Inhibitor diagnostic tool

Abstract

This document discloses scientific instrument support systems, related methods, computing devices, and computer-readable media. For example, in some embodiments, the scientific instrument support device includes: a chromatogram logic unit for calculating the square of the retention time and the peak width variance of each of a plurality of peaks in a chromatogram; a plate calculation logic unit for calculating the expected number of plates and the observed number of plates; and a suppressor status logic unit for determining and displaying the suppressor status based on the ratio of the observed number of plates to the expected number of plates (O / E ratio).

Description

[0001] Cross-reference to related applications

[0002] This application claims priority to co-pending U.S. nonprovisional application No. 18 / 060,542, filed November 30, 2022. Background Technology

[0003] Ion chromatography (IC) is a well-established analytical technique and has been the preferred method for determining inorganic and small organic anions for the past 40 years or so. IC is also widely used for determining inorganic cations, as well as carbohydrates and amino acids.

[0004] A suppressor is a component in an IC system. Its function is to reduce the background conductivity of the eluent and increase the conductivity of the analyte through an ion exchange process, thereby improving the response of subsequent conductivity detection. The most popular commercial suppressors employ a three-channel sandwich design, in which the eluent channel for delivering the sample is separated from the regenerant channel located on the side by two ion exchange membranes. A flat electrode is placed in each regenerant channel. A constant current flows between the two electrodes. Electrolysis of water in the regenerant channel generates hydrogen and hydroxide ions, which are used to suppress the eluent. Attached Figure Description

[0005] The embodiments will be readily understood through the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. For ease of description, the same reference numerals denote the same structural elements. The embodiments are illustrated in the figures by way of example rather than limitation.

[0006] Figure 1 This is a block diagram of an example scientific instrument support module for performing support operations, based on various implementation schemes.

[0007] Figure 2 This is a flowchart of example methods for performing support operations according to various implementation schemes.

[0008] Figure 3 Examples of graphical user interfaces, based on various implementation schemes, that can be used to perform some or all of the supporting methods disclosed herein.

[0009] Figure 4 This is a block diagram of an example computing device that implements some or all of the scientific instrument support methods disclosed herein, according to various implementation schemes.

[0010] Figure 5This is a block diagram of an example scientific instrument support system in which some or all of the scientific instrument support methods disclosed herein can be implemented according to various implementation schemes.

[0011] Figure 6 This is a flowchart of an example method for determining the state of the suppressor based on various implementation schemes.

[0012] Figure 7 It is a diagram of a chromatographic system including an electrolysis suppressor according to various implementation schemes.

[0013] Figure 8A , Figure 8B , Figure 8C , Figure 8D and Figure 8E These are chromatograms illustrating various examples of the suppressor state according to various implementation schemes. Detailed Implementation

[0014] This document discloses scientific instrument support systems, related methods, computing devices, and computer-readable media. For example, in some embodiments, the scientific instrument support device includes: a chromatogram logic unit for calculating the square of the retention time and the peak width variance of each of a plurality of peaks in a chromatogram; a plate calculation logic unit for calculating the expected number of plates and the observed number of plates; and a suppressor status logic unit for determining and displaying the suppressor status based on the ratio of the observed number of plates to the expected number of plates (O / E ratio).

[0015] The scientific instrument support implementation schemes disclosed herein can achieve improved performance compared to conventional methods. For example, a typical operator uses a single suppressor for a given period of time. The suppressor slowly degrades over time until the end of its lifespan. However, the end of its lifespan is often perceived abruptly by the operator because the operator cannot assess the gradual degradation during the suppressor's lifespan. The implementation schemes disclosed herein provide an operator with a way to monitor the suppressor's performance over time and even plan replacement within a given period of time. Thus, the implementation schemes disclosed herein provide improvements to scientific instrument technology (e.g., improvements in the computer technology supporting such scientific instruments, and others).

[0016] The various embodiments disclosed herein improve upon conventional methods to achieve the technical advantage of reducing instrument downtime by assessing suppressor degradation over time, thereby allowing planned rather than abrupt replacement. Such technical advantages cannot be achieved through routine and conventional methods, and all users of systems incorporating such embodiments can benefit from these advantages (e.g., by assisting users in performing technical tasks, such as replacing the suppressor through a guided human-computer interaction process). Therefore, the technical features of the embodiments disclosed herein are clearly unconventional in the field of ion chromatography, as are the combinations of features of the embodiments disclosed herein. The computational and user interface features disclosed herein involve not only the collection and comparison of information but also the application of novel analytical and technical means to guide users in replacing the suppressor. Thus, this disclosure introduces functionality that is impossible to perform with conventional computing devices and humans.

[0017] Therefore, embodiments of this disclosure can serve any of a variety of technical purposes, such as controlling a particular technical system or process, or determining how to control a machine based on measurements. Specifically, this disclosure provides technical solutions to technical problems, including but not limited to monitoring suppressor degradation and predicting suppressor failure. This allows users to plan suppressor replacement before failure occurs, thereby reducing downtime. Furthermore, since monitoring suppressor degradation provides data-driven information about the suppressor's status, premature suppressor replacement based on time or the number of analyses performed can be reduced. That is, monitoring suppressor degradation as described herein reduces unexpected downtime and waste.

[0018] In the following detailed description, reference is made to the accompanying drawings, which form part of the detailed description, wherein like reference numerals always indicate like parts, and practical embodiments are shown in the drawings by way of illustration. It should be understood that other embodiments may be utilized, and structural or logical changes may be made, without departing from the scope of this disclosure. Therefore, the following detailed description should not be regarded as limiting.

[0019] The various operations can be described sequentially as multiple discrete actions or operations in a manner most conducive to understanding the subject matter disclosed herein. However, the described order should not be construed as implying that these operations must depend on the order. Specifically, these operations may not be performed in the order presented. The described operations may be performed in a different order than the described embodiments. Various additional operations may be performed, and / or the described operations may be omitted in additional embodiments.

[0020] For the purposes of this disclosure, the phrases “A and / or B” and “A or B” mean (A), (B), or (A and B). For the purposes of this disclosure, the phrases “A, B and / or C” and “A, B or C” mean (A), (B), (C), (A and B), (A and C), (B and C), or (A, B and C). Although some elements may be represented in the singular (e.g., “processing device”), any suitable element may be represented by multiple instances of that element, and vice versa. For example, a set of operations described as being performed by a processing device may be implemented as different operations of those operations performed by different processing devices. As used herein, the phrase “based on” should be understood to mean “at least partially based on”, unless otherwise specified.

