US20070002309A1 - Analyzer and analytic system - Google Patents
Analyzer and analytic system Download PDFInfo
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- US20070002309A1 US20070002309A1 US11/477,281 US47728106A US2007002309A1 US 20070002309 A1 US20070002309 A1 US 20070002309A1 US 47728106 A US47728106 A US 47728106A US 2007002309 A1 US2007002309 A1 US 2007002309A1
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- Prior art keywords
- light
- analyzer
- analyzer according
- optical
- reagent
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- G—PHYSICS
- G01—MEASURING; TESTING
- G01N—INVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIR CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
- G01N35/00—Automatic analysis not limited to methods or materials provided for in any single one of groups G01N1/00 - G01N33/00; Handling materials therefor
- G01N35/02—Automatic analysis not limited to methods or materials provided for in any single one of groups G01N1/00 - G01N33/00; Handling materials therefor using a plurality of sample containers moved by a conveyor system past one or more treatment or analysis stations
- G01N35/025—Automatic analysis not limited to methods or materials provided for in any single one of groups G01N1/00 - G01N33/00; Handling materials therefor using a plurality of sample containers moved by a conveyor system past one or more treatment or analysis stations having a carousel or turntable for reaction cells or cuvettes
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- G—PHYSICS
- G01—MEASURING; TESTING
- G01N—INVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIR CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
- G01N21/00—Investigating or analysing materials by the use of optical means, i.e. using sub-millimetre waves, infrared, visible or ultraviolet light
- G01N21/17—Systems in which incident light is modified in accordance with the properties of the material investigated
- G01N21/25—Colour; Spectral properties, i.e. comparison of effect of material on the light at two or more different wavelengths or wavelength bands
- G01N21/251—Colorimeters; Construction thereof
- G01N21/253—Colorimeters; Construction thereof for batch operation, i.e. multisample apparatus
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- G—PHYSICS
- G01—MEASURING; TESTING
- G01N—INVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIR CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
- G01N21/00—Investigating or analysing materials by the use of optical means, i.e. using sub-millimetre waves, infrared, visible or ultraviolet light
- G01N21/17—Systems in which incident light is modified in accordance with the properties of the material investigated
- G01N21/25—Colour; Spectral properties, i.e. comparison of effect of material on the light at two or more different wavelengths or wavelength bands
- G01N21/255—Details, e.g. use of specially adapted sources, lighting or optical systems
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- G—PHYSICS
- G01—MEASURING; TESTING
- G01N—INVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIR CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
- G01N21/00—Investigating or analysing materials by the use of optical means, i.e. using sub-millimetre waves, infrared, visible or ultraviolet light
- G01N21/17—Systems in which incident light is modified in accordance with the properties of the material investigated
- G01N21/25—Colour; Spectral properties, i.e. comparison of effect of material on the light at two or more different wavelengths or wavelength bands
- G01N21/27—Colour; Spectral properties, i.e. comparison of effect of material on the light at two or more different wavelengths or wavelength bands using photo-electric detection ; circuits for computing concentration
- G01N21/272—Colour; Spectral properties, i.e. comparison of effect of material on the light at two or more different wavelengths or wavelength bands using photo-electric detection ; circuits for computing concentration for following a reaction, e.g. for determining photometrically a reaction rate (photometric cinetic analysis)
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- G—PHYSICS
- G01—MEASURING; TESTING
- G01N—INVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIR CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
- G01N2201/00—Features of devices classified in G01N21/00
- G01N2201/08—Optical fibres; light guides
Abstract
This analyzer comprises a photoirradiation portion simultaneously photoirradiating a plurality of storage vessels storing a plurality of measurement samples respectively and a plurality of photodetection portions detecting a plurality of light components resulting from simultaneous photoirradiation on the plurality of storage vessels storing the plurality of measurement samples respectively. The photoirradiation portion includes a light source, a first light guide portion branching light emitted from the light source into a plurality of light components and guiding the plurality of light components to the plurality of measurement samples respectively and a second light guide portion branching light emitted from the light source into a plurality of light components and guiding the plurality of light components to the plurality of measurement samples respectively.
Description
- This application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. § 119 to Japanese Patent Application No. JP2005-193955 filed Jul. 1, 2005, the entire content of which is hereby incorporated by reference.
- Field of the Invention
- The present invention relates to an analyzer and an analytic system.
- In biochemical analysis or blood coagulation analysis, an analyzer applies light to a sample for obtaining the quantity of transmitted light or absorbance, and analyzes the sample on the basis of this optical information. An analyzer of this type must optically measure a large number of samples at the same time. An analyzer disclosed in Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. 2-284064 (1990) applies light emitted from a single light source to the overall incidence end of an optical fiber bundle, thereby introducing the light emitted from the light source into the optical fiber bundle. This optical fiber bundle has a plurality of branched exit ends, for applying light components to a plurality of reaction vessels from the exit ends respectively. Thus, this analyzer can optically measure a plurality of samples at the same time.
- In order to improve the throughput of an analyzer, the number of samples optically measurable at the same time must be increased. When the analyzer branches light with a single optical fiber bundle as in the analyzer disclosed in the aforementioned Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. 2-284064, however, the area of the incidence end of the optical fiber bundle is increased as the number of branching is increased, to reduce the quantities of light components outgoing from the exit ends. Further, the surface of the incidence end of the optical fiber bundle is so planar that the quantities of light components transmitted through respective optical fiber members are dispersed unless the analyzer uniformly applies light to the surface of the incidence end.
- On the other hand, an analyzer disclosed in Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. 10-170432 (1998) is so formed as to supply light emitted from a single light source portion (photoirradiator) to a plurality of terminal portions while applying the supplied light to samples set on the terminal portions respectively. The light applied to the samples is incident upon a single array-type photoreceptor provided in common to the respective terminal portions. Therefore, the conventional analyzer disclosed in the aforementioned Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. 10-170432, supplying light to the terminal portions from the single light source portion, can be downsized.
- However, the downsizeable conventional analyzer disclosed in the aforementioned Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. 10-170432, which is so formed as to detect light with the single array type photoreceptor, cannot simultaneously introduce light components from the terminal portions into the array type photoreceptor for performing measurement. Therefore, the conventional analyzer disclosed in the aforementioned Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. 10-170432 must introduce the light components from the terminal portions into the array-type photoreceptor with a time lag, to disadvantageously require a long time for measurement in the respective terminal portions.
- An object of the present invention is to provide an analyzer and an analytic system improved in specimen treatment efficiency while attaining downsizing of the analyzer.
- In order to attain the aforementioned object, an analyzer according to a first aspect of the present invention comprises a plurality of detection areas in which containers including the samples are receivable, at least one optical source configured to emit at least one series of lights, and more than one splitter configured to split the at least one series of lights into a plurality of series of lights each guided to one of the plurality of the detection areas at which the sample is optically analyzed.
- An analyzer according to a second aspect of the present invention comprises a photoirradiation portion simultaneously photoirradiating a plurality of storage vessels storing a plurality of measurement samples prepared by admixing a reagent with a plurality of samples respectively, a plurality of photodetection portions detecting a plurality of light components resulting from simultaneous photoirradiation on the plurality of storage vessels storing the plurality of measurement samples respectively and an analytic portion analyzing characteristics of the plurality of samples on the basis of the light components detected by the photodetection portions. The photoirradiation portion includes a light source, a first light guide portion branching light emitted from the light source into a plurality of light components and guiding the plurality of light components to the plurality of measurement samples respectively and a second light guide portion branching light emitted from the light source into a plurality of light components and guiding the plurality of light components to the plurality of measurement samples respectively.
- An analyzer according to a third aspect of the present invention comprises a photoirradiation portion simultaneously photoirradiating a plurality of storage vessels storing a plurality of measurement samples prepared by admixing a reagent with a plurality of samples respectively, a plurality of photodetection portions detecting a plurality of light components resulting from simultaneous photoirradiation on the plurality of storage vessels storing the plurality of measurement samples respectively and an analytic portion analyzing characteristics of the plurality of samples on the basis of the light components detected by the photodetection portions. The photoirradiation portion includes a light source having a platelike filament and an optical fiber bundle including an incidence end formed by bundling ends of a plurality of optical fibers and a plurality of exit ends directed toward the plurality of storage vessels respectively so that light emitted from a first surface of the platelike filament is incident upon the incidence end.
- An analytic system according to a fourth aspect of the present invention comprises a photoirradiator, a first analyzer including a first reagent mixing portion mixing a reagent into an analyte and a first photodetection portion detecting light obtained by applying light emitted from the photoirradiator to the analyte mixed with the reagent by the first reagent mixing portion, a second analyzer including a second reagent mixing portion mixing another reagent into another analyte and a second photodetection portion detecting light obtained by applying light emitted from the photoirradiator to the analyte mixed with the reagent by the second reagent mixing portion and analytic means analyzing characteristics of the analyte mixed with the reagent by the first reagent mixing portion on the basis of the light detected by the first photodetection portion while analyzing characteristics of the analyte mixed with the reagent by the second reagent mixing portion on the basis of the light detected by the second photodetection portion.
- The foregoing and other objects, features, aspects and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description of the present invention when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
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FIG. 1 is a plan view showing the overall structure of an analytic system including an analyzer and an extension analyzer according to an embodiment of the present invention; -
FIG. 2 is a perspective view partially showing the analytic system including the analyzer and the extension analyzer according to the embodiment shown inFIG. 1 ; -
FIG. 3 is a perspective view for illustrating the structure of a lamp unit included in the analyzer according to the embodiment shown inFIG. 1 ; -
FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram showing the structure of the lamp unit included in the analyzer according to the embodiment shown inFIG. 3 ; -
FIG. 5 is a plan view showing a filter portion of the lamp unit included in the analyzer according to the embodiment shown inFIG. 3 ; -
FIG. 6 is a block diagram for illustrating the structure of a first optical information acquisitive portion of the analyzer according to the embodiment shown inFIG. 1 ; -
FIG. 7 is a block diagram for illustrating the structure of a second optical information acquisitive portion of the analyzer according to the embodiment shown inFIG. 1 ; -
FIG. 8 is a schematic diagram showing the structure of a detection portion of the second optical information acquisitive portion of the analyzer according to the embodiment shown inFIG. 7 ; -
FIG. 9 is a block diagram for illustrating the components of the second optical information acquisitive portion and a control board of the analyzer according to the embodiment of the present invention; -
FIG. 10 is a block diagram for illustrating the structures of the detection portion and a signal processing portion of the analyzer according to the embodiment of the present invention; -
FIG. 11 is a diagram for illustrating the structure of a logger memory of the control board of the analyzer according to the embodiment of the present invention; -
FIG. 12 is a circuit diagram showing the circuit structures of an amplification circuit and a differentiation circuit of the control board of the analyzer according to the embodiment of the present invention; -
FIG. 13 is a flow chart showing the outline of a control method by a PC body of the analyzer according to the embodiment of the present invention; -
FIG. 14 is a flow chart showing a method of calculating n clocks acquired by the PC body with a control portion in initialization shown at a step S1 inFIG. 13 ; -
FIG. 15 is a waveform diagram showing changes in the quantity of reference light and a differential signal of a reference signal employed in the method of calculating n clocks shown inFIG. 14 ; -
FIG. 16 is a flow chart showing the details (subroutine) of analysis with the PC body at a step S3 shown inFIG. 13 ; -
FIG. 17 illustrates a signal processing method in the signal processing portion of the analyzer according to the embodiment of the present invention; -
FIG. 18 is a graph showing a coagulation curve created by the analytic system according to the embodiment of the present invention; -
FIG. 19 is a flow chart for illustrating a method of data acquisition with the control portion of the analyzer according to the embodiment of the present invention; -
FIG. 20 is a flow chart for illustrating a method of data acquisition with the PC body of the analyzer according to the embodiment of the present invention; -
FIG. 21 is a flow chart showing processing of monitoring a time interval for detecting an origin slit in processing of monitoring rotation of the filter portion with the control portion of the analyzer according to the embodiment of the present invention; -
FIG. 22 is a waveform diagram showing the waveforms of a signal output from a sensor detecting slits of the rotating filter portion and an integral signal generated on the basis of the signal output from the sensor; -
FIG. 23 is a flow chart showing processing of monitoring a time interval for detecting a pair of adjacent slits (the origin slit and/or normal slit(s)) in the processing of monitoring rotation of the filter portion with the control portion of the analyzer according to the embodiment of the present invention; -
FIG. 24 is a flow chart showing processing of monitoring the number of normal slits detected while the origin slit is detected twice in the processing of monitoring rotation of the filter portion with the control portion of the analyzer according to the embodiment of the present invention; and -
FIG. 25 is a plan view showing the overall structure of the analytic system including no extension analyzer according to the embodiment of the present invention. - An embodiment of the present invention is now described with reference to the drawings.
