Method for providing and tracking sample of chemical product

Abstract

The present invention relates to a method for providing and tracking a chemical sample. The sample is for use in a sample testing process performed by a particular testing operator. A request for providing a sample is received, the request including operator data indicating an operator identifier that uniquely identifies a test operator. A sample identifier is generated, the sample identifier being associated with the requested sample and uniquely identifying the requested sample. The generated sample identifier is assigned to an operator identifier to associate the requested sample differentially with the test operator. Upon receiving a predefined transport event associated with the sample identifier, security data associated with the sample is provided to the test operator based on the sample identifier and an association between the sample identifier and the operator identifier via the digital communication path.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a computer-implemented method, apparatus and computer program product for providing and tracking samples of a chemical product. Furthermore, the present invention relates to a computer-implemented method, apparatus and computer program product for performing a testing process on samples of a chemical product. Background Art

[0002] In today's chemical industry, all systems and methods are designed to produce, process, and transport large quantities of chemical products. For example, producing, processing, and transporting several tons of a specific, required polymer foam material presents no problem for the chemical industry, provided that transportation and safety requirements are met. However, in some cases, instead of producing correspondingly large quantities, it is necessary to provide only small test samples of the chemical product to customers. For this reason, the handling and processes in the chemical industry are often impractical. Summary of the Invention

[0003] It is an object of the present invention to provide a method, an apparatus and a computer program product which allow a more reliable and therefore safe processing of chemical sample products.

[0004] In a first aspect, a computer-implemented method is presented for providing and tracking a sample of a chemical product provided by a manufacturer of the chemical product, wherein the sample is to be used in a sample testing process performed by a specific test operator, wherein the method comprises: a) receiving a request for providing a sample of the chemical product for a sample testing process, wherein the request includes operator data, the operator data indicating an operator identifier uniquely identifying the test operator performing the testing process on the sample; b) generating a sample identifier, the sample identifier being associated with the requested sample and uniquely identifying the requested sample; c) assigning the generated sample identifier to the operator identifier to distinctively associate the requested sample with the test operator; d) upon receiving a predefined transport event associated with the sample identifier and indicating that a predetermined transport step has been completed by the sample, providing security data associated with the sample to the test operator via a digital communication path based on the sample identifier and the association between the sample identifier and the operator identifier.

[0005] Since the method includes generating a sample identifier, the sample identifier is associated with the requested sample and uniquely identifies the requested sample, and the generated sample identifier is assigned to an operator identifier to distinguishably associate the requested sample with the test operator, it is possible to ensure that the provided sample corresponds to the test operator. This allows important information on the sample, particularly safety data, to be reliably provided to the test operator who handles the sample during the test process. Therefore, the safe handling of the sample can be improved. In addition, in many cases, if the corresponding safety data on the chemical sample is personally verifiable to the test operator (e.g., the sample handler), the safety rules only allow the handling of the chemical sample. Since the method includes providing safety data to the test operator via a digital communication path based on the one-to-one correspondence between the sample and the test operator, it is possible to ensure that the safety data is digitally and verifiably available to the test operator shortly before the chemical sample arrives. Therefore, the chemical sample can be directly handled and used by the test operator in a safe manner. Furthermore, since the provision of safety data to a specific test operator is triggered based on a predefined transport event and is thus automatically performed, for example, by the manufacturer of the chemical product, the test operator does not have to perform any additional steps after requesting the sample, for example, the test operator does not have to specifically request the safety data, etc. Therefore, the process of requesting a test sample and performing a test procedure is simplified for the test operator, thereby increasing the reliability and safety of handling the test sample and the test procedure.

[0006] The method is a computer-implemented method that can be performed by general or special computing hardware (e.g., by the corresponding configuration of the hardware or by the software implemented). The method can be performed by a resource planning system of an industrial plant (e.g., a chemical plant) linked to a customer relationship management (CRM) platform or as part thereof. For example, the resource planning system can utilize the SAP platform. However, the method can also be implemented independently of the corresponding resource planning system, or can be equipped with a corresponding interface to exchange data with the resource planning system. The method can be performed by a manufacturer of chemical products, that is, the method can be performed by a computer system associated with the manufacturer of chemical products.

[0007] The method is configured to provide and track samples of chemical products provided by the manufacturer of chemical products. A chemical product can be any product produced by the chemical industry. A chemical product refers to a product that is primarily produced using chemical processing. In addition, a chemical product can refer to one of three general types of products, a) the basic chemical substances (such as acids, alkaloids, salts, organic chemicals, etc.) that form the basis of a chemical process, b) the chemical substances used further in the further manufacturing process of a consumer product, and c) the consumer product itself (particularly in the context of medicines, cosmetics, soaps, fertilizers, paints, etc.). In general, a chemical product can be a molecule, a formula, a mixture, and can take the form of a variety of physical structures, such as fluids, gases, metals, solids, crystals, or combinations thereof, such as foams. A sample of a chemical product is a portion of a chemical product selected from a larger amount of chemical products. Therefore, a sample is a limited number of chemical products that are intended to be similar to a chemical product and represent a chemical product in a test process to be performed. The number of samples usually depends on a variety of considerations, such as the amount required to perform the intended test process, the amount of available chemical products, safety considerations for the corresponding amount of chemical products, legal regulations, etc.

