Urine analyzer

Abstract

A urine analyzer according to one embodiment of the present invention comprises: a mounting unit in which a test kit is mounted, the test kit comprising a container for collecting urine and a curved test strip attached along the periphery of the inner surface or the outer surface of the container, the curved test strip being configured to be attached to the inner surface or the outer surface of the container, and the curved test strip being configured to be attached to the inner surface or the outer surface of the container; comprising a plurality of pieces of test paper for checking urine collected in the container; a plurality of sensor units including a light emitting unit for emitting light to each of the plurality of test paper of the test kit mounted on the mounting unit, and a light receiving unit for detecting the color of each of the plurality of test paper by means of light reflected from each of the plurality of test paper, the light emitting unit and the light receiving unit constituting a pair; and an analysis unit for analyzing urine on the basis of the color information of the test paper detected by the light receiving unit.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a urine analysis device. Background Art

[0002] Generally, urine examination is an essential examination, accounting for about 30% of the total examination volume in most hospitals. It is a diagnostic method for understanding the overall state and lesions by examining the components of urine.

[0003] In order to perform such a urine examination, a method that has been widely used in the past is to bring a test stick with a test paper attached into contact with the urine of the person to be examined, and to examine the urine by the color change of the test paper. That is, the examiner directly coats the urine on the test stick, or after collecting the urine using a container such as a paper cup, the test stick is brought into contact with the urine for examination.

[0004] In the case of performing a urine examination on a urine test kit having a flat test strip using a urine analysis device, light is irradiated onto the entire area of the flat test strip, and the reflected light is received to determine the color, thereby performing the examination. However, in the case of using a urine test kit having a curved test strip, if the existing examination method is adopted, it is difficult to determine the color of the entire area of the curved test strip.

[0005] In addition, in the case where urine test kits are manufactured to have different bending degrees, such as curvature radii or radii, there is a problem that urine analysis devices capable of accurately determining each form need to be prepared. Summary of the Invention

[0006] Technical Problem

[0007] An object of the present invention is to provide a device for analyzing urine using a urine test kit having a curved test strip.

[0008] However, the technical problems to be solved in this embodiment are not limited to the above technical problems, and there may be other technical problems.

[0009] Technical Means

[0010] As a means for solving the above technical problems, a urine analysis device according to an embodiment of the present invention includes: an assembly unit that internally assembles an inspection kit, the inspection kit including a container and a curved test strip, the container for collecting urine, the curved test strip being attached along the periphery of the inner or outer side surface of the container and including a plurality of test papers for inspecting the urine collected in the container; a plurality of sensor units including a light emitting unit and a light receiving unit that form a pair, the light emitting unit for respectively irradiating light on the plurality of test papers of the inspection kit assembled in the assembly unit, the light receiving unit for detecting the colors of the plurality of test papers respectively through the light reflected from the plurality of test papers; and an analysis unit for analyzing urine based on the color information of the test papers detected by the light receiving unit.

[0011] A urine analysis device according to another embodiment of the present invention includes: an assembly unit that internally assembles an inspection kit, the inspection kit including a container and a curved test strip, the container for collecting urine, the curved test strip being attached along the periphery of the inner or outer side surface of the container and including a plurality of test papers for inspecting the urine collected in the container; a substrate unit made of a flexible material provided on the inner side surface of the assembly unit; a sensor unit including a light emitting unit and a light receiving unit, the light emitting unit being disposed on the substrate unit for irradiating light on the plurality of test papers, the light receiving unit for detecting the colors of the plurality of test papers through the light reflected from the plurality of test papers; and an analysis unit for analyzing urine based on the color information of the test papers detected by the light receiving unit.

[0012] The above technical solutions are merely exemplary and should not be construed as limiting the present invention. In addition to the above exemplary embodiments, there may be other embodiments described in the drawings and the detailed description.

[0013] Advantages of the Invention

[0014] According to any of the above technical solutions of the present invention, even when using a urine test kit with a test strip formed in a curved shape, urine tests can be performed more accurately. Brief Description of the Drawings

[0015] Figure 1 FIG. schematically shows a urine analysis device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0016] Figure 2 FIG. is a configuration diagram of a urine analysis device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0017] Figure 3 FIG. shows a urine test kit assembled in a urine analysis device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0018] Figure 4 FIG. 0 is a diagram showing the substrate portion of a urine analysis device according to an embodiment of the present invention unfolded.

[0019] Figure 5 It shows Figure 4 FIG. 1 is a diagram showing the substrate portion shown in a state of surrounding a urine analysis kit.