- The structure of an
analytic system 1 according to the embodiment of the present invention is described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 12. - The
analytic system 1 according to the embodiment of the present invention is a system for optically measuring and analyzing the quantities and the degrees of activity of specific substances related to a blood coagulative/fibrinolytic function, employing blood plasma as a specimen. Theanalytic system 1 according to this embodiment optically measures the specimen with a coagulation time method. The coagulation time method employed in this embodiment is a measuring method detecting the process of coagulation of the specimen as change of transmitted light. - The structure of the
analytic system 1 can be varied with the scale of an institution where thesystem 1 is installed. When installed in an institution having a relatively small number of specimens, for example, theanalytic system 1 is constituted of ananalyzer 3 and atransporter 200 for supplying specimens to theanalyzer 3, as shown inFIG. 25 . When installed in an institution having a large number of specimens, on the other hand, theanalytic system 1 is constituted of atransport mechanism portion 2 substituting for thetransporter 200, ananalyzer 3 and anextension analyzer 4. Theextension analyzer 4 added to theanalytic system 1 extends the specimen throughput of theanalytic system 1. - The
transport mechanism portion 2 shown inFIG. 1 has a function of transportingracks 151 each carrying a plurality of (10 in this embodiment)test tubes 150 storing specimens tosuctional positions FIG. 1 ) of theanalyzer 3 and theextension analyzer 4 respectively, in order to supply the specimens to theanalyzer 3 and theextension analyzer 4. Thistransport mechanism portion 2 has a rack setarea 2 c for settingracks 151carrying test tubes 150 storing untreated specimens and arack storage area 2 d for storingracks 151carrying test tubes 150 storing treated specimens. - The
analyzer 3 and theextension analyzer 4 are so formed as to optically measure different specimens supplied from thetransport mechanism portion 2 thereby acquiring optical information related to the supplied specimens respectively. According to this embodiment, theanalyzer 3 and theextension analyzer 4 optically measure specimens injected into cuvettes 152 (seeFIG. 1 ) from thetest tubes 150 located on thetransport mechanism portion 2 respectively. Theanalyzer 3 includes aninformation processing terminal 3 a, alamp unit 5 and acontrol board 6. Theanalyzer 3 further includes acuvette supply portion 20, arotary transport portion 30, aspecimen injection arm 40, tworeagent injection arms 50,cuvette transfer portions acquisitive portion 70 and a second optical informationacquisitive portion 80. Theextension analyzer 4 also includes acontrol board 6, acuvette supply portion 20, arotary transport portion 30, aspecimen injection arm 40, tworeagent injection arms 50,cuvette transfer portions acquisitive portion 70 and a second optical informationacquisitive portion 80 identical to those provided on theanalyzer 3. These components are identically arranged in theanalyzer 3 and theextension analyzer 4. - According to this embodiment, only the
analyzer 3 includes theinformation processing terminal 3 a and thelamp unit 5, while theextension analyzer 4 includes no such components. - The
information processing terminal 3 a is electrically connected not only to the body of theanalyzer 3 but also to theextension analyzer 4 through communication cables. In other words, theanalyzer 3 and theextension analyzer 4 share theinformation processing terminal 3 a of theanalyzer 3 in common. Theanalyzer 3 and theextension analyzer 4 have functions of transmitting optical information acquired from specimens to theinformation processing terminal 3 a. Theinformation processing terminal 3 a is formed by a personal computer (PC), and includes aPC body 3 b, adisplay portion 3 c and akeyboard 3 d, as shown inFIG. 2 . When thelamp unit 5 applies light components having prescribed wavelength characteristics to specimens (measurement samples), thePC body 3 b analyzes the characteristics of the specimens on the basis of signals (optical information) acquired bysignal processing portions 111 andcontrol portions 112, described later, of thecontrol boards 6. According to this embodiment, thePC body 3 b of theinformation processing terminal 3 a is so formed as to analyze times (coagulation times) required for the specimens to reach prescribed coagulation states from prescribed timing after reagents are mixed into the specimens. ThePC body 3 b includes a control portion (not shown) formed by a CPU, a ROM, a RAM, a hard disk etc. Thedisplay portion 3 c is provided for displaying information such as results of analysis obtained in thePC body 3 b. As hereinabove described, theanalyzer 3 and theextension analyzer 4 are identical in structure to each other except that theextension analyzer 4 includes neitherinformation processing terminal 3 a norlamp unit 5. Therefore, the structure of theanalyzer 3 is described in the following. - As shown in
FIGS. 3 and 4 , thelamp unit 5 has ahalogen lamp 11 serving as a light source, twomirrors lenses 13 a to 13 c and 13 d to 13 f, adiscoidal filter portion 14, amotor 15, alight transmission sensor 16 and twooptical fiber members lamp unit 5, thehalogen lamp 11, themirror 12 b, the condensinglenses 13 d to 13 f and theoptical fiber member 17 b constitute an optical system for theanalyzer 3, while thehalogen lamp 11, themirror 12 a, the condensinglenses 13 a to 13 c and theoptical fiber member 17 a constitute an optical system for theextension analyzer 4. - The forward end of the
optical fiber member 17 b is connected to the second optical informationacquisitive portion 80 of theanalyzer 3. The forward end of theoptical fiber member 17 a is connected to the second optical informationacquisitive portion 80 of theextension analyzer 4 only when theextension analyzer 4 is provided on theanalytic system 1. - The
mirror 12 a, the condensinglenses 13 a to 13 c and theoptical fiber member 17 a may not be provided on thelamp unit 5 when theextension analyzer 4 is not provided on theanalytic system 1. Themirror 12 a and the condensinglenses 13 a to 13 c may be mounted on amirror mounting portion 12 c andlens mounting portions 13 g to 13 i respectively when theextension analyzer 4 is added to theanalytic system 1. Thus, the cost for thelamp unit 5 can be reduced when theextension analyzer 4 is not provided on theanalytic system 1. - The
optical fiber members optical fibers 17 c and 21optical fibers 17 d respectively. Bundlingmembers optical fibers 17 c and the 21optical fibers 17 d respectively. Thehalogen lamp 11 includes aplatelike filament 11 a capable of emitting light components from both surfaces, as shown inFIG. 4 . Thus, thehalogen lamp 11 is so formed as to emit light components of the same characteristics from both surfaces of theplatelike filament 11 a. Theplatelike filament 11 a, having small dispersion in the quantity of light in a photoirradiation region thereof, is so employed as to stabilize the quantities of light components (transmitted light components or scattered light components) obtained by applying light components to measurement samples, thereby suppressing measurement errors. The two mirrors 12 a and 12 b are provided for reflecting the light components emitted from thehalogen lamp 11 and guiding the same to prescribed optical paths respectively. In other words, themirrors filament 11 a, and located on positions correctly opposed to first and second surfaces of thefilament 11 a respectively. Further, themirrors filament 11 a, in order to change the traveling directions of the light components emitted from thefilament 11 a by 90° respectively. - The
mirrors platelike filament 11 a of thehalogen lamp 11 respectively. Thus, the light components reflected by themirrors 12 a 12 b form two optical paths. Themirrors mirror mounting portion 12 c and anothermirror mounting portion 12 d respectively, as shown inFIG. 3 . The condensinglenses 13 a to 13 c are arranged on the path of the light component whose traveling direction is changed by themirror 12 a in this order from the side closer to themirror 12 a, as shown inFIG. 4 . Similarly to the condensinglenses 13 a to 13 c, the condensinglenses 13 d to 13 f are arranged on the path of the light component whose traveling direction is changed by themirror 12 b in this order from the side closer to themirror 12 b. The two sets of condensinglenses 13 a to 13 c and 13 d to 13 f are so arranged that the directions of arrangement thereof are parallel to each other. - As shown in
FIG. 4 , the two sets of condensinglenses 13 a to 13 c and 13 d to 13 f condense the two light components reflected by themirrors optical fiber members FIG. 4 . The two light components reflected by themirrors lenses 13 a to 13 c and 13 d to 13 f respectively, transmitted through any ones ofoptical filters 14 b to 14 f and guided to theoptical fiber members lenses 13 a to 13 c are detachably mounted on thelens mounting portions 13 g to 13 i respectively, as shown inFIG. 3 . The condensinglenses 13 d to 13 f are also detachably mounted on corresponding lens mounting portions (not shown) respectively. - According to this embodiment, the
filter portion 14 of thelamp unit 5 is rotatable about ashaft 14 a, as shown inFIG. 5 . Thisfilter portion 14 is constituted of afilter plate 14 g provided with fiveoptical filters 14 b to 14 f having different light transmission characteristics (transmission wavelengths) and a filterplate holding member 14 h holding thefilter plate 14 g to expose both surfaces of theoptical filters 14 b to 14 f. Thefilter plate 14 g is fixed to the filterplate holding member 14 h. Thisfilter plate 14 g is provided with fiveholes 14 i for receiving theoptical filters 14 b to 14 f respectively. The fiveoptical filters holes 14 i respectively. Thefilter plate 14 g is further provided with ahole 14 j, which is blocked not to transmit light. Theholes filter portion 14. Thehole 14 j is a preliminary hole for receiving an additional filter when theanalytic system 1 requires this filter. - The optical filters 14 b, 14 c, 14 d, 14 e and 14 f transmit light components having wavelengths of 340 nm, 405 nm, 575 nm, 660 nm and 800 nm respectively, while transmitting no light components of other wavelengths. Therefore, light components transmitted through the
optical filters - The filter
plate holding member 14 h is so annularly formed that thefilter plate 14 g is arranged on a central hole portion thereof. The filterplate holding member 14 h is circumferentially provided with six slits at a regular interval (60°). One of the six slits is an origin slit 14 k having a larger width than the remaining five slits 14 l along the direction of rotation of the filterplate holding member 14 h. - The origin slit 14 k and the normal slits 14 l are formed on intermediate angular positions (deviating from the
holes adjacent holes FIG. 3 ) is connected to theshaft 14 a of thefilter portion 14. Thus, themotor 15 drives thefilter portion 14 to rotate about theshaft 14 a. - According to this embodiment, the control board 6 (see
FIG. 1 ) controls themotor 15 to continuously rotate thefilter portion 14 when thelamp unit 5 emits a light component transmitted through any of theoptical filters 14 b to 14 f. Following this rotation of thefilter portion 14, the fiveoptical filters 14 b to 14 f having different light transmission characteristics and the blockedhole 14 j (seeFIG. 5 ) are intermittently successively arranged on paths of the light components condensed by the condensinglenses 13 a to 13 c (seeFIG. 4 ) and the condensinglenses 13 d to 13 f (seeFIG. 4 ) respectively. Thus, thelamp unit 5 intermittently successively applies five types of light components having different wavelength characteristics. - The
light transmission sensor 16 is provided for detecting passage of the origin slit 14 k and the normal slits 14 l following the rotation of thefilter portion 14, as shown inFIG. 3 . In other words, thesensor 16 is so set as to hold thefilter portion 14 between a light source and a photoreceptive portion. Thissensor 16 is provided in correspondence to a position passed by the origin slit 14 k and the normal slits 14 l. - Upon passage of the origin slit 14 k and the normal slits 14 l, therefore, the photoreceptive portion detects light from the light source through the
slits 14 k and 14 l so that thesensor 16 outputs detection signals. Since the origin slit 14 k is larger in width than the normal slits 14 l, the detection signal output from thesensor 16 upon passage of the origin slit 14 k has a longer output period than the detection signals output from thesensor 16 upon passage of the normal slits 14 l. The detection signals output from thesensor 16 are transmitted to the control board 6 (seeFIG. 1 ), so that a filter rotation monitoring portion 112 b, described later, of thecontrol board 6 monitors whether or not thefilter portion 14 normally rotates on the basis of the detection signals received from thesensor 16. - The