[0021] This specification uses the phrases "implementation," "various embodiments," and "some embodiments," each of which can refer to one or more embodiments of the same or different implementations. Furthermore, the terms "comprising," "including," "having," etc., used with respect to embodiments of this disclosure are synonymous. When used to describe a range of dimensions, the phrase "between X and Y" indicates a range including both X and Y. As used herein, "apparatus" can refer to any single device, a collection of devices, a part of a device, or a collection of parts of a device. The drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale.

[0022] Figure 1 This is a block diagram of a scientific instrument support module 1000 for performing support operations according to various embodiments. The scientific instrument support module 1000 may be implemented by circuitry (e.g., including electrical and / or optical components) such as a programmed computing device. The logic components of the scientific instrument support module 1000 may be included in a single computing device, or may be distributed across multiple computing devices communicating with each other, depending on the situation. References Figure 4 The computing device 4000 discusses examples of computing devices that can implement the scientific instrument support module 1000 alone or in combination, and this document references Figure 5 The Scientific Instrument Support System 5000 discusses an example of a system of interconnected computing devices (where the Scientific Instrument Support Module 1000 can be implemented across one or more of these computing devices).

[0023] Scientific instrument support module 1000 may include a first logic unit 1002, a second logic unit 1004, and a third logic unit 1006. As used herein, the term "logic unit" may include means for performing a set of operations associated with that logic unit. For example, any logic element included in support module 1000 may be implemented by one or more computing devices programmed with instructions to cause one or more processing devices of the computing device to perform an associated set of operations. In a particular embodiment, a logic element may include one or more non-transitory computer-readable media having instructions that, when executed by one or more processing devices of the one or more computing devices, cause the one or more computing devices to perform an associated set of operations. As used herein, the term "module" may refer to a collection of one or more logic elements that together perform the functions associated with the module. Different logic elements in a module may take the same form or may take different forms. For example, some logic units in a module may be implemented by a programmed general-purpose processing device, while other logic units in the module may be implemented by an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC). In another example, different logic elements in a module may be associated with different sets of instructions executed by one or more processing devices. A module may not include all the logic elements depicted in the associated figures; for example, when the module is to perform a subset of the operations discussed herein with reference to the module, the module may include a subset of the logic elements depicted in the associated figures.

[0024] The first logic unit 1002 can determine the retention time and peak width variance of the chromatogram. In various embodiments, the first logic unit 1002 can obtain a chromatogram, obtain the retention times and peak widths of multiple peaks in the chromatogram, and calculate the square of the retention time (t). r 2 ) and peak width variance (σ 2 In various implementations, the peak width can be the width measured at half the maximum peak intensity.

[0025] The second logic unit 1004 can determine the ratio of the observed number of plates to the expected number of plates. In various embodiments, the second logic unit 1004 can select the peak of interest. The peak of interest can be a homologous peak that interacts similarly to a column. For example, the peak of interest can be selected by selecting a set of three or more peaks, wherein the determination coefficient (R) of the selected peak is... 2 The value is at least about 0.9, such as at least about 0.99, or even at least about 0.995 to about 1.0. Then, the second logic component can calculate the expected number of boards (N). exp ) and the number of observation plates (N) obsThe expected plate number can be determined by fitting the peak of interest with t when a forced 0,0 intercept is used. r 2 With σ 2 The slope is determined. t can be used for the first elution peak from the selected peaks. r 2 / σ 2 Calculate the number of observed plates. Once the number of observed plates and the expected number of plates are calculated, the O / E ratio can be calculated as N. obs / N exp .

[0026] The third logic unit 1006 can determine the status of the suppressor and provide notification to the user. In various embodiments, the third logic unit 1006 can determine the status based on the O / E ratio. When the O / E ratio is low, the third logic unit 1006 can determine that the suppressor is in a faulty state and notify the user that the suppressor should be replaced. When the O / E ratio is high, the third logic unit 1006 can determine that the suppressor is in a normal operating state. When the O / E ratio has an intermediate value between low and high, the third logic unit 1006 can determine an intermediate state and instruct the user to consider replacing or prepare to replace the suppressor, such as by ordering a replacement suppressor. For example, when the O / E ratio is higher than 0.7, the suppressor may be in a normal operating state, and when the O / E ratio is lower than 0.5, the suppressor may be in a faulty state and needs to be replaced. When the O / E ratio is between 0.5 and 0.7, the suppressor may be in an intermediate state, and the user should consider replacing it. In various embodiments, the third logic unit 1006 can estimate the remaining lifespan of the suppressor, such as time or sample count, and provide a decrementing count to the operator. In some implementations, the O / E ratio history of the suppressor can be used to estimate the remaining lifetime in order to determine how quickly the O / E ratio approaches the fault state threshold.

[0027] Figure 2 This is a flowchart of a method for supporting operations according to various implementation schemes 2000. Although reference may be made to specific implementation schemes disclosed herein (e.g., references herein to...), Figure 1 The scientific instrument support module 1000 discussed in this article is referenced. Figure 3 The GUI 3000 discussed in this article is referenced. Figure 4 The computing device discussed is 4000 and / or referenced herein. Figure 5 The scientific instrument support system 5000 discussed here illustrates the operation of method 2000, but method 2000 can be used with any suitable setup to perform any suitable support operation. Figure 2 Operations are each instantiated once in a specific order, but can be reordered and / or repeated as needed and as appropriate (e.g., different operations can be executed in parallel where appropriate).

[0028] At point 2002, a first operation can be performed. For example, the first logic component 1002 of the support module 1000 can perform the operation at point 2002. The first operation may include obtaining a chromatogram, obtaining the retention times and peak widths of multiple peaks in the chromatogram, and calculating the square of the retention times (t). r 2 ) and peak width variance (σ 2 ).

[0029] At point 2004, a second operation can be performed. For example, the second logic component 1004 of the support module 1000 can perform the operation at point 2004. The second operation may include selecting the peak of interest and calculating the expected number of boards (N). exp ) and the number of observation plates (N) obs ), and calculate the O / E ratio (N obs / N exp ).

[0030] At point 2006, a third operation can be performed. For example, the third logic unit 1006 of the support module 1000 can perform the operation at point 2006. The third operation may include determining the state of the suppressor based on the O / E ratio and providing a notification to the user. The third operation may also provide the user with an estimate of the remaining lifetime of the suppressor.

