Method and apparatus for configuring automation process, electronic device and storage medium

Abstract

Embodiments of the present invention provide a configuration method, apparatus, electronic device, and storage medium for an automated process. The method includes: acquiring a first operation command from a user for a device in the automated process; determining an identifier for a workstation in the device used to accommodate an operable object, based on the first operation command, wherein the identifier includes workstation hierarchy information, the workstation hierarchy information corresponding to the first operation command, and for different workstation hierarchies, the granularity of the workstation that can be selected when the operable object enters the device differs; and configuring the workstations of the device based on the workstation identifier to build the automated process. According to the above technical solution, the granularity of the workstations in the device when an operable object enters the automated process can be set according to user needs, allowing the operable object to enter the corresponding workstation of the device according to the granularity desired by the user. Thus, the automated process can meet the personalized needs of users, improve the degree of automation, and reduce labor costs.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of automatic control, and more specifically to a method for configuring an automated process, a device for configuring an automated process, an electronic device, and a storage medium. Background Technology

[0002] Currently, many fields are undergoing continuous automation transformation to free up manpower and improve efficiency. Whether it's automated manufacturing, automated testing, or automated experimentation, automated systems are used extensively. Correspondingly, the configuration of these automated processes needs to be completed in advance.

[0003] In existing automation systems, some devices can process multiple tasks sequentially or randomly, thereby improving the system's efficiency. However, this still falls short of meeting users' personalized needs for automation systems. In many application scenarios, when users have special requirements, they need to monitor the automation system's operation in real time and intervene based on their experience. This necessitates that the automation system operate under supervision, which is not only prone to errors but also requires significant manpower.

[0004] Therefore, there is an urgent need for a new method for configuring automated processes that can solve the above problems. Summary of the Invention

[0005] The present invention is proposed in view of the above-mentioned problems. According to one aspect of the present invention, a method for configuring an automated process is provided, comprising: obtaining a first operation instruction from a user for a device in the automated process; determining an identifier for a workstation in the device for accommodating an operation object according to the first operation instruction, wherein the identifier includes hierarchical information of the workstation, the hierarchical information of the workstation corresponding to the first operation instruction, and for different levels of the workstation, the granularity of the workstation that can be selected when the operation object is transported into the device is different; and configuring the workstation of the device based on the workstation identifier to build an automated process.

[0006] For example, the workstation hierarchy information includes any one or more of the following hierarchy levels: individual level, first group level, and second group level. The granularity of the workstations in the second group level is larger than that in the first group level. Based on the workstation identifier, the workstation of the equipment is configured, including: for the case where the workstation hierarchy is the individual level, determining a workstation to which the operation object is transported based on the workstation identifier; for the case where the workstation hierarchy is the first group level, determining the first group to which the equipment workstation belongs based on the workstation identifier, and determining the workstation to which the operation object is transported within the first group based on a first predetermined rule; for the case where the workstation hierarchy is the second group level, determining the second group to which the equipment workstation belongs based on the workstation identifier, and determining the workstation to which the operation object is transported within the second group based on a second predetermined rule.

[0007] For example, the second group layer is the equipment layer, and determining the second group to which the equipment's workstation belongs based on the workstation identifier includes: determining the workstation where the operation object is transported in among all the equipment's workstations based on a second predetermined rule, according to the workstation identifier.

[0008] For example, obtaining a user's first operation instruction for a device in an automated process includes: displaying a second user interface, the second user interface including a device display area and an automated process display area, the device display area displaying a primary identifier of the device and multiple secondary identifiers, wherein the secondary identifiers correspond to different levels of the workstation, and the automated process display area displaying the automated process; and responding to dragging any of the secondary identifiers into the automated process to obtain the first operation instruction.

[0009] For example, determining the identifier of the workstation in the device for accommodating the operation object according to the first operation instruction includes: determining whether to provide the user with an operable control for selecting the identifier of the workstation according to the hierarchical information of the workstation corresponding to the first operation instruction; and determining the identifier of the workstation in response to the user's operation of the operable control or based on a system script.

[0010] For example, based on the hierarchical information of the workstation corresponding to the first operation instruction, determining whether to provide the user with an operable control for selecting a workstation includes: if the hierarchical information of the workstation corresponding to the first operation instruction indicates that the workstation level is an individual level, determining to provide the user with an operable control for selecting a workstation; if the hierarchical information of the workstation corresponding to the first operation instruction indicates that the workstation level is a group level, determining not to provide the user with an operable control for selecting a workstation.

[0011] For example, determining the identifier of a workstation in the device for accommodating an operable object according to a first operation instruction includes: displaying a first user interface in response to the first operation instruction, the first user interface including a first area and operable controls; and determining and displaying the identifier of the workstation in the first area in response to a user's operation on the operable controls, wherein the identifier of the workstation corresponds to the user's operation on the operable controls.

[0012] For example, in response to a user's operation on an operable control, determining and displaying the identifier of a workstation in a first area includes: in response to a user's operation on the operable control, displaying a menu in a first user interface, the menu displaying the identifiers of all workstations at the determined level; and in response to a user's operation on the menu, displaying the identifier of the workstation in the first area.

