A laboratory waste liquid monitoring system and monitoring method

Abstract

The application discloses a laboratory waste liquid monitoring system and a monitoring method, and relates to the technical field of laboratory waste liquid monitoring. The monitoring system comprises a liquid level monitoring module, a wireless communication module and a cloud management platform. The liquid level monitoring module is installed on a waste liquid barrel and is used for collecting liquid level data in the waste liquid barrel. The wireless communication module is electrically connected with the liquid level monitoring module and is used for transmitting the liquid level data to the cloud management platform through a wireless network. The cloud management platform is used for receiving and processing the liquid level data, and generates early warning information and / or a collection and transportation work order when the liquid level data meets preset conditions. Through the cooperative work of the liquid level monitoring module, the wireless communication module and the cloud management platform, real-time remote monitoring and intelligent management of the liquid level of the waste liquid barrel are realized, manual inspection is not needed, and the management efficiency is greatly improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of Internet of Things (IoT) waste liquid monitoring technology, specifically to a laboratory waste liquid monitoring system and monitoring method. Background Technology

[0002] In laboratory environments, waste liquid containers are typically used to collect various waste liquids generated during experiments. Traditional waste liquid management relies mainly on manual inspection and visual checks. Operators need to periodically check the liquid level in the waste liquid containers to determine whether they need to be replaced or emptied. This management method has several drawbacks: on the one hand, manual inspection is inefficient and makes it difficult to achieve real-time, synchronous monitoring of multiple waste liquid containers; on the other hand, visual inspection has limited accuracy and is prone to overflow due to negligence or misjudgment, causing environmental pollution or safety accidents. In addition, the waste liquid collection and transportation process lacks automated scheduling, often passively arranging collection only when the waste liquid is already overflowing or nearly overflowing, failing to achieve early warning and proactive management.

[0003] While some liquid level monitoring solutions exist in the current technology, they typically suffer from problems such as high power consumption, inconvenient installation, limited communication methods, or insufficient data processing capabilities. For example, some solutions use wired communication, which involves complex wiring and restricts the mobility of waste liquid tanks; some wireless solutions require frequent battery replacements due to excessive power consumption, resulting in high maintenance costs. Furthermore, existing solutions still need improvement in the intelligent processing of liquid level data and early warning mechanisms, making it difficult to achieve a management paradigm shift from passive monitoring to proactive scheduling. Summary of the Invention

[0004] In order to overcome the shortcomings of the prior art, the purpose of this invention is to provide a laboratory waste liquid monitoring system and monitoring method to solve the problems of existing waste liquid management relying on manual inspection, inability to monitor in real time, imperfect early warning mechanism, and low collection and transportation scheduling efficiency.

[0005] This invention is achieved using the following technical solution:

[0006] A laboratory waste liquid monitoring system includes: a liquid level monitoring module installed on a waste liquid tank for collecting liquid level data in the waste liquid tank; a wireless communication module electrically connected to the liquid level monitoring module for transmitting the liquid level data to a cloud management platform via a wireless network; and a cloud management platform for receiving and processing the liquid level data, and generating early warning information and / or collection and transportation work orders when the liquid level data meets preset conditions.

[0007] Preferably, the liquid level monitoring module includes an ultrasonic sensor, a microcontroller, and a power supply module; the microcontroller is electrically connected to the ultrasonic sensor and is used to control the ultrasonic sensor to emit ultrasonic pulses and receive echo signals, and to calculate the liquid level height based on the echo time; the power supply module supplies power to the liquid level monitoring module.

[0008] Preferably, the ultrasonic sensor is a transceiver integrated miniature ultrasonic sensor, with its probe emitting surface vertically downward mounted on the waste liquid tank sealing cover, and flush with or slightly lower than the lower edge of the cover.

[0009] Preferably, the cloud management platform includes a data analysis engine and a database for storing historical liquid level data and generating waste liquid generation curves and predicting overflow time; furthermore, the cloud management platform is set with two levels of liquid level thresholds. When the liquid level reaches the first threshold, an early warning message is generated and a collection and transportation work order is automatically generated. When the liquid level reaches the second threshold, an emergency alarm message is generated.

[0010] Preferably, the first threshold is 75% of the total capacity of the waste liquid tank, and the second threshold is 80% of the total capacity of the waste liquid tank.

