JPH04313932A - Maintenance data communication system for automatic analyzer - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To acquire information relating to points and operating procedure to recover a fault with respect to the automatic analyzer at any time in an interactive form without intervention of a human factor of a maintenance personnel such as a telephone reply and a visit. CONSTITUTION:The technical premise relates to the data communication system in which plural data communication equipments 52-55 are interconnected by a relay station 11 making switching connection to a communication line and at least 2-way communication of a picture signal is attained. Then data communication equipments 52-55 are connected to the automatic analyzers 22-25 in a way of signal exchange. On the other hand, the system is provided with a center management equipment 16 provided with a data memory 26 storing maintenance data relating to the automatic analyzers 22-25 and with a data selection means 36 calling a prescribed maintenance data from the data memory 26 in response to an external call reply signal and a data communication equipment 56 is connected to the said center management equipment in a way of signal exchange.

Description

[Detailed description of the invention]

0001

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a data communication system that includes image signals, and more particularly to a system that allows maintenance and inspection of automatic analyzers to be carried out through data communication.

0002

2. Description of the Related Art With the advancement of data communication technology, various devices such as facsimile machines and computer devices are connected via communication lines and are now able to exchange data with each other.

[0003] On the other hand, conventional automatic analyzers for performing clinical tests on sample specimens have each existed independently, and their data has not been exchanged. For example, when a patient's blood is analyzed at a private hospital, it is common to call the testing center in each district, call a sample collection and delivery vehicle, and request the analysis. Our method is to create data from the beginning for requested sample analysis. Therefore, the patient's data may be distributed and recorded in the automatic analyzers of each testing center, and such distributed data cannot be used as reference material for sample analysis or medical condition diagnosis.

[0004] Therefore, the reliability of the analysis is improved by connecting the automatic analyzers with a line and exchanging data with each other.
There is a system that has been proposed to prevent delays in analysis work by having other automatic analyzers assist in data analysis when a failure occurs in an automatic analyzer (Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 3-1999).
No. 29857).

FIG. 2 schematically shows this system, which includes a plurality of workstations 2 and 3 equipped with an automatic analyzer 1 and a plurality of workstations 2 and 3 that transmit numerical data of samples to the workstations 2 and 3. Equipped with servers 4 and 5,
Each device is connected to each other via a network line 6 so as to be communicable. The servers 4 and 5 do not perform analysis, but simply send the numerical data of the sample or analysis target to the workstations 2 and 3, and if a failure occurs in one of the workstations 2 and 3, they switch the analysis command to the other. Automated analyzers are monitored to ensure processing continues. The analysis results are recorded on the server and stored as data for analysis at a later date. At this time, if one server fails, the other server provides the materials to the workstations 2 and 3.

[0006]

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] However, such conventional data exchange systems are based on the premise that sample analysis is performed simultaneously on multiple workstations, and as a result, one automatic analyzer may malfunction. The analysis data of the other side can only be used when a problem occurs. However, for example, medical automatic analyzers have very complex mechanisms and require specialized knowledge, so if an automatic analyzer at a testing center were to malfunction, analysis data could not be obtained. Become.

[0007] In such cases, conventionally, the inspection center would contact the maintenance company for the automatic analysis equipment installed by telephone, inquire about the malfunction status of the equipment and operating procedures, and in some cases request that the person in charge visit the company on a business trip. Currently, we are responding by requesting that the analyzer be restored.

[0008] However, depending on the patient's condition, sample analysis may be required urgently, and responses by telephone are often insufficient, and furthermore, there may not be enough time to respond on-site. , is the current situation.

The present invention has been devised in view of the current situation, and its purpose is to provide information on procedures and operating procedures for recovering from failures related to automatic analyzers to employees who answer telephone calls or who are on business trips. We provide a maintenance data communication system for automatic analyzers that not only can be easily obtained interactively at any time without any human intervention such as response, but also can easily check the amount of remaining reagents, etc. This is what I am trying to do.

