultaneously writes the data files to the security database 16 in parallel. Thus, if a fault occurs in the disk drive of the active database 15, there is - 9 an immediate back-up without the need to retrieve data from the back-up tape drive 18.

In step 29, the processing controller 5 accesses the test instruction files, the sample files and the specification files via the data controller 4 to generate testing procedures according to programs stored in the program library 9. The processing controller 5 transmits the instructions to the instrument buffer circuit 10 which acts as a buffer by storage of the testing procedures and, in turn, re-transmitting instructions directing operation of the instruments 2 to carry out the required tests. As the tests are carried out by the test instruments 2, the data is continually retrieved by the instrument buffer circuit 10 which arranges the data in files in the format generated by the instruments. These files are accessed by the data controller 4 directly and selected data is retrieved to create captured data files which are stored in the active database 15. The format of the data files is common for all instrument data files and is independent of them. In addition, however, the original instrument data files are stored separately under an identification code for later retrieval, if required. In step 31, the processor controller 5 retrieves the test data files and the specification files via the data controller 4 and carries out comparison operations to determine if any of the test data is out of this specification. In step 32, a test report - 10 including this information is generated and downloaded to the printer and the visual display unit 7.

Referring now to Fig. 2(b), operation of the test control apparatus 1 is illustrated for use in production process laboratories where sample and production cycles interact. A process schedule is received in step 35 via the user interface 6 and is verified in step 36. This latter step involves recording details of the data and of the person who verified.

These steps initialise the apparatus 1 for use in a production 10 process laborating so that not only is the testing of individual samples monitored and controlled, but in addition, the testing procedure for a complete process is monitored and controlled. In step 37, product identification code is received by the data controller 4 for creation of product code files. In step 38, the processing controller 5 retrieves the product code files, the test instruction files (which have been pre-set) and the process schedule and it generates control instructions for the test instruments 2, which are transmitted to the instrument buffer circuit 10. These instructions control the sequences of tests and samples for a complete process test. In step 39 the test steps 28 to 32 of Fig 2(a) are carried out for each sample of the sequence. In step 40, the processing controller 4 accesses a product database (not shown) which contains details of the products which are being tested and merges data from this database with -lithe captured test data which has been retrieved via the data controller 4. The step 40 generally involves access via the data controller 4 to the historical database 17 to retrieve historical test data for a certain product from a period more 5 than three months previously. In this way, a test report may be generated in step 41 in the form of a batch tree which provides a full history of quality control for a batch which would include details of raw material, finished goods and endprocess results in a single test report.

It will be appreciated that because the control unit 3 comprises separate processing and data controllers, the data files stored in the databases 15, 16 and 17 are independent of processing operations to be carried out by the processing controller 5. Accordingly, the manner of creation of data files is set externally and independently of the processing controller 5. This allows addition of programs to the program library 9 and/or modification of the processing controller 5 without the need to modify the manner in which the data files are structured. Further, because the data files are created independently of the instrument data files using data selected from them, the processing operations may be varied as required by addition or deletion of test instruments or for generation of different types of test reports.

The data controller 4 stores all data in a relational manner and in most cases the data is related by product. This allows - 12 generation by the processing controller 5 of meaningful test reports which can tie together relevant information, for example, for a product batch, from beginning to end. Further, because all active data over a time period of three months is stored in the active database 15, this may be quickly and easily accessed. However, data stored more than three months previously may also be easily accessed, as it is often required for generation of test reports. At regular intervals, the data controller 4 directs backing-up operations from the historical database 15 to the back-up tape drive 18. Such data will generally have been stored during periods earlier than the oldest data in the historical database 17.

The instrument buffer circuit allows collection of test data without the requirement for processing operations of the 15 control unit 3 . Accordingly, if there is a failure in the control unit 3 , data may be continually collected without interruption. When data is to be captured, this may be carried out in an efficient manner by analysis of the data which is temporarily stored in the instrument buffer circuit .

The invention is not limited to the embodiments hereinbefore described, but may be varied in construction and detail.

Claims (5)

1. A test control apparatus comprising:a user interface; an interface for connection with test instruments; 5 an interface for connection with code reading instruments for identification of samples; user output interfaces including a printer and a visual display unit; a control unit for capturing test data from the 10 instruments, for controlling operation of the test instruments, and for processing captured and stored test data for generation of test reports and control of further tests, the control unit comprising :a data controller connected to an historical 15 database and to an active database on one or more disk drives, and to a security database on a separate disk drive, the data controller comprising means for writing active data in parallel to the active and security databases and for retrieving data from the historical - 14 database for report generation, all data being stored in a relational manner, captured data being selected from instrument data files and stored in a preset format independently of 5 processing of data; and a separate processing controller comprising means for retrieving data files from the databases via the data controller and for carrying out processing operations on the data 10 to generate test reports.

2. A test control apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein the test instrument interface is connected to an instrument buffer circuit for connection with a plurality of test instruments, the data controller comprising means 15 for capturing data from instrument data files stored in the instrument buffer circuit.

3. A test control apparatus as claimed in claim 2 wherein the instrument buffer circuit comprises a processor having means for processing and storing captured data 20 until accessed by the data controller.

4. A test control apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the data controller comprises means for - 15 periodically downloading data from the historical database to a back-up tape drive.

5. A test control apparatus substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in the 5 accompanying drawings .