optical fiber members lamp unit 5 to measurement samples stored in thecuvettes 152 set on the second optical informationacquisitive portions 80 of theanalyzer 3 and theextension analyzer 4 respectively. As shown inFIG. 1 , theoptical fiber member 17 a is so set as to extend from thelamp unit 5 toward the second optical informationacquisitive portion 80 of theextension analyzer 4 through anextension connecting terminal 7 provided on theextension analyzer 4. Also theoptical fiber member 17 b is so set as to extend from thelamp unit 5 toward the second optical informationacquisitive portion 80 of theanalyzer 3. Thus, thesingle lamp unit 5 can supply light components to the second optical informationacquisitive portions 80 of theanalyzer 3 and theextension analyzer 4 respectively. - As shown in
FIG. 4 , each of theoptical fiber members optical filters 14 b to 14 f from an end bundled by the bundlingmember 17 e (17 f). The 21optical fibers 17 c are so arranged as to supply light components to 20 receivingholes 81 a and a referencelight measurement hole 81 b, described later, of the extension analyzer 4 (seeFIG. 1 ) respectively. Also the 21optical fiber members 17 d are so arranged as to supply light components to 20 receivingholes 81 a and a referencelight measurement hole 81 b, described later, of the analyzer 3 (seeFIG. 1 ) respectively. - The
cuvette supply portion 20 arranges the plurality ofcuvettes 152, randomly introduced by a user, one by one on aposition 152 a. Thecuvette transfer portion 60 a transfers thecuvettes 152, each arranged on theposition 152 a, one by one to therotary transport portion 30. Therotary transport portion 30 includes a discoidal table 30 a, which is provided with a plurality ofholes 152 b for storing thecuvettes 152 and a plurality ofholes 152 c for storing reagent vessels (not shown) storing reagents added to specimens stored in thecuvettes 152. Therotary transport portion 30 transports thecuvettes 152 and the reagent vessels by rotating the table 30 a. - The
specimen injection arm 40 has a function of sucking specimens from thetest tubes 150 transported to the suctional/injective position 2 a (2 b) while injecting the sucked specimens into thecuvettes 152 transferred by therotary transport portion 30. Thereagent injection arms 50 are provided for injecting the reagents stored in the reagent vessels (not shown) placed on therotary transport portion 30 into thecuvettes 152 held on therotary transport portion 30 thereby mixing the reagents into the specimens stored in thecuvettes 152. Thecuvette transfer portion 60 is provided for transferring thecuvettes 152 between therotary transport portion 30 and acuvette receiving portion 81, described later, of the second optical informationacquisitive portion 80. - The first optical information
acquisitive portion 70 is so formed as to acquire optical information from the specimens, in order to detect presence/absence, types and contents of interference substances (hemoglobin, chyle (lipid) and bilirubin) in the specimens not yet mixed with the reagents. The first optical informationacquisitive portion 70 acquires the optical information before the second optical informationacquisitive portion 80 optically measures the specimens. As shown inFIG. 6 , the first optical informationacquisitive portion 70 includes a light-emitting diode (LED) 71 serving as a light source, aphotoelectric conversion element 72, apreamplifier 73 and asubstrate 74. This first optical informationacquisitive portion 70 acquires the optical information from the specimens by applying light components to thecuvettes 152 held on therotary transport portion 30. - The light-emitting
diode 71 is so provided as to apply light components to thecuvettes 152 held on therotary transport portion 30. Acontroller 74 c of the substrate 74 (seeFIG. 6 ) controls the light-emittingdiode 71 to periodically successively emit light components having three types of wavelength characteristics. More specifically, the light-emittingdiode 71 periodically successively emits blue, green and red light components having wavelength characteristics of 430 nm, 565 nm and 627 nm respectively. Thephotoelectric conversion element 72 has a function of detecting the light components emitted from the light-emittingdiode 71 and transmitted through thecuvettes 152 and converting the same to electric signals. Thepreamplifier 73 is provided for amplifying the electric signals received from thephotoelectric conversion element 72. - The
substrate 74 has a function of amplifying and digitizing the electric signals received from thephotoelectric conversion element 72 and transmitting the same to thePC body 3 b of theinformation processing terminal 3 a. Thissubstrate 74 is provided with anamplification portion 74 a, anA-D converter 74 b and acontroller 74 c, as shown inFIG. 6 . Theamplification portion 74 a has anamplifier 74 d and anelectronic volume 74 c. Theamplifier 74 d is provided for amplifying the electric signals received from thepreamplifier 73. Theamplifier 74 d is so formed as to input a control signal from thecontroller 74 c into theelectronic volume 74 e thereby controlling the gain (amplification factor) of theamplifier 74 d. TheA-D converter 74 b is provided for converting the electric signals (analog signals) amplified by theamplifier 74 d to digital signals. - The
controller 74 c is so formed as to change the gain (amplification factor) of theamplifier 74 d in response to periodic change of the wavelength characteristics (430 nm, 565 nm and 627 nm) of the light components emitted from the light-emittingdiode 71. Further, thecontroller 74 c is electrically connected to thePC body 3 b, for transmitting the digital signals converted by theA-D converter 74 b to thePC body 3 b. Thus, thePC body 3 b analyzes the digital signals received from the first optical informationacquisitive portion 70 thereby obtaining absorbance values (intensity levels of transmitted light components) of the specimens stored in thecuvettes 152 with respect to the three light components emitted from the light-emittingdiode 71, while analyzing the presence/absence, types and contents of the interference substances in the specimens. On the basis of the results of analysis, thePC body 3 b determines whether or not to measure the specimens with the second optical informationacquisitive portion 80 and controls a method of analyzing detection signals from the second optical informationacquisitive portion 80 and a method of displaying the results of analysis. - The second optical information
acquisitive portion 80 has a function of warming the measurement samples prepared by adding the reagents to the specimens and detecting optical information from the measurement samples. This second optical informationacquisitive portion 80 is constituted of thecuvette receiving portion 81 and a detection portion 82 (seeFIG. 7 ) arranged under thecuvette receiving portion 81. Thecuvette receiving portion 81 is provided with the 20 receivingholes 81 a for receiving thecuvettes 152 and the referencelight measurement hole 81 b for measuring reference light without receiving anycuvette 152, as shown inFIG. 1 . Further, thecuvette receiving portion 81 has a built-in warming mechanism (not shown) for warming thecuvettes 152 received in the receiving holes 81 a. - The
detection portion 82 is so formed as to optically measure the measurement samples stored in thecuvettes 152 received in the receiving holes 81 a. As shown inFIGS. 7 and 8 , thedetection portion 82 is provided withcollimator lenses 83 a,photoelectric conversion elements 84 a andpreamplifiers 85 a in correspondence to the receiving holes 81 a receiving thecuvettes 152 respectively, and further provided with a referencelight collimator lens 83 b, a reference lightphotoelectric conversion element 84 b and areference light preamplifier 85 b in correspondence to the referencelight measurement hole 81 b (seeFIG. 1 ). The referencelight collimator lens 83 b, the reference lightphotoelectric conversion element 84 b and thereference light preamplifier 85 b are identical in structure to thecollimator lenses 83 a, thephotoelectric conversion elements 84 a and thepreamplifiers 85 a respectively. - As shown in
FIG. 8 , thecollimator lenses 83 a are set between ends of theoptical fibers 17 d (17 c) guiding the light components received from the lamp unit 5 (seeFIG. 1 ) and the corresponding receiving holes 81 a. Thecollimator lenses 83 a are provided for parallelizing the light components received from theoptical fibers 17 d (17 c). Thephotoelectric conversion elements 84 a are mounted on surfaces, closer to the receiving holes 81 a, ofsubstrates 86 a opposite to the ends of theoptical fibers 17 d (17 c) through the receiving holes 81 a. Thepreamplifiers 85 a are mounted on other surfaces of thesubstrates 86 a opposite to the receiving holes 81 a. Thephotoelectric conversion elements 84 a have functions of detecting light components (hereinafter referred to as transmitted light components) transmitted through the measurement samples stored in thecuvettes 152 received in the receiving holes 81 a upon photoirradiation and outputting electric signals (analog signals) corresponding to the detected transmitted light components. Thepreamplifiers 85 a of thedetection portion 82 are provided for amplifying the electric signals (analog signals) received from thephotoelectric conversion elements 84 a. - The reference
light collimator lens 83 b, the reference lightphotoelectric conversion element 84 b, thereference light preamplifier 85 b and areference light substrate 86 b provided on thedetection portion 82 in correspondence to the referencelight measuring hole 81 b are identical in structure to thecollimator lenses 83 a, thephotoelectric conversion elements 84 a, thepreamplifiers 85 a and thesubstrates 86 a provided on thedetection portion 82 in correspondence to the receiving holes 81 a respectively. The reference lightphotoelectric conversion element 84 b is so formed as to directly receive a light component emitted from the correspondingoptical fiber 17 d (17 c) and transmitted through the referencelight collimator lens 83 b as reference light. In other words, the reference lightphotoelectric conversion element 84 b is so formed as to detect the reference light applied without through thecuvettes 152 storing the measurement samples and to output an electric signal (analog signal) corresponding to the detected reference light. - The
control board 6 is arranged under the second optical informationacquisitive portion 80. Thiscontrol board 6 has a function of controlling operations of theanalyzer 3 and thelamp unit 5 while processing and storing the optical information (electric signals) received from the second optical informationacquisitive portion 80. As shown inFIGS. 7 and 9 , thecontrol board 6 is provided with thesignal processing portion 111, thecontrol portion 112, anamplification circuit 113, adifferentiation circuit 114 and atemperature controller 115. Thesignal processing portion 111 is provided for processing the signals output from thephotoelectric conversion elements 84 a detecting the transmitted light components when thelamp unit 5 applies the light components to the measurement samples. As shown inFIG. 9 , thissignal processing portion 111 has three multiplexers (MUX) 111 a, three offsetcircuits 111 b, threeamplifiers 111 c and threeA-D conversion portions 111 d. Thefirst multiplexer 111 a, the first offsetcircuit 111 b, thefirst amplifier 111 c and the first A-Dconversion portion 111 d constitute a signal processing line L0. Thesignal processing portion 111 is also provided with signal processing lines L1 and L2 similar in structure to the signal processing line L0. In other words, thesignal processing portion 111 is provided with the three signal processing lines L0 to L2 for processing the plurality of analog signals received from thedetection portion 82. - As shown in
FIG. 10 , themultiplexers 11 a are connected to the plurality ofpreamplifiers 85 a (reference light preamplifier 85 b). Thesemultiplexers 111 a are so formed as to select the plurality of analog signals received from the plurality ofphotoelectric conversion elements 84 a (reference lightphotoelectric conversion element 84 b) through thepreamplifiers 85 a (reference light preamplifier 85 b) one by one and to successively output the same to the offsetcircuits 111 b. The offsetcircuits 111 b have functions of correcting the signals received from themultiplexers 111 a. More specifically, the offsetcircuits 111 b are supplied with offset values corresponding to the receiving holes 81 a and the referencelight measurement hole 81 b employed for measurement respectively from the control portion 112 (seeFIG. 9 ). The offsetcircuits 111 b subtract these offset values from the signals corresponding to the transmitted light components received from themultiplexers 111 a, thereby correcting the signals corresponding to the transmitted light components received from themultiplexers 111 a. - The