[0013] According to another aspect of the present invention, an apparatus for configuring an automated process is also provided, comprising:

[0014] The instruction acquisition module is used to acquire the user's first operation instruction for the equipment in the automated process.

[0015] The identification module is used to determine, based on the first operation instruction, an identifier for the workstation in the equipment used to accommodate the work object. The identifier includes workstation hierarchy information, which corresponds to the first operation instruction. For different workstation hierarchies, the granularity of the workstation that can be selected when the work object is transported into the equipment differs.

[0016] The configuration module is used to configure the workstations of equipment based on workstation identifiers in order to build automated processes.

[0017] According to another aspect of the present invention, an electronic device is also provided, including a processor and a memory, wherein the memory stores computer program instructions, which, when executed by the processor, are used to perform a configuration method for an automated process as described above.

[0018] According to another aspect of the present invention, a storage medium is also provided, on which program instructions are stored, which, when run, are used to execute the configuration method of the automated process as described above.

[0019] According to the above technical solution, during the configuration of the automated process, the hierarchical information of the workstations within the equipment can be determined based on user instructions. This hierarchy corresponds to different workstation granularities. Therefore, the granularity of the workstation on the equipment when an object is transported into the automated process can be set according to user needs, allowing the object to enter the corresponding workstation according to the user's desired granularity. This enables the automated process to meet the user's personalized needs, improve the degree of automation, and reduce labor costs.

[0020] The above description is merely an overview of the technical solution of the present invention. In order to better understand the technical means of the present invention and to implement it in accordance with the contents of the specification, and in order to make the above and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention more apparent and understandable, specific embodiments of the present invention are described below. Attached Figure Description

[0021] The above and other objects, features, and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the more detailed description of the embodiments of the invention in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. The drawings are provided to further illustrate the embodiments of the invention and form part of the specification. They are used together with the embodiments of the invention to explain the invention and do not constitute a limitation thereof. In the drawings, the same reference numerals generally represent the same parts or steps.

[0022] Figure 1 A schematic flowchart of a configuration method for an automated process according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown;

[0023] Figure 2 A schematic flowchart illustrating the acquisition of a user's first operation command for a device in an automated process is shown according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0024] Figure 3 A schematic flowchart illustrating the determination of an identifier for a workstation in a device for accommodating an operable object according to a first operation instruction, based on an embodiment of the present invention, is shown.

[0025] Figure 4 A schematic flowchart illustrating the determination of a workstation identifier in response to a user's operation on an operable control and the display of the workstation identifier in a first area is shown according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0026] Figure 5 A schematic flowchart illustrating the determination of an identifier for a workstation in a device for accommodating an operable object according to a first operation instruction, based on another embodiment of the present invention, is shown.

[0027] Figure 6 A schematic block diagram of a configuration apparatus for an automated process according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown; and

[0028] Figure 7 A schematic block diagram of an electronic device according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown. Detailed Implementation

[0029] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of the present invention more apparent, exemplary embodiments according to the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are merely a part of the embodiments of the present invention, and not all of the embodiments of the present invention. It should be understood that the present invention is not limited to the exemplary embodiments described herein. Based on the embodiments of the present invention described herein, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without inventive effort should fall within the protection scope of the present invention.

[0030] In existing automated systems, some devices can handle one or more operational objects. Taking a chemical experimental process as an example, the operational objects can be consumables such as sample plates (e.g., deep-well plates). The automated process may include pipetting equipment, such as a pipetting workstation with multiple stations at its outlet. After pipetting operations at the workstation, sample plates can be placed sequentially or randomly at available stations. This approach is suitable for processing large batches of sample plates. However, in some chemical experimental scenarios, users may need to place specific sample plates at specific stations. While the pipetting workstation can select the station based on instructions, existing automated systems cannot provide this level of station granularity, making it difficult to meet user needs. This prevents the workstation from placing sample plates in a specific manner. Furthermore, during the actual execution of the experimental process, manual operation by the user is required. Therefore, existing automated systems struggle to meet personalized user needs. Requiring manual operation for personalized needs is not only prone to errors but also wastes human resources.

[0031] To address the aforementioned technical problems, this invention provides a method for configuring automated processes. Based on this method, during the automated process setup process, corresponding granular levels can be configured for each workstation of the equipment according to user operation instructions to build the automated process. This not only meets various user needs but also improves the automation level of the automated system.

[0032] Figure 1 A schematic flowchart of an automated process configuration method 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown. Figure 1 As shown, the configuration method 100 may include the following steps.

[0033] Step S110: Obtain the user's first operation command for the equipment in the automated process.

[0034] For example, the host computer can provide a visual interface to the user. Based on the visual interface, the user can use the host computer's input device (such as a mouse, keyboard, etc.) to send a first operation command to any device in the automated process. The device can then perform the corresponding operation in the automated process based on the relevant operation command.

[0035] Step S120: Based on the first operation instruction, determine the identifier of the workstation in the equipment used to accommodate the operation object. The identifier includes the workstation's hierarchy information, which corresponds to the first operation instruction. For different workstation levels, the granularity of the workstation that can be selected when the operation object is transported into the equipment differs.

