Liquid quantity control device and liquid quantity control method using the same

Abstract

The present invention provides a liquid volume control device and a liquid volume control method using the same. The liquid volume control device is used to control the volume of liquid in a test tube. The liquid volume control device includes a pump, a driver, a moving device, a camera, and a controller. The pump is connected to a dropper, which is used to aspirate liquid out of the test tube. The driver is connected to the pump and is used to drive the pump. The moving device is used to move the test tube. The camera is used to capture a first image of the aspiration end of the dropper and a second image of the liquid in the test tube. When capturing the first image, the test tube is outside the camera's capture area; when capturing the second image, the test tube is within the camera's capture area. The controller is electrically connected to the camera, the moving device, the driver, and the pump.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a control device and a control method using the same, and more particularly to a liquid volume control device and a liquid volume control method using the same. Background Art

[0002] A liquid volume control device can aspirate liquid from a test tube and ultimately control the remaining amount of the liquid in the test tube to a target preset amount. However, current liquid volume control devices still face the problem of accurately controlling the aspirated amount, resulting in a significant difference between the remaining amount of the liquid in the test tube and the target preset amount. Summary of the Invention

[0003] The present invention relates to a liquid volume control device and a liquid volume control method using the same, which can reduce the gap between the remaining volume of liquid in a test tube and a target default volume, thereby improving the accuracy of liquid collection.

[0004] According to one embodiment of the present invention, a liquid volume control device is provided. The liquid volume control device is used to control the volume of a liquid in a test tube. The liquid volume control device includes a pump, a driver, a moving device, a camera, and a controller. The pump is connected to a dropper, which is used to aspirate the liquid out of the test tube. The driver is connected to the pump and is used to drive the pump. The moving device is used to move the test tube. The camera is used to capture a first image of the aspiration end of the dropper and a second image of the liquid in the test tube. A controller is electrically connected to the camera, the moving device, the driver, and the pump, and is used to: (1) control the driver to drive the aspiration end of the dropper into the camera's capture area and analyze the first image to determine the height compensation value of the aspiration end of the dropper; (2) analyze the second image to determine a total volume of the liquid and calculate a first insertion depth of the dropper based on the total volume and a specified retention volume; (3) calculate a second insertion depth based on the first insertion depth and the height compensation value; (4) control the driver to drive the aspiration end of the dropper into the liquid to the second insertion depth; and (5) control the pump to aspirate the liquid in the test tube through the dropper.

[0005] According to another embodiment of the present invention, a liquid volume control method is provided for controlling the liquid volume of a liquid in a test tube. The liquid volume control method includes the following steps. The aforementioned liquid volume control device is provided. The controller controls the driver to drive the suction end of the dropper into the camera's captureable area. The camera captures a first image of the suction end of the dropper. The controller analyzes the first image to determine the height compensation value of the suction end of the dropper. The camera captures a second image of the liquid in the test tube. The controller analyzes the second image to determine the total volume of the liquid, and calculates the first insertion depth of the dropper based on the total volume and the specified retention volume. The controller calculates the second insertion depth based on the first insertion depth and the height compensation value. The controller controls the driver to drive the suction end of the dropper into the liquid to the second insertion depth. The controller controls the pump to suck the liquid in the test tube through the dropper. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0006] Figure 1 is a functional block diagram of a liquid quantity control device according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0007] Figures 2A to 2D for Figure 1 A process diagram of a liquid quantity control method of a liquid quantity control device;

[0008] Figure 3 for Figure 2B A method for analyzing height compensation value in a liquid volume control method;

[0009] Figures 4A to 4B A moving process of a mobile device according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0010] Figure 5 For use Figure 1 Flowchart of a liquid quantity control method of a liquid quantity control device;

[0011] Figure 6A is a schematic diagram of a test tube of a liquid volume control device according to a comparative example; and

[0012] Figure 6B for Figure 1 Schematic diagram of the test tube of the liquid volume control device.

