Sample analyzer, reagent container handling method for sample analyzer, and storage medium

Abstract

This invention provides a sample analyzer, its reagent container handling method, and a storage medium. The sample analyzer includes: a reagent container temporary storage mechanism for storing reagent containers to be loaded and unloaded; a reagent container storage mechanism for storing and providing the testing reagents required for the operation of the sample analyzer; a reagent container transfer mechanism for grasping and transferring reagent containers; and a controller that responds to a handling instruction for a first reagent container, acquires a target idle period for executing the handling instruction, and controls the reagent container transfer mechanism to perform a corresponding handling operation on the first reagent container when the target idle period is reached. By fully utilizing the idle periods during normal operation of the sample analyzer, the loading and unloading of reagent containers can be completed, thereby achieving the purpose of loading and unloading reagents without stopping the machine.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of in vitro diagnostic technology, and in particular to a sample analyzer, a method for handling its reagent containers, and a computer-readable storage medium. Background Technology

[0002] In the field of in vitro diagnostics, sample analyzers perform biochemical, immunological, and hematological analyses on samples such as blood and urine through automated testing processes. In this process, the reagents required for the test are typically pre-stored in reagent compartments or trays within the sample analyzer. Under instrument control, these reagents are added to the reaction unit, reacting with the sample to generate signals that can be detected by optical, electrochemical, or other sensors, ultimately allowing for the calculation of the concentration or activity of the analyte.

[0003] When the sample analyzer is working, it will continuously consume the reagents in the reagent tray or reagent compartment. However, the capacity of the reagents loaded each time is limited. When the remaining amount of one or more reagents is lower than the preset threshold, it must be replenished or replaced in time to prevent the detection process from being interrupted due to reagent depletion.

[0004] In existing technologies, when loading and changing reagents in a sample analyzer, the operator needs to stop the instrument and manually open the instrument's door to load or unload the reagent tray / compartment. This means that when the sample analyzer is in use and there is a need to load or unload reagents, the dispensing mechanism and reagent tray must be stationary for reagent replacement. The instrument needs to stop the corresponding components during loading and unloading, requiring the sample analyzer to be shut down, thus disrupting the original experimental workflow and reducing experimental efficiency. Summary of the Invention

[0005] To address the existing technical problems, this invention provides a sample analyzer that can meet the requirements of reagent loading and unloading without shutting down the system, a method for transporting its reagent containers, and a computer-readable storage medium.

[0006] To achieve the above objectives, the technical solution of this invention is implemented as follows: In a first aspect, a sample analyzer is provided, comprising: a reagent container temporary storage mechanism for storing reagent containers to be loaded and unloaded; a reagent container storage mechanism for storing and providing detection reagents required for the operation of the sample analyzer; a reagent container transfer mechanism for grasping reagent containers to achieve transfer; and a controller that responds to a handling instruction for a first reagent container, acquires a target idle period for executing the handling instruction, and controls the reagent container transfer mechanism to perform a corresponding handling operation on the first reagent container when the target idle period is reached.

[0007] Secondly, a reagent container handling method is provided, applied to a sample analyzer, the sample analyzer including a reagent container temporary storage mechanism, a reagent container storage mechanism, a reagent container transfer mechanism, and a controller; the reagent container handling method includes: responding to a handling instruction for a first reagent container, obtaining a target idle period for executing the handling instruction; and when the target idle period is reached, controlling the reagent container transfer mechanism to perform a corresponding handling operation on the first reagent container.

[0008] Thirdly, a computer-readable storage medium is provided, on which a computer program is stored, which, when executed by a processor, implements the reagent container handling method described in any embodiment of this application.

[0009] The sample analyzer provided in the above embodiments, by setting up a reagent container temporary storage mechanism, is used to store reagent containers to be loaded and unloaded. In the process of executing the loading and unloading tasks of reagent containers, the controller responds to the handling instruction of the first reagent container, obtains the target idle period for executing the corresponding handling instruction, and controls the reagent container transfer mechanism to perform the corresponding handling operation on the first reagent container when the target idle period is reached. In this way, the idle time of the sample analyzer during normal operation can be fully utilized to complete the loading and unloading of reagent containers without interrupting the original experimental process of the sample analyzer, thereby achieving the purpose of loading and unloading reagents without stopping the machine.

[0010] The reagent container handling method and computer-readable storage medium provided in the above embodiments belong to the same concept as the corresponding sample analyzer embodiments, and thus have the same technical effects as the corresponding sample analyzer embodiments, which will not be described again here. Attached Figure Description

[0011] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram illustrating an optional application scenario of the reagent container handling method in one embodiment.

[0012] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the sample analyzer in one embodiment.

[0013] Figure 3 This is a flowchart of a reagent container handling method in one embodiment.

[0014] Figure 4 This is a flowchart of a reagent container handling method in another embodiment.

[0015] Figure 5 This is a flowchart of a reagent container handling method in yet another embodiment. Detailed Implementation

[0016] The technical solution of this application will be further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments.

[0017] Unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this invention pertains. The terminology used herein in the specification of this invention is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to limit the ways in which the invention may be implemented. The term "and / or" as used herein includes any and all combinations of one or more of the associated listed items.

[0018] In the following description, the expression “some embodiments” is used, which describes a subset of possible embodiments. However, it should be understood that “some embodiments” can be the same subset or different subsets of all possible embodiments and can be combined with each other without conflict.

[0019] Please see Figure 1 This diagram illustrates an optional application scenario of a reagent container handling method provided in an embodiment of this application. The method is applied to a sample analyzer, which includes a reagent container temporary storage mechanism 11, a reagent container storage mechanism 12, a reagent container transfer mechanism 13, and a controller 14. The reagent container storage mechanism 12 stores and provides storage for the testing reagents required for the operation of the sample analyzer. The reagent container temporary storage mechanism 11 temporarily stores reagent containers to be loaded and unloaded. The reagent container transfer mechanism 13 grasps reagent containers for transfer. The controller 14 is loaded with a computer program for controlling the workflow of the sample analyzer. By executing this computer program, the various components within the sample analyzer, such as the reagent container temporary storage mechanism 11, the reagent container storage mechanism 12, and the reagent container transfer mechanism 13, are uniformly scheduled to control the components to work together to complete sample testing and other tasks of the sample analyzer.

[0020] Reagent containers can be reagent kits or reagent bottles, used to store reagents and facilitate transportation.

[0021] The reagent container temporary storage mechanism 11 includes at least one reagent container placement area for temporary support. The placement area may be a slot, tray slot, recess, or a specific station on a conveyor line with a limiting structure. The reagent container temporary storage mechanism 11 also includes an identification device for identifying reagent containers temporarily stored on the reagent container temporary storage mechanism 11.

[0022] Optionally, the reagent container storage mechanism 11 can be a reagent tray structure that can rotate independently and has multiple reagent container holding positions. A scanner is connected to the reagent tray support, and different reagent container holding positions can be rotated to the scanner position for scanning to achieve identification.

[0023] The reagent container storage mechanism 12 can be multiple in the sample analyzer. The controller 14 can drive the reagent needle to reach the reagent aspiration position of the reagent container storage mechanism 12 to aspirate the reagent and add it to the reaction container for detection.

[0024] Preferably, the reagent container storage mechanism 12 is an independently driven reagent tray structure with multiple reagent container carrying positions. Multiple reagent container storage mechanisms 12 can be combined to form a large reagent tray, which has multiple independently driven reagent container storage mechanisms 12. The reagent container storage mechanism 12 includes at least one of the following: a reagent aspiration position, a reagent loading and unloading position, and a reagent compartment door position. The reagent aspiration position is where the controller 14 drives the reagent tray to rotate the reagent container carrying position to the corresponding reagent aspiration position, so that the reagent needle can aspirate the corresponding reagent at the reagent aspiration position and add it to the reaction container for detection. The reagent loading and unloading position is where the controller 14 drives the reagent tray to rotate the reagent container carrying position to the corresponding reagent loading and unloading position, so that the reagent container transfer mechanism 13 can load and unload the reagent. The reagent compartment door position is aligned with the reagent tray opening for manual replacement of reagent containers.

[0025] The reagent container transfer mechanism 13 has a driving component and a gripping component.

[0026] The driving component is used to drive the gripping component to automatically transfer reagent containers between the reagent container temporary storage mechanism 11 and the reagent container storage mechanism 12. The implementation methods include, but are not limited to, XYZ axis linear motion module, XZ axis linear motion module, and RZ motion module, whose motion path covers part of the reagent container temporary storage mechanism 11 and the reagent container storage mechanism 12.

[0027] The gripping component can grasp reagent containers to load and unload them. The methods that can be implemented include, but are not limited to, grippers, suction cups, and hooks.