[0008] In a first step, the method includes receiving a request for providing a sample of a chemical product for use in a sample testing procedure. The request can be received via any known computer communication path. For example, the request can be received via a provided user interface, which can be used by a test operator to enter the request, for example, via a CRM platform / customer portal. However, the request may also be stored in a corresponding database and received by accessing the database. Since the request is for providing a sample of a chemical product, the request includes information indicating the chemical product to be sampled and the amount of the requested sample. In addition, the request includes operator data indicating an operator identifier that uniquely identifies the test operator performing the sample testing procedure. Since the sample for the test procedure needs to be provided to a specific test operator, that is, to a specific person performing the test procedure, the operator data provided by the request is configured to allow identification of the specific test operator. For example, the operator data can indicate the name and address of the test operator. Based on this information, the method can, for example, access a database and search for an existing operator identifier associated with the corresponding name and address indicated by the operator data. If such an operator identifier does not yet exist, an operator identifier can be generated based on the operator data, for example based on name and address. However, the operator data can also directly include the corresponding operator identifier, for example in case such an operator identifier has already been generated. The operator identifier can be any data identifier that is associated with a test operator and uniquely identifies the test operator who performs a test process on a sample in the corresponding data system. For example, the operator identifier can be a unique combination of a number and / or a text operator. In one embodiment, the operator identifier is a universally unique identifier (UUID). A UUID is a 128-bit label, wherein the uniqueness of the UUID does not depend on a central registration authority or coordination between the parties generating the UUID.

[0009] In another step, the method includes generating a sample identifier that is associated with the requested sample and uniquely identifies the requested sample. Furthermore, the sample identifier can be any data string that uniquely represents the requested sample in the data system. For example, the sample identifier can be provided in the form of a number and / or text string that identifies the sample in the data system. In one embodiment, the sample identifier is also a UUID. The sample identifier can be generated in an event-driven manner, for example, based on the receipt of an event indicating that the requested sample has been retrieved from the chemical product. However, the sample identifier can also be generated before the requested sample is retrieved, for example, based on a separate request to provide the sample. If the retrieved sample is associated with a physical identifier used to track the product, such as a barcode, RFID chip, or any other type of physical identifier, the sample identifier can be assigned to the sample's physical identifier, thereby associating the sample identifier with the physical identifier. This provides a one-to-one correspondence between the sample identifier in the data system and the sample in the real world. However, the sample's physical identifier can also be omitted or replaced with a physical characteristic of the sample associated with the sample identifier.

[0010] The generated sample identifier is then assigned to the operator identifier to distinctively associate the requested sample with the test operator.This assignment of the generated sample identifier to the operator identifier provides a one-to-one correspondence between samples and test operators represented in the data system.

[0011] In a further step, security data associated with the sample is provided to the sample operator based on the sample material identifier and the association between the sample identifier and the operator identifier. Specifically, the provision of security data is event-driven and is executed upon receipt of a predefined transport event associated with the sample identifier. A transport event indicates that the sample has completed a predetermined transport step. A transport event can refer to a transport step completed during the transport of the sample. For example, a transport event can indicate that the sample is being retrieved, that the sample is being packaged and prepared for delivery to a transport provider, that the sample has arrived at a predefined destination, or that the sample has been received by a test operator. In one embodiment, the received transport event is a postal shipment release event associated with the sample identifier and indicating that the sample has left the manufacturer. Using a postal shipment release event as a predefined transport event has the following advantages: the postal shipment release event is published by the manufacturer's resource management system and is therefore independent of resource management by other parties, such as the transport provider's or the test operator's resource management system. Furthermore, using a postal shipment release event as the event driving the provision of security data allows the manufacturer to disable the corresponding sample retrieval and provision processes within the manufacturer's resource planning system.

[0012] The safety data is then provided via a digital communication path. The digital communication path can be any communication path performed by the communication between at least two computing systems. For example, a digital communication path can refer to sending an email, sending a message between two resource planning systems, etc. The safety data can be provided in any digital form that allows access to the safety data, for example, as a document, link to a document, a data sheet, a form, etc. The safety data can refer to any data associated with the safe handling of a chemical product. For example, the safety data can include the safety operating instructions of a sample of a chemical product, the properties of the sample of a chemical product, the composition information of the composition or the chemical product, first aid measures, fire prevention measures, processing and storage instructions, physical and / or chemical properties, etc. Preferably, the safety data includes a safety data sheet (SDS) that lists the information related to the safety of the sample. In particular, the standard specification for the safety data sheet of the global coordinated system for classifying and marking chemical substances can be used to generate the safety data sheet.

[0013] The provision of security data based on the sample identifier allows the provision of corresponding security data belonging to the sample identifier (i.e., associated with the sample). Furthermore, the association between the sample identifier and the operator identifier allows unique identification of the location where the security data associated with the sample is provided, in particular ensuring that the security data is provided to the test operator identified by the operator identifier. For example, the operator identifier can further be associated with a corresponding communication path (or language version) that should be used to provide the data sheet. For example, an email address can be provided as part of the request for operator data, but it can also be already stored in the corresponding system and associated with the operator identifier.

[0014] In another aspect of the present invention, a computer-implemented method for requesting a sample of a chemical product for performing a test process is provided, wherein the sample is provided by a manufacturer of the chemical product, wherein the method comprises: a) requesting a sample of the chemical product from the manufacturer of the chemical product, wherein the request includes operator data indicating an operator identifier uniquely identifying the test operator performing the test process on the sample; b) receiving, via a digital communication path, security data associated with the sample based on the sample identifier and the association between the sample identifier and the operator identifier based on a predetermined transport event associated with the sample identifier and indicating that the sample has completed a predetermined transport step; and c) generating, based on the received security data, security instructions associated with the sample identifier for performing the test process. The method can be performed by a receiver of the chemical product, i.e., the method can be performed by a computer system associated with the receiver of the chemical product.

