Environmental testing method for desktop incubator and corresponding product

Abstract

The invention relates to the field of intelligent monitoring and control, and provides an environment testing method for a desktop incubator and a corresponding product. The method comprises the following steps: a miniaturized monitoring device integrating two sensing units synchronously acquires environmental parameter data in a desktop incubator, the miniaturized monitoring device has a size compatible with a standard culture dish so as to adapt to a narrow space in the incubator, and a shell of the miniaturized monitoring device is made of a metal material and has a protective seal of IP65 level or above; performing real-time cross sensitivity compensation calculation on the synchronously acquired environment parameter data, and then transmitting the data to external relay equipment in a low-power-consumption wireless communication mode; forwarding the received environment parameter data to a back-end platform for storage and analysis through the relay device; and performing real-time comparison and abnormality diagnosis on the environment parameter data based on the alarm threshold, and generating a graded alarm signal when the parameter is abnormal. According to the technical scheme, synchronous and accurate monitoring of multiple parameters in the incubator, flexible deployment and high environmental tolerance are realized.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of intelligent monitoring and control, and in particular to an environmental testing method and corresponding product for a desktop incubator. Background Technology

[0002] In life sciences fields such as reproductive medicine and cell biology, desktop incubators are crucial devices for maintaining the in vitro survival and development of precious samples such as embryos and cells. The accuracy and stability of their internal culture environment, especially carbon dioxide concentration, temperature, and humidity, directly affect the success or failure of the culture activity. Therefore, continuous and reliable multi-parameter monitoring of the desktop incubator's internal environment is a core aspect of laboratory quality control and sample safety.

[0003] Currently, there are various technical solutions for environmental monitoring of desktop incubators, including distributed single-parameter sensor combinations, traditional wired monitoring solutions, and entry-level wireless sensing solutions. However, these solutions struggle to achieve high-precision simultaneous monitoring of multiple parameters such as CO2, temperature, and humidity within the extremely limited space of a desktop incubator, while simultaneously meeting the key requirements of convenient deployment, strong environmental tolerance, and reliable data. Summary of the Invention

[0004] To address or partially address the problems existing in related technologies, this application provides an environmental testing method and corresponding product for a desktop incubator. Through miniaturized wireless integrated monitoring equipment, it achieves synchronous and accurate monitoring of multiple parameters within the incubator, flexible deployment, and high environmental tolerance.

[0005] On one hand, this application provides an environmental testing method for a desktop incubator, the method comprising: A miniaturized monitoring device integrating two types of sensing units is used to synchronously collect environmental parameter data inside a desktop incubator. The miniaturized monitoring device has a size compatible with standard petri dishes to fit the small space inside the incubator. Its shell is made of metal and has a protective seal with an IP65 rating or higher. The two sensing units include a carbon dioxide sensing unit and a temperature and humidity sensing unit. The environmental parameter data includes the temperature, humidity and carbon dioxide concentration of the environment inside the desktop incubator. The synchronously collected environmental parameter data is transmitted to an external relay device via low-power wireless communication. The received environmental parameter data is forwarded to the backend platform for storage and analysis via the relay device. Based on preset alarm thresholds, the environmental parameter data is compared and anomaly diagnosed in real time, and a graded alarm signal is generated when the parameters are abnormal.

[0006] On the other hand, this application provides a desktop incubator environment monitoring system, the system comprising miniaturized monitoring equipment, relay equipment, and a backend platform, wherein: The miniaturized monitoring device integrates two sensing units, a microprocessor, a wireless communication module, and a battery into one unit, and is electrically interconnected by a flexible circuit board. The two sensing units include a carbon dioxide sensing unit and a temperature and humidity sensing unit. Each sensing unit of the two units is connected to the microprocessor in a time-division multiplexing manner, and the microprocessor performs synchronous acquisition of environmental parameter data. The outer shell of the miniaturized monitoring device is made of metal and has a protective seal with an IP65 rating or higher. The relay device is used to establish a low-power wireless connection with multiple miniaturized monitoring devices deployed in the same or multiple desktop incubators, receive and aggregate environmental parameter data sent by them, and is provided with an uplink communication interface for uploading data to the backend platform. The backend platform is used to receive data, perform real-time comparison and anomaly diagnosis of the environmental parameter data based on preset alarm thresholds, and generate graded alarm signals when parameters are abnormal.

[0007] Thirdly, this application provides a storage medium storing a computer program, which, when executed by a processor, implements the steps of the above-described environmental testing method for a desktop incubator.

[0008] As can be seen from the technical solution provided in this application, on the one hand, because the miniaturized monitoring device integrating carbon dioxide and temperature and humidity sensing elements has a size compatible with standard petri dishes, it can be conveniently placed in the chamber without occupying effective culture space. This integrated structural design ensures that environmental parameter data come from the same physical spatial point, and combined with synchronous acquisition technology, it eliminates errors caused by sensor location separation and asynchronous data acquisition, so that the acquired data can more realistically and correlatedly reflect the instantaneous comprehensive environment of the sample, providing a reliable data foundation for precise control. On the other hand, because it uses low-power wireless communication to transmit data to external relay equipment, it abandons the traditional wired connection method, which not only eliminates the need for wired connections but also... The wireless integration of the device disrupts the airtightness of the incubator, ensuring the stability of the internal environment. It also allows for more flexible deployment of the miniaturized monitoring equipment, free from the constraints of cables, which is particularly beneficial for large-scale, clustered unified monitoring and management of multiple incubators. Thirdly, the metal casing of the miniaturized monitoring equipment, with an IP65 or higher protection rating, effectively withstands the high humidity environment that often exists inside desktop incubators, preventing moisture intrusion that could damage circuits or cause measurement inaccuracies. Its robust and sealed structure allows it to withstand repeated wiping with alcohol and chlorine-containing disinfectants, meeting the stringent aseptic and biosafety requirements of laboratories and reducing the risk of sample contamination due to incomplete equipment cleaning, thus ensuring the safety of the culture process. In summary, the technical solution of this application achieves simultaneous and accurate monitoring of multiple parameters within the incubator, flexible deployment, and high environmental tolerance through a miniaturized wireless integrated monitoring device.

