A hand-held terminal control method for intelligent specimen library

Abstract

The application provides a handheld terminal control method for an intelligent specimen library, comprising the following steps: using a handheld terminal to scan a code of a pathological specimen, and uploading pathological specimen information to an intelligent management system in real time; the intelligent management system verifies the pathological specimen information and determines whether to save the to-be-saved data; the handheld terminal selects a drawer cabinet, a drawer withdrawal cabinet or a drawer transfer cabinet operation according to pathological specimen management requirements; the intelligent management system automatically selects corresponding storage drawer and coordinates or withdrawal drawer and coordinates or transfer-out coordinates and transfer-in coordinates according to the selected operation type; the handheld terminal confirms whether to execute the operation, and after confirmation, the intelligent management system executes cabinet control instructions and completes the operation process. The application has the beneficial effects that pathological specimens can be stored in disorder, accurately found, intelligently managed, traced in the whole process, multi-safeguarded and quality-controlled in the whole process, and the management requirements of medical institutions for pathological specimens, such as standardization, intelligentization and high efficiency, can be met.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of pathological specimen storage technology, and more specifically to a handheld terminal control method for intelligent specimen banks. Background Technology

[0002] Pathological diagnosis is widely recognized as the "gold standard" for disease diagnosis, and pathological specimens are the core physical evidence for pathological diagnosis, clinical teaching, scientific research, forensic identification, and medical dispute resolution. Normative documents such as the "Guidelines for the Construction and Management of Pathology Departments" clearly require that medical institutions strengthen the management of pathology records, clearly define the retention periods for pathological specimens, paraffin blocks, positive smears, negative smears, and tissue specimens; establish and improve the system for borrowing and consulting pathological specimens and smears; implement internal quality control, and establish a complete record of the entire process, including specimen reception, storage, processing, diagnosis, report issuance, reagents and consumables, instrument calibration, internal quality control, and external quality assessment, with the retention period meeting legal requirements.

[0003] In clinical practice, traditional pathological specimen storage commonly uses ordinary metal filing cabinets or sheet metal cabinets, but this method has a series of problems: 1. The storage order is chaotic and there is no standardized location mechanism. Paraffin blocks, pathological specimens, and archives are mixed together without unique codes or location associations. Finding them depends on manual memory and searching through cabinets one by one, which takes several minutes to tens of minutes. This is extremely inefficient and prone to errors.

[0004] 2. The management methods are primitive and lack digital traceability capabilities. Borrowing, returning, transferring, and destroying all rely on paper registration, which is prone to loss, omission, and misregistration, creating management blind spots and posing security risks such as lost, misplaced, or expired specimens.

[0005] 3. The storage structure is simplistic and space utilization is low. The cabinets lack a dedicated layered and categorized design, making them unsuitable for the different shapes and storage densities of paraffin blocks, pathological specimens, and archives. The capacity is fixed, and the expandability is poor, making it difficult to cope with the continuous growth in specimen volume.

[0006] 4. Lack of safety protection, high risk to personnel and specimens. There are no mechanisms for preventing falls, pinching, emergency braking, or foot locking, making it prone to accidents such as drawers falling off, cabinets tipping over, and injuries to personnel during operation; there is no emergency power outage plan, making operation impossible during power outages.

[0007] 5. Information is isolated and closed, unable to connect with the hospital's information system. Data is not interconnected, and batch entry, rapid query, statistical analysis, and report export are not supported, making it difficult to meet quality control and inspection / review requirements.

[0008] 6. Inflexible operating mode with no mobile support. Operations can only be performed at fixed workstations, resulting in cumbersome processes, repetitive steps, high labor intensity for medical staff, and low overall work efficiency.

[0009] While some existing technologies include intelligent storage shelves or file management equipment, most are general industrial warehousing or file management modifications. They have not been deeply optimized for the specific morphology, storage standards, operating procedures, and safety requirements of pathological specimens. They generally lack handheld terminals adapted to intelligent specimen banks as extensions, and thus cannot truly meet the needs of hospital pathology departments for high-quality, standardized, intelligent, and convenient management.

