Test tube detection method, test tube detection device and analysis equipment

Abstract

The present invention relates to the field of test tube detection technology, and provides a test tube detection method, a test tube detection device, and an analysis device. The method includes: obtaining the position of a light sensor and at least one position interval of a tube to be tested, calculating a first interval and a second interval based on the position interval of the tube to be tested and the position of the light sensor, feeding the test tube rack and counting the unit feed amount to obtain a count value, detecting when the count value is in the first interval and the second interval to obtain a first detection data group and a second detection data group, and then determining whether a test tube is present in the position interval of the tube to be tested based on the first detection data group and the second detection data group. The present application combines the dual improvements of transmission control and detection methods, effectively ensuring detection accuracy even when performing high-speed detection of test tubes, effectively improving the adaptability and compatibility of different test tube materials and states, greatly improving the test tube detection efficiency and the accuracy of the detection results, and greatly reducing the cost required to meet different test tube detection needs.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention belongs to the technical field of test tube detection, and in particular relates to a test tube detection method, a test tube detection device and an analysis device. Background Art

[0002] For easy storage, the test tube rack is provided with multiple test tube positions for placing test tubes. Before performing automated sampling, reagent preparation and other operations on the test tubes, it is first necessary to inspect the test tubes in each test tube position to confirm whether they exist or whether they contain liquid, so as to avoid taking liquid, dripping liquid and other operations on empty test tube positions without test tubes during automated sampling and other operations, resulting in waste of resources and even waste liquid overflow.

[0003] In the prior art, the main method for detecting and judging test tubes on a test tube rack is optical sensor detection, that is, a light sensor is set on the test tube's travel path, and the test tube rack is controlled to move and pass through the light sensor. The presence of the test tube is judged based on the photoelectric sensing signal generated when the test tube passes. The prior art has the following defects: the test tube material and liquid state have a great influence on the light propagation path of the detection result, the same light sensor is difficult to meet the detection requirements of multiple test tubes, and the existing automated detection process lacks precise control of the test tube rack feed rate, which is prone to missed detection. The above influencing factors are combined, resulting in an extremely high misjudgment rate when quickly detecting test tubes of different materials or different liquid states in the same batch, seriously affecting the accuracy of test tube detection. Summary of the Invention

[0004] In view of the shortcomings of the prior art described above, the purpose of the present invention is to provide a test tube rack testing method, a test tube testing device and an analysis equipment, which are used to solve the problem in the prior art that when testing test tubes of different materials or different liquid states in the same batch, the misjudgment rate is extremely high, which seriously affects the accuracy of test tube testing and greatly reduces the cost-effectiveness of automated testing.

[0005] To achieve the above-mentioned and other related objectives, the present invention provides, in one aspect, a test tube detection method, comprising:

[0006] Acquire a light sensor position and at least one position interval of a tube to be tested, wherein the light sensor position includes a first position and a second position;

[0007] Calculating a first interval and a second interval based on each of the test tube position intervals and the optical sensor position, wherein the first interval and the second interval are preset unit feed amounts, wherein the first interval and the second interval are respectively intervals of feed amounts of the test tube rack required to make the first position fall within the test tube position interval and to make the second position fall within the test tube position interval;

[0008] Feeding the test tube rack, counting the number of test tubes fed per unit feed amount to obtain a count value, controlling a first optical sensor located at the first position to turn on for test tube detection when the count value is within a first interval to obtain a first detection data set, and controlling a second optical sensor located at the second position to turn on for test tube detection when the count value is within a second interval to obtain a second detection data set;

[0009] The presence or absence of test tubes in the to-be-tested tube position interval is determined based on the first test data group and the second test data group.

[0010] Furthermore, the step of obtaining the position of the light sensor and the position interval of at least one tube to be tested includes:

[0011] Acquiring a light sensor position, and a racking position and specification information of a test tube rack, wherein the racking position and the light sensor position are based on the same reference datum;

[0012] Matching calibration information in a preset database according to the specification information to determine a target interval from at least one set of calibration intervals, wherein the preset database stores a correspondence between at least one set of the calibration information and the calibration intervals, the target interval representing a position to be inspected with the test tube rack as a reference;

[0013] According to the target interval and the rack position, a position interval of the tubes to be tested corresponding to the target interval is calculated, and the position interval of the tubes to be tested and the position of the optical sensor are based on the same reference datum.

[0014] Furthermore, the step of calculating the first interval and the second interval based on each position interval of the tube to be tested and the position of the light sensor includes:

[0015] Calculating a first intermediate interval based on the first position and the position interval of the tube to be tested, and calculating a second intermediate interval based on the second position and the position interval of the tube to be tested;

[0016] The first intermediate interval and the second intermediate interval are converted into units using the unit feed amount as a unit to obtain a first interval and a second interval, wherein the unit feed amount is a unit step number of a first motor, and the feeding of the test tube rack is driven by the first motor.

[0017] Furthermore, the step of feeding the test tube rack and counting the unit feeding amount as a unit to obtain a count value includes:

[0018] In response to the feeding action of the test tube rack, sending a step number acquisition request to the first motor;

[0019] The obtained step number information fed back by the first motor is used as the current count value.