[0011] Preferably, the data analysis engine is also used to analyze the rate of liquid level change. When the liquid level change in the waste liquid tank reaches the third threshold within a unit of time, the cloud management platform generates a liquid level change wake-up signal and triggers a leakage alarm.

[0012] Preferably, the microcontroller supports a low-power sleep mode, entering deep sleep during non-working periods; and the microcontroller is configured to exit sleep mode and perform liquid level acquisition and data upload in response to a timed wake-up signal or a liquid level change wake-up signal; wherein the timed wake-up signal is generated at a preset time interval.

[0013] Preferably, the cloud management platform is also used to push collection and transportation work orders to mobile terminals, and reset the liquid level data of the corresponding waste liquid tank to zero after receiving the collection and transportation confirmation information.

[0014] Preferably, an electronic tag is installed on the waste liquid bin, and the electronic tag is bound to the waste liquid bin's identity. The collection and transportation confirmation information is sent through the cloud management platform via the electronic tag.

[0015] Preferably, it also includes a terminal device, which is communicatively connected to the cloud management platform to display the liquid level, remaining capacity and location information of each waste liquid tank in real time, and to receive the early warning information and / or collection and transportation work orders.

[0016] A method for monitoring laboratory waste liquid includes: collecting liquid level data in a waste liquid container; uploading the liquid level data to a cloud management platform via a wireless network; the cloud management platform processing the liquid level data according to preset conditions to generate early warning information and / or collection and transportation work orders; and pushing the early warning information and / or collection and transportation work orders to terminal devices.

[0017] Compared with the prior art, the beneficial effects of the present invention are as follows: First, through the collaborative work of the liquid level monitoring module, wireless communication module, and cloud management platform, real-time remote monitoring and intelligent management of the waste liquid tank level are achieved, eliminating the need for manual inspections and significantly improving management efficiency. Second, a low-power design is adopted, with the microcontroller supporting a deep sleep mode and a standby current of less than 10μA. Combined with NB-IoT or 4G Cat.1 communication modules, system power consumption is significantly reduced, battery life is extended, and maintenance costs are lowered. Third, by setting two-level liquid level thresholds (such as 75% warning and 80% emergency alarm), a tiered warning mechanism is implemented. When the liquid level reaches the target, a collection and transportation work order is automatically generated and pushed to the mobile terminal. After collection and transportation confirmation, the system automatically resets to zero, forming a closed-loop management system from perception to collection and transportation. This effectively prevents waste liquid overflow accidents and realizes a management paradigm shift from passive monitoring to proactive scheduling. Attached Figure Description

[0018] Figure 1 This is a block diagram of the overall architecture of a laboratory waste liquid monitoring system according to an embodiment of this application.

[0019] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a waste liquid tank according to an embodiment of this application.

[0020] Figure 3 This is a block diagram of a liquid level monitoring module according to an embodiment of this application.

[0021] Figure 4 This is a flowchart of a laboratory waste liquid monitoring method according to an embodiment of this application. Detailed Implementation

[0022] The technical solutions of the embodiments of this application will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only a part of the embodiments of this application, and not all of the embodiments. Based on the embodiments of this application, all other embodiments obtained by those of ordinary skill in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of this application.

[0023] This invention relates to the field of waste liquid monitoring technology, specifically to a laboratory waste liquid monitoring system. In laboratory environments, waste liquid containers are typically used to collect various waste liquids generated during experiments. Managing their liquid levels is crucial for ensuring laboratory safety, preventing environmental pollution, and optimizing waste liquid collection and transportation processes. Traditional waste liquid management methods primarily rely on manual inspection and visual checks. Operators need to periodically check the liquid levels in the waste liquid containers to determine whether they need to be replaced or emptied. This management method has several drawbacks: firstly, manual inspection is inefficient, making it difficult to achieve real-time, synchronous monitoring of multiple waste liquid containers; secondly, visual inspection has limited accuracy, easily leading to overflow due to negligence or misjudgment, causing environmental pollution or safety accidents. Furthermore, the waste liquid collection and transportation process lacks automated scheduling, often passively arranging collection only when the waste liquid is already overflowing or nearly overflowing, failing to achieve early warning and proactive management. While some existing liquid level monitoring solutions exist, they typically suffer from high power consumption, inconvenient installation, limited communication methods, or insufficient data processing capabilities. For example, some solutions use wired communication, which involves complex wiring and limits the flexible placement of waste liquid containers; others use infrared or radar sensors, which are costly and susceptible to corrosion from waste liquid or environmental interference; still others lack cloud data processing and intelligent early warning capabilities, making remote monitoring and automated management impossible. Therefore, there is an urgent need for a laboratory waste liquid monitoring system and method that can overcome these shortcomings.