[0031] The scientific instrument support methods disclosed herein may include (e.g., via references herein) Figure 5 The user-local computing device (5020) discussed here interacts with human users. These interactions may include providing information to the user (e.g., about scientific instruments such as...) Figure 5 Information on the operation of the scientific instrument (5010), information about the sample being analyzed or other tests or measurements performed by the scientific instrument, information retrieved from local or remote databases or other information, or information provided to the user for inputting commands (e.g., for controlling the scientific instrument (such as...) Figure 5 The scientific instrument 5010 provides options, queries (e.g., queries to local or remote databases), or other information for controlling the analysis of data generated by the scientific instrument. In some embodiments, these interactions can be performed via a graphical user interface (GUI), which includes a display device (e.g., referenced herein). Figure 4 The display device 4010 discussed herein is a visual display that provides information to a user (e.g., via reference herein). Figure 4 One or more input devices, such as a keyboard, mouse, trackpad, or touchscreen, included in the other I / O devices discussed in this document, provide output and / or prompt the user for input. The scientific instrument support system disclosed herein may include any suitable GUI for user interaction.

[0032] Figure 3 Example GUI 3000, according to various embodiments, can be used to perform some or all of the support methods disclosed herein. As described above, GUI 3000 can be set up in a scientific instrument support system (e.g., as referenced herein). Figure 5 The computing device of the scientific instrument support system 5000 discussed herein (e.g., referenced herein) Figure 4 The display device of the computing device 4000 discussed herein (e.g., referenced herein) Figure 4 The display device discussed (4010) can be used, and the user can use any suitable input device (e.g., the one referenced herein). Figure 4 The other I / O devices discussed in 4012 include any input devices and input technologies (e.g., cursor movement, motion capture, face recognition, gesture detection, voice recognition, button actuation, etc.) that interact with the GUI 3000.

[0033] The GUI 3000 may include a data display area 3002, a data analysis area 3004, a scientific instrument control area 3006, and a settings area 3008. Figure 3 The specific number and arrangement of areas depicted are merely illustrative, and any number and arrangement of areas (including any desired features) may be included in the GUI 3000.

[0034] Data display area 3002 can display data generated by scientific instruments (e.g., as referenced in this article). Figure 5 The data generated by the scientific instrument 5010 under discussion. For example, data display area 3002 can display chromatograms.

[0035] Data analysis area 3004 can display the results of data analysis (e.g., the results of analysis of the data illustrated in data display area 3002 and / or other data). For example, data analysis area 3004 can display the retention time, peak height, and peak width of peaks identified from the chromatogram. In various embodiments, data analysis area 3004 may also include an indication of suppressor status. The suppressor status indication may be a simple green / yellow / red indicator. In various embodiments, the status indicator may also include an indicator of the estimated fault state time, particularly if the status is in the yellow / intermediate state. In some embodiments, data display area 3002 and data analysis area 3004 may be combined in GUI 3000 (e.g., to include data output from scientific instruments and some analysis of the data in a public graph or area).

[0036] Scientific instrument control area 3006 may include a function that allows users to control scientific instruments (e.g., as referenced herein). Figure 5Options for the scientific instrument 5010 under discussion. For example, the scientific instrument control area 3006 may include settings for flow rate, gradient, and other operating parameters of the scientific instrument.

[0037] Setting up area 3008 may include options that allow the user to control the features and functions of GUI 3000 (and / or other GUIs), and / or perform common computational operations relative to data display area 3002 and data analysis area 3004 (e.g., storing data on storage devices such as those referenced herein). Figure 4 The storage device under discussion (4004) is used for transferring data to another user, marking data, etc.

[0038] As noted above, the scientific instrument support module 1000 can be implemented by one or more computing devices. Figure 4 This is a block diagram of a computing device 4000 capable of performing some or all of the scientific instrument support methods disclosed herein, according to various embodiments. In some embodiments, the scientific instrument support module 1000 may be implemented by a single computing device 4000 or by multiple computing devices 4000. Furthermore, as discussed below, the computing device 4000 (or multiple computing devices 4000) implementing the scientific instrument support module 1000 may be... Figure 5 It is a part of one or more of the scientific instrument 5010, the user local computing device 5020, the service local computing device 5030, or the remote computing device 5040.

[0039] Figure 4 The computing device 4000 is illustrated as having multiple components, but any one or more of these components may be omitted or repeated depending on their suitability for the application and setup. In some embodiments, some or all of the components included in the computing device 4000 may be attached to one or more motherboards and encapsulated in a housing (e.g., including plastic, metal, and / or other materials). In some embodiments, some of these components may be fabricated on a single system-on-a-chip (SoC) (e.g., the SoC may include one or more processing devices 4002 and one or more storage devices 4004). Additionally, in various embodiments, the computing device 4000 may not include... Figure 4One or more of the illustrated components may be included, but may include interface circuitry (not shown) for coupling to one or more components using any suitable interface, such as a Universal Serial Bus (USB) interface, a High Definition Multimedia Interface (HDMI) interface, a Controller Area Network (CAN) interface, a Serial Peripheral Interface (SPI) interface, an Ethernet interface, a wireless interface, or any other suitable interface. For example, computing device 4000 may not include display device 4010, but may include display device interface circuitry (e.g., connector and driver circuitry) to which display device 4010 may be coupled.

[0040] Computing device 4000 may include processing device 4002 (e.g., one or more processing devices). As used herein, the term "processing device" can refer to any device or part of a device that processes electronic data from registers and / or memory to convert that electronic data into other electronic data that can be stored in registers and / or memory. Processing device 4002 may include one or more digital signal processors (DSPs), application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs), central processing units (CPUs), graphics processing units (GPUs), cryptographic processors (dedicated processors that execute cryptographic algorithms within hardware), server processors, or any other suitable processing device.

[0041] Computing device 4000 may include storage device 4004 (e.g., one or more storage devices). Storage device 4004 may include one or more memory devices, such as random access memory (RAM) (e.g., static RAM (SRAM) devices, magnetic RAM (MRAM) devices, dynamic RAM (DRAM) devices, resistive RAM (RRAM) devices, or conductive bridged RAM (CBRAM) devices), hard disk drive-based memory devices, solid-state memory devices, network drives, cloud drives, or any combination of memory devices. In some embodiments, storage device 4004 may include memory sharing a die with processing device 4002. In such embodiments, the memory may be used as cache memory and may include, for example, embedded dynamic random access memory (eDRAM) or spin-transfer torque magnetic random access memory (STT-MRAM). In some embodiments, storage device 4004 may include a non-transitory computer-readable medium having instructions on which, when executed by one or more processing devices (e.g., processing device 4002), cause computing device 4000 to perform any suitable method or portion thereof disclosed herein.