[0020] Furthermore, the first detection data set and the second detection data set are obtained by the following steps:

[0021] When the count value is within the first interval, using a first light sensor to emit light at a first scattering angle and a first irradiation distance, and using the received light signal as first detection data to generate a first detection data group;

[0022] When the count value is in the second interval, a second light sensor is used to emit light at a second scattering angle and a second irradiation distance, and the received light signal is used as second detection data to generate a second detection data group, wherein the first scattering angle is greater than the second scattering angle, and the first irradiation distance is less than the second irradiation distance.

[0023] Furthermore, the step of determining whether there are test tubes in the position interval of the tubes to be tested based on the first test data set and the second test data set includes:

[0024] Obtaining a first ratio value based on the proportion of valid data in the first detection data group, and obtaining a second ratio value based on the proportion of valid data in the second detection data group;

[0025] A judgment is made based on the first ratio value and the second ratio value. If the first ratio value is greater than a preset first ratio threshold, or the second ratio value is greater than a preset second ratio threshold, it is confirmed that a test tube exists in the position interval of the tube to be tested; otherwise, it is confirmed that no test tube exists in the position interval of the tube to be tested.

[0026] In the test tube detection method described above, the test tube is detected from a first position and a second position respectively, and a comprehensive judgment is made based on the detection results at the two positions, thereby improving the adaptability to different test tube materials and states. At the same time, the unit feed amount is used as the unit amount in the test tube rack feed control process, thereby improving the control accuracy of the test tube rack feed. Combined with the dual improvements in transmission control and detection methods, the detection accuracy can be effectively guaranteed even during high-speed detection of test tubes, effectively improving the adaptability and compatibility to different test tube materials and states, greatly improving the test tube detection efficiency and the accuracy of the detection results, and greatly reducing the cost required to meet different test tube detection needs.

[0027] In a second aspect, the present invention further provides a test tube detection device, which includes a detection platform and a controller, a first transmission rack mechanism and a light sensor group arranged on the detection platform, and the controller controls the test tube detection device to perform the test tube detection method described above.

[0028] Furthermore, the first frame transmission mechanism includes a guide rail, a first frame transmission slider, a synchronous belt parallel to the guide rail, and a first motor driving the first frame transmission slider to move along the guide rail;

[0029] The first rack conveyor slider is connected to the synchronous belt, and the first rack conveyor slider is slidably set on the guide rail, the first motor is set at the first end of the guide rail, and the second end of the guide rail away from the first end is provided with a synchronous belt mounting shaft, and the synchronous belt is respectively sleeved on the output end of the first motor and the synchronous belt mounting shaft. When the test tube rack is placed on the guide rail, the first motor drives the first rack conveyor slider to move along the guide rail through the synchronous belt, and the first rack conveyor slider is used to push the test tube rack to move on the detection table along a first path parallel to the guide rail direction.

[0030] Furthermore, the optical sensor group includes a first optical sensor and a second optical sensor, and the first optical sensor and the second optical sensor are arranged on the side of the first path toward the first path, wherein the first optical sensor is a scattered optical sensor, the second optical sensor is a focused optical sensor, and a first distance between the first sensor and the first path is smaller than a second distance between the second optical sensor and the first path.

[0031] Furthermore, the first rack conveying mechanism also includes a second rack conveying mechanism arranged on the starting side and / or the end side of the guide rail, and the second rack conveying mechanism includes a second motor and a second rack conveying slider. The second rack conveying slider is driven by the second motor to push the test tube rack along the second path to enter or leave the first path.

[0032] In a third aspect, an analysis device is also provided, comprising:

[0033] An analysis module, used for sampling and analyzing the contents of the test tubes on the test tube rack;

[0034] The transport module is connected to the analysis module and is used to transport the test tube rack to the analysis module. The transport module includes the test tube detection device as described above, which is used to determine whether there are test tubes during the transportation of the test tube rack.

[0035] In the test tube detection device and analysis equipment described above, the test tube detection method described above is applied, and the test tubes are detected respectively by two optical sensors, and a comprehensive judgment is made based on the two detection results, thereby improving the adaptability to different test tube materials and conditions. At the same time, the unit feed amount is used as the unit amount in the test tube rack feed control process, thereby improving the control accuracy of the test tube rack feed. Combined with the dual improvements in transmission control and detection methods, the detection accuracy can be effectively guaranteed even during high-speed detection of test tubes, effectively improving the adaptability and compatibility to different test tube materials and conditions, greatly improving the test tube detection efficiency and the accuracy of the detection results, and greatly reducing the cost required to meet different test tube detection needs. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0036] Figure 1 1 is a flow chart of a test tube detection method according to an exemplary embodiment of the present application;

[0037] Figure 2 yes Figure 1 A flowchart of a specific implementation of step S110;

[0038] Figure 3 yes Figure 1 A flowchart of a specific implementation of step S120;

[0039] Figure 4 yes Figure 1 A flowchart of a specific implementation of step S130;

[0040] Figure 5 yes Figure 1 A flowchart of another specific implementation of step S130;

[0041] Figure 6 yes Figure 1 A flowchart of a specific implementation of step S140;

[0042] Figure 7 1 is a top view of a test tube detection device shown in an exemplary embodiment of the present application;

[0043] Figure 8 1 is a schematic structural diagram of a first transmission rack mechanism according to an exemplary embodiment of the present application.

[0044] Part Number Description

[0045] 71-first transmission frame mechanism; 711-guide rail; 7111-synchronous belt mounting shaft; 712-first transmission frame slider; 713-synchronous belt; 714-first motor; 715-second transmission frame slider;

[0046] 72-light sensor group; 721-first light sensor; 722-second light sensor;

[0047] 73-Control Panel. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0048] The following describes the implementation of the present invention through specific embodiments. People skilled in the art can easily understand other advantages and effects of the present invention from the contents disclosed in this specification.