[0015] In another aspect of the present invention, a computer-implemented method for performing a test process on a sample of a chemical product is provided, wherein the method comprises: a) requesting a sample of the chemical product from the manufacturer of the chemical product via a data system associated with a test operator, wherein the request includes operator data, and the operator data indicates an operator identifier that uniquely identifies the test operator who performs the test process on the sample; b) receiving a request for providing a sample of the chemical product for a sample testing process by the data system associated with the manufacturer, wherein the request includes operator data, and the operator data indicates an operator identifier that uniquely identifies the test operator who performs the test process on the sample; c) generating a sample identifier via the data system associated with the manufacturer, wherein the sample identifier is associated with the requested sample and uniquely identifies the requested sample; d) assigning the generated sample identifier to the operator via the data system associated with the manufacturer. e) upon receipt by a data system associated with the manufacturer of a predefined transport event associated with the sample identifier and indicating that the sample has completed a predetermined transport step, providing the test operator with security data associated with the sample based on the sample identifier and the association between the sample identifier and the operator identifier via a digital communication path; f) receiving by a data system associated with the test operator, based on the predefined transport event associated with the sample identifier and indicating that the sample has completed a predetermined transport step, security data associated with the sample based on the sample identifier and the association between the sample identifier and the operator identifier via a digital communication path; and g) generating, via the data system associated with the test operator, security instructions associated with the sample identifier based on the received security data for performing the test process.

[0016] In another aspect of the present invention, a device is proposed for providing and tracking samples of a chemical product provided by a manufacturer of the chemical product, wherein the sample is used in a sample testing process performed by a specific test operator, wherein the device includes one or more processors, and the one or more processors are configured to perform the following operations: a) receive a request for providing a sample of a chemical product for a sample testing process, wherein the request includes operator data, and the operator data indicates an operator identifier that uniquely identifies the test operator who performs the testing process on the sample; b) generate a sample identifier, which is associated with the requested sample and uniquely identifies the requested sample; c) assign the generated sample identifier to the operator identifier to distinctively associate the requested sample with the test operator; d) upon receiving a predefined transport event associated with the sample identifier and indicating that the sample has completed a predetermined transport step, provide security data associated with the sample to the test operator via a digital communication path based on the sample identifier and the association between the sample identifier and the operator identifier.

[0017] In another aspect of the present invention, a device is provided for requesting a sample of a chemical product for performing a testing process, wherein the sample is provided by a manufacturer of the chemical product, wherein the device includes one or more processors configured to perform the following operations: a) requesting a sample of the chemical product from the manufacturer of the chemical product, wherein the request includes operator data, the operator data indicating an operator identifier uniquely identifying the test operator who performs the testing process on the sample; b) receiving security data associated with the sample based on the sample identifier and the association between the sample identifier and the operator identifier via a digital communication path based on a predetermined transport event associated with the sample identifier and indicating that the sample has completed a predetermined transport step; and c) generating security instructions associated with the sample identifier based on the received security data for performing the testing process.

[0018] In another aspect of the present invention, a device for performing a test process on a sample of a chemical product is proposed, wherein the device includes one or more processors configured to perform the following operations: a) requesting a sample of the chemical product from the manufacturer of the chemical product via a data system associated with a test operator, wherein the request includes operator data, and the operator data indicates an operator identifier that uniquely identifies the test operator who performs the test process on the sample; b) receiving a request for providing a sample of the chemical product for a sample testing process by the data system associated with the manufacturer, wherein the request includes operator data, and the operator data indicates an operator identifier that uniquely identifies the test operator who performs the test process on the sample; c) generating a sample identifier via the data system associated with the manufacturer, the sample identifier being associated with the requested sample and uniquely identifying the requested sample; d) transmitting the generated sample identifier to the data system associated with the manufacturer. a sample identifier assigned to the operator identifier to distinctively associate the requested sample with the test operator; e) upon receiving a predefined transport event associated with the sample identifier and indicating that the sample has completed a predetermined transport step by a data system associated with the manufacturer, providing the test operator with security data associated with the sample based on the sample identifier and the association between the sample identifier and the operator identifier via a digital communication path; f) receiving, by the data system associated with the test operator, security data associated with the sample based on the sample identifier and the association between the sample identifier and the operator identifier via a digital communication path based on a predefined transport event associated with the sample identifier and indicating that the sample has completed a predetermined transport step; and g) generating, via the data system associated with the test operator, security instructions associated with the sample identifier based on the received security data for performing the test process.

[0019] In another aspect of the present invention, a computer program product for providing and tracking samples of chemical products provided by a manufacturer of the chemical products is provided, wherein when executed on a device, the computer program product causes the device as described above to perform the method as described above.

[0020] In another aspect of the invention, a computer program product for requesting a sample of a chemical product for performing a testing process is proposed, wherein, when executed on a device, the computer program product causes a device as described above to perform a method as described above.

[0021] In another aspect of the present invention, a computer program product for performing a testing procedure on a sample of a chemical product is provided, wherein when executed on a device, the computer program product causes the device as described above to perform the method as described above.