[0028] Please see Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of an optional structure for a sample analyzer. The reagent container storage mechanism 12 includes four components: a first reagent tray 121 and a second reagent tray 122. The first reagent tray 121 includes an inner ring 12a and an outer ring 12b, and the second reagent tray 122 also includes an inner ring 12a and an outer ring 12b. The inner ring 12a and outer ring 12b can be used to store reagent containers and can rotate relatively independently. Thus, the two reagent trays, each with its inner and outer rings, can be equivalent to four reagent container storage mechanisms 12. The design of dividing the first reagent tray 121 and the second reagent tray 122 into inner rings 12a and outer rings 12b supports storing a larger number of reagent containers on a single reagent tray. It should be noted that the number of reagent container storage mechanisms 12 can also be one, two, or any other arbitrary number, which can be adjusted according to the actual application. However, for ease of description, this is used as an example. Figure 2The four examples shown are used for illustration; in addition, the reagent tray can also be a single-ring design, that is, one reagent tray is equivalent to one reagent container storage mechanism 12. These can be changed according to different needs in the actual implementation process, and this application does not limit them. In an optional example, the first reagent tray 121 is used to store the reagents required for the test. During the operation of the sample analyzer, the inner ring 12a of the first reagent tray 121 will move to the reagent dispensing position of the test item, and the reagent dispensing mechanism will draw the reagent at the dispensing position and add it to the reaction container. The outer ring 12b of the first reagent tray 121, the inner ring 12a of the second reagent tray 122, and the outer ring 12b of the second reagent tray 122 have similar functions to the inner ring 12a of the first reagent tray 121, the difference being that they are mainly used to store different types of reagents. The reagent container temporary storage mechanism 11 is a reagent buffer tray located between the first reagent tray 121 and the second reagent tray 122. This reagent buffer tray is used to store reagent containers that need to be loaded or unloaded.

[0029] When reagents need to be replenished during use of the sample analyzer, the reagent container to be replenished can be placed in the reagent buffer tray. The reagent buffer tray's barcode scanning function identifies the reagent information in the placed container, facilitating the reagent loading process. When reagents need to be unloaded, the container to be unloaded can also be placed in the reagent buffer tray, and the user can manually remove the empty bottle from the tray for further processing.

[0030] In the above embodiments, the reagent container temporary storage mechanism 11 allows the experiment to continue without stopping the movement of the reagent container, as long as the reagent container temporary storage mechanism 11, such as a reagent buffer disk, is occupied when loading and unloading reagents, thus achieving high efficiency.

[0031] The reagent container transfer mechanism 13, controlled by the controller 14, can grab reagent containers from the first reagent tray 121, the second reagent tray 122, and the reagent buffer tray 12, move them, and then place them at designated positions in the first reagent tray 121, the second reagent tray 122, and the reagent buffer tray 12.

[0032] The controller 14 includes various control platforms for controlling the sample analyzer in a broad sense. For example, it may include one or more controllers physically integrated within the sample analyzer, or it may be a host computer physically separated from components such as the reagent container temporary storage mechanism 11, the reagent container storage mechanism 12, and the reagent container transfer mechanism 13. The controller 14 is loaded with a computer program for executing the reagent container handling method provided in this application embodiment, to control various components of the sample analyzer, such as the reagent container temporary storage mechanism 11, the reagent container storage mechanism 12, and the reagent container transfer mechanism 13, to cooperate in completing the reagent loading and unloading process. It should be noted that the computer program executing the reagent container handling method provided in this application embodiment and the computer program controlling the sample analyzer to perform detection tasks can be integrated into one unit or can be relatively independent computer programs; this application does not impose any limitations on this.

[0033] During normal operation, the sample analyzer generates a detection process according to the current detection task. This process involves steps such as the dispensing mechanism drawing sample reagents and adding them to the reaction vessel to perform detection and analysis, enabling the sample analyzer to automatically complete the detection task. Based on the detection process, the controller 14 can obtain the action information of each component in the sample analyzer and use this information to determine the idle period of the sample analyzer.

[0034] The controller 14 is configured to execute a reagent container handling method, including: responding to a handling instruction for a first reagent container and obtaining a target idle period for executing the handling instruction; when the target idle period is reached, controlling the reagent container transfer mechanism to perform a corresponding handling operation on the first reagent container. Specifically, the controller 14 determines the target idle period for executing the handling instruction for each reagent container. This can be achieved by iterating through the action information of each component within the sample analyzer, identifying the continuous idle time of a specified component, finding a continuous idle time greater than the duration required to complete the loading or unloading operation of each reagent container, and confirming this as the target idle period. The target idle period is then used to complete the loading or unloading operation of the reagent container.

[0035] A handling instruction can be either an instruction to load a reagent container or an instruction to unload a reagent container. Reagent container loading and unloading includes both loading and unloading.

[0036] The target idle period refers to the continuous idle time of a specified component in the sample analyzer, determined based on the current detection process and the action information of each component. In an optional specific example, it refers to iterating through the idle times of the reagent container storage mechanism and finding a continuous idle time greater than the time required to execute the corresponding first reagent container handling instruction, setting this as the target idle period. In another optional example, each action of the components in the sample analyzer in cooperating to complete the reagent detection process is designed with a uniform duration; that is, the action of one component corresponds to a uniform duration, called a unit time. Therefore, the idle time between the actions of the components in the sample analyzer is usually measured in unit time. If it takes one unit time for the first reagent container to reach the reagent loading / unloading position, and one unit time for the reagent container transfer mechanism 13 to load / unload the reagent container at the reagent loading / unloading position, then the target idle period can be equal to or greater than two unit times.

[0037] In some embodiments, taking the handling instruction of the first reagent container as an example of an unloading instruction for a specified reagent container, determining the target idle period means, in response to the unloading instruction of the first reagent container, finding a continuous idle time in the reagent container storage mechanism 12 of the sample analyzer that is greater than the time required to perform the unloading operation on the specified reagent container, and determining this as the target idle period for executing the unloading instruction on the specified reagent container. The specified reagent container typically refers to a reagent container at a known location in the reagent container storage mechanism. The time required to unload reagent containers at different locations may vary. In this embodiment, a uniform time can be preset for the time required to execute the handling instruction of the first reagent container. In other optional embodiments, the time required to execute the handling instruction of the first reagent container can be calculated and determined before responding to the handling instruction of the first reagent container.

[0038] It should be noted that the reagent container storage mechanism 12 can be one or more of any number. In embodiments with multiple reagent container storage mechanisms, the multiple reagent container storage mechanisms are relatively independent. Secondly, each reagent container storage mechanism can also include multiple reagent container storage positions that operate relatively independently. For example, the reagent container storage mechanism is a reagent tray, which includes an inner ring and an outer ring. The inner ring and the outer ring are respectively provided with reagent container storage positions, and the inner ring and the outer ring can rotate relatively independently, but the inner ring and the outer ring are combined to form a reagent tray.

[0039] The action information of the reagent container storage mechanism 12 includes idle state and working state. Taking the reagent container storage mechanism 12 as a reagent tray as an example, the reagent tray rotates to move the reagent position that needs to be dispensed to the reagent dispensing position, or the reagent tray stops rotating, moving the reagent position that needs to be dispensed to the reagent dispensing position, waiting for the reagent needle to aspirate. In the above process, the reagent tray cannot rotate arbitrarily, which is called the working state. In the idle state, the reagent can rotate without restriction for a continuous period of time. During the current detection task, the sample analysis instrument may have different sample collection or reagent dispensing sequences and different time intervals between sample collection and reagent dispensing. Therefore, there will be different action information for a reagent container storage mechanism 12. This action information can indicate the time period when the reagent container storage mechanism 12 is in the working state and the time period when it is in the idle state, thus allowing the continuous idle time of the reagent container storage mechanism 12 to be found. The continuous idle time can be measured in a preset duration unit. For example, in an implementation instance where one action of the pre-defined reagent container storage mechanism 12 corresponds to a unit of time of uniform duration, the continuous idle time is measured in units of time required for the reagent container storage mechanism 12 to complete one action, which is usually twice or more of the unit of time. This application does not impose any restrictions on this.

[0040] Please see Figure 3 The controller 14 executes a reagent container handling method, including: S101, in response to the handling instruction of the first reagent container, obtain the target idle period for executing the handling instruction; S103, when the target idle period is reached, the reagent container transfer mechanism is controlled to perform a corresponding handling operation on the first reagent container.

[0041] For example, if the handling instruction for the first reagent container is an unloading instruction for a specified reagent container, then within the corresponding target idle period, the reagent container transfer mechanism 13 is controlled to perform an unloading operation on the specified reagent container; if the handling instruction for the first reagent container is a loading instruction for a certain type of reagent, then within the corresponding target idle period, the reagent container transfer mechanism 13 is controlled to perform a loading operation on the specified reagent container.