[0036] For example, in response to a first operation command for a device in an automated process, an identifier for a workstation on the same device used to accommodate the operation object can be displayed on a visual interface. In this embodiment, the operation object can be a sample plate. It is understood that a device can have one or more workstations for placing sample plates. Different workstations are assigned different identifiers. That is, for the same device, there is a one-to-one correspondence between workstations and identifiers. The identifier can include workstation hierarchy information. The hierarchy information can correspond to the first operation command. For the same device, different workstation hierarchies correspond to different granularities of the workstations that can be selected when a sample plate is transported into the device. The granularity of the workstation can include: a workstation hierarchy containing one workstation, a workstation group hierarchy containing multiple workstations, and a device hierarchy containing all workstation groups, etc. It is understood that the operation of transporting the operation object into the device does not only refer to transporting it into the device, but can also refer to placing the operation object on a corresponding workstation of the device. For example, in response to a first operation command for the device, the hierarchy of the workstation used to accommodate the operation object is determined to be a workstation hierarchy. During the execution of the automated process, the object to be operated can be directly placed on the corresponding specific workstation of the equipment based on the first operation instruction.

[0037] Step S130: Configure the workstation of the equipment based on the workstation identifier to build an automated process.

[0038] As described in step S120 above, there is a one-to-one correspondence between the workstation identifier and the workstation. Therefore, the corresponding workstation can be configured based on its identifier. Configuration operations include, but are not limited to, determining the workstation's attributes and parameters. Based on the configured workstations, corresponding automated processes can be built.

[0039] According to the above technical solution, during the configuration of the automated process, the hierarchical information of the workstations within the equipment can be determined based on user instructions. This hierarchy corresponds to different workstation granularities. Therefore, the granularity of the workstation on the equipment when an object is transported into the automated process can be set according to user needs, allowing the object to enter the corresponding workstation according to the user's desired granularity. This enables the automated process to meet the user's personalized needs, improve the degree of automation, and reduce labor costs.

[0040] Figure 2 A schematic flowchart illustrating step S110 of the present invention, which involves obtaining a first operation command from a user for a device in an automation process, is shown. Step S110 may include the following steps.

[0041] Step S111: Display the second user interface, which includes a device display area and an automated process display area. The device display area displays the primary identifier of the device and multiple secondary identifiers, where the secondary identifiers correspond to different levels of the workstation. The automated process display area displays the automated process.

[0042] For example, the second user interface includes a device display area. The primary identifier can be identifiers such as "EVO," "pool," or "washer" in the device display area; these are all device identifiers that may be used in the automated process. "EVO" represents a pipetting workstation. "pool" represents a resource pool, which may include one or more devices. "washer" represents a plate washer. Specifically, when the user clicks on the pipetting workstation identifier, the identifiers for the "Run Script" and "Run Script with Auto-Loading" controls are displayed. "Run Script" indicates the display of the workstation group hierarchy, and "Run Script with Auto-Loading" indicates the display of the workstation hierarchy. The "Run Script" and "Run Script with Auto-Loading" identifiers are secondary identifiers. The automated process display area can be a blank area other than the device display area.

[0043] Step S112: In response to dragging any of the secondary identifiers into the automation process, obtain the first operation instruction.

[0044] For example, users can drag and drop corresponding secondary icons to the automation process display area according to their automation process setup requirements to obtain the first operation instruction. For instance, if a user drags the "Run Script with Auto-Loading" control to the automation process display area, the user's first operation instruction for the equipment in the automation process will be displayed at the workstation level.

[0045] In the above technical solution, users can perform drag-and-drop operations on different secondary identifiers according to different needs to obtain different primary operation instructions. That is, the level corresponding to the operation instruction is the level corresponding to the dragged secondary identifier. Based on different primary operation instructions, the level information of the corresponding workstation can be determined, facilitating the subsequent construction of automated processes and resource retrieval. This improves the operating efficiency of the automation system while saving labor costs.

[0046] Figure 3 A schematic flowchart illustrating step S120 of the present invention, which determines the identifier of the workstation in the equipment for accommodating the operable object according to a first operation instruction, is shown. Figure 3 As shown, step S120 may include the following steps.

[0047] Step S121: In response to the first operation instruction, a first user interface is displayed, the first user interface including a first area and operable controls.

[0048] For example, in response to a user's first operation command for the device, a first user interface corresponding to the device can be displayed on the automated process display area. The first user interface may include a first area and operable controls. For instance, the first area may display the workstation hierarchy information of the device. The operable controls may select a specific workstation within the first area in response to the user's operation.

[0049] Step S122: In response to the user's operation on the operable control, determine and display the identifier of the workstation in the first area, wherein the identifier of the workstation corresponds to the user's operation on the operable control.

[0050] For example, a user can operate an operable control using an input device such as a mouse or keyboard to issue operation commands. Optionally, the operable control can be a filter box or a text box, etc. Based on the user's operation command on the operable control, the identifier of the corresponding workstation can be displayed in the first area. For example, if the user performs an input operation on the operable control using the keyboard, such as entering "Nest001", the identifier of the workstation can be displayed as "Nest001" in the first area accordingly.

[0051] Therefore, based on the visual first-user interface, users can perform corresponding operations on the operable controls to display the workstation identifier. This ensures the reliability and accuracy of the acquired workstation identifiers. It also allows for user customization, thereby guaranteeing the accuracy of the workstation configuration results so that the automated process can execute smoothly.