[0022] In one embodiment, the method further includes, after receiving the request, validating the request and performing the following steps based on the validated request. Validation refers to determining whether the test operator's request is valid. In most cases, the test sample can only be provided to the test operator if the request is valid. Therefore, if the request is determined to be valid, the further steps performed by the method are performed based on the validated request. Validation can be performed with respect to various aspects. For example, validation can be performed with respect to security, where validation can determine, for example, whether the requesting test operator has facilities for safely handling the requested sample, whether the requesting test operator is authorized to request the test sample, etc. However, validation can also refer to a formal verification of the request, such as whether the request provides required information, such as whether the request includes operator data that allows determination of an operator identifier, data that explicitly identifies the chemical product from which the sample should be obtained, or other informational data that may be useful in processing the request, such as a shipping address, an email address of the test operator, etc. Requests can generally be validated using a predetermined set of rules. In one embodiment, validation is based on at least one of the request elements, operator data, and the chemical product. Furthermore, the method may include, if one or more pieces of information required for verification of the request are missing from the request, sending a communication to the test operator indicating the missing information and requesting the missing information. Thus, verification ensures that all information and data required to process the request are provided, and also provides the chemical sample only to test operators who can handle the chemical sample in a safe manner.

[0023] In one embodiment, method also comprises utilizing tracking system to be used for by receiving the corresponding transportation data of the indication of the transportation event that indication is associated with sample, tracks the progress of sample during transportation from manufacturer to operator, wherein transportation data is associated with sample identifier, and predefined transportation event is the part of transportation data received as a part of tracking sample. In one embodiment, tracking system is the tracking and tracing system that allows tracking and tracing transportation. The association between sample identifier and transportation data can for example be provided by assigning the transportation identifier provided by tracking system to sample identifier in a one-to-one correspondence. However, sample identifier can also be provided to tracking system so that tracking system directly utilizes sample identifier to track.

[0024] In one embodiment, the method further comprises: generating a request identifier associated with the request and uniquely identifying the request after receiving the request, and assigning the operator identifier and the generated sample identifier to the generated request identifier, wherein the provision of security data is further based on the request identifier. The request identifier can again be any identifier that uniquely identifies the request, in particular, the request identifier can be a UUID. Utilizing the request identifier assigned to the sample identifier and the operator identifier allows all data associated with the request to be assigned to the sample and the sample operator in a unique and distinguishing manner. Furthermore, providing security data further based on the request identifier allows utilizing the request identifier as a kind of envelope identifier for accessing all data associated with the request (in particular, also with the operator identifier and the sample identifier).

[0025] In one embodiment, the method further includes generating safety instructions based on the provided safety data, wherein the test process is performed based on the generated safety instructions. For example, the safety instructions may be provided along with the safety data, or may be generated after receiving the safety data. Safety instructions are instructions that allow for safe handling of the test sample and the test process. For example, safety instructions may include storage instructions (such as storage temperature), processing instructions (such as which containers can be used to process the chemical sample), and test process instructions (such as indicating safe pressure ranges, temperature ranges, known chemical reactivity, etc.). In one embodiment, the method further includes generating a control signal based on the safety data, wherein the control signal can be used to control and / or monitor the test process performed using the sample. The control signal can be any signal that can be interpreted by corresponding control and / or monitoring equipment. For example, the control signal can be provided to a test operator on an output unit, which must be acknowledged by the test operator, as described above. However, the control signal can also be provided to laboratory equipment that executes the test process to control and / or monitor the test process performed using the sample. In this case, corresponding rules and definitions can be utilized that convert the provided safety data (e.g., a safe temperature range) into corresponding control and / or monitoring processes performed by the laboratory equipment to ensure compliance with the safety requirements of the chemical sample. For example, the safe temperature range can be converted into a control signal, which is implemented to control and / or monitor the test process so that the test process does not utilize temperatures outside the safe temperature range. Specifically, the control signal can be configured to send a message to the test operator if the test process does not observe the corresponding safety requirements. However, the control signal can also be used by the laboratory equipment to control and / or monitor the test process. Utilization can mean implementing the control signal to control the laboratory equipment or a unit that controls the laboratory equipment. In this case, the control signal can be configured to directly control and / or monitor the test process so that the test process meets the corresponding safety requirements. For example, the control signal can be configured to control a heater used in the test process so that the heater does not exceed the corresponding temperature margin of the test sample.

[0026] In one embodiment, the method further includes providing the sample identifier and the operator identifier to a transport system, wherein the transport system performs transport of the sample based on the sample identifier and the operator identifier. Providing the sample identifier and the operator identifier to the transport system for performing transport of the sample avoids the additional step of assigning the transport identifier provided by the transport system to the sample identifier and the operator identifier.

[0027] In an embodiment, the request further comprises data requesting at least one of the chemical product, the test process to be performed, and the security level of the laboratory in which the test process is performed. The additional request data may be used, for example, for any of the above processes, in particular for verifying the request.

[0028] In one embodiment, the chemical product from which the sample is requested is associated with a chemical product category identifier, wherein the generated sample identifier is assigned to the chemical product category identifier. In addition, the chemical product category identifier can be any identifier that uniquely identifies the chemical product from which the sample should be obtained. For example, the chemical product category identifier can also be a UUID. Assigning the generated sample identifier to the chemical product category identifier allows the sample to be distinctively associated with the chemical product from which the sample has been obtained. In one embodiment, the sample identifier can be generated based on the product category identifier. For example, the sample identifier can be generated so that it includes a portion of the product category identifier. The sample identifier can then indicate the product category identifier and provide a direct link between the sample and the chemical product from which the sample has been obtained. Specifically, security data associated with the sample is provided based on the association between the sample identifier and the chemical product category identifier.