[0024] The purpose of this invention is to provide a laboratory waste liquid monitoring system to address the problems of existing waste liquid management technologies, such as reliance on manual inspections, inability to monitor in real time, imperfect early warning mechanisms, and low efficiency in collection and transportation scheduling. The core idea of ​​this invention is to construct a closed-loop management logic, starting from physical sensing, utilizing low-power wide-area networks to transmit data, and ultimately achieving a paradigm shift from "passive manual monitoring" to "active intelligent scheduling" in the cloud. By installing a liquid level monitoring module on the waste liquid tank, real-time liquid level data is collected and uploaded to a cloud management platform via a wireless communication module. The cloud management platform processes and analyzes the data, and when the liquid level data meets preset conditions, it automatically generates early warning information and / or collection and transportation work orders, thereby achieving real-time monitoring, intelligent early warning, and automated collection and transportation scheduling of the waste liquid tank level. This system can significantly improve the safety, automation level, and precision of waste liquid management, while reducing labor costs and environmental risks.

[0025] According to one aspect of the present invention, a laboratory waste liquid monitoring system is provided. The system may include a liquid level monitoring module, a wireless communication module, and a cloud management platform. The liquid level monitoring module is installed on the waste liquid container and is used to collect liquid level data within the container. The wireless communication module is electrically connected to the liquid level monitoring module and is used to transmit the liquid level data to the cloud management platform via a wireless network. The cloud management platform is used to receive and process the liquid level data, and when the liquid level data meets preset conditions, it generates early warning information and / or a collection and transportation work order. Through this architecture, the system can achieve a complete closed loop from data acquisition and transmission to cloud processing and decision-making, providing comprehensive technical support for waste liquid management. The liquid level monitoring module may include an ultrasonic sensor, a microcontroller, and a power supply module. The microcontroller is electrically connected to the ultrasonic sensor and is used to control the ultrasonic sensor to emit ultrasonic pulses and receive echo signals, calculating the liquid level height based on the echo time. The power supply module supplies power to the liquid level monitoring module. The ultrasonic sensor can be a transceiver integrated miniature ultrasonic sensor, with its probe emitting surface vertically downwards mounted on the waste liquid container's sealing cap, flush with or slightly lower than the lower edge of the cap. This mounting method ensures measurement accuracy and simplifies the installation process. The wireless communication module can be an NB-IoT communication module or a 4G Cat.1 communication module. The microcontroller uses this module to periodically or on-demand upload liquid level data in JSON format via MQTT or HTTP protocols to the cloud management platform, ensuring reliable data transmission and low power consumption. The microcontroller supports a low-power sleep mode, entering deep sleep during non-working periods. It is configured to exit sleep mode and perform liquid level acquisition and data upload in response to a timed wake-up signal or a liquid level change wake-up signal. The timed wake-up signal is generated at preset time intervals, and the liquid level change wake-up signal is triggered when the detected liquid level change exceeds a preset threshold. The standby current of the microcontroller in deep sleep mode can be less than 10μA, which helps extend the device's battery life. The cloud management platform can include a data analysis engine and database to store historical liquid level data and generate waste liquid generation curves and predict overflow times. The cloud management platform can be set with two levels of liquid level thresholds. When the liquid level reaches the first threshold, a warning message is generated and a collection and transportation work order is automatically generated. When the liquid level reaches the second threshold, an emergency alarm message is generated. The first threshold can be 75% of the total capacity of the waste liquid tanks, and the second threshold can be 80% of the total capacity of the waste liquid tanks. The cloud management platform can also be used to push collection and transportation work orders to mobile terminals, and reset the liquid level data of the corresponding waste liquid tanks to zero after receiving collection and transportation confirmation information. The system may also include terminal devices that communicate with the cloud management platform to display the liquid level, remaining capacity, and location information of each waste liquid tank in real time, and to receive early warning information and / or collection and transportation work orders.