[0042] It should be noted that the reagent container transfer mechanism 13 performs a corresponding handling operation on the first reagent container. The specific details may vary depending on the structural layout of the sample analyzer, and this application does not limit it. The following is an example... Figure 2 For example, a specific example will be provided: (1) Uninstallation operation Optionally, the unloading operation is as follows: during the target idle period, the reagent container transfer mechanism 13 moves to the unloading position of the corresponding reagent container storage mechanism 12, takes the first reagent container from the unloading position of the corresponding reagent container storage mechanism 12, and then moves it to the reagent container temporary storage mechanism 11 for storage or the recycling port for disposal. Preferably, the unloading operation is performed such that, within the target idle period, the reagent container transfer mechanism 13 only removes the first reagent container from the unloading position corresponding to the first reagent container. The operations of moving the reagent container transfer mechanism 13 to the unloading position of the corresponding reagent container storage mechanism 12 and moving the grabbed first reagent container from the reagent container storage mechanism 13 to the reagent container temporary storage mechanism 11 for storage or disposal at the recycling port are not performed within the target idle period. This reduces the time occupied by the unloading operation within the target idle period, makes it easier to find the target idle period, and is more efficient.

[0043] (2) Loading operation Optionally, the loading operation includes at least one of the following: the reagent container transfer mechanism 13 picks up a reagent container from the reagent container temporary storage mechanism 11 and moves it to the reagent container loading position of the corresponding reagent container storage mechanism 12; the reagent container transfer mechanism 13 places the first reagent container into the corresponding reagent container storage mechanism 12. Preferably, the loading operation is performed such that, within the target idle period, the reagent container transfer mechanism 13 only performs the action of placing the first reagent container from the loading position corresponding to the first reagent container into the corresponding reagent container storage machine 12. This reduces the time occupied by the loading operation during the target idle period, makes it easier to find the target idle period, and is more efficient.

[0044] In the above embodiments, the sample analyzer can fully utilize idle time during normal operation to load and unload reagent containers. Secondly, through the reagent container temporary storage mechanism 11, reagents are loaded into the temporary storage mechanism 11 during the sample analyzer's startup. After the target idle period, the controller 14 controls the reagent container transfer mechanism 13 to execute the transport command. This allows operators to replenish and unload reagent containers at any time, and loading reagent containers onto the reagent container storage mechanism 12 does not pause the sample analyzer's experiments. Therefore, the reagent container temporary storage mechanism 11 does not affect the sample analyzer's detection process. Thus, during reagent loading and unloading, the sample analyzer does not need to be stopped, and the original operation of the original reagent detection items is not interrupted, nor is the original experimental progress affected, thereby improving experimental efficiency.

[0045] In some embodiments, the handling instruction refers to a loading instruction; the controller 14 is configured to: respond to the handling instruction of the first reagent container, obtain a target idle period for executing the handling instruction, and then obtain the remaining period after the loading instruction is executed within the target idle period; determine whether the remaining period is sufficient for the required duration to perform an unloading operation on the second reagent container; if so, respond to the unloading instruction of the second reagent container, and after the loading operation on the first reagent container is completed within the target idle period, control the reagent container transfer mechanism to perform an unloading operation on the second reagent container.

[0046] The target idle period is determined to be at least greater than the time required to execute the current handling operation of the first reagent container. In this embodiment, after determining the target idle period in response to the handling instruction of one of the reagent containers, the controller further determines whether the target idle period is sufficient to continuously execute the handling instruction of the next reagent container.

[0047] Please see Figure 4 After step S101, the controller 14 executes the reagent container handling method, including: S105, obtain the remaining cycle after the loading instruction is executed within the target idle cycle; S106, determine whether the remaining cycle meets the required time to perform the unloading operation on the second reagent container; S107, if satisfied, respond to the unloading command of the second reagent container, and after the loading operation of the first reagent container is completed within the target idle period, control the reagent container transfer mechanism to perform the unloading operation of the second reagent container.

[0048] Taking the loading operation of the first reagent container as an example, the controller 14 responds to the loading command of the first reagent container, determines the target idle period for executing the loading command, and then determines whether the target idle period satisfies the requirement to simultaneously and alternately execute the loading and unloading operations, including the following steps: First, does the target idle period meet the requirements for simultaneous unloading? It determines if the target idle period is greater than the time required to perform the loading operation on the first reagent container. If so, it proceeds to the simultaneous unloading check. Second, it determines if there are any reagent containers that need to be unloaded. It iterates through all reagent containers to find the container that needs to be unloaded. If it exists, it determines if the remaining period of the target idle period supports simultaneous unloading of that reagent container. If it does not exist, it terminates further arrangements for handling other reagent containers within the target idle period. Third, it determines if the remaining period meets the unloading operation time for the reagent container that needs to be unloaded. The controller determines the distance between the location of the reagent container to be unloaded and the reagent container unloading placement position, calculates the required rotation time based on the distance, and if the rotation time is not greater than the remaining period, simultaneous unloading can be arranged. If the rotation time is less than the remaining period, it needs to determine if there is a need for another reagent container to be unloaded. The reagent container unloading placement position refers to the position where the reagent container is removed from its storage mechanism. Figure 2 Taking the sample analyzer shown as an example, the reagent trays are provided with reagent tray opening areas. Specifically, these openings are for the reagent container transfer mechanism 13 to load and unload reagents. When a reagent container to be unloaded is rotated to align with the reagent tray opening, it is considered that the reagent container transfer mechanism 13 can then remove the reagent container from the reagent container storage mechanism 12. Therefore, the reagent container unloading position refers to the alignment of the reagent container to be unloaded with the reagent tray opening area. Fourth, determine whether there are any more reagent containers that need to be unloaded. If there are still reagent containers to be unloaded, return to step three. If not, end the further arrangement of handling other reagent containers within the target idle period.

[0049] In the above embodiments, the controller 14 is configured to alternately complete the loading and unloading operations of reagent containers within the same target idle period. Utilizing the time period during which the reagent container storage mechanism corresponding to the first reagent container is idle, this period can be efficiently used to perform the loading and unloading operations. Alternating the loading and unloading operations within the same target idle period fully leverages the characteristic that the sample analyzer requires the storage position of the reagent container to be loaded and the placement position of the reagent container to be unloaded to be aligned with the reagent tray opening area during the loading and unloading operations. This minimizes the travel distance of the reagent container transfer mechanism during multiple consecutive loading and unloading operations within the same target idle period and minimizes the repeated rotation of the reagent container storage mechanism, thereby improving reagent loading and unloading efficiency.

[0050] Furthermore, in some embodiments, the controller 14 determines whether the remaining period is sufficient for the unloading operation of the second reagent container, specifically including: based on the reagent container unloading task in the reagent container storage facility where the first reagent container is located, searching for the second reagent container in the same reagent container storage facility; and determining whether the remaining period is sufficient for the unloading operation of the second reagent container.

[0051] In the implementation scheme of simultaneously and alternately executing loading and unloading operations within the same target idle period, after responding to the loading command of the first reagent container and determining the target idle period for executing the loading command of the first reagent container, it is determined whether the target idle period supports the time required for simultaneously and alternately executing the unloading operation of the second reagent container. Priority is given to the unloading tasks of the reagent containers contained in the reagent container storage mechanism 12 where the first reagent container is located. Since the reagent container waiting position and reagent container unloading position of the reagent container storage mechanism 12 need to be rotated to align with the reagent tray opening area when executing loading and unloading operations, based on the same reagent container storage mechanism 12 where the first reagent container that has completed the loading operation is located, it is found whether the second reagent container meets the requirement of alternately executing the unloading operation within the same target idle period. This can effectively reduce the repetitive movement of the reagent container storage mechanism 12 and further improve the efficiency of the sample analyzer in completing the loading and unloading of reagent containers within the target idle period.

[0052] In some embodiments, the controller 14 is configured to, before responding to the handling instruction of the first reagent container, further include: obtaining a reagent container handling request, obtaining a handling task list based on the reagent container handling request, determining the handling task with the highest priority based on the handling task list, determining the first reagent container and its task type based on the handling task with the highest priority, and generating a handling instruction for the first reagent container.

[0053] Please see Figure 5 In the execution flow of the reagent container handling method, before step S101, the following steps are included: S100: Obtain a reagent container handling request, obtain a handling task list based on the reagent container handling request, and generate a handling instruction for the first reagent container based on the handling task list.

[0054] Before responding to the handling instruction for the first reagent container, the controller triggers a handling task request based on the reagent container handling request to generate the handling instruction for the first reagent container. The reagent container handling request can be obtained based on the user's preset manual operation, or it can be obtained automatically based on the sample analyzer detecting that a preset trigger condition is met; this application does not impose any restrictions on this.

[0055] The transport task list contains the reagent container loading and / or unloading tasks that the sample analyzer needs to complete in the workflow of performing the current testing task. In optional examples, the transport task list is formed by the sample analyzer setting reagent container loading and unloading tasks based on the reagents required for the testing task after receiving it. In other optional examples, the transport task list can also be manually set or adjusted by the user, or generated in real time during the sample analyzer's operation based on the real-time usage and consumption of reagents. The creation and updating of the transport task list can also be a combination of the aforementioned methods, and this application does not limit this.