[0052] Figure 4A schematic flowchart illustrating step S122 of the present invention, in response to a user's operation on an operable control, is shown, indicating the determination of the workstation identifier and its display in a first area. Figure 4 As shown, step S122 may include the following steps.

[0053] In step S122a, in response to the user's operation of the operable control, a menu is displayed on the first user interface, which displays the identifiers of all workstations at the determined level.

[0054] For example, a user can click on an operable control using a mouse. The operable control can have a shape such as a circle or a triangle. When the user clicks on the operable control, a menu can be displayed on the first user interface. For example, the defined hierarchy is a workstation group hierarchy, which contains multiple workstations. In this embodiment, the menu displays the identifiers of all workstations in that workstation group hierarchy.

[0055] Step S122b: In response to the user's operation on the menu, the identifier of the workstation is displayed in the first area.

[0056] For example, a user can use the mouse to select the workstation they wish to configure from the menu. For instance, the menu displays three workstation identifiers: “Nest001”, “Nest002”, and “Nest003”. The user can select a specific workstation, such as “Nest001”, and the identifier “Nest001” for that workstation will be displayed in the first area.

[0057] This allows users to flexibly configure workstations based on the workstation information displayed in the drop-down menu to meet the needs of automated processes. This significantly improves configuration efficiency and reduces the probability of errors.

[0058] For example, the workstation hierarchy information may include any one or more of the following hierarchy levels: individual level, first group level, and second group level. The granularity of workstations in the second group level is greater than that of workstations in the first group level.

[0059] Step S130, based on the workstation identifier, configuring the workstation of the equipment may include: for the case where the workstation level is the individual level, determining a workstation to which the operation object is transported based on the workstation identifier; for the case where the workstation level is the first group level, determining the first group to which the equipment's workstation belongs based on the workstation identifier, and determining the workstation to which the operation object is transported within the first group based on a first predetermined rule; for the case where the workstation level is the second group level, determining the second group to which the equipment's workstation belongs based on the workstation identifier, and determining the workstation to which the operation object is transported within the second group based on a second predetermined rule.

[0060] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the equipment in an automated process may include a pipetting workstation. The hierarchical information of the workstations may include an individual layer, a first group layer, and a second group layer. The individual layer corresponds to the workstation layer, where each workstation in the pipetting workstation is considered a layer. The first group layer corresponds to the workstation group layer, where multiple workstations in the pipetting workstation are considered as a group, and each workstation group is considered a layer. The second group layer may correspond to an equipment layer or multiple workstation group layers. The equipment layer may refer to all workstations included in the entire pipetting workstation as a layer. Alternatively, the second group layer may include multiple first group layers, i.e., multiple workstation group layers are considered as a single layer.

[0061] Preferably, during the process of building an automated workflow, the workstation hierarchy information can be displayed in the first area of ​​the visual interface in response to the user's first operation command for the equipment.

[0062] When the workstation level is at the individual level, the workstation to which the object is transported is determined based on the workstation identifier. For example, in response to a user's first operation command for the equipment, the workstation level can be displayed as the individual level in the first area, and all workstation information can be displayed. Based on this, the user can select a specific workstation so that the object is transported to the selected workstation during the execution of the automated process. For example, for a pipetting device, the workstation level can be displayed at the workstation level in the first area. Furthermore, within the interface of this workstation level, identifiers such as Nest001 and Nest002 are displayed as specific workstations within the workstation level of this pipetting device. Nest001 and Nest002 are the workstation identifiers. Then, based on the workstation identifier, the user can select, on the interface of this workstation level, a specific workstation on the pipetting device to which they wish to place the sample plate during the execution of the automated process. Specifically, during the execution of the automated process, if the selected workstation identifier is Nest001, the sample plate is placed on the workstation of the pipetting device with the identifier Nest001. It is understood that this embodiment is more suitable for situations where the user expects to place the sample plate at a specific workstation of the equipment.

[0063] When the workstation level is the first group level, the workstation of the equipment belongs to the first group based on its identifier. Within the first group, the workstation to which the workpiece is transported is determined based on a first predetermined rule. This first predetermined rule can represent a transfer rule where the automation system randomly selects a workstation within the first group, or the user specifies a workstation within the first group according to their own expectations, to transport the workpiece to the corresponding workstation. For example, a rotary table may contain 8 towers, each tower including 10 vertically distributed workstations, for a total of 80 workstations. If each tower of the rotary table is considered a workstation group, then the rotary table has 8 workstation groups. Therefore, in response to a first operation command, the workstation level can be displayed at the workstation group level in the first area. The first workstation group contains workstations identified as Nest001-Nest010. The second workstation group contains workstations identified as Nest011-Nest020. Similarly, the workstation group to which a workstation belongs can be determined based on its identifier. Nest group001 can represent the first workstation group of the rotary tabletop station, and Nest group002 can represent the second workstation group. Specifically, during the execution of the automated process, if the selected workstation identifier indicates that it belongs to the second workstation group (Nest group002), the sample board can be placed on the corresponding workstation of the second workstation group of the rotary tabletop station based on a first predetermined rule. It can be understood that this embodiment is more suitable for situations where a large number of sample boards are placed on multiple workstations of the equipment. In this embodiment, the user is more concerned with which workstation group the sample board is placed in, and does not pay much attention to which specific workstation within the workstation group the sample board is placed in.