[0029] In one embodiment, the method further comprises requesting the result of the test process after a predefined time period based on the sample identifier and the association between the sample identifier and the operator identifier. Requesting the result of the test process allows receiving the test result from the test operator, which can then be used in further processing, such as sales and marketing, product development, etc. For example, based on the test result, the quality of the chemical product from which the sample was taken can be verified. In some cases, the production process of the chemical product can even be adjusted based on the received test result. The unique association between the sample identifier, the test operator and the respectively received result of the test process allows the result of the test process to be uniquely and distinctively associated with the chemical product, for example, in particular, associated with the batch of the chemical product from which the sample was taken, so that verification or adaptation of the production process can be performed based on this distinctive association.

[0030] It shall be understood that the above-mentioned method, the above-mentioned apparatus and the above-mentioned computer program product have similar and / or identical preferred embodiments, in particular as defined in the dependent claims.

[0031] It shall be understood that a preferred embodiment of the invention can also be any combination of the dependent claims or the above embodiments with the respective independent claim.

[0032] These and other aspects of the invention will be apparent from and elucidated with reference to the embodiments described hereinafter. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0033] Figure 1 shows a general process for providing a sample of a chemical product to a user of the chemical product,

[0034] Figure 2 Schematically and exemplarily shown are systems and methods for providing, tracking, and testing samples of chemical products.

[0035] Figure 3 Schematically and exemplarily shows a flow chart of an embodiment of a method for providing and tracking a sample,

[0036] Figure 4 A flow chart schematically and exemplarily shows another embodiment of a method for providing and tracking samples of a chemical product, and

[0037] Figure 5 Schematically and exemplarily, a data structure for using the method for providing and tracking samples of a chemical product is shown. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0038] Figure 1 A process of providing a sample of a chemical product to a user of the chemical product is shown.

[0039] A single chemical product can be used for different applications, for example, 2-octyl acrylate (CAS No. 42928-85-8) may be of interest to a company in the oil and mining industry, while at the same time being of interest to a company in the coatings industry. Applications may include using a chemical product to produce a discrete product or a derived chemical product. A chemical product may have properties that may affect the performance in the respective application. Therefore, samples of the chemical product may be provided to test the use of the chemical product in the respective application. In particular, a potential user of the chemical product may request a test sample to perform a respective testing procedure.

[0040] From the perspective of chemical product manufacturers, due to the diverse uses of chemical products, it is usually necessary to provide multiple test samples to multiple users for testing. The samples can be produced by the chemical manufacturer, transported to the chemical product users, and tested by the chemical product users for applications such as Figure 1 However, chemical products and their samples need to be handled safely to ensure that users can perform testing procedures in a reliable manner. The methods disclosed herein provide for more reliable and safe handling of chemical products.

[0041] Figure 2Schematically and exemplarily, a system for performing a test process on a sample of a chemical product is shown. A chemical product 131 is produced by a manufacturer in an industrial plant 130. Potential customers of the manufacturer include a laboratory testing facility 150, in which a sample of the produced product 131 should, for example, be tested relative to one or more properties of the chemical product. In order to perform the test process in the laboratory testing facility 150, the corresponding sample of the chemical product 131 must be transported to the laboratory facility 150 via a transport provider 140. In this context, the system 100 includes a device 110 for providing and tracking a sample of the chemical product and a device 120 for requesting a sample of the chemical product. Both the device 110 and the device 120 can be implemented in the form of any dedicated computing hardware and / or software. The devices 110 and 120 are particularly configured to perform the corresponding functions of the method respectively, for providing and tracking a sample and a method for requesting a sample. For example, the devices 110 and 120 can include one or more processors, or can, for example, be implemented in the form of distributed computing in a cloud environment. Device 110 may be implemented as part of, or at least communicatively coupled to, a resource planning system of a manufacturer of product 131, for example, as part of, or communicatively coupled to, a SAP system of a manufacturer of chemical product 131. Device 120 may be part of, or communicatively coupled to, a resource planning system of a potential customer or laboratory facility 150. However, devices 110 and 120 may also be implemented as part of, or communicatively coupled to, the same resource planning system that provides different services to manufacturers and customers.

[0042] Device 120 then performs a first function of requesting a sample of a chemical product from the manufacturer of the chemical product. Specifically, as indicated by a), a request from device 120 is sent 121 to device 110, which receives 111 the request, for example, via the communicative coupling between device 120 and device 110. This request includes operator data indicating an operator identifier uniquely identifying a test operator who will perform a test procedure on a sample in laboratory facility 150. For example, the test operator's name and address, as well as an email address, may be provided as part of the request. Furthermore, the request indicates the chemical product 131 from which the sample should be obtained, and preferably also the amount of the chemical product to be provided as the sample.

[0043] After receiving the request 111, the method proceeds to generating 112 a sample identifier as indicated by b). As indicated by c), the generation of the sample identifier can be performed before, during or after a sample of the chemical product 131 has been taken. For example, after receiving the request, a sample of the chemical product can be taken, and the process of taking the sample can include indicating in a data system (e.g., in a resource planning system) that the sample has been taken, for example, by scanning a physical identifier of the sample such as a barcode. The sample identifier can then be generated based on the received event that the sample has been taken. However, it is also possible to first generate the identifier and then assign a corresponding physical identifier to the sample after the sample has been taken. Furthermore, the physical identifier of the sample can also be omitted.