[0020] Figure 6a FIG. 2 is a diagram for explaining a method of obtaining color information of each of a plurality of test strips by irradiating light with a urine analysis device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0021] Figure 6b FIG. 3 is a diagram for explaining a method of obtaining color information of each of a plurality of test strips by irradiating light with a urine analysis device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0022] Figure 7 FIG. 4 is a flowchart of a urine analysis method using a urine test kit according to an embodiment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0023] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings so that those skilled in the art can easily implement the present invention. However, the present invention can be implemented in many different ways and is not limited to the embodiments described herein. And, to clearly explain the present invention, parts irrelevant to the description are omitted, and throughout the specification, similar parts are given similar reference numerals.

[0024] Throughout the specification, when a part is "connected" to another part, this includes not only the case of "direct connection", but also the case where there is other structure in the middle, or the case of "electrically connected" with other elements sandwiched in the middle. In addition, when a part "includes" a certain component, unless there is a particularly contrary description, other components are not excluded, but other components can be further included, and the possibility of the existence or addition of one or more other features, numbers, steps, actions, components, parts, or combinations thereof should not be understood as being excluded.

[0025] In this specification, a "unit" includes a unit implemented by hardware, a unit implemented by software, and a unit implemented by using both. In addition, one unit can be implemented by two or more pieces of hardware, and two or more units can also be implemented by one piece of hardware.

[0026] In this specification, some actions or functions described as being performed by a terminal or a device can also be performed by a server connected to the terminal or the device. Similarly, some actions or functions described as being performed by a server can also be performed by a terminal or a device connected to the server.

[0027] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0028] Figure 1 FIG. is a diagram schematically showing a urine analysis device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0029] Refer to Figure 1 , a urine test device 200 according to an embodiment of the present invention analyzes the urine of a subject by detecting the color of a test strip 135 of a curved test strip 130 after reacting with the urine of the subject collected in a cup-shaped urine test kit 100.

[0030] In an embodiment of the present invention, the urine test kit 100 may include a container 110 and a curved test strip 130 attached along the periphery of the inner or outer surface of the container 110.

[0031] Specifically, as Figure 1 shown, the urine test kit 100 may include a container 110 for collecting urine and a curved test strip 130. The curved test strip 130 is attached along the periphery of the inner or outer surface of the container 110 and includes a test strip 135 for testing the urine collected in the container 110.

[0032] For example, the curved test strip 130 may be attached along the periphery of the inner or outer surface of the container 110 with an appropriate curvature according to the size of the container 110 and the length of the curved test strip 130.

[0033] The curved test strip 130 may separately accommodate the test strips 135 that react with urine in partitioned spaces and form flow paths for allowing urine to flow into the partitioned space side of the test strips 135 respectively.

[0034] At this time, a plurality of test strips 135 may be formed corresponding to a plurality of test items. For example, the number of test strips 135 may be 11, 7, or 4 as shown in Table 1.

[0035]

Table 1

[0036] Serial number Inspection item (display) Initial color 11-item test kit 7-item test kit 4-item test kit 1 Occult blood (OBD) Color a o o o 2 Bilirubin (BIL) Color b o - - 3 Urobilinogen (URO) Color c o o - 4 Ketone bodies (KET) Color d o o - 5 Protein (PRO) Color e o - o 6 Nitrite (NIT) Color f o o - 7 Glucose (GLU) Color g o o o 8 pH Color h o o - 9 Specific gravity (SG) Color i o - - 10 Leukocytes (LEU) Color j o o o 11 Vitamin C Color k o - -

[0037] Referring to Table 1, the inspection items include occult blood (OBD), bilirubin (BIL), urobilinogen (URO), ketones (KET), protein (PRO), nitrite (NIT), glucose (GLU), pH, specific gravity (SG), leukocytes (LEU), vitamin C, etc. Urine analysis can be performed using a urine test kit 100 with 11, 7, or 4 test strips 135 according to the inspection purpose.

[0038] The flow path is divided into a lower flow path communicating with the lower side of the test strip 135 and an upper flow path communicating with the upper side. When pressing an air pump (not shown) attached to the upper flow path, the urine collected in the container 110 will flow in along the lower flow path, thereby wetting the test strip 135.

[0039] The container 110 can be in the shape of a transparent plastic cylinder or cup to facilitate the collection of the urine of the person to be examined and enable the visually observed collected urine.

[0040] In one embodiment, a protrusion or a groove can be formed at the lower part of the container 110. When the container 110 is assembled to the assembly part of the urine analysis device 200 described below, the protrusion or the groove is used to guide the accurate assembly of the container 110. On the other hand, a groove or a protrusion corresponding to the protrusion or the groove of the container 110 can be formed at the assembly part of the urine analysis device 200.

[0041] On the other hand, a label or a code for identifying the type of the urine test kit 100 and recording the information of the person to be examined can be attached to one side of the container 110.