[0009] It should be understood that the above general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory only, and do not limit this application. Attached Figure Description

[0010] The above and other objects, features and advantages of this application will become more apparent from the more detailed description of exemplary embodiments thereof in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein the same reference numerals generally represent the same components in the exemplary embodiments thereof.

[0011] Figure 1 This is a flowchart of an environmental testing method for a desktop incubator provided in an embodiment of this application; Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the intelligent dual-mode transmission architecture provided in the embodiments of this application; Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the desktop incubator environment monitoring system provided in an embodiment of this application; Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the device provided in the embodiments of this application. Detailed Implementation

[0012] Embodiments of this application will now be described in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. While embodiments of this application are shown in the drawings, it should be understood that this application may be implemented in various forms and should not be limited to the embodiments set forth herein. Rather, these embodiments are provided to make this application more thorough and complete, and to fully convey the scope of this application to those skilled in the art.

[0013] The terminology used in this application is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of the application. The singular forms “a,” “the,” and “the” used in this application and the appended claims are also intended to include the plural forms unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. It should also be understood that the term “and / or” as used herein refers to and includes any or all possible combinations of one or more of the associated listed items.

[0014] It should be understood that although the terms "first," "second," "third," etc., may be used in this application to describe various information, this information should not be limited to these terms. These terms are only used to distinguish information of the same type from one another. For example, without departing from the scope of this application, first information may also be referred to as second information, and similarly, second information may also be referred to as first information. Thus, a feature defined as "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include one or more of that feature. In the description of this application, "multiple" means two or more, unless otherwise explicitly specified.

[0015] Currently, there are various technical solutions for environmental monitoring of desktop incubators, including distributed single-parameter sensor combinations, traditional wired monitoring solutions, and entry-level wireless sensing solutions. Among these solutions, the distributed single-parameter sensor combination solution uses independent carbon dioxide sensors, temperature and humidity sensors, etc., placed separately inside the incubator. This solution has significant drawbacks: multiple independent devices occupy the limited and valuable space inside the incubator, interfere with the orderly placement of petri dishes, and, more importantly, the data for each parameter are collected from different spatial locations and asynchronously, making it difficult to accurately reflect the overall environmental state of the sample at the same time, resulting in poor data correlation. Traditional wired monitoring solutions connect the sensors inside the incubator to an external controller via wires, but wiring compromises the airtightness of the incubator, affecting the stability of the temperature field and atmosphere, and has poor deployment flexibility, making it inconvenient for clustered management of multiple incubators. As for entry-level wireless sensing solutions, although they avoid the wiring problem, their environmental adaptability is generally poor. Ordinary plastic shells cannot withstand high humidity environments and repeated wiping with alcohol and chlorine-containing disinfectants required for daily disinfection, posing a risk of microbial contamination of samples, and their reliability cannot meet strict biosafety requirements. In summary, the existing technologies cannot achieve high-precision simultaneous monitoring of multiple parameters such as carbon dioxide, temperature, and humidity within the extremely limited space of a desktop incubator, while simultaneously meeting the key requirements of convenient deployment, strong environmental tolerance, and reliable data.

[0016] To address the aforementioned problems in related technologies, this application proposes an environmental testing method for a desktop incubator, the flowchart of which is attached. Figure 1 As shown, steps S101 to S104 are detailed below: Step S101: Simultaneous acquisition of environmental parameter data is performed inside the desktop incubator using a miniaturized monitoring device integrating two types of sensing units. The miniaturized monitoring device has a size compatible with standard petri dishes to fit the small space inside the incubator. Its shell is made of metal and has a protective seal with an IP65 rating or higher. The two sensing units include a carbon dioxide sensing unit and a temperature and humidity sensing unit. The environmental parameter data includes the temperature, humidity, and carbon dioxide concentration of the environment inside the desktop incubator.

[0017] As mentioned earlier, on the one hand, when collecting environmental parameter data, related technologies use combinations of multiple independent single-parameter sensors or large integrated sensor modules. This leads to problems such as the equipment being too large to fit into a small desktop incubator, multiple devices crowding out the space for placing culture dishes, and disrupting the airflow and temperature field inside the incubator. On the other hand, related technologies employ time-sharing or random acquisition strategies, where the microprocessor reads data from different sensors in turn. However, since the environment is dynamically changing, asynchronously acquired data cannot accurately represent the complete environmental state inside the desktop incubator at a given moment. For example, the temperature may have changed, but the carbon dioxide concentration reading may still be the previous value. Using such misaligned data for control or alarm purposes can lead to misjudgments, which is fatal to precision culture activities. To address the aforementioned technical problems, this application employs a miniaturized monitoring device integrating two sensing units to synchronously collect environmental parameter data inside a desktop incubator. This miniaturized monitoring device is sized to be compatible with standard petri dishes to fit within the confined space of the incubator. Its casing is made of metal and features an IP65 or higher level of protective sealing. The two sensing units include a carbon dioxide sensor and a temperature and humidity sensor. The environmental parameter data includes the temperature, humidity, and carbon dioxide concentration within the desktop incubator. This solution not only significantly reduces the space occupied inside the incubator but also ensures that the three parameters—carbon dioxide concentration, temperature, and humidity—are strictly collected from the same physical location and at the same physical moment, improving the instantaneous accuracy and reliability of the data. This provides a reliable data foundation for subsequent precise environmental control and advanced diagnostics. Furthermore, the size and specific materials of the miniaturized monitoring device—namely, its size compatibility with standard petri dishes to fit the confined space inside the incubator—ensure that the miniaturized monitoring device can be seamlessly integrated into the working area of ​​the incubator like a standard petri dish, achieving physical coexistence of monitoring and culture activities. Meanwhile, the metal casing with IP65 or higher protection and sealing guarantees the long-term stable operation of the device in harsh environments and its thorough sterilization, meeting the most fundamental biosafety compliance requirements of the laboratory.

