JP5303515B2 - Automatic analyzer - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to an automatic analyzer that performs qualitative and quantitative analysis of a biological sample such as blood and urine, and more particularly to an automatic analyzer that has a function of automatically executing a maintenance operation of the apparatus.

  An automatic analyzer that mixes and analyzes reagents prepared for each measurement target component in a sample containing the measurement target component is a reaction container for mixing the sample and the reagent, and a sample dispensing probe for adding the sample and the reagent to the reaction container, respectively. , A reagent dispensing probe, and a stirring mechanism for stirring the mixed solution. In such an automatic analyzer, the reaction container is generally used for another analysis after being washed, and the nozzle is washed before dispensing a sample or a reagent in which a dispensing probe is different.

  As described above, the automatic analyzer has a function of performing a maintenance operation in preparation for the next analysis by washing the reaction container, washing the nozzle, etc. prior to the analysis. Since an analysis operation cannot be performed during the execution of such a maintenance operation, it is preferable that such a maintenance operation has been completed before the time at which the analysis is to be started. Patent Document 1 describes a technique for automatically starting a maintenance operation at a preset time.

JP-A-2-80962

  The time required for the maintenance process varies from several seconds to several tens of minutes. In addition, each maintenance has a cycle, and regular maintenance is required. For such a maintenance process, an experienced operator knows how long each maintenance process takes, and can complete the process within the time when the operator is idle and the time when the automatic analyzer is in a dormant state. A combination of maintenance items can be determined, and efficient time management becomes possible. However, it is difficult for an operator with little experience to predict the combination of maintenance items that can be completed within the desired time, making it difficult to make the above determination, and it is difficult to perform efficient time management.

  An object of the present invention is to provide an automatic analyzer that allows more efficient time management by notifying maintenance items that can be processed within a time desired by an operator.

  In order to achieve the above object, the automatic analyzer of the present invention includes a maintenance item name, a processing start time at the time when maintenance processing is started, a processing end time at the time when maintenance processing is ended, and from the processing start to the processing end. In the automatic analyzer in which the processing time of the time taken and the period indicating the next maintenance time are stored in the storage unit of the automatic analyzer, the processing completion desired time for setting the time desired by the operator, and the processing completion A search result list for displaying maintenance items that can be completed within a desired time, a process list for selecting and displaying a maintenance item for which maintenance processing is desired in the search result list, and a maintenance process for the maintenance items in the process list If a request is made, it has a screen that displays the expected completion time for predicting the completion time of the process. It is characterized in.

  Further, a process completion remaining time composed of the desired process completion time is calculated, a means for deriving a maintenance item whose required time in the storage unit does not exceed the process completion remaining time, and a period of validity of the derived maintenance item as a cycle. It is characterized by having means for informing the operator of the priority of each maintenance item by rearranging them in order and displaying them in the search result list.

  Furthermore, when the operator selects a maintenance item for which maintenance processing is desired from the search result at the desired processing completion time, a predicted completion time indicating when the selected maintenance item ends is calculated from the time required for each maintenance item. It has the means to do.

  Further, when a maintenance process is requested for the maintenance item for which the maintenance process is desired and the process is completed, the process start time of the storage unit, a means for updating the process end time, the updated process start time, and the process It has a means for updating the required processing time by statistical calculation of the required time consisting of the end time and the required processing time of the storage unit.

  An automatic analyzer capable of more efficient time management can be provided by notifying maintenance items that can be processed within the time desired by the operator.

The block diagram of a multi-item chemical automatic analyzer. The example of the reagent information of a reagent bottle outer wall. An example of sample information on the outer wall of the sample container. Automatic analyzer management system flow diagram. An example of a screen for performing maintenance process management. The block diagram of maintenance processing time management DB. Maintenance processing time management DB update flowchart.

  An embodiment of the present invention will be described. FIG. 1 is an overall configuration diagram of a multi-item automatic chemical analyzer. In FIG. 1, a large number of sample containers 1 containing samples are arranged on a sample transport disk 2. The suction / discharge nozzle of the sample dispensing mechanism 5 is connected to the sample syringe pump 7. The operations of the pump 7 and the dispensing mechanism 5 are controlled by the microcomputer 3 that controls the operation of each mechanism unit and calculates measurement data through the interface 4. A large number of reaction vessels 6 are arranged on a reaction table 17 provided to be rotatable with respect to the reaction bath 9 to form a reaction line. A constant temperature liquid maintained at 37 degrees Celsius is supplied from the constant temperature liquid supply unit 10 to the reaction bath 9. The multi-wavelength photometer includes a light source 14 and a multi-wavelength spectrometer 15, and the reaction table 17 is rotationally transferred so that the light beam from the light source 14 crosses the row of reaction vessels 6. The used reaction vessel 6 is cleaned by the cleaning mechanism 19 and is reused. The stirring mechanism 13 mixes the sample added to the reaction vessel 6 and the reagent solution corresponding to the analysis item. A measurement signal based on the reaction solution obtained by the multi-wavelength spectrometer 15 is converted from an analog signal to a digital signal by the A / D converter 16 and input to the microcomputer 3.

