Sample tube position detection method and apparatus and medical laboratory automation system

Abstract

The application discloses a sample tube position detection method and device and a medical laboratory automation system, which are used for detecting the position of a sample tube on a tray, the tray is provided with a plurality of hole positions which are sequentially numbered and used for positioning the sample tube, and the sample tube is used for storing a sample to be detected; a mechanical arm is provided, the mechanical arm comprises a motor, an encoder and a gripper, the motor is electrically connected with the encoder and drives the gripper to clamp the sample tube on the tray; the sample tube position detection method comprises the following steps: when the motor drives the gripper to grab the sample tube in a hole position with a preset number, the displacement information of the motor detected by the encoder is acquired; the detected displacement information is compared with preset displacement information, and when the detected displacement information matches the preset displacement information, the hole position is marked with a first state identifier. The sample tube position detection method can reduce the cost of the sample tube position detection link.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The present application relates to the technical field of medical instruments, in particular to a sample tube position detection method and device and a medical laboratory automation system. BACKGROUND

[0002] In the medical laboratory automation system, an input module sends sample tubes carrying samples to be tested into a transmission track, the transmission track transmits the sample tubes to each sample analyzer for detection, and transmits the detected samples to an output module for storage.

[0003] When the sample tubes carrying samples to be tested are sent into the input module, each sample tube is placed in each position of the tray, and each position is generally arranged in an array, and each position is used to position a sample tube. When the tray carrying the sample tubes is sent into the input module, there may be some positions on the tray that do not have sample tubes placed therein, i.e., the number of sample tubes is actually less than the number of positions on the tray, and at this time, the number of positions without sample tubes placed therein, i.e., the number of empty positions, needs to be locked to avoid the above-mentioned mis-sampling operation.

[0004] In the related art, an image acquisition device such as an industrial camera is used to acquire image information of each position of the input tray, and a software system is used to analyze and calibrate the empty positions and the positions carrying sample tubes according to the image information, and the position of the empty position is locked to avoid the above-mentioned mis-sampling operation. Because the high-precision image acquisition device itself is relatively expensive, and it needs to be used with a relatively complex software system, the configuration of the image acquisition device and the complex software system will result in high cost of the related equipment, and the manufacturing cost of the entire medical laboratory automation system is difficult to compress. SUMMARY

[0005] The main purpose of the present application is to provide a sample tube position detection method, which aims to reduce the cost of the sample tube position detection link.

[0006] To achieve the above-mentioned purpose, the present application provides a sample tube position detection method for detecting the position of a sample tube on a tray, wherein the tray is provided with a plurality of positions which are sequentially numbered and used to position sample tubes, and the sample tubes are used to store samples to be tested.

[0007] A mechanical arm is provided, which includes a motor, an encoder and a gripper, the motor is electrically connected with the encoder and drives the gripper to clamp the sample tube on the tray;

[0008] The sample tube position detection method comprises:

[0009] When the motor drives the gripper to clamp the sample tube in the position with a preset number, the displacement information of the motor detected by the encoder is acquired;

[0010] comparing the detected displacement information with the preset displacement information, and marking the acupoint with a first state identifier when the detected displacement information matches the preset displacement information.

[0011] In an embodiment of the present application, after the step of comparing the detected displacement information with the preset displacement information, and marking the acupoint with a first state identifier when the detected displacement information matches the preset displacement information, the method further comprises:

[0012] for the acupoint with a serial number greater than the preset serial number, controlling the mechanical arm to perform a sample tube clamping operation on each of the acupoints according to a dichotomy, obtaining the detected displacement information of the motor by the encoder at each sample tube clamping operation, and marking the corresponding acupoint with a first state identifier when the detected displacement information matches the preset displacement information.

[0013] In an embodiment of the present application, after the step of comparing the detected displacement information with the preset displacement information, the method further comprises:

[0014] for the acupoint with a serial number less than the preset serial number, controlling the mechanical arm to perform a sample tube clamping operation on each of the acupoints according to a dichotomy, obtaining the detected displacement information of the motor by the encoder at each sample tube clamping operation, and marking the corresponding acupoint with a first state identifier when the detected displacement information matches the preset displacement information.

[0015] In an embodiment of the present application, the sample tube position detection method further comprises:

[0016] performing a sample tube grabbing operation on the acupoint with the largest serial number and the acupoints before it among the acupoints marked with the first state identifier.

[0017] In an embodiment of the present application, after the step of comparing the detected displacement information with the preset displacement information, and marking the acupoint with a first state identifier when the detected displacement information matches the preset displacement information, the method further comprises:

[0018] for each of the acupoints with a serial number greater than the preset serial number, controlling the mechanical arm to perform a sample tube clamping operation on the acupoint according to a first preset grabbing number, obtaining the detected displacement information of the motor by the encoder at each sample tube clamping operation, and marking the acupoint with a first state identifier when the detected displacement information matches the preset displacement information.

[0019] In an embodiment of the present application, after the step of comparing the detected displacement information with the preset displacement information, the method further comprises:

[0020] When the detected displacement information does not match the preset displacement information, for each of the acupoints with a serial number less than the preset serial number, the mechanical arm is controlled to perform a sample tube clamping operation on a randomly selected acupoint according to a first preset number of times of grabbing, and the detected displacement information of the motor by the encoder is obtained at each time of sample tube clamping operation, and when the detected displacement information matches the preset displacement information, the acupoint is marked with a first state identifier.

[0021] In an embodiment of the present application, the step of, when the detected displacement information does not match the preset displacement information, controlling the mechanical arm to perform a sample tube clamping operation on a randomly selected acupoint according to a first preset number of times of grabbing, for each of the acupoints with a serial number less than the preset serial number, comprises:

[0022] The number interval of the acupoints on which the sample tube clamping operation is performed is determined according to the bisection method, and for each of the acupoints with a serial number in the number interval, a sample tube clamping operation is performed on a randomly selected acupoint according to a second preset number of times of grabbing.

[0023] To achieve the above object, the present application further provides a sample tube position detection device, which comprises:

[0024] A carrier is provided with a sample bin.

[0025] A tray is movably arranged in the sample bin and can be pulled out of the sample bin. The tray is provided with a plurality of acupoints for positioning sample tubes.

