JPH11344381A - Analyzer - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To perform analysis with high reliability and simply without depending on the vision of a measuring operator and to analyze a plurality of characteristics by using one analyzer. SOLUTION: A color tone input means 2 which inputs a color tone is provided. A characteristic input means 5 which inputs a characteristic value is provided. A computing means 3 which finds a correlation between the color tone and the characteristic value is provided. A computing means 4 which finds a characteristic value with reference to the color tone of an object, to be detected, to be input by the color tone input means 2 is provided. By using correlation between the color tone and the characteristic, a corresponding characteristic is found on the basis of a color tone which is found optically, and the characteristic of the object to be detected is analyzed. Since a measurement is performed without depending on the vision of a measuring operator, the individual difference of the measuring operator is excluded, and the reliability of the measurement can be enhanced. In addition, when the correlation between the color tone and the characteristic value is applied to a plurality of characteristics, the plurality of characteristics can be analyzed by using one analyzer.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an analyzer,
The present invention relates to an analyzer that can be applied to simple measurement and screening in environmental measurement and the like.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In environmental screening and the like, analysis processing is performed using a large, expensive and high-sensitivity analyzer, and also simple analysis is performed in which a measurer visually refers to a color tone using a color sample or the like. I have. For example, when measuring pH,
In addition to the measurement using a pH meter, there is known a method in which litmus test paper is used to easily perform the comparison with a color sample.
In the field of dry chemistry, quantitative measurements such as concentration and qualitative analysis are performed with reference to color samples.

[0003]

[0005] Environmental screening is an analysis that emphasizes simplicity over high-sensitivity analysis. Therefore, when environmental screening is performed using a highly sensitive analyzer, there is a problem that the analyzer is large and expensive. In addition, since the measurement contents are specialized, there is a problem that another analysis device is required when analyzing other properties. For example, in order to measure the pH value and the chlorine concentration, other analyzers for measuring the chlorine concentration are required in addition to the pH meter.

[0004] When color tone is compared using color samples for environmental screening, a large number of measurements can be made at low cost. There is a problem in reliability.

[0005] Therefore, an object of the present invention is to solve the above-mentioned conventional problems and to provide a highly reliable and simple analyzer that is not based on the vision of a measurer. Another object of the present invention is to provide a simple analyzer capable of analyzing a plurality of characteristics with one analyzer.

[0006]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention analyzes a characteristic value of an object by using a correlation between a color tone and a characteristic value to determine a corresponding characteristic value from an optically determined color tone. Is what you do. Since the analyzer of the present invention performs measurement without being based on the visual sense of the measurer, the reliability of the measurement can be improved except for individual differences of the measurer. In addition, by applying the correlation between the color tone and the characteristic value to each of the plurality of characteristics, analysis of the plurality of characteristics can be performed by one analyzer.

[0007] A first analyzer of the present invention is a form in which a correlation between a color tone and a characteristic value is obtained, and analysis is performed using the obtained correlation. Color tone input means for inputting a color tone, Characteristic value input means for inputting a characteristic value; calculating means for calculating a correlation between the color tone and the characteristic value; and characteristics based on the correlation between the color tone and the characteristic value, based on the correlation between the color tone and the characteristic value. Calculating means for determining the value, and analyzes the object to be detected based on the determined characteristic value.

The formation of the correlation between the color tone and the characteristic value
This is performed by color tone input means, characteristic value input means, and calculation means. The color tone input means inputs a standard color tone, and the characteristic value input means inputs a characteristic value for the standard color tone. The calculating means obtains a correlation between the color tone and the characteristic value using the input standard color tone and the characteristic value.

In order to analyze the object, the color tone of the object is inputted by the color tone input means, and the characteristic value for the color tone of the object is calculated based on the correlation between the color tone and the characteristic value by the calculating means. Ask. The object to be detected is analyzed based on the obtained characteristic values.

Generally, a color tone is an attribute of a color in consideration of saturation and lightness. The analyzer of the present invention uses the intensity of a specific wavelength in a spectrum to specify a color tone. In the first mode, the intensity at a specific wavelength is obtained from the standard color tone,
The intensity and the characteristic value corresponding to the standard color tone are used as reference values. In order to obtain the characteristic value of the unknown object, the intensity at a specific wavelength is obtained from the unknown object, and the characteristic value of the unknown object is obtained from the ratio of this intensity to the standard intensity. In the second embodiment, the intensity at a specific wavelength is obtained from a plurality of standard tones, and a correlation is obtained using the plurality of intensity values and the respective characteristic values of the corresponding standard tone. To determine the characteristic value of an unknown object,
The intensity at a specific wavelength is obtained from the unknown object, and the corresponding characteristic value is obtained using the correlation.

An existing color sample can be used as a standard color tone, and a property corresponding to the color sample can be set as a characteristic value. Further, a color tone obtained by a reagent reaction can be used as a standard color tone, and conditions and properties in the reagent reaction can be set as characteristic values.