[0013] Reference numerals

[0014] 10, 12-18: Test tube

[0015] 20, 22-28, 201, 202: Dropper

[0016] 20t, Dt: suction end

[0017] 100: Liquid volume control device

[0018] 110: Pump

[0019] 120: Driver

[0020] 130: Mobile device

[0021] 130a: Perforation

[0022] 140, 142-148: Camera

[0023] 150: Storage module

[0024] 160: Controller

[0025] 162: Analysis Module

[0026] 164: Computing Module

[0027] 166: Image processing module

[0028] BL: Standard height

[0029] D1: First insertion depth

[0030] D2: Second insertion depth

[0031] GS: Bubbles

[0032] H1, H11, H12: first height

[0033] H2: Second height

[0034] HA1, HB1: Target height

[0035] HA2, HB2: actual height

[0036] HA3, HB3: Height recognition

[0037] HD, +HD1, -HD2: Height compensation values

[0038] L: Liquid

[0039] M1: First Image

[0040] M2: Second Image

[0041] P1: Reference surface

[0042] S305~S355:Steps

[0043] STD: Dropper Standard DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0044] Please refer to Figures 1 to 5The liquid volume control device 100 is used to control the volume of liquid L in a test tube 10 so that the final remaining volume of the liquid in the test tube 10 is accurately controlled at a target default volume. The liquid volume control device 100 includes a pump 110, a driver 120, a movement device 130, a camera 140, a storage module 150, and a controller 160. In one embodiment, the controller 160 may include an analysis module 162, a calculation module 164, and an image processing module 166.

[0045] The pump 110 is connected to the dropper 20 to aspirate the liquid L out of the test tube 10. The driver 120 is connected to the pump 110 to drive the pump 110 to move. The moving device 130 is used to move the test tube 10. The camera 140 is adjacent to the moving device 130 and is used to capture a first image M1 of the aspiration end 20t of the dropper 20 and a second image M2 of the liquid L in the test tube 10. When capturing the first image M1, the test tube 10 is outside a captureable area of ​​the camera 140; when capturing the second image M2, the test tube 10 is within the captureable area of ​​the camera 140. The moving device 130 is used to move the test tube 10, for example, from outside the captureable area of ​​the camera 140 to within the captureable area of ​​the camera 140. In this embodiment, the moving device 130 is a circular turntable having a through-hole 130a. The controller 160 is electrically connected to the storage module 150, the camera 140, the moving device 130, the driver 120, and the pump 110, and is used to: (1) control the driver 120 to drive the dropper 20 and analyze the first image M1 to determine a height compensation value HD between the aspiration end 20t of the dropper 20 and the aspiration end of a dropper standard; (2) analyze the second image M2 to determine a total volume of the liquid L and calculate a first insertion depth D1 of the dropper 20 based on the total volume and a specified retention volume; (3) calculate a second insertion depth D2 based on the first insertion depth D1 and the height compensation value HD; (4) control the driver 120 to drive the aspiration end 20t of the dropper 20 into the liquid L to the position of the second insertion depth D2; and (5) control the pump 110 to aspirate the liquid L in the test tube 10 so that the liquid L reaches the specified retention volume.

[0046] The following is Figures 2A to 2D Process diagram of liquid volume control method and Figure 5 The flowchart further illustrates this.

[0047] In step S305 , the controller 160 controls the driver 120 to drive the pump 110 to move downward toward the dropper 20 , so that the pump 110 is combined with the dropper 20 .

[0048] In step S310, the controller 160 controls the driver 120 to drive the suction end 20t of the dropper 20 to enter the photographic area of ​​the camera 140. According to this embodiment, the steps include: the controller 160 controls the driver 120 to drive the dropper 20 to move to the top of the photographic area (see FIG. Figure 2A ), the controller 160 controls the driver 120 to drive the dropper 20 to move downward and pass through the through hole 130a of the moving device 130, so that the dropper 20 enters the photographic area (see Figure 2B ).

[0049] In step S315 , after the suction end 20 t enters the photographable area, the camera 140 captures a first image M1 of the suction end 20 t of the dropper 20 . The camera 140 may transmit information of the first image M1 to the controller 160 .

[0050] In step S320, the controller 160 analyzes the first image M1 to determine the height compensation value HD between the pickup end 20t of the pipette 20 and the pickup end Dt of the standard pipette STD. In one embodiment, the controller 160 already knows the height relationship between the pickup end Dt of the standard pipette STD and the reference surface P1. Specifically, the controller 160 can obtain the position data of the standard height BL of the pickup end Dt.

[0051] According to some embodiments, the camera 140 may pre-capture a standard image of the pipette tip Dt after it enters the capture area to determine the standard height BL of the pipette tip Dt. In some embodiments, the standard height BL may be determined before step 305 is performed, and the data of the standard height BL may be stored in the storage module 150.