[0064] When the workstation level is the second group level, the workstation's identifier determines its belonging to the second group. Within that second group, a second predetermined rule determines the workstation where the workpiece is transported. This second predetermined rule can represent a transfer rule where the automation system randomly selects a workstation within the second group, or the user specifies a workstation according to their preferences within the second group, to transport the workpiece to the corresponding workstation. For example, during the automation process setup, if the user doesn't have a specific requirement to place the sample plate in a particular tower or workstation within the rotating plate station, the entire rotating plate station can be used as the sample plate placement location. Alternatively, multiple towers within the rotating plate station can be used as sample plate placement locations.

[0065] In one specific embodiment, the second group layer is a device layer. Therefore, in response to the first operation command, the workstation hierarchy can be displayed in the first area at the rotating board station device layer. Specifically, the rotating board station device is identified as Device001, which includes multiple workstations identified as Nest001-Nest080. During the execution of the automated process, if the selected workstation is identified as rotating board station Device001 based on its identifier, the sample board can be placed on any workstation of the rotating board station device according to a second predetermined rule. It can be understood that this embodiment is more suitable for situations where a large number of sample boards are placed on the workstations of a particular device. In this embodiment, the user is more concerned with which specific device the sample board is placed on, and less concerned with which specific workstation within that device it is placed on. Therefore, the user can directly configure the corresponding commands and parameters for a specific device, eliminating the need for separate configuration of each workstation group under the device. This greatly reduces the user's workload and lowers the complexity of the algorithm.

[0066] In the above technical solution, the automation system displays corresponding hierarchical information based on the user's operation commands, allowing the user to configure the equipment workstations accordingly. Furthermore, during subsequent execution of the automated process, resources can be scheduled and utilized based on the configured workstations. The algorithm implementing this solution is logically simple, clear, easy to implement, and highly robust. This significantly reduces the waste of human resources while simultaneously meeting various user needs.

[0067] Figure 5 A schematic flowchart illustrating the determination of an identifier for a workstation in a device for accommodating an operable object according to a first operating instruction, based on another embodiment of the present invention, is shown. Figure 5 As shown, step S120 may include the following steps.

[0068] Step S123: Based on the hierarchical information of the workstation corresponding to the first operation instruction, determine whether to provide the user with an operable control for selecting the workstation identifier.

[0069] For example, the hierarchical information of the workstation corresponding to the first operation instruction includes an individual level or a group level, wherein the group level includes a first group level and a second group level. Based on the hierarchical information, it can be determined whether to provide the user with an operable control for selecting a workstation identifier. For instance, if the hierarchical information of the workstation corresponding to the first operation instruction indicates that the workstation level is an individual level, then it is determined that an operable control for selecting a workstation identifier will be provided to the user. If the hierarchical information of the workstation corresponding to the first operation instruction indicates that the workstation level is a group level, then it is determined that an operable control for selecting a workstation identifier will not be provided to the user. Alternatively, if the hierarchical information of the workstation corresponding to the first operation instruction indicates that the workstation level is an individual level, then it is determined that an operable control for selecting a workstation identifier will not be provided to the user. If the hierarchical information of the workstation corresponding to the first operation instruction indicates that the workstation level is a group level, then it is determined that an operable control for selecting a workstation identifier will be provided to the user. The above technical solutions are merely exemplary and do not imply any limitation on the rules for determining how to provide users with operable controls for selecting workstations based on hierarchical information.

[0070] Step S124: In response to user operation of operable controls or based on system scripts, determine the identifier of the workstation.

[0071] For example, in cases where users are provided with operable controls to select a workstation identifier, the user can select a desired location from among multiple workstations provided by the automated process by clicking the operable controls, and place the sample plate at that desired location. The identifier of the desired location is then the identifier of the determined workstation. The following explanation uses a pipetting workstation as an example in the automated process. For instance, the identifier of the determined workstation is Nest001. After the robotic arm of the automated system places the sample plate at the source location, the pipetting workstation performs a pipetting operation. After the pipetting operation is completed, the transfer module inside the pipetting workstation moves the sample plate to workstation Nest001 according to the location of the workstation selected by the user during the setup of the automated process. In cases where users are not provided with operable controls to select a workstation identifier, the workstation identifier can be determined based on a system script set at the factory. Similarly, based on the determined workstation identifier, the placement position of the sample plate can be determined.

[0072] In the above method, the identifier of the workstation can be flexibly selected according to the user's needs to facilitate the subsequent construction of automated processes. This saves the user time in building the process, and the operation is simple and easy to implement.

[0073] In one specific embodiment, step S123, based on the hierarchical information of the workstation corresponding to the first operation instruction, determining whether to provide the user with an operable control for selecting a workstation may include: if the hierarchical information of the workstation corresponding to the first operation instruction indicates that the workstation level is an individual level, determining to provide the user with an operable control for selecting a workstation; if the hierarchical information of the workstation corresponding to the first operation instruction indicates that the workstation level is a group level, determining not to provide the user with an operable control for selecting a workstation.