[0049] It should be noted that the structures, proportions, sizes, etc. illustrated in the drawings of this specification are only used to match the contents disclosed in the specification for understanding and reading by those familiar with this technology, and are not used to limit the conditions for implementation of the present invention. Therefore, they have no substantial technical significance. Any modification of the structure, change in the proportional relationship, or adjustment of the size should still fall within the scope of the technical content disclosed by the present invention without affecting the efficacy and purpose that can be achieved by the present invention. At the same time, the terms such as "upper", "lower", "left", "right", "middle", "first", "second", etc. quoted in this specification are only for the convenience of description and are not used to limit the scope of implementation of the present invention. Changes or adjustments in their relative relationships should also be regarded as the scope of implementation of the present invention without substantially changing the technical content.

[0050] In one embodiment, the present application provides a test tube detection method, such as Figure 1 As shown, Figure 1 FIG. 1 is a flow chart of a test tube detection method according to an exemplary embodiment of the present application, comprising the following steps:

[0051] Step S110, obtaining a light sensor position and at least one position interval of a tube to be tested, where the light sensor position includes a first position and a second position;

[0052] Step S120, calculating a first interval and a second interval based on each test tube position interval and the position of the optical sensor, wherein the first interval and the second interval are, respectively, intervals of feed amount of the test tube rack required to make the first position fall within the test tube position interval and the second position fall within the test tube position interval;

[0053] Step S130: Feed the test tube rack and count the number of test tubes fed per unit feed amount to obtain a count value. When the count value is within a first range, control the first optical sensor located at the first position to turn on to perform test tube detection to obtain a first detection data set. When the count value is within a second range, control the second optical sensor located at the second position to turn on to perform test tube detection to obtain a second detection data set.

[0054] Step S140 , determining whether there are test tubes in the tube position interval to be tested based on the first test data set and the second test data set.

[0055] In step S110, the position of the optical sensor and at least one position interval of the tube to be tested are obtained, where the position of the optical sensor includes a first position and a second position;

[0056] Among them, the light sensor position refers to the setting position of the light sensor used to detect the presence of the test tube. The light sensor may include but is not limited to a fiber optic light sensor, a reflective optical coupler, etc. When the test tube rack passes through the light sensor position, the light sensor can emit light toward the test tube and receive feedback light to sense the change in the light signal caused by the test tube, thereby collecting relevant information characterizing the change in the light signal in the form of data. By determining whether the change is caused by the test tube based on the collected data in a subsequent step, the status of the test tube on the test tube rack can be determined; in this embodiment, the light sensor position includes a first position and a second position, that is, the method uses two light sensors to detect the test tube rack, and can set the position and light intensity of the light sensor accordingly according to the presence or absence of the test tube to meet the tube judgment requirements of test tubes of various materials and liquid states.

[0057] It is worth noting that the light sensor position refers to the position of the light sensor, and its specific form includes but is not limited to numerical coordinates. The position interval of the tube to be tested refers to the position interval corresponding to the area to be tested of the test tube, and its specific form includes but is not limited to a coordinate interval. The two can be based on the same reference datum or reference system. According to the light sensor position and the position interval of the tube to be tested, the positional relationship between the area to be tested of the test tube and the light sensor can be determined. For example, when the test tube is fed with the test tube rack, so that the area to be tested overlaps with the position of the light sensor, it is manifested as the light sensor position falling into the position interval of the tube to be tested.

[0058] In this embodiment, the present application provides a specific implementation method for obtaining the position of the light sensor and the position interval of at least one tube to be tested, such as Figure 2 As shown, Figure 2 yes Figure 1 A flow chart of a specific implementation of step S110 in FIG. 1 includes the following steps:

[0059] Step S210, obtaining the position of the optical sensor, as well as the racking position and specification information of the test tube rack, wherein the racking position and the position of the optical sensor are based on the same reference datum;

[0060] Step S220: Matching calibration information in a preset database based on the specification information to determine a target interval from at least one set of calibration intervals. The preset database stores a correspondence between at least one set of calibration information and calibration intervals. The target interval represents a position to be tested with the test tube rack as a reference.

[0061] In step S230 , a position interval of the tubes to be tested corresponding to the target interval is calculated based on the target interval and the rack position. The position interval of the tubes to be tested and the position of the optical sensor are based on the same reference datum.

[0062] For steps S210-S220, it is first necessary to obtain the light sensor position, as well as the racking position and specification information of the test tube rack, and the obtained light sensor position and racking position should be based on the same reference datum, that is, by calculating the numerical difference between the light sensor position and the racking position, the distance between the light sensor position and the racking position can be directly obtained. It can be understood that, based on the same reference datum here, for example, the light sensor position and the racking position can be expressed in the same coordinate system, or the light sensor position, or the racking position, or the position of any point on the straight line where the light sensor position and the racking position are located, can be used as a reference datum to obtain relative position information.