[0018] As one embodiment of this application, the synchronous acquisition of environmental parameter data inside a desktop incubator is achieved through steps S1011 and S1012 using a miniaturized monitoring device integrating two sensing units, as detailed below: Step S1011: The microprocessor in the miniaturized monitoring device controls the two sensing units to access the same data bus in a time-division multiplexing manner.

[0019] Specifically, step S1011 can be implemented via steps S1 to S5: Step S1: The microprocessor in the miniaturized monitoring device first initializes a shared data bus and assigns unique logical addresses or chip select signals to the carbon dioxide sensing unit and temperature and humidity sensing unit connected to the bus; Step S2: The microprocessor establishes a cyclic scheduling sequence, dividing continuous time into several fixed time slices, and in each round of the cycle, assigns a dedicated time slice to each sensing unit; Step S3: Within the time slice allocated to a specific sensing unit, the microprocessor sends a signal to the shared data bus... Step S3: The microprocessor sends the address of the unit or activates its chip select signal to physically select the sensing unit; Step S4: The microprocessor sends a data read command to the selected sensing unit through the activated bus and receives the current environmental parameter data returned by the unit. Once the data read is completed, the microprocessor releases the bus control; Step S5: The microprocessor executes steps S3 and S4 in a loop according to the preset scheduling sequence, accessing each sensing unit in turn, thereby realizing the time-sharing and alternating acquisition of environmental parameter data, namely the temperature, humidity and carbon dioxide concentration of the desktop incubator, on a single data bus.

[0020] Step S1012: Apply a unified timing control signal to the two sensing units to eliminate the acquisition timing error caused by the difference in sensor response time.

[0021] Specifically, step S1012 can be implemented as follows: the microprocessor simultaneously sends a unified hardware trigger signal or a specific synchronous acquisition command to both the carbon dioxide sensing unit and the temperature and humidity sensing unit; upon receiving the synchronous trigger signal, both sensing units synchronously initiate their internal data conversion processes and begin measuring the current environmental parameters; after sending the synchronous trigger signal, the microprocessor starts a timer and waits for a preset delay time, which is at least equal to the settling time of the unit with the longest response time among the two sensing units; after the delay time ends, the microprocessor confirms that both sensing units have output stable data, and then, according to the aforementioned time-division multiplexing method, the microprocessor sequentially reads the corresponding environmental parameter values ​​from the data registers of each unit; the microprocessor marks the three environmental parameter values ​​read as data belonging to the same physical moment (i.e., the moment the synchronous trigger signal is issued).

[0022] By using steps S1011 and S1012 in the above embodiments, the acquisition time error caused by the difference in sensor response time can be eliminated, thereby ensuring that the three environmental parameter data correspond to the environmental state at the same physical time.

[0023] Considering that the measurement accuracy of most carbon dioxide sensing units is significantly affected by ambient temperature and humidity, temperature changes affect the luminous intensity of the infrared light source and the sensitivity of the detector, while water vapor (manifested as humidity) itself absorbs certain infrared spectra, causing cross-interference with the absorption peak of carbon dioxide. This means that even in a desktop incubator with large temperature and humidity fluctuations, three values ​​can be simultaneously collected through steps S1011 and S1012 of the above embodiment. However, the carbon dioxide reading itself may be inaccurate because it includes errors introduced by temperature and humidity changes. Therefore, in order to overcome the decrease in carbon dioxide concentration measurement accuracy caused by the physical coupling effect between environmental parameters, the method of the above embodiment also includes a data fusion and compensation mechanism. That is, after simultaneously collecting environmental parameter data, the data collected by the temperature sensing unit and the humidity sensing unit are used to perform real-time cross-sensitivity compensation calculation on the original concentration data collected by the carbon dioxide sensing unit to correct the measurement error of carbon dioxide concentration caused by temperature and humidity changes.

[0024] Specifically, as one embodiment of this application, using data collected by the temperature and humidity sensing unit to perform real-time cross-sensitivity compensation calculation on the original concentration data collected by the carbon dioxide sensing unit to correct the measurement error of carbon dioxide concentration caused by temperature and humidity changes can be achieved by: the microprocessor of the miniaturized monitoring device acquiring the original measured value C of carbon dioxide concentration corresponding to the same moment obtained through the above synchronous acquisition steps. raw Temperature measurement T and humidity measurement R H The microprocessor retrieves data from a pre-stored calibration data table that corresponds to the current temperature and humidity range (T, R). H The microprocessor uses the corresponding carbon dioxide concentration compensation coefficient (e.g., slope, intercept, etc.) or executes an embedded compensation algorithm model (e.g., polynomial fitting model); the microprocessor uses the compensation coefficient or algorithm model to perform real-time calculations on the raw carbon dioxide concentration measurement, which can be expressed in general form as: C corrected =C raw +f(T,R) H ), where f(T, R) H () is based on the current T and R HThe calculated compensation amount is used by the microprocessor to output the compensated carbon dioxide concentration value as the final valid data for subsequent transmission, display, or alarm judgment. Through this data fusion and compensation mechanism, a leap from synchronous monitoring to precise monitoring is achieved. The final output carbon dioxide concentration value is no longer the original reading affected by current temperature and humidity interference, but a corrected and more accurate reading. Furthermore, the compensated data is more significant for applications highly sensitive to the environment, such as embryo culture (because alarm triggering and environmental control system adjustments will be based on more accurate data), avoiding false alarms or misadjustments caused by sensor errors, thus providing more reliable data assurance for successful culture. This data fusion and compensation mechanism also indicates that the miniaturized monitoring device in this embodiment is no longer a passive collector, but an intelligent terminal capable of self-calibration and optimization using internal multi-source information.