[0044] The sample identifier represents a sample of the chemical product 131 in the data system of the device 110. In particular, the sample identifier uniquely identifies the sample in the "data world." As indicated by d), the method can then proceed to assign 113 the generated sample identifier to an operator identifier to uniquely associate the requested sample with the test operator. Thus, the assignment uniquely represents the connection between the sample in the data system of the device 110 and the test operator.

[0045] Furthermore, independent of the data processing performed by device 110, the sample obtained is further processed for transport, for example, fully packaged, provided for short-term storage, and then provided to a transport provider 140. Transport provider 140 then transports the sample to laboratory facility 150, where a test operator can perform a test process on the sample. During the transport processing performed by transport provider 140, but also prior to being provided to the transport provider, corresponding transport data is generated and provided to device 110, as indicated by e). In particular, corresponding transport events, such as the transfer of the sample from facility 130 to transport provider 140 or the transfer of the sample from transport provider 140 to the test operator, may be part of the transport data. Based on predefined events provided by the transport data, security data is provided 114 to device 120, as indicated by f). For example, upon receiving a mail shipment release event as part of shipping data associated with a sample identifier, the device 110 utilizes the sample identifier and the association between the sample identifier and the operator identifier to identify a location to provide security data, for example, to identify an email address of a test operator to send the security data to the test operator individually. The device 120 then receives 122 the security data. Optionally, as indicated by g), security instructions and / or control signals may be generated based on the security data, which may be used to control and / or monitor 151 the laboratory testing process.

[0046] In the following, for Figures 3 to 5 Further embodiments of the above method are described. Figure 3 A flow chart illustrating an embodiment of a method for providing and tracking samples is shown schematically and illustratively. In this example, a potential user of a chemical product can request a sample of a specific chemical product or product category for testing. The request may include a test destination for the chemical product, a test operator-specific identifier for the operator performing the test, and the chemical product of interest. The request may be validated based on a material- and / or operator-specific rule set. For this purpose, an automated approval process may be configured. For example, the rule set may include rules related to the operator's location / country, the number of samples, the operator's industry, and the like.

[0047] Furthermore, intelligent filters and validation rules for samples can be utilized during verification or during a request for delivery, so that an operator can only request samples that can also be delivered (e.g., samples that have already been verified). Furthermore, filters and validation rules can be provided for sample materials, so that only active and dedicated sample materials can be requested or verified, which can then be shipped. For example, outdated or blocked sample materials can be filtered out so that they cannot be selected by the requester during a request using a corresponding request user interface.

[0048] The verified request can be provided to the transport system. The verified request can include the test destination of the sample. Specifically, the test operator and the specific operator identifier of the test operator performing the test can be provided to the transport system. In this way, the operator identifier can be used to transport the sample of the chemical product to its destination with specific reference to the test operator performing the test.

[0049] Furthermore, the sample of the chemical product may be associated with a sample identifier stored in a database and uniquely associated with the sample of the chemical product. The sample identifier may be generated upon request, upon acquisition of the sample, or at any other time. If the sample is acquired before a request is received, for example, when the sample is stored for later distribution to a requester, the sample identifier may even be generated before a request for the sample is received. Specifically, the operator identifier and the sample identifier may then be associated upon request.

[0050] The shipping system may then receive a unique sample identifier, optionally also associated with the sample request, which may also be associated with the chemical product. This unique sample identifier and the optional sample request associated with the sample request may then be carried from the original sample request to the shipping system's order and partner center for tracking the shipment until delivery is confirmed at the customer site.

[0051] Based on the tracking and tracing data associated with the sample packaging, the transportation of samples of chemical products can be monitored. For example, the tracking and tracing data can be associated with the sample identifier as transportation data. The tracking and tracing data can be provided to the test operator performing the test. In addition, the tracking and tracing data can be provided to the chemical manufacturer. The tracking and tracing data can be provided from a third party via a cloud-based streaming service, which can be accessed via an API.

[0052] Based on the mail shipment release event, the chemical manufacturer can provide safety data related to the properties of handling chemical product samples to the test operator who is testing the chemical product samples. The safety data may include safe handling instructions for the chemical product samples, the properties of the chemical product samples, composition / information on ingredients, first aid measures, fire prevention measures, handling and storage, physical and chemical properties, etc. The safety data may also include a safety data sheet and may be provided based on the test operator's location and the test operator's preferred language, which are associated with the operator identifier.

[0053] Furthermore, based on a sample identifier, specifically a request identifier, optionally associated with the request, a test operator performing a test on a sample of a chemical product can provide the test results of the sample of the chemical product to the chemical manufacturer. This can also be triggered in an event-based manner. For example, a predefined number of days or weeks after the sample is issued to the test operator, the test operator performing a test on the sample of the chemical product can be prompted to provide application data related to the performance of the chemical product. In addition, the test operator can also indicate further support or information based on the sample identifier or based on a request identifier associated with the sample identifier. This request is sent to the linked CRM platform.

[0054] Figure 4 A flow chart of another embodiment of a method for providing and tracking samples of a chemical product is shown schematically and exemplarily. Figure 4 The flowchart follows Figure 3 The same principle as the flowchart of Figure 3 In contrast, in this embodiment, track and trace data is not utilized. Thus, in this case, the sample is not tracked during transportation by the transport provider. However, in this case, the manufacturer's resource planning system can also provide the corresponding order status, such as a mail shipment release event, without utilizing track and trace. Furthermore, in this embodiment, automated follow-up surveys are also omitted.