[0026] A mechanical arm comprises a displacement module, a motor, an encoder and a clamping jaw. The displacement module is arranged on the carrier. The motor is arranged at the output end of the displacement module and is electrically connected to the encoder. The clamping jaw is arranged at the output end of the motor. The motor drives the clamping jaw to clamp the sample tubes on the tray.

[0027] To achieve the above object, the present application further provides a medical laboratory automation system, which comprises an input module, a transmission track, a sample analysis module and an output module. The input module comprises the above-mentioned sample tube position detection device.

[0028] The transmission track is used to realize the transfer of the sample tubes in the sample tube position detection device to the sample analysis module and the output module. The sample analysis module is used to collect and detect samples in the sample tubes. The output module is used to store the detected samples.

[0029] To achieve the above object, the application further provides a storage medium, wherein the storage medium stores a sample tube position detection program, and the sample tube position detection program is executed by a processor to realize the steps of the sample tube position detection method.

[0030] The technical scheme of the application detects the displacement information of the motor by the encoder when the mechanical arm grabs the sample tube in the preset numbered acupoint, compares the detected displacement information with the preset displacement information in the system, and when the detected displacement information matches the preset displacement information, it indicates that the displacement stroke of the motor is within the expected stroke range, the clamping jaw of the mechanical arm grabs the sample tube at the acupoint of the tray, that is, the sample tube is placed at the acupoint, and at this time, the acupoint is marked with the first state identifier; when the detected displacement information does not match the preset displacement information, it indicates that the displacement stroke of the motor is not within the expected stroke range, and the acupoint is empty. The application determines whether the mechanical arm appears empty grabbing (does not grab the sample tube) at the corresponding acupoint by means of the grabbing action of the motor driven clamping jaw and the detection of the motor stroke by the encoder, and when the empty grabbing occurs, it can be determined that the acupoint is empty; when the non-empty grabbing occurs, it can be determined that the sample tube is placed at the acupoint and marked with the first state identifier; in this way, the position of the sample tube on the tray can still be determined without using the image acquisition device such as an industrial camera, and the related equipment does not need to be equipped with an image acquisition device and a supporting software system, thereby greatly reducing the cost of the sample tube position detection link and the manufacturing cost of the related equipment. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0031] In order to more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of the application or the prior art, the following will briefly introduce the drawings needed to be used in the embodiments or prior art description. Obviously, the drawings in the following description only constitute some embodiments of the application, and for those skilled in the art, other drawings can also be obtained from the structures shown in the drawings without creative labor.

[0032] Figure 1 The flow chart of the steps of the sample tube position detection method of the application;

[0033] Figure 2 For Figure 1 The detailed flow chart of the steps of the sample tube position detection method in the first embodiment;

[0034] Figure 3 For Figure 1 The detailed flow chart of the steps of the sample tube position detection method in the second embodiment;

[0035] Figure 4 For Figure 1 The detailed flow chart of the steps of the sample tube position detection method in the third embodiment;

[0036] Figure 5 For Figure 1 The detailed step flow chart of the sample tube position detection method in the fourth embodiment;

[0037] Figure 6 For Figure 5 The detailed step flow chart of the sample tube position detection method;

[0038] Figure 7 The structural schematic diagram of the sample tube position detection device of the present application.

[0039] Explanation of reference numerals:

[0040] Reference Name Reference Name 1 Stage 3 Mechanical arm 1a Sample chamber 31 Displacement module 2 Tray 32 Motor 2a Acupoint 33 Clamp jaw

[0041] The implementation, functional features and advantages of the present application will be further described with reference to the embodiments and the accompanying drawings. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0042] The technical solutions in the embodiments of the present application will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the drawings in the embodiments of the present application. Obviously, the described embodiments are only part of the embodiments of the present application, rather than all the embodiments of the present application. Based on the embodiments in the present application, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative work under the premise that the scope of protection of the present application belongs to.

[0043] It should be noted that all directional indications (such as up, down, left, right, front, back, etc.) in the embodiments of the present application are only used to explain the relative positional relationship, movement condition, etc. between components in a certain posture (as shown in the drawings), and if the certain posture changes, the directional indications will also change accordingly.

[0044] In the present application, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, the terms "connection", "fixation" and the like should be understood in a broad sense, for example, "fixation" can be fixed connection, or detachable connection, or integral; can be mechanical connection, or electrical connection; can be direct connection, or indirect connection through intermediate medium; can be internal connection of two elements or interaction relationship between two elements, unless otherwise explicitly limited. For those skilled in the art, the specific meaning of the above terms in the present application can be understood according to the specific circumstances.

[0045] Furthermore, in this invention, descriptions involving "first," "second," etc., are for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying their relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of technical features indicated. Thus, a feature defined with "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include at least one of those features. Throughout the text, "and / or" and "and / or" have the same meaning, both indicating the inclusion of three parallel solutions. Taking "A and / or B" as an example, it includes solution A, solution B, or a solution that simultaneously satisfies A and B. Additionally, the technical solutions of the various embodiments can be combined with each other, but this must be based on the ability of those skilled in the art to implement them. When the combination of technical solutions is contradictory or impossible to implement, it should be considered that such a combination of technical solutions does not exist and is not within the scope of protection claimed by this invention.

[0046] This invention provides a sample tube position detection device, such as... Figure 7 As shown, the sample tube position detection device includes a platform 1, a tray 2, and a robotic arm 3. The platform 1 is provided with a sample compartment 1a; the tray 2 is movably disposed in the sample compartment 1a and can be removed from the sample compartment 1a; the tray 2 is provided with multiple acupoints 2a, which are used to position the sample tubes; the robotic arm 3 includes a displacement module 31, a motor 32, an encoder, and a gripper 33. The displacement module 31 is disposed on the platform 1, the motor 32 is disposed at the output end of the displacement module 31 and is electrically connected to the encoder, and the gripper 33 is disposed at the output end of the motor 32. The motor 32 drives the gripper 33 to grip the sample tubes on the tray 2.

[0047] In this embodiment, the sample compartment 1a of the stage 1 is used to accommodate the tray 2. The sample compartment 1a is a groove or cavity structure on the stage 1. Exemplarily, the sample compartment 1a has an opening that connects to the outside. This opening can be opened on the peripheral side wall of the stage 1 so that the sample compartment 1a and the tray 2 cooperate to form a drawer-type structure. The tray 2 can be pushed into the sample compartment 1a through the opening or pulled out of the sample compartment 1a through the opening. This realizes the connection and cooperation between the tray 2 and the stage 1, which facilitates the delivery of the tray 2 containing the sample tube into the sample compartment 1a.

[0048] The acupoints 2a on tray 2 are used to position sample tubes. Each acupoint 2a has sufficient depth to accommodate and limit the end of the sample tube away from its opening. Multiple acupoints 2a can be arranged in an array. Tray 2 is designed with acupoints 2a of different diameters for sample tubes of different diameters to match the positioning needs of sample tubes of different diameters. Sample tubes of different diameters are generally used to store different types of samples. To avoid confusion and sampling interference between different types of samples, it is advisable that multiple acupoints 2a on the same tray 2 have the same size and are all used to hold the same type of sample.

[0049] The mechanical arm 3 is used to scan the sample tubes on the tray 2. Since the theoretical moving stroke of the internal motor 32 of the mechanical arm 3 when it grabs the sample tube can be obtained by experiment in advance, the theoretical moving stroke is stored in the mechanical arm 3 or the storage medium associated with the mechanical arm 3 in advance as preset displacement information as system data for calling. When the displacement module 31 in the mechanical arm 3 drives the motor 32 and the gripper 33 to move close to a hole position 2a on the tray 2, the motor 32 drives the gripper 33 to grab the sample tube in the hole position 2a. If the gripper 33 grabs the sample tube, the current moving stroke of the motor 32 will match the above-mentioned theoretical moving stroke, at which time it can be determined that the mechanical arm 3 currently grabs the sample tube, and the corresponding hole position 2a is placed with the sample tube. If the gripper 33 does not grab the sample tube, i.e. empty grabbing, the current moving stroke of the motor 32 will not match the above-mentioned theoretical moving stroke, at which time it can be determined that the mechanical arm 3 currently does not grab the sample tube, and the corresponding hole position 2a is not placed with the sample tube and becomes an empty hole. Therefore, by detecting the current displacement stroke of the motor 32 by the encoder and recording the detected displacement information, the above-mentioned preset displacement information in the system is called, and the obtained detected displacement information is compared with the pre-stored preset displacement information, it can be determined whether the mechanical arm 3 grabs the sample tube in the current hole position 2a, so as to determine which hole positions 2a are placed with the sample tubes and which are empty holes, so as to determine the positions of the sample tubes on the tray 2. The above-mentioned moving of the mechanical arm 3 to each hole position 2a to perform the gripping operation of the sample tube to determine whether there is a sample tube on the hole position 2a can be more vividly described as scanning the sample tubes at each hole position 2a on the tray 2 by the mechanical arm 3.

[0050] The sample tube position detection device of the embodiment can determine whether the mechanical arm 3 is empty grabbing at the current acupoint 2a according to the comparison result, so as to determine whether the sample tube exists on the current acupoint 2a, and further determine the position of the sample tube on the tray 2. Thus, the tube grabbing action of the mechanical arm 3 in combination with simple data comparison and analysis on the software system level can determine the position of each sample tube on the tray 2. Both the hardware structure and the software program are very simple and practical, and the sample tube position detection device eliminates the use of an image acquisition device such as an industrial camera, and does not need to set up an image acquisition device and a complex software system matched therewith, thereby greatly reducing the cost of the sample tube position detection link and the manufacturing cost of the sample tube position detection device. In addition, because the sample tube detection device does not rely on an image acquisition device to determine the position of the sample tube, the sample tube detection device can also complete the locking of the position of the sample tube in a darkroom environment, which is very friendly to light-sensitive samples and detection reagents, and can avoid the influence of light on the light-sensitive samples and detection reagents in the sample tube position locking link, thereby improving the reliability of the light-sensitive samples and detection reagents in the subsequent sample sampling and the detection accuracy of the detection link.

[0051] The embodiment of the present application also provides a medical laboratory automation system, as shown in the figure, the medical laboratory automation system comprises an input module, a transmission track, a sample analysis module and an output module, the input module comprises the sample tube position detection device; the transmission track is used for realizing the transfer of the sample tube in the sample tube position detection device to the sample analysis module and the output module, the sample analysis module is used for collecting and detecting the sample in the sample tube, and the output module is used for storing the detected sample. Figure 7

[0052] In the embodiment, the laboratory automation system is used for realizing the transmission and detection of samples in a laboratory environment, wherein the samples are stored by sample tubes. In the embodiment, the input module, the cap opening module, the sample analysis module and the output module can be arranged in sequence along the upstream to downstream direction of the transmission track, and correspondingly, the modules are respectively arranged on the input station, the cap opening station, the detection analysis station and the output station on the transmission track.

[0053] ​The input module is used to realize the transfer of the sample tubes to the transfer track, and is located at the input station and upstream of the transfer track. The stage 1 of the input module has a sample storage 1a for storing a plurality of trays 2. The relevant operator can transfer a plurality of sample tubes to the sample storage 1a through the trays 2. Since the sample tube rack has a plurality of positions 2a for positioning the sample tubes, the sample tubes are orderly and spaced in the sample storage 1a. After the scanning operation of the mechanical arm 3 on each position 2a to determine the position of the sample tube on the tray 2, the mechanical arm 3 can be used to pick up the sample tube with the determined position one by one and transfer it to the transfer track.

[0054] The sample analysis module can include a suction head for extracting the sample in the sample tube, a moving module for driving the suction head to move into the sample tube for sampling, and a sample analyzer for detecting the sample. The sample analyzer is used to detect the sample in the sample tube by optical, electrochemical or other methods to obtain the physiological and pathological information of the corresponding sampling object, thereby providing a basis for clinical diagnosis and treatment. For example, the sample tube can store human plasma or blood cell samples. By detecting the plasma or blood cell samples, the physiological and pathological information of the human body can be obtained. The sample analysis module is located at the detection and analysis station. An uncapping module can be further arranged upstream of the sample analysis module. In order to facilitate sample storage, the sample tubes transferred to the transfer track in the input module are capped. The uncapping module can be used to remove the cap of the sample tube transferred on the transfer track, so as to facilitate the sample analysis module to extract the sample in the sample tube.

[0055] The capping device in the output module is used for capping the sample tube after sampling, i.e. capping the sample tube after sampling, and transferring the capped sample tube to the storage space in the output module for storage. The output module is arranged at the output station and downstream of the transfer track.

[0056] The specific structure of the sample position detection device in the embodiment is the same as that of the above-mentioned embodiment. Since the laboratory automation system adopts all the technical solutions of the above-mentioned embodiments, it at least has all the beneficial effects brought by the technical solutions of the above-mentioned embodiments, which will not be repeated here.

[0057] The embodiment of the present application proposes a sample tube position detection method applied to the sample tube detection device in the above-mentioned embodiment. The tray 2 of the sample tube detection device is provided with a plurality of positions 2a sequentially numbered and used for positioning the sample tube. The sample tube is used for storing the sample to be detected. As shown in the figure, the sample tube position detection method comprises: Figure 1

[0058] ​Step 100: When the motor 32 drives the gripper 33 to grab the sample tube in the preset number of acupoints 2a, the displacement information of the motor 32 detected by the encoder is obtained.

[0059] In the embodiment, the displacement module 31 drives the gripper 33 to move to the preset number of acupoints 2a, and the motor 32 drives the gripper 33 to close to clamp the sample tube at the acupoint 2a. When the motor 32 operates, the encoder detects the angular displacement or linear displacement information of the rotating shaft of the motor 32, and converts the displacement information into an electrical signal and transmits it to the data chip associated with the mechanical arm 3 to obtain the detection displacement information. Therefore, the detection displacement information contains the data of the angular displacement or linear displacement of the rotating shaft of the motor 32. The detection displacement information can also be obtained when the rotating shaft of the motor 32 no longer moves, so as to directly obtain the detection displacement information in the terminal state of the motor 32. The obtained detection displacement information can be stored in the storage medium of the system associated with the mechanical arm 3. Among them, all the acupoints 2a on the tray 2 are sequentially numbered, for example, when there are 50 acupoints 2a on the tray 2, each acupoint 2a is sequentially numbered as No. 1, No. 2, …, No. 49, and No. 50. Each acupoint 2a on the tray 2 has a unique number, and the preset number can be one or include multiple numbers. The preset number can be set in the system associated with the mechanical arm 3 in advance according to actual needs, and the mechanical arm 3 is controlled to first grab the sample tube in the acupoint 2a with the preset number when performing the tube grabbing operation.

[0060] Step 200: Compare the detection displacement information with the preset displacement information, and mark the acupoint 2a with the first state identifier when the detection displacement information matches the preset displacement information.

[0061] In the embodiment, because the tube diameter of the single sample tube is certain, the theoretical moving stroke of the motor 32 in the mechanical arm 3 when the mechanical arm 3 grabs the sample tube can be obtained by experiment in advance, and the theoretical moving stroke is stored in the storage medium of the system associated with the mechanical arm 3 as preset displacement information for calling as system data. When the mechanical arm 3 actually moves to the preset numbered acupoint 2a to perform the clamping operation, the detection displacement information is obtained by detecting the moving stroke of the rotating shaft of the motor 32 by the encoder, the detection displacement information is compared with the preset displacement information in the system, and when the detection displacement information matches the preset displacement information, it is indicated that the displacement stroke of the motor 32 is within the expected stroke range, and the clamping jaw 33 of the mechanical arm 3 grabs the sample tube at the acupoint 2a of the tray 2, that is, the sample tube is placed at the acupoint 2a, and at this time, the acupoint 2a is marked with the first state identifier, for subsequent transfer of the sample tube and sampling of the sample in the sample tube. When the detection displacement information does not match the preset displacement information, it is indicated that the displacement stroke of the motor 32 is not within the expected stroke range, and the acupoint 2a is not placed with the sample tube, that is, the acupoint 2a is empty. In this way, whether the mechanical arm 3 is empty (does not grab the sample tube) at the corresponding acupoint 2a is determined by means of the grabbing action of the clamping jaw 33 driven by the motor 32 and the detection of the stroke of the motor 32 by the encoder, and when the mechanical arm 3 is empty, it can be determined that the acupoint 2a is empty; when the mechanical arm 3 is not empty, it can be determined that the sample tube is placed at the acupoint 2a and the acupoint 2a is marked with the first state identifier; in this way, the position of the sample tube on the tray 2 can still be determined without using the industrial camera and other image acquisition devices, and the related equipment does not need to be erected with the image acquisition device and the supporting software system, so that the cost of the sample tube position detection link and the manufacturing cost of the related equipment are greatly reduced. When the acupoint 2a is placed with the sample tube, the acupoint 2a is marked with the first state identifier as described above, and when the acupoint 2a is empty, the acupoint 2a can be marked with the second state identifier, the first state identifier can be any identifier representing that the acupoint 2a has the tube, such as the number "1", and the second state identifier can be any identifier representing that the acupoint 2a has no tube, such as the number "0"; because the acupoints 2a on the tray 2 only have two states of having the tube and having no tube, when all the acupoints 2a placed with the sample tube are locked, the remaining acupoints 2a are naturally empty acupoints without the tube, and therefore only one of the first state identifier and the second state identifier can be used to mark the corresponding acupoint 2a to distinguish and record the acupoint 2a with the tube and the acupoint 2a without the tube.

[0062] In an embodiment of the present application, as shown in Figure 2 the step 200 of comparing the detection displacement information with the preset displacement information, and when the detection displacement information matches the preset displacement information, marking the acupoint 2a with the first state identifier further includes:

[0063] Step 300: for the numbered sequence number greater than the preset numbered acupoint 2a, the mechanical arm 3 is controlled to perform sample tube clamping operation on each acupoint 2a according to the dichotomy, and the detection displacement information of the motor 32 is obtained by the encoder at each sample tube clamping operation, and when the detection displacement information matches the preset displacement information, the corresponding acupoint 2a is marked with a first state identifier.

[0064] In the embodiment, it is assumed that M acupoints 2a are provided on the tray 2, M is a natural number greater than or equal to 3, and in order to improve the transfer efficiency of the sample tubes, M is usually much greater than 3, for example, M is greater than or equal to 10 and less than or equal to 100. The M acupoints 2a are numbered in Arabic numerals according to the order of arrangement as No. 1, No. 2, …, No. M-1, and No. M. The preset number can be determined by dichotomy, that is, when M is odd, (M+1) / 2 is taken as the preset number; when M is even, M / 2 is taken as the preset number, so as to avoid that the acupoint 2a with the preset number is close to the first and last acupoints 2a (No. 1 or No. M acupoint 2a), which may cause the time consumption of subsequent dichotomy determination of the sample tube position to be lengthened, and the risk of the cycle of the sample tube position determination being lengthened.

[0065] Taking M / 2 as the preset number as an example, when the detection displacement information obtained in the sample tube grabbing operation at the M / 2 acupoint 2a matches the preset displacement information of the system, it indicates that there is a sample tube in the M / 2 acupoint 2a, the M / 2 acupoint 2a is marked with a first state identifier, and it is recorded that the M / 2 acupoint 2a has a tube. According to the usual rule of arranging sample tubes in sequence on the tray 2, the sample tubes will be arranged in sequence from No. 1 acupoint 2a to No. M acupoint 2a, so when the M / 2 acupoint 2a has a tube, the No. 1 acupoint 2a to the No. M / 2 acupoint 2a are in a full-tube state with a high probability, that is, the No. 1 acupoint 2a to the No. M / 2 acupoint 2a all store sample tubes, and if there are some acupoints 2a with missing tubes, the missing tube acupoints 2a (empty holes) are most likely to appear in the No. M / 2 acupoint 2a to the No. M acupoint 2a.

[0066] The sample tube clamping operation is repeatedly performed on the M / 2th to Mth acupoints 2a by dichotomy, so as to more efficiently lock the empty acupoint 2a and the acupoint 2a with the sample tube. The dichotomy first determines the acupoint 2a interval in which the sample tube clamping operation is performed, then divides the acupoint 2a interval in which the sample tube clamping operation is currently performed into two half intervals, and performs the sample tube clamping operation on one of the two half intervals. For example, the sample tube clamping operation is performed on the (M-M / 2) / 2+M / 2th acupoint 2a, when the (M-M / 2) / 2+M / 2th acupoint 2a has the tube, the acupoint 2a interval in which the sample tube clamping operation is performed is limited to the (M-M / 2) / 2+M / 2th to Mth acupoint 2a; then the sample tube clamping operation is performed on the (M-(M-M / 2) / 2+M / 2) / 2+(M-M / 2) / 2+M / 2th acupoint 2a, when the (M-(M-M / 2) / 2+M / 2) / 2+(M-M / 2) / 2+M / 2th acupoint 2a has the tube, the acupoint 2a interval in which the sample tube clamping operation is performed is limited to the (M-(M-M / 2) / 2+M / 2) / 2+(M-M / 2) / 2+M / 2th to Mth acupoint 2a; until the positions of all the sample tubes are determined. In this example, the acupoint 2a in which the clamping operation is performed has the tube, and the probability of the existence of the empty acupoint in the latter half interval is greater than that in the former half interval, so the clamping operation is only performed on the latter half interval. If the acupoint 2a in which the clamping operation is performed is empty, then the probability of the existence of the empty acupoint in the latter half interval is high, so the clamping operation is only performed on the former half interval, so as to reduce the number of times of the clamping operation performed by the mechanical arm 3 and improve the efficiency of the determination of the positions of the sample tubes.

[0067] In an embodiment of the present application, as shown in Figure 4 The step 200 further comprises the following step after the step of comparing the detected displacement information with the preset displacement information:

[0068] Step 400: When the detected displacement information does not match the preset displacement information, the acupoint 2a with a serial number less than the preset serial number is controlled to perform the sample tube clamping operation on each acupoint 2a according to the dichotomy, the detected displacement information of the motor 32 is obtained by the encoder at each sample tube clamping operation, and when the detected displacement information matches the preset displacement information, the corresponding acupoint 2a is marked with the first state identifier.

[0069] In this embodiment, it is assumed that there are M acupoints 2a on the tray 2, where M is a natural number greater than or equal to 3. Since the tray 2 is used to transfer batch sample tubes, in order to improve the transfer efficiency, M is usually much greater than 3, for example, M is greater than or equal to 10 and less than or equal to 100. The M acupoints 2a are numbered in Arabic numeral order as No. 1, No. 2...M-1, No. M according to the arrangement order. The preset number can be determined by a binary search method, that is, when M is odd, (M+1) / 2 is used as the preset number; when M is even, M / 2 is used as the preset number, so as to avoid the acupoint 2a with the preset number being close to the first and last acupoints 2a (No. 1 or No. M acupoint 2a), which may lead to a longer time for the subsequent binary search method to determine the position of the sample tube, thus reducing the risk of the sample tube position determination cycle being prolonged.

[0070] Taking M as an even number and M / 2 as the preset number as an example, during the sample tube grasping operation at acupoint 2a of M / 2, if the obtained detection displacement information matches the system's preset displacement information, it indicates that a sample tube exists in acupoint 2a of M / 2. Acupoint 2a of M / 2 is marked with the first state identifier and recorded as having a tube. According to the usual pattern of sample tubes being placed sequentially on tray 2, the sample tubes will be placed sequentially from acupoint 1 2a to acupoint 2a of M. Therefore, when acupoint 2a of M / 2 is empty, acupoints 2a of M / 2 to M are likely all empty, and there may also be empty acupoints from acupoint 1 2a to acupoint 2a of M / 2.

[0071] The sample tube clamping operation is repeatedly performed on the 2a of the 1st hole position to the 2a of the M / 2th hole position by dichotomy to more efficiently lock the empty hole and place the hole position 2a with the sample tube. The dichotomy first determines the hole position 2a interval in which the sample tube clamping operation is performed, then divides the hole position 2a interval in which the sample tube clamping operation is currently required into two half intervals, and performs the sample tube clamping operation on one of the two half intervals. For example, when M is an even number, the sample tube clamping operation is performed on the (M / 2) / 2th hole position 2a between the 1st hole position 2a and the M / 2th hole position 2a, and when the (M / 2) / 2th hole position 2a is empty, the hole position 2a interval in which the sample tube clamping operation is performed is limited to the 1st to the (M / 2) / 2th hole position 2a; then the sample tube clamping operation is performed on the ((M / 2) / 2) / 2th hole position 2a, and when the ((M / 2) / 2) / 2th hole position 2a is empty, the hole position 2a interval in which the sample tube clamping operation is performed is limited to the 1st to the ((M / 2) / 2) / 2th hole position 2a; until the positions of all sample tubes are determined. It is worth noting that because the serial number of the hole position 2a does not have a decimal place, the number of the hole position 2a in which the sample tube clamping operation is required to be performed is a decimal number calculated by the dichotomy above, and the decimal part is discarded and the integer part is retained, and the sample tube clamping operation is performed on the hole position 2a with the integer part number. For example, when M = 50, according to the above sample tube clamping logic, the sample tube clamping operation is sequentially performed on the 25th hole position 2a, the 12th hole position 2a, the 6th hole position 2a, and the 3rd hole position 2a. When M is an odd number, the half interval and the hole position 2a in which the sample tube clamping operation is performed are determined by dichotomy, which is not described here. In the above example, the hole position 2a in which the clamping operation is performed is empty, and the probability that the latter half interval is empty is high, so only the hole position 2a in the former half interval needs to be clamped to determine whether there is an empty hole in the former half interval. If the hole position 2a in which the clamping operation is performed has a tube, the probability that there is an empty hole in the latter half interval is higher than that in the former half interval, so only the latter half interval needs to be clamped, which can reduce the number of times the robot arm 3 performs the clamping operation and improve the efficiency of determining the position of the sample tube.

[0072] In an embodiment of the present application, as shown in Figure 2 The sample tube position detection method further comprises:

[0073] Step 500: Perform the sample tube clamping operation on the hole position 2a with the largest serial number and the hole position 2a before it that are marked with the first state identifier.

[0074] In the embodiment, according to the above rule that the sample tubes are sequentially placed in the holes 2a from No. 1 to No. M on the tray 2, all the holes 2a before the hole 2a in which the sample tube is placed and whose serial number is the largest are determined to have sample tubes, even if some of the holes 2a are not subjected to the sample tube clamping operation or are not marked with the first state identifier, so as to reduce the number of times of the sample tube clamping operation performed by the mechanical arm 3 and improve the efficiency of the sample tube position determination. For example, when the hole 2a with the preset number has a sample tube, all the holes 2a before the hole 2a with the preset number are determined to have sample tubes, and the sample tube clamping operation and marking are not performed on these holes 2a. The hole 2a in which the sample tube is placed and which is found through the dichotomy is marked with the first state identifier. When the hole 2a with the preset number is empty, all the holes 2a after the hole 2a with the preset number are determined to be empty, and the sample tube clamping operation and marking are not performed on these holes 2a. The hole 2a in which the sample tube is placed and which is found through the dichotomy is marked with the first state identifier.

[0075] In an embodiment of the present application, as shown in Figure 4 the step of marking the hole 2a with the first state identifier when the detection displacement information matches the preset displacement information after the step of comparing the detection displacement information with the preset displacement information in the step 200 is further included.

[0076] Step 600: For each hole 2a whose serial number is greater than the preset number, the mechanical arm 3 is controlled to perform the sample tube clamping operation on the randomly selected hole 2a according to the first preset number of times of clamping. The detection displacement information of the motor 32 obtained by the encoder is acquired during each sample tube clamping operation. When the detection displacement information matches the preset displacement information, the hole 2a is marked with the first state identifier.

[0077] In the embodiment, the sample tubes on the tray 2 can not be placed in order according to the storage requirements, and there is a phenomenon of tube skipping, that is, there is an empty hole between two adjacent holes 2a where the sample tubes are placed. For the tube skipping phenomenon, when the sample tubes are in the holes 2a with the preset numbers, the sample tube clamping operation is performed on the holes 2a in the latter half interval where there are more empty holes (based on the above-mentioned regular arrangement of the sample tubes, the possibility of more empty holes in the latter half interval is higher than that in the former half interval). The clamping operation is sample tube clamping on a plurality of randomly selected holes 2a, and the detection displacement information is obtained at each sample tube clamping operation to compare with the preset displacement information to determine whether the sample tube is clamped by the random clamping operation. If the sample tube is clamped, the corresponding hole 2a number is locked and marked with the first state identifier. The above sample tube position detection method is equivalent to random sampling detection of the holes 2a in the half interval, and the sampling ratio is, for example, 1 / 10. The sampling is performed in a rounding-off manner, that is, if there are 25 holes 2a from the hole 2a with the preset number to the hole 2a with the last number, 3 holes 2a are randomly selected for sample tube clamping operation. When the sample tube exists in the sampled hole 2a, it is indicated that the probability of the sample tube existing in the holes 2a in the half interval is relatively large, and the sampling can be performed again or multiple times. When the sample tube does not exist in the sampled hole 2a, it is indicated that the probability of the sample tube existing in the holes 2a in the half interval is relatively small, and the sampling of the holes 2a in the half interval can be cancelled, and the focus is placed on the sample tube position locking in the holes 2a in the former half interval. In this way, when the tube skipping phenomenon exists, the sampling operation of the sample tubes in the holes 2a in the half interval can not be required, the number of times of the gripping operation performed by the mechanical arm 3 can be reduced, and the efficiency of the sample tube position determination can be improved.

[0078] In an embodiment of the present application, as shown in Figure 5 After the detection displacement information is compared with the preset displacement information in the step 200, the following steps are further included:

[0079] Step 700: When the detection displacement information does not match the preset displacement information, for each hole 2a with a serial number less than the preset number, the mechanical arm 3 is controlled to perform sample tube clamping operation on the randomly selected hole 2a according to the first preset gripping frequency. The detection displacement information of the encoder on the motor 32 is obtained at each sample tube clamping operation, and when the detection displacement information matches the preset displacement information, the hole 2a is marked with the first state identifier.

[0080] In the embodiment, when the jump tube phenomenon in the above embodiment exists in the acupoints 2a on the tray 2, if the acupoint 2a at the preset number is empty, there is a high probability that there is also an empty acupoint 2a between the first acupoint 2a and the acupoint 2a at the preset number. The sample tube clamping operation is performed on the acupoints 2a between the first acupoint 2a and the acupoint 2a at the preset number, and the sample tube clamping operation is performed on a plurality of randomly selected acupoints 2a. The detection displacement information is obtained at each sample tube clamping operation to compare with the preset displacement information to determine whether the sample tube is clamped by the random clamping operation. If the sample tube is clamped, the corresponding acupoint 2a number is locked and marked with a first state identifier. The above sample tube position detection method is equivalent to randomly sampling and detecting the acupoints 2a in the half interval, and the sampling ratio is, for example, 1 / 10. The sampling is performed in a rounding manner, that is, if there are 25 acupoints 2a from the acupoint 2a at the preset number to the acupoint 2a at the end, 3 acupoints 2a are randomly selected for sample tube clamping operation. When the sampled acupoint 2a has a sample tube, it means that the sample tube is more likely to exist in the acupoints 2a in the half interval, and the sampling can be performed again or multiple times. When the sampled acupoint 2a does not have a sample tube, it means that the sample tube is less likely to exist in the acupoints 2a in the half interval, and the sampling of the acupoints 2a in the half interval can be cancelled, and the focus is put on the sample tube position locking in the acupoints 2a in the later half interval. It is worth noting that according to the order arrangement rule of the sample tubes on the tray 2, it is not easy to appear the situation that the sampled acupoints 2a in the latter do not have a sample tube. In the embodiment, when the jump tube phenomenon exists, the sampling operation of the sample tube on all acupoints 2a in the half interval can not be needed, the number of times of the clamping operation of the mechanical arm 3 can be reduced, and the efficiency of the sample tube position determination can be improved.

[0081] In an embodiment of the application, when the detection displacement information does not match the preset displacement information, for each acupoint 2a with a serial number less than the preset number, the step of controlling the mechanical arm 3 to perform sample tube clamping operation on the randomly selected acupoint 2a according to the first preset clamping number includes:

[0082] Step 710: determining the number interval of the acupoints 2a on which the sample tube clamping operation is performed according to the bisection method. For the acupoints 2a with a serial number in the number interval, the sample tube clamping operation is performed on the randomly selected acupoint 2a according to the second preset clamping number.

[0083] In this embodiment, it is assumed that there are M acupoints 2a on the tray 2, where M is a natural number greater than or equal to 3. Since the tray 2 is used to transfer batch sample tubes, in order to improve the transfer efficiency, M is usually much greater than 3, for example, M is greater than or equal to 10 and less than or equal to 100. The M acupoints 2a are numbered in Arabic numeral order as No. 1, No. 2...M-1, No. M according to the arrangement order. The preset number can be determined by a binary search method, that is, when M is odd, (M+1) / 2 is used as the preset number; when M is even, M / 2 is used as the preset number, so as to avoid the acupoint 2a with the preset number being close to the first and last acupoints 2a (No. 1 or No. M acupoint 2a), which may lead to a longer time for the subsequent binary search method to determine the position of the sample tube, thus reducing the risk of the sample tube position determination cycle being prolonged.

[0084] Taking M as an even number and M / 2 as the preset number as an example, during the sample tube grasping operation at acupoint 2a (M / 2), if the obtained detection displacement information does not match the system's preset displacement information, it indicates that acupoint 2a (M / 2) is empty. Acupoint 2a (M / 2) is marked with a second state identifier and recorded as "Acupoint 2a (M / 2) has no tube." Based on the usual pattern of sample tubes being arranged sequentially on tray 2, the sample tubes will be arranged sequentially from acupoint 1 (M / 2) to acupoint 2a (M). When there is no tube at acupoint 2a (M / 2), even if there is tube skipping, the number and probability of empty acupoints 2a from acupoint 2a (M / 2) to acupoint 2a (M) are greater than those from acupoint 1 (M / 2) to acupoint 2a (M / 2).

[0085] By repeatedly performing random sample tube clamping operations on acupoints 1 to M / 2 using a dichotomy method, empty acupoints and acupoints 2a containing sample tubes can be located more efficiently. The dichotomy method first determines the acupoint 2a interval for which the sample tube clamping operation will be performed, then divides the current acupoint 2a interval into two half intervals, and performs the sample tube clamping operation on one half interval. For example, when the detected displacement information does not match the preset displacement information, a sample tube grasping operation is performed on acupoint 2a at (M / 2) / 2. When there is a tube at acupoint 2a at (M / 2) / 2, the interval of acupoint 2a for which the sample tube grasping operation is performed is limited to acupoint 2a at (M / 2) / 2 to M. Then, a sample tube grasping operation is performed on acupoint 2a at (M / 2) / 2) / 2. When there is a tube at acupoint 2a at (M / 2) / 2) / 2, the interval of acupoint 2a for which the sample tube grasping operation is performed is limited to acupoint 2a at (M / 2) / 2) / 2 to M. This continues until the positions of all sample tubes are determined. This avoids the need to perform sample tube sampling operations on all acupoints 2a within a half-interval, reduces the number of grasping operations performed by the robotic arm 3, and improves the efficiency of sample tube position determination.

[0086] Optionally, when the displacement information detected does not match the preset displacement information, the mechanical arm 3 is controlled to perform the sample tube clamping operation on the acupoint 2a with the serial number of the number greater than the preset number according to the first preset number of clamping times. Specifically, the number interval of the acupoint 2a performing the sample tube clamping operation is determined according to the bisection method, and the sample tube clamping operation is performed on the acupoint 2a with the serial number of the number in the number interval according to the second preset number of clamping times.

[0087] The bisection method can more efficiently lock the empty acupoint and the acupoint 2a with the sample tube. The bisection method first determines the acupoint 2a interval performing the sample tube clamping operation, then divides the acupoint 2a interval currently requiring the sample tube clamping operation into two half intervals, and performs the sample tube clamping operation on one of the two half intervals. For example, when the displacement information detected does not match the preset displacement information, the sample tube clamping operation is performed on the acupoint 2a with the serial number of (M-M / 2) / 2+M / 2, and when the acupoint 2a with the serial number of (M-M / 2) / 2+M / 2 has the sample tube, the acupoint 2a interval performing the sample tube clamping operation is limited to the acupoint 2a with the serial number of (M-M / 2) / 2+M / 2 to M; then the sample tube clamping operation is performed on the acupoint 2a with the serial number of (M-(M-M / 2) / 2+M / 2) / 2+(M-M / 2) / 2+M / 2 in the random acupoint 2a, and when the acupoint 2a with the serial number of (M-(M-M / 2) / 2+M / 2) / 2+(M-M / 2) / 2+M / 2 has the sample tube, the acupoint 2a interval performing the sample tube clamping operation in the random acupoint 2a is limited to the acupoint 2a with the serial number of (M-(M-M / 2) / 2+M / 2) / 2+(M-M / 2) / 2+M / 2 to M; until the positions of all sample tubes are determined, which can avoid the sample tube clamping operation on all acupoints 2a in the half interval, reduce the number of clamping operations performed by the mechanical arm 3, and improve the efficiency of determining the positions of the sample tubes.

[0088] It is worth pointing out that because the serial number of the number of the acupoint 2a does not have a decimal place, the number of the acupoint 2a performing the sample tube clamping operation calculated by the above bisection method is a decimal number, the decimal places after the decimal point are discarded and the integer places are retained, and the sample tube clamping operation is performed on the acupoint 2a with the integer number. For example, when M=50, according to the above sample tube clamping logic for the acupoint 2a with the serial number of the number less than the preset number, the sample tube clamping operation will be performed on the acupoint 2a with the serial number of 25, 12, 6 and 3 in turn; and according to the above sample tube clamping logic for the acupoint 2a with the serial number of the number greater than the preset number, the sample tube clamping operation will be performed on the acupoint 2a with the serial number of 25, 37, 43 and 46 in turn.

[0089] The application further provides a storage medium, wherein the storage medium stores a sample tube position detection program, and the sample tube position detection program is executed by a processor to realize the steps of the sample tube position detection method.

[0090] In the embodiment, the memory as a storage medium can include an operating system, a data storage module, a network communication module, a user interface module, and the sample transport control program. In the medical laboratory automation system provided by the above embodiment, the network interface is mainly used for data communication with other devices; the user interface is mainly used for data interaction with the user end; the medical laboratory automation system further comprises a processor, and the medical laboratory automation system calls the sample transport program stored in the memory through the processor, and executes the sample transport control method provided by the above embodiment of the application.

[0091] The above is only optional embodiments of the application, and does not limit the patent scope of the application, and any equivalent structural transformation, direct / indirect application in other related technical fields within the inventive concept of the application and the content of the specification and drawings are included in the patent protection scope of the application.

Claims

1. A sample tube position detection method for detecting the position of a sample tube on a tray, the tray being provided with a plurality of wells sequentially numbered and used for positioning sample tubes for storing samples to be tested, characterized in that: a mechanical arm is provided, the mechanical arm comprising a motor, an encoder and a gripper, the motor being electrically connected to the encoder and driving the gripper to grip the sample tube on the tray; the sample tube position detection method comprising: acquiring detection displacement information of the motor by the encoder when the motor drives the gripper to grip a sample tube in a well with a preset number; comparing the detection displacement information with preset displacement information, and marking the well with a first state identifier when the detection displacement information matches the preset displacement information; after the step of comparing the detection displacement information with the preset displacement information and marking the well with the first state identifier when the detection displacement information matches the preset displacement information, further comprising: for the well with a number greater than the preset number, controlling the mechanical arm to perform sample tube gripping operations on each well according to a binary method, acquiring detection displacement information of the motor by the encoder at each sample tube gripping operation, and marking the corresponding well with the first state identifier when the detection displacement information matches the preset displacement information; after the step of comparing the detection displacement information with the preset displacement information, further comprising: for the well with a number less than the preset number, controlling the mechanical arm to perform sample tube gripping operations on each well according to a binary method when the detection displacement information does not match the preset displacement information, acquiring detection displacement information of the motor by the encoder at each sample tube gripping operation, and marking the corresponding well with the first state identifier when the detection displacement information matches the preset displacement information; the sample tube position detection method further comprising: performing a gripping operation on the sample tube for the well with the largest number marked with the first state identifier and the well before it; after the step of comparing the detection displacement information with the preset displacement information and marking the well with the first state identifier when the detection displacement information matches the preset displacement information, further comprising: for each well with a number greater than the preset number, controlling the mechanical arm to perform sample tube gripping operations on randomly selected wells according to a first preset number of gripping operations, acquiring detection displacement information of the motor by the encoder at each sample tube gripping operation, and marking the well with the first state identifier when the detection displacement information matches the preset displacement information; after the step of comparing the detection displacement information with the preset displacement information, further comprising: ​ ​ ​ ​ 2. The sample tube position detection method according to claim 1, wherein ​ ​ 3. The sample tube position detection method according to claim 1, wherein ​ ​ 4. The sample tube position detection method according to claim 2 or 3, characterized by, ​ ​ 5. The sample tube position detection method according to Claim 1, wherein ​ ​ 6. The sample tube position detection method according to Claim 1, wherein ​ When the detected displacement information does not match the preset displacement information, for each of the acupoints with a serial number less than the preset serial number, the mechanical arm is controlled to perform a sample tube clamping operation on a randomly selected acupoint according to a first preset number of times of grabbing, and the detected displacement information of the motor by the encoder is obtained at each sample tube clamping operation. When the detected displacement information matches the preset displacement information, the acupoint is marked with a first state identifier.

7. The sample tube position detection method according to claim 6, wherein The step of, when the detected displacement information does not match the preset displacement information, for each of the acupoints with a serial number less than the preset serial number, controlling the mechanical arm to perform a sample tube clamping operation on a randomly selected acupoint according to a first preset number of times of grabbing, includes: The number interval of the acupoints on which the sample tube clamping operation is performed is determined according to a dichotomy method, and for each of the acupoints with a serial number in the number interval, a sample tube clamping operation is performed on a randomly selected acupoint according to a second preset number of times of grabbing.

8. A sample tube position detecting apparatus for implementing the sample tube position detecting method according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized by, The sample tube position detection device includes: A carrier, which is provided with a sample bin; A tray, which is movably arranged in the sample bin and can be pulled out of the sample bin, and is provided with a plurality of acupoints for positioning sample tubes; and A mechanical arm, which includes a displacement module, a motor, an encoder, and a clamping jaw. The displacement module is arranged on the carrier, the motor is arranged at the output end of the displacement module and is electrically connected with the encoder, and the clamping jaw is arranged at the output end of the motor. The motor drives the clamping jaw to clamp the sample tube on the tray.

9. A medical laboratory automation system, characterized by The medical laboratory automation system includes an input module, a transmission track, a sample analysis module, and an output module. The input module includes the sample tube position detection device as claimed in claim 8. The transmission track is used to transfer the sample tube in the sample tube position detection device to the sample analysis module and the output module. The sample analysis module is used to collect and detect samples in the sample tube. The output module is used to store the detected samples.

10. A storage medium, characterized by The storage medium stores a sample tube position detection program. When the sample tube position detection program is executed by the processor, the steps of the sample tube position detection method as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 7 are implemented.

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