[0063] In the above steps, the shelving position may vary based on the structure of the actual device or equipment to which the method is applied for test tube testing. For example, in some embodiments, in an application scenario where the method is applied to an integrated device for test tube testing, the shelving position may be determined by the position at which the test tube rack is placed on the device. This shelving position is predetermined based on the mechanical structure and size of the device. In other embodiments, in an application scenario where the method is applied to an integrated device for test tube testing, the shelving position may be determined by a certain position to which the test tube rack reaches after being placed on the device. This shelving position may also be predetermined based on the mechanical structure and size of the device. In other embodiments, the shelving position may be obtained by, but is not limited to, pre-setting and calibration using methods commonly used in the art, or real-time acquisition using sensors or other components.

[0064] Specification information refers to information that characterizes the specifications of a test tube rack. It is understandable that a test tube rack is generally provided with a plurality of test tube positions for vertically placing test tubes. The test tube rack is fed horizontally along the direction in which the test tube positions are set, so that the test tubes placed thereon can be tested in sequence. Different test tube racks have different numbers and intervals of test tubes placed thereon. Based on the specification information of the test tube rack, the position of each test tube position on the test tube rack can be obtained, thereby determining the relative position of each test tube with the test tube rack itself as a reference. It should be understood that since the test tube has a width, the test tube can be tested and determined within the width range. Therefore, the expression of the position of the test tube obtained here can be a position interval. The process of determining the relative position of the test tubes using the test tube rack as a reference may be performed during or before the execution of the present method. In some embodiments, it may be considered as pre-calibration of test tube racks of different specifications. For example, in the embodiment shown in this embodiment, a preset database stores at least one set of correspondences between calibration information and calibration intervals. The calibration information is the specification information of different test tube racks, and the calibration intervals are intervals that correspond one-to-one to the calibration information and represent the positions of the test tubes. Depending on the number of test tube positions on the test tube rack for vertically placing test tubes, the calibration interval may also be a set of multiple intervals, each interval corresponding to a test tube position.

[0065] According to the above principle, by matching the specification information that matches the calibration information from the preset database, the pre-set calibration interval can be directly obtained and used as the target interval. The target interval can just use the test tube rack as a reference benchmark to represent the position interval within the width area of ​​each test tube that needs to be tested on the test tube rack.

[0066] In step S230, since the target interval is based on the test tube rack as a reference datum, and the test tube rack's loading position and the optical sensor position are based on the same reference datum, the test tube position interval corresponding to the target interval can be calculated based on the target interval and the loading position. This ensures that the test tube position interval and the optical sensor position are based on the same reference datum, and the test tube position interval represents the distance relationship between the width range of the test tubes at each test tube position and the optical sensor position under the reference datum.

[0067] It can be seen that in steps S210 to S230, by matching the information stored in the preset database, the relative position relationship between the position of the test tube to be detected and the position of the optical sensor can be quickly determined and expressed in the form of a position interval of the tube to be tested. There is no need to identify the test tube rack and the test tube in each tube judgment process, which effectively improves the adaptability to differentiated recognition needs. At the same time, it effectively simplifies the automatic tube judgment process, improves the efficiency and accuracy of detection position positioning, and is conducive to further reducing misjudgments and improving tube judgment efficiency.

[0068] In step S120, based on each tube position interval and the position of the light sensor, a first interval and a second interval are calculated. It is worth noting that the first interval and the second interval should be distinguished from the tube position interval. The tube position interval is the position interval of the tube to be tested area, while the first interval and the second interval refer to the feed amount interval during the feeding process of the test area. When the test tube is fed with the test tube rack so that the first position falls within the tube position interval, the feed amount of the test tube rack is in the first interval. When the test tube is fed with the test tube rack so that the second position falls within the tube position interval, the feed amount of the test tube rack is in the second interval. Therefore, it is not difficult to understand that the first interval and the second interval are based on the preset unit feed amount.

[0069] Based on the foregoing steps, it can be understood that, in this embodiment, the position interval of the tubes to be tested is the range interval that each test tube needs to be detected. For example, in some embodiments, the test tube rack loading position is A, and the optical sensor positions are C1 and C2. The position interval of the tubes to be tested includes the width range [A+B1, A+B2] corresponding to the first test tube, and B2-B1 is the width of the first test tube [A+B1, A+B2]. Based on the position interval of the tubes to be tested and the positions of the optical sensors, a first range [A+B1-C1, A+B2-C1] and a second range [A+B1-C2, A+B2-C2] can be calculated. In this case, the first range and the second range represent the feed amount range of the test tube rack when the position interval of the tubes to be tested passes through the first and second positions, respectively. That is, when the feed amount of the test tube rack is in the first range, the first optical sensor at position C1 is exactly within the width range of the first test tube. When the feed amount of the test tube rack is in the second range, the second optical sensor at position C2 is exactly within the width range of the first test tube.

[0070] It should be understood that, for ease of understanding, the description of the racking position A, light sensor positions C1 and C2, and each interval in the above specific embodiment only reveals their associations, and does not limit their measurement units. When executing step S210, in addition to the exemplary implementation process shown in the above specific embodiment, the first interval and the second interval need to be measured in units of a preset unit feed amount. The unit feed amount here refers to the preset minimum feed amount of the test tube rack in the feed direction. The unit feed amount can use different units or unit precisions than the test tube position interval, light sensor position, and racking position to improve the control accuracy of the test tube rack feed, thereby improving the detection accuracy. The first interval and the second interval are measured in units of the preset unit feed amount, that is, depending on the preset unit feed amount, the first interval and the second interval need to be converted into units once or multiple times.