amplifiers 111 c have functions of amplifying the analog signals received from the offsetcircuits 111 b. Thecontrol portion 112 controls the gains (amplification factors) of theseamplifiers 111 c, to be switchable between low gains and high gains higher than the low gains. Signals of the low gains (amplification factors) and the high gains (amplification factors) amplified by theamplifiers 111 c are input in theA-D conversion portions 111 d at different timings. TheA-D conversion portions 111 d, connected to theamplifiers 111 c respectively, are provided for converting processed analog signals amplified to the signals (analog signals) of the low and high gains by theamplifiers 111 c to digital signals (data). - According to this embodiment, the
A-D conversion portions 111d output 48 data (16 data perA-D conversion portion 111 d) corresponding to channels CH0 to CH47 respectively, as shown inFIG. 10 . Among these channels CH0 to CH47, the data of 42 channels CH0 to CH41 correspond to data based on the electric signals obtained from thephotoelectric conversion elements 84 a and the reference lightphotoelectric conversion element 84 b respectively. In other words, theamplifiers 111 c of thesignal processing portion 111 amplify 20 data obtained from 20photoelectric conversion elements 84 a to 40 data with the low and high gains (amplification factors). One of theamplifiers 111 c of the signal processing portion 111 (seeFIG. 9 ) amplifies single data obtained from the reference lightphotoelectric conversion element 84 b to two data with the low and high gains (amplification factors). The data of the channels CH0 to CH41 correspond to 42 data obtained by totalizing the aforementioned 40 data and the two data corresponding to the reference light. The remaining six channels CH42 to CH47 are preliminary channels not used in this embodiment, and data of these channels CH42 to CH47 do not correspond to the electric signals from thephotoelectric conversion elements 84 a and the reference lightphotoelectric conversion element 84 b. - The
control portion 112 has functions of controlling the operations of theanalyzer 3 and acquiring and storing the digital signals (data) received from theA-D conversion portions 111 d. As shown inFIG. 9 , thiscontrol portion 112 includes a controller 112 a, the filter rotation monitoring portion 112 b, amotor controller 112 c, amultiplexer control portion 112 d, an offsetinterface 112 e, anamplifier interface 112 f, an A-Dconversion portion interface 112 g, alogger memory 112 h, a set memory 112 i, acontroller status register 112 j and a local bus interface 112 k. - The controller 112 a has a function of unifying various control operations with the
control portion 112. The filter rotation monitoring portion 112 b is provided for monitoring whether or not thefilter portion 14 of thelamp unit 5 normally rotates. This filter rotation monitoring portion 112 b is so formed as to receive the detection signals from thesensor 16 detecting passage of the origin slit 14 k (seeFIG. 5 ) and thenormal slits 141 following rotation of thefilter portion 14. The filter rotation monitoring portion 112 b monitors whether or not thefilter portion 14 normally rotates by monitoring the time intervals of the detection signals for the origin slit 14 k (seeFIG. 5 ) and the normal slits 141 (seeFIG. 5 ) output from thesensor 16 and the frequency of the detection signals for thenormal slits 141 output between pairs of detection signals for the origin slit 14 k output from thesensor 16. Themotor controller 112 c has a function of controlling the rotational frequency of themotor 15 rotating thefilter portion 14. Themultiplexer control portion 112 d has a function of controlling operations of themultiplexers 111 a. More specifically, themultiplexer control portion 112 d controls the operations of the plurality ofmultiplexers 111 a to select the analog signals at different times respectively. - The controller 112 a is so formed as to control operations of the offset
circuits 111 b, theamplifiers 111 c and theA-D conversion portions 111 d of thesignal processing portion 111 through the offsetinterface 112 e, theamplifier interface 112 f and the A-Dconversion portion interface 112 g respectively, as shown inFIG. 9 . More specifically, the controller 112 a supplies prescribed offset values to the offsetcircuits 111 b through the offsetinterface 112 e, while controlling the offsetcircuits 111 b to perform correction processing by subtracting the offset values from the signals received from themultiplexers 111 a. The controller 112 a controls theamplifiers 111 c between the low and high gains through theamplifier interface 112 f, while controlling theamplifiers 111 c to amplify the signals received from the offsetcircuits 111 b. Further, the controller 112 a controls theA-D conversion portions 111 d to convert the signals (analog signals) received from theamplifiers 111 c to digital signals through the A-Dconversion portion interface 112 g. Thelogger memory 112 h receives and stores the digital signals (data) acquired by theA-D conversion portions 111 d through the A-Dconversion portion interface 112 g and the controller 112 a. At this time, the controller 112 a controls operations of theA-D conversion portions 111 d through the A-Dconversion portion interface 112 g, not to overlap the periods for outputting the digital signals respectively with each other. - The controller 112 a also has a function of switching that executing processing among the
multiplexers 111 a, the offsetcircuits 111 b, theamplifiers 111 c and theA-D conversion portions 111 d of the signal lines L0 to L2 and thelogger memory 112 h, so that theA-D conversion portion 111 d of another signal processing line L1, L2 or L0 performs conversion processing with the corresponding A-D conversion portion 116 d and thelogger memory 112 h of thecontrol portion 112 stores data while themultiplexer 111 a, the offsetcircuit 111 b and theamplifier 111 c of a prescribed signal processing line L0, L1 or L2 process the corresponding analog signals. This point is described later in more detail with reference to an analytic operation. - The
logger memory 112 h is provided for storing the digital signals (data) corresponding to the analog signals output from thephotoelectric conversion elements 84 a. As shown inFIG. 11 , thelogger memory 112 h is constituted of 32areas 0 to 31 in units of 128 bytes. Theareas 0 to 31 store data corresponding to the light components transmitted through the fiveoptical filters 14 b to 14 f (seeFIG. 5 ) and data corresponding to the blockedhole 14 j respectively. Every rotation of thefilter portion 14 results in data corresponding to the light components transmitted through the fiveoptical filters 14 b to 14 f having different light transmission characteristics. Thelogger memory 112 h (seeFIG. 11 ) stores these data successively from thearea 0. Thelogger memory 112 h stores “0” in every sixth area as the data corresponding to thehole 14 j. Thus, thelogger memory 112 h uses six areas every rotation (about 100 msec.) of thefilter portion 14. After using theareas 0 to 31 up to thefinal area 31, thelogger memory 112 h returns to thearea 0 for overwriting data. - Each of the
areas 0 to 31 of thelogger memory 112 h has 128 addresses. For example, thearea 0 has 128addresses 000h to 00Fh, 010h to 01Fh, 020h to 02Fh, 030h to 03Fh, 040h to 04Fh, 050h to 05Fh, 060h to 06Fh and 070h to 07Fh. Further, thearea 0 is so formed as to store the data of the aforementioned channels CH0 to CH47 (seeFIG. 10 ) in the 96 addresses 00h to 05Fh. Each of the data of the channels CH0 to CH47 is stored in two addresses. According to this embodiment, the channels CH42 to 47 output no data as hereinabove described, so that addresses corresponding to these channels CH42 to 47 store no data. - The
addresses 060h to 06Fh and 070h to 07Fh in thearea 0 of thelogger memory 112 h shown inFIG. 11 are preliminary addresses storing no data in this embodiment. Thearea 0 stores filter numbers (0 to 4) in the final address 07Fh. These filter numbers (0 to 4) are employed for identifying the fiveoptical filters 14 b to 14 f (seeFIG. 5 ) respectively. The optical filters 14 b to 14 f can be identified by detecting the timing of passage of the origin slit 14 k. Thearea 0 stores the filter numbers (0 to 4) corresponding to the fiveoptical filters 14 b to 14 f in the address 07Fh, thereby identifying the optical filter (one of 14 b to 14 f) through which the light component corresponding to the data stored in thearea 0 has been transmitted. - The set memory 112 i shown in
FIG. 9 is provided for storing set values such as the offset values supplied to the offsetcircuits 111 b and the gains (amplification factors) supplied to theamplifiers 111 c. Thecontroller status register 112 j is provided for temporarily storing information such as whether or not thefilter portion 14 normally rotates, presence/absence of errors in analog-to-digital conversion by theA-D conversion portions 111 d, the status of data acquisition by thePC body 3 b from thelogger memory 112 h and presence/absence of an instruction for starting measurement from thePC body 3 b. Thecontrol portion 112 has a function of transmitting the data (optical information) of the measurement samples stored in thelogger memory 112 h to thePC body 3 b through the local bus interface 112 k and aninterface 116. - The
amplification circuit 113 of thecontrol board 6 shown inFIG. 9 has a function of receiving the signal output from the reference lightphotoelectric conversion element 84 b (seeFIG. 10 ) through thereference light preamplifier 85 b and amplifying the received signal. As shown inFIG. 12 , thisamplification circuit 113 is constituted of tworesistors operational amplifier 113 c. A first end of theresistor 113 a receives the signal corresponding to the reference light from thereference light preamplifier 85 b, while a second end thereof is connected to an inverted input terminal of theoperational amplifier 113 c. Theresistor 113 b is connected between an output terminal and the inverted input terminal of theoperational amplifier 113 c. A non-inverted input terminal of theoperational amplifier 113 c is grounded. Themultiplexers 111 a of the signal processing portion 111 (seeFIG. 9 ) and thedifferentiation circuit 114 receive an output of theoperational amplifier 113 c. - The
differentiation circuit 114 of thecontrol board 6 has a function of generating a differential signal of the signal (hereinafter referred to as a reference signal) corresponding to the reference light received from theamplification circuit 113. As shown inFIG. 12 , thisdifferentiation circuit 114 is constituted of tworesistors capacitors operational amplifier 114 e. A first end of theresistor 114 a receives the reference signal from theamplification circuit 113, while a second end thereof is connected to a first electrode of thecapacitor 114 c. A second electrode of thecapacitor 114 c is connected to an inverted input terminal of theoperational amplifier 114 e. Both of theresistor 114 b and thecapacitor 114 d are connected between an output terminal and the inverted input terminal of theoperational amplifier 114 e. A non-inverted input terminal of theoperational amplifier 114 e is grounded. The controller 112 a of the control portion 112 (seeFIG. 9 ) receives an output of theoperational amplifier 114 e through a comparator (not shown). - The
temperature controller 115 of thecontrol board 6 show inFIG. 9 has a function of controlling the temperature of the cuvette receiving portion 81 (seeFIG. 1 ) receiving thecuvettes 152 by controlling another warming mechanism (not shown) stored in the second optical informationacquisitive portion 80. As shown inFIG. 9 , thetemperature controller 115 is so formed as to control warming with the warming mechanism (not shown) of the second optical informationacquisitive portion 80 in response to a set temperature (about 37° C.) received from thePC body 3 b through theinterface 116. - The outline of control of the
analyzer 3 with thePC body 3 b is now described with reference toFIGS. 2, 3 and 13. Theanalyzer 3 and theextension analyzer 4 are identical in control to each other, and hence the control of theanalyzer 3 is described in the following. - The
analytic system 1 starts theinformation processing terminal 3 a, the body of theanalyzer 3 and theextension analyzer 4 by supplying power thereto. - Upon this power supply, the
PC body 3 b performs initialization at a step S1 shown inFIG. 13 . In this initialization, thePC body 3 b initializes software stored therein and performs processing of acquiring n clocks described later from thecontrol portion 112 of theanalyzer 3. Upon power supply to the body of theanalyzer 3, thehalogen lamp 11 of the lamp unit 5 (seeFIG. 3 ) applies light while thefilter portion 14 starts continuously rotating at a rotational speed of 10 revolutions/sec. in the initialization at the step S1. Thehalogen lamp 11 continuously applies light and thefilter portion 14 continuously rotates until the body of theanalyzer 3 is turned off. At a step S2, thePC body 3 b accepts entry of specimen analysis information by the user. In other words, the user inputs information in columns of specimen numbers and measurement items of a specimen analysis list output on thedisplay portion 3 c of theinformation processing terminal 3 a (seeFIG. 2 ) through thekeyboard 3 d of theinformation processing terminal 3 a. ThePC body 3 b preserves the specimen analysis information. - At a step S3, the