[0042] For example, an NFC reader (not shown) can be attached to one side of the container 110. The NFC reader is used to read the recorded data of the NFC tag attached to the urine test kit 100. The NFC tag can record the information of the person to be examined, the type information of the urine test kit 100 indicating whether the inspection items are 11 items, 7 items, or 4 items, etc. In the embodiment of the present invention, the NFC tag is taken as an example for illustration, but RFID, barcodes, QR codes, etc. can also be used.

[0043] The urine analysis device 200 based on one embodiment of the present invention can be a device for analyzing urine using a urine test kit 100 equipped with a curved test strip 130.

[0044] The urine analysis device 200 of this embodiment can be configured to be capable of assembling the urine test kit 100. When the urine test kit 100 is assembled, it can emit light to the test strip 135 of the curved test strip 130 and receive the light reflected from the test strip 135, so as to analyze urine according to the color information of the reflected light. The urine analysis device 200 can include a display, and the analyzed urine test results can be displayed through the display.

[0045] Based on the urine analysis device 200 of this embodiment, even when using the urine test kit 100 equipped with the curved test strip 130, urine tests can be accurately performed.

[0046] In addition, the urine analysis device 200 according to an embodiment of the present invention can adjust each inspection time, and accurate inspection results can be obtained through individual scans for each inspection item.

[0047] For example, glucose and bilirubin are 30 seconds, ketone bodies are 40 seconds, specific gravity is 45 seconds, pH, protein, urobilinogen, blood, and nitrite are 60 seconds, and white blood cells are 2 minutes. At this time, pH and protein can be read immediately or after more than 2 minutes, and the results of white blood cells can be determined in the delayed reaction results of about 1 - 2 minutes.

[0048] Next, refer to Figures 2 to 6b , and a specific description will be given of the urine analysis device 200 according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0049] Figure 2 It is a configuration diagram of the urine analysis device according to an embodiment of the present invention, Figure 3 It is a diagram showing that the urine test kit 100 is assembled in the urine analysis device 200 according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0050] Refer to Figure 2 , the urine analysis device 200 of this embodiment can include an assembly part 210, a sensor part 220, 230, an analysis part 240, a measurement part 250, and a calibration part 260. However, Figure 2 The urine analysis device 200 shown in Figure 2 is only one configuration example of the present invention, and various deformations can be made based on the Figure 2 shown constituent elements. Here, the measurement part 250 and the calibration part 260 can be composed of an MCU with a built-in memory and surrounding devices, and firmware and a standard colorimetric table with reference color values according to inspection items can be stored in the built-in memory.

[0051] As Figure 3As shown, the interior of the assembly unit 210 can assemble the urine test kit 100. That is, a predetermined space capable of assembling the urine test kit 100 can be formed inside the assembly unit 210.

[0052] At this time, the assembly unit 210 can be formed at a height capable of surrounding the test strip 135 portion of the urine test kit 100. For example, the assembly unit 210 can have a substantially cylindrical storage space capable of accommodating the entire urine test kit 100. For example, the storage space can be a cylindrical shape concentric with the urine test kit 100 to facilitate the arrangement of the sensor unit and the curved test strip 130.

[0053] After the urine test kit 100 is stored in the storage space, the storage space can be closed by an upper cover (refer to Figure 3 ) to prevent external light from entering the interior of the storage space.

[0054] In addition, although not shown in the figure, a groove or protrusion corresponding to the protrusion or groove of the container 110 can be formed in the assembly unit 210 so that the urine test kit 100 can be accurately assembled to the assembly position of the assembly unit 210 that can be accurately sensed by the sensor unit described later.

[0055] At this time, the sensor unit and the curved test strip 130 can be arranged as follows: Assuming that the sensor unit and the curved test strip 130 each extend with the same curvature, concentric circles with different radii are formed. Thus, the positions of the respective test strips 135 of the curved test strip 130 and the respective sensor units can be arranged in a relative manner to each other.

[0056] A plurality of sensor units can be provided on the inner side surface of the assembly unit 210, and one sensor unit can include a pair of light emitting units 220 and light receiving units 230.

[0057] For example, the sensor unit can be arranged on at least a part of the inner wall of the assembly unit 210 so as to face the center of the storage space of the assembly unit 210. Thus, when the urine test kit 100 is assembled to the assembly unit 210, the sensor unit is configured to scan the test strip 135 opposite to the curved test strip 130.

[0058] In one embodiment, the sensor unit can be formed on a flexible substrate (flexible PCB; FPCB) so as to be easily arranged on the inner wall of the assembly unit 210. That is, the FPCB is arranged on at least a part of the inner wall of the cylindrical storage space of the assembly unit 210, and the sensor unit can be formed on the FPCB arranged on the inner wall of the cylindrical storage space.