[0071] In this embodiment, a scheme for setting a unit feed rate and a method for obtaining a first interval and a second interval based on the unit feed rate are also exemplarily provided. Specifically, Figure 3 As shown, Figure 3 yes Figure 1 A flowchart of a specific embodiment of step S120, i.e., the step of calculating the first interval and the second interval based on the position interval of each tube to be tested and the position of the light sensor, specifically includes the following steps:

[0072] Step S310, calculating a first intermediate interval based on the first position and the position interval of the tube to be tested, and calculating a second intermediate interval based on the second position and the position interval of the tube to be tested;

[0073] In step S320 , the first intermediate interval and the second intermediate interval are converted into units based on the unit feed amount to obtain the first interval and the second interval, wherein the unit feed amount is the unit step number of the first motor, and the feeding of the test tube rack is driven by the first motor.

[0074] In steps S310-S320, the preset unit feed amount is the number of unit steps of the first motor, which drives the test tube rack. It is worth noting that the number of motor steps can generally be understood as the fixed minimum rotation angle of the motor rotor. The number of motor steps is proportional to the amount of motion at the motor output. Because this is based on a transmission ratio relationship formed by a mechanical structure, it offers the advantages of feedback synchronization and precise control. In some embodiments, the first and second intermediate intervals are calculated based on the first and second positions, respectively, and the test tube position intervals. The resulting first and second intermediate intervals are measured in commonly used distance units, such as centimeters or millimeters. In this case, the test tube rack feed amount is not yet directly associated with the first motor controlling the test tube rack feed. By converting the first and second intermediate intervals, which are directly calculated from the test tube position interval and the sensor position, to obtain the first and second intervals in unit steps, the test tube rack feed amount can be directly associated with the amount of motion of the first motor's mechanical structure, effectively improving the control precision of the test tube rack feed and further enhancing the accuracy of test tube testing.

[0075] In step S130, the test tube rack is fed and counted in units of unit feed amount to obtain a count value. When the count value is in the first interval, the first light sensor located at the first position is controlled to turn on to detect the test tube to obtain a first detection data group. When the count value is in the second interval, the second light sensor located at the second position is controlled to turn on to detect the test tube to obtain a second detection data group. It can be understood that the first light sensor and the second light sensor can be normally open or normally closed, as long as they can meet the requirements of detecting the test tube in the above-mentioned step S130 scenario. Since the first light sensor and the second light sensor detect the test tube in the first and second intervals of the test tube width range, the first detection data group and the second detection data group here can be discrete data sets corresponding to each interval, or continuous data corresponding to each interval and represented in the form of digital signals or analog signals, or data images in the form of curves generated based on discrete data or continuous data.

[0076] Based on the selection scheme of the unit feed amount provided in steps S310-S320, in this embodiment, a specific implementation method of counting is also specifically provided, such as Figure 4 As shown, in step S130, the test tube rack is fed, and the feeding amount is counted in units to obtain the count value, including:

[0077] Step S410 , in response to the feeding action of the test tube rack, sending a step number acquisition request to the first motor;

[0078] Step S420, using the obtained step number information fed back by the first motor as the current count value;

[0079] For the above steps S410-S420, a step acquisition request is sent to the first motor in the form of an analog signal or a digital signal to directly obtain the step information fed back by it. The source of the step information may vary based on the existing motor structure. For example, the rotor motion information collected by the first motor based on its own mechanical transmission structure, or the motion information collected by a mechanical sensing structure built into or external to the first motor, etc.

[0080] In this embodiment, a method of setting up a light sensor is also disclosed through a method of obtaining detection data, such as Figure 5 As shown, the first detection data set and the second detection data set are obtained through the following steps:

[0081] Step S510: When the count value is in the first interval, the first light sensor is used to emit light at a first scattering angle and a first irradiation distance, and the received light signal is used as first detection data to generate a first detection data set;

[0082] In step S520, when the count value is in the second interval, a second light sensor is used to emit light at a second scattering angle and a second irradiation distance, and the received light signal is used as second detection data to generate a second detection data set, wherein the first scattering angle is greater than the second scattering angle, and the first irradiation distance is less than the second irradiation distance.

[0083] For steps S510-S520, it is worth noting that the scattering angle here refers to the scattering angle of the main light when the light source of the light sensor emits light. In the light sensor, light is emitted by the light source, and the light is reflected by an obstacle and captured by the light sensor, and then the obstacle information is identified or judged based on the reflected light signal. Therefore, the scattering angle here can also be understood as the illumination range of the light emitted by the light sensor. The larger the scattering angle, the larger the area illuminated by the light. The smaller the light scattering angle, the more concentrated the light, the greater the light intensity, but the illuminated area is small. The illumination distance here refers to the distance between the light source emitting light and the test tube during the detection process.

[0084] It is understandable that in the prior art, the scattering angle of the light emitted by a single light sensor is fixed, and the irradiation distance does not change during the test tube detection process. Therefore, the adaptability to the test tube material and the liquid state of the test tube is limited. For example, when a light sensor with a small light scattering angle is used to detect a test tube made of a mirror material, due to the curved surface of the test tube, a large amount of light is deflected by the mirror reflection and cannot be received, resulting in missed detection. In this embodiment, a first light sensor and a second light sensor are provided, and the scattering angles and irradiation distances of the two light sensors satisfy that the first scattering angle is greater than the second scattering angle, and the first irradiation distance is less than the second irradiation distance. In some application scenarios, the test tube material is smooth. In this case, the first light sensor with a larger scattering angle can receive more reflected light because the reflected light is more dispersed, thereby ensuring higher detection accuracy. In other application scenarios, the rough test tube material leads to strong diffuse reflection, or the test tube contains a dark liquid such as urine, which reduces the reflectivity. In this case, the second light sensor has a smaller light scattering angle and a stronger light intensity, so it can receive more reflected light, thereby ensuring higher detection accuracy.