[0052] Please continue to see Figure 3To further understand step S320, according to one embodiment, the dropper 20 is the dropper 201. In step S320, the controller 160 (e.g., the analysis module 162) is configured to determine the position of a first height H11 of the pickup end of the dropper 201 in the first image M1, and the controller 160 (e.g., the calculation module 164) is configured to calculate a height compensation value +HD1 between the first height H11 and the standard height BL. In other words, the height compensation value +HD1 is the difference between the first height H11 and the standard height BL. Since the first height H11 is greater than the standard height BL, the height compensation value is represented by a "+" sign. According to another embodiment, the dropper 20 is the dropper 202. In step S320, the controller 160 (e.g., the analysis module 162) is configured to determine the position of a first height H12 of the pickup end of the dropper 201 in the first image M1, and the controller 160 (e.g., the calculation module 164) is configured to calculate a height compensation value -HD2 between the first height H12 and the standard height BL. In other words, the height compensation value -HD2 is the difference between the first height H12 and the standard height BL. Since the first height H12 is less than the standard height BL, the height compensation value is represented by a "-" symbol. In some embodiments, the data of the height compensation value HD can be stored in the storage module 150. In some embodiments, the height compensation value HD can be equal to 0.

[0053] In step S325, the controller 160 controls the driver 120 to drive the suction end 20t of the dropper 20 to move (e.g., rise, return to the Figure 2A ), so as to move the suction end 20t of the dropper 20 out of the capture area of ​​the camera 140. In some embodiments, step S325 can be omitted as long as the dropper 20 does not affect the capture of the second image M2.

[0054] In step S330, the test tube 10 is moved to the capture area of ​​the camera 140 by the moving device 130. Figure 2C As shown, the upper edge of the test tube 10 abuts against the moving device 130 , and the lower half of the test tube 10 passes through the through hole 130 a and enters the photographic area of ​​the camera 140 .

[0055] In step S335 , the camera 140 captures a second image M2 of the liquid L in the test tube 10 . The camera 140 may transmit information of the second image M2 to the controller 160 .

[0056] In step S340, the controller 160 analyzes the second image M2 to determine the total volume of the liquid L and calculates the first insertion depth D1 of the dropper 20 based on the total volume of the liquid L and the designated retention volume. The first insertion depth D1 is, for example, measured from the liquid level of the liquid L. For example, the controller 160 (e.g., the analysis module 164) is configured to determine a second height H2 of the liquid level of the liquid L in the second image M2, and the controller 160 (e.g., the analysis module 164) is configured to calculate the total volume of the liquid L based on the second height H2, calculate a liquid extraction volume based on the difference between the total volume and the designated retention volume, and calculate the extraction position based on the extracted liquid volume, thereby calculating the first insertion depth D1. In some embodiments, the second height H2 represents the liquid height between the liquid level in the test tube 10 and the bottom surface of the test tube.

[0057] In step S345, the controller 160 calculates a second insertion depth D2 based on the first insertion depth D1 and the height compensation value HD. Specifically, the second insertion depth D2 is the corrected insertion depth of the first insertion depth D1 after correction by the height compensation value HD. For example, the first insertion depth D1 minus the height compensation value HD equals the second insertion depth D2. The second insertion depth D2 can be calculated from the liquid level. In some embodiments, if the height compensation value HD is 0, the first insertion depth D1 equals the second insertion depth D2.

[0058] In step S350 , the controller 160 controls the driver 120 to drive the suction end 20 t of the dropper 20 into the liquid L to a second insertion depth D2 , as shown in FIG. 2D .

[0059] In step S355 , the controller 160 controls the pump 110 to absorb the liquid L in the test tube 10 through the dropper 20 so that the remaining amount of the liquid L in the test tube 10 reaches the specified retention volume, that is, the liquid L is controlled at the target default amount.