[0055] Figure 5An example of a data structure used in any method for testing samples of chemical products is shown. The data structure can include a unique identifier for a sample request, a unique identifier for the sample of the chemical product, and a unique identifier for the operator. However, the sample request identifier can also be omitted. Optionally, the data structure can also include an identifier for the company performing the test and a product category identifier associated with the chemical product. Through these different identifiers, the required safety data can be provided to the test operator for testing the sample of the chemical product in a manner specific to the material and target. This ensures the safe handling and testing of the sample of the chemical product.

[0056] Other variations to the disclosed embodiments can be understood and effected by those skilled in the art in practicing the claimed invention, from a study of the drawings, the disclosure, and the appended claims.

[0057] For the processes and methods disclosed herein, the operations performed in the processes and methods may be implemented in a different order. Furthermore, the operations outlined are provided as examples only, and some operations may be optional, combined into fewer steps and operations, supplemented with further operations, or expanded into additional operations without detracting from the essence of the disclosed embodiments.

[0058] In the claims, the word "comprising" does not exclude other elements or steps, and the indefinite article "a" or "an" does not exclude a plurality.

[0059] A single unit or device may fulfill the functions of several items recited in the claims. The mere fact that certain measures are recited in mutually different dependent claims does not indicate that a combination of these measures cannot be used to advantage.

[0060] The processes performed by one or more units or devices (such as receiving a request, generating a sample identifier, assigning an operator identifier to a sample identifier, etc.) may be performed by any other number of units or devices. These processes may be implemented as program code units of a computer program and / or dedicated hardware.

[0061] The computer program product may be stored / distributed on a suitable medium, such as an optical storage medium or a solid-state medium, provided together with or as part of other hardware, but may also be distributed in other forms, such as via the Internet or other wired or wireless telecommunication systems.

[0062] Any unit described herein may be a processing unit as part of a classical computing system. A processing unit may include a general-purpose processor and may also include a field-programmable gate array (FPGA), an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), or any other specialized circuit. Any memory may be physical system memory, which may be volatile, non-volatile, or some combination of the two. The term "memory" may include any computer-readable storage medium, such as non-volatile mass storage. If the computing system is distributed, the processing and / or memory capabilities may also be distributed. The computing system may include multiple structures referred to as "executable components." The term "executable component" is well understood in the computing art to refer to a structure that can be software, hardware, or a combination thereof. For example, when implemented in software, one of ordinary skill in the art will understand that the structure of the executable component may include software objects, routines, methods, etc. that can be executed on the computing system. This may include an executable component in the computing system's stack or an executable component on a computer-readable storage medium. The structure of the executable component may be present on a computer-readable medium such that, when interpreted by one or more processors of the computing system (e.g., by a processor thread), the computing system performs a function. Such a structure may be a computer program that is directly readable by a processor, for example, as in the case where the executable component is binary, or it may be structured to be interpretable and / or compiled, for example, whether in a single stage or in multiple stages, so as to generate such binary that is directly interpretable by a processor. In other cases, the structure may be hard-coded or hard-wired logic gates that are implemented exclusively or almost exclusively in hardware, such as in a field programmable gate array (FPGA), an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC), or any other dedicated circuit. Thus, the term "executable component" is a term for a structure that is well understood by a person of ordinary skill in the computing arts, whether implemented in software, hardware, or a combination. Any embodiment herein is described with reference to actions performed by one or more processing units of a computing system. If such actions are implemented in software, one or more processors direct the operation of the computing system in response to having executed the computer executable instructions that constitute the executable component. The computing system may also include communication channels that allow the computing system to communicate with other computing systems, for example, over a network. A "network" is defined as one or more data links that enable the transmission of electronic data between computing systems and / or modules and / or other electronic devices. When information is transmitted or provided to a computing system over a network or another communications connection (e.g., hardwired, wireless, or a combination of hardwired or wireless), the computing system properly views the connection as a transmission medium. Transmission media can include networks and / or data links that can be used to carry desired program code means in the form of computer-executable instructions or data structures and can be accessed by a general-purpose or special-purpose computing system or combination thereof.While not all computing systems require a user interface, in some embodiments, a computing system includes a user interface system for interfacing with a user.The user interface serves as an input or output mechanism for the user via a display.

[0063] It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that at least part of the present invention can be practiced in a network computing environment with various types of computing system configurations, including personal computers, desktop computers, laptop computers, message processors, handheld devices, multiprocessor systems, microprocessor-based or programmable consumer electronics, network PCs, minicomputers, mainframe computers, mobile phones, PDAs, pagers, routers, switches, data centers, wearable devices (such as glasses), etc. The present invention can also be practiced in a distributed system environment, where, for example, local and remote computing systems that are linked through a network by a hardwired data link, a wireless data link, or a combination of hardwired and wireless data links all perform tasks. In a distributed system environment, program modules can be located in both local and remote memory storage devices.