[0085] It is worth noting that the first scattering angle is greater than the second scattering angle in order to adapt to different materials and liquid conditions, and the first irradiation distance is smaller than the second irradiation distance in order to ensure that the first light sensor with a larger scattering angle is close to the test tube and can receive sufficient light. At the same time, the second light sensor has a smaller scattering angle, so the light intensity is higher. In this case, the second irradiation distance is set to be larger to reduce the secondary reflection and avoid the light from the second light sensor being reflected by the test tube rack or other positions and being received, resulting in misjudgment.

[0086] It can be seen that in steps S510-S520, the combination of the first light sensor and the second light sensor greatly improves the adaptability to test tubes of different materials and different states, which is conducive to improving the detection accuracy when detecting multiple types of test tubes.

[0087] In step S140, the presence or absence of the test tube in the tube position interval to be tested is determined based on the first test data set and the second test data set.

[0088] In this embodiment, a solution for determining the presence or absence of a test tube based on the first detection data set and the second detection data set is specifically provided. Figure 6 As shown, the step of determining whether there is a test tube in the position interval of the tube to be tested based on the first test data group and the second test data group includes:

[0089] Step S610, obtaining a first ratio value based on the ratio of valid data in the first detection data group, and obtaining a second ratio value based on the ratio of valid data in the second detection data group;

[0090] Step S620: determining based on the first ratio value and the second ratio value, if the first ratio value is greater than a preset first ratio threshold, or the second ratio value is greater than a preset second ratio threshold, confirming that a test tube exists in the position interval of the tube to be tested; otherwise, confirming that no test tube exists in the position interval of the tube to be tested;

[0091] Regarding the above steps S610-S620, it can be understood that, by adopting the judgment logic of OR, when any one of the first detection data group and the second detection data group corresponding to the position interval of the tube to be tested satisfies the pre-set judgment condition, it is determined whether the test tube exists, wherein the judgment condition is specifically to determine whether the proportion of valid data in the process of the test tube passing through the optical sensor meets the preset ratio. For example, in some embodiments, all the data detected in the time period when the detection interval of the tube to be tested in the first detection data group as a whole passes through the first optical sensor represents the process of the test tube from arriving at the first position where the first optical sensor is located to leaving the first position. The first optical sensor continuously detects multiple data or data streams, and determines whether a test tube exists in the position interval of the tube to be tested corresponding to the first detection data group based on the proportion of valid signals therein. Compared with the common single-point single-time detection in the prior art, that is, sampling and detecting the same test tube only once from a single position, the above method, on the basis of continuous sampling and overall judgment of the test tube, also sets up two rounds of detection to address the risk of detection error caused by test tube differences. This avoids result deviation caused by local defects of the test tube or other error factors in the single-point single detection, minimizes the error risk of test tube detection, and is conducive to improving the accuracy of test tube detection.

[0092] As described above, the test tube detection method shown in this embodiment improves the adaptability to different test tube materials and states by detecting the test tubes from a first position and a second position respectively, and making a comprehensive judgment based on the detection results at the two positions. At the same time, the unit feed amount is used as the unit amount in the test tube rack feeding control process, thereby improving the control accuracy of the test tube rack feeding. Combined with the dual improvements in transmission control and detection methods, the detection accuracy can be effectively guaranteed even in the process of high-speed detection of test tubes, effectively improving the adaptability and compatibility to different test tube materials and states, greatly improving the test tube detection efficiency and the accuracy of the detection results, and greatly reducing the cost required to meet different test tube detection needs.

[0093] In another embodiment, based on the same inventive concept, the present application also exemplarily provides a test tube detection device,

[0094] See also Figure 7-Figure 8 The test tube detection device includes a detection platform and a controller disposed on the detection platform, a first rack conveying mechanism 71, and a light sensor group 72. When detecting the test tubes on the test tube rack, the controller can control the test tube detection device to execute the test tube detection method of the aforementioned embodiment. The controller herein refers to a device, equipment, or electronic program storage medium having data processing capabilities to control the execution of the steps of the aforementioned test tube detection method, including but not limited to a board or hardware assembly integrated with an ECU (Electronic Control Unit), a CPU (Central Processing Unit), or one or more ECUs, CPUs, or similar functional units. In this embodiment, a control panel 73 is further disposed on the detection platform. The control panel 73 is electrically connected to the controller and is used to display the execution status of the test tube detection method in real time. In some embodiments, the control panel 73 is also used to provide a human-computer interaction function to interactively control the execution process of the test tube detection method.

[0095] In this embodiment, the first frame mechanism 71 includes a guide rail 711, a first frame slider 712, a timing belt 713 parallel to the guide rail 711, and a first motor 714 for driving the first frame slider 712 to move along the guide rail 711.