[0056] Optionally, the controller 14 generates a handling instruction for the first reagent container based on the handling task list. Specifically, the controller 14 determines the highest priority handling task based on the handling task list; determines the first reagent container and its task type based on the highest priority handling task; and generates a handling instruction for the first reagent container. The task type is either a loading operation or an unloading operation.

[0057] The transport task list may include one or more. Optionally, the transport task list may be set in at least one of the following ways: the sample analyzer includes multiple reagent container storage mechanisms 12, and a transport task list is set for each reagent container storage mechanism 12; the sample analyzer includes multiple reagent container storage mechanisms 12, and all reagent container storage mechanisms 12 share the same transport task list; the sample analyzer includes one or more reagent container storage mechanisms 12, each reagent container storage mechanism 12 includes an inner ring 12a and an outer ring 12b that can move relatively independently, and an independent and corresponding transport task list is set for the inner ring 12a and outer ring 12b of each reagent container storage mechanism 12; the sample analyzer includes one or more reagent container storage mechanisms 12, and a first transport task list containing reagent container loading tasks and a second transport task list containing reagent container unloading tasks are set for each reagent container storage mechanism 12. The transport task list contains information on all reagent container loading tasks and reagent container unloading tasks.

[0058] In the above embodiments, during the use of the sample analyzer, the controller 14 can determine the highest priority transport task based on reagent container transport requests triggered manually or automatically, using a transport task list, and generate a transport instruction for the first reagent container. The setting of the transport task list ensures the orderly execution of reagent loading and unloading, enabling the completion of the required reagent loading and unloading tasks during the idle time of the reagent container temporary storage mechanism, reagent container storage mechanism, and reagent container transfer mechanism without affecting the original detection task progress of the sample analyzer. Secondly, in executing the reagent container transport method, the sample analyzer can classify and sort transport requests from different sources and of different natures, corresponding them to different reagent container transport task lists. This makes the entire reagent container loading and unloading transport more reasonable and orderly, and the transport task list format is easily expandable, compatible with different types of requests (such as urgent requests and routine replenishment), facilitating user customization and optimization according to needs, and allowing the addition of new scheduling strategies.

[0059] In some embodiments, the sample analyzer includes one or more reagent container storage units 12, each corresponding to the same transport task list, wherein the controller 14 determines the highest priority transport task by: determining the first-order transport task as the highest priority transport task according to the transport task list.

[0060] In the sample analyzer, the loading and unloading tasks of reagent containers in multiple reagent container storage mechanisms 12 are all recorded in the same transport task list. When the controller 14 responds to the transport instruction of the first reagent container, it can select the transport task to be executed sequentially based on the transport task list, and determine which reagent container loading operation or which reagent container unloading operation is to be performed based on the first priority transport task.

[0061] In one implementation, the first priority of the transport task list can be determined by the following two conditions: 1) timing, which one requests the task first; or 2) the order in which the system's priority configuration is generated, such as the system having a priority order for testing items / reagents, with higher priority given to testing items / reagents that have high testing demand and are frequently changed.

[0062] In the above embodiments, by using multiple reagent container storage mechanisms 12 to share the same handling task list, the reagent container loading and unloading requirements of the sample analyzer in the detection task execution process can be efficiently completed by designing the order of each handling task included in the handling task list.

[0063] In some embodiments, the handling tasks of reagent containers in the same reagent container storage unit 12 form the same handling task list; wherein, the controller 14 determines the handling task with the highest priority by: based on the handling tasks included in the handling task list corresponding to each reagent container storage unit, calculating the first idle period of the first priority handling task respectively; comparing each first idle period, determining the handling task corresponding to the first idle period that arrives earlier as the handling task with the highest priority.

[0064] When the sample analyzer includes multiple reagent container storage units 12, a corresponding transport task list can be set for each reagent container storage unit 12. Taking advantage of the fact that different reagent container storage units 12 operate relatively independently and can store different types of reagents, when the controller 14 receives a reagent container transport request and determines the highest priority transport task according to the transport task list, it can simultaneously search the transport task list corresponding to each reagent container storage unit 12 to obtain the first priority transport task in the corresponding transport task list and its first idle period. Then, by comprehensively comparing the first idle period that arrives first among the multiple first priority transport tasks, the transport task corresponding to the first idle period that arrives first is determined as the highest priority transport task.

[0065] Furthermore, the controller 14 is configured to, based on the highest priority handling task, identify the reagent container corresponding to that handling task as the first reagent container, generate a handling instruction for the first reagent container, and store the first idle period of the highest priority handling task as the target idle period. For example: The handling task list for the first reagent container storage unit is: loading reagent container A and unloading reagent container B; and the handling task list for the second reagent container storage unit is: loading reagent container C and unloading reagent container D.

[0066] The first priority handling task is determined as follows: For loading reagent container A and loading reagent container C, their respective first idle periods are calculated. The first idle period for loading reagent container A is determined by finding the continuous idle time of the first reagent container storage mechanism, and this time is greater than or equal to the time required to perform the handling operation for reagent container A. The first idle period for loading reagent container C is determined by finding the continuous idle time of the second reagent container storage mechanism, and this time is greater than or equal to the time required to perform the handling operation for reagent container C. The task with the first idle period that arrives first is identified as the highest priority handling task. The first idle period of the highest priority handling task is then stored as the target idle period. For example, if the first idle period for loading reagent container A arrives first, then loading reagent container A is identified as the highest priority handling task, and the first idle period for loading reagent container A is stored as the target idle period.

[0067] In the above embodiments, based on the relatively independent characteristics of different reagent container storage institutions, the continuous idle time periods of different reagent container storage institutions are arranged differently. By finding the reagent container that can perform the transportation task first by looking at the transportation task list of different reagent container storage institutions, the efficiency of the entire reagent container transportation can be improved and time waste can be reduced.

[0068] In some embodiments, in one or more reagent container storage mechanisms 12, reagent container loading tasks correspond to forming a first transport task list, and reagent container unloading tasks correspond to forming a second transport task list. The controller 14 determines the highest priority transport task by: determining the first-priority reagent loading task as the highest priority transport task according to the first transport task list, or determining the first-priority reagent unloading task as the highest priority transport task according to the second transport task list.

[0069] In the case where reagent container loading and unloading tasks are recorded separately in the reagent container storage mechanism 12, the first or second transport task list can be searched based on the task type of the reagent container loading and unloading task to be executed, and the highest priority transport task can be determined by sorting the tasks in the first or second transport task list according to the task type to be executed.

[0070] In the above embodiments, because the movement paths of the reagent container transfer mechanisms for loading and unloading reagent containers are different, the execution order of the reagent container handling tasks can be determined more accurately by searching the corresponding task list based on the task type of the loading and unloading task to be executed. This supports adapting different task lists according to the transfer distance and supports alternating execution of loading and unloading tasks to improve the efficiency of reagent container loading and unloading.

[0071] In some embodiments, in one or more reagent container storage units 12, reagent container loading tasks in each reagent container storage unit 12 form a first transport task list, and reagent container unloading tasks form a second transport task list. The controller 14 determines the highest priority transport task by: comparing the first idle periods of the first-order loading tasks in each of the first transport task lists, and determining the loading task corresponding to the first idle period that arrives earlier as the highest priority transport task; or, comparing the first idle periods of the first-order unloading tasks in each of the second transport task lists, and determining the unloading task whose first idle period arrives earlier as the highest priority transport task.

[0072] The reagent container loading and unloading tasks in each reagent container storage unit 12 are recorded separately, forming independent first and second handling task lists. Different reagent container storage units 12 can form more classified storage of reagent containers, resulting in different task lists, thus allowing for more flexible setting of the execution order of loading and unloading tasks in different reagent container storage units.

[0073] For example: The first handling task list of the first reagent container storage mechanism: loading reagent container A1, loading reagent container A2; the second handling task list: unloading reagent container B1, unloading reagent container B2. The first handling task list of the second reagent container storage mechanism: loading reagent container C1, loading reagent container C2; the second handling task list: unloading reagent container D1, unloading reagent container D2.

[0074] If the current handling request is determined to be a reagent container loading request, then the first priority handling tasks are determined as follows: For loading reagent container A1 and loading reagent container C1, their respective first idle periods are calculated. The first idle period for loading reagent container A1 is calculated by finding the continuous idle time of the first reagent container storage mechanism, and the time is greater than or equal to the time for executing the handling operation of reagent container A1. The first idle period for loading reagent container C1 is calculated by finding the continuous idle time of the second reagent container storage mechanism, and the time is greater than or equal to the time for executing the handling operation of reagent container C1. The two first idle periods are compared to see which one arrives first, i.e., the one closer to the current time. The handling task with the first arriving first idle period is then determined as the highest priority handling task, and the first idle period of the highest priority handling task is stored as the target idle period. For example, if the first idle period for loading reagent container A1 arrives first, then loading reagent container A1 is determined as the highest priority handling task, and the first idle period for loading reagent container A1 is stored as the target idle period.