[0074] Specifically, the user can drag the "Run Script with Auto-Loading" control of the pipetting workstation in the device display area to the automated process display area to obtain the corresponding first operation instruction. The hierarchical information of the workstation corresponding to this first operation instruction indicates that the workstation's hierarchy is an individual level, providing the user with an operable control for selecting the workstation. In this embodiment, the target location of the pipetting workstation, "Destination location," is the position where the sample plate is placed after the pipetting operation. The user can select the desired workstation by clicking the operable control according to their needs. It can be understood that the aforementioned target location is the desired workstation selected by the user.

[0075] Optionally, the user can also drag the "Run Script" control of the pipetting workstation in the device display area to the automation process display area to obtain the corresponding first operation instruction. The hierarchy information of the workstation corresponding to the first operation instruction indicates that the workstation hierarchy is a group layer, thus determining that no operable controls for selecting the workstation identifier are provided to the user. In this embodiment, the target location of the pipetting workstation is not displayed. That is, the user does not care about the placement of the sample plate after the pipetting operation is completed.

[0076] Based on the above technical solution, the hierarchy information of different workstations can determine whether to provide users with operable controls. Furthermore, depending on whether operable controls are present, users can perform different operations. This reduces the possibility of user errors and ensures the reliability of the automated process. Moreover, the algorithm logic for implementing this technical solution is simple and easy to implement.

[0077] According to another aspect of the present invention, an apparatus for configuring automated processes is also provided. Figure 6 A schematic block diagram of an automated process configuration device 600 according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown. Figure 6 As shown, the configuration device 600 includes an instruction acquisition module 610, an confirmation identifier module 620, and a configuration module 630.

[0078] The instruction acquisition module 610 is used to acquire the user's first operation instruction for the equipment in the automated process.

[0079] The confirmation identification module 620 is used to determine the identifier of the workstation in the equipment used to accommodate the operation object according to the first operation instruction. The identifier includes the hierarchy information of the workstation, which corresponds to the first operation instruction. For different workstation levels, the granularity of the workstation that can be selected when the operation object is transported into the equipment is different.

[0080] Configuration module 630 is used to configure the workstations of equipment based on workstation identifiers to build automated processes.

[0081] For example, the configuration module 630 can be used to determine a workstation to which the operation object is transported based on the workstation identifier when the workstation level is an individual level; to determine the first group to which the equipment's workstation belongs based on the workstation identifier when the workstation level is a first group level, and to determine the workstation to which the operation object is transported based on a first predetermined rule within the first group; and to determine the second group to which the equipment's workstation belongs based on the workstation identifier when the workstation level is a second group level, and to determine the workstation to which the operation object is transported based on a second predetermined rule within the second group.

[0082] In one specific embodiment, the configuration module 630 may be specifically used to determine the workstation into which the operation object is transported among all workstations of the equipment based on a second predetermined rule, according to the workstation identifier.

[0083] For example, the instruction acquisition module 610 may include a first operation instruction acquisition module. The first operation instruction acquisition module is used to display a second user interface, which includes a device display area and an automation process display area. The device display area displays a primary identifier of the device and multiple secondary identifiers, where the secondary identifiers correspond to different levels of the workstation. The automation process display area displays the automation process. A first operation instruction is obtained in response to dragging any of the secondary identifiers into the automation process.

[0084] For example, the confirmation identification module 620 may include an operable control display module and a workstation identifier determination module. The operable control display module is used to determine whether to provide the user with an operable control for selecting a workstation identifier based on the hierarchical information of the workstation corresponding to the first operation instruction. The workstation identifier determination module is used to determine the workstation identifier in response to the user's operation of the operable control or based on a system script.

[0085] For example, the operable control display module may include a confirmation operable control module. This confirmation operable control module is configured to, for the case where the hierarchy information of the workstation corresponding to the first operation instruction indicates that the workstation level is an individual level, determine to provide the user with an operable control for selecting the workstation. For the case where the hierarchy information of the workstation corresponding to the first operation instruction indicates that the workstation level is a group level, determine not to provide the user with an operable control for selecting the workstation.

[0086] For example, the confirmation identification module 620 may further include a first user interface related module. The first user interface related module is used to display a first user interface in response to a first operation command. The first user interface includes a first area and operable controls. The first user interface related module is also used to determine and display a workstation identifier in the first area in response to a user's operation on the operable controls, wherein the workstation identifier corresponds to the user's operation on the operable controls.

[0087] For example, the first user interface confirmation module may include a confirmation menu module. The confirmation menu module is configured to, in response to user operation of an operable control, display a menu on the first user interface, the menu displaying identifiers of all workstations at the determined level; and, in response to user operation of the menu, display workstation identifiers in a first area.

[0088] According to another aspect of the present invention, an electronic device is also provided. Figure 7 A schematic block diagram of an electronic device 700 according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown. Figure 7 As shown, the electronic device 700 may include a processor 710 and a memory 720. The memory 720 stores computer program instructions. These computer program instructions are executed by the processor 710 to perform the configuration method for the automated process described above.