[0096] The first frame conveying slider 712 is connected to the synchronous belt 713, and the first frame conveying slider 712 is slidably set on the guide rail 711. The first frame conveying slider 712 is set for the purpose of pushing the test tube rack. Therefore, its structure can be adjusted according to the actual needs of the structure, design space, assembly relationship, etc. of the equipment. In this embodiment, one end of the first frame conveying slider 712 is set on the guide rail 711, and the other end extends sideways from the guide rail 711 to form a hook-shaped structure so as to fit the test tube rack. The first motor 714 is set at the first end of the guide rail 711. A second end away from the first end is provided with a synchronous belt 713 mounting shaft 7111. The synchronous belt 713 is respectively sleeved on the output end of the first motor 714 and the synchronous belt 713 mounting shaft 7111, so that the synchronous belt 713 forms a circulating path parallel to the guide rail 711. When the test tube rack is placed on the guide rail 711, the first motor 714 drives the first rack conveying slider 712 to move along the guide rail 711 via the synchronous belt 713. The first rack conveying slider 712 is used to push the test tube rack to move along a first path parallel to the guide rail 711 on the testing table.

[0097] It should be understood that the first path refers to the path along which the test tube rack is fed during the test tube inspection process. The specific setting form of the first path can be a straight area set on the inspection table for the test tube rack to move, or it can be a sliding path constructed by sliding elements such as slides, slide plates or slide rails for the convenience of the test tube rack to move. As long as it can be used to realize that the test tube rack is pushed and fed by the first rack transfer slider 712 on a section of the path, for example, in the present embodiment, the first path is a horizontal sliding area on the inspection table, and the edge corners of the test tube rack on the inspection table are engaged with the first rack transfer slider 712 with a hook at the protruding end, and are fed from right to left under the push of the first rack transfer slider 712. This feeding path is the first path, and the above-mentioned directions "left" and "right" are only descriptions made for easy distinction and understanding in combination with the exemplary content of the embodiment.

[0098] In this embodiment, the light sensor group 72 includes a first light sensor 721 and a second light sensor 722, and the first light sensor 721 and the second light sensor 722 are arranged on the side of the first path toward the first path, wherein the first light sensor 721 is a scattered light sensor such as a reflective optical coupler, and the second light sensor 722 is a focused light sensor such as a light sensor, and the first distance between the first sensor and the first path is smaller than the second distance between the second light sensor 722 and the first path; in the above structure, by combining the first light sensor 721 and the second light sensor 722, the adaptability to test tubes of different materials and different states can be greatly improved, which is conducive to improving the detection accuracy when detecting multiple types of test tubes.

[0099] In some embodiments, the first rack conveying mechanism 71 further includes a second rack conveying mechanism arranged on the starting side and / or the end side of the guide rail 711, and the second rack conveying mechanism includes a second motor and a second rack conveying slider 715. Driven by the second motor, the second rack conveying slider 715 pushes the test tube rack along the second path to enter or leave the first path to achieve the up and down movement of the test tube rack.

[0100] Specifically, for example, in this embodiment, the second path is set at the starting point and end point of the first path, and is perpendicular to the first path. The test tube rack is placed on the inspection table from the lower right position, and enters the starting point side of the first path under the push of the second rack transfer slider 715 for inspection. After the inspection is completed, it leaves the first path from the end point side of the first path, and reaches the sitting position of the inspection table under the push of the second rack transfer slider 715 on the left for unloading. It can be understood that the above-mentioned directions "lower left" and "upper right" are only descriptions made for easy distinction and understanding in combination with the exemplary content of the embodiment, rather than limitations on the implementation method. Through the above-mentioned structure, the loading and unloading positions can be extended as needed to facilitate the loading and unloading of the test tube rack without affecting the inspection process. At the same time, the travel process on the second path is also a correction of the loading posture of the test tube rack, so that the acquisition of the loading position of the test tube rack in the above-mentioned embodiment is more in line with the actual feeding process of the test tube rack, which is conducive to improving the accuracy of test tube detection.

[0101] In one embodiment, the present application further provides an analysis device, comprising:

[0102] An analysis module, used for sampling and analyzing the contents of the test tubes on the test tube rack;

[0103] The transport module is connected to the analysis module and is used to transport the test tube rack to the analysis module. The transport module includes the test tube detection device in the above embodiment, which is used to determine whether there are test tubes in the test tube rack during transportation.

[0104] As described above, the test tube detection device and analysis equipment shown in this embodiment apply the test tube detection method shown in the aforementioned embodiment, respectively detect the test tube through two optical sensors, and make a comprehensive judgment based on the two detection results, thereby improving the adaptability to different test tube materials and states. At the same time, the unit feed amount is used as the unit amount in the test tube rack feed control process, thereby improving the control accuracy of the test tube rack feed. Combined with the dual improvements in transmission control and detection methods, the detection accuracy can be effectively guaranteed even in the process of high-speed detection of test tubes, effectively improving the adaptability and compatibility to different test tube materials and states, greatly improving the test tube detection efficiency and the accuracy of the detection results, and greatly reducing the cost required to meet different test tube detection needs.

[0105] The above embodiments are merely illustrative of the principles and effects of the present invention and are not intended to limit the present invention. Anyone skilled in the art may modify or alter the above embodiments without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. Therefore, all equivalent modifications or alterations made by one of ordinary skill in the art without departing from the spirit and technical principles disclosed herein are intended to be covered by the claims of the present invention.