The color tone input means can be used for inputting a standard color tone and for inputting a color tone of an unknown object to be detected. One configuration of the color tone input means may be a configuration in which the intensity of a specific wavelength is obtained by dispersing reflected light or transmitted light from a color sample or a detection object.

The calculating means is a means for calculating the correlation between the color tone and the characteristic value using the input standard color tone and the characteristic value, and obtaining a calibration curve or a function from the intensity of the specific wavelength in the spectrum and the characteristic value. .

The characteristic value is a value representing the property of the object to be detected, and is a value used as an analysis value of the analyzer. For example, when performing pH measurement by color tone, the characteristic value is p
It can be an H value. Note that an arbitrary value can be input as a characteristic value.

The calculating means calculates the tone value of the object to be detected inputted by the tone input means by using a correlation between the tone and the characteristic value,
Means for calculating a characteristic value for a color tone;
In the second embodiment, the characteristic value is calculated by substituting the intensity of the specific wavelength into the calibration curve or function.

According to the first analyzer of the present invention, the correlation between the color tone and the characteristic value is set, the object to be detected is analyzed based on the set correlation, and the characteristic representing the property of the object to be detected is set. Value can be obtained.

The second analyzer of the present invention is provided with a correlation between a color tone and a characteristic value in advance, and performs an analysis using the correlation. Calculating means for calculating a characteristic value for the color tone of the detected object input by the color tone input means based on the correlation, and analyzing the detected object based on the characteristic value. I do.

The calculating means is provided with a correlation between the color tone and the characteristic value in advance. This correlation represents the relationship between the color tone of the object to be detected and the characteristic value, and the characteristic value corresponding to the color tone input by the color tone input means is obtained using this correlation.

The third embodiment has a plurality of correlations between the color tone and the characteristic value according to the type of the object to be detected and the nature of the analysis.
From the plurality of correlations, it is possible to select a correlation corresponding to the type and properties of the object to be analyzed.

According to the second analyzer of the present invention, the operation of setting the correlation between the color tone and the characteristic value can be omitted. Further, the present invention can be applied to a plurality of analysis targets and properties.

The color tone of the present invention can use not only visible light but also near infrared light or ultraviolet light.

[0022]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a diagram for explaining one configuration of the analyzer of the present invention. In FIG. 1, the analyzer 1 includes a color tone input unit 2, a calculation unit 3, a calculation unit 4, and an input unit 5, a selection unit 6, and a display unit 7. The color tone input means 2 detects the intensity of a specific wavelength by spectroscopy the reflected light or transmitted light from the object 10 such as a standard color tone or an unknown sample. In the configuration using the reflected light shown in FIG. 1, the incident light 20 a is incident on the detection target 10 from the light source 22 via the optical probe 21.
And receives the reflected light 20 b via the optical probe 21. The received light is separated by a spectroscope 23 such as a grating element or a dispersive crystal, and the light is received by a light receiving element 2 such as a photodiode.
4 to detect. The light receiving element receives light of a specific wavelength separated by the spectroscope 23 and detects the light intensity. The light receiving element 2
As 4, the intensity of a plurality of specific wavelengths can be detected by arranging a plurality of photodiodes or photodiode arrays. The color tone input means 2 can be used both for determining the correlation between the color tone and the characteristic value and for determining the characteristic value of the unknown sample.

Although FIG. 1 shows an example of reflected light, a configuration may be used in which transmitted light transmitted through the object 10 is used instead of the reflected light 20b.

The calculating means 3 is a means for obtaining a correlation between the color tone and the characteristic value using the input standard color tone and the characteristic value. FIG. 1 shows a configuration for obtaining a correlation in the form of a calibration curve, and includes a data storage unit 31 and a calibration curve forming unit 32.

The data storage section 31 stores spectral data such as the intensity of a specific wavelength determined by the color tone input means 2 and characteristic value data input from the input section 5. Calibration curve forming unit 3
2 reads out the intensity and the characteristic value of the specific wavelength stored in the data storage unit 31, and obtains the correlation between the color tone and the characteristic value in the form of a calibration curve.

The formation of the correlation between the color tone and the characteristic value will be described by taking a case where a calibration curve is obtained as an example. FIGS. 2, 3, and 4 are a flowchart and an explanatory diagram illustrating a procedure for obtaining a calibration curve. The characteristic value corresponding to the standard tone is
The data is stored in the data storage unit 31 and set. The characteristic value to be set can be arbitrarily determined.
When a color sample for measuring the H value is used, a pH value corresponding to the color sample can be used as the characteristic value. When the color obtained by the reagent reaction is used as the standard color tone, the conditions and the concentration of the reagent reaction can be used as the characteristic values (Step S1).

The color tone input means 2 measures the spectrum of the standard color tone. This spectrum can be an intensity distribution of a wavelength band or an intensity of a specific wavelength (step S2). The characteristic value set in step S1 and the spectrum measured in step S2 are stored in the data storage unit 31. The characteristic value can be input using a key or the like provided in the input unit 5 (step S3). When inputting a plurality of characteristic values, the steps S1 to S3 are repeated (step S4).