PC body 3 b instructs analysis, so that theanalyzer 3 performs the analysis. At a step S4, thePC body 3 b determines whether or not a shutdown instruction for theanalytic system 1 has been received. When determining that no shutdown instruction for theanalytic system 1 has been received at the step S4, thePC body 3 b returns to the step S2 for accepting entry of another specimen analysis information by the user. When determining that a shutdown instruction for theanalytic system 1 has been received at the step S4, on the other hand, thePC body 3 b performs shutdown processing at a step S5. According to this shutdown processing, theanalytic system 1 automatically enters an OFF-state, thereby completing the operation thereof. - A method of calculating the n clocks with the
control portion 112 is now described with reference toFIGS. 3, 7 to 9, 14 and 15. - As shown in
FIG. 15 , the quantity of the reference light incident upon the reference lightphotoelectric conversion element 84 b (seeFIG. 8 ) from thelamp unit 5 changes along a waveform shown as “QUANTITY OF REFERENCE LIGHT” during the continuous rotation of the filter portion 14 (seeFIG. 3 ). Referring toFIG. 15 , symbol Ä denotes a period when any one of theoptical filters 14 b to 14 f of therotating filter portion 14 is arranged on the path of the corresponding light component from thehalogen lamp 11 in the lamp unit 5 (seeFIG. 3 ). When the aforementioned one of theoptical filters 14 b to 14 f approaches the path of the corresponding light component from thehalogen lamp 11 in this period Ä, the quantity of the reference light gradually increases. Thereafter the path of the corresponding light component from thehalogen lamp 11 completely falls into the aforementioned one of theoptical filters 14 b to 14 f, so that the quantity of the reference light is constant. When the aforementioned one of theoptical filters 14 b to 14 f thereafter starts deviating from the path of the corresponding light component from thehalogen lamp 11, the quantity of the reference light starts to gradually decrease. When the aforementioned one of theoptical filters 14 b to 14 f completely deviates from the path of the corresponding light component from thehalogen lamp 11, the quantity of the reference light reaches zero. - As shown in
FIG. 7 , the reference lightphotoelectric conversion element 84 b converts the reference light to an electric signal, so that thereference light preamplifier 85 b and theamplification circuit 113 amplify this electric signal. Theamplification circuit 113 outputs a signal (hereinafter referred to as a reference signal) corresponding to the reference light, so that thedifferentiation circuit 114 receives this reference signal. Thedifferentiation circuit 114 generates a differential signal of the reference signal having a waveform shown as “DIFFERENTIAL SIGNAL OF REFERENCE SIGNAL” inFIG. 15 . Thecontrol portion 112 receives this differential signal of the reference signal from the differentiation circuit 114 (seeFIG. 9 ) through the comparator (not shown). - At a step S11 shown in
FIG. 14 , thecontrol portion 112 detects a clock number N1 at a point of time when the differential signal of the reference signal reaches a prescribed positive threshold (+). More specifically, the differential signal of the reference signal rises following increase of the quantity of the reference light, as shown inFIG. 15 . In response to the differential signal reaching the prescribed positive threshold (+), the comparator (not shown) receiving the differential signal from the differentiation circuit 114 (seeFIG. 9 ) outputs a pulse signal rising to a high level. The controller 112 a of thecontrol portion 112 receives this pulse signal, and detects the clock number N1 at the point of time when the pulse signal has risen to the high level. Thus, the controller 112 a detects the clock number N1 at the point of time when the differential signal of the reference signal reaches the prescribed positive threshold (+). - Thereafter the quantity of the reference light further increases and reaches a prescribed constant value, as shown in
FIG. 15 . Thereafter the quantity of the reference light gradually decreases. Following this, the differential signal of the reference signal gradually falls. At a step S12 shown inFIG. 14 , the control portion 12 detects a clock number (N2) at a point of time when the differential signal of the reference signal reaches a prescribed negative threshold (−). More specifically, the comparator (not shown) receiving the differential signal from the differentiation circuit 114 (seeFIG. 9 ) outputs a pulse signal rising to a high level in response to the differential signal of the reference signal gradually falling and reaching the prescribed negative threshold (−). The controller 112 a of thecontrol portion 112 receives this pulse signal, and detects the clock number N2 at the time when the pulse signal has risen to the high level. Thus, the controller 112 a of thecontrol portion 112 detects the clock number N2 at the time when the differential signal of the reference signal reaches the prescribed negative threshold (−). - At a step S13 in
FIG. 14 , thecontrol portion 112 calculates the number of clocks (N clocks) counted between the clock numbers N1 and N2 according to a formula n=N2−N1. At a step S14, thecontrol portion 112 calculates the clock number (n clocks) for deciding the timing for starting acquiring the signals corresponding to the light components transmitted through the measurement samples according to a formula n=(N−m)/2, where m represents the number of clocks previously set as a proper period necessary for thecontrol portion 112 for acquiring the signals corresponding to the light components transmitted through the measurement samples. According to this embodiment, thecontrol portion 112 calculates the timing for starting acquiring the signals corresponding to the transmitted light components with the reference light not influenced by the measurement samples etc. As understood fromFIG. 15 , thecontrol portion 112 can acquire signals in a period where the quantities of the light components applied from thelamp unit 5 are stable by acquiring the signals corresponding to the light components transmitted through the measurement samples from thedetection portion 82 for the period of m clocks with themultiplexers 111 a after n clocks calculated in the aforementioned manner from the clock N1. - The aforementioned processing at the step S3 in
FIG. 13 is now described in detail with reference toFIGS. 1, 2 , 5 to 11, 13 and 16 to 18. At a step S21 shown inFIG. 16 , thePC body 3 b instructs primary measurement. Thus, the aforementioned first optical informationacquisitive portion 70 measures interference substances in the specimens. ThePC body 3 b receives the optical information acquired by the first optical informationacquisitive portion 70 through thecontroller 74 c. - At a step S22, the
PC body 3 b analyzes the received optical information, and determines whether or not the primarily measured specimens are to be subjected to secondary measurement with the second optical informationacquisitive portion 80 on the basis of the results of the analysis. When determining that the specimens are not to be subjected to secondary measurement with the second optical informationacquisitive portion 80, thePC body 3 b makes thedisplay portion 3 c display a message indicating that it is difficult to perform reliable analysis due to remarkable influence by interference substances contained in these specimens (step S28). When determining that the specimens are to be subjected to secondary measurement at the step S22, on the other hand, thePC body 3 b instructs suction of the specimens at a step S23. Thus, thespecimen injection arm 40 sucks the specimens from thecuvettes 152 held on therotary transport portion 30. - At a step S24, the
PC body 3 b instructs preparation of measurement samples. Thus, thespecimen injection arm 40 injects the sucked specimens into the plurality ofcuvettes 152 while thereagent injection arms 50 add the reagents for starting blood coagulation contained in the reagent vessels (not shown) to the specimens stored in the plurality ofcuvettes 152 in theanalyzer 3. Thus, theanalyzer 3 prepares the measurement samples. Then, thecuvette transfer portion 60 moves thecuvettes 152 storing the measurement samples toward the receiving holes 81 a of thecuvette receiving portion 81 of the second optical informationacquisitive portion 80. - At a step S25, the
PC body 3 b instructs secondary measurement. Thus, theanalyzer 3 starts secondary measurement of the measurement samples. This secondary measurement is now described in detail. - As hereinabove described, the
lamp unit 5 intermittently successively applies the five types of light components having different wavelength characteristics (340 nm, 405 nm, 575 nm, 660 nm and 800 nm) respectively to thecuvettes 152 moved toward the receiving holes 81 a. The light components transmitted through thecuvettes 152 are converted to digital data through thephotoelectric conversion elements 84 a, thepreamplifiers 85 a, themultiplexers 111 a, the offsetcircuits 111 b, theamplifiers 111 c and theA-D conversion portions 111 d and stored in thelogger memory 112 h. - Operations of the
signal processing portion 111 are now described with reference toFIG. 10 . - The three signal processing lines L0 to L2 constituted of the
multiplexers 111 a, the offsetcircuits 111 b, theamplifiers 111 c and theA-D conversion portions 111 d partially parallelly process the electric signals with themultiplexers 111 a, the offsetcircuits 111 b, theamplifiers 111 c and theA-D conversion portions 111 d. As shown inFIG. 10 , the signal processing line L0 processes the corresponding electric signals with themultiplexer 111 a, the offsetcircuit 111 b and theamplifier 111 c, the signal processing line L1 converts the corresponding electric signals with theA-D conversion portion 111 d and thelogger memory 112 h (seeFIG. 9 ) of thecontrol portion 112 stores data in parallel with each other. Similarly, the signal processing line L1 processes the corresponding electric signals with themultiplexer 111 a, the offsetcircuit 111 b and theamplifier 111 c, the signal processing line L2 converts the corresponding electric signals with theA-D conversion portion 111 d and thelogger memory 112 h (seeFIG. 9 ) of thecontrol portion 112 stores data in parallel with each other. Further, the signal processing line L2 processes the corresponding electric signals with themultiplexer 111 a, the offsetcircuit 111 b and theamplifier 111 c, the signal processing line L0 converts the corresponding electric signals with theA-D conversion portion 111 d and thelogger memory 112 h (seeFIG. 9 ) of thecontrol portion 112 stores data in parallel with each other. - The
signal processing portion 111 partially parallelly processes the electric signals in units of 48 μsec. by successively using the three signal processing lines L0 to L2, as shown inFIG. 17 . More specifically, the signal processing line L0 performs switching to the channel CH0 with themultiplexer 111 a, correction with the offsetcircuit 111 b and amplification with theamplifier 111 c at astep 0 shown inFIG. 17 . At thisstep 0, the signal processing lines L1 and L2 are in states waiting for stabilization of the corresponding electric signals (signal wait states), to process no electric signals. At astep 1 inFIG. 17 , the signal processing line L1 performs switching to the channel CH6 with themultiplexer 111 a, correction with the offsetcircuit 111 b and amplification with theamplifier 111 c. At thisstep 1, the signal processing lines L0 and L1 are in states waiting for stabilization of the corresponding electric signals, to process no electric signals. - At a
step 2 inFIG. 17 , the signal processing line L0 performs A-D conversion of the electric signal of the channel CH0 with theA-D conversion portion 111 d, thelogger memory 112 h stores data and the signal processing line L2 performs switching to the channel CH32 with themultiplexer 111 a, correction with the offsetcircuit 111 b and amplification with theamplifier 111 c in parallel with each other. At thestep 2, the signal processing line L1 is in a state waiting for stabilization of the corresponding electric signals, not to process the electric signals. - At a
step 3 inFIG. 17 , the signal processing line L0 performs switching to the channel CH1 with themultiplexer 111 a, correction with the offsetcircuit 111 b and amplification with theamplifier 111 c, the signal processing line L1 performs A-D conversion of the electric signal of the channel CH16 with theA-D conversion portion 111 d and thelogger memory 112 h stores data in parallel with each other. At thisstep 3, the signal processing line L2 is in a state waiting for stabilization of the corresponding electric signals, not to process the electric signals. - At a