[0010] Therefore, there is an urgent need for a handheld terminal control method adapted to intelligent specimen banks to achieve mobile, precise, intelligent, traceable and convenient management of pathological specimens. Summary of the Invention

[0011] To address the problems in existing technologies, this invention provides a handheld terminal control method for intelligent specimen repositories. This method enables full-process control of pathological specimens, including data entry, cabinet loading, removal from cabinets, transfer, and querying. The handheld terminal supports offline operation recording and data upload to an intelligent management system after network connection. Combined with cabinet coordinate QR codes for rapid location and command execution, it is compatible with automated cabinets, fully automated batch scanners, and temporary pathological specimen storage cabinets in intelligent specimen repositories. This method achieves disordered storage, accurate retrieval, intelligent management, full-process traceability, multiple security protections, and full-process quality control compliance for pathological specimens. It meets the standardized, intelligent, and efficient management needs of medical institutions for pathological specimens, solving the problems of chaotic storage, difficult retrieval, low management efficiency, significant security risks, and inability to meet specimen storage management standards in existing technologies.

[0012] This invention provides a handheld terminal control method for an intelligent specimen bank, comprising the following steps: Step 1: Pathological specimen information collection. The pathological specimen is scanned using a handheld terminal, and the pathological specimen information is uploaded to the intelligent management system in real time. The intelligent management system generates data to be saved, which supports single or batch addition. Step 2, Data saving judgment: The intelligent management system verifies the pathological specimen information and determines whether the data to be saved should be saved. Step 3, Operation type selection: On the handheld terminal, select the operation of drawer loading, drawer unloading, or drawer rotation according to the pathological specimen management needs. Step 4, coordinate location selection: The intelligent management system automatically selects the corresponding inbound drawer and coordinates, outbound drawer and coordinates, or transfer-out coordinates and transfer-in coordinates based on the selected operation type. Manual selection or quick entry via barcode scanning is also supported. Step 5: Instruction execution confirmation. Confirm on the handheld terminal whether to execute the operation. After confirmation, the intelligent management system selects the corresponding automated cabinet to execute the cabinet control instruction and complete the operation process. Step 6: Data synchronization and storage optimization. When the handheld terminal is connected to the intelligent management system, it performs operations such as loading, transferring, returning, borrowing, returning, and querying in real time. After the handheld terminal is disconnected from the intelligent management system, it records the operation data locally and automatically synchronizes and uploads the operation data after connecting to the intelligent management system.

[0013] In a further improvement to this invention, in step 1, the handheld terminal uses a photo recognition method to read the QR code or barcode of the pathological specimen, and the scanned data and images are simultaneously uploaded to the intelligent management system.

[0014] In a further improvement to the present invention, in step 1, the intelligent management system includes a database of the hospital intranet, host computer operation software and main column host software. The host computer operation software is used to be installed on any computer in the hospital intranet and on a handheld terminal. The main column host software is used to be installed in the automated cabinet and is compatible with the host computer operation software. The handheld terminal is communicatively connected to the automated cabinet.

[0015] In a further improvement to this invention, in step 5, the automated cabinet adopts a three-layer combination structure of upper, middle and lower layers. The upper layer of the automated cabinet is used to store pathological files, the middle layer is used to store paraffin blocks, and the lower layer is used to store pathological specimens. Each of the upper, middle and lower layers of the automated cabinet is provided with multiple drawer compartments. Each drawer compartment is provided with a positioning indicator light, an infrared detection module, an emergency braking module, an anti-fall mechanism, a voice prompt module and a positioning protection mechanism.

[0016] In a further improvement to this invention, in step 5, the automated cabinet adopts a three-layer combination structure of upper, middle and lower layers. The upper layer of the automated cabinet is used to store pathological files, the middle layer is used to store paraffin blocks, and the lower layer is used to store pathological specimens. Each of the upper, middle and lower layers of the automated cabinet is provided with multiple drawer compartments. Each drawer compartment is provided with a positioning indicator light, an infrared detection module, an emergency braking module, an anti-fall mechanism, a voice prompt module and a positioning protection mechanism.

[0017] In a further improvement to the present invention, in step 5, the main body of the drawer compartment is made of high load-bearing cold plate welded together, and the surface is coated with matte electrostatic powder coating. Each drawer compartment has an independent number. The front of the drawer compartment is provided with a magnetic door. The top of the drawer compartment is provided with a stainless steel handguard. The bottom of the drawer compartment is provided with universal brake wheels.