[0060] See Figure 4A According to one embodiment, the test tube 10 includes test tubes 12 to 18, and the camera 140 includes cameras 142 to 148. It should be understood that the number of test tubes 10 and cameras 140 of the present invention is not limited to 4. The test tubes 12 to 18 are arranged in the mobile device 130 and are located outside the shooting area of ​​the cameras 142 to 148. The vacant positions between the test tubes 12 to 18 provide accommodation spaces for droppers 22 to 28 for taking liquids from the test tubes 12 to 18, respectively. According Figure 2B and Figure 4A , the suction ends of the droppers 22-28 can enter the capture area of ​​the cameras 142-148 to determine the respective height compensation values ​​HD of the droppers 22-28. Figure 2C and Figure 4BController 160 can control driver 120 to drive droppers 22-28 out of the capture area (e.g., by moving droppers 22-28 upward). Moving device 130 rotates to allow test tubes 12-18 to enter the capture area of ​​cameras 142-148. Controller 160 calculates first insertion depths D1 of each test tube 12-18 and then calculates second insertion depths D2 of each test tube 12-18 based on the first insertion depths D1 and the height compensation values ​​HD. Controller 160 controls driver 120 to drive the aspiration ends of droppers 22-28 into the liquid in each test tube 12-18 to the position of the second insertion depths D2, causing pump 110 to aspirate the liquid in test tubes 12-18 through droppers 22-28, thereby ensuring that the liquid reaches the designated retention volume.

[0061] According to the above embodiment, since the camera 140 captures the first image M1 of the suction end 20 t of the dropper 20, the controller 160 can determine the height compensation value HD between the suction end 20 t of the dropper 20 and the suction end Dt of the standard dropper STD. Therefore, the suction end 20 t of the dropper 20 can enter the liquid L to absorb the liquid according to the second insertion depth D2 corrected by the height compensation value HD. Compared to the comparative example that does not include the calibration step of the height compensation value HD, the liquid extraction position of the dropper 20 of the present invention is quite precise and does not have the problem of being too deep or too shallow.

[0062] The following experiments are conducted using Comparative Examples A and B and Examples A and B to compare the accuracy of liquid dispensing by the liquid volume control device.

[0063] In Comparative Examples A and B, the liquid level in the test tube is confirmed by taking a picture with a camera, and the liquid height is calculated and then the liquid is aspirated. The above steps are repeated until the liquid height is less than or equal to the target value, and no correction step is included to compensate for the height difference of the liquid taking position of the dropper. Figure 5 The process shown here allows the liquid to reach the specified retention volume without repeated photography and pipetting. The liquids in Comparative Example A and Example A contained no bubbles or impurities. The liquids in Comparative Example B and Example B contained bubbles or impurities.

[0064] Please refer to Tables 1 and 2, which show the actual liquid retention volumes and error percentages of Comparative Example A and Example A when the predetermined retention volume of the liquid is 16 μL; Tables 3 and 4, which show the actual liquid retention volumes and error percentages of Comparative Example B and Example B when the predetermined retention volume of the liquid is 16 μL.

[0065]

[0066] In fact, when there are bubbles in the test tube, it will cause errors in the judgment of the liquid level, and the less liquid in the test tube, the greater the error caused by the bubbles. Figure 6A As shown in the figure, the target height of the liquid is HA1, the actual height of the liquid is HA2, and the controller determines the liquid height to be HA3 based on the image (the recognition height HA3 is below the bubble GS). The recognition height HA3 is lower than the target height HA1, so the liquid is stopped. In the last liquid collection process, assuming the system error value is 5μL and the remaining amount of liquid is 40μL, the liquid collection error percentage = 5 / 40 = 12.5%; Figure 6B As shown, the target liquid height is HB1, the actual liquid height is HB2, and the controller determines the liquid height based on the image as HB3 (height HB3 is below the bubble GS). Assuming the system error is 5 μL and the remaining liquid volume is 80 μL, the liquid collection error percentage = 5 / 80 = 6.3%.

[0067] In addition, in the liquid extraction method of Comparative Examples A-B, it takes about 15 minutes to extract the liquid; in the liquid extraction method of Examples A-B of the present invention, it takes only 5 minutes to extract the liquid, which is 67% less than that of Comparative Examples A-B.

[0068] In summary, the liquid quantity control device according to one embodiment of the present invention and the liquid quantity control method using the liquid quantity control device have the following advantages: (1) the influence of the tolerance of the dropper on the liquid collection position can be compensated, thereby reducing the risk of mistakenly removing the detection target and the problem of ineffective liquid collection; (2) the number of detection and analysis and liquid collection is small, thereby reducing the time required for the step process; and (3) it is only necessary to judge the liquid height before collecting the liquid, thereby reducing the influence of bubbles, impurities or precipitation on the judgment of the liquid height.