[0075] If the current handling request is determined to be a reagent container unloading request, then the first priority handling task is determined as follows: For unloading reagent container B1 and unloading reagent container D1, their respective first idle periods are calculated. The first idle period for unloading reagent container B1 is determined by finding the continuous idle time of the first reagent container storage mechanism, and this time is greater than or equal to the time for executing the handling operation of reagent container B1. The first idle period for unloading reagent container D1 is determined by finding the continuous idle time of the second reagent container storage mechanism, and this time is greater than or equal to the time for executing the handling operation of reagent container D1. The two first idle periods are compared to see which one arrives first, i.e., the one closer to the current time. The handling task with the first arriving first idle period is then determined as the highest priority handling task, and the first idle period of the highest priority handling task is stored as the target idle period. For example, if the first idle period for unloading reagent container D1 arrives first, then unloading reagent container D1 is determined as the highest priority handling task, and the first idle period for unloading reagent container D1 is stored as the target idle period.

[0076] In the above embodiments, the execution order of reagent container handling tasks can be determined more accurately by searching the corresponding task list based on the task type of the loading and unloading task to be performed. It can also find the idle periods of different reagent container storage institutions, so that tasks can be arranged as quickly as possible at any time, achieving high efficiency, meeting the needs of more application scenarios, and supporting alternating execution to improve efficiency.

[0077] In some embodiments, if the controller 14 confirms that this is the first reagent container handling request, it acquires the reagent container handling request, including at least one of the following: When the controller 14 detects that the reagent container transfer mechanism has stopped, it obtains the current stopping position of the reagent container transfer mechanism. If the current stopping position is close to the reagent container temporary storage mechanism, it generates a reagent container loading request. If the current stopping position is close to the reagent container storage mechanism, it generates a reagent container unloading request. The controller 14 acquires key operations on the loading / unloading buttons. If the key operation corresponds to the need to perform a reagent container loading task, a reagent container loading request is generated. If the key operation corresponds to the need to perform a reagent container unloading task, a reagent container unloading request is generated. If the controller 14 confirms that the current reagent container handling request is not the first one, it obtains the type of the previous reagent container handling request. If the previous reagent container handling request was a reagent unloading request, it generates a reagent container loading request. If the previous reagent container handling request was a reagent loading request, it generates a reagent container unloading request.

[0078] Alternatively, in some embodiments, the controller 14 receives a reagent container handling request and executes the following scheme: When the controller detects that the reagent container transfer mechanism has stopped, it obtains the current stopping position of the reagent container transfer mechanism. If the current stopping position is close to the reagent container temporary storage mechanism, it generates a reagent container loading request. If the current stopping position is close to the reagent container storage mechanism, it generates a reagent container unloading request.

[0079] In the above embodiments, obtaining a reagent container handling request can be done by confirming the current reagent container handling request based on the type of the previous reagent container handling request, thereby enabling the interleaved execution of reagent container loading and unloading requests. This ensures that the overall load of the reagent container storage mechanism is balanced, preventing a situation where it is always under loading tasks and is fully loaded. At the same time, it allows the reagent container transfer mechanism to directly unload from the reagent container storage mechanism after the loading task is completed, and similarly, after the unloading task is completed, it can directly load from the reagent container temporary storage mechanism, reducing the idle travel of the reagent container transfer mechanism and improving the transfer efficiency.

[0080] In the above embodiments, obtaining reagent container handling requests can also be achieved by detecting the position of the reagent container transfer mechanism to determine the reagent container handling request that requires the shortest travel distance of the reagent container transfer mechanism, thereby reducing the empty runs of the reagent container transfer mechanism and improving efficiency.

[0081] In the above embodiments, during use, the sample analyzer generates a reagent container handling request with a defined task type when preset conditions are met. The sample analyzer can generate a more suitable reagent container handling request based on whether it is the first time requesting the task, and according to different strategies used during the workflow. This satisfies the needs of more application scenarios, supports the generation of reagent container handling requests with defined handling types, and, combined with the situation where reagent container loading and unloading tasks are separated into different handling task lists in the reagent container storage facility, when the sample analyzer can determine whether the reagent container handling request is a loading or unloading request, it specifically selects the highest priority unloading task from the corresponding handling task list. Therefore, it achieves the goal of finding the idle periods of different reagent container storage facilities, fully utilizing idle periods to schedule handling tasks as quickly as possible, and achieving higher efficiency.

[0082] In an optional specific example, the controller 14 determines the highest priority handling task by: obtaining a first handling task list corresponding to each of the reagent container storage facilities based on the reagent container loading request, for the purpose of determining the highest priority handling task; and obtaining a second handling task list corresponding to each of the reagent container storage facilities based on the reagent container unloading request, for the purpose of determining the highest priority handling task.

[0083] In the case where the sample analyzer includes multiple reagent container storage units 12, a first transport task list containing reagent container loading tasks and a second transport task list containing reagent container unloading tasks are set for each reagent container storage unit 12. When determining the highest priority transport task, the controller 14 can optimize the decision-making scheme for determining the type of reagent container transport task by alternating the execution of loading and unloading tasks. Specifically, when the controller 14 obtains a reagent container loading request, it determines the highest priority loading task based on the first transport task list containing reagent container loading tasks; when it obtains a reagent container unloading request, it determines the highest priority unloading task based on the second transport task list containing reagent container unloading tasks. Therefore, based on the determined type of reagent container transport request, the controller can synchronously search for the corresponding loading task list or unloading task list for each reagent container storage unit 12 according to the strategy of alternating loading and unloading, making full use of the idle periods of different reagent container storage units.

[0084] In the above embodiments, the working sequence of different reagent container storage mechanisms 12 is different. Different reagent container storage mechanisms 12 are set to correspond to different handling task lists. The handling task list of each reagent container storage mechanism 12 is divided into a first handling task list and a second handling task list according to the loading and unloading actions. The reagent container loading operation and the reagent container unloading operation are executed alternately. In this way, synchronous priority search and parallel screening can be performed based on the working sequence of different reagent container storage mechanisms 12. At the same time, the loading and unloading of reagent containers are executed alternately. Thus, the idle time during the normal execution of the test task by the sample analyzer can be utilized more flexibly to complete the reagent container loading and unloading tasks, thereby improving efficiency.

[0085] In some embodiments, the controller 14 determines the highest priority handling task, and further includes at least one of the following: The controller 14, based on the reagent container loading request and the loading tasks included in the first transport task list, compares the first idle period of the first priority loading task in each of the first transport task lists. If there are multiple candidate loading tasks whose first idle periods arrive at the same time, the controller 14 determines the transport task with the highest priority from the candidate loading tasks according to the default or configured first priority order table. The controller 14, based on the reagent container unloading request, obtains the relative positional relationship between the reagent container transfer mechanism and the reagent container storage mechanism, and obtains a second priority order table corresponding to the unloading tasks included in the second handling task list based on the relative positional relationship. Based on the unloading tasks included in the second handling task list, it compares the first idle period of the first-order unloading task in each of the second handling task lists. If there are multiple candidate unloading tasks whose first idle periods arrive simultaneously, it determines the handling task with the highest priority from the candidate unloading tasks according to the second priority order table.

[0086] In the case where the reagent container loading and unloading tasks contained in the reagent container storage mechanism 12 are respectively formed into a first transport task list and a second transport task list, after the controller 14 obtains the reagent container transport request, it can obtain the corresponding loading task list or unloading task list according to the type of the reagent container transport request, which is a reagent container loading request or a reagent container unloading request, to determine the transport task with the highest priority. At this time, when multiple transport tasks arrive first in the first idle period, the transport task with the highest priority is confirmed. It can be further combined with the priority order table to specifically determine the reagent container unloading task of a specified reagent container at a specified location in the reagent container storage mechanism 12, or the reagent container loading task of a specified reagent container on the reagent container temporary storage mechanism 11.

[0087] For loading tasks, a default or configured first priority order table can be introduced. If the first idle period of multiple loading tasks with the highest priority determined based on multiple task lists arrives simultaneously, the loading task with the highest current priority is selected based on the first priority order table. Alternatively, a custom first priority order table can be configured to facilitate use by terminal doctors according to their habits.

[0088] For unloading tasks, the relative positions of the reagent container transfer mechanism 13 and the reagent container storage mechanism 12 can be determined. Based on the relative positional relationship, a second priority order list is established for each reagent container unloading task. If multiple first-priority unloading tasks determined from multiple task lists arrive simultaneously, the unloading task with the highest current priority is selected based on the second priority order list. This reduces the need for the reagent container transfer mechanism to make unnecessary trips, allows for unloading to be performed nearby, and improves handling efficiency.

[0089] In the above embodiments, the reagent container loading and unloading tasks in the reagent container storage mechanism 12 are set to form relatively independent loading task lists and unloading task lists, respectively. When the reagent container handling request is formed based on different triggering conditions, it can be distinguished whether the current request is a reagent container loading request or a reagent container unloading request. This can support more flexible use of the sample analyzer's idle time to complete the reagent container loading and unloading tasks, thereby improving efficiency.