[0059] The light-emitting unit 220 can irradiate light onto the test strip 135 of the test strip 130 included in the urine test kit 100. For example, it can be composed of a white light LED light-emitting sensor. For example, the light-emitting unit 220 can be composed of a high-brightness white (White) light-emitting diode driven in a constant current manner and a MOS FET that can change the current applied to the light-emitting diode according to the PWM control signal of the MCU.

[0060] In one embodiment, the light-emitting diode can be a high-brightness white LED of 5600K.

[0061] As described above, the sensor unit and the curved test strip 130 are arranged in a relative manner. Therefore, multiple light-emitting units 220 irradiate light at positions corresponding to the test strip 135 included in the curved test strip 130, so that sufficient light illumination can be irradiated onto the test strip 135.

[0062] In addition, the light-receiving unit 230 can receive the light reflected from the test strip 135. For example, the light-receiving unit 230 can be composed of a light-receiving sensor with a 16-bit resolution.

[0063] The light-receiving unit 230 is an image sensor for detecting the color of the corresponding test strip 135 through the light reflected by the test strip 135 of the curved test strip 130. For example, it can be an RGB color sensor with an I2C interface and capable of detecting red, green, and blue, or an RGBW color sensor (such as VEML6040) capable of detecting red, green, blue, and white light.

[0064] Here, VEML 6040 can be an element with a length × width × height of 2.0 × 1.25 × 1.0 mm and a 16-bit resolution for each channel (R, G, B, W).

[0065] In addition, the light-receiving unit 230 and the MCU can be connected through an I2C bus so that the MCU as the master device can read the RGBW data detected by the light-receiving unit 230 as the slave device.

[0066] The light-emitting unit 220 and the light-receiving unit 230 can be appropriately configured or separated to prevent light from directly incident on the light-receiving unit 230. Therefore, each light-receiving unit 230 can be configured to receive only the reflected light of the light emitted by the corresponding paired light-emitting unit 220.

[0067] On the other hand, the urine analysis device 200 of the present embodiment may further include a substrate portion 201 that supports the sensor portions 220 and 230. That is, the substrate portion 201 may be provided on the inner side surface of the assembly portion 210, and the plurality of sensor portions 220 and 230 may be arranged at a preset interval on the substrate portion 201.

[0068] In the present embodiment, the substrate portion 201 may be formed of an FPCB so that it can be arranged on the inner wall of the assembly portion 210 with the same or similar curvature as the test strip 130 that is bent along the periphery of the container 110. The substrate portion 201 may be configured to be able to read various forms of samples, and in order to maintain the flexibility of the material, it may be formed to be flexible and thin.

[0069] The analysis unit 240 according to an embodiment of the present invention may identify the kit type (11 items, 7 items, 4 items) based on the number of test items of the urine test kit 100 after the urine test kit 100 is assembled inside the assembly portion 210.

[0070] The calibration unit 260 may select valid sensor portions from the plurality of sensor portions 220 and 230 according to the data received from the plurality of sensor portions 220 and 230.

[0071] In one embodiment, the data related to the optical signal received from the plurality of sensor portions (for example, the light receiving portion 230) may be transmitted to the calibration unit 260. The calibration unit 260 may select the sensor portions 220 and 230 located at the position where the test paper 135 of the current urine test kit 100 can be best identified from the plurality of sensor portions 220 and 230 arranged in a compact manner as the valid sensor portions.

[0072] Table 2 below shows the matching data including the valid sensor portions in the case of the urine test kit 100 (11 items) with 11 test papers 135 on the test strip 130. The valid sensor portions include color sensors for different test papers.

[0073]

Table 2

[0074] Serial number Inspection item Test strip Effective sensor part 1 UT1 TP1 1st light-emitting part, 1st light-receiving part 2 UT2 TP2 2nd light-emitting part, 2nd light-receiving part 3 UT3 TP3 3rd light-emitting part, 3rd light-receiving part 4 UT4 TP4 4th light-emitting part, 4th light-receiving part 5 UT5 TP5 5th light-emitting part, 5th light-receiving part 6 UT6 TP6 6th light-emitting part, 6th light-receiving part 7 UT7 TP7 7th light-emitting part, 7th light-receiving part 8 UT8 TP8 8th light-emitting part, 8th light-receiving part 9 UT9 TP9 9th light-emitting part, 9th light-receiving part 10 UT10 TP10 10th light-emitting part, 10th light-receiving part 11 UT11 TP11 11th light-emitting part, 11th light-receiving part

[0075] In the present embodiment, the analysis unit 240 analyzes the urine according to the data received from the valid sensor portions. Specifically, the urine may be analyzed according to the color information received from the sensor portions 220 and 230, and as described above, the inspection time may be set according to the inspection items.

[0076] When the urine test kit 100 is assembled into the assembly unit 210, the analysis unit 240 sequentially detects the color of the test strip sensed by the effective sensor unit based on the effective sensor unit data, compares it with the reference color of the corresponding test item in the standard color comparison table, thereby determining the level of the corresponding test item, and then derives the information of the person being examined and the test result of analyzing the test item.

[0077] The case where the number of test strips 135 of the test strip 130 is less than 11 will be described below.

[0078] Figure 4 FIG. is an exploded view of a substrate unit 201 of a urine analysis device 200 according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0079] In the urine analysis device 200 according to an embodiment of the present invention, it can be configured such that the number of the plurality of sensor units 220 and 230 is larger than the number of test strips 135 of the test strip 130 of the urine test kit 100.

[0080] Specifically, as Figure 4 shown, the sensor units 220 and 230 can be arranged at a preset interval along one direction of the substrate unit 201, for example, along the circumferential direction of the assembly unit 210 or the container 110. For example, the number of test strips 135 of the test strip 130 used in the urine analysis device 200 of the present embodiment can be 11, 7, or 4, and the number of the sensor units 220 and 230 can be 22 (11 light emitting units and 11 light receiving units).

[0081] In addition, as Figure 4 shown, the plurality of sensor units 220 and 230 can be compactly arranged such that the interval G between them is smaller than the width W of each of the sensor units 220 and 230 in one direction. Moreover, the density of the sensor units 220 and 230 arranged in the space can be configured to be higher than the density of the test strip 135.

[0082] In this way, since the plurality of sensor units 220 and 230 having a larger number than the test strip 135 are compactly arranged, it is possible to analyze various urine test kits 100 having different positions or numbers of test strips 135. Therefore, there is no need to separately configure different devices for analyzing various urine test kits 100 having different types or numbers of test items, different sizes of the container 110, etc., and the analysis can be effectively performed by the urine analysis device 200 based on the present embodiment.

[0083] Figure 5 FIG. is a view showing the substrate unit 201 shown in Figure 4 configured to surround the urine test kit 100.

[0084] In an embodiment of the present invention, the substrate portion 201 can be formed to be deformable. In the substrate portion 201 made of a flexible material, a cut or the like can be formed between the sensor portions 220 and 230 to allow for telescopic deformation in one direction. As the substrate portion 201 undergoes telescopic deformation, the intervals between the plurality of sensor portions 220 and 230 can change.

[0085] To achieve the telescopic movement of the substrate portion 201, the urine analysis device 200 of this embodiment can further include a connecting portion 202. As Figure 5 shown, both ends of the connecting portion 202 can be respectively fixed to the assembly portion 210 and the substrate portion 201, and its length can be elastically deformed by a user's operation or the application of force, so as to be able to pull or push the substrate portion 201 in one direction.

[0086] For example, in the case of pulling the substrate portion 201, the substrate portion 201 can elongate within an allowable range, causing the intervals between the plurality of sensor portions 220 and 230 to widen; when the pulling force is released or a pushing force is applied to the substrate portion 201, the intervals between the plurality of sensor portions 220 and 230 can be narrowed. In addition, by pulling or pushing the substrate portion 201, the substrate portion 201 can be made to closely adhere to the container 110 so that the distance between the sensor portions 220 and 230 and the test strip 135 is suitable for analysis.

[0087] In the urine analysis device 200 based on this embodiment, since the plurality of sensor portions 220 and 230 are arranged in a high density and the intervals between the sensor portions 220 and 230 can be changed, various types of urine test kits 100 with different sizes or radii of curvature of the container 110 and different numbers or positions of the test strips 135 can be analyzed. Moreover, even if there is a deviation in the position where the urine test kit 100 is placed on the assembly portion 210, analysis can still be performed.

[0088] Figure 6a and Figure 6b are diagrams for explaining a method of obtaining the respective color information of a plurality of test strips 135 by irradiating light in the urine analysis device 200 based on an embodiment of the present invention.

[0089] Figure 6a and Figure 6b In the sensor portions shown, the light emitting portion 220 and the light receiving portion 230 are integrally formed, but this is not limited thereto, and the light emitting sensor and the light receiving sensor can also be separately and independently formed.

[0090] As shown in the figure, some of the plurality of sensor portions 220 and 230 arranged more compactly than the intervals of the test strips 135 can be arranged corresponding to at least one test strip 135 included in the curved test strip 130.

[0091] As shown Figure 6a in Figure 6a , the light-emitting unit 220 can irradiate light toward the corresponding test strip 130. In addition, as Figure 6b shown in Figure 6b , the light-receiving unit 230 can receive the light reflected from the corresponding test paper 135.

[0092] In this embodiment, even if all the light-emitting units 220 irradiate light toward the test strip 130, since the light-receiving unit at the position corresponding to the test paper 135 receives the light effective for analysis, the sensor unit having the light-receiving unit at the position corresponding to the test paper 135 can be an effective sensor unit. Figure 6a And 6b 6b shows the light emission and light reception of the effective sensor unit, but before the effective sensor unit is selected, all the light-emitting units 220 and the light-receiving units 230 can work simultaneously.

[0093] Table 3 below shows the matching data including the effective sensor unit in the case of the urine test kit 100 (7-item kit) with 7 test papers 135 of the test strip 130. The effective sensor unit includes color sensors for different test papers.

[0094]

Table 3

[0095] Sensor part Present / absent Color value Inspection pad Inspection item 1st light-emitting part, 1st light-receiving part Present a TP1 UT1 2nd light-emitting part, 2nd light-receiving part Absent - - - 3rd light-emitting part, 3rd light-receiving part Present b TP2 UT2 4th light-emitting part, 4th light-receiving part Absent - - - 5th light-emitting part, 5th light-receiving part Present c TP3 UT3 6th light-emitting part, 6th light-receiving part Present d TP4 UT4 7th light-emitting part, 7th light-receiving part Present e TP5 UT5 8th light-emitting part, 8th light-receiving part Absent - - - 9th light-emitting part, 9th light-receiving part Present f TP6 UT6 10th light-emitting part, 10th light-receiving part Absent - - - 11th light-emitting part, 11th light-receiving part Present g TP7 UT7

[0096] Table 4 below shows the matching data including the effective sensor unit in the case of the urine test kit 100 (4-item kit) with 4 test papers 135 of the test strip 130. The effective sensor unit includes color sensors for different test papers.

[0097]

Table 4

[0098] Sensor part Present / absent Color value Inspection pad Inspection item 1st light-emitting part, 1st light-receiving part Absent - - - 2nd light-emitting part, 2nd light-receiving part Present a TP1 UT1 3rd light-emitting part, 3rd light-receiving part Absent - - - 4th light-emitting part, 4th light-receiving part Absent - - - 5th light-emitting part, 5th light-receiving part Present b TP2 UT2 6th light-emitting part, 6th light-receiving part Absent - - - 7th light-emitting part, 7th light-receiving part Absent - - - 8th light-emitting part, 8th light-receiving part Present c TP3 UT3 9th light-emitting part, 9th light-receiving part Absent - - - 10th light-emitting part, 10th light-receiving part Absent - - - 11th light-emitting part, 11th light-receiving part Present d TP4 UT4

[0099] As described above, according to the embodiment of the present invention, even if the types of the urine test kits 100 are different (11-item kit, 7-item kit, or 4-item kit), there is no need to perform an additional matching process between the color sensor and the test paper. Just by assembling the urine test kit 100 into the urine analysis device 200, urine analysis can be performed.

[0100] Therefore, according to the urine analysis device 200 of the present invention, the number and size of the test papers 135 of the urine test kit 100 can be designed freely to a certain extent, and it has excellent compatibility.

[0101] On the other hand, in the urine analysis device 200 according to an embodiment of the present invention, the color value of the sample to be analyzed may be affected and changed according to the changes in the temperature or humidity around the sensor units 220 and 230. The urine analysis device 200 according to an embodiment of the present invention can measure the temperature or humidity through the measurement unit 250, keep the value within a certain range, or correct it by reflecting the degree of change, thereby improving the accuracy of the analysis.

[0102] Specifically, the measurement unit 250 can measure the temperature of the assembly unit 210, the sensor units 220 and 230, or the substrate unit 201 and its surroundings through a temperature sensor (not shown). And according to the temperature measured by the measurement unit 250, the correction unit 260 can correct the duty ratio of the light irradiated from the sensor units 220 and 230.

[0103] That is, in the case where the light emitting unit 220 continuously emits light and the temperature of the light emitting unit 220 rises, the correction unit 260 can increase the duty ratio of the operation of the light emitting unit 220 through PWM control. For example, every time the temperature rises by 2 degrees, the duty ratio is increased by 2%, so that the output of the light emitting unit 220 can be increased at high temperatures, and the deviation of the light data caused by the temperature change can be corrected.

[0104] The measurement unit 250 can detect the entry of external light into the storage space in the state where the urine test kit 100 is assembled through an illuminance sensor (not shown) provided in the storage space of the assembly unit 210. In the case where external light enters the storage space, an alarm can be issued through a speaker (not shown), a display, etc.

[0105] In addition, the measurement unit 250 can measure the humidity of the assembly unit 210, the sensor units 220 and 230, or the substrate unit 201 and its surroundings. The correction unit 260 can compare the humidity measured by the measurement unit 250 with a preset value or range. When the humidity is not within the preferred value or range, the urine analysis device 200 can issue an alarm, and the user can take measures such as ventilation to make the humidity within the preferred range.