[0026] Reference Figure 1 and Figure 2This application provides a laboratory waste liquid monitoring system, the overall architecture of which may include a liquid level monitoring module 1, a wireless communication module 3, and a cloud management platform 4. The liquid level monitoring module 1 can be installed on a waste liquid tank 2 to collect liquid level data within the tank. The wireless communication module 3 can be electrically connected to the liquid level monitoring module 1 to transmit the liquid level data to the cloud management platform via a wireless network. The cloud management platform 4 can receive and process the liquid level data, and generate early warning information and / or collection and transportation work orders when the liquid level data meets preset conditions. The system may also include a terminal device 5, which can communicate with the cloud management platform 4 to display the liquid level, remaining capacity, and location information of each waste liquid tank in real time, and receive early warning information and / or collection and transportation work orders. Through this integrated "end-cloud-pipe" architecture, closed-loop management from physical sensing to cloud-based decision-making can be achieved, transforming the traditional passive manual monitoring mode into an active intelligent scheduling mode.

[0027] like Figure 3 As shown, the liquid level monitoring module 1 may include an ultrasonic sensor 11, a microcontroller 12, and a power module 13. The microcontroller 12 can be electrically connected to the ultrasonic sensor 11 to control the ultrasonic sensor 11 to emit ultrasonic pulses and receive echo signals, and calculate the liquid level height based on the echo time. The power module 13 can supply power to the liquid level monitoring module 1. In a specific embodiment, the ultrasonic sensor 11 can be a transceiver integrated miniature ultrasonic sensor, whose probe emitting surface can be installed vertically downward on the waste liquid tank sealing cap, flush with or slightly lower than the lower edge of the cap. This installation method can ensure that the ultrasonic signal is perpendicularly projected onto the waste liquid surface, thereby improving the accuracy of distance measurement. The power module 13 can support 3.3V to 5V DC power supply or lithium battery power supply to adapt to different application scenarios.

[0028] The wireless communication module 3 can be an NB-IoT communication module or a 4G Cat.1 communication module. The microcontroller 12 can use the wireless communication module 3 to periodically or on-demand upload liquid level data in JSON format via MQTT or HTTP protocols. Using an NB-IoT or 4G Cat.1 communication module allows for wide-coverage, low-power data transmission by leveraging existing cellular network infrastructure. JSON, as a lightweight data exchange format, can easily encapsulate liquid level data, device identification, timestamps, and other information, facilitating parsing and processing by the cloud management platform 4. The MQTT protocol, as a publish / subscribe messaging protocol, is particularly suitable for low-bandwidth, high-latency, or unstable network environments in IoT scenarios; the HTTP protocol provides a more universal data transmission method, which can be selected based on actual network conditions and application requirements.

[0029] The cloud management platform 4 can include a data analysis engine and a database. The database can store historical liquid level data, and the data analysis engine can generate waste liquid generation curves and predict overflow times based on this historical data. The cloud management platform 4 can also be configured with two levels of liquid level thresholds; for example, the first threshold could be 75% of the total capacity of the waste liquid tank, and the second threshold could be 80% of the total capacity. When the liquid level reaches the first threshold, the cloud management platform 4 can generate a warning message and automatically generate a collection and transportation work order; when the liquid level reaches the second threshold, it can generate an emergency alarm message. This tiered threshold alarm mechanism avoids the management blind spots caused by simple "full / empty" binary judgments, providing a more refined decision-making basis for waste liquid collection and transportation.

[0030] Considering the possibility of waste liquid leakage due to corrosion and damage to the waste liquid container, according to one embodiment of this application, the data analysis engine is further used to analyze the rate of liquid level change. When the liquid level change in the waste liquid container reaches a third threshold within a unit of time, the cloud management platform generates a liquid level sudden change wake-up signal and triggers a leakage alarm. Triggering the leakage alarm can notify collection personnel to handle the situation promptly and prevent further safety accidents. After handling the situation, collection personnel can scan a code to confirm and clear the alarm.