[0090] In some embodiments, the transport task list includes an expedited task list and a regular task list. The controller 14's acquisition of reagent container transport requests further includes: determining whether the expedited task list is empty; If not empty, generate an expedited task request and obtain the expedited task list based on the expedited task request; The controller determines the highest priority handling task, and also includes determining the highest priority handling task based on the urgent reagent container handling tasks included in the urgent task list.

[0091] The transport task list is divided into an expedited task list and a regular task list. It should be noted that the division between expedited and regular task lists does not refer to the number of lists, but rather to a logical division based on the urgency of the task type. Therefore, the expedited and regular task lists can be relatively independent lists, or they can refer to the same list containing both expedited and regular reagent transport tasks.

[0092] When there is an urgent reagent handling task, after receiving the reagent container handling request, the controller 14 first determines the highest priority handling task based on the urgent tasks in the urgent task list. If there is no urgent task list or all urgent reagent handling tasks have been completed, the controller then determines the highest priority handling task based on the regular task list.

[0093] It should be noted that when there is no urgent task list or all urgent reagent handling tasks have been completed, and the highest priority handling task is determined according to the regular task list, the execution priority conditions for different types of reagent container handling tasks can be further set. For example, after the controller receives a reagent container handling request, it obtains the current position of the reagent container transfer mechanism 13 in real time. If the reagent container transfer mechanism 13 is relatively closer to the reagent container storage mechanism 12, the reagent container unloading task is executed first; if the reagent container transfer mechanism 13 is relatively closer to the reagent container temporary storage mechanism 11, the reagent container loading task is executed first.

[0094] In the above embodiments, the controller 14 defines expedited reagent handling tasks according to different levels of urgency for reagent container handling tasks. This allows the idle periods during the normal operation of the sample analyzer to be fully utilized to complete the loading and unloading of reagent containers, while also taking into full account urgent needs and effectively ensuring the smooth progress of the original reagent testing projects of the sample analyzer.

[0095] In some embodiments, the controller 14 is configured to, if the expedited task list is empty, reacquire the reagent container handling request and obtain the regular task list based on the reacquired reagent container handling request; The request to reacquire the reagent container includes: The controller 14 obtains the current stopping position of the reagent container transfer mechanism. If the relative position between the current stopping position and the reagent container temporary storage mechanism meets a first preset condition, a corresponding reagent container loading request is generated. If the relative position between the current stopping position and the reagent container storage mechanism meets a second preset condition, a corresponding reagent container unloading request is generated. or, When the controller 14 detects that the current reagent container handling request is not the first one, it obtains the type of the previous reagent container handling request; if the previous reagent container handling request is a reagent unloading request, it generates a corresponding reagent container loading request; if the previous reagent container handling request is a reagent loading request, it generates a corresponding reagent container unloading request. or, The controller 14 can acquire reagent container handling requests of any preset type.

[0096] In the above embodiments, for the implementation example of distinguishing between expedited and regular task lists for reagent container handling tasks according to different levels of urgency, the sample analyzer, upon receiving a reagent container handling request, first searches the expedited task list to determine the highest priority handling task. If the expedited task list is empty, it re-obtains the reagent container handling request and searches the regular task list to determine the highest priority handling task.

[0097] Upon re-acquiring a reagent container handling request, the sample analyzer can generate a more suitable request with a clearly defined handling task type based on different strategies. These strategies can be primarily categorized as follows: determining the request based on the relative positions of the reagent container transfer mechanism, the reagent container temporary storage mechanism, and the reagent container storage mechanism; determining the request based on whether it is a previous handling request and the type of the previous handling request; and determining the request based on preset user handheld operation.

[0098] Thus, in application scenarios where reagent container handling tasks are categorized into expedited and regular task lists, the sample analyzer supports generating reagent container handling requests of specific task types based on preset trigger conditions. Furthermore, when reagent container loading and unloading tasks at reagent container storage facilities are separated into different handling task lists, the sample analyzer can more rationally determine the highest-priority handling task from the expedited and regular task lists when it can decide whether a reagent container handling request is a loading or unloading request. This fully considers urgent needs and maximizes the availability of different reagent container storage facilities to schedule handling tasks as quickly as possible, effectively ensuring the smooth progress of the sample analyzer's original reagent testing projects and achieving greater efficiency.

[0099] In some embodiments, the controller 14 is configured to, before determining whether the expedited task list is empty, include: Determine if the reagent container storage mechanism is full. If the reagent container storage mechanism is full, generate a reagent container unloading request and determine the highest priority handling task based on the reagent container unloading request. If the reagent container storage mechanism is not full, then the step of determining whether the urgent task list is empty is executed.

[0100] In the implementation of the reagent container handling method in the sample analyzer, for application scenarios where the task list for reagent container handling tasks is divided into an urgent task list and a regular task list, the implementation scheme for determining the highest priority handling task will be further optimized based on the temporary and sudden emergency situations that may occur during the normal operation of the sample analyzer. Specifically, after receiving a reagent container handling request, it first checks whether the reagent container storage mechanism is full. If the reagent container storage mechanism is not full, it then proceeds to the process of checking whether the urgent task list is empty.

[0101] In the above embodiments, it is further set to first determine whether the reagent container storage mechanism is currently full. If it is full, the reagent container unloading task is set to take priority over the execution of the handling tasks in the preset urgent task list. At this time, the reagent container unloading task is executed first to provide a storage location for the reagent container loaded in the subsequent reagent container loading task based on the urgent task list and the regular task list, so as to effectively ensure the smooth operation of the sample analyzer.

[0102] Optionally, the expedited reagent container handling task is determined based on at least one of the following conditions: If the remaining quantity of existing reagent items is less than the daily testing quantity required for the corresponding test items, an urgent reagent container loading task for the corresponding reagent items will be generated. If the remaining quantity of existing reagent items is less than a preset threshold, an expedited reagent container loading task for the corresponding reagent item will be generated. Existing reagent items are about to expire, which may lead to a shortage of corresponding reagents. Therefore, an urgent reagent container loading task is generated for the corresponding reagent items. For reagents that are about to expire and are present in the reagent container temporary storage mechanism, an urgent reagent container loading task is generated for the corresponding reagent item.

[0103] The urgency of reagent container handling tasks is related to the reagent container storage status of the reagent testing items to be performed for the normal operation of the sample analyzer. For example, if a reagent item with insufficient reagent reserves is detected in the reagent container storage unit 12, the reagent container for the reagent item with insufficient reagent reserves will be loaded first to avoid reagent shortages. If a reagent container is detected to have been in the reagent container temporary storage unit 11 for too long or is about to expire, the loading task for this reagent container will be arranged first. The reagent container temporary storage unit 11 is usually not refrigerated. If reagents are stored in the reagent container temporary storage unit 11 for a long time without being loaded into the reagent container storage unit 12, it will lead to reagent failure and waste. For reagent items with high throughput and high reagent consumption, loading will be arranged first to ensure the reserve of high-throughput reagent items in the reagent container storage unit 12.

[0104] In the above embodiments, the sample analyzer, in implementing the reagent container handling method, balances the timely fulfillment of urgent tasks such as insufficient reagent reserves, reagent waste due to failure, and high-throughput reagent demand, thereby achieving intelligent loading and unloading of reagent containers. The timely fulfillment of urgent tasks and efficient completion can be considered simultaneously.

[0105] In some embodiments, the controller 14 is configured to: determine the highest priority handling task, further comprising: according to the expedited task list, if there is an expedited reagent container loading task corresponding to a reagent item with empty remaining quantity, and the experimental queue to be tested by the sample analyzer includes the item corresponding to the reagent item with empty remaining quantity, the reagent container loading task of the corresponding reagent item is determined as the highest priority primary execution task; after the controller generates the corresponding reagent container loading instruction based on the primary execution task, if a target idle period that meets the requirements for executing the reagent container loading instruction is not obtained, the controller controls the reagent container storage mechanism and the reagent container transfer mechanism to interrupt the current movement and execute the corresponding reagent container loading operation.

[0106] To effectively ensure the normal operation of the sample analyzer, the controller identifies idle time periods during normal operation to complete reagent container loading and unloading tasks. For situations where delays could affect the analyzer's normal operation, a mechanism for proactively creating idle periods is implemented. For urgent reagent container handling tasks, if a loading task involves a reagent that is about to be used and has empty reagent reserves, the mechanism for proactively creating idle periods is activated, generating the highest priority reagent container loading task for that reagent. For clarity and ease of understanding, this is referred to as the primary execution task. For the primary execution task, the controller 14 controls the interruption of the sample analyzer's detection process, coordinating the reagent container storage mechanism 12 and the reagent container transfer mechanism 13 to execute the loading task first.

[0107] In the above embodiments, a mechanism for actively creating idle periods is further designed. For most reagent container loading and unloading needs, the continuous idle time that exists in the normal operation of the sample analyzer can be completed. In order to ensure full compatibility, for reagent container loading and unloading tasks that may not be completed in time according to the continuous idle time that naturally exists in the sample analyzer during the execution of the test items, and that will affect the normal operation of the sample analyzer, the mechanism of actively creating idle periods is adopted to handle them. This can avoid the impact of extremely low probability events on the normal operation of the sample analyzer and ensure the compatibility of the reagent container handling method of uninterrupted fully automatic reagent loading in various scenarios.