The wavelength for forming the calibration curve is selected (step S5), and the intensity corresponding to each characteristic value is read from the data storage unit 31. FIG. 3 shows the intensity corresponding to each characteristic value. 3A to 3D show characteristics values of 10 ppm,
The spectrum in each case of 20 ppm, 50 ppm, and 100 ppm is shown (step S6).

When the wavelength λa is selected, the intensity at the wavelength λa at each characteristic value is read out to form a calibration curve shown in FIG. The calibration curve can be obtained in the form of an arithmetic expression or in the form of calibration curve data (step S7).

The quality of the obtained calibration curve is determined, and if the calibration curve is usable, it is stored in the calibration curve storage unit 41. The quality of the calibration curve can be determined, for example, by the gradient of the intensity with respect to the characteristic value. 3A to 3D, when a calibration curve is formed by selecting the wavelength λb, FIG.
The calibration curve is as shown in FIG. This calibration curve has a small change in intensity with respect to the characteristic value, so it is difficult to specify the characteristic value from the intensity, and is not suitable as a calibration curve.

The analysis by the analyzer 1 can be performed according to the flowchart shown in FIG. The color tone input unit 2 measures the intensity of the specific wavelength of the reflected light (or transmitted light) obtained from the unknown object 10 and inputs the measured intensity to the calculation unit 42 (step S11). A calibration curve corresponding to a specific wavelength is read from 41 and input to the calculation unit 42 (step S12). The calculation unit 42 calculates a characteristic value corresponding to the input intensity using the read calibration curve (Step S13). The calculated characteristic value is displayed on the display unit 7 or output to an output device.

In addition to the selection of a calibration curve by selecting a specific wavelength, when a plurality of calibration curves are stored in the calibration curve storage section 41 in accordance with the measurement contents, the selection section 6 selects the measurement contents. The calibration curve can be selected.

In the configuration shown in FIG. 1, the calibration curve formed by the calibration curve forming section 32 is not stored in the calibration curve storage section 41 but is used as it is for the calculation of the characteristic value by the calculation section 42. it can. According to this configuration, the calibration curve storage unit 41 that stores the calibration curve can be omitted.

According to the present invention, in addition to the above-described structure, the second embodiment shown in FIG.
Configuration. The second configuration has a configuration in which data of a calibration curve is provided in advance, and the calculation means for forming the calibration curve is omitted.

FIG. 6 is a diagram for explaining a second configuration of the analyzer according to the present invention. In FIG. 6, the analyzer 1 includes:
Color tone input means 2, calculation means 4, and selection unit 6, display unit 7
Is provided. The color tone input means 2 may have the same configuration as that of FIG. 1, and the reflected light (or transmitted light) of the detected object 10
Is measured to detect the intensity of the specific wavelength. The color tone input means 2 of the second configuration is used only for obtaining the characteristic value of the unknown sample.

A calibration curve for the measurement contents is stored in advance in the calibration curve storage section 41 of the calculation means 4, and can be selected by the selection section 6. The calculation of the characteristic value by the analyzer of the second configuration can be performed in the same manner as the analyzer of FIG. 1 described above.

According to the embodiment of the analyzer of the present invention,
By storing a plurality of calibration curves, a single analyzer can analyze a variety of items. In the case of a color sample, analysis may be difficult due to loss or fading, but by storing a calibration curve,
Color samples can be eliminated.

[0038]

As described above, according to the analyzer of the present invention, a highly reliable and simple analysis can be performed without being based on the vision of the measurer. In addition, a single analyzer can analyze a plurality of characteristics.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram for explaining one configuration of an analyzer of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart illustrating a procedure for obtaining a calibration curve.

FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram illustrating a procedure for obtaining a calibration curve.

FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram illustrating a procedure for obtaining a calibration curve.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart illustrating a procedure of analysis by the analyzer of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating a second configuration of the analyzer according to the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Analysis apparatus, 2 ... Color tone input means, 3 ... Calculation means, 4 ...
Calculation stage, 5 ... input unit, 6 ... selection unit, 7 ... display unit, 10 ...
Object to be detected, 20a: incident light, 20b: reflected light, 21: optical probe, 22: light source, 23: spectroscope, 24 light receiver, 3
1 Data storage unit 32 Calibration curve forming unit 41 Calibration curve storage unit 42 Calculation unit

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A color tone input means for inputting a color tone, a characteristic value input means for inputting a characteristic value, an operation means for calculating a correlation between the color tone and the characteristic value, and a calculation method based on the correlation between the color tone and the characteristic value. And a calculating means for calculating a characteristic value for the color tone of the object input by the color tone input means, and analyzing the object based on the characteristic value. 2. A color tone input means for inputting a color tone, and a correlation between the color tone and the characteristic value is provided in advance, and a characteristic value for the color tone of the detected object input by the color tone input means is obtained based on the correlation. An analyzing apparatus comprising a calculating means, and analyzing an object to be detected based on characteristic values.