[0018] The present invention is further improved in that, in step 5, the intelligent management system supports the visual display of the storage status of automated cabinets and drawers, displaying the percentage, the quantity stored and the remaining capacity, and has color warnings. It also has two unlocking and loading modes: manual selection and automatic positioning.

[0019] The present invention is further improved in that, in step 5, the intelligent management system supports the visual display of the storage status of automated cabinets and drawers, displaying the percentage, the quantity stored and the remaining capacity, and has color warnings. It also has two unlocking and loading modes: manual selection and automatic positioning.

[0020] In a further improvement to this invention, in step 6, when the handheld terminal is connected to the intelligent management system, it performs operations such as loading, transferring, returning, borrowing, returning, and querying in real time, and the intelligent management system records the operation logs simultaneously.

[0021] Compared with existing technologies, the beneficial effects of this invention are as follows: This invention provides a handheld terminal control method for intelligent specimen banks. The handheld terminal enables full-process control of pathological specimens, including data entry, cabinet loading, cabinet removal, cabinet transfer, and querying. The handheld terminal supports offline operation recording and data upload to the intelligent management system after network connection. Combined with cabinet coordinate QR codes for rapid positioning and command execution, it is compatible with automated cabinets, fully automated batch scanners, and temporary storage cabinets for pathological specimens in intelligent specimen banks. This enables disordered storage, accurate retrieval, intelligent management, full-process traceability, and multiple security protections for pathological specimens. The entire process is subject to quality control and compliance, meeting the needs of medical institutions for standardized, intelligent, and efficient management of pathology specimens. It eliminates the limitations of fixed computers, allowing for mobile scanning and processing, offline recording, automatic uploading via network connection, and no data loss. The combination of QR codes, LED lights, and voice prompts enables disordered storage, accurate retrieval, batch scanning, rapid loading, unloading, and transfer, significantly improving efficiency. Multiple safety protections ensure safe operation even in the event of a power outage. It solves the problems of chaotic storage, difficult retrieval, low management efficiency, significant safety hazards, and inability to meet specimen storage management standards in existing technologies. Attached Figure Description

[0022] Figure 1 This is a flowchart of the handheld terminal control method for an intelligent specimen bank according to the present invention. Detailed Implementation

[0023] The present invention will now be described in further detail with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments.

[0024] like Figure 1 As shown, the present invention provides a handheld terminal control method for an intelligent specimen bank, comprising the following steps: Step 1: Pathological specimen information collection. A handheld terminal scans the pathological specimens, uploading the information in real time to the intelligent management system. The intelligent management system generates data to be saved, supporting single or batch addition. The handheld terminal uses a photo recognition method to read the QR code or barcode of the pathological specimen, and the scanned data and image are simultaneously uploaded to the intelligent management system. The intelligent management system includes a database on the hospital's intranet, host computer software, and mainframe software. The host computer software can be installed on any computer on the hospital's intranet and on the handheld terminal. The mainframe software is installed inside the automated cabinet and is compatible with the host computer software. The handheld terminal communicates with the automated cabinet.

[0025] Step 2: Data saving judgment. The intelligent management system verifies the pathological specimen information and determines whether to save the data to be saved.

[0026] Step 3: Select the operation type. On the handheld terminal, select the operation of drawer loading, drawer unloading, or drawer rotation according to the needs of pathological specimen management.

[0027] Step 4, coordinate location selection: The intelligent management system automatically selects the corresponding inbound drawer and coordinates, outbound drawer and coordinates, or transfer-out coordinates and transfer-in coordinates based on the selected operation type. Manual selection or quick entry via barcode scanning is also supported.