  Various reagent bottles 12 corresponding to each analysis item are installed along the circumference on the reagent disk 26A for the first reagent and the reagent disk 26B for the second reagent. That is, the disks 26A and 26B are reagent bottle storage portions that can be selectively rotated. A barcode reader 23A is disposed near the disk 26A, and a barcode reader 23B is disposed near the disk 26B. The reagent dispenser includes reagent dispensing pipettors 8A and 8B and a reagent syringe pump 11. These pipettors 8A and 8B suck and hold a predetermined amount of the reagent liquid in the reagent bottle 12 stopped at the suction position in the suction and discharge nozzles, rotate these suction and discharge nozzles onto the reaction container row, and stop at the reagent receiving position. The retained reagent solution is discharged into the reaction vessel 6 that is being operated. The reagent solution dispensed at this time is of a type corresponding to the analysis item assigned to each reaction container.

  As shown in FIG. 2, each reagent bottle 12 has a reagent barcode label 22 with a barcode printed on its outer wall. The information displayed as the bar code indicates, for example, a reagent bottle code unique to each bottle consisting of a sequence number, the size of the bottle, the expiration date of the reagent solution, and whether the reagent is the first reagent, the second reagent or the third reagent. The reagent dispensing order, the maximum number of times that the reagent solution can be analyzed, the reagent dispensing amount indicating the amount of dispensing used once, the production lot number, and the like. Reagent information read from each reagent bottle 12 by the barcode readers 23A and 23B is stored in the memory area corresponding to the storage unit 25 or the microcomputer 3, respectively. As the reagent bottle 12 is stored in the reagent disks 26A and 26B, the reagent information is read by the barcode readers 23A and 23B. At this time, the rotation angle detectors provided on the reagent disks respectively A signal indicating the set position of the reagent bottle is output and input to the microcomputer 3 via the interface 4. The reagent information, the bottle set position, and the analysis item are stored in association with each other.

  The operator can input various information using the screen of the CRT 18 and the keyboard 21. The measurement result of the analysis item can be displayed on the printer 27 and the CRT 18. Information on the flexible magnetic recording medium (floppy (registered trademark) disk) 24 is read by the reading device and stored in the storage unit 25 or a corresponding memory area of the microcomputer 3. The information stored in the floppy (registered trademark) disk 24 is, for example, the following. That is, an analysis item code displayed in five digits, a parameter commonly used for the analysis item, a parameter stored separately for each reagent bottle, and the like. Among them, the parameters commonly used in the analysis items are the wavelength used in the photometer, the sample amount, the calibration method, the standard solution concentration, the number of standard solutions, the check limit value for analysis abnormality, and the like. The parameters for each reagent bottle include reagent type, reagent dispensing order, reagent bottle code, reagent liquid volume, reagent dispensing volume, maximum number of analyzable times, reagent manufacturing date, and the like.

  In addition to the information read from the floppy (registered trademark) disk 24, the storage unit 25 includes operating conditions of each mechanism unit of the automatic analyzer, analysis parameters of each analysis item, determination logic for performing bottle management of each reagent, The maximum number of analyzable times read from the reagent bottle, the analysis result, etc. are stored. Reagent information is provided on a floppy disk provided by the manufacturer at the time of delivery of the reagent bottle. When reagent information is not prepared using a floppy (registered trademark) disk, the operator inputs information described in the visual confirmation sheet attached to the reagent bottle into the automatic analyzer using the screen and the keyboard 21. You can also.

  As shown in FIG. 3, a specimen barcode label 50 having a barcode printed on its outer wall is attached to the specimen container 1. The information displayed as the barcode is, for example, a specimen identification number that uniquely determines the specimen. This number is read by the barcode reader 28, and the correspondence between the sample position and the sample identification number is recognized by detecting the angle of the sample transport disk 2. On the other hand, since the analysis item corresponding to the sample identification number is input and stored in advance by the keyboard 21 and the CRT 18, the sample position, the sample identification number, and the analysis item are eventually stored in association with each other when the previous barcode is read. Further, it is generally possible to identify whether the sample is a standard sample, a control sample, or a general sample by the higher number of the sample identification number.