[0025] Step S102: Transmit the synchronously collected environmental parameter data to an external relay device via low-power wireless communication.

[0026] If the collected environmental parameter data is transmitted via wired connection, the sensor wires are led out of the incubator through sealed connectors. This can easily compromise the airtightness and insulation of the desktop incubator, leading to fluctuations in internal temperature, humidity, and gas concentration, introducing instability. Furthermore, separate wiring for each desktop incubator results in a large workload and hinders relocation and expansion. Therefore, to achieve immediate use of the monitoring equipment without any modification to the desktop incubator, maintaining its original airtightness and avoiding secondary interference from the monitoring system, this application allows the synchronously collected environmental parameter data to be transmitted to an external relay device via low-power wireless communication.

[0027] As one embodiment of this application, the synchronously collected environmental parameter data is transmitted to an external relay device via low-power wireless communication, which can be achieved through steps S1021 to S1023, as detailed below: Step S1021: The miniaturized monitoring device continuously monitors the quality of the wireless link between itself and the relay device, as well as its own remaining power.

[0028] In wireless communication protocols such as radio frequency signal transmission, the strength of the received signal can be measured by a specific indicator called Received Signal Strength Indication (RSSI). RSSI values ​​are typically negative (in dBm), and the smaller the absolute value, the stronger the signal and the better the link quality. For example, a signal strength of -40 dBm is far superior to -90 dBm. In this embodiment, the wireless communication module (e.g., a Bluetooth chip) inside the miniaturized monitoring device has the ability to acquire RSSI values. The microprocessor of the miniaturized monitoring device periodically (e.g., every few data transmissions or every few seconds) sends a short probe data packet to the relay device and reads the current RSSI value from the relay device's response. By continuously tracking and analyzing historical RSSI value data (e.g., calculating the average value, determining whether it is continuously decreasing, etc.), the link quality can be evaluated in real time. Furthermore, the power management integrated circuit built into the miniaturized monitoring device or the analog-to-digital converter integrated into the microprocessor can measure the battery voltage, and there is a correlation between battery voltage and remaining power. The microprocessor continuously or periodically samples the battery voltage through the analog-to-digital converter pin. Based on a preset battery discharge curve model, the measured voltage value can be converted into the percentage of the current remaining power. For example, the voltage is 4.2V when fully charged and 3.0V when the power is depleted. The current power can be estimated through linear or nonlinear interpolation.

[0029] Step S1022: When the wireless link quality between the miniaturized monitoring device and the relay device is higher than the signal quality threshold and the battery level of the miniaturized monitoring device is higher than the battery level threshold, the direct transmission mode is adopted to send the data directly to the relay device.

[0030] like Figure 2 As shown, the low-power wireless communication transmission method of this application actually adopts an intelligent dual-mode transmission architecture. One transmission path is direct transmission mode, where data flows directly from the miniaturized monitoring device 201 to the relay device 203. The other transmission path is relay transmission mode, where data flows from the miniaturized monitoring device 201 to the portable transmitter 202, and then from the portable transmitter 202 to the relay device 203. Since the direct transmission mode requires direct communication between the miniaturized monitoring device and the relay device, which may be far away and separated by many walls, a higher transmission power is needed to maintain a stable connection. Therefore, when the wireless link quality between the miniaturized monitoring device and the relay device is higher than the signal quality threshold and the battery level of the miniaturized monitoring device is higher than the battery level threshold, the direct transmission mode can also be considered to directly send data such as the temperature, humidity, and carbon dioxide concentration of the desktop incubator to the relay device.

[0031] Step S1023: When the wireless link quality between the miniaturized monitoring device and the relay device is lower than the signal quality threshold or the battery power of the miniaturized monitoring device is lower than the battery power threshold, the relay transmission mode is activated. The data is first sent to the portable transmitter, which then enhances or buffers the signal before forwarding it to the relay device.

[0032] In contrast to direct transmission mode, relay transmission mode requires the miniaturized monitoring device to communicate only with a portable transmitter placed very close to the desktop incubator. Due to the extremely short transmission distance, there is almost no signal attenuation or obstruction, thus enabling high-quality connections at very low transmission power. Even if the wireless link quality between the miniaturized monitoring device and the relay device is poor, the wireless link quality from the miniaturized monitoring device to the nearby transmitter can still be very good. Therefore, when the wireless link quality between the miniaturized monitoring device and the relay device is below the signal quality threshold or the battery level of the miniaturized monitoring device is below the battery threshold, relay transmission mode is activated. Data is first sent to the portable transmitter, which then amplifies or buffers the signal before forwarding it to the relay device. It should be noted that, in the embodiments of this application, the portable transmitter is similar to a function-specific intelligent signal relay station or local gateway. Its core functions include data reception and display, signal relay and enhancement, etc., and it has the characteristics of portability and flexibility. This means that the portable transmitter is first and foremost a local display terminal. It receives data from the monitoring device through radio frequency signals and displays information such as carbon dioxide concentration, temperature, and humidity inside the desktop incubator in real time on its built-in screen (e.g., a 2.4-inch full-color screen), which is convenient for experimental personnel to view nearby without having to turn on a computer or log in to the cloud. Its core function is still "transmission". When needed (e.g., when the wireless link quality between the miniaturized monitoring device and the relay device is low or the miniaturized monitoring device has low power), after receiving the data from the miniaturized monitoring device, it does not simply display it, but uses its potentially stronger power and communication capabilities to forward the data to the final relay device.