[0108] In some embodiments, the controller 14 is configured to generate a transport task list based on at least one of the following schemes: Obtain the entered reagent loading task information, and generate or add the reagent loading task list based on the reagent loading task information; wherein, the reagent loading task information includes reagent container identity information and its corresponding handling task type; Obtain a selection operation for the reagent container stored on the reagent container storage mechanism, generate an unloading task containing the selected reagent container according to the selection operation, and generate or add the task to the transport task list. Obtain scan data of reagent containers contained in the reagent container temporary storage facility, generate loading tasks containing the reagent containers based on the scan data of the reagent containers, and generate or add to the handling task list. When a reagent container nearing its expiration date is detected that does not meet the preset conditions, an unloading task containing the near-expiration reagent container is generated, and a transport task list is generated or added.

[0109] The reagent container handling tasks specifically include reagent container loading and unloading tasks. These tasks can be obtained based on manual user operation or by the controller detecting that the sample analyzer meets a preset condition. Manual user operation-based loading / unloading tasks can be generated from manually entered reagent loading information or by the user manually selecting the reagent container to be unloaded from the reagent container storage unit 12. Reagent container handling tasks obtained based on the detection of a preset condition can be generated by the reagent container temporary storage unit 11 automatically scanning the reagent containers using a scanning device and adding the corresponding loading task to the handling task list; or by the sample analyzer adding the corresponding unloading task to the handling task list when it detects a reagent container nearing its expiration date.

[0110] The user can manually enter reagent loading task information, which can be implemented in different ways. For example, a reagent container handling button can be set up, and the controller 14 can detect when the reagent container handling button is clicked to trigger the process of entering a new reagent container loading and unloading task. The reagent container handling button can be a virtual button in the computer program application interface that runs the reagent container handling method, or it can be a physical button set on the sample analyzer. In other embodiments, the user can also manually enter reagent loading task information by performing a specific operation on the sample analyzer, which can trigger the process of entering a new reagent container loading and unloading task, such as the user closing the lid of the reagent container temporary storage mechanism 11.

[0111] In the above embodiments, multiple optional sources for generating transport task lists are provided, so that the sample analyzer can more reliably cover various possible reagent usage needs during normal operation by utilizing idle periods to complete reagent container loading and unloading tasks.

[0112] In some embodiments, the controller 14 is configured to: after obtaining the target idle period for executing the transport instruction, include: If the transport instruction is a loading instruction for the first reagent container, before the target idle period arrives, the controller controls the reagent container transfer mechanism to remove the first reagent container from the reagent container temporary storage mechanism and transfer it to the corresponding preparation position; if the transport instruction is an unloading instruction for the first reagent container, before the target idle period arrives, the controller controls the reagent container transfer mechanism to reach the corresponding preparation position and wait for the target idle period to arrive.

[0113] The "ready position" refers to the target processing position on the reagent container storage mechanism. The target idle period refers to the continuous idle time that the sample analyzer normally experiences during operation. In other words, before the target idle period arrives during the normal testing process, all components of the sample analyzer, such as the reagent container storage mechanism 12 and the reagent container transfer mechanism 13, are in a motion-locked state. If the upcoming target idle period does not require reagent container handling, these reagent components will move to the designated initial position within the target idle period after completing the reagent testing process, awaiting the next action in the reagent testing process.

[0114] In this embodiment, to further improve the execution efficiency of reagent container handling tasks and reduce the wasted travel of reagent components during the completion of reagent container handling tasks, if a reagent container handling task needs to be performed during the upcoming target idle period, the controller 14 will determine the reagent container handling task to be performed within the target idle period and control the reagent container transfer mechanism 13 to reach the corresponding preparation position in advance. For example, if the reagent container handling task to be performed within the target idle period is a reagent container loading task, the controller will control the reagent container transfer mechanism 13 to remove the reagent container from the reagent container temporary storage mechanism 11 in advance and transfer it to the corresponding preparation position before the target idle period arrives; if the reagent container handling task to be performed is a reagent container unloading task, the controller will control the reagent container transfer mechanism 13 to drive the reagent container storage mechanism 12 to rotate in advance to align the reagent container with the reagent container unloading placement position before the target idle period arrives, and the reagent container transfer mechanism 13 will reach the corresponding preparation position.

[0115] In the above embodiments, during the reagent container handling task performed by the sample analyzer, the action of the reagent container transfer mechanism 13 is optimized based on the action of each component in the original detection process of the sample analyzer. Combined with the reagent container handling task to be performed within the target idle period, the reagent container storage mechanism 12 is controlled to cooperate with the reagent container transfer mechanism 13, and the reagent container transfer mechanism 13 is controlled to move to the ready position for the reagent container handling task to be performed in advance. This helps to further improve the reagent container loading and unloading efficiency.

[0116] In another aspect, this application provides a reagent container handling method applied to the sample analyzer described in the foregoing embodiments. The reagent container handling method can be the same as the process configured in the foregoing embodiments where the controller 14 completes the reagent container handling task, and will not be described in detail here.

[0117] It should be noted that the implementation process of the reagent container handling method can be arbitrarily combined in various embodiments without contradiction, and will not be repeated here.

[0118] In another aspect, this application also provides a computer-readable storage medium, such as a memory including an executable program, which is executed by a processor to complete the steps of the reagent container handling method described in any embodiment of this application and achieve the same technical effect. To avoid repetition, it will not be described again here. The computer-readable storage medium may include a read-only memory (ROM), a random access memory (RAM), a magnetic disk, or an optical disk.

[0119] It should be noted that, in this document, the terms "comprising," "including," or any other variations thereof are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusion, such that a process, method, article, or apparatus that comprises a list of elements includes not only those elements but also other elements not expressly listed, or elements inherent to such a process, method, article, or apparatus. Unless otherwise specified, an element defined by the phrase "comprising..." does not exclude the presence of other identical elements in the process, method, article, or apparatus that includes that element.

[0120] Through the above description of the embodiments, those skilled in the art can clearly understand that the methods of the above embodiments can be implemented by means of software plus necessary general-purpose hardware platforms. Of course, they can also be implemented by hardware, but in many cases the former is a better implementation method. Based on this understanding, the technical solution of the present invention, 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 storage medium (such as ROM / RAM, magnetic disk, optical disk) and includes several instructions to cause a terminal (which may be a computer, server, analyzer, sample introduction mechanism, or network device, etc.) to execute the methods described in the various embodiments of the present invention.

[0121] The above description is merely a specific embodiment of the present invention, but the scope of protection of the present invention is not limited thereto. Any variations or substitutions that can be easily conceived by those skilled in the art within the technical scope disclosed in the present invention should be included within the scope of protection of the present invention. Therefore, the scope of protection of the present invention should be determined by the scope of the claims.

Claims

1. A sample analyzer, characterized in that, include: A reagent container storage facility is used to store reagent containers awaiting loading and unloading. A reagent container storage mechanism for storing and providing the testing reagents required for the operation of the sample analyzer; A reagent container transfer mechanism is used to grasp reagent containers and transfer them. The controller responds to the handling instruction of the first reagent container and obtains the target idle period for executing the handling instruction; when the target idle period is reached, it controls the reagent container transfer mechanism to perform the corresponding handling operation on the first reagent container.

2. The sample analyzer as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The handling instruction is a loading instruction; After responding to the handling instruction of the first reagent container and obtaining the target idle period for executing the handling instruction, the controller obtains the remaining period after executing the loading instruction within the target idle period; and determines whether the remaining period is sufficient to perform the unloading operation on the second reagent container. If the conditions are met, in response to the unloading command of the second reagent container, after the loading operation of the first reagent container is completed within the target idle period, the reagent container transfer mechanism is controlled to perform an unloading operation on the second reagent container. The controller determines whether the remaining period is sufficient to perform the unloading operation on the second reagent container, specifically including: Based on the unloading task of the reagent container in the reagent container storage mechanism where the first reagent container is located, the second reagent container is located in the same reagent container storage mechanism. Determine whether the remaining cycle time is sufficient to perform the unloading operation on the second reagent container.

3. The sample analyzer according to claim 1, characterized in that, Prior to responding to the handling instruction for the first reagent container, the controller further includes: Obtain a reagent container handling request, obtain a handling task list based on the reagent container handling request, determine the handling task with the highest priority based on the handling task list, determine the first reagent container and its task type based on the highest priority handling task, and generate a handling instruction for the first reagent container. The task type is either a loading operation or an unloading operation.

4. The sample analyzer according to claim 3, characterized in that, The sample analyzer includes one or more reagent container storage mechanisms, and the reagent container storage mechanisms correspond to the same handling task list; The controller determines the highest priority handling task by: determining the first priority handling task as the highest priority handling task according to the handling task list.