[0028] Step 5: Command execution confirmation. Confirm on the handheld terminal whether to execute the operation. After confirmation, the intelligent management system selects the corresponding automated cabinet, executes the cabinet control command, and completes the operation process. The automated cabinet adopts a three-layer structure: the upper layer stores pathology files, the middle layer stores paraffin blocks, and the lower layer stores pathology specimens. Each of the three layers has multiple drawers, each equipped with a positioning indicator light, infrared detection module, emergency braking module, anti-fall mechanism, voice prompt module, and positioning protection mechanism. The automated cabinet adopts an upper... The automated cabinet features a three-tiered structure: the upper tier stores pathology files, the middle tier stores paraffin blocks, and the lower tier stores pathology specimens. Each tier has multiple drawers, each equipped with a positioning indicator light, infrared detection module, emergency braking module, anti-fall mechanism, voice prompt module, and positioning protection mechanism. The drawers are constructed from high-load-bearing cold-rolled steel plates with a matte electrostatic powder coating. Each drawer is individually numbered, has a magnetic door on the front, a stainless steel handrail on the top, and omnidirectional casters on the bottom. The intelligent management system provides a visual display of the cabinet and drawer storage status, showing percentage, stored quantity, and remaining capacity, with color-coded warnings. It also offers both manual selection and automatic positioning unlocking modes.

[0029] Step 6: Data Synchronization and Storage Optimization. When the handheld terminal is connected to the intelligent management system, it performs operations such as loading, transferring, returning, borrowing, returning, and querying in real time. After the handheld terminal disconnects from the intelligent management system, it records the operation data locally and automatically synchronizes and uploads the operation data after connecting to the intelligent management system. Specifically, when the handheld terminal is connected to the intelligent management system, it performs operations such as loading, transferring, returning, borrowing, returning, and querying in real time, and the intelligent management system simultaneously records operation logs.

[0030] like Figure 1As shown in this embodiment, the automated cabinet can be flexibly expanded into single-cabinet or multi-cabinet layouts according to the hospital's site and storage needs. Each cabinet adopts a balanced three-layer combination structure: the upper layer is dedicated to storing pathology files, the middle layer to storing paraffin blocks, and the lower layer to storing pathology specimens. The weight is evenly distributed, the center of gravity is stable, and the proportions are balanced. The size and capacity can be customized as needed. Each drawer integrates a high-precision positioning indicator light, an infrared detection module, an emergency braking module, a foot brake module, an anti-fall mechanism, a voice prompt module, and a positioning protection mechanism. The positioning indicator light is highlighted during storage and retrieval to achieve accurate positioning; the infrared detection module immediately triggers emergency braking when a person or foreign object enters the danger zone to prevent pinching and misoperation; the foot brake module allows the operator to lock the cabinet with one click, improving operational stability; the anti-fall mechanism prevents drawers from accidentally falling out, protecting specimen safety; the voice prompt module synchronously broadcasts operation instructions and status, reducing the misoperation rate; and the positioning protection mechanism ensures accurate movement and stable operation. The cabinet control unit supports free switching between three modes: touch, manual, and electric. Normal operation uses electric and touch control for high efficiency and convenience; in case of power failure or malfunction, it automatically switches to manual mode, using a crank handle for movement and retrieval, without affecting clinical work. The cabinet has a reserved standard data interface for direct connection to the hospital server, enabling data uploading and command issuance.

[0031] The fully automated batch scanner is a high-speed identification device specifically designed for pathology specimens. It uses photo recognition technology to read QR codes or barcodes on pathology specimens, achieving dual functionality in one machine. The device boasts a scanning speed of up to 5 specimens per second or 1 box per minute, capable of handling 40 pathology specimens at a time with a recognition rate of no less than 99.9%. The scanning angle is freely adjustable to ensure stable reading even for blurry or tilted codes. The scanner incorporates a self-developed control system with a user-friendly, all-Chinese interface, seamlessly integrating with hospital LIS, HIS, and pathology information systems. After scanning, data is uploaded to the intelligent management system database in real time, simultaneously generating specimen IDs, location associations, storage time, operator information, and other data to form a digital ledger. The fully automated batch scanner possesses learning and analysis capabilities, automatically marking unrecognized codes and prompting manual rescanning to ensure data integrity.

[0032] Pathology specimen storage cabinets are used for receiving, temporarily storing, transferring, and transporting pathology specimens, enabling seamless flow of specimens from the processing room to the storage area. The standard model has a capacity of 3200 paraffin blocks and 5600 specimens. The drawer compartments are fully compatible with automated cabinets, allowing for direct loading without changing containers, thus improving efficiency. The drawer body is constructed from high-load-bearing cold-rolled steel, ensuring a robust and deformation-resistant structure. The surface is finished with matte electrostatic powder coating, which is corrosion-resistant, easy to clean, and provides no glare. Each drawer compartment has a unique serial number for quick location and management. A magnetic door on the front prevents the storage box from detaching during pushing. A stainless steel handrail on the top provides easy and comfortable pushing and pulling. Universal casters at the bottom allow for free turning and locking, meeting indoor movement and transportation needs.