0010

[Means for Solving the Problems] In order to achieve the above object, a maintenance data communication system for an automatic analyzer according to the present invention connects a plurality of data communication devices via a relay station that switches and connects communication lines, The technical premise is a data communication system that enables at least two-way communication of image signals,
One data communication device is connected to one automatic analyzer equipped with an image display device so that signals can be exchanged, and a data memory is provided that stores maintenance data regarding the automatic analyzer, and a call response from an external device. A center management device comprising data selection means for reading predetermined maintenance data from the data memory in response to a signal, and a data communication device is connected to the center management device so that signals can be exchanged. It is.

[0011]

Therefore, according to the present invention, each automatic analysis device and the center management device are connected to each other via a communication line and a data communication device so as to be able to communicate signals. The center management device is equipped with maintenance and inspection data related to the automatic analyzer, and sends out maintenance data in response to call response signals from the outside, so the automatic analyzer side can receive information such as causes of failures, operating procedures, and inspection points in an interactive format. can be obtained at any time. In this case, text information and image information can be obtained using the image display device of the automatic analyzer, so information can be obtained more effectively than by telephone contact.
Additionally, in addition to providing information services comparable to those provided by on-site staff, the maintenance company can easily check the remaining amount of reagents by regularly monitoring the amount of reagents measured by the liquid level sensor. can.

0012

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 shows a data communication system according to this embodiment, and shows a communication system in a specific area, in which reference numeral 10 is a telephone line, 11 is a relay station, and 12 to 15 are sample analysis systems. 16 is a center management device provided with maintenance data. The inspection centers 12-15 each include automatic analysis devices 22-25, image display devices 32-35, printer devices 42-45, and modems 52-55. In addition, the center management device 1
6 includes a data memory device 26 that stores at least maintenance data regarding the automatic analyzer, and a data selection device 36 that reads out the maintenance data in response to a call response signal from the outside. Of course, the center management device 16 may be provided with an image display device such as a CRT or a printer device, but these are not necessarily necessary when providing the minimum level of service. A modem 56 is also connected to this center management device 16.

The automatic analyzers 22 to 25 are equipped with a group of various analyzers for sample analysis, and also include microprocessor units (MPUs) 22p to 25p for analytical calculations, and other devices such as heart disks for storing analytical data. 22d~2
5d. The modems 52 to 56 are equipped with a network control unit (NCU) in addition to a normal modulation/demodulation circuit, and have an automatic call transmission/reception function. The modems 52-56 are connected to the microprocessor devices 22P-25P, and perform response exchange of maintenance data between the center management device 16 and the center medical facilities 12-15. Since the automatic analysis devices 22 to 25 are equipped with image display devices 32 to 35 and printer devices 42 to 45, they can exchange not only normal character signals including numerical data but also mechanical diagrams of each design drawing with the center management device 16. This can be done by replacing it with an image signal. In this case, the microprocessor devices 22p to 25
It is necessary to write program data for data signal exchange in advance in p, or to read and use program data written on an external recording medium such as a floppy disk. Various parameters such as communication speed and communication method are appropriately selected according to the program data. On the other hand, the microprocessor devices 22p to 25p drive and control devices such as an image display device 32, printer devices 42 to 45, and hard disk drives 22d to 25d, in addition to the automatic analysis devices 22 to 25, respectively.

On the other hand, the data memory device 26 of the center management device 16 stores various maintenance and inspection items related to the automatic analysis devices 22 to 25 in a table format. For example, the information includes a model identification code for each inspection center, an assumed failure location, a cause of failure, a recovery procedure, or an assumed trouble, a necessary operation procedure, a recovery confirmation operation, and the like. By transmitting these in the form of character and graphic display data, the data can be made more detailed than the knowledge of ordinary maintenance personnel. Since the replacement parts, repair tools, etc. that will be required at that time can be anticipated in advance, it is desirable to have them available at the inspection centers 12 to 15 in advance. Such maintenance data is selectively read out by the data selection device 36 as appropriate. This data selection device 36 assumes in advance the answers corresponding to the calls and responses that will be made from the inspection centers 12 to 15, and is equipped with the assumed data as a table, and selects the necessary data according to a predetermined program. This is called from the maintenance data memory 26.