5. The sample analyzer according to claim 3, characterized in that, The sample analyzer includes one or more reagent container storage mechanisms; the handling of reagent containers in the same reagent container storage mechanism forms the same handling task list; The controller determines the highest priority transport task by: based on the transport tasks included in the transport task list corresponding to each of the reagent container storage institutions, calculating the first idle period of the first priority transport task; comparing each first idle period, determining the transport task corresponding to the first idle period that arrives earlier as the highest priority transport task.

6. The sample analyzer according to claim 3, characterized in that, The sample analyzer includes one or more reagent container storage mechanisms, wherein the loading task of the reagent container in the reagent container storage mechanism corresponds to a first handling task list and the unloading task of the reagent container corresponds to a second handling task list. The controller determines the highest priority transport task by: determining the reagent loading task as the highest priority transport task according to the first transport task list, or determining the reagent unloading task as the highest priority transport task according to the second transport task list.

7. The sample analyzer according to claim 3, characterized in that, The sample analyzer includes one or more reagent container storage mechanisms. The loading tasks of reagent containers in each reagent container storage mechanism form a first handling task list, and the unloading tasks of reagent containers form a second handling task list. The controller determines the highest priority transport task by: comparing the first idle period of the first priority loading task in each of the first transport task lists, and determining the loading task corresponding to the first idle period that arrives earlier as the highest priority transport task; or comparing the first idle period of the first priority unloading task in each of the second transport task lists, and determining the unloading task whose first idle period arrives earlier as the highest priority transport task.

8. The sample analyzer according to claim 6 or 7, characterized in that, The controller acquires reagent container handling requests, including: If the controller confirms that this is the first reagent container handling request, it will execute at least one of the following schemes: When the controller detects that the reagent container transfer mechanism has stopped, it obtains the current stopping position of the reagent container transfer mechanism. If the current stopping position is close to the reagent container temporary storage mechanism, it generates a reagent container loading request. If the current stopping position is close to the reagent container storage mechanism, it generates a reagent container unloading request. The controller acquires key operations on the loading / unloading buttons. If the key operation corresponds to a reagent container loading task, a reagent container loading request is generated. If the key operation corresponds to a reagent container unloading task, a reagent container unloading request is generated. If the controller confirms that the current reagent container handling request is not the first one, it obtains the type of the previous reagent container handling request. If the previous reagent container handling request is a reagent unloading request, it generates a reagent container loading request. If the previous reagent container handling request is a reagent loading request, it generates a reagent container unloading request. Alternatively, the controller may execute the following scheme: When the controller detects that the reagent container transfer mechanism has stopped, it obtains the current stopping position of the reagent container transfer mechanism. If the current stopping position is close to the reagent container temporary storage mechanism, it generates a reagent container loading request. If the current stopping position is close to the reagent container storage mechanism, it generates a reagent container unloading request.

9. The sample analyzer according to claim 8, characterized in that, The controller determines the highest priority handling task by: obtaining a first handling task list corresponding to each reagent container storage unit based on a reagent container loading request, for determining the highest priority handling task; and obtaining a second handling task list corresponding to each reagent container storage unit based on a reagent container unloading request, for determining the highest priority handling task.

10. The sample analyzer according to claim 8, characterized in that, The controller determines the highest priority handling task, and also includes at least one of the following: The controller, based on the reagent container loading request and the loading tasks included in the first transport task list, compares the first idle period of the first priority loading task in each of the first transport task lists. If there are multiple candidate loading tasks whose first idle periods arrive at the same time, the controller determines the transport task with the highest priority from the candidate loading tasks according to the default or configured first priority order table. The controller, based on the reagent container unloading request, obtains the relative positional relationship between the reagent container transfer mechanism and the reagent container storage mechanism, and based on the relative positional relationship, obtains a second priority order table corresponding to the unloading tasks included in the second handling task list. Based on the unloading tasks included in the second handling task list, it compares the first idle period of each first-order unloading task in the second handling task list. If there are multiple candidate unloading tasks whose first idle periods arrive simultaneously, it determines the handling task with the highest priority from the candidate unloading tasks according to the second priority order table.

11. The sample analyzer according to claim 3, characterized in that, The transport task list includes an expedited task list and a regular task list; The step of obtaining the reagent container handling request also includes: determining whether the expedited task list is empty; If not empty, generate an expedited task request and obtain the expedited task list based on the expedited task request; The controller determines the highest priority handling task, and also includes determining the highest priority handling task based on the urgent reagent container handling tasks included in the urgent task list.

12. The sample analyzer according to claim 11, characterized in that, If the expedited task list is empty, re-acquire the reagent container handling request, and obtain the regular task list based on the re-acquired reagent container handling request; The request to reacquire the reagent container includes: The controller obtains the current stopping position of the reagent container transfer mechanism. If the relative position between the current stopping position and the reagent container temporary storage mechanism meets a first preset condition, it generates a corresponding reagent container loading request. If the relative position between the current stopping position and the reagent container storage mechanism meets a second preset condition, it generates a corresponding reagent container unloading request. or, When the controller detects that the current reagent container handling request is not the first one, it obtains the type of the previous reagent container handling request; if the previous reagent container handling request was a reagent unloading request, it generates a corresponding reagent container loading request; if the previous reagent container handling request was a reagent loading request, it generates a corresponding reagent container unloading request. or, The controller can acquire reagent container handling requests of any preset type.

13. The sample analyzer according to claim 11, characterized in that, Before determining whether the expedited task list is empty, the following steps are included: Determine if the reagent container storage mechanism is full. If the reagent container storage mechanism is full, generate a reagent container unloading request and determine the highest priority handling task based on the reagent container unloading request. If the reagent container storage mechanism is not full, then the step of determining whether the urgent task list is empty is executed.

14. The sample analyzer according to claim 11, characterized in that, The expedited reagent container handling task is determined based on at least one of the following conditions: If the remaining quantity of existing reagent items is less than the daily testing quantity required for the corresponding test items, an urgent reagent container loading task for the corresponding reagent items will be generated. If the remaining quantity of existing reagent items is less than a preset threshold, an expedited reagent container loading task for the corresponding reagent item will be generated. Existing reagent items are about to expire, which may lead to a shortage of corresponding reagents. Therefore, an urgent reagent container loading task is generated for the corresponding reagent items. For reagents that are about to expire and are present in the reagent container temporary storage mechanism, an urgent reagent container loading task is generated for the corresponding reagent item.

15. The sample analyzer according to claim 11, characterized in that, The controller determines the highest priority handling task by: according to the expedited task list, if there is an expedited reagent container loading task corresponding to a reagent item with empty remaining quantity, and the experimental queue to be tested by the sample analyzer includes the item corresponding to the reagent item with empty remaining quantity, the reagent container loading task of the corresponding reagent item is determined as the highest priority primary execution task; after the controller generates the corresponding reagent container loading instruction based on the primary execution task, if a suitable target idle period for executing the reagent container loading instruction is not obtained, the controller controls the reagent container storage mechanism and the reagent container transfer mechanism to interrupt the current movement and execute the corresponding reagent container loading operation.

16. The sample analyzer according to claim 3, characterized in that, Also includes: Generate a transport task list based on at least one of the following methods: Obtain the entered reagent loading task information, and generate or add the reagent loading task list based on the reagent loading task information; wherein, the reagent loading task information includes reagent container identity information and its corresponding handling task type; Obtain a selection operation for the reagent container stored on the reagent container storage mechanism, generate an unloading task containing the selected reagent container according to the selection operation, and generate or add the task to the transport task list. Obtain scan data of reagent containers contained in the reagent container temporary storage facility, generate loading tasks containing the reagent containers based on the scan data of the reagent containers, and generate or add to the handling task list. When a reagent container nearing its expiration date is detected that does not meet the preset conditions, an unloading task containing the near-expiration reagent container is generated, and a transport task list is generated or added.

17. The sample analyzer according to claim 1, characterized in that, After obtaining the target idle period for executing the transport instruction, the process includes: If the transport instruction is a loading instruction for the first reagent container, before the target idle period arrives, the controller controls the reagent container transfer mechanism to remove the first reagent container from the reagent container temporary storage mechanism and transfer it to the corresponding preparation position; if the transport instruction is an unloading instruction for the first reagent container, before the target idle period arrives, the controller controls the reagent container transfer mechanism to reach the corresponding preparation position and wait for the target idle period to arrive.

18. A reagent container handling method, applied to a sample analyzer, the sample analyzer comprising a reagent container temporary storage mechanism, a reagent container storage mechanism, a reagent container transfer mechanism, and a controller; the reagent container handling method comprising: In response to the handling instruction of the first reagent container, obtain the target idle period for executing the handling instruction; When the target idle period is reached, the reagent container transfer mechanism is controlled to perform a corresponding handling operation on the first reagent container.

19. A computer-readable storage medium, characterized in that, The computer-readable storage medium stores a computer program that, when executed by a processor, implements the reagent container handling method as described in claim 18.

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