[0089] According to another aspect of the invention, a storage medium is also provided, on which program instructions are stored, which, when executed, are used to perform a configuration method for an automated process as described above. The storage medium may, for example, include a storage component of a tablet computer, a hard disk of a personal computer, a read-only memory (ROM), an erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM), a portable compact disc read-only memory (CD-ROM), a USB memory, or any combination of the above storage media. The computer-readable storage medium may be any combination of one or more computer-readable storage media.

[0090] Those skilled in the art can understand the specific implementation schemes and beneficial effects of the configuration devices, electronic devices, and storage media for the automated processes described above by reading the relevant descriptions. For the sake of brevity, further details are omitted here.

[0091] Although exemplary embodiments have been described herein with reference to the accompanying drawings, it should be understood that the above exemplary embodiments are merely illustrative and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention. Various changes and modifications can be made therein by those skilled in the art without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention. All such changes and modifications are intended to be included within the scope of the invention as claimed in the appended claims.

[0092] Those skilled in the art will recognize that the units and algorithm steps of the various examples described in conjunction with the embodiments disclosed herein can be implemented in electronic hardware, or a combination of computer software and electronic hardware. Whether these functions are implemented in hardware or software depends on the specific application and design constraints of the technical solution. Those skilled in the art can use different methods to implement the described functions for each specific application, but such implementations should not be considered beyond the scope of this invention.

[0093] In the several embodiments provided in this application, it should be understood that the disclosed devices and methods can be implemented in other ways. For example, the device embodiments described above are merely illustrative. For instance, the division of units is only a logical functional division, and in actual implementation, there may be other division methods. For example, multiple units or components may be combined or integrated into another device, or some features may be ignored or not executed.

[0094] Numerous specific details are set forth in the specification provided herein. However, it will be understood that embodiments of the invention may be practiced without these specific details. In some instances, well-known methods, structures, and techniques have not been shown in detail so as not to obscure the understanding of this specification.

[0095] Similarly, it should be understood that, in order to streamline the invention and aid in understanding one or more of the various aspects of the invention, features of the invention are sometimes grouped together in a single embodiment, figure, or description thereof in the description of exemplary embodiments of the invention. However, this approach should not be construed as reflecting an intention that the claimed invention requires more features than are expressly recited in each claim. Rather, as reflected in the corresponding claims, its inventive point lies in solving the corresponding technical problem with fewer features than all of those in a single disclosed embodiment. Therefore, the claims following the detailed description are hereby expressly incorporated into that detailed description, wherein each claim itself is a separate embodiment of the invention.

[0096] Those skilled in the art will understand that, apart from the mutual exclusion of features, all features disclosed in this specification (including the accompanying claims, abstract, and drawings) and all processes or units of any method or apparatus so disclosed can be combined in any combination. Unless otherwise expressly stated, each feature disclosed in this specification (including the accompanying claims, abstract, and drawings) may be replaced by an alternative feature that serves the same, equivalent, or similar purpose.

[0097] Furthermore, those skilled in the art will understand that although some embodiments described herein include certain features but not others included in other embodiments, combinations of features from different embodiments are intended to be within the scope of the invention and form different embodiments. For example, in the claims, any of the claimed embodiments can be used in any combination.

[0098] The various component embodiments of the present invention can be implemented in hardware, or as software modules running on one or more processors, or a combination thereof. Those skilled in the art will understand that microprocessors or digital signal processors (DSPs) can be used in practice to implement some or all of the functions of some modules in the configuration apparatus for an automated process according to embodiments of the present invention. The present invention can also be implemented as an apparatus program (e.g., a computer program and computer program product) for performing part or all of the methods described herein. Such programs implementing the present invention can be stored on a computer-readable medium or can be in the form of one or more signals. Such signals can be downloaded from an Internet website, provided on a carrier signal, or provided in any other form.

[0099] It should be noted that the above embodiments are illustrative of the invention and not restrictive, and that those skilled in the art can devise alternative embodiments without departing from the scope of the appended claims. In the claims, any reference signs placed between parentheses should not be construed as limiting the claims. The word "comprising" does not exclude the presence of elements or steps not listed in the claims. The word "a" or "an" preceding an element does not exclude the presence of a plurality of such elements. The invention can be implemented by means of hardware comprising several different elements and by means of a suitably programmed computer. In the unit claims enumerating several means, several of these means may be embodied by the same item of hardware. The use of the words first, second, and third, etc., does not indicate any order. These words can be interpreted as names.

[0100] The above description is merely a specific embodiment of the present invention or an explanation of that embodiment. The scope of protection of the present invention is not limited thereto. Any variations or substitutions that can be easily conceived by those skilled in the art within the technical scope disclosed in the present invention should be included within the scope of protection of the present invention. The scope of protection of the present invention should be determined by the scope of the claims.