Claims

1. A liquid volume control device for controlling the volume of a liquid in a test tube, characterized in that: The liquid quantity control device comprises: a pump connected to a dropper for sucking the liquid out of the test tube; a driver connected to the pump and used to drive the pump; a moving device for moving the test tube; a camera for capturing a first image of a pipette end of the dropper and a second image of the liquid in the test tube, wherein the test tube is outside a photographic area of ​​the camera when the first image is captured; and a controller electrically connected to the camera, the moving device, the driver, and the pump, and configured to: Controlling the driver to drive the suction end of the dropper into a photographable area of ​​the camera, and analyzing the first image to determine a height compensation value of the suction end of the dropper; Analyzing the second image to determine a total volume of the liquid, and calculating a first insertion depth of the dropper based on the total volume and a specified retention volume; Calculating a second penetration depth according to the first penetration depth and the height compensation value; Controlling the driver to drive the suction end of the dropper into the liquid to the second insertion depth; and The pump is controlled to absorb the liquid in the test tube through the dropper.

2. The liquid quantity control device according to claim 1, wherein: The device further includes a storage module electrically connected to the controller and configured to store data of a standard height of the aspirating end of a standard dropper; wherein the controller is further configured to: determining a first height of the suction end of the dropper in the first image; Calculating the height compensation value between the first height and the standard height; determining a second height of a liquid surface of the liquid in the second image; Calculating the total volume of the liquid according to the second height; calculating a liquid extraction volume based on the total volume and the designated retention volume; and The first insertion depth is calculated according to the liquid extraction volume.

3. The liquid quantity control device according to claim 2, wherein: The controller includes an analysis module, a calculation module, and an image processing module, wherein the image processing module is used to clarify the first image and the second image, wherein the analysis module is used to determine the first height position of the suction end of the dropper in the first image and to determine the second height position of the liquid surface of the liquid in the second image, wherein the calculation module is used to calculate the height compensation value between the first height and the standard height, calculate the total volume of the liquid based on the second height, calculate the liquid extraction volume based on the total volume and the designated retention volume, and calculate the first insertion depth based on the liquid extraction volume.

4. The liquid quantity control device according to claim 1, wherein: The first insertion depth and the second insertion depth are measured from the liquid level of the liquid.

5. A liquid volume control method for controlling the liquid volume of a liquid in a test tube, characterized in that: The liquid quantity control method includes: Providing a liquid quantity control device according to claim 1; The controller controls the driver to drive the suction end of the dropper into the photographic area of ​​the camera; capturing the first image of the suction end of the dropper by the camera; Analyzing the first image by the controller to determine the height compensation value of the suction end of the dropper; capturing the second image of the liquid in the test tube by the camera; Analyzing the second image by the controller to determine the total volume of the liquid, and calculating the first insertion depth of the dropper according to the total volume and the designated retention volume; Calculating the second penetration depth by the controller according to the first penetration depth and the height compensation value; Controlling the driver through the controller to drive the suction end of the dropper into the liquid to the second insertion depth; and The controller controls the pump to absorb the liquid in the test tube through the dropper.

6. The liquid quantity control method according to claim 5, wherein: The method further includes storing data of a standard height of the aspirating end of a standard dropper via a storage module, wherein the storage module is electrically connected to the controller; wherein the controller is further configured to: determining a first height of the suction end of the dropper in the first image; Calculating the height compensation value between the first height and the standard height; determining a second height of a liquid surface of the liquid in the second image; Calculating the total volume of the liquid according to the second height; calculating a liquid extraction volume based on the total volume and the designated retention volume; and The first insertion depth is calculated according to the liquid extraction volume.

7. The liquid quantity control method according to claim 6, wherein: The controller further includes an analysis module, a calculation module, and an image processing module, wherein the image processing module is used to clarify the first image and the second image, wherein the analysis module is used to determine the first height position of the aspiration end of the dropper in the first image and to determine the second height position of the liquid surface in the second image, wherein the calculation module is used to calculate the height compensation value between the first height and the standard height, calculate the total volume of the liquid based on the second height, calculate the liquid extraction volume based on the total volume and the designated retention volume, and calculate the first insertion depth based on the liquid extraction volume.

8. The liquid quantity control method according to claim 5, wherein: The first insertion depth and the second insertion depth are measured from the liquid level of the liquid.

9. The liquid quantity control method according to claim 5, wherein: The steps of capturing the first image and analyzing the first image are performed before the step of capturing the second image.

10. The liquid quantity control method according to claim 5, wherein: The method further includes moving the test tube to the photographic area of ​​the camera by the moving device.

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