[0064] Those skilled in the art will also understand that at least part of the present invention can be practiced in a cloud computing environment. A cloud computing environment can be distributed, although this is not required. When distributed, a cloud computing environment can be distributed internationally within an organization and / or have components owned across multiple organizations. In this specification and the following claims, "cloud computing" is defined as a model for implementing on-demand network access to a shared pool of configurable computing resources (e.g., networks, servers, storage, applications, and services). The definition of "cloud computing" is not limited to any of the many other advantages that can be obtained from such a model when deployed. The computing systems of the accompanying drawings include various components or functional blocks that can implement the various embodiments disclosed herein, as explained. The various components or functional blocks can be implemented on a local computing system, or can be implemented on a distributed computing system that includes elements that reside in the cloud or implement various aspects of cloud computing. The various components or functional blocks can be implemented as software, hardware, or a combination of software and hardware. The computing systems shown in the figures may include more or less than the components shown in the figures, and some components may be combined as appropriate.

[0065] Any reference signs in the claims should not be construed as limiting the scope.

[0066] The present invention relates to a method for providing and tracking chemical samples. The sample is used for a sample testing process performed by a specific test operator. A request for providing a sample is received, the request including operator data indicating an operator identifier that uniquely identifies the test operator. A sample identifier is generated, the sample identifier being associated with the requested sample and uniquely identifying the requested sample. The generated sample identifier is assigned to an operator identifier to uniquely associate the requested sample with the test operator. Upon receiving a predefined transport event associated with the sample identifier, security data associated with the sample is provided to the test operator via a digital communication path based on the sample identifier and the association between the sample identifier and the operator identifier.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for providing and tracking samples of a chemical product provided by a manufacturer of the chemical product, wherein: The sample is for use in a sample testing process performed by a specific test operator, wherein the method comprises: receiving a request for providing a sample of a chemical product for use in a sample testing procedure, wherein the request includes operator data indicating an operator identifier uniquely identifying the test operator performing the testing procedure for the sample; generating a sample identifier that is associated with the requested sample and that uniquely identifies the requested sample; assigning the generated sample identifier to the operator identifier to distinctively associate the requested sample with the test operator; Upon receiving a predefined transport event associated with the sample identifier and indicating that the sample has completed a predetermined transport step, security data associated with the sample is provided to the test operator via a digital communication path based on the sample identifier and the association between the sample identifier and the operator identifier.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein: The received shipping event is a mail shipment release event associated with the sample identifier and indicating that the sample has left the manufacturer.

3. The method according to any one of claims 1 and 2, wherein: The method further includes: after receiving the request, verifying the request, and performing the next steps based on the verified request.

4. The method according to claim 3, wherein: The verification is based on at least one of: the request, the operator data, and the chemical product.

5. A method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein: The method further includes utilizing a tracking system for tracking the progress of the sample during transport from the manufacturer to the operator by receiving transport data indicating a transport event associated with the sample, wherein the transport data is associated with the sample identifier and the predefined transport event is part of the transport data received as part of the tracking of the sample.

6. A method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein: The method further includes, after receiving the request, generating a request identifier associated with and uniquely identifying the request, and assigning the operator identifier and the generated sample identifier to the generated request identifier, wherein providing the security data is further based on the request identifier.

7. A method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein: The method further includes generating security instructions based on the provided security data, wherein the testing process is performed based on the generated security instructions.

8. A method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein: The method further comprises generating a control signal based on the safety data, the control signal being usable to control and / or monitor the testing process performed using the sample.

9. A method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein: The method further includes providing the sample identifier and the operator identifier to a transportation system, wherein the transportation system performs transportation of the sample based on the sample identifier and the operator identifier.

10. A method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein: The chemical product from which the sample is requested is associated with a chemical product class identifier, and wherein the generated sample identifier is assigned to the chemical product class identifier.

11. The method according to claim 10, wherein: The security data associated with the sample is provided based on an association between the sample identifier and the chemical product class identifier.

12. A method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein: The method further includes requesting a result of the testing procedure after a predefined period of time based on the sample identifier and the association between the sample identifier and the operator identifier.

13. A computer-implemented method for requesting a sample of a chemical product for use in performing a testing procedure, wherein: The sample is provided by a manufacturer of the chemical product, wherein the method comprises: requesting a sample of the chemical product from the manufacturer of the chemical product, wherein the request includes operator data indicating an operator identifier uniquely identifying a test operator performing a test procedure on the sample; receiving, via a digital communication path, security data associated with the sample based on the sample identifier and an association between the sample identifier and the operator identifier based on a predetermined transport event associated with the sample identifier and indicating that the sample completed a predetermined transport step; and Security instructions associated with the sample identifier are generated based on the received security data for performing the testing procedure.

14. A device for providing and tracking samples of a chemical product provided by a manufacturer of the chemical product, wherein: The sample is for use in a sample testing process performed by a specific test operator, wherein the apparatus includes one or more processors configured to perform the following operations: receiving a request for providing a sample of a chemical product for use in a sample testing procedure, wherein the request includes operator data indicating an operator identifier uniquely identifying the test operator performing the testing procedure for the sample; generating a sample identifier that is associated with the requested sample and that uniquely identifies the requested sample; assigning the generated sample identifier to the operator identifier to distinctively associate the requested sample with the test operator; Upon receiving a predefined transport event associated with the sample identifier and indicating that the sample has completed a predetermined transport step, security data associated with the sample is provided to the test operator via a digital communication path based on the sample identifier and the association between the sample identifier and the operator identifier.

15. A computer program product for providing and tracking samples of a chemical product provided by a manufacturer of the chemical product, wherein: When executed on the device, the computer program product causes The apparatus according to claim 14 performs the method according to any one of claims 1-12.

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