step 4 inFIG. 17 , the signal processing line L1 performs switching to the channel CH117 with themultiplexer 111 a, correction with the offsetcircuit 111 b and amplification with theamplifier 111 c, the signal processing line L2 performs A-D conversion of the electric signal of the channel CH32 with theA-D conversion portion 111 d and thelogger memory 112 h stores data in parallel with each other. At thisstep 4, the signal processing line L0 is in a state waiting for stabilization of the corresponding electric signals, not to process the electric signals. - The signal processing lines L0 to L2 repetitively perform parallel processing similar to that through the
aforementioned steps 2 to 4 up to astep 49 while switching the channels for signal processing. At astep 50, the signal processing line L2 performs switching to the channel CH32 with themultiplexer 111 a, correction with the offsetcircuit 111 b and amplification with theamplifier 111 c. At thestep 50, the signal processing lines L0 and L1 are in states waiting for stabilization of the corresponding electric signals, not to process the electric signals. - All output signals of the
multiplexers 111 a, the offsetcircuits 111 b and theamplifiers 111 c are unstable immediately after signal processing. According to this embodiment, the aforementioned periods for waiting for stabilization of the electric signals are so provided as to prevent such unstable signals from application to analysis of analytes. - The signal processing lines L0 to L2 process the electric signals of all channels CH0 to CH47 through the 51
steps 0 to 50 in the aforementioned manner. The signal processing lines L0 to L2 process the electric signals through the 51steps 0 to 50 in a period of 2.45 msec. (=48 [sec.×51 steps). Further, the signal processing lines L0 to L2 process the electric signals through the 51steps 0 to 50 once in a period of data acquisitive processing of m clocks described later. - As hereinabove described, the
logger memory 112 h stores data in prescribed addresses, for specifying the optical filters and the channels transmitting the light components received from thehalogen lamp 11. Thelogger memory 112 h transmits the data stored therein to thePC body 3 b at prescribed timing. - At a step S26 in
FIG. 16 , thePC body 3 b selects optical information (data) suitable for analysis from among 10 types of optical information (data) having different wavelength characteristics and different amplification rates received from the second optical informationacquisitive portion 80, i.e., among data of the low and high gains corresponding to the five types ofoptical filters 14 b to 14 f respectively, on the basis of the results of analysis of the optical information (data) from the first optical informationacquisitive portion 70 acquired at the step S22 and analyzes the optical information. At a step S27, thePC body 3 b outputs the results of analysis of the measurement samples (coagulation curve and coagulation time shown inFIG. 18 in this embodiment) to thedisplay portion 3 c. - Data acquisition with the
control portion 112 according to this embodiment is now described with reference toFIGS. 9, 13 , 15, 17 and 19. ThePC body 3 b instructs analysis (step S3), in order to start this data acquisition. - At a step S31 shown in
FIG. 19 , the control portion 112 (FIG. 9 ) waits for detection of the leading edge of the differential signal of the reference signal corresponding to N1 inFIG. 15 . When detecting the leading edge of the differential signal of the reference signal, thecontrol portion 112 waits for a lapse of n clocks calculated in the initialization from the leading edge of the differential signal of the reference signal. - At a step S33, the
control portion 112 starts acquiring digital data output from the threeA-D conversion portions 111 d respectively. At a step S34, thecontrol portion 112 waits for a lapse of m clocks from the start of digital data acquisition. Upon the lapse of m clocks, thecontrol portion 112 ends the digital data acquisition at a step S35. At a step S36, thecontrol portion 112 determines whether or not a prescribed time has elapsed from the time receiving the instruction for analysis from thePC body 3 b. Thecontrol portion 112 ends the data acquisition if the prescribed time has elapsed, while returning to the step S31 if the prescribed time has not yet elapsed. - Data acquisition with the
PC body 3 b according to this embodiment is now described with reference toFIGS. 1, 9 , 11, 18 and 20. ThePC body 3 b starts this processing upon power supply to theinformation processing terminal 3 a. - At a step S40 in
FIG. 20 , thePC body 3 b monitors whether or not thelogger memory 112 h has newly stored data, and waits until thelogger memory 112 h stores data for 100 msec. (corresponding to single rotation of the filter portion 14). More specifically, thePC body 3 b waits for transmission of a notice from thecontrol portion 112 indicating that thelogger memory 112 h has stored data for 100 msec. At a step S41, thePC body 3 b acquires the data (partial time-series data) for 100 msec. through theinterface 116 and the local bus interface 112 k. In other words, thePC body 3 b acquires data for 100 msec. corresponding to single rotation of thefilter portion 14 stored in theareas 0 to 5 of thelogger memory 112 h as shown inFIG. 11 . - At a step S42, the
PC body 3 b determines whether or not theinformation processing terminal 3 a has accepted a shutdown instruction. When theinformation processing terminal 3 a has accepted no shutdown instruction, thePC body 3 b returns to the step S40. When theinformation processing terminal 3 a has accepted the shutdown instruction, on the other hand, thePC body 3 b ends the data acquisition. When carrying out the step S41 for the second time, thePC body 3 b acquires data from the sixareas 6 to 11 of thelogger memory 112 h subsequent to theareas 0 to 5, from which the data have been acquired at the first time. Thus, thePC body 3 b successively acquires data from thelogger memory 112 h every six areas. - The
PC body 3 b creates prescribed time-series data by combining partial time-series data subsequent to the time when the cuvettes 152 (seeFIG. 1 ) storing the measurement samples have been received in the receiving holes 81 a of the second optical informationacquisitive portion 80 among those acquired from thelogger memory 112 h at the step S41 in a time-series manner. Then, thePC body 3 b creates the coagulation curve shown inFIG. 18 on the basis of the created time-series data, and obtains the coagulation times of the measurement samples from the created coagulation curve. More specifically, thePC body 3 b obtains a time t when the intensity of the transmitted light components reaches 50%, i.e., the intermediate level between 100% and 0%, and calculates elapsed times from this time t as the coagulation times. Thedisplay portion 3 c displays the coagulation times at the step S27 (seeFIG. 16 ), as described above. - Monitoring on the rotation of the
filter portion 14 is now described. - The
control portion 112 parallelly and continuously executes the following three monitoring operations during the rotation of thefilter portion 14. When causing an error in at least one of the three monitoring operations, thecontrol portion 112 stops thefilter portion 14 from rotating. The methods of the three monitoring operations on the rotation of thefilter portion 14 are now described in detail. - A method of monitoring the time interval for detecting the origin slit 14 k is described with reference to
FIGS. 2, 3 , 9, 21 and 22. According to this embodiment, thefilter portion 14 of the lamp unit (seeFIG. 3 ) continuously uninterruptedly rotates while a power source of the analyzer 3 (seeFIG. 2 ) is in an ON-state. At this time, the filter rotation monitoring portion 112 b of the control portion 112 (seeFIG. 9 ) receives signals from thesensor 16 detecting theslits rotating filter portion 14. When detecting theslits 14 k and 14 l, thesensor 16 outputs a signal rising to ON-states as shown in a waveform diagram ofFIG. 22 . At a step S51 shown inFIG. 21 , the filter rotation monitoring portion 112 b determines whether or not thesensor 16 has detected any slit on the basis of the signal received from thesensor 16. When detecting that thesensor 16 has detected no slit at the step S51, the filter rotation monitoring portion 112 b repetitively determines whether or not thesensor 16 has detected passage of any slit at the step S51 again. - When determining that the
sensor 16 has detected any slit at the step S51 shown inFIG. 21 , on the other hand, the filter rotation monitoring portion 112 b of thecontrol portion 112 determines whether or not this slit is the origin slit 14 k at a step S52. The filter rotation monitoring portion 112 b makes this determination on the origin slit 14 k on the basis of a signal generated by a slit width counter (not shown) provided therein. The slit width counter (not shown) generates an integral signal of the signal received from thesensor 16 as shown inFIG. 22 . The ON-state period of the signal output from thesensor 16 upon detection of the origin slit 14 k is longer than the ON-state period of the signal output from thesensor 16 upon detection of any normal slit 14 l due to the width of the origin slit 14 k larger than those of the remaining normal slits 14 l. When thesensor 16 has detected the origin slit 14 k, therefore, the integral signal generated by the slit width counter (not shown) of the filter rotation monitoring portion 112 b rises up to a level higher than those of integral signals output upon detection of the normal slits 14 l. Thus, the filter rotation monitoring portion 112 b sets a prescribed threshold between the levels of rise of the integral signals output upon detection of the origin slit 14 k and the normal slits 14 l, for determining that the slit detected by thesensor 16 is the origin slit 14 k when the corresponding integral signal reaches the prescribed threshold while determining that the slit detected by thesensor 16 is not the origin slit 14 k (but any of the normal slits 14 l) when the corresponding integral signal does not reach the prescribed threshold. - When determining that the slit detected by the
sensor 16 is not the origin slit 14 k at the step S52 inFIG. 21 , the filter rotation monitoring portion 112 b returns to the step S51. When determining that the slit detected by thesensor 16 is the origin slit 14 k, on the other hand, the filter rotation monitoring portion 112 b stores the time T1 when thesensor 16 has detected the origin slit 14 k at a step S53. At a step S54, the filter rotation monitoring portion 112 b determines whether or not thesensor 16 has detected another slit similarly to the aforementioned step S51. When determining that thesensor 16 has detected no slit at the step S54, the filter rotation monitoring portion 112 b repetitively makes the determination at the step S54. When determining that thesensor 16 has detected another slit at the step S54, on the other hand, the filter rotation monitoring portion 112 b determines whether or not the slit detected by thesensor 16 is the origin slit 14 k, similarly to the aforementioned step S52. - When determining that the slit detected by the
sensor 16 is not the origin slit 14 k, the filter rotation monitoring portion 112 b returns to the step S54. When determining that the slit detected by thesensor 16 is the origin slit 14 k at the step S55, on the other hand, the filter rotation monitoring portion 112 b stores the time T(n) when thesensor 16 has detected the origin slit 14 k at a step S56. Referring to the time T(n), n represents the frequency of detection of the origin slit 14 k. Thesensor 16 has detected the origin slit 14 k twice, and hence n=2 in this case. - At a step S57, the filter rotation monitoring portion 112 b calculates T(n)−T(n−1), i.e., T2−T1 since n=2. In other words, the filter rotation monitoring portion 112 b calculates the time interval between the first and second detection times T1 and T2 for the origin slit 14 k at the step S57. At a step S58, the filter rotation monitoring portion 112 b determines whether or not the time interval T2−T1 calculated at the step S57 is in the range of a prescribed time interval previously set as necessary for single rotation of the
filter portion 14. When determining that the time interval T2−T1 is not in the range of the prescribed time interval at the step S58, the filter rotation monitoring portion 112 b outputs error information indicating that the rotation of thefilter portion 14 is abnormal to thecontroller status register 112 j through the controller 112 a at a step S59. At this time, the filter rotation monitoring portion 112 b stops thefilter portion 14 from rotating. Thecontroller status register 112 j temporarily stores the error information. Then, thecontroller status register 112 j transmits the error information stored therein to thePC body 3 b through the local bus interface 112 k and theinterface 116. Then, thePC body 3 b displays an error message indicating that the rotation of thefilter portion 14 is abnormal on thedisplay portion 3 c of theinformation processing terminal 3 a. - When determining that the time interval T2−T1 is in the range of the prescribed time interval at the step S58, on the other hand, the filter rotation monitoring portion 112 b determines whether or not the