[0031] Terminal device 5 can be a mobile terminal, such as a smartphone, tablet, or dedicated handheld device. The cloud management platform 4 can push collection work orders to the mobile terminal. After completing the collection operation on-site, collection personnel can send collection confirmation information through the mobile terminal. Upon receiving the collection confirmation information, the cloud management platform 4 can reset the liquid level data of the corresponding waste liquid tank to zero, thus starting the next monitoring cycle. This automated work order flow mechanism enables fully digital management of the entire process from early warning, dispatch, collection to confirmation, improving collection efficiency and reducing human error. Terminal device 5 can also display the liquid level, remaining capacity, and location information of each waste liquid tank in real time, allowing managers to intuitively grasp the overall status.

[0032] refer to Figure 2 In one embodiment, the liquid level monitoring module 1 can be integrated into a compact housing that can be fixed to the sealing cap of the waste liquid tank. The probe portion of the ultrasonic sensor 11 can pass through the housing and extend to ensure that its emitting surface is flush with the lower edge of the cap. The microcontroller 12 and the power module 13 can be housed within the housing and connected to the ultrasonic sensor 11 and the wireless communication module 3 via internal circuitry. This integrated design simplifies the installation process; users only need to replace the existing sealing cap of the waste liquid tank with a dedicated cap integrating the liquid level monitoring module 1 to complete the deployment, without any modification to the waste liquid tank itself. The power module 13 can include a rechargeable lithium battery and its low-power design ensures long battery life and reduces maintenance frequency.

[0033] According to one embodiment of this application, the ultrasonic sensor 11 in the liquid level monitoring module 1 can specifically be a transceiver integrated miniature ultrasonic sensor. The probe emitting surface of this transceiver integrated miniature ultrasonic sensor can be mounted vertically downwards on the waste liquid tank sealing cap, and the probe emitting surface can be flush with or slightly lower than the lower edge of the cap. In some embodiments, the probe emitting surface being flush with the lower edge of the cap ensures that the ultrasonic signal can be emitted downwards to the waste liquid surface without obstruction, while preventing the probe from being accidentally bumped or splashed by waste liquid due to protrusion. In other embodiments, the probe emitting surface can also be slightly lower than the lower edge of the cap, for example, about 1 mm to 3 mm lower, which can further protect the probe surface to a certain extent without affecting the ranging accuracy. The ultrasonic sensor 11 can operate at a frequency of about 50 kHz, and its measurement range can cover about 1.5 cm to 80 cm, which is sufficient to adapt to the height of a common 25L standard waste liquid tank. The measurement accuracy of the ultrasonic sensor 11 can be controlled within about ±3 mm, and the blind zone can be less than about 1.5 cm. By adopting an integrated transceiver design, the installation structure can be simplified, cable connections reduced, and the system's integration and reliability improved. The microcontroller 12 can be electrically connected to the ultrasonic sensor 11 to control the ultrasonic sensor 11 to emit ultrasonic pulses and receive echo signals. Specifically, the microcontroller 12 can output high-frequency electrical pulses to drive the piezoelectric crystal inside the ultrasonic sensor 11 to vibrate, thereby emitting ultrasonic waves. When the ultrasonic waves encounter the surface of the waste liquid, they are reflected, and the echo signal is received by the same ultrasonic sensor 11 and converted into an electrical signal. The microcontroller 12 can record the total time from emission to reception and calculate the distance to the liquid surface based on the relationship between the speed of sound and time, thus converting it into liquid level height. This calculation process can be completed internally by the microcontroller 12, or the raw echo time data can be uploaded to the cloud management platform 4 for further processing. In some embodiments, the microcontroller 12 may include a built-in timer and analog-to-digital converter for accurately measuring the echo time and processing the echo signal. The power module 13 can provide a stable operating voltage for the liquid level monitoring module 1. In some embodiments, the power module 13 can support a DC power supply of 3.3 volts to 5 volts, for example, it can be powered by a lithium battery. The power module 13 may include a voltage regulation circuit and a battery management circuit to ensure a stable power supply to the microcontroller 12 and the ultrasonic sensor 11 even when the battery voltage fluctuates. Furthermore, the power module 13 may also include a low-power management unit for cutting off power to unnecessary circuits when the system enters sleep mode, thereby further reducing power consumption.