[0042] Computing device 4000 may include interface device 4006 (e.g., one or more interface devices 4006). Interface device 4006 may include one or more communication chips, connectors, and / or other hardware and software to manage communication between computing device 4000 and other computing devices. For example, interface device 4006 may include circuitry for managing wireless communication used to transmit data to and from computing device 4000. The term "wireless" and its derivatives can be used to describe circuits, devices, systems, methods, techniques, communication channels, etc., that can transmit data through a non-solid medium using modulated electromagnetic radiation. This term does not imply that the associated device does not contain any wires, although in some embodiments it may not contain any wires. The circuitry included in interface device 4006 for managing wireless communications can implement any of a number of wireless standards or protocols, including but not limited to Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) standards, including Wi-Fi (IEEE 802.11 series), IEEE 802.16 standards (e.g., IEEE 802.16-2005 amendments), Long Term Evolution (LTE) projects, and any amendments, updates, and / or revisions (e.g., Advanced LTE projects, Ultra Mobile Broadband (UMB) projects (also known as “3GPP2”), etc.). In some implementations, the circuitry included in interface device 4006 for managing wireless communications can operate according to Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM), General Packet Radio Service (GPRS), Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS), High Speed ​​Packet Access (HSPA), Evolved HSPA (E-HSPA), or LTE networks. In some embodiments, the circuitry included in the interface device 4006 for managing wireless communications may operate according to Enhanced Data GSM Evolution (EDGE), GSMEDGE Radio Access Network (GERAN), Universal Terrestrial Radio Access Network (UTRAN), or Evolved UTRAN (E-UTRAN). In some embodiments, the circuitry included in the interface device 4006 for managing wireless communications may operate according to Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA), Time Division Multiple Access (TDMA), Digital Enhanced Cordless Telecommunications (DECT), Evolved Data Optimization (EV-DO) and its derivative protocols, as well as any other wireless protocols designated as 3G, 4G, 5G, and higher. In some embodiments, the interface device 4006 may include one or more antennas (e.g., one or more antenna arrays) for receiving and / or transmitting wireless communications.

[0043] In some embodiments, interface device 4006 may include circuitry for managing wired communications, such as electrical communication protocols, optical communication protocols, or any other suitable communication protocols. For example, interface device 4006 may include circuitry supporting communications based on Ethernet technology. In some embodiments, interface device 4006 may support both wireless and wired communications, and / or may support multiple wired communication protocols and / or multiple wireless communication protocols. For example, a first set of circuitry for interface device 4006 may be dedicated to shorter-range wireless communications such as Wi-Fi or Bluetooth, while a second set of circuitry for interface device 4006 may be dedicated to longer-range wireless communications such as Global Positioning System (GPS), EDGE, GPRS, CDMA, WiMAX, LTE, EV-DO, etc. In some embodiments, a first set of circuitry for interface device 4006 may be dedicated to wireless communications, while a second set of circuitry for interface device 4006 may be dedicated to wired communications.

[0044] The computing device 4000 may include a battery / power circuit 4008. The battery / power circuit 4008 may include one or more energy storage devices (e.g., batteries or capacitors), and / or circuitry for coupling components of the computing device 4000 to an energy source (e.g., AC line power) separate from the computing device 4000.

[0045] The computing device 4000 may include a display device 4010 (e.g., multiple display devices). The display device 4010 may include any visual indicator, such as a head-up display, computer monitor, projector, touch screen display, liquid crystal display (LCD), light-emitting diode display, or flat panel display.

[0046] The computing device 4000 may include other input / output (I / O) devices 4012. Other I / O devices 4012 may include, for example, one or more audio output devices (e.g., speakers, headphones, earphones, alarms, etc.), one or more audio input devices (e.g., microphones or microphone arrays), positioning devices (e.g., GPS devices that communicate with satellite-based systems to receive the location of the computing device 4000, as known in the art), audio codecs, video codecs, printers, sensors (e.g., thermocouples or other temperature sensors, humidity sensors, pressure sensors, vibration sensors, accelerometers, gyroscopes, etc.), image capture devices such as cameras, keyboards, cursor control devices such as mice, styluses, trackballs, or touchpads, barcode readers, quick-response (QR) code readers, or radio frequency identification (RFID) readers.

[0047] The computing device 4000 may have any suitable form factor for its application and setup, such as a handheld or mobile computing device (e.g., a cellular phone, smartphone, mobile internet device, tablet computer, laptop computer, netbook computer, ultrabook computer, personal digital assistant (PDA), ultra-mobile personal computer, etc.), desktop computing device, server computing device, or other networked computing component.

[0048] One or more computing devices that implement any of the scientific instrument support modules or methods disclosed herein may be part of a scientific instrument support system. Figure 5 This is a block diagram of an example scientific instrument support system 5000, according to various implementation schemes, in which some or all of the scientific instrument support methods disclosed herein can be performed. The scientific instrument support modules and methods disclosed herein (e.g., Figure 1 Scientific instrument support module 1000 and Figure 2 Method 2000 can be implemented by one or more of the scientific instrument 5010, user local computing device 5020, service local computing device 5030 or remote computing device 5040 of the scientific instrument support system 5000.

[0049] Any of the scientific instrument 5010, the user local computing device 5020, the service local computing device 5030, or the remote computing device 5040 may be included in the references herein. Figure 4 Any implementation of the computing device 4000 discussed herein, and any of the scientific instrument 5010, user local computing device 5020, service local computing device 5030, or remote computing device 5040 may be adopted as referenced herein. Figure 4 The form of any suitable implementation of the computing device 4000 under discussion.

[0050] Scientific instrument 5010, user local computing device 5020, service local computing device 5030, or remote computing device 5040 may each include processing device 5002, storage device 5004, and interface device 5006. Processing device 5002 may take any suitable form, including those referenced herein. Figure 4 The processing device 5002 discussed herein may take any form, and the processing device 5002 included in different devices such as scientific instrument 5010, user local computing device 5020, service local computing device 5030, or remote computing device 5040 may take the same or different forms. Storage device 5004 may take any suitable form, including those referenced herein. Figure 4The storage device 5004 discussed herein may take any form, and may be included in different devices such as scientific instrument 5010, user local computing device 5020, service local computing device 5030, or remote computing device 5040, or may take the same or different forms. Interface device 5006 may take any suitable form, including those referenced herein. Figure 4 Any form of interface device 4006 discussed, and the interface device 5006 included in different devices such as scientific instrument 5010, user local computing device 5020, service local computing device 5030 or remote computing device 5040, may take the same or different forms.

[0051] Scientific instrument 5010, user local computing device 5020, service local computing device 5030, and remote computing device 5040 can communicate with other components of scientific instrument support system 5000 via communication path 5008. Communication path 5008 can communicatively couple interface devices 5006 (as shown) of different components within scientific instrument support system 5000, and can be a wired or wireless communication path (e.g., according to references herein). Figure 4 The interface device 4006 of the computing device 4000 (any of the communication technologies discussed). Figure 5 The specific scientific instrument support system 5000 described herein includes communication paths between each pair of devices among scientific instrument 5010, user local computing device 5020, service local computing device 5030, and remote computing device 5040. However, this specific implementation of "full connectivity" is merely exemplary, and in various embodiments, various communication paths in communication path 5008 may not exist. For example, in some embodiments, service local computing device 5030 may not have a direct communication path 5008 between its interface device 5006 and the interface device 5006 of scientific instrument 5010, but may communicate with scientific instrument 5010 via communication path 5008 between service local computing device 5030 and user local computing device 5020 and communication path 5008 between user local computing device 5020 and scientific instrument 5010.

[0052] Scientific Instruments 5010 may include any suitable scientific instruments, such as Figure 7 The ion chromatography system described herein.

[0053] User-local computing device 5020 may be a user-local computing device of scientific instrument 5010 (e.g., any embodiment of the computing device 4000 discussed herein). In some embodiments, user-local computing device 5020 may also be located locally to scientific instrument 5010, but this is not mandatory; for example, user-local computing device 5020 in a user's home or office may be located remotely to scientific instrument 5010, but communicate with the scientific instrument so that the user can use user-local computing device 5020 to control and / or access data from scientific instrument 5010. In some embodiments, user-local computing device 5020 may be a laptop computer, smartphone, or tablet device. In some embodiments, user-local computing device 5020 may be a portable computing device. In some embodiments, user-local computing device 5020 may determine the status of the suppressor and provide an indication of the status to the user.

[0054] The servicing local computing device 5030 may be a computing device physically local to the scientific instrument 5010 (e.g., any implementation of the computing device 4000 discussed herein). For example, the servicing local computing device 5030 may be a local device of the manufacturer of the scientific instrument 5010 or a third-party service company. In some implementations, the servicing local computing device 5030 may communicate with the scientific instrument 5010, the user local computing device 5020, and / or the remote computing device 5040 (e.g., via a direct communication path 5008 or via multiple “indirect” communication paths 5008, as described above) to receive data regarding the operation of the scientific instrument 5010, the user local computing device 5020, and / or the remote computing device 5040 (e.g., self-test results of the scientific instrument 5010, calibration coefficients used by the scientific instrument 5010, measurement results of sensors associated with the scientific instrument 5010, etc.). In some implementations, the serving local computing device 5030 may communicate with the scientific instrument 5010, the user local computing device 5020, and / or the remote computing device 5040 (e.g., via a direct communication path 5008 or via multiple “indirect” communication paths 5008, as described above) to send data to the scientific instrument 5010, the user local computing device 5020, and / or the remote computing device 5040 (e.g., thereby updating programmed instructions (such as firmware) in the scientific instrument 5010 to initiate the execution of a test or calibration sequence in the scientific instrument 5010, updating programmed instructions (such as software) in the user local computing device 5020, or the remote computing device 5040, etc.). Users of scientific instrument 5010 can communicate with service local computing device 5030 using scientific instrument 5010 or user local computing device 5020 to report problems with scientific instrument 5010 or user local computing device 5020, thereby requesting a technician visit to improve the operation of scientific instrument 5010, ordering consumables or replacement parts associated with scientific instrument 5010, or for other purposes. Service local computing device 5030 can determine the status of the suppressor and provide the user with a status indication.

[0055] Remote computing device 5040 may be a computing device located remotely from scientific instrument 5010 and / or user local computing device 5020 (e.g., any embodiment of the computing device 4000 discussed herein). In some embodiments, remote computing device 5040 may be included in a data center or other large-scale server environment. In some embodiments, remote computing device 5040 may include network-attached storage (e.g., as part of storage device 5004). Remote computing device 5040 may store data generated by scientific instrument 5010, perform analysis on data generated by scientific instrument 5010 (e.g., according to programmed instructions), facilitate communication between user local computing device 5020 and scientific instrument 5010, and / or facilitate communication between service local computing device 5030 and scientific instrument 5010. The remote computing device may determine the state of the suppressor and provide an indication of the state to the user.

[0056] In some implementation schemes, Figure 5 One or more components of the scientific instrument support system 5000 illustrated herein may be absent. Furthermore, in some embodiments, Figure 5 Multiple components of a scientific instrument support system 5000 may be present. For example, the scientific instrument support system 5000 may include multiple user local computing devices 5020 (e.g., different user local computing devices 5020 associated with different users or located in different locations). In another example, the scientific instrument support system 5000 may include multiple scientific instruments 5010, all of which communicate with a serving local computing device 5030 and / or a remote computing device 5040; in such embodiments, the serving local computing device 5030 may monitor these multiple scientific instruments 5010, and the serving local computing device 5030 may enable updates or other information to be simultaneously “broadcast” to multiple scientific instruments 5010. Different scientific instruments among the scientific instruments 5010 in the scientific instrument support system 5000 may be close to each other (e.g., in the same room) or far from each other (e.g., on different floors of a building, in different buildings, in different cities, etc.). In some implementations, scientific instrument 5010 can be connected to an Internet of Things (IoT) stack that allows command and control of scientific instrument 5010 via web-based applications, virtual or augmented reality applications, mobile applications, and / or desktop applications. Any of these applications can be accessed by a user operating a user-local computing device 5020, which communicates with scientific instrument 5010 via an intermediate remote computing device 5040. In some implementations, scientific instrument 5010 may be sold by the manufacturer along with one or more associated user-local computing devices 5020 that are part of a local scientific instrument computing unit 5012.

[0057] In some embodiments, the different scientific instruments included in the scientific instruments 5010 of the scientific instrument support system 5000 may be different types of scientific instruments 5010; for example, one scientific instrument 5010 may be an ion chromatography system, while another scientific instrument 5010 may be an ion chromatography-mass spectrometry system. In some such embodiments, a remote computing device 5040 and / or a user-local computing device 5020 may combine data from the different types of scientific instruments 5010 included in the scientific instrument support system 5000.

[0058] Figure 6 This is a flowchart of a method 6000 for determining the state of an inhibitor according to various embodiments. At 6002, a chromatogram is obtained. In various embodiments, the chromatogram can be obtained by instructing a scientific instrument to perform an analysis of a sample or standard. In other embodiments, the chromatogram may be from a previously performed analysis, and the chromatogram may be retrieved from a data storage device. At 6004, the retention times and peak widths of multiple peaks in the chromatogram are obtained. In various embodiments, a peak detection algorithm can identify peaks and determine retention times and intensities. Further analysis of the peaks can determine peak widths, such as by determining the width measured at half the maximum peak intensity. In other embodiments, the retention times and peak widths of the chromatogram can be pre-analyzed, and the data can be retrieved from a storage device. At 6006, the square of the retention time (t) is calculated. r 2 It can also calculate the peak width variance (σ). 2 ).

[0059] At position 6008, the peak of interest can be selected. The peak of interest can be a homologous peak interacting similarly to the column. For example, the peak of interest can be selected by choosing a set of three or more peaks, where the coefficient of determination (R) of the selected peak is... 2 The value is at least about 0.9, such as at least about 0.99, or even at least about 0.995 to about 1.0. At 6010, the expected number of plates (N) can be calculated. exp ) and the number of observation plates (N) obs The expected plate number can be determined by fitting the peak of interest with t when a forced 0,0 intercept is used. r 2 With σ 2 The slope is determined. The first elution peak from the selected peaks can be determined by t... r 2 / σ 2 Calculate the number of observed plates. Once the number of observed plates and the expected number of plates are calculated, the O / E ratio can be calculated as N. obs / N exp .

[0060] At 6012, the state of the suppressor can be determined based on the O / E ratio. A low O / E ratio (e.g., below 0.5) indicates a fault state, while a high O / E ratio (e.g., above 0.7) indicates a normal operating state. Intermediate values ​​(e.g., between 0.5 and 0.7) indicate a suppressor approaching a fault state but still operating within acceptable parameters. At 6014, the suppressor's state can be communicated to the user. For example, the indicator may display green when the suppressor is in a normal operating state, red when the suppressor is in a fault state, and yellow when the suppressor is in an intermediate state. In other embodiments, when the suppressor is in a fault state, a message, such as an email, SMS message, push notification, etc., can be sent to the user. Additionally, when a suppressor is determined to be in a fault state, further operation can be paused to prevent waste of samples and reagents.

[0061] Figure 7 An embodiment of a chromatography system 100 is illustrated. The chromatography system 100 may include a pump 102, an electrolytic eluent generator 104, a continuously regenerating capture column 106, a degasser 108, an injector 110, a chromatographic separation column 112, an electrolytic suppressor 114, a detector 116, and a microprocessor 118. The chromatographic separation column 112 may be in the form of a capillary column or an analytical column. A recirculation line 120 may be used to transfer liquid from the output of the detector 116 to the inlet of the electrolytic suppressor 114, a recirculation line 122 may be used to transfer liquid from the outlet of the electrolytic suppressor 114 to the inlet of the degasser 108, and a recirculation line 124 may be used to transfer liquid from the outlet of the degasser 108 to the inlet of the continuously regenerating capture column 106.

[0062] Pump 102 can be configured to pump liquid from liquid source 124 and fluidly connect to electrolytic eluent generator 104. In one embodiment, the liquid can be deionized water, an aqueous solution having one or more electrolytes, or a mixture of an organic solvent with deionized water or with one or more aqueous electrolyte solutions. Several exemplary electrolytes are sodium acetate and acetic acid. The eluent mixture containing an organic solvent can contain a water-miscible organic solvent, such as, for example, methanol. Pump 102 can be configured to deliver the liquid at a pressure ranging from about 20 PSI to about 15,000 PSI. In some cases, pressures greater than 15,000 PSI can also be implemented. It should be noted that the pressures indicated herein are listed relative to ambient pressure (13.7 PSI to 15.2 PSI). Pump 102 can take the form of a high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) pump. Additionally, pump 102 can also be configured such that the liquid only contacts the inert portion of pump 102, thereby preventing the filtration of significant amounts of impurities. In this context, "significant" means the amount of impurities that would interfere with the expected measurement results. For example, the inert part can be made of polyetheretherketone (PEEK), or at least coated with a PEEK lining that does not leach large amounts of ions when exposed to liquids.

[0063] The eluent is a liquid containing an acid, base, salt, or a mixture thereof, and can be used to elute analytes through a chromatographic column. Alternatively, the eluent may contain a mixture of a liquid and a water-miscible organic solvent, wherein the liquid may contain an acid, base, salt, or a combination thereof. The electrolytic eluent generator 104 is configured to generate a product. The product refers to an acid, base, or salt of a specific species that can be added to the eluent. In one embodiment, the product may be a base, such as a cationic hydroxide, or the product may be an acid, such as carbonic acid, phosphoric acid, acetic acid, methanesulfonic acid, or a combination thereof.

[0064] refer to Figure 7 The eluent generator 104 can be configured to receive liquid from the pump 102 and then add the product to the liquid. The liquid containing the product can be output from the eluent generator 104 to the inlet of the continuous regeneration capture column 106.

[0065] The continuously regenerating capture column 106 is configured to remove cationic or anionic contaminants from the eluent. The continuously regenerating capture column 106 may comprise an ion exchange bed with electrodes at the eluent outlet. An ion exchange membrane interface separates the eluent from a second electrode, and contaminant ions can be swept through the ion exchange membrane toward the second electrode. In various embodiments, anion removal may utilize an anion exchange bed, wherein the cathode at the eluent outlet is separated from the anode by an anion exchange membrane. Alternatively, cation removal may utilize a cation exchange bed, wherein the anode at the eluent outlet is separated from the cathode by a cation exchange membrane. Contaminant ions can be filtered from the regenerated capture column 106 using recirculated liquid through a recirculation line 124 located downstream of the degasser assembly 108.

[0066] Degasser 108 can be used to remove residual gases from the eluent. In one embodiment, the residual gases may be hydrogen and oxygen. Degasser 108 may include gas-permeable and liquid-impermeable piping sections, such as amorphous fluoropolymers or more specifically Teflon AF. Flowing liquid can be output from degasser 108 to injector 110, where a significant portion of the gas has been removed. Gas can be filtered out of degasser 108 using recirculated liquid through recirculation line 122 downstream of electrolytic suppressor 114. Recirculated liquid containing residual gas can also be output from degasser 108 and directed into continuously regenerating capture column 106.

[0067] The injector 110 can be used to inject large volumes of liquid sample into the eluent stream. The liquid sample may contain multiple chemical components (i.e., matrix components) and one or more analytes of interest.

[0068] The chromatographic column 112 can be used to separate various matrix components present in a liquid sample from the analyte of interest. Typically, the chromatographic column 112 can be in the form of a hollow cylinder containing a packed stationary phase. When the liquid sample flows through the chromatographic column 112, the matrix components and the target analyte can have specific retention time ranges for elution from the column 112. Depending on the characteristics of the target analyte and the matrix components, they can have different affinities for the stationary phase in the chromatographic column 112. The output of the chromatographic column 112 can be fluidly connected to an electrolytic suppressor 114.

[0069] Electrolysis suppressor 114 can be used to reduce the eluent conductivity background and enhance analyte response by effectively exchanging eluent counterions for regenerator ions. Electrolysis suppressor 114 may include an anode chamber, a cathode chamber, and an eluent suppression bed chamber separated by an ion exchange membrane. The anode chamber and / or cathode chamber may generate regenerator ions. The eluent suppression bed chamber may include a flow path for the eluent separated from the regenerator across the ion exchange barrier, and the eluent counterions may exchange with the regenerator ions across the ion exchange barrier. The cathode chamber or anode chamber may be supplied with recirculated liquid via a recirculation line 120 located downstream of conductivity detector 116. The output of electrolysis suppressor 114 may be fluidly connected to detector 116 to measure the presence of separated chemical components in a liquid sample.

[0070] like Figure 7 As shown, the fluid output of the eluent from detector 116 is recirculated to electrolysis suppressor 114 via recirculation line 120, the fluid output of electrolysis suppressor 114 is recirculated to degasser 108 via recirculation line 122, the fluid output of degasser 108 is recirculated to continuous regeneration capture column 106 via recirculation line 124, and the fluid output of continuous regeneration capture column 106 flows to waste liquid.

[0071] Detector 116 may take the form of a UV-Vis spectrometer, a fluorescence spectrometer, an electrochemical detector, a conductivity detector, a charge detector, or a combination thereof. Details regarding charge detectors based on charged barriers and two electrodes can be found in U.S. Pre-Publication Publication No. 20090218238, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. Where recirculation line 120 is not required, detector 116 may also take the form of a mass spectrometer or a charged sol detector. Charged sol detectors spray an effluent flow and generate charged particles that can be measured as a current proportional to the analyte concentration. Details regarding charged sol detectors can be found in U.S. Patents 6,544,484 and 6,568,245, which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.

[0072] The electronic circuitry may include a microprocessor 118, a timer, and a memory section. Additionally, the electronic circuitry may include power supplies configured to apply control signals. The microprocessor 118 can be used to control the operation of the chromatography system 100. The microprocessor 118 may be integrated into the chromatography system 100 or be part of a personal computer communicating with the chromatography system 100. The microprocessor 118 may be configured to communicate with and control one or more components of the chromatography system, such as pump 102, eluent generator 104, injector 110, and detector 116. The memory section may be used to store instructions to set the magnitude and timing of the current waveform relative to switching of the injector 110 with respect to the injected sample.

[0073] Figures 8A to 8E Chromatograms illustrating various states of the ion chromatography system are shown. Each chromatogram was obtained using an Ion Pac AS19 column with 20 mM KOH eluent at a flow rate of 1 ml / min. The injection volume was 10 μl, and the column oven temperature was 30 °C. The peaks were (1) fluoride, (2) chloride, (3) nitrite, (4) bromide, (5) nitrate, (6) carbonate, and (7) sulfate. Figure 8A A good suppressor was demonstrated. Figure 8A The suppressor "aged" due to exposure to high voltage. After exposure to 500 psi, Figure 8B The suppressor is shown in an intermediate state, where the user should consider replacement. After exposure to 1000 psi, Figure 8C The suppressor is shown as being in a faulty state and should be replaced. Notably, after exposure to increased pressure, the peak broadens and the tailing increases.

[0074] Figure 8D and Figure 8E The example demonstrates how calculations can isolate the effects of poor suppressors from those of poor pillars. Figure 8D The chromatograms produced by using a good column and a good suppressor are shown. Figure 8E The chromatograms produced using a poor column and a good suppressor are shown. Note that, compared to... Figure 8C similar, Figure 8E It shows the relationship with Figure 8D Compared to a wider peak and increased tailing, the O / E ratio indicates that the suppressor is good, as expected.

[0075] The following paragraphs provide various embodiments of the implementation schemes disclosed herein.

[0076] Example 1 is a computing device, which includes a scientific instrument support device, the scientific instrument support device comprising:

[0077] The chromatogram logic unit is used to calculate the square of the retention time and the peak width variance of each of the multiple peaks in the chromatogram; the plate calculation logic unit is used to calculate the expected number of plates and the observed number of plates; and the suppressor status logic unit is used to determine and display the suppressor status based on the ratio of the observed number of plates to the expected number of plates (O / E ratio).

[0078] Example 2 may include the subject matter described in Example 1, and may further specify that the chromatogram logic component, the board calculation logic component, and the suppressor state logic component are implemented by a common computing device.

[0079] Example 3 may include the subject matter described in Example 1 or 2, and may further specify that at least one of the chromatogram logic component, the plate calculation logic component, and the suppressor state logic component is implemented by a computing device located away from the scientific instrument.

[0080] Example 4 may include the subject matter described in Example 1, 2 or 3, and may further specify that at least one of the chromatogram logic component, the board calculation logic component and the suppressor state logic component is implemented by a user computing device.

[0081] Example 5 may include the subject matter according to any one of Examples 1 to 4, and may further specify that at least one of the chromatogram logic component, the plate calculation logic component, and the suppressor state logic component is implemented in the scientific instrument.

[0082] Example 6 may include the subject matter according to any one of Examples 1 to 5, and may further specify that the chromatogram logic component also includes logic components for obtaining the chromatogram.

[0083] Example 7 may include the subject matter according to any one of Examples 1 to 6, and may further specify that the chromatogram logic component includes logic components for identifying the plurality of peaks in the chromatogram.

[0084] Example 8 may include the subject matter according to any one of Examples 1 to 7, and may further specify that the chromatogram logic component includes logic components for determining the retention time and peak width of each of the plurality of peaks in the chromatogram.

[0085] Example 9 may include the subject matter according to any one of Examples 1 to 8, and may further specify that the board computing logic component includes logic components for selecting a peak of interest from the plurality of peaks, wherein the peak of interest has a coefficient of determination (R²) of at least 0.9, such as at least about 0.99, or even at least about 0.995.

[0086] Example 10 may include the subject matter according to any one of Examples 1 to 9, and may further specify that the board calculation logic component includes logic components for fitting a line to the square of the retention time (tr2) and the peak width variance (σ2) of each of the peaks of interest when a 0,0 intercept is forced, and determining the slope of the line, wherein the expected board number is the slope of the line.

[0087] Example 11 may include the subject matter according to any one of Examples 1 to 10, and may further specify that the board computation logic unit includes a method for using t for a first elution peak from the selected peaks.r 2 / σ 2 A logic component that determines the number of observation boards.

[0088] Example 12 may include the subject matter according to any one of Examples 1 to 11, and may further specify that the suppressor state logic component includes logic components for assigning a normal state when the O / E ratio is higher than a first threshold and assigning a replacement state when the O / E ratio is lower than a second threshold.

[0089] Example 13 may include the subject matter according to any one of Examples 1 to 12, and may further specify that the suppressor state logic component includes logic component for assigning a consideration of alternative states when the O / E ratio is between the first threshold and the second threshold.

[0090] Example 14 may include the subject matter according to any one of Examples 1 to 13, and may further specify that the first threshold is about 0.7.

[0091] Example 15 may include the subject matter according to any one of Examples 1 to 14, and may further specify that the second threshold is about 0.5.

[0092] Example 16 may include the subject matter according to any one of Examples 1 to 15, and may further specify that the suppressor state logic component includes logic component for displaying the state using a color indicator, wherein the normal state is green, the considered replacement state is yellow, and the replacement state is red.

[0093] Example 17 may include the subject matter according to any one of Examples 1 to 16, and may further specify that the suppressor state logic component includes logic component for displaying a replacement value decrement count and taking into account a replacement state indicator, wherein the replacement value decrement count is an estimated replacement time, an estimated number of samples until replacement, the O / E ratio, the difference between the O / E ratio and the second threshold, or any combination thereof.

[0094] Example 18 is a scientific instrument support device, comprising: a first logic component for receiving a chromatogram from an ion chromatography system, the ion chromatography system including a suppressor; and a second logic component for generating a suppressor status indicator based at least in part on the chromatogram.

[0095] Example 19 may include the subject matter described in Example 18, and may further specify that the scientific instrument support device includes a third logic component for causing the output to be graphically represented on a display device.

[0096] Example 20 may include the subject matter described in Example 18 or 19, and may further specify that the output is graphically represented on a display device using a color indicator, wherein the normal state is green, the alternative state is yellow, and the alternative state is red.

[0097] Example A includes any of the scientific instrument support modules disclosed herein.

[0098] Example B includes any of the methods disclosed herein.

[0099] Example C includes any of the GUIs disclosed herein.

[0100] Example D includes any of the scientific instrumentation-supporting computing devices and systems disclosed herein.

Claims

1. A scientific instrument support device, the scientific instrument support device comprising: A chromatogram logic unit, which calculates the squared value t of the retention time of each of the multiple peaks in the chromatogram. r 2 Peak width variance σ 2 ; Board calculation logic unit, the board calculation logic unit being used to calculate the expected number of boards and the observed number of boards; and A suppressor state logic unit is used to determine and display the suppressor state based on the ratio of the observed number of boards to the expected number of boards (O / E ratio).

2. The scientific instrument support device according to claim 1, wherein the chromatogram logic component, the board calculation logic component, and the suppressor state logic component are implemented by a common computing device.

3. The scientific instrument support device according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the chromatogram logic component, the board calculation logic component, and the suppressor state logic component is implemented by a computing device located remotely from the scientific instrument.

4. The scientific instrument support device according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the chromatogram logic component, the board calculation logic component, and the suppressor state logic component is implemented by a user computing device.

5. The scientific instrument support device according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the chromatogram logic component, the board calculation logic component, and the suppressor state logic component is implemented in the scientific instrument.

6. The scientific instrument support device according to claim 1, wherein the chromatogram logic component further includes a logic component for obtaining the chromatogram.

7. The scientific instrument support device according to claim 1, wherein the chromatogram logic component further includes a logic component for identifying the plurality of peaks in the chromatogram.

8. The scientific instrument support device according to claim 1, wherein the chromatogram logic component further comprises a logic component for determining the retention time and peak width of each of the plurality of peaks in the chromatogram, wherein, The square of the retention time t r 2 Peak width variance σ 2 It is calculated based on the retention time and peak width of each of the plurality of peaks in the chromatogram.

9. The scientific instrument support device of claim 1, wherein the board computing logic unit further comprises a logic unit for selecting a peak of interest from the plurality of peaks, wherein the peak of interest has a determination coefficient R of at least 0.

9. 2 .

10. The scientific instrument support device of claim 9, wherein the board computational logic unit further includes the square of the retention time t for fitting a line to each selected peak of interest when a 0,0 intercept is forced. r 2 With the peak width variance σ 2 And a logic component that determines the slope of the line, wherein the expected number of boards is the slope of the line.

11. The scientific instrument support device of claim 9, wherein the board computing logic unit further includes a t-value for targeting a first elution peak from a selected peak of interest. r 2 / σ 2 A logic component that determines the number of observation boards.

12. The scientific instrument support device of claim 1, wherein the suppressor state logic component further includes logic components for allocating a normal state when the O / E ratio is higher than a first threshold and for allocating a replacement state when the O / E ratio is lower than a second threshold.

13. The scientific instrument support device of claim 12, wherein the suppressor state logic component further includes logic component for allocating a consideration of alternative states when the O / E ratio is between the first threshold and the second threshold.

14. The scientific instrument support device of claim 13, wherein the suppressor state logic component further comprises logic component for displaying a replacement value decrement count and considering the replacement state, wherein the replacement value decrement count is an estimated replacement time, an estimated number of samples until replacement, the O / E ratio, the difference between the O / E ratio and the second threshold, or any combination thereof.

15. The scientific instrument support device according to claim 12, wherein the first threshold is 0.

7.

16. The scientific instrument support device according to claim 12, wherein the second threshold is 0.

5.

17. The scientific instrument support device of claim 13, wherein the suppressor state logic component further includes logic component for displaying the suppressor state using a color indicator, wherein the normal state is green, the considered replacement state is yellow, and the replacement state is red.

Images