control portion 112 has instructed a stop of rotation of thefilter portion 14 at a step S60. When determining that thecontrol portion 112 has instructed no stop of rotation of thefilter portion 14 at the step S60, the filter rotation monitoring portion 112 b returns to the step S54. When determining that thecontrol portion 112 has instructed a stop of rotation of thefilter portion 14 at the step S60, on the other hand, the filterrotation monitoring portion 14 ends the monitoring operation on the rotation of thefilter portion 14. The filter rotation monitoring portion 112 b repeats the series of steps S54 to S60 until the same determines that thecontrol portion 112 has instructed a stop of rotation of thefilter portion 14 at the step S60. - An operation of monitoring the time interval for detecting two adjacent slits (the origin slit 14 k and/or the normal slit(s) 14 l) in the monitoring on the rotation of the
filter portion 14 with thecontrol portion 112 is now described with reference toFIGS. 2, 5 , 9, 21 and 23. - At a step S61 in
FIG. 23 , the filter rotation monitoring portion 112 b of the control portion 112 (seeFIG. 9 ) determines whether or not thesensor 16 has detected passage of any slit (the origin slit 14 k (seeFIG. 5 ) or any of the normal slits 14 l) on the basis of the corresponding signal from thesensor 16, similarly to the step S51 shown inFIG. 21 . When determining that the sensor 16 (seeFIG. 9 ) has detected no slit at the step S61, the filter rotation monitoring portion 112 b repeats the step S61. When determining that thesensor 16 has detected passage of any slit, on the other hand, the filter rotation monitoring portion 112 b stores the time t1 when thesensor 16 has detected this slit at a step S62. - At a step S63, the filter rotation monitoring portion 112 b determines whether or not the
sensor 16 has detected passage of another slit, similarly to the aforementioned step S61. When determining that thesensor 16 has detected passage of no slit at the step S63, the filter rotation monitoring portion 112 b repeats the step S63. When determining that thesensor 16 has detected passage of another slit at the step S63, on the other hand, the filter rotation monitoring portion 112 b stores the time t(n) when thesensor 16 has detected this slit at a step S64. Referring to the time t(n), n represents the frequency of detection of slits by thesensor 16. Thesensor 16 has detected the slits twice, and hence n=2 in this case. - At a step S65, the filter rotation monitoring portion 112 b calculates t(n)−t(n−1), i.e., t2−t1 since n=2. In other words, the filter rotation monitoring portion 112 b calculates the time interval between the first and second slit detection times t1 and t2 at the step S65. At a step S66, the filter rotation monitoring portion 112 b determines whether or not the time interval t2−t1 calculated at the step S65 is in the range of a prescribed time interval previously set as that between the times for detecting two adjacent slits respectively. This time interval is either a first time interval required for normal passage of the
optical filter 14 e following passage of theoptical filter 14 f or a second time interval required for normal passage of theoptical filter 14 f following passage of theoptical filter 14 b. - When determining that the time interval t2−t1 is neither in the range of the aforementioned first time interval nor in the range of the aforementioned second time interval at the step S66, the filter rotation monitoring portion 112 b outputs error information indicating that the rotation of the
filter portion 14 is abnormal to thecontroller status register 112 j through the controller 112 a at a step S67. At this time, the filter rotation monitoring portion 112 b stops thefilter portion 14 from rotating. Thecontroller status register 112 j temporarily stores the error information. Then, thecontroller status register 112 j transmits the error information stored therein to thePC body 3 b through the local bus interface 112 k and theinterface 116. Then, thePC body 3 b displays an error message indicating that the rotation of thefilter portion 14 is abnormal on thedisplay portion 3 c of theinformation processing terminal 3 a (seeFIG. 2 ). - When determining that the time interval t2−t1 is in the range of the prescribed time interval at the step S66, on the other hand, the filter rotation monitoring portion 112 b determines whether or not the
control portion 112 has instructed a stop of rotation of thefilter portion 14 at a step S68. When determining that thecontrol portion 112 has instructed no stop of rotation of thefilter portion 14 at the step S68, the filter rotation monitoring portion 112 b returns to the step S63. When determining that thecontrol portion 112 has instructed a stop of rotation of thefilter portion 14 at the step S68, on the other hand, the filter rotation monitoring portion 112 b ends the monitoring operation on the rotation of thefilter portion 14. The filter rotation monitoring portion 112 b repeats the series of steps S61 to S68 until the same determines that thecontrol portion 112 has instructed a stop of rotation of thefilter portion 14 at the step S68. - An operation of monitoring the number of the normal slits 14 l detected while the origin slit 14 k is detected twice in the monitoring on the rotation of the
filter portion 14 with thecontrol portion 112 according to this embodiment is described with reference toFIGS. 2, 5 , 9, 21 and 24. - At a step S71 shown in
FIG. 24 , the filter rotation monitoring portion 112 b of the control portion 112 (seeFIG. 9 ) determines whether or not thesensor 16 has detected any slit of the rotating filter portion 14 (seeFIG. 15 ) on the basis of the corresponding signal from thesensor 16, similarly to the step S51 shown inFIG. 21 . When determining that the sensor 16 (seeFIG. 9 ) has detected no slit at the step S71, the filter rotation monitoring portion 112 b repeats the step S71. - When determining that the
sensor 16 has detected any slit at the step S71, on the other hand, the filter rotation monitoring portion 112 b determines whether or not the slit detected by thesensor 16 is the origin slit 14 k at a step S72, similarly to the step S52 shown inFIG. 21 . When determining that the detected slit is not the origin slit 14 k at the step S72, the filter rotation monitoring portion 112 b returns to the step S71. When determining that the detected slit is the origin slit 14 k at the step S72, on the other hand, the filter rotation monitoring portion 112 b stores the information indicating that thesensor 16 has detected the origin slit 14 k at a step S73. - At a step S74, the filter rotation monitoring portion 112 b determines whether or not the
sensor 16 has detected another slit, similarly to the aforementioned step S71. When determining that thesensor 16 has detected no slit at the step S74, the filter rotation monitoring portion 112 b repeats the step S74. When determining that thesensor 16 has detected another slit at the step S74, on the other hand, the filter rotation monitoring portion 112 b determines whether or not the detected slit is the origin slit 14 k at a step S75, similarly to the aforementioned step S72. When determining that the detected slit is not the origin slit 14 k (but any of the normal slits 14 l) at the step S75, the filter rotation monitoring portion 112 b counts the number of the slit (normal slit 141) detected at the step S75 at a step S76. Thereafter the filter rotation monitoring portion 112 b returns to the step S74. - When determining that the detected slit is the origin slit 14 k at the step S75, on the other hand, the filter rotation monitoring portion 112 b stores the information indicating that the
sensor 16 has detected the origin slit 14 k at a step S77. At a step S78, the filter rotation monitoring portion 112 b acquires the number of the normal slits 14 l counted at the step S76 as that of the normal slits 14 l detected while the origin slit 14 k has been detected twice. At a step S79, the filter rotation monitoring portion 112 b determines whether or not the number of the normal slits 14 l acquired at the step S78 is a prescribed number (5). When determining that the acquired number of the normal slits 14 l is not the prescribed number (5) at the step S79, the filter rotation monitoring portion 112 b outputs error information indicating that the rotation of thefilter portion 14 is abnormal to thecontroller status register 112 j through the controller 112 a at a step S80. At this time, the filter rotation monitoring portion 112 b stops thefilter portion 14 from rotating. Thecontroller status register 112 j temporarily stores the error information. Then, thecontroller status register 112 j transmits the error information stored therein to thePC body 3 b through the local bus interface 112 k and theinterface 116. Then, thePC body 3 b displays an error message indicating that the rotation of thefilter portion 14 is abnormal on thedisplay portion 3 c of theinformation processing terminal 3 a. - When determining that the acquired number of the
normal slits 141 is the prescribed number (5) at the step S79, on the other hand, the filter rotation monitoring portion 112 b determines whether or not thecontrol portion 112 has instructed a stop of rotation of thefilter portion 14 at a step S81. When determining that thecontrol portion 112 has instructed no stop of rotation of thefilter portion 14 at the step S81, the filter rotation monitoring portion 112 b returns to the step S74. When determining that thecontrol portion 112 has instructed a stop of rotation of thefilter portion 14 at the step S81, on the other hand, the filterrotation monitoring portion 14 ends the monitoring operation on the rotation of thefilter portion 14. The filter rotation monitoring portion 112 b repeats the series of steps S74 to S81 until the same determines that thecontrol portion 112 has instructed a stop of rotation of thefilter portion 14 at the step S81. - According to this embodiment, as hereinabove described, the two
optical fiber members lamp unit 5 to the measurement samples provided on theanalyzer 3 and theextension analyzer 4 respectively so that no individual lamp units may be provided for supplying light components to the measurement samples provided on theanalyzer 3 and theextension analyzer 4 respectively, whereby theanalytic system 1 can be downsized. Further, theanalyzer 3 and theextension analyzer 4 are so separately provided that theanalytic system 1 can parallelly treat various prescribed measurement samples (specimens) with theanalyzer 3 and theextension analyzer 4. Thus, theanalytic system 1 can improve specimen treatment efficiency in a case of acquiring optical information from a plurality of different measurement samples (specimens). Consequently, theanalytic system 1 can improve specimen treatment efficiency while attaining downsizing. - According to this embodiment, the two
optical fiber members analytic system 1 can increase the quantities of light components emitted from exit end surfaces can be increased as compared with a case of branching light with a single optical fiber member. - According to this embodiment, the
analytic system 1 guides the light components of the same characteristics emitted from thehalogen lamp 11 to the measurement samples of theanalyzer 3 and theextension analyzer 4 through themirror 12 b, the condensinglenses 13 d to 13 f and theoptical fiber member 17 b and through themirror 12 a, the condensinglenses 13 a to 13 c and theoptical fiber member 17 a respectively, whereby theanalyzer 3 and theextension analyzer 4 can reduce the numbers of errors resulting from different characteristics of the light components applied to the measurement samples respectively. - According to this embodiment, the
halogen lamp 11 of thelamp unit 5, formed by theplatelike filament 11 a capable of emitting light components from both surfaces thereof, can apply light components of substantially identical characteristics (quantities of light components etc.) from both surfaces of theplatelike filament 11 a, whereby theanalytic system 1 can easily guide the light components of substantially identical characteristics emitted from both surfaces of theplatelike filament 11 a to the measurement samples of theanalyzer 3 and theextension analyzer 4 through themirror 12 b, the condensinglenses 13 d to 13 f and theoptical fiber member 17 b and through themirror 12 a, the condensinglenses 13 a to 13 c and theoptical fiber member 17 a respectively. - Although the present invention has been described and illustrated in detail, it is clearly understood that the same is by way of illustration and example only and is not to be taken by way of limitation, the spirit and scope of the present invention being limited only by the terms of the appended claims.