[0106] In addition, the calibration unit 260 of the urine analysis device 200 according to the present embodiment can calculate the distance between the sensor units 220 and 230 and the test strip 135. In the urine analysis device 200 of the present embodiment, there may be a situation where the container 110 is incorrectly placed in the assembly unit 210 due to the user's operation. In this regard, the calibration unit 260 can calculate the distance between the sensor units 220 and 230 and the test strip 135 based on the data received from the sensor units 220 and 230. The calibration unit 260 can compare the calculated distance with a preset value or range, and when it is not within the preferred value or range, the urine analysis device 200 of the present embodiment can issue an alarm to guide the user to take measures. For example, the user can be guided to re-place the urine test kit 100 into the assembly unit 210.

[0107] On the other hand, the urine analysis device 200 according to an embodiment of the present invention may further include an output unit. For example, a display can be provided to display the analysis results of the urine being examined. In addition, the output unit can convey the aforementioned alarm to the user in the form of visual or auditory information. Additionally, the output unit can transmit the urine analysis results, etc. to a terminal device, etc. via communication means.

[0108] Figure 7 It is a flowchart of a urine analysis method using the urine test kit 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 7 The urine analysis method shown in Figures 1 to 6b includes the steps processed in chronological order by the urine analysis device 200 according to an embodiment of the present invention shown in Figures 1 to 6b Therefore, even if the relevant content is omitted below, it equally applies to the urine analysis method using the urine analysis device 200 according to the embodiment shown in

[0109] In step S710, a urine test kit can be prepared. The urine test kit 100 containing the patient's urine can be placed in the assembly unit 210 of the urine analysis device 200.

[0110] In step S720, multiple sensor units can irradiate light onto the test strip of the test strip set in the urine test kit and receive the light reflected from the test strip. The multiple sensor units 220 and 230 can irradiate and receive light simultaneously, or irradiate and receive light sequentially.

[0111] In step S730, an effective sensor unit is selected from the multiple sensor units. Based on the data received from the multiple sensor units 220 and 230, the sensor unit that receives effective data suitable for analyzing urine can be selected as the effective sensor unit.

[0112] In step S740, urine is analyzed based on the data received from the effective sensor unit. The components of urine can be analyzed using the color information of the received data.

[0113] In step S750, the result of the urine analysis can be output. The analysis result can be conveyed to the user through an output unit such as a display.

[0114] On the other hand, in one embodiment based on the present invention, in order to select the effective sensor unit, the urine test kit 100 can include a reference test kit. The reference test kit can be a urine test kit with test strips of a specific number and position and without urine collection.

[0115] In the step of selecting the effective sensor unit in step S730, the data of the test paper 135 of the test strip 130 provided in the reference test kit received from the plurality of sensor units 220 and 230 can be used as a judgment criterion for selecting the effective sensor unit. When using the reference test kit, the color information between the respective sensor units can be compared, or the color information based on the position of the substrate unit and the test paper can be compared to judge and select the effective sensor unit.

[0116] As described above, the urine analysis device according to one embodiment of the present invention has a larger number of sensor units than the number of test strips of the urine test kit. Therefore, the sensor units with specific serial numbers in one direction (for example, the sensor units with odd serial numbers, refer to Figure 6a and 6b ) can be selected as the effective sensor units. Or, the sensor units up to a specific serial number (for example, the sensor units up to the 11th) can be the effective sensor units.

[0117] In addition, the urine analysis method of this embodiment can further include step S715 of correcting the duty ratio of the light output irradiated from the sensor unit according to the temperature of the sensor unit or its surroundings. At this time, the temperature can be the value measured by the measurement unit 250 described above.

[0118] In addition, the urine analysis method of this embodiment can further include step S715 of comparing the humidity of the sensor unit or its surroundings with a preset value or range, and generating an alarm signal when the preset preferred value or range is not satisfied. The humidity is measured by the measurement unit 250 described above, and the user can be guided to respond through the alarm output by the output unit.

[0119] In addition, the urine analysis method of the present embodiment may further include step S725 of calculating the distance between the sensor unit and the test strip based on the data received from the sensor unit. The calculated distance is compared with a preset value or range, and an alarm signal is generated according to preset conditions, so as to guide the user to make a response. The user is guided to re-operate to prevent receiving light or color information unsuitable for urine analysis.

[0120] In the above description, steps S710 to S750 may be further divided into other steps based on the structural examples of the present invention, or combined with fewer steps. In addition, some steps may be omitted as needed, and the order between steps may also be swapped.

[0121] Through Figure 7 The described urine analysis method can be implemented in the form of a recording medium, which includes a computer program executed by a computer or commands executable by a computer. In addition, through Figure 7 The described urine analysis method can be implemented in the form of a computer program stored in a medium accessible by a computer.