[0033] The intelligent management system serves as the system's brain, comprising a database, host computer operating software, and mainframe software, all deployed within the hospital's intranet to ensure data security and controllable access permissions. The database acts as the core data hub, responsible for system-wide instruction distribution, data storage, information synchronization, and historical record retention, supporting simultaneous access from multiple terminals and ensuring data consistency. The host computer operating software can be installed on any computer within the hospital's intranet, allowing medical staff to perform operations such as querying, borrowing, returning, statistics, and reporting from their offices. The mainframe software is deployed within the automated cabinets, with functions identical to the host computer. It executes instructions automatically upon receipt; when multiple instructions are received simultaneously, they are executed sequentially, or manually interrupted, paused, or terminated via any terminal, offering high flexibility. The system supports three-level visual monitoring of storage status at the automated cabinet, column, and drawer levels, displaying percentages, stored quantities, and remaining capacity in real time, with color-coded alerts (e.g., red for full, yellow for alert, green for idle). The system offers two unlocking and cabinet loading modes: automatic mode (direct location by entering the pathology number) and manual mode (selecting cabinets, columns, and drawers step by step), adapting to different operating habits and emergency scenarios.

[0034] The handheld terminal extends mobile operation, employing an industrial-grade PDA that connects stably to the automated cabinet via WiFi or Bluetooth. In online mode, it directly executes all operations including cabinet loading, transfer, return, borrowing, returning, querying, and statistics. In offline mode, it automatically caches operation records locally and uploads them with a single click upon connecting to the internet, ensuring no data loss and uninterrupted operation. The handheld terminal features a built-in high-performance barcode scanning module, supporting one-click scanning of cabinet coordinate QR codes and pathology specimen QR codes, automatically filling in location and specimen information, significantly reducing manual input and improving operation speed and accuracy. The handheld terminal covers full functionality including specimen storage, specimen entry, cabinet loading, specimen unlocking, specimen management, specimen statistics, security management, and cabinet commands, achieving the same operational capabilities as a PC-based host computer.

[0035] The cabinet coordinate unique identification system adopts a unified coding rule: automated cabinet-column-drawer compartment. For example, A-1-1 represents the first drawer compartment in the first column of cabinet A. Each coordinate generates a unique QR code, which is affixed to the corresponding location. After scanning the code with a handheld terminal or barcode scanner, the system immediately analyzes and locates the target position, enabling quick unlocking, cabinet installation, querying, and return, all without the need for manual memorization or searching.

[0036] As can be seen from the above, the handheld terminal control method for intelligent specimen repositories provided by this invention enables full-process control of pathological specimens, including data entry, cabinet loading, cabinet removal, cabinet transfer, and querying, through the handheld terminal. The handheld terminal supports offline operation recording and data upload to the intelligent management system after networking. Combined with cabinet coordinate QR code for rapid positioning and command execution, it is compatible with automated cabinets, fully automatic batch scanners, and pathological specimen temporary storage cabinets in intelligent specimen repositories. It can achieve disordered storage, accurate retrieval, intelligent management, full-process traceability, multiple security protections, and full-process quality control compliance of pathological specimens, meeting the standardized, intelligent, and efficient management needs of medical institutions for pathological specimens. It eliminates the limitations of fixed computers, allowing for mobile scanning and processing, offline recording, automatic uploading when connected to the network, and no data loss. The combination of QR code, LED lights, and voice prompts enables disordered storage, accurate retrieval, batch scanning, rapid cabinet loading, cabinet removal, and cabinet transfer, significantly improving efficiency. Multiple security protections allow for manual operation even in the event of a power outage, ensuring safe use. It solves the problems of disordered storage, difficult retrieval, low management efficiency, significant security risks, and inability to meet specimen storage management standards in existing technologies for traditional pathological specimens.