- For example, while the analytic system temporarily stores the data output from the detection portion and the signal processing portion in the logger memory of the control portion so that the PC body successively acquires the partial time-series data of the prescribed period from the data stored in the logger memory in the aforementioned embodiment, the present invention is not restricted to this but the analytic system may alternatively directly output the data from the detection portion or the signal processing portion to the PC body without temporarily storing the data in the logger memory.
- While the control portion calculates the timing (n clocks) for starting signal acquisition on the basis of the differential signal of the reference signal and starts acquiring data upon a lapse of the calculated n clocks after the differential signal of the reference signal reaches the prescribed threshold in the aforementioned embodiment, the present invention is not restricted to this but the control portion may alternatively start data acquisition at previously set timing.
- While the control portion starts data acquisition upon a lapse of n clocks from the leading edge of the differential signal of the reference signal corresponding to the reference light in the aforementioned embodiment, the present invention is not restricted to this but the control portion may alternatively start data acquisition upon a lapse of a prescribed period from the time when the sensor gas detected any slit.
- While the present invention is applied to the analyzer performing coagulation measurement in the aforementioned embodiment, the present invention is not restricted to this but may also be applied to an analyzer (analytic system) performing measurement, other than coagulation measurement, requiring employment of a plurality of light components having different wavelength characteristics. For example, the present invention may be applied to a biochemical analyzer (analytic system).
- While the information processing terminal is provided independently of the body of the analyzer in the aforementioned embodiment, the present invention is not restricted to this but the information processing terminal and the body of the analyzer may alternatively be integrated with each other.
- While the analyzer is rendered extendable with the extension analyzer for treating a large number of specimens in the aforementioned embodiment, the present invention is not restricted to this but the analyzer may alternatively be rendered unextendable with any extension analyzer.
- While the analytic system employs the multiplexers selecting the signals one by one from the plurality of analog signals output from the plurality of photoelectric conversion elements and successively outputting the same to the offset circuits in the aforementioned embodiment, the present invention is not restricted to this but the analytic system may alternatively employ an analog signal selector simultaneously selecting at least two signals from the plurality of analog signals output from the plurality of photoelectric conversion elements.
- While the
analytic system 1 bidirectionally emits light components from thefilament 11 a of thehalogen lamp 11 for introducing the first light component into theoptical fiber member 17 a through the condensinglenses 13 a to 13 c while introducing the second light component into theoptical fiber member 17 b through the condensinglenses 13 d to 13 f in the aforementioned embodiment, the present invention is not restricted to this but theanalytic system 1 may alternatively be provided with two halogen lamps (light sources) for introducing a light component emitted from the first halogen lamp into theoptical fiber member 17 a through the condensinglenses 13 a to 13 c while introducing a light component emitted from the second halogen lamp into theoptical fiber member 17 b through the condensinglenses 13 d to 13 f.
Claims (35)
1. An analyzer for optically analyzing samples, comprising:
a plurality of detection areas in which containers including the samples are receivable;
at least one optical source configured to emit at least one series of lights; and
more than one splitter configured to split the at least one series of lights into a plurality of series of lights each guided to one of the plurality of the detection areas at which the sample is optically analyzed.
2. The analyzer according to claim 1 , further comprising an injection portion injecting a reagent responsive to an analyzing item into said containers.
3. The analyzer according to claim 1 , wherein
said splitter comprises a plurality of optical fibers.
4. The analyzer according to claim 3 , wherein
ends of said optical fibers and said photodetection portions are opposed to each other through said detection areas.
5. The analyzer according to claim 1 , further comprising:
more than one condensing portion condensing light emitted from said optical source, wherein
said lights condensed by said condensing portions are introduced into said splitters respectively.
6. The analyzer according to claim 1 , further comprising:
more than one reflecting member changing the traveling direction of light emitted from said optical source and introducing said light into said splitter.
7. The analyzer according to claim 6 , wherein
said optical source comprises a platelike filament capable of emitting light from both surfaces, and
said reflecting member changes the traveling direction of light emitted from one of said surfaces of said filament.
8. The analyzer according to claim 6 , wherein
said splitter comprises a plurality of optical fibers.
9. The analyzer according to claim 8 , wherein
ends of said optical fibers and said photodetection portions are opposed to each other through said detection areas.
10. The analyzer according to claim 1 , wherein
said samples are blood samples.
11. The analyzer according to claim 1 , further comprising:
an optical filter portion converting the series of lights emitted from said optical source to series of lights of a plurality of specific wavelengths,
said series of lights converted by said optical filter portion are introduced into said splitters.
12. The analyzer according to claim 11 , wherein
said optical filter portion is so formed as to convert light emitted from said optical source into a plurality of light components of different wavelengths in a time-sharing manner, and
said analyzer is configured to apply said plurality of light components of different wavelengths to the same said detection area in a time-sharing manner.
13. An analyzer comprising:
a photoirradiation portion simultaneously photoirradiating a plurality of storage vessels storing a plurality of measurement samples prepared by admixing a reagent with a plurality of samples respectively;
a plurality of photodetection portions detecting a plurality of light components resulting from simultaneous photoirradiation on said plurality of storage vessels storing said plurality of measurement samples respectively; and
an analytic portion analyzing characteristics of said plurality of samples on the basis of said light components detected by said photodetection portions, wherein
said photoirradiation portion includes:
a light source,
a first light guide portion branching light emitted from said light source into a plurality of light components and guiding said plurality of light components to said plurality of measurement samples respectively, and
a second light guide portion branching light emitted from said light source into a plurality of light components and guiding said plurality of light components to said plurality of measurement samples respectively.
14. The analyzer according to claim 13 , further comprising an injection portion injecting a reagent responsive to an analyzed item into said storage vessels.
15. The analyzer according to claim 13 , wherein
said first light guide portion includes a plurality of optical fibers, and
said second light guide portion also includes a plurality of optical fibers.
16. The analyzer according to claim 15 , further comprising a storage vessel receiving portion provided with a plurality of receiving holes for receiving said storage vessels respectively, wherein
ends of said optical fibers and said photodetection portions are opposed to each other through said receiving holes.
17. The analyzer according to claim 13 , wherein
said photoirradiation portion further includes:
a first condensing portion condensing light emitted from said light source, and
a second condensing portion condensing light emitted from said light source,
for introducing said light condensed by said first condensing portion into said first light guide portion while introducing said light condensed by said second condensing portion into said second light guide portion.
18. The analyzer according to claim 13 , wherein
said photoirradiation portion further includes:
a first reflecting member changing the traveling direction of light emitted from said light source and introducing said light into said first light guide portion, and
a second reflecting member changing the traveling direction of light emitted from said light source and introducing said light into said second light guide portion.
19. The analyzer according to claim 18 , wherein
said light source includes a platelike filament capable of emitting light from both surfaces,
said first reflecting member changes the traveling direction of light emitted from first said surface of said filament, and
said second reflecting member changes the traveling direction of light emitted from second said surface of said filament.
20. The analyzer according to claim 18 , wherein
said first light guide portion includes a plurality of optical fibers, and
said second light guide portion includes a plurality of optical fibers.
21. The analyzer according to claim 20 , further comprising a storage vessel receiving portion provided with a plurality of receiving holes for receiving said storage vessels respectively, wherein
ends of said optical fibers and said photodetection portions are opposed to each other through said receiving holes.
22. The analyzer according to claim 13 , wherein
said samples are blood samples.
23. The analyzer according to claim 13 , wherein
said photoirradiation portion further includes an optical filter portion converting light emitted from said light source to light of a specific wavelength,
for introducing said light converted by said optical filter portion into said first light guide portion and said second light guide portion.
24. The analyzer according to claim 23 , wherein
said optical filter portion is so formed as to convert light emitted from said light source into a plurality of light components of different wavelengths in a time-sharing manner, and
said analyzer is so formed as to apply said plurality of light components of different wavelengths to the same said storage vessel in a time-sharing manner.
25. The analyzer according to claim 13 , wherein
said light source includes a first light source and a second light source,
for introducing light emitted from said first light source into said first light guide portion, and
introducing light emitted from said second light source into said second light guide portion.
26. An analyzer comprising:
a photoirradiation portion simultaneously photoirradiating a plurality of storage vessels storing a plurality of measurement samples prepared by admixing a reagent with a plurality of samples respectively;
a plurality of photodetection portions detecting a plurality of light components resulting from simultaneous photoirradiation on said plurality of storage vessels storing said plurality of measurement samples respectively; and
an analytic portion analyzing characteristics of said plurality of samples on the basis of said light components detected by said photodetection portions, wherein
said photoirradiation portion includes:
a light source having a platelike filament, and
an optical fiber bundle including an incidence end formed by bundling ends of a plurality of optical fibers and a plurality of exit ends directed toward said plurality of storage vessels respectively so that light emitted from a first surface of said platelike filament is incident upon said incidence end.
27. The analyzer according to claim 26 , further comprising an injection portion injecting a reagent responsive to an analyzed item into said storage vessels.
28. The analyzer according to claim 26 , further comprising a storage vessel receiving portion provided with a plurality of receiving holes for receiving said storage vessels respectively, wherein
said exit ends of said optical fibers and said photodetection portions are opposed to each other through said receiving holes.
29. The analyzer according to claim 26 , wherein
said photoirradiation portion further includes a condensing portion condensing light emitted from said light source,
for introducing said light condensed by said condensing portion into said incidence end of said optical fiber bundle.
30. The analyzer according to claim 26 , wherein
said photoirradiation portion further includes a reflecting member changing the traveling direction of light emitted from a first surface of said platelike filament and introducing said light into said incidence end of said optical fiber bundle.
31. The analyzer according to claim 26 , wherein
said samples are blood samples.
32. The analyzer according to claim 26 , wherein
said photoirradiation portion further includes an optical filter portion converting light emitted from said light source to light of a specific wavelength,
for introducing said light converted by said optical filter portion into said incidence end of said optical fiber bundle.
33. The analyzer according to claim 32 wherein
said optical filter portion is so formed as to convert light emitted from said light source to a plurality of light components of different wavelengths in a time-sharing manner, and
said analyzer is so formed as to apply said plurality of light components of different wavelengths to the same said storage vessel in a time-sharing manner.
34. An analytic system comprising:
a photoirradiator;
a first analyzer including a first reagent mixing portion mixing a reagent into an analyte and a first photodetection portion detecting light obtained by applying light emitted from said photoirradiator to said analyte mixed with said reagent by said first reagent mixing portion;
a second analyzer including a second reagent mixing portion mixing another reagent into another analyte and a second photodetection portion detecting light obtained by applying light emitted from said photoirradiator to said analyte mixed with said reagent by said second reagent mixing portion; and
analytic means analyzing characteristics of said analyte mixed with said reagent by said first reagent mixing portion on the basis of said light detected by said first photodetection portion while analyzing characteristics of said analyte mixed with said reagent by said second reagent mixing portion on the basis of said light detected by said second photodetection portion.
35. The analytic system according to claim 34 , wherein
said first analyzer includes said photoirradiator, and
said second analyzer is an extended analyzer capable of receiving light from said photoirradiator upon connection to said first analyzer.
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US (2) | US20070002309A1 (en) |
JP (1) | JP4638775B2 (en) |
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US20080245960A1 (en) * | 2007-04-09 | 2008-10-09 | Baker Hughes Incorporated | Method and Apparatus to Determine Characteristics of an Oil-Based Mud Downhole |
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Also Published As
Publication number | Publication date |
---|---|
JP4638775B2 (en) | 2011-02-23 |
US20100110415A1 (en) | 2010-05-06 |
JP2007010562A (en) | 2007-01-18 |
US7916298B2 (en) | 2011-03-29 |
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