[0034] According to one embodiment of this application, the wireless communication module 3 can adopt an NB-IoT communication module or a 4GCat.1 communication module. Both of these communication modules belong to low-power wide-area network technology, which has the advantages of wide coverage, low power consumption, and stable connection, and is very suitable for IoT scenarios such as laboratory waste liquid monitoring that require long-term online operation but have a small amount of data. The microcontroller 12 can use the wireless communication module 3 to upload liquid level data in JSON format via MQTT or HTTP protocol to the cloud management platform on a timed or on-demand basis. JSON format, as a lightweight data exchange format, can easily encapsulate information such as liquid level value, device identifier, and timestamp, which is convenient for the cloud management platform 4 to parse and process. MQTT protocol, as a lightweight message transmission protocol based on the publish / subscribe model, is particularly suitable for low-bandwidth, high-latency, or unstable network environments, and can ensure reliable data transmission. HTTP protocol provides a more universal data transmission method, which is convenient for integration with existing web services. In some embodiments, the microcontroller 12 can use MQTT protocol for data transmission by default, and automatically switch to HTTP protocol as a backup when network conditions are poor. The wireless communication module 3 can have a built-in SIM card slot or eSIM chip for accessing mobile communication networks. In some embodiments, the wireless communication module 3 can also support data compression, such as Gzip compression of JSON data before transmission to reduce network traffic and transmission time. The microcontroller 12 can communicate with the wireless communication module 3 through a serial peripheral interface or a universal asynchronous transceiver to control data transmission by sending AT commands or custom protocol data packets.

[0035] According to one embodiment of this application, the microcontroller 12 can support a low-power sleep mode, entering deep sleep during non-working periods. In deep sleep mode, the microcontroller 12 can shut down most of its internal clock and peripherals, retaining only the necessary wake-up source circuitry. Specifically, the microcontroller 12 can be configured to exit sleep mode and perform liquid level acquisition and data upload in response to a timed wake-up signal or a liquid level change wake-up signal. The timed wake-up signal can be generated at a preset time interval, for example, once every 30 minutes. This timed wake-up signal can be generated by the real-time clock module inside the microcontroller 12, which can still maintain its timing function in deep sleep mode with extremely low power consumption. When the timed wake-up signal is triggered, the microcontroller 12 can resume from deep sleep mode, start the ultrasonic sensor 11 to perform a liquid level measurement, then upload the data through the wireless communication module 3, and then re-enter deep sleep mode. The liquid level change wake-up signal can be triggered when the detected liquid level change exceeds a preset threshold. For example, when the liquid level suddenly rises or falls by more than approximately ±2 cm, it can be considered a liquid level change event, requiring immediate system wake-up for data acquisition and uploading. This liquid level change wake-up signal can be generated by the interrupt controller or comparator circuit within the microcontroller 12. In some embodiments, the microcontroller 12 can store the current liquid level value in an internal register after each normal wake-up measurement and compare it with the previous value during the next measurement. If the difference exceeds a preset threshold, an additional upload is immediately triggered. In other embodiments, the ultrasonic sensor 11 can be configured to maintain an extremely low-power listening mode even in deep sleep mode, directly generating an interrupt signal to wake up the microcontroller 12 when a liquid level change is detected. This dual-mode wake-up mechanism minimizes system power consumption while ensuring data real-time performance. The standby current of the microcontroller 12 in deep sleep mode can be less than 10 microamps. In some embodiments, by optimizing circuit design and selecting low-power components, this standby current can be further reduced to approximately 5 microamps or lower. This allows the system to be powered by a small-capacity lithium battery, achieving a battery life of several months or even more than a year, without the need for frequent battery replacements, greatly reducing maintenance costs.