[0033] As can be seen from steps S1021 to S1023 of the above embodiment, it solves the problem of reliable transmission in real-time, that is, "if the signal is poor or the power is low, then switch immediately". However, this solution still has an inherent drawback, namely, the lag in response. Specifically, switching based on real-time thresholds is a reactive strategy, which means that when the miniaturized monitoring device detects that the link quality is below the threshold, the communication may already be unstable, or even data packet loss may have occurred. For scenarios such as desktop incubator environment monitoring that require high data continuity, even a brief data interruption may be unacceptable. Therefore, to overcome the lag in real-time switching modes and achieve seamless or predictive maintenance of communication links, thereby ensuring uninterrupted and higher continuity of data transmission, the method of the above embodiments can further introduce a predictive switching mechanism based on historical transmission success rates. Specifically, the backend platform or relay device analyzes the historical data transmission records of the miniaturized monitoring device and the portable transmitter to establish a model of link quality changes over time. When it is predicted that the wireless link quality in the direct transmission mode of the miniaturized monitoring device may deteriorate within a specific future time period, instructions are sent in advance to the miniaturized monitoring device and the associated portable transmitter, causing them to switch to relay transmission mode before the link deteriorates. This predictive switching mechanism based on historical transmission success rates effectively avoids data transmission interruptions or errors caused by the link quality deteriorating to a critical point, achieving true "zero-interruption" transmission. On the other hand, frequent mode switching itself consumes energy and may introduce instability. This predictive switching mechanism allows the system to choose a more stable time window for a smooth transition, rather than being forced to perform an emergency switch when the link deteriorates sharply, thereby optimizing the overall power consumption and performance of the system.

[0034] Step S103: The received environmental parameter data is forwarded to the backend platform for storage and analysis via a relay device.

[0035] It should be noted that in this embodiment of the application, the backend platform is a cloud server. In addition to performing basic tasks such as storage and analysis, it also provides a data management service with audit trail function, which can record all environmental data, alarm events, user operation logs and device calibration history, and generate compliance reports that meet regulatory requirements.

[0036] Step S104: Based on the preset alarm threshold, perform real-time comparison and anomaly diagnosis of environmental parameter data, and generate a graded alarm signal when the parameters are abnormal.

[0037] Specifically, real-time anomaly diagnosis of environmental parameter data can be performed by: determining whether any parameter in the environmental parameter data exceeds a threshold, and establishing a composite alarm rule based on the physiological coupling relationship between the environmental parameter data; when multiple parameters in the environmental parameter data are detected to undergo related abnormal changes simultaneously, if each parameter does not reach its independent alarm threshold, a higher-level system-level early warning signal is triggered.

[0038] Steps S101 to S104 of the above embodiments ensure the synchronization, accuracy, and communication reliability of the environmental monitoring inside the desktop incubator. However, these are all based on the underlying assumption that the sensing units, such as the carbon dioxide sensing unit and the temperature and humidity sensing unit, are accurate. However, all sensors drift over time and require periodic calibration to maintain accuracy. Regarding when to perform calibration, related technologies either employ fixed-period calibration (e.g., every 30 days) or manual triggering calibration (e.g., performed by the experimenter when deemed necessary). The fixed-period calibration scheme has a certain degree of blindness; calibration may be initiated when the environment inside the incubator is extremely unstable (e.g., frequent opening of the door to insert samples, drastic temperature fluctuations). In such cases, the environmental baseline itself is inaccurate, and the calibration results based on it will be incorrect, introducing systematic errors. Manual triggering calibration, on the other hand, heavily relies on manual intervention and cannot guarantee timeliness and scientific rigor. Therefore, in order to overcome the blindness of fixed-cycle or manual calibration and ensure that calibration operations are triggered only under environmental conditions most likely to produce accurate results, thereby avoiding miscalibration and ensuring the long-term and continuous accuracy of monitoring data, the method of the above embodiments of this application may further include an adaptive calibration triggering mechanism based on environmental stability. Specifically, the backend platform continuously analyzes the received environmental parameter data and calculates the variance or standard deviation of each environmental parameter data. When the variance or standard deviation of all monitored parameters is lower than their respective stability thresholds for a continuous period of time, it is determined that the environment inside the desktop incubator is in a globally stable state, and a background calibration command is automatically sent to the corresponding sensing unit (carbon dioxide sensing unit and / or temperature and humidity sensing unit) to execute the calibration process. The globally stable state can be the state that provides reliable environmental conditions for performing calibration operations. The aforementioned adaptive calibration triggering mechanism based on environmental stability ensures the reliability of the environmental reference standard used for calibration by determining the global stable state as the calibration trigger condition. This transforms calibration from a potentially risky maintenance task into an intelligent process that can self-verify its effectiveness. On the other hand, this mechanism requires no manual intervention and eliminates rigid schedules. The system can autonomously identify suitable calibration time windows, greatly improving the system's automation level and operational efficiency. Thirdly, it avoids the time and energy wasted on ineffective calibrations in unstable environments. Furthermore, since each calibration is performed under ideal conditions, the effect is better, potentially extending the calibration validity period and reducing unnecessary calibrations.