Claims

1. A test tube detection method, characterized in that: include: Acquire a light sensor position and at least one position interval of a tube to be tested, wherein the light sensor position includes a first position and a second position; Calculating a first interval and a second interval based on each of the test tube position intervals and the optical sensor position, wherein the first interval and the second interval are preset unit feed amounts, wherein the first interval and the second interval are respectively intervals of feed amounts of the test tube rack required to make the first position fall within the test tube position interval and to make the second position fall within the test tube position interval; Feeding the test tube rack, counting the number of test tubes per unit feed amount to obtain a count value, controlling a first optical sensor located at the first position to detect the test tubes when the count value is within a first interval to obtain a first detection data set, and controlling a second optical sensor located at the second position to detect the test tubes when the count value is within a second interval to obtain a second detection data set; The first detection data set and the second detection data set are obtained by the following steps: When the count value is within the first interval, using a first light sensor to emit light at a first scattering angle and a first irradiation distance, and using the received light signal as first detection data to generate a first detection data group; When the count value is within the second interval, using a second light sensor to emit light at a second scattering angle and a second irradiation distance, and using the received light signal as second detection data to generate a second detection data set, wherein the first scattering angle is greater than the second scattering angle, and the first irradiation distance is less than the second irradiation distance; The presence or absence of test tubes in the to-be-tested tube position interval is determined based on the first test data group and the second test data group.

2. A test tube detection method according to claim 1, characterized in that: The step of obtaining the position of the light sensor and the position interval of at least one tube to be tested includes: Acquiring a light sensor position, and a racking position and specification information of a test tube rack, wherein the racking position and the light sensor position are based on the same reference datum; Matching calibration information in a preset database according to the specification information to determine a target interval from at least one set of calibration intervals, wherein the preset database stores a correspondence between at least one set of the calibration information and the calibration intervals, the target interval representing a position to be inspected with the test tube rack as a reference; According to the target interval and the rack position, a position interval of the tubes to be tested corresponding to the target interval is calculated, and the position interval of the tubes to be tested and the position of the optical sensor are based on the same reference datum.

3. A test tube detection method according to claim 2, characterized in that: The step of calculating the first interval and the second interval based on each position interval of the tube to be tested and the position of the light sensor includes: Calculating a first intermediate interval based on the first position and the position interval of the tube to be tested, and calculating a second intermediate interval based on the second position and the position interval of the tube to be tested; The first intermediate interval and the second intermediate interval are converted into units using the unit feed amount as a unit to obtain a first interval and a second interval, wherein the unit feed amount is a unit step number of a first motor, and the feeding of the test tube rack is driven by the first motor.

4. A test tube detection method according to claim 3, characterized in that: The step of feeding the test tube rack and counting the unit feeding amount as a unit to obtain a count value includes: In response to the feeding action of the test tube rack, sending a step number acquisition request to the first motor; The obtained step number information fed back by the first motor is used as the current count value.

5. A test tube detection method according to claim 1, characterized in that: The step of determining whether there are test tubes in the position interval of the tubes to be tested based on the first test data set and the second test data set includes: Obtaining a first ratio value based on the proportion of valid data in the first detection data group, and obtaining a second ratio value based on the proportion of valid data in the second detection data group; A judgment is made based on the first ratio value and the second ratio value. If the first ratio value is greater than a preset first ratio threshold, or the second ratio value is greater than a preset second ratio threshold, it is confirmed that a test tube exists in the position interval of the tube to be tested; otherwise, it is confirmed that no test tube exists in the position interval of the tube to be tested.

6. A test tube detection device, characterized in that: include: A detection platform and a controller, a first transmission rack mechanism and a light sensor group arranged on the detection platform, wherein the controller controls the test tube detection device to perform the test tube detection method according to any one of claims 1 to 5.

7. The test tube detection device according to claim 6, characterized in that: The first frame transmission mechanism includes a guide rail, a first frame transmission slider, a synchronous belt parallel to the guide rail, and a first motor driving the first frame transmission slider to move along the guide rail; The first rack conveyor slider is connected to the synchronous belt, and the first rack conveyor slider is slidably set on the guide rail, the first motor is set at the first end of the guide rail, and the second end of the guide rail away from the first end is provided with a synchronous belt mounting shaft, and the synchronous belt is respectively sleeved on the output end of the first motor and the synchronous belt mounting shaft. When the test tube rack is placed on the guide rail, the first motor drives the first rack conveyor slider to move along the guide rail through the synchronous belt, and the first rack conveyor slider is used to push the test tube rack to move on the detection table along a first path parallel to the guide rail direction.

8. The test tube detection device according to claim 7, characterized in that: The light sensor group includes a first light sensor and a second light sensor, which are arranged on the side of the first path facing the first path, wherein the first light sensor is a scattered light sensor, the second light sensor is a focused light sensor, and a first distance between the first light sensor and the first path is smaller than a second distance between the second light sensor and the first path.

9. The test tube detection device according to claim 8, characterized in that: The first rack conveying mechanism further includes a second rack conveying mechanism arranged on the starting side and / or the ending side of the guide rail, the second rack conveying mechanism includes a second motor and a second rack conveying slider, and the second rack conveying slider is driven by the second motor to push the test tube rack along the second path to enter or leave the first path.

10. An analytical device, characterized in that include: An analysis module, used for sampling and analyzing the contents of the test tubes on the test tube rack; A transport module is connected to the analysis module and is used to transport the test tube rack to the analysis module. The transport module includes the test tube detection device according to any one of claims 6 to 9, and is used to determine whether a test tube is present during the transportation of the test tube rack.

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