[0036] According to one embodiment of this application, the cloud management platform 4 may include a data analysis engine and a database. The database can be used to store historical liquid level data, including the liquid level value, collection time, equipment identification, and geographical location of each waste liquid tank. This database can be a relational database or a non-relational database, such as MySQL, PostgreSQL, or MongoDB. The data analysis engine can be used to analyze and process the historical liquid level data stored in the database. For example, the data analysis engine can generate a waste liquid generation curve, which can visually display the trend of liquid level changes in the waste liquid tank over time, helping managers understand the rate and pattern of waste liquid generation. Furthermore, the data analysis engine can also predict overflow time based on historical data. For example, by analyzing the rate of liquid level rise over a past period, it can predict when the waste liquid tank will reach full capacity at the current generation rate, thereby allowing for advance collection and transportation. This prediction function can be implemented based on algorithms such as linear regression and time series analysis. In some embodiments, the data analysis engine can also identify abnormal patterns, such as a sudden drop in liquid level indicating waste liquid leakage, or a prolonged period of unchanged liquid level indicating sensor malfunction or the waste liquid tank being forgotten. The cloud management platform 4 can also be configured with two levels of liquid level thresholds for tiered alarms. Specifically, when the liquid level reaches the first threshold, a warning message can be generated and a collection work order can be automatically generated; when the liquid level reaches the second threshold, an emergency alarm message can be generated. The first threshold can be 75% of the total capacity of the waste liquid tank, and the second threshold can be 80% of the total capacity of the waste liquid tank. This two-level threshold design avoids the response lag problem caused by a single "full / empty" binary judgment. When the liquid level reaches 75%, the system can notify the management personnel in advance to prepare for collection, allowing sufficient response time; when the liquid level reaches 80%, the system can issue an emergency alarm, prompting immediate handling to prevent waste liquid overflow. In some embodiments, these two levels of thresholds can be customized by the management personnel through the terminal device 5, for example, adjusted according to the capacity of the waste liquid tank, the waste liquid generation rate, or the laboratory's safety requirements. The cloud management platform 4 can also include a user management module, an access control module, and a log recording module to ensure the system's security and traceability.

[0037] According to one embodiment of this application, the cloud management platform 4 can also be used to push collection and transportation work orders to mobile terminals. The mobile terminal can be a smartphone, tablet, or dedicated handheld device, which can have a dedicated application installed or receive push information via WeChat mini-programs, web pages, etc. When the liquid level reaches a first threshold, the cloud management platform 4 can automatically generate a collection and transportation work order. This work order can include information such as the waste liquid tank's number, location, current liquid level, remaining capacity, and estimated overflow time. The waste liquid tank's number can correspond to a room number, facilitating accurate location tracking for collection personnel. This collection and transportation work order can be pushed to the mobile terminals of designated collection personnel or managers via SMS, in-app notifications, or email. After completing waste liquid collection on-site, collection personnel can scan the electronic tag on the waste liquid tank using their mobile terminal. The electronic tag can be a QR code or barcode, and scanning generates collection confirmation information. This collection confirmation information can include collection time, collection personnel identification, waste liquid tank number, etc. Upon receiving the collection confirmation information, the cloud management platform 4 can reset the liquid level data of the corresponding waste liquid tank to zero. Zeroing / resetting means the system resets the current liquid level of the waste liquid tank to its initial state, such as 0% or a preset baseline value, to begin a new round of monitoring. Simultaneously, the system can record the complete history of this collection, including the liquid level before collection, collection time, and collection personnel, forming a complete closed-loop management chain. In some embodiments, the zeroing / resetting operation can also trigger the system to recalculate the waste liquid generation curve and predict the overflow time to ensure the accuracy of subsequent predictions. Furthermore, if collection personnel fail to complete collection within the specified time, the system can automatically send a reminder or escalate the alarm level. Since there may be hundreds of waste liquid tanks, zeroing / resetting via barcode scanning ensures that each tank corresponds to a specific waste liquid tank, preventing collection personnel from confusing zeroed / reset waste liquid tanks with other uncollected waste liquid tanks.

[0038] In some embodiments, terminal device 5 can access the management interface provided by cloud management platform 4 via a web browser without installing additional software. In other embodiments, terminal device 5 can install a dedicated client application, which provides richer interactive functions and offline data caching capabilities. Through terminal device 5, managers can view the real-time status of all waste liquid tanks at a glance, for example, in the form of a list, chart, or map. When the location of the waste liquid tank is displayed on the map, its liquid level status can be represented by different colors or icons, such as green for normal, yellow for warning, and red for emergency alarm. Managers can also view the historical liquid level data, waste liquid generation curve, and predicted overflow time of each waste liquid tank through terminal device 5 for more refined management. In addition, terminal device 5 can also be used to manually trigger data collection, adjust alarm thresholds, and manage user permissions. In some embodiments, terminal device 5 can also support multi-level management permissions, for example, ordinary operators can only view data, while administrators can modify configurations and generate reports. Through terminal device 5, comprehensive digitization and visualization of laboratory waste liquid management can be achieved, improving management efficiency and decision-making level.