[0039] From the above appendix Figure 1 As can be seen from the example of the environmental testing method for a desktop incubator, on the one hand, the miniaturized monitoring device integrating carbon dioxide and temperature / humidity sensors has a size compatible with standard petri dishes, allowing it to be conveniently placed inside the incubator without occupying effective culture space. This integrated structural design ensures that the three environmental parameter data come from the same physical point, and combined with synchronous acquisition technology, it eliminates errors caused by sensor location separation and asynchronous data acquisition, enabling the acquired data to more accurately and correlateably reflect the instantaneous comprehensive environment of the sample, providing a reliable data foundation for precise control. On the other hand, because it uses low-power wireless communication to transmit data to external relay devices, it abandons the traditional wired connection method, and... This not only eliminates the disruption to the incubator's airtightness caused by wiring, ensuring the stability of the internal environment, but also allows for more flexible deployment of miniaturized monitoring devices without the constraints of cables. This is particularly beneficial for large-scale, clustered unified monitoring and management of multiple incubators. Thirdly, because the miniaturized monitoring device uses a metal casing with IP65 or higher protection, it can effectively withstand the high humidity environment that often exists inside desktop incubators, preventing moisture intrusion that could damage circuits or cause measurement inaccuracies. Its robust and sealed structure allows it to withstand repeated wiping with alcohol and chlorine-containing disinfectants, meeting the strict aseptic operation and biosafety requirements of laboratories, reducing the risk of sample contamination due to incomplete equipment cleaning, and ensuring the safety of the culture process. In summary, the technical solution of this application achieves simultaneous and accurate monitoring of multiple parameters within the incubator, flexible deployment, and high environmental tolerance through miniaturized wireless integrated monitoring devices.

[0040] Please see the appendix Figure 3 This application provides a desktop incubator environment monitoring system, which may include a miniaturized monitoring device 301, a relay device 302, and a backend platform 303, as detailed below: The miniaturized monitoring device 301 integrates two sensing units, a microprocessor, a wireless communication module, and a battery into one unit, and is electrically interconnected via a flexible circuit board. The two sensing units include a carbon dioxide sensing unit 304 and a temperature and humidity sensing unit 305. Each sensing unit is connected to the microprocessor via time-division multiplexing, and the microprocessor performs synchronous acquisition of environmental parameter data. The outer shell of the miniaturized monitoring device is made of metal and has a protective seal with an IP65 rating or higher. The environmental parameter data includes the temperature, humidity, and carbon dioxide concentration of the environment inside the desktop incubator. The relay device 302 is used to establish a low-power wireless connection with multiple miniaturized monitoring devices deployed in the same or multiple desktop incubators, receive and aggregate environmental parameter data sent by them, and has an uplink communication interface for uploading data to the backend platform 303. The backend platform 303 is used to receive data and perform real-time comparison and anomaly diagnosis of environmental parameter data based on preset alarm thresholds, and generate graded alarm signals when parameters are abnormal.

[0041] From the above appendix Figure 3 As illustrated by the example environmental testing device for desktop incubators, on the one hand, the miniaturized monitoring device, integrating a carbon dioxide sensor and temperature and humidity sensors, is connected to a microprocessor via time-division multiplexing. The microprocessor then synchronously acquires environmental parameter data, ensuring that the three environmental parameter data originate from the same physical point. This synchronous acquisition technique eliminates errors caused by sensor location separation and asynchronous data acquisition, resulting in data that more accurately and reliably reflects the instantaneous comprehensive environment of the sample, providing a reliable data foundation for precise control. On the other hand, the relay device establishes a low-power wireless connection with multiple miniaturized monitoring devices deployed within the same or multiple desktop incubators, eliminating the need for traditional wired connections. This not only eliminates the disruption to the incubator's airtightness caused by wiring, ensuring the stability of the internal environment, but also allows for more flexible deployment of miniaturized monitoring devices without the constraints of cables. This is particularly beneficial for large-scale, clustered unified monitoring and management of multiple incubators. Thirdly, because the miniaturized monitoring device uses a metal casing with IP65 or higher protection, it effectively withstands the high humidity environment that often exists inside desktop incubators, preventing moisture intrusion that could damage circuits or cause measurement inaccuracies. Its robust and sealed structure allows it to withstand repeated wiping with alcohol and chlorine-containing disinfectants, meeting the strict aseptic operation and biosafety requirements of laboratories, reducing the risk of sample contamination due to incomplete equipment cleaning, and ensuring the safety of the culture process. In summary, the technical solution of this application achieves simultaneous and accurate monitoring of multiple parameters within an incubator, flexible deployment, and high environmental tolerance through miniaturized wireless integrated monitoring devices.

[0042] In one embodiment of this application, Figure 3 The overall size of the miniaturized monitoring device 301 in the example is designed to be comparable to the area and height of a single well in a standard four-well culture dish, so that it can be placed on a culture dish shelf in a desktop incubator without interfering with the placement of other culture dishes.

[0043] In one embodiment of this application, Figure 3The example relay device 302 has a built-in configuration management module that provides a graphical configuration interface for batch parameter configuration of single or multiple monitoring devices, including setting alarm thresholds, calibration cycles, data recording intervals and device IDs. This configuration management module is further used to set composite alarm rules and adaptive calibration trigger conditions based on environmental stability.

[0044] In one embodiment of this application, Figure 3 The example system may also include a portable transmitter with a built-in second wireless communication module and display screen, configured to receive and display data from the miniaturized monitoring device 301 in real time, and to function as a relay node when the miniaturized monitoring device is in relay transmission mode with the relay device 302. The portable transmitter's display screen is a touch-screen color display, and its user interface is configured to simultaneously display carbon dioxide concentration, temperature, humidity, and the battery level of the miniaturized monitoring device 301 in both digital and real-time trend graph formats. It should be noted that, depending on different setup requirements, the user interface may not display the real-time trend graph.

[0045] In one embodiment of this application, the battery of the miniaturized monitoring device 301 is a pluggable backpack-type battery module, and the miniaturized monitoring device 301 is equipped with a power management integrated circuit for power monitoring and power consumption regulation.

[0046] In one embodiment of this application, Figure 3 The example carbon dioxide sensing unit 304 is a miniaturized sensor based on the principle of nondispersive infrared. Its optical cell adopts a waveguide structure manufactured by silicon-based microelectromechanical systems technology, integrating the transmitter and detector on the same chip substrate. The waveguide structure guides and constrains the optical path, achieving miniaturization and stabilization of the optical path without the need for a reflector.