  Analysis of the entire automatic analyzer is performed in the order of data processing such as sampling, reagent dispensing, stirring, photometry, reaction vessel cleaning, concentration conversion, and the like as follows. A plurality of sample containers 1 containing samples are installed on a sample disk 2. The sample disk 2 is controlled by the computer 3 via the interface 4. Further, the specimen disk 2 causes the barcode 50 on the outer wall of the specimen container 1 to be read by the barcode reader 28 and associates the specimen with the analysis item. Thereafter, the sample is rotated under the probe of the sample dispensing mechanism 5 in accordance with the order of the sample to be analyzed, and the sample in the predetermined sample container 1 is reacted by the operation of the sample pump 7 connected to the sample dispensing mechanism 5. 6 is dispensed into a predetermined amount. The reaction container 6 into which the specimen has been dispensed moves in the reaction bath 9 to the first reagent addition position. A predetermined amount of reagent sucked from the reagent container 12 by the operation of the reagent pump 11 connected to the suction / discharge nozzle of the reagent dispensing pipettor 8 is added to the moved reaction container 6. The reaction vessel 6 after the addition of the first reagent moves to the position of the stirring mechanism 13 and the first stirring is performed. When up to the fourth reagent is set in the reagent disks 26A and 26B, such addition and stirring of the reagent is performed for the first to fourth reagents.

  The reaction vessel 6 in which the contents are agitated passes the light beam emitted from the light source, and the absorbance at this time is detected by the multi-wavelength spectrometer 15. The detected absorbance signal enters the computer 3 via the interface 4 via the A / D converter 16 and is converted into the concentration of the specimen. The density-converted data is printed out from the printer 27 via the interface 4 and displayed on the screen of the CRT 18. After completion of photometry, the reaction vessel 6 moves to the position of the cleaning mechanism 19 and is discharged with a cleaning liquid after being discharged by the vessel cleaning pump and used for the next analysis.

  FIG. 4 shows an automatic analyzer management system processing flow according to an embodiment of the present invention. Before the maintenance process is performed by the automatic analyzer, the maintenance process management screen shown in FIG. 5 displayed on the screen of the CRT 18 is filled in the desired process completion time 201 and the search button 202 is pressed. To do. Simultaneously with the pressing of the search button, the desired processing completion time is acquired 101 and the remaining processing completion time representing the time from the current time to the desired processing completion time is calculated 102.

Remaining processing completion time = desired processing completion time-current time The DB is searched using the remaining processing completion time as a key. The DB includes an item 301 for each maintenance process performed in the past, a process start time 302 at the time when the maintenance process is started, a process end time 303 at the time when the maintenance process is ended, a required time 304 from the process start to the process end, which It is composed of a period 305 indicating whether maintenance is necessary at intervals of about. The process start time and process end time hold the time when the process was last performed. The required time is recalculated based on the past results by the following required time calculation method, and a more accurate time is derived and held.

Time required = (current DB time + current time required) / 2
In the DB, a maintenance item that meets a condition that the required time does not exceed the processing completion remaining time is searched 103. It is determined whether there is a maintenance item corresponding to the search condition 104, and if there is no corresponding maintenance item, a message is displayed so as to reset the desired processing completion time to the operator. If there is a corresponding maintenance item, the corresponding item 301, processing end time 302, required time 304, and period 305 are acquired 105. From the acquired processing end time 302 and the period 305, the expiration date is calculated 106 using the following formula.

Expiration Date = Processing End Time + Cycle−Current Date / Time The maintenance item corresponding to the DB search and the calculated expiration date are displayed in the search result list 204 on the screen. If there are a plurality of corresponding maintenance items in the DB search, the maintenance items are rearranged in ascending order of validity and displayed on the search result list 204 on the screen 107. Displaying in order from the shortest expiration date is to notify the operator of the priority order of items requiring maintenance. From the maintenance items that can be completed within the processing completion time displayed in the search result list, an item to be maintained is selected and the setting 209 button is pressed. 109 displayed on the list 205. Further, the estimated completion time 203 indicating when the set maintenance item completes the process and the process completion remaining time are updated. The expected completion time is calculated by the following formula.

Expected completion time = required time for the set maintenance item + current time The calculated time is displayed as the expected completion time 203 on the screen. When there are a plurality of set maintenance items, the total required time for each maintenance item and the current time are added together and calculated. When the operator confirms the estimated completion time and requests the set maintenance item, it is possible to confirm 110 when the operation is actually finished. Further, the process completion remaining time is updated by calculating and updating 111 according to the following formula from the process completion remaining time and the time required for the set maintenance item.

  Process completion remaining time (update) = Process completion remaining time−Total required time of set maintenance item It is determined whether there is still the process completion remaining time updated. If there is a process completion remaining time, the DB is searched again with the remaining time, and the corresponding maintenance item is derived. From the determination of whether there is a corresponding item thereafter to the determination of whether there is a process completion remaining time, it is the same as the above processing. If there is no remaining processing completion time, a message is sent to the operator notifying that there are no maintenance items that can be processed.