Therefore, if the automatic analysis device 22 breaks down at the testing center 22 or a trouble occurs and the recovery operation is unclear, the testing center 25 calls the center management device 16 via the telephone line 10. I do. The data selection device 36 is activated in response to this call signal via the modem 56, and after initially performing the necessary inspection center confirmation, model identification confirmation, etc., the inspection center 12 makes an appropriate response according to the menu program. Thereafter, maintenance and inspection items are confirmed in an interactive manner according to maintenance data sent from the management device 16 in response to the response from the inspection center 12. As a result, inspection center 1
In No. 2, the automatic analysis device 22 can be quickly restored without requiring a maintenance person to answer the phone or travel on a business trip. During this restoration operation, the inspection center 12 displays the received data on the image display device 32 or prints it out from the printer device 42, and further stores the operation data in the hard disk 22d. Specific recovery operations based on this received data are left to the staff of the inspection center 22.

[0017] Although the above embodiment has been explained on the premise of data communication using telephone lines, the communication system according to the present invention is not limited to this, and can be applied to broadcasting lines such as television, etc.
You can use your own communication line. However, in either case, a relay station is required to switch the line; for example,
Even if the communication system is within the same facility, it is included in the communication system of the present invention as long as it is equipped with a relay station. Here, the term "relay station" is not limited to a wide range of line switching facilities such as a so-called telephone office, but also includes a simple channel switching device that selectively switches between two or more lines.

Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the management device 16 was explained as having the data selection device 26 respond from the beginning to calls from the inspection centers 12 to 15, but as a system principle, calls from the outside The maintenance staff may first answer the call and manually start the center management device 16. The subsequent data exchange through dialog responses is the same as in the previous embodiment. Furthermore, although this embodiment has only explained maintenance data communication in a specific area, if the relay station 11 is not connected to other relay stations, it is possible to send and receive maintenance management data on a nationwide scale. becomes. In that case, center management device 1
If you connect a computer device with excellent processing power to 6,
Even if inquiries are concentrated from many inspection centers at the same time, it is possible to respond immediately and provide instant answers using so-called virtual computer processing using time-sharing processing and the like.

[0019]

As explained above, according to the automatic analyzer maintenance data communication system according to the present invention, each automatic analyzer and the center management device can communicate signals with each other via the communication line and the data communication device. In addition, since the center management device is equipped with maintenance and inspection data related to automatic analyzers, information on procedures and operating procedures for recovering from malfunctions related to automatic analyzers can be transmitted to human resources such as telephone answering and on-site support by staff. In addition to being able to obtain reagents at any time in an interactive format without intervening elements, maintenance personnel can easily check the remaining amount by periodically monitoring the remaining amount of reagent measured by the liquid level sensor. It has many excellent effects, including the ability to

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a maintenance data communication system for an automatic analyzer according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a conventional data communication system for an automatic analyzer.

[Explanation of symbols]

10 Telephone lines 11, 21, 31 Relay stations 12-15 Inspection center 16 Center management device 12p-15p Microprocessor device 22-25
Automatic analysis device 26 Data memory device 32-35 Image display device 36 Data selection device 42-45 Printer device

Claims (1)

[Claims] Claim 1. A data communication system in which a plurality of data communication devices are connected via a relay station that switches and connects communication lines to enable two-way communication of at least image signals, wherein one data communication device is an image display device. is connected so as to be able to exchange signals to one automatic analyzer equipped with a data memory that stores maintenance data regarding the automatic analyzer, and a data memory that stores maintenance data regarding the automatic analyzer, and a data memory that stores maintenance data regarding the automatic analyzer, and a data memory that stores maintenance data regarding the automatic analyzer. 1. A maintenance data communication system for an automatic analyzer, characterized in that a center management device is provided with a data selection means for reading predetermined maintenance data, and a data communication device is connected to the center management device so as to be able to exchange signals.