[0039] Reference Figure 4 The laboratory waste liquid monitoring method provided in this application embodiment may include the following operation process. First, in step S310, the liquid level monitoring module 1 can collect liquid level data in the waste liquid tank. Specifically, the microcontroller 12 can control the ultrasonic sensor 11 to emit ultrasonic pulses and receive the echo signal reflected by the waste liquid surface. The microcontroller 12 can calculate the liquid level height based on the echo time and a preset sound velocity parameter. In some embodiments, the acquisition process can be started in response to a timed wake-up signal or a liquid level change wake-up signal. For example, the microcontroller 12 can be woken up once every 30 minutes to execute a complete liquid level acquisition process; or, when the liquid level monitoring module 1 detects a sudden change in the liquid level in a short period of time (e.g., a sudden rise or fall in the liquid level exceeding approximately 2 cm), it can immediately trigger the liquid level change wake-up signal, causing the microcontroller 12 to exit the deep sleep mode and execute the acquisition. The power supply module 13 can provide a stable operating voltage for the ultrasonic sensor 11 and the microcontroller 12 to ensure the reliability of the acquisition process. After the data acquisition is completed, the liquid level data can be temporarily stored in the internal registers or external memory of the microcontroller 12, awaiting further processing.

[0040] Subsequently, in step S320, the wireless communication module 3 can upload the collected liquid level data to the cloud management platform via the wireless network. Specifically, the microcontroller 12 can encapsulate the liquid level data into a JSON format data packet and send it to the cloud management platform 4 via the NB-IoT communication module or 4G Cat.1 communication module through the MQTT or HTTP protocol. In some embodiments, this upload operation can be performed synchronously with the liquid level acquisition operation, that is, uploaded immediately after each acquisition is completed; in other embodiments, the microcontroller 12 can temporarily store data acquired multiple times and upload it to the cloud management platform in batches after reaching a preset cache quantity or time interval, in order to further reduce power consumption. The uploaded data packet can include the liquid level height value, waste liquid tank identifier, acquisition timestamp, and device status information (such as battery level, signal strength, etc.). The database of the cloud management platform 4 can receive and store this data to form a historical liquid level data record.

[0041] In step S330, the data analysis engine of the cloud management platform 4 can process the received liquid level data according to preset conditions to generate early warning information and / or collection and transportation work orders. For example, the data analysis engine can compare the current liquid level value with preset two-level liquid level thresholds in real time. When the liquid level reaches the first threshold (e.g., 75% of the total capacity of the waste liquid tank), the data analysis engine can generate early warning information and automatically generate a collection and transportation work order; when the liquid level reaches the second threshold (e.g., 80% of the total capacity of the waste liquid tank), the data analysis engine can generate emergency alarm information and prioritize pushing it to relevant management personnel. In addition, the data analysis engine can also generate a waste liquid generation curve based on historical liquid level data and predict the overflow time of the waste liquid tank, thereby providing decision support for collection and transportation scheduling. In some embodiments, the data analysis engine can also monitor abnormal changes in liquid level data, such as a sudden drop in liquid level within a short period of time (which may indicate a leak), and generate corresponding abnormal alarm information.

[0042] Finally, in step S340, the cloud management platform 4 can push the generated warning information and / or collection work order to the terminal device 5. The terminal device 5 can include a mobile terminal (e.g., a manager's smartphone or tablet) or a fixed terminal (e.g., a PC in the laboratory management center). The terminal device 5 can display the liquid level, remaining capacity, and location information of each waste liquid tank in real time, and receive the pushed warning information and collection work order. After receiving the collection work order, the collection personnel can go to the designated location to perform the waste liquid collection operation. After collection is completed, the collection personnel can scan the QR code on the waste liquid tank or enter confirmation information through a mobile terminal to generate collection confirmation information and upload it to the cloud management platform 4. After receiving the collection confirmation information, the cloud management platform 4 can reset the liquid level data of the corresponding waste liquid tank to zero and update the record in the database, thereby completing a complete closed-loop management process.

[0043] The laboratory waste liquid monitoring system of this invention has good adaptability in a variety of application scenarios. For example, in large laboratories or research institutes in universities, it can simultaneously monitