A pipetting workstation control method and device, electronic equipment and pipetting workstation

Abstract

The application discloses a pipetting workstation control method and device, electronic equipment and a pipetting workstation, and relates to the field of automatic control. After the movement of a pipetting arm module to a mounting position of a target well plate is controlled, the position of the pipetting arm module along the X-axis direction and the Y-axis direction is adjusted according to the detection current value of a four-quadrant detector arranged on the pipetting arm module, so that a liquid taking suction head on the pipetting arm module is aligned with a target well on the target well plate. Then, the liquid arm module is controlled to drive the liquid taking suction head to move in the target well according to a target well position determination strategy, and the displacement of the liquid taking suction head from an initial position to the inner wall of each well of the target well is determined according to the detection value of a six-axis pressure sensor arranged at the mounting position. The center position of the target well is determined according to the displacement of the inner wall of each well and the initial position. Through the four-quadrant detector and the six-axis pressure sensor, the precise automatic positioning process of the suction head and the well center and depth is realized, and the positioning precision is improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of automatic control technology, and in particular to a pipetting workstation control method, apparatus, electronic device, and pipetting workstation. Background Technology

[0002] In medical and biological experiments, pipetting workstations are important automated devices that achieve high-precision liquid handling tasks through automation technology, significantly improving experimental efficiency and repeatability. Their core functions include precise pipetting, gradient dilution, and well plate filling. By employing micro-volume liquid handling and automated control technologies, human error can be effectively reduced, improving the accuracy and reliability of experimental data. However, current pipetting workstations require manual calibration using specific tooling or rely on a single vision or mechanical positioning device for calibration, resulting in significant positioning errors and failing to meet the demands of high-precision operations. Summary of the Invention

[0003] In view of the above problems, this application provides a pipetting workstation control method, device, electronic equipment, and pipetting workstation to improve positioning efficiency and accuracy. The specific solution is as follows:

[0004] The first aspect of this application provides a method for controlling a pipetting workstation, comprising:

[0005] Control the movement of the pipette arm module to the installation position of the target orifice plate;

[0006] Based on the detection current value of the four-quadrant detector set on the pipette arm module, the position of the pipette arm module along the X-axis and Y-axis is adjusted respectively, so that the central axis of the liquid-collecting tip on the pipette arm module passes through the target hole, the target hole being the hole on the target well plate corresponding to the liquid-collecting tip;

[0007] According to the target hole position determination strategy, the pipette arm module is controlled to drive the liquid collection tip to move in the target hole. Based on the detection value of the six-axis pressure sensor set at the installation position, the displacement of the liquid collection tip when it moves from the initial position along the X-axis and Y-axis directions and touches the inner wall of each hole of the target hole is determined. Based on the displacement of the inner wall of each hole and the initial position, the center position of the target hole is determined.

[0008] The liquid-collecting suction head is controlled to be positioned at the center of the target hole, and the bottom of the target hole is probed along the Z-axis direction. The position of the bottom of the hole is determined based on the detection value of the six-axis pressure sensor.

[0009] In one possible implementation, controlling the movement of the pipette arm module to the mounting position of the target orifice plate includes:

[0010] Based on the grating rulers in the X-axis direction and the Y-axis direction, the first grating pitch of the target perforated plate in the X-axis direction and the second grating pitch in the Y-axis direction are determined respectively;

[0011] Based on the encoding counting frequency, pulse counting, the first grating pitch, and the second grating pitch, the first displacement distance in the X-axis direction and the second displacement distance in the Y-axis direction are determined respectively, and the pipetting arm module is controlled to move according to the first displacement distance and the second displacement distance.

[0012] In one possible implementation, adjusting the position of the pipette arm module along the X-axis and Y-axis directions based on the detection current value of the four-quadrant detector mounted on the pipette arm module includes:

[0013] Based on the detection current values ​​in the four quadrants of the four-quadrant detector, the first current coefficient in the X-axis direction and the second current coefficient in the Y-axis direction are determined respectively.

[0014] When the first current coefficient is not 0, the first moving direction of the X-axis is determined according to the sign of the first current coefficient, and the position of the pipetting arm module is adjusted based on the first moving direction.

[0015] When the second current coefficient is not 0, the second moving direction of the Y-axis is determined according to the sign of the second current coefficient, and the position of the pipetting arm module is adjusted based on the second moving direction.

[0016] In one possible implementation, determining the first current coefficient in the X-axis direction and the second current coefficient in the Y-axis direction based on the detected current values ​​in the four quadrants of the four-quadrant detector includes: based on

[0017] = - - +

[0018] The first current coefficient is obtained; based on

[0019] = + - -

[0020] The second current coefficient is obtained. This represents the first current coefficient. This represents the second current coefficient. This indicates the detection current value in the first quadrant. This indicates the detection current value in the second quadrant. This indicates the detection current value in the third quadrant. This indicates the detection current value in the fourth quadrant.

[0021] In one possible implementation, the pipette arm module is controlled according to the target hole position determination strategy to move the suction tip within the target hole. Based on the detection values ​​of a six-axis pressure sensor located at the installation position, the displacement of the suction tip as it moves from its initial position along the X-axis and Y-axis directions, touching the inner walls of each hole in the target hole, is determined. The center position of the target hole is then determined based on the displacements of the inner walls and the initial position.

[0022] The pipette arm module is controlled to move along the first direction of the Z-axis, and when the six-axis pressure sensor detects the first change value, the pipette arm module is controlled to move along the second direction of the Z-axis by a preset displacement, so that the liquid-collecting tip is suspended in the target hole, thus obtaining the initial position;

[0023] The pipette arm module is controlled to move from the initial position along the positive X-axis. When the six-axis pressure sensor detects the second change value, a first displacement value from the initial position to the first sidewall is obtained.

[0024] The pipette arm module is controlled to move in the opposite direction along the X-axis from the initial position. When the six-axis pressure sensor detects the third change value, a second displacement value from the initial position to the second sidewall is obtained.

[0025] The pipette arm module is controlled to move from the initial position along the positive Y-axis. When the six-axis pressure sensor detects the fourth change value, the third displacement value from the initial position to the third sidewall is obtained.

[0026] The pipette arm module is controlled to move in the opposite direction along the Y-axis from the initial position. When the six-axis pressure sensor detects the fifth change value, the fourth displacement value from the initial position to the fourth sidewall is obtained.

[0027] Based on the first displacement value, the second displacement value, the third displacement value, the fourth displacement value, and the coordinates of the initial position, the center position of the target hole is obtained.

[0028] In one possible implementation, the pipetting workstation control method further includes:

[0029] Based on the height difference between the current orifice plate and the next orifice plate, as well as the height safety threshold, the rising height of the pipette tip on the pipette arm module from the current orifice plate to the next orifice plate is determined.

[0030] In one possible implementation, the pipetting workstation control method further includes:

[0031] The path of each pipetting process of the pipetting arm module is divided into multiple sub-paths according to the operation sequence;

[0032] The moving speed of the connecting segment of adjacent sub-paths is differentially processed, and the movement of each sub-path is accelerated or decelerated.

[0033] A second aspect of this application provides a pipetting workstation control device, comprising:

[0034] The initial movement control module is used to control the movement of the pipette arm module to the installation position of the target orifice plate;

[0035] The first fine-tuning control module is used to adjust the position of the pipette arm module along the X-axis and Y-axis directions respectively according to the detection current value of the four-quadrant detector set on the pipette arm module, so that the central axis of the liquid-collecting tip on the pipette arm module passes through the target hole, the target hole being the hole on the target well plate corresponding to the liquid-collecting tip; and

[0036] The second fine-tuning control module is used to control the pipette arm module to move the suction tip within the target hole according to the target hole position determination strategy. Based on the detection values ​​of the six-axis pressure sensor located at the installation position, it determines the displacement of the suction tip along the X-axis and Y-axis directions as it moves from its initial position to the inner walls of each hole in the target hole. Based on the displacement of each inner wall and the initial position, it determines the center position of the target hole.

[0037] The third fine-tuning control module is used to control the center position of the liquid sampling tip in the target hole, detect the bottom of the target hole along the Z-axis direction, and determine the bottom position of the hole based on the detection value of the six-axis pressure sensor.

[0038] A third aspect of this application provides an electronic device, comprising at least one processor and a memory connected to the processor, wherein:

[0039] The memory is used to store computer programs;

[0040] The processor is used to execute the computer program so that the electronic device can implement the pipetting workstation control method of the first aspect or any implementation thereof.

[0041] A fourth aspect of this application provides a pipetting workstation, including the electronic equipment described in the third aspect.

[0042] The fifth aspect of this application provides a computer program product including computer-readable instructions that, when executed on an electronic device, cause the electronic device to implement the pipetting workstation control method described in the first aspect or any implementation thereof.

[0043] The sixth aspect of this application provides a computer storage medium carrying one or more computer programs, which, when executed by an electronic device, enable the electronic device to implement the pipetting workstation control method described in the first aspect or any implementation thereof.

[0044] By employing the above technical solution, the pipetting workstation control method provided in this application, after controlling the pipetting arm module to move to the installation position of the target well plate, adjusts the position of the pipetting arm module along the X-axis and Y-axis directions according to the detection current value of the four-quadrant detector set on the pipetting arm module, so that the liquid-collecting tip on the pipetting arm module is aligned with the target hole on the target well plate. Then, according to the target hole position determination strategy, the pipetting arm module is controlled to drive the liquid-collecting tip to move within the target hole, and the displacement of each inner wall of the target hole touched by the liquid-collecting tip when moving from the initial position along the X-axis and Y-axis directions is determined according to the detection value of the six-axis pressure sensor set at the installation position. Based on the displacement of each inner wall of the hole and the initial position, the center position of the target hole is determined. Finally, the liquid-collecting tip is controlled to probe the bottom of the target hole along the Z-axis direction from the center position. Through the four-quadrant detector and the six-axis pressure sensor, an automatic positioning process from coarse positioning to precise positioning of the tip and the hole on the well plate is realized, improving the positioning accuracy and efficiency. Attached Figure Description

[0045] The above and other features, advantages, and aspects of the embodiments of this disclosure will become more apparent from the accompanying drawings and the following detailed description. Throughout the drawings, the same or similar reference numerals denote the same or similar elements. It should be understood that the drawings are schematic, and the originals and elements are not necessarily drawn to scale.

[0046] Figure 1 A flowchart of a pipetting workstation control method provided in this application;

[0047] Figure 2 A pipetting structure diagram of a pipetting workstation provided in this application;

[0048] Figure 3 A structural diagram of a positioning system provided in this application;

[0049] Figure 4 The horizontal control process diagram provided in this application;

[0050] Figure 5The signal diagram output by the grating ruler provided in this application;

[0051] Figure 6 Calibration diagram for the four-quadrant detector provided in this application;

[0052] Figure 7 A fine-tuning diagram in the X-axis direction provided in this application;

[0053] Figure 8 This is a fine-tuning diagram in the Y-axis direction provided in this application;

[0054] Figure 9 This is a preliminary borehole bottom exploration diagram along the Z-axis provided in this application;

[0055] Figure 10 This is another fine-tuning diagram in the X-axis direction provided in this application;

[0056] Figure 11 This is another fine-tuning diagram in the Y-axis direction provided in this application;

[0057] Figure 12 This is another hole bottom detection diagram along the Z-axis provided in this application;

[0058] Figure 13 This is a structural diagram of the pipetting workstation control device provided in this application;

[0059] Figure 14 A structural diagram of the electronic device provided in this application. Detailed Implementation

[0060] The embodiments of this application are described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. The terminology used in the implementation section of this application is for explaining specific embodiments only and is not intended to limit the scope of this application.

[0061] The embodiments of this application will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. Those skilled in the art will recognize that, with technological advancements and the emergence of new scenarios, the technical solutions provided in the embodiments of this application are equally applicable to similar technical problems.

[0062] The terms "first," "second," etc., used in the specification, claims, and accompanying drawings of this application are used to distinguish similar objects and are not necessarily used to describe a specific order or sequence. It should be understood that such terms are interchangeable where appropriate; this is merely a way of distinguishing objects with the same attributes in the embodiments of this application. Furthermore, the terms "comprising" and "having," and any variations thereof, are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusion, so that a process, method, system, product, or apparatus that comprises a series of elements is not necessarily limited to those elements, but may include other elements not explicitly listed or inherent to those processes, methods, products, or apparatuses.

[0063] Current automated pipetting workstations require manual identification of orifice positions using specific tooling and a vision system during positioning, which results in significant positioning errors, reaching ±1mm. Fine calibration requires manual intervention and lacks bottoming force feedback, leading to errors in limit orifice depth calibration.

[0064] To address the aforementioned problems, this application provides a pipetting workstation control method. The pipetting workstation control method of this application embodiment will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0065] Reference Figure 1 , Figure 1 This is a flowchart illustrating a pipetting workstation control method provided in an embodiment of this application, as shown below. Figure 1 As shown in the embodiment of this application, a pipetting workstation control method may include steps 101 to 104, which are described in detail below.

[0066] 101. Control the movement of the pipette arm module to the installation position of the target orifice plate.

[0067] Specifically, refer to Figure 2 The diagram shows the basic structure of the pipetting workstation. The automatic position detection system of the pipetting workstation mainly consists of a base plate 1, a pipetting arm module 3, a Y-axis grating ruler 4, a Y-axis motion mechanism 5, an X-axis grating ruler 6, an X-axis motion mechanism 7, and an orifice plate 2. The pipetting arm module 3 mainly consists of a Z-axis motion mechanism, a pipetting pump, and a pipette tip.

[0068] During positioning, the control pipetting arm module 3 must first be moved above the orifice plate 2. This can be achieved by controlling the X-axis motion structure and the Y-axis motion mechanism to move the pipetting arm module 3 to its theoretical mechanical position on the orifice plate 2. For details, please refer to... Figure 4 As shown, by moving the pipette arm module along the X-axis and Y-axis, the pipette arm module is moved to the theoretical mechanical position (i.e., the pre-set assembly position) of the orifice plate.

[0069] 102. Based on the detection current value of the four-quadrant detector set on the pipette arm module, adjust the position of the pipette arm module along the X-axis and Y-axis respectively, so that the central axis of the liquid-taking tip on the pipette arm module passes through the target hole, which is the hole on the target well plate corresponding to the liquid-taking tip.

[0070] Specifically, refer to Figure 3As shown, the four-quadrant detector 9 can be mounted on the pipette pump 10, and a pipette tip 8 is installed below the pipette pump 10. The orifice plate 2 is mounted on the orifice plate fixing block 11, and the six-axis force sensor 13 is positioned between the base 14 and the orifice plate fixing block 11. Due to the error between the actual assembly position of the orifice plate 2 and the aforementioned theoretical mechanical position, the position of the orifice plate 2 will be randomly distributed within a certain range centered on the theoretical mechanical position. This results in a positional deviation between the pipette tip and the holes on the orifice plate 2. See [reference needed] for details. Figure 6 As shown, the pipette tip 8 should be aligned with the center of each of the four quadrants; however, due to errors, the center position has shifted. The laser emitter 12 is primarily used for positioning with the pipette pump 10.

[0071] At this point, a four-quadrant detector is needed for secondary precise positioning within a small area. During positioning, the first current coefficient in the X-axis direction and the second current coefficient in the Y-axis direction can be determined based on the detection current values ​​in the four quadrants of the four-quadrant detector.

[0072] When the first current coefficient is not zero, the first moving direction of the X-axis is determined according to the sign of the first current coefficient, and the position of the pipetting arm module is adjusted based on the first moving direction.

[0073] When the second current coefficient is not zero, the second movement direction of the Y-axis is determined according to the sign of the second current coefficient, and the position of the pipetting arm module is adjusted based on the second movement direction.

[0074] For example, suppose the current values ​​in the four quadrants of a four-quadrant sensor are respectively , , , The current coefficient in the X-axis direction is The current coefficient in the Y-axis direction is Then, the offset in the X-axis direction can be obtained according to the formula.

[0075] = - - +

[0076] when When ≠0, the X-axis needs to be determined according to... Make minor adjustments to the corresponding direction of the sign (refer to...) Figure 7 As shown); similarly, the offset in the Y-axis direction can be obtained according to the formula (refer to...). Figure 8 (As shown)

[0077] = + - -

[0078] when When ≠0, the Y-axis needs to be determined according to... The symbol is finely adjusted in the corresponding direction (as shown in 8) until the center position of the orifice plate hole is reached. At this point, the suction head used for orifice plate position detection is within the range of the target hole in the orifice plate. Indicates the first current coefficient. Indicates the second current coefficient. This indicates the detection current value in the first quadrant. This indicates the detection current value in the second quadrant. This indicates the detection current value in the third quadrant. This indicates the detection current value in the fourth quadrant.

[0079] 103. According to the target hole position determination strategy, the pipette arm module is controlled to drive the liquid-taking tip to move in the target hole. Based on the detection value of the six-axis pressure sensor set at the installation position, the displacement of the liquid-taking tip when it moves from the initial position along the X-axis and Y-axis directions and touches the inner wall of each hole in the target hole is determined. The center position of the target hole is determined based on the displacement of the inner wall of each hole and the initial position.

[0080] Specifically, after determining that the pipette tip is within the target hole area, it is necessary to further determine a more precise position of the tip. This can be achieved by controlling the pipette arm module to move along the first direction of the Z-axis, and when the six-axis pressure sensor detects a first change value (indicating contact with the bottom of the hole), controlling the pipette arm module to move a preset displacement along the second direction of the Z-axis, suspending the pipette tip within the target hole to obtain the initial position. Then, the pipette arm module is controlled to move from the initial position along the positive direction of the X-axis, and when the six-axis pressure sensor detects a second change value (indicating contact with the hole wall on one side of the X-axis), the first displacement value from the initial position to the first sidewall is obtained.

[0081] Then, the pipette arm module is controlled to move in the opposite direction along the X-axis from the initial position. When the six-axis pressure sensor detects the third change value (indicating that it has touched the hole wall on the other side of the X-axis direction), the second displacement value from the initial position to the second side wall is obtained.

[0082] Similarly, the pipette arm module is then controlled to move from the initial position along the positive Y-axis. When the six-axis pressure sensor detects the fourth change value, the third displacement value from the initial position to the third sidewall is obtained. The pipette arm module is then controlled to move from the initial position along the negative Y-axis. When the six-axis pressure sensor detects the fifth change value, the fourth displacement value from the initial position to the fourth sidewall is obtained. Based on the first, second, third, and fourth displacement values ​​and the coordinates of the initial position, the center position of the target hole is obtained.

[0083] It is understood that those skilled in the art can adjust the order of movement of the X-axis and Y-axis as needed, and no restrictions are imposed here.

[0084] For example, the initial X-axis position is The Y-axis position is A six-axis force sensor is needed to initially detect the bottom position of the target hole on the initial perforation plate (refer to...). Figure 9 As shown in the diagram, slowly lower the pipette tip until the six-axis force sensor detects a change in force data. Mark this position as the bottom of the undetermined well. Raise the tip a certain distance and then slowly move it along the positive X-axis until a significant change in the force sensor reading is detected. Immediately stop the X-axis movement and record the current relative displacement along the X-axis. Similarly, detect the relative displacement in the opposite direction of the X-axis. This will give you the current position of the orifice plate detected along the X-axis (refer to...). Figure 11 (As shown)

[0085] = +

[0086] Similarly, the position of the current orifice plate detected in the Y-axis direction can be obtained (refer to...). Figure 10 (As shown)

[0087] = +

[0088] 104. Control the liquid sampling tip to be centered in the target hole, probe the bottom of the target hole along the Z-axis, and determine the bottom position of the hole based on the detection value of the six-axis pressure sensor.

[0089] Finally refer to Figure 12 As shown, the liquid sampling tip can be moved along the X and Y axes to the center of the detected orifice plate, and then the Z axis can be slowly lowered. When a significant change in the value of the six-axis force sensor is detected (a fixed pressure value is set), the Z axis movement is stopped, and the current value is marked as the position value of the bottom of the orifice plate.

[0090] As can be seen from the above, this pipetting workstation control method, by combining a six-axis force sensor and a four-quadrant detector with commonly used laser pre-positioning, realizes a closed-loop positioning process from coarse positioning to fine calibration and then to bottom detection. The entire process does not require manual intervention, can effectively avoid misjudgment by a single sensor, and has higher reliability than purely vision or mechanical solutions, with higher positioning accuracy and positioning efficiency.

[0091] In some embodiments, the specific implementation process of controlling the movement of the pipette arm module to the installation position of the target orifice plate may specifically include the following processing steps:

[0092] Step 11: Based on the grating rulers in the X-axis direction and the Y-axis direction, determine the first grating pitch of the target aperture plate in the X-axis direction and the second grating pitch in the Y-axis direction, respectively.

[0093] Step 12: Based on the encoding counting frequency, pulse counting, first grid pitch and second grid pitch, determine the first displacement distance in the X-axis direction and the second displacement distance in the Y-axis direction, and control the pipetting arm module to move according to the first displacement distance and the second displacement distance.

[0094] Specifically, refer to Figure 4 and Figure 5 As shown, a linear encoder is used to perform long-distance positioning in the X and Y directions. The output signal of the linear encoder is as follows: Figure 5 As shown, according to the 4x frequency multiplication coding counting design, the displacement distance in the X direction is... If the grating pitch is W and the pulse count is n, then:

[0095]

[0096] Similarly, the displacement distance in the X direction is ,but

[0097]

[0098] The above operation process moves the X and Y axes to the theoretical mechanical position of the target orifice plate to be detected. Due to the tolerances in actual mechanical assembly, the actual position of the orifice plate will be randomly distributed within a certain range centered on the theoretical mechanical position.

[0099] In other embodiments, existing liquid workstations generally use a fixed Z-axis lifting height to avoid collision risks caused by differences in consumable height. However, this approach has the following key problem: if the consumable height is much lower than the maximum safe height of the Z-axis, the Z-axis will perform redundant lifting actions every time during the liquid transfer process. In high-throughput experiments, a large number of redundant Z-axis movements will significantly reduce work efficiency.

[0100] By combining the local consumable calibration database, the coordinates, consumable types, and known calibration heights of consumables at multiple target plate positions in all pipetting processes can be obtained. The Z-axis height of each plate position is then extracted and sorted and grouped. A height clustering analysis process is then performed, grouping all consumables according to their similarity in height (e.g., 96-well PCR plates, 96-well deep-well plates, and 384-well cell culture plates are grouped into one category). After the clustering analysis, a pipetting process transition zone determination is performed: based on the height difference between the current well and the next well, and a height safety threshold, the rise height of the pipette tip on the pipetting arm module from the current well to the next well is determined.

[0101] By determining whether the height difference between the current plate position and the next plate position exceeds a system-set safety threshold, an intermediate safety height is set as a transition point if the height difference exceeds the threshold. If the height difference is less than the threshold, direct interpolation is allowed for a smooth transition. This reduces unnecessary ascending and descending movements, thereby improving pipetting efficiency while avoiding collisions.

[0102] In addition, to further improve pipetting efficiency, the pipetting workstation control method may also include the following processes:

[0103] Step 21: Divide the path of each pipetting process of the pipetting arm module into multiple sub-paths according to the operation sequence;

[0104] Step 22: Perform differential processing on the movement speed of the connecting segments of adjacent sub-paths, and perform acceleration and deceleration processing on the movement of each sub-path.

[0105] Specifically, the entire pipetting process is segmented, breaking down the completed pipetting path into multiple segments: leaving the current well position → rising to a safe / intermediate height → translating along the X and Y axes to the target well → descending along the Z axis to the target well height. The purpose of this path segmentation is primarily for interpolation and smooth acceleration control in the next step. The system performs interpolation calculations for each segment to ensure the overall smoothness of the pipetting motion. Acceleration and deceleration processing mainly targets the segmented path distance to generate an acceleration-constant speed-deceleration motor movement. This ensures maximum acceleration of the pipetting arm during long-distance rapid movement and maximum deceleration during short-distance or near-target point movement. This design effectively reduces impact and prevents droplet splashing.

[0106] It should be noted that those skilled in the art can choose an interpolation algorithm that matches the model of the pipetting workstation to implement the above-mentioned difference calculation process as needed, and no restrictions are imposed here.

[0107] The above describes a pipetting workstation control method provided by the embodiments of this application. The following will describe the apparatus for performing the above-described pipetting workstation control method.

[0108] Please see Figure 13 , Figure 13 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a pipetting workstation control device provided in an embodiment of this application. Figure 13 As shown, the control device for this pipetting workstation includes:

[0109] The initial movement control module 1301 is used to control the movement of the pipette arm module to the installation position of the target orifice plate.

[0110] The first fine-tuning control module 1302 is used to adjust the position of the pipette arm module along the X-axis and Y-axis directions respectively according to the detection current value of the four-quadrant detector set on the pipette arm module, so that the central axis of the liquid-collecting tip on the pipette arm module passes through the target hole, which is the hole on the target well plate corresponding to the liquid-collecting tip. And,

[0111] The second fine-tuning control module 1303 is used to control the pipette arm module to move the suction tip within the target hole according to the target hole position determination strategy. Based on the detection values ​​of the six-axis pressure sensor located at the installation position, it determines the displacement of the suction tip along the X-axis and Y-axis directions as it moves from the initial position to the inner walls of each hole in the target hole. Based on the displacement of each inner wall and the initial position, it determines the center position of the target hole.

[0112] The third fine-tuning control module 1304 is used to control the liquid sampling tip at the center of the target hole, detect the bottom of the target hole along the Z-axis, and determine the bottom position of the hole based on the detection value of the six-axis pressure sensor.

[0113] In one possible implementation, the process of the initial movement control module 1301 controlling the movement of the pipette arm module to the installation position of the target orifice plate includes:

[0114] Based on the grating rulers in the X-axis direction and the Y-axis direction, the first grating pitch of the target perforated plate in the X-axis direction and the second grating pitch in the Y-axis direction are determined respectively.

[0115] Based on the encoding counting frequency, pulse counting, first grid pitch and second grid pitch, the first displacement distance in the X-axis direction and the second displacement distance in the Y-axis direction are determined respectively, and the pipetting arm module is controlled to move according to the first displacement distance and the second displacement distance.

[0116] In one possible implementation, the first fine-tuning control module 1302 adjusts the position of the pipette arm module along the X-axis and Y-axis directions respectively based on the detection current value of the four-quadrant detector set on the pipette arm module, including:

[0117] Based on the detection current values ​​in the four quadrants of the four-quadrant detector, the first current coefficient in the X-axis direction and the second current coefficient in the Y-axis direction are determined respectively.

[0118] When the first current coefficient is not 0, the first moving direction of the X-axis is determined according to the sign of the first current coefficient, and the position of the pipetting arm module is adjusted based on the first moving direction.

[0119] When the second current coefficient is not zero, the second movement direction of the Y-axis is determined according to the sign of the second current coefficient, and the position of the pipetting arm module is adjusted based on the second movement direction.

[0120] In one possible implementation, the first fine-tuning control module 1302 determines the first current coefficient in the X-axis direction and the second current coefficient in the Y-axis direction based on the detected current values ​​in the four quadrants of the four-quadrant detector, including: based on

[0121] = - - +

[0122] The first current coefficient is obtained; based on

[0123] = + - -

[0124] The second current coefficient is obtained. Indicates the first current coefficient. Indicates the second current coefficient. This indicates the detection current value in the first quadrant. This indicates the detection current value in the second quadrant. This indicates the detection current value in the third quadrant. This indicates the detection current value in the fourth quadrant.

[0125] In one possible implementation, the second fine-tuning control module 1303 controls the pipette arm module to move the suction tip within the target hole according to the target hole position determination strategy. Based on the detection values ​​of the six-axis pressure sensor located at the installation position, it determines the displacement of the suction tip along the X-axis and Y-axis directions as it moves from its initial position to the inner walls of each hole in the target hole. The process of determining the center position of the target hole based on the displacement of each inner wall and the initial position includes:

[0126] The pipette arm module is controlled to move along the first direction of the Z-axis, and when the six-axis pressure sensor detects the first change value, the pipette arm module is controlled to move along the second direction of the Z-axis by a preset displacement, so that the liquid-collecting tip is suspended in the target hole to obtain the initial position;

[0127] The control pipette arm module moves from its initial position along the positive X-axis. When the six-axis pressure sensor detects the second change value, the first displacement value from the initial position to the first sidewall is obtained.

[0128] The control pipette module moves in the opposite direction along the X-axis from the initial position. When the six-axis pressure sensor detects the third change value, the second displacement value from the initial position to the second sidewall is obtained.

[0129] The control pipette module moves from its initial position along the positive Y-axis. When the six-axis pressure sensor detects the fourth change value, the third displacement value from the initial position to the third sidewall is obtained.

[0130] The control pipette module moves in the opposite direction along the Y-axis from the initial position. When the six-axis pressure sensor detects the fifth change value, the fourth displacement value from the initial position to the fourth sidewall is obtained.

[0131] Based on the first displacement value, the second displacement value, the third displacement value, the fourth displacement value, and the coordinates of the initial position, the center position of the target hole is obtained.

[0132] In one possible implementation, it also includes: a height control module for determining the rising height of the pipette tip on the pipette arm module as it moves from the current well plate to the next well plate based on the height difference between the current well plate and the next well plate and a height safety threshold.

[0133] In one possible implementation, it also includes: a path control module for splitting the path of each pipetting process of the pipetting arm module into multiple sub-paths according to the operation sequence;

[0134] The movement speed of the connecting segments of adjacent sub-paths is differentially processed, and acceleration and deceleration processing is applied to the movement of each sub-path.

[0135] This application also provides an electronic device in its embodiments. (See reference...) Figure 14 The diagram illustrates a structural schematic suitable for implementing the electronic device in the embodiments of this application. The electronic device in the embodiments of this application may include, but is not limited to, FPGA (Field Programmable Gate Array), CPU (Central Processing Unit), etc. Figure 14 The electronic device shown is merely an example and should not impose any limitation on the functionality and scope of use of the embodiments of this application.

[0136] like Figure 14As shown, the electronic device may include a processing unit (e.g., a central processing unit, a graphics processing unit, etc.) 1401, which can perform various appropriate actions and processes according to a program stored in a read-only memory (ROM) 1402 or a program loaded from a storage device 1408 into a random access memory (RAM) 1403. When the electronic device is powered on, the RAM 1403 also stores various programs and data required for the operation of the electronic device. The processing unit 1401, ROM 1402, and RAM 1403 are interconnected via a bus 1404. An input / output (I / O) interface 1405 is also connected to the bus 1404.

[0137] Typically, the following devices can be connected to I / O interface 1405: input devices 1406 including, for example, touchscreens, touchpads, keyboards, mice, cameras, microphones, accelerometers, gyroscopes, etc.; output devices 1407 including, for example, liquid crystal displays (LCDs), speakers, vibrators, etc.; storage devices 1408 including, for example, memory cards, hard drives, etc.; and communication devices 1409. Communication device 1409 allows electronic devices to communicate wirelessly or wiredly with other devices to exchange data. Although Figure 14 Electronic devices with various devices are shown, but it should be understood that it is not required to implement or have all of the devices shown. More or fewer devices may be implemented or have alternatively.

[0138] This application also provides a computer program product including computer-readable instructions, which, when executed on an electronic device, cause the electronic device to implement any of the pipetting workstation control methods provided in this application.

[0139] This application also provides a computer-readable storage medium that carries one or more computer programs. When the one or more computer programs are executed by an electronic device, the electronic device can implement any of the pipetting workstation control methods provided in this application.

[0140] This application also provides a pipetting workstation, including the electronic device described in the above embodiments.

[0141] It should also be noted that the device embodiments described above are merely illustrative. The units described as separate components may or may not be physically separate, and the components shown as units may or may not be physical units; that is, they may be located in one place or distributed across multiple network units. Some or all of the modules can be selected to achieve the purpose of this embodiment according to actual needs. In addition, in the device embodiment drawings provided in this application, the connection relationship between modules indicates that they have a communication connection, which can be implemented as one or more communication buses or signal lines.

[0142] Through the above description of the embodiments, those skilled in the art can clearly understand that this application can be implemented by means of software plus necessary general-purpose hardware, or it can be implemented by special-purpose hardware including application-specific integrated circuits, special-purpose CPUs, special-purpose memory, special-purpose components, etc. Generally, any function performed by a computer program can be easily implemented by corresponding hardware, and the specific hardware structure used to implement the same function can also be diverse, such as analog circuits, digital circuits, or special-purpose circuits. However, for this application, software program implementation is more often the preferred implementation method. Based on this understanding, the technical solution of this application, in essence, or the part that contributes to the prior art, can be embodied in the form of a software product. This computer software product is stored in a readable storage medium, such as a computer floppy disk, USB flash drive, mobile hard disk, ROM, RAM, magnetic disk, or optical disk, etc., and includes several instructions to cause a computer device (which may be a personal computer, training equipment, or network device, etc.) to execute the methods described in the various embodiments of this application.

[0143] In the above embodiments, the implementation can be achieved, in whole or in part, through software, hardware, firmware, or any combination thereof. When implemented in software, it can be implemented, in whole or in part, in the form of a computer program product.

[0144] The computer program product includes one or more computer instructions. When the computer program instructions are loaded and executed on a computer, all or part of the processes or functions described in the embodiments of this application are generated. The computer may be a general-purpose computer, a special-purpose computer, a computer network, or other programmable device. The computer instructions may be stored in a computer-readable storage medium or transmitted from one computer-readable storage medium to another. For example, the computer instructions may be transmitted from one website, computer, training device, or data center to another website, computer, training device, or data center via wired (e.g., coaxial cable, fiber optic, digital subscriber line (DSL)) or wireless (e.g., infrared, wireless, microwave, etc.) means. The computer-readable storage medium may be any available medium that a computer can store or a data storage device such as a training device or data center that integrates one or more available media. The available media may be magnetic media (e.g., floppy disks, hard disks, magnetic tapes), optical media (e.g., DVDs), or semiconductor media (e.g., solid-state drives (SSDs)).

Claims

1. A control method for a pipetting workstation, characterized in that, include: Control the movement of the pipette arm module to the installation position of the target orifice plate; Based on the detection current value of the four-quadrant detector installed on the pipette arm module, the positions of the pipette arm module along the X-axis and Y-axis are adjusted respectively, so that the central axis of the liquid-collecting tip on the pipette arm module passes through the target hole, the target hole being the hole on the target well plate corresponding to the liquid-collecting tip; the adjustment of the position of the pipette arm module along the X-axis and Y-axis based on the detection current value of the four-quadrant detector installed on the pipette arm module includes: Based on the detected current values ​​in the four quadrants of the four-quadrant detector, the first current coefficient in the X-axis direction and the second current coefficient in the Y-axis direction are determined respectively; including: based on = - - + The first current coefficient is obtained; based on = + - - The second current coefficient is obtained. This represents the first current coefficient. This represents the second current coefficient. This indicates the detection current value in the first quadrant. This indicates the detection current value in the second quadrant. This indicates the detection current value in the third quadrant. This indicates the detection current value in the fourth quadrant; The pipette arm module is controlled according to the target hole position determination strategy to move the suction tip within the target hole. Based on the detection values ​​of the six-axis pressure sensor located at the installation position, the displacement of the suction tip along the X-axis and Y-axis directions as it moves from its initial position to the inner walls of each hole in the target hole is determined. The center position of the target hole is then determined based on the displacement of each inner wall and the initial position. This includes: The pipette arm module is controlled to move along the first direction of the Z-axis, and when the six-axis pressure sensor detects the first change value, the pipette arm module is controlled to move along the second direction of the Z-axis by a preset displacement, so that the liquid-collecting tip is suspended in the target hole, thus obtaining the initial position; The pipette arm module is controlled to move from the initial position along the positive X-axis. When the six-axis pressure sensor detects the second change value, a first displacement value from the initial position to the first sidewall is obtained. The pipette arm module is controlled to move in the opposite direction along the X-axis from the initial position. When the six-axis pressure sensor detects the third change value, a second displacement value from the initial position to the second sidewall is obtained. The pipette arm module is controlled to move from the initial position along the positive Y-axis. When the six-axis pressure sensor detects the fourth change value, the third displacement value from the initial position to the third sidewall is obtained. The pipette arm module is controlled to move in the opposite direction along the Y-axis from the initial position. When the six-axis pressure sensor detects the fifth change value, the fourth displacement value from the initial position to the fourth sidewall is obtained. Based on the first displacement value, the second displacement value, the third displacement value, the fourth displacement value, and the coordinates of the initial position, the center position of the target hole is obtained; The liquid-collecting suction head is controlled to be positioned at the center of the target hole, and the bottom of the target hole is probed along the Z-axis direction. The position of the bottom of the hole is determined based on the detection value of the six-axis pressure sensor.

2. The pipetting workstation control method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The control module for moving the pipette arm to the installation position of the target orifice plate includes: Based on the grating rulers in the X-axis direction and the Y-axis direction, the first grating pitch of the target perforated plate in the X-axis direction and the second grating pitch in the Y-axis direction are determined respectively; Based on the encoding counting frequency, pulse counting, the first grating pitch, and the second grating pitch, the first displacement distance in the X-axis direction and the second displacement distance in the Y-axis direction are determined respectively, and the pipetting arm module is controlled to move according to the first displacement distance and the second displacement distance.

3. The pipetting workstation control method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The step of adjusting the position of the pipette arm module along the X-axis and Y-axis directions based on the detection current value of the four-quadrant detector installed on the pipette arm module includes: When the first current coefficient is not 0, the first moving direction of the X-axis is determined according to the sign of the first current coefficient, and the position of the pipetting arm module is adjusted based on the first moving direction. When the second current coefficient is not 0, the second moving direction of the Y-axis is determined according to the sign of the second current coefficient, and the position of the pipetting arm module is adjusted based on the second moving direction.

4. The pipetting workstation control method according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that, Also includes: Based on the height difference between the current orifice plate and the next orifice plate, as well as the height safety threshold, the rising height of the pipette tip on the pipette arm module from the current orifice plate to the next orifice plate is determined.

5. The pipetting workstation control method according to claim 4, characterized in that, Also includes: The path of each pipetting process of the pipetting arm module is divided into multiple sub-paths according to the operation sequence; The moving speed of the connecting segment of adjacent sub-paths is differentially processed, and the movement of each sub-path is accelerated or decelerated.

6. A control device for a pipetting workstation, characterized in that, The pipetting workstation control method according to any one of claims 1 to 5 includes: The initial movement control module is used to control the movement of the pipette arm module to the installation position of the target orifice plate; The first fine-tuning control module is used to adjust the position of the pipette arm module along the X-axis and Y-axis directions respectively according to the detection current value of the four-quadrant detector set on the pipette arm module, so that the central axis of the liquid-collecting tip on the pipette arm module passes through the target hole, the target hole being the hole on the target well plate corresponding to the liquid-collecting tip; and The second fine-tuning control module is used to control the pipette arm module to move the suction tip within the target hole according to the target hole position determination strategy, and to determine the displacement of the suction tip against the inner walls of each hole in the target hole as it moves from its initial position along the X-axis and Y-axis directions based on the detection values ​​of the six-axis pressure sensor located at the installation position; and to determine the center position of the target hole based on the displacement of the inner walls of each hole and the initial position; and, The third fine-tuning control module is used to control the center position of the liquid sampling tip in the target hole, detect the bottom of the target hole along the Z-axis direction, and determine the bottom position of the hole based on the detection value of the six-axis pressure sensor.

7. An electronic device, characterized in that, It includes at least one processor and a memory connected to the processor, wherein: The memory is used to store computer programs; The processor is used to execute the computer program to enable the electronic device to implement the pipetting workstation control method as described in any one of claims 1 to 5.

8. A pipetting workstation, characterized in that, Including the electronic device as described in claim 7.

Images