  FIG. 5 is a maintenance process management screen displayed on the CRT 18 of the automatic analyzer. This screen is a screen for displaying maintenance items that can be completed within the desired processing completion time entered by the operator, selecting items to be processed, and requesting maintenance processing. First, the operator enters a desired time for completing the maintenance process in the desired process completion time 201 on the screen, and presses the search button 202. Maintenance items that can be completed within the entered processing completion desired time are displayed in the search result list 204. The search result list displays items, required time, and expiration date. Select the maintenance item to be requested from the search result list and press the setting 209 button. The selected maintenance item is displayed in the processing list 205, and at the same time, the time when the maintenance item set in the expected completion time 203 ends is displayed. The operator confirms the expected completion time and determines whether to start processing the set maintenance item. If processing is desired, the maintenance start 212 button is pressed to start the maintenance processing.

  FIG. 6 is a maintenance processing time management DB, which holds data for each maintenance. This DB includes maintenance items 301, processing start time 302, processing end time 303, required time 304, and cycle 305.

  FIG. 7 is an update flow of the maintenance processing time management DB. When all the settings are completed on the maintenance process management screen and the maintenance process is requested and the maintenance process is started 401, the process start time of the maintenance item to be processed is acquired 402. The acquired process start time is updated 403 to the DB process start time 302 in a format of year-month-date-time: minute: second. Thereafter, when the maintenance process for the maintenance item is completed 404, the end time is acquired 405, and the DB process end time 303 is updated 406 in the format of year-month-date: minute: second. A required time composed of the DB process end time and the process end time is calculated by the following formula 407. When the required time already exists in the DB required time 304, the required time is updated 409 by calculating the required time from the current required time and the existing required time of the DB 409. If there is no DB required time, update 410 with the current required time. Thereby, the maintenance processing time management DB is updated.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Specimen container 2 Specimen conveyance disk 3 Microcomputer 4 Interface 5 Specimen dispenser 6 Reaction container 7 Specimen pump 8A, 8B Reagent dispensing pipetter 9 Reaction bath 10 Constant temperature liquid supply part 11 Reagent syringe pump 12 Reagent bottle 13 Stirring Mechanism 14 Multi-wavelength photometer is light source 15 Multi-wavelength spectrometer 16 A / D converter 17 Reaction table 18 CRT
19 Cleaning mechanism 21 Keyboard 22 Reagent bar code label 23A, 23B Bar code reader 24 Floppy (registered trademark) disk 25 Storage unit 26A, 26B Reagent disk 27 Printer 28 Bar code reader 50 Bar code 101 on outer wall Acquisition of desired processing completion time Step 102 Processing completion remaining time calculation step 103 DB search step 104 Corresponding item determination step 105 Corresponding item acquisition step 106 Expiration date calculation step 107 Periodic search result list display step 108 Setting item acquisition step 109 Setting item processing list display step 110 Completion prediction Time display step 111 Process completion remaining time update step 112 Process completion remaining time presence / absence determination step 113 Setting maintenance start step 201 Process completion desired time entry column 202 Search button 2 03 Expected completion time 204 Search result list 205 Processing list 206 Search result item 207 Search result item required time 208 Search result item expiry time 209 Setting button 210 Cancel button 211 Setting item 212 Setting item required time 213 Maintenance start button 301 DB item 302 Item maintenance start time 303 Item maintenance end time 304 Item required time 305 Item period 401 Setting item processing start step 402 Start time acquisition step 403 Maintenance start time update step 404 Setting item processing end step 405 End time acquisition 406 Maintenance end Time update step 407 Required time calculation step 408 Required time presence / absence determination step 409 for the corresponding item Update required time (existing required time) Step 410 Update required time (existing) Required time-free) step

Claims (4)

Storage means for storing the maintenance items of the automatic analyzer, the required time for each maintenance item, and the recommended execution interval for each maintenance item;
Processing completion desired time setting means for setting a desired completion time of maintenance processing, and
By setting the desired completion time of the maintenance process by the desired process completion time setting means,
Based on the required time for each maintenance item stored in the storage means, the maintenance items that can be processed within the desired processing completion time are displayed, and based on the respective recommended maintenance item execution intervals stored in the storage means An automatic analyzer comprising display means for displaying the calculated remaining time until the recommended maintenance execution time. The automatic analyzer according to claim 1, wherein
It has a designation means to designate maintenance items to be implemented,
And a calculating means for calculating a required time when the maintenance item specified by the specifying means is executed based on the required time for each maintenance item stored in the storage means, and the required time calculated by the calculating means Based on the above, the automatic analysis apparatus displays the scheduled maintenance end time on the display means when the maintenance is currently performed. The automatic analyzer according to claim 1, wherein
An automatic analyzer that displays the remaining time until the recommended maintenance time in order of decreasing remaining time. The automatic analyzer according to claim 1, wherein
The time required for each maintenance item is calculated based on the time required for the past maintenance, and the automatic analyzer.

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