[0047] In one embodiment of this application, Figure 3 The optical cell of the example carbon dioxide sensing unit 304 uses a structure with a reflector on a metal base to fold the optical path, thereby reducing the size of the sensor module while ensuring the length of the optical path.

[0048] In one embodiment of this application, Figure 3 The example temperature and humidity sensing unit 305 is integrated on a single composite sensor chip, which uses a structure combining a capacitive polymer humidity-sensing film and a microbead thermistor, and further reduces the overall space occupied by the sensing module through shared signal processing circuitry and interface.

[0049] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a device provided in one embodiment of this application. For example... Figure 4As shown, the device 4 in this embodiment mainly includes: a processor 40, a memory 41, and a computer program 42 stored in the memory 41 and executable on the processor 40, such as a program for an environmental testing method for a desktop incubator. When the processor 40 executes the computer program 42, it implements the steps described in the embodiment of the environmental testing method for a desktop incubator, for example... Figure 1 Steps S101 to S104 are shown. For example, the computer program 42 for the environmental testing method of the desktop incubator mainly includes: synchronously collecting environmental parameter data inside the desktop incubator through a miniaturized monitoring device integrating two types of sensing units; transmitting the synchronously collected environmental parameter data to an external relay device via low-power wireless communication; forwarding the received environmental parameter data to a back-end platform for storage and analysis through the relay device; performing real-time comparison and anomaly diagnosis of the environmental parameter data based on a preset alarm threshold, and generating a graded alarm signal when the parameters are abnormal.

[0050] Device 4 may include, but is not limited to, processor 40 and memory 41. Those skilled in the art will understand that... Figure 4 This is merely an example of device 4 and does not constitute a limitation on device 4. It may include more or fewer components than shown, or combine certain components, or different components. For example, the device may also include input / output devices, network access devices, buses, etc.

[0051] The processor 40 may be a Central Processing Unit (CPU), or other general-purpose processors, digital signal processors (DSPs), application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs), field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), or other programmable logic devices, discrete gate or transistor logic devices, discrete hardware components, etc. A general-purpose processor may be a microprocessor or any conventional processor.

[0052] The memory 41 can be an internal storage unit of the device 4, such as a hard disk or RAM of the device 4. The memory 41 can also be an external storage device of the device 4, such as a plug-in hard disk, Smart Media Card (SMC), Secure Digital (SD) card, or Flash Card equipped on the device 4. Furthermore, the memory 41 can include both internal and external storage units of the device 4. The memory 41 is used to store computer programs and other programs and data required by the device. The memory 41 can also be used to temporarily store data that has been output or will be output.

[0053] Those skilled in the art will clearly understand that, for the sake of convenience and brevity, the above-described division of functional units and modules is merely an example. In practical applications, the above functions can be assigned to different functional units and modules as needed. That is, the internal structure of the device can be divided into different functional units or modules to complete all or part of the functions described above. The functional units and modules in the embodiments can be integrated into one processing unit, or each unit can exist physically separately, or two or more units can be integrated into one unit. The integrated unit can be implemented in hardware or as a software functional unit. Furthermore, the specific names of the functional units and modules are only for easy differentiation and are not intended to limit the scope of protection of this application. The specific working process of the units and modules in the above-described device can be referred to the corresponding process in the foregoing method embodiments, and will not be repeated here.

[0054] In the above embodiments, the descriptions of each embodiment have different focuses. For parts that are not described in detail or recorded in a certain embodiment, please refer to the relevant descriptions of other embodiments.

[0055] Those skilled in the art will recognize that the units and algorithm steps of the various examples described in conjunction with the embodiments disclosed herein can be implemented in electronic hardware, or a combination of computer software and electronic hardware. Whether these functions are implemented in hardware or software depends on the specific application and design constraints of the technical solution. Those skilled in the art can use different methods to implement the described functions for each specific application, but such implementation should not be considered beyond the scope of this application.

[0056] In the embodiments provided in this application, it should be understood that the disclosed apparatus / device and method can be implemented in other ways. For example, the apparatus / device embodiments described above are merely illustrative. For instance, the division of modules or units is only a logical functional division, and in actual implementation, there may be other division methods. For example, multiple units or components may be combined or integrated into another device, or some features may be ignored or not executed. Furthermore, the coupling or direct coupling or communication connection shown or discussed may be through some interfaces; the indirect coupling or communication connection between devices or units may be electrical, mechanical, or other forms.

[0057] The units described as separate components may or may not be physically separate. 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 units can be selected to achieve the purpose of this embodiment according to actual needs.

[0058] Furthermore, the functional units in the various embodiments of this application can be integrated into one processing unit, or each unit can exist physically separately, or two or more units can be integrated into one unit. The integrated unit can be implemented in hardware or as a software functional unit.

[0059] If integrated modules / units are implemented as software functional units and sold or used as independent products, they can be stored in a storage medium. Based on this understanding, all or part of the processes in the methods of the above embodiments can also be implemented by a computer program instructing related hardware. The computer program for the environmental testing method of the desktop incubator can be stored in a storage medium. When the computer program is executed by a processor, it can implement the steps of the above method embodiments, namely, synchronously collecting environmental parameter data inside the desktop incubator through a miniaturized monitoring device integrating two sensing units; transmitting the synchronously collected environmental parameter data to an external relay device through low-power wireless communication; forwarding the received environmental parameter data to a back-end platform for storage and analysis through the relay device; performing real-time comparison and anomaly diagnosis of environmental parameter data based on a preset alarm threshold, and generating a graded alarm signal when the parameters are abnormal. The computer program includes computer program code, which can be in the form of source code, object code, executable file, or some intermediate form. Storage media can include: any entity or device capable of carrying computer program code, recording media, USB flash drives, portable hard drives, magnetic disks, optical disks, computer memory, read-only memory (ROM), random access memory (RAM), electrical carrier signals, telecommunication signals, and software distribution media, etc. It should be noted that the contents of storage media can be appropriately added to or removed according to the requirements of legislation and patent practice in a jurisdiction. For example, in some jurisdictions, according to legislation and patent practice, storage media may not include electrical carrier signals and telecommunication signals.