[0037] The specific embodiments described above are preferred embodiments of the present invention and are not intended to limit the specific scope of the present invention. The scope of the present invention includes, but is not limited to, these specific embodiments. All equivalent changes made in accordance with the present invention are within the protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A handheld terminal control method for an intelligent specimen bank, characterized in that, Includes the following steps: Step 1: Pathological specimen information collection. The pathological specimen is scanned using a handheld terminal, and the pathological specimen information is uploaded to the intelligent management system in real time. The intelligent management system generates data to be saved, which supports single or batch addition. Step 2, Data saving judgment: The intelligent management system verifies the pathological specimen information and determines whether the data to be saved should be saved. Step 3, select the operation type: on the handheld terminal, select the operation of drawer loading, drawer unloading, or drawer rotation according to the needs of pathological specimen management. Step 4, coordinate location selection: The intelligent management system automatically selects the corresponding inbound drawer and coordinates, outbound drawer and coordinates, or transfer-out coordinates and transfer-in coordinates based on the selected operation type. Manual selection or quick entry via barcode scanning is also supported. Step 5: Instruction execution confirmation. Confirm on the handheld terminal whether to execute the operation. After confirmation, the intelligent management system selects the corresponding automated cabinet, executes the cabinet control instruction, and completes the operation process. Step 6: Data synchronization and storage optimization. When the handheld terminal is connected to the intelligent management system, it performs operations such as loading, transferring, returning, borrowing, returning, and querying in real time. After the handheld terminal is disconnected from the intelligent management system, it records the operation data locally and automatically synchronizes and uploads the operation data after connecting to the intelligent management system.

2. The handheld terminal control method for intelligent specimen banks according to claim 1, characterized in that: In step 1, the handheld terminal uses a photo recognition method to read the QR code or barcode of the pathological specimen, and the scanned data and images are uploaded to the intelligent management system simultaneously.

3. The handheld terminal control method for intelligent specimen banks according to claim 2, characterized in that: In step 1, the intelligent management system includes a database of the hospital intranet, host computer operation software, and mainframe host software. The host computer operation software is used to install on any computer in the hospital intranet and on a handheld terminal. The mainframe host software is used to install in the automated cabinet and is compatible with the host computer operation software. The handheld terminal is communicatively connected to the automated cabinet.

4. The handheld terminal control method for intelligent specimen banks according to claim 3, characterized in that: In step 5, the automated cabinet adopts a three-layer combination structure of upper, middle and lower layers. The upper layer of the automated cabinet is used to store pathological files, the middle layer is used to store paraffin blocks, and the lower layer is used to store pathological specimens. Each of the upper, middle and lower layers of the automated cabinet is equipped with multiple drawers. Each drawer is equipped with a positioning indicator light, an infrared detection module, an emergency braking module, an anti-fall mechanism, a voice prompt module and a positioning protection mechanism.

5. The handheld terminal control method for an intelligent specimen bank according to claim 4, characterized in that: In step 4, the quick data entry involves scanning the coordinate QR code on the drawer compartment of the automated cabinet with a handheld terminal. The QR code contains the automated cabinet number, drawer number, and XY axis coordinate information.

6. The handheld terminal control method for an intelligent specimen bank according to claim 5, characterized in that: In step 5, the main body of the drawer compartment is made of high load-bearing cold plate welded together, and the surface is coated with matte electrostatic powder coating. Each drawer compartment has an independent number. The front of the drawer compartment is equipped with a magnetic door, the top of the drawer compartment is equipped with a stainless steel hand guard, and the bottom of the drawer compartment is equipped with universal brake wheels.

7. The handheld terminal control method for an intelligent specimen bank according to claim 6, characterized in that: In step 5, the intelligent management system supports a visual display of the storage status of automated cabinets and drawers, showing percentages, stored quantities, and remaining capacity, and includes color-coded warnings. It also offers two unlocking and loading modes: manual selection and automatic positioning.

8. The handheld terminal control method for an intelligent specimen bank according to claim 7, characterized in that: In step 5, a pathological specimen storage cabinet is also provided for the temporary storage, transfer and transportation of pathological specimens. The standard model of the pathological specimen storage cabinet can hold 3,200 paraffin blocks and 5,600 pathological specimens.

9. The handheld terminal control method for an intelligent specimen bank according to claim 8, characterized in that: In step 6, when the handheld terminal is connected to the intelligent management system, it performs operations such as loading, transferring, returning, borrowing, returning, and querying in real time, and the intelligent management system records the operation logs at the same time.

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