[0122] A computer-readable medium can be any available medium accessible by a computer, including volatile and non-volatile media, separable and inseparable media. In addition, a computer-readable medium may include a computer storage medium. A computer storage medium includes volatile and non-volatile, separable and inseparable media for storing information such as computer-readable commands, data structures, program modules, or other data implemented by any method or technology.

[0123] The above description of the present invention is exemplary. Those skilled in the art can understand that without changing the technical idea or basic features of the present invention, the present invention can be easily deformed into other specific forms. Therefore, the above embodiments should be understood as exemplary in all aspects, rather than restrictive. For example, each component described as a single form can be implemented dispersedly, and similarly, components described as dispersed can also be implemented in a combined form.

[0124] The scope of the present invention is shown by the claims described below, rather than limited to the above detailed description, and all changes or deformation forms derived from the meaning and scope of the claims and their equivalent concepts should be construed as being included within the scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A urine analysis device, comprising: An assembly part, internally assembling a test kit for inspection, the test kit for inspection includes a container and a curved test strip, the container collects urine, and the curved test strip is attached along the periphery of the inner or outer side surface of the container, and includes a plurality of test strips for inspecting the urine collected in the container; A plurality of sensor parts, including a light emitting part and a light receiving part that form a pair, the light emitting part is used to irradiate light on the plurality of test strips of the test kit for inspection assembled in the assembly part respectively, and the light receiving part is used to detect the colors of the plurality of test strips respectively through the light reflected from the plurality of test strips; And An analysis part, which analyzes urine according to the color information of the test strips detected by the light receiving part.

2. The urine analysis device according to claim 1, wherein Each of the sensor parts performs a separate scan on the inspection item of the corresponding test strip.

3. The urine analysis device according to claim 1, wherein It further includes a calibration part, the calibration part measures the temperature of the assembly part or the plurality of sensor parts through a temperature sensor, and corrects the duty ratio of the light irradiated by the light emitting part according to the measured temperature.

4. The urine analysis device according to claim 1, wherein A protrusion or a groove is formed at the lower part of the container, and when assembled in the assembly part, the protrusion or the groove is used to guide the assembly position of the container, A groove or a protrusion corresponding to the protrusion or the groove of the container is formed in the assembly part.

5. The urine analysis device according to claim 1, wherein The number of the plurality of sensor parts is different from the number of the plurality of test strips.

6. The urine analysis device according to claim 1, wherein The number of the plurality of sensor parts is the same as the number of the plurality of test strips.

7. The urine analysis device according to claim 1, wherein The assembly part is formed with a height capable of surrounding the plurality of test strips.

8. The urine analysis device according to claim 1, wherein The assembly part is formed with a height capable of accommodating the entire urine test kit.

9. The urine analysis device according to claim 8, wherein After the urine test kit is assembled into the assembly part, the storage space of the assembly part is closed by an upper cover.

10. The urine analysis device according to claim 1, wherein The storage space of the assembly part is a cylindrical shape concentric with the urine test kit.

11. The urine analysis device according to claim 10, wherein The plurality of sensor parts are formed on a flexible substrate disposed on at least a part of the inner wall of the cylindrical storage space.

12. The urine analysis device according to claim 1, wherein The plurality of sensor parts are formed on a flexible substrate, and the flexible substrate is disposed on the inner wall of the assembly part with the same curvature as the curved test strip disposed along the periphery of the container.

13. The urine analysis device according to claim 1, wherein The plurality of sensor parts are arranged opposite to each of the test strips of the curved test strip.

14. The urine analysis device according to claim 1, wherein, the plurality of sensor units are arranged on at least a part of the inner wall of the assembly unit so as to face the center of the accommodation space of the assembly unit.

15. A urine analysis device, comprising: an assembly unit, internally assembling a test kit for inspection, the test kit for inspection including a container and a curved test strip, the container collecting urine, the curved test strip being attached along the periphery of the inner or outer side surface of the container and including a plurality of test strips for inspecting the urine collected in the container; a substrate unit made of a flexible material, provided on the inner side surface of the assembly unit; a sensor unit, including a light emitting unit and a light receiving unit, the light emitting unit being arranged on the substrate unit for irradiating light on the plurality of test strips, and the light receiving unit being used for detecting the colors of the plurality of test strips by the light reflected from the plurality of test strips; and an analysis unit, analyzing urine according to the color information of the test strips detected by the light receiving unit.

16. The urine analysis device according to claim 15, wherein, the substrate unit made of a flexible material is arranged on the inner wall of the assembly unit with the same curvature as that of the curved test strip arranged along the periphery of the container.

17. The urine analysis device according to claim 15, wherein, the accommodation space of the assembly unit is a cylindrical shape concentric with the urine test kit.

18. The urine analysis device according to claim 17, wherein, the substrate unit made of a flexible material is arranged on at least a part of the inner wall of the cylindrical accommodation space.

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