[0060] The above embodiments are only used to illustrate the technical solutions of this application, and are not intended to limit them. Although this application has been described in detail with reference to the foregoing embodiments, those skilled in the art should understand that modifications can still be made to the technical solutions described in the foregoing embodiments, or equivalent substitutions can be made to some of the technical features. These modifications or substitutions do not cause the essence of the corresponding technical solutions to deviate from the spirit and scope of the technical solutions of the embodiments of this application, and should all be included within the protection scope of this application. The specific embodiments described above further illustrate the purpose, technical solutions, and beneficial effects of this application. It should be understood that the above descriptions are merely specific embodiments of this application and are not intended to limit the protection scope of this application. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, improvements, etc., made within the spirit and principles of this application should be included within the protection scope of this application.

Claims

1. An environmental testing method for a desktop incubator, characterized in that, The method includes: A miniaturized monitoring device integrating two types of sensing units is used to synchronously collect environmental parameter data inside a desktop incubator. The miniaturized monitoring device has a size compatible with standard petri dishes to fit the small space inside the incubator. Its shell is made of metal and has a protective seal with an IP65 rating or higher. The two sensing units include a carbon dioxide sensing unit and a temperature and humidity sensing unit. The environmental parameter data includes the temperature, humidity and carbon dioxide concentration of the environment inside the desktop incubator. The synchronously collected environmental parameter data is transmitted to an external relay device via low-power wireless communication. The received environmental parameter data is forwarded to the backend platform for storage and analysis via the relay device. Based on preset alarm thresholds, the environmental parameter data is compared and anomaly diagnosed in real time, and a graded alarm signal is generated when the parameters are abnormal.

2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The miniaturized monitoring device integrating two sensing units for synchronous acquisition of environmental parameter data inside a desktop incubator includes: The microprocessor within the miniaturized monitoring device controls the two types of sensing units to access the same data bus in a time-division multiplexing manner. A unified timing control signal is applied to the two types of sensing units to eliminate the acquisition timing error caused by the difference in sensor response time.

3. The method according to claim 2, characterized in that, The method further includes: After synchronously collecting the environmental parameter data, the data collected by the temperature and humidity sensing unit is used to perform real-time cross-sensitivity compensation calculation on the original concentration data collected by the carbon dioxide sensing unit in order to correct the measurement error of carbon dioxide concentration caused by changes in temperature and humidity.

4. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The step of transmitting the synchronously collected environmental parameter data to an external relay device via low-power wireless communication includes: The miniaturized monitoring device continuously monitors the quality of its wireless link with the relay device and its own remaining power. When the wireless link quality is higher than the signal quality threshold and the battery level is higher than the battery level threshold, the direct transmission mode is adopted to send the data directly to the relay device. When the wireless link quality is lower than the signal quality threshold or the battery level is lower than the battery level threshold, the relay transmission mode is activated. The data is first sent to the portable transmitter, which then enhances or buffers the signal before forwarding it to the relay device.

5. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The abnormal diagnosis includes: Determine whether any parameter in the environmental parameter data exceeds a threshold, and establish a composite alarm rule based on the physiological coupling relationship between the environmental parameter data; When multiple parameters in the environmental parameter data are detected to undergo related abnormal changes simultaneously, if each parameter does not reach its independent alarm threshold, a higher-level system-level early warning signal is triggered.

6. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The method further includes: The backend platform continuously analyzes the received environmental parameter data and calculates the variance or standard deviation of each environmental parameter data. When the variance or standard deviation of all monitored parameters is lower than their respective stability thresholds for a continuous period of time, it is determined that the environment inside the desktop incubator is in a globally stable state, and a background calibration command is automatically sent to the corresponding sensing unit to execute the calibration process.

7. A desktop incubator environment monitoring system, characterized in that, This includes miniaturized monitoring equipment, relay equipment, and a backend platform, among which: The miniaturized monitoring device integrates two sensing units, a microprocessor, a wireless communication module, and a battery into one unit, and is electrically interconnected by a flexible circuit board. The two sensing units include a carbon dioxide sensing unit and a temperature and humidity sensing unit. Each sensing unit of the two units is connected to the microprocessor in a time-division multiplexing manner, and the microprocessor performs synchronous acquisition of environmental parameter data. The outer shell of the miniaturized monitoring device is made of metal and has a protective seal with an IP65 rating or higher. The relay device is used to establish a low-power wireless connection with multiple miniaturized monitoring devices deployed in the same or multiple desktop incubators, receive and aggregate environmental parameter data sent by them, and is provided with an uplink communication interface for uploading data to the backend platform. The backend platform is used to receive data, perform real-time comparison and anomaly diagnosis of the environmental parameter data based on preset alarm thresholds, and generate graded alarm signals when parameters are abnormal.

8. The system according to claim 7, characterized in that, The overall size of the miniaturized monitoring device is designed to be comparable to the area and height of a single well in a standard four-well culture dish, allowing it to be placed on a culture dish shelf in a desktop incubator without interfering with the placement of other culture dishes.

9. The system according to claim 7, characterized in that, The system also includes a portable transmitter, which has a built-in second wireless communication module and a display screen. It is configured to receive and display data from the miniaturized monitoring device in real time and to function as a relay node when the miniaturized monitoring device is in relay transmission mode with the relay device.

10. A storage medium storing a computer program, characterized in that, When the computer program is executed by a processor, it implements the steps of the method as described in any one of claims 1 to 6.

Images