Claims

1. A method for configuring an automated process, characterized in that, It includes the following steps: Obtain the user's first operation command for the device in the automated process; According to the first operation instruction, an identifier for a workstation in the equipment used to accommodate the operation object is determined, wherein the identifier includes the hierarchical information of the workstation, the hierarchical information of the workstation corresponds to the first operation instruction, and for different workstation hierarchical levels, the granularity of the workstations selectable when the operation object is transported into the equipment is different, the granularity of the workstation includes a workstation hierarchy containing one workstation, a workstation group hierarchy containing multiple workstations, and an equipment hierarchy containing all workstation groups; and Based on the identifier of the workstation, configure the workstation of the equipment to build the automated process; The workstation hierarchy information includes any one or more of the following hierarchy levels: individual level, first group level, and second group level, wherein the granularity of the workstations in the second group level is greater than the granularity of the workstations in the first group level. The configuration of the workstation of the equipment based on the workstation identifier includes: When the workstation is at the individual level, the workstation into which the operation object is transported is determined based on the workstation identifier; If the workstation is at the first group level, the workstation of the equipment is determined to belong to the first group according to the identifier of the workstation, and the workstation into which the operation object is transported is determined in the first group based on the first predetermined rule. If the workstation is at the second group level, the workstation of the equipment is determined to belong to the second group based on the identifier of the workstation, and the workstation into which the operation object is transported is determined based on the second predetermined rule in the second group to which it belongs; Wherein, the second group layer is the equipment layer, and determining the second group to which the equipment's workstation belongs based on the workstation's identifier includes: Based on the identifier of the workstation, the workstation where the operation object is transported is determined among all workstations of the equipment according to the second predetermined rule.

2. The configuration method as described in claim 1, wherein, The step of obtaining the user's first operation command for the device in the automated process includes: The second user interface is displayed, which includes a device display area and an automated process display area. The device display area displays the primary identifier of the device and multiple secondary identifiers, wherein the secondary identifiers correspond to different levels of the workstation. The automated process display area displays the automated process. In response to dragging any of the secondary identifiers into the automation process, the first operation instruction is obtained.

3. The configuration method as described in claim 2, wherein, The step of determining the identifier of the workstation in the device for accommodating the operation object according to the first operation instruction includes: Based on the hierarchical information of the workstation corresponding to the first operation instruction, determine whether to provide the user with an operable control for selecting the identifier of the workstation; The identifier of the workstation is determined in response to user actions on the operable controls or based on system scripts.

4. The configuration method as described in claim 3, wherein, The step of determining whether to provide the user with an operable control for selecting the workstation based on the hierarchical information of the workstation corresponding to the first operation instruction includes: If the hierarchy information of the workstation corresponding to the first operation instruction indicates that the hierarchy of the workstation is an individual level, then the user is provided with an operable control for selecting the identifier of the workstation. If the hierarchy information of the workstation corresponding to the first operation instruction indicates that the workstation is a group level, then it is determined that no operable control for selecting the identifier of the workstation will be provided to the user.

5. The configuration method as described in claim 1, wherein, The step of determining the identifier of the workstation in the device for accommodating the operation object according to the first operation instruction includes: In response to the first operation command, a first user interface is displayed, the first user interface including a first area and operable controls; In response to a user's operation on the operable control, an identifier for the workstation is determined and displayed in the first area, wherein the identifier for the workstation corresponds to the user's operation on the operable control.

6. The configuration method as described in claim 5, wherein, The step of determining and displaying the identifier of the workstation in the first area in response to a user's operation of the operable control includes: In response to user interaction with the operable controls, a menu is displayed on the first user interface, the menu displaying identifiers for all workstations at the determined hierarchy; and In response to the user's operation on the menu, the identifier of the workstation is displayed in the first area.

7. A configuration device for an automated process, characterized in that, include: The instruction acquisition module is used to acquire the user's first operation instruction for the device in the automated process; The identification module is used to determine, according to the first operation instruction, an identifier for a workstation in the equipment used to accommodate an operation object. The identifier includes the workstation's hierarchy information, which corresponds to the first operation instruction. For different workstation levels, the granularity of the workstations selectable when the operation object is transported into the equipment differs. The granularity of the workstations includes a workstation level containing one workstation, a workstation group level containing multiple workstations, and an equipment level containing all workstation groups. A configuration module is used to configure the workstation of the equipment based on the identifier of the workstation, so as to build the automated process; The workstation hierarchy information includes any one or more of the following hierarchy levels: individual level, first group level, and second group level, wherein the granularity of the workstations in the second group level is greater than the granularity of the workstations in the first group level. The configuration of the workstation of the equipment based on the workstation identifier includes: When the workstation is at the individual level, the workstation into which the operation object is transported is determined based on the workstation identifier; If the workstation is at the first group level, the workstation of the equipment is determined to belong to the first group according to the identifier of the workstation, and the workstation into which the operation object is transported is determined in the first group based on the first predetermined rule. If the workstation is at the second group level, the workstation of the equipment is determined to belong to the second group based on the identifier of the workstation, and the workstation into which the operation object is transported is determined based on the second predetermined rule in the second group to which it belongs; Wherein, the second group layer is the equipment layer, and determining the second group to which the equipment's workstation belongs based on the workstation's identifier includes: Based on the identifier of the workstation, the workstation where the operation object is transported is determined among all workstations of the equipment according to the second predetermined rule.

8. An electronic device comprising a processor and a memory, wherein, The memory stores computer program instructions, which, when executed by the processor, are used to perform the configuration method for the automated process as described in any one of claims 1 to 6.

9. A storage medium storing program instructions that, when executed, perform a configuration method for an automated process as described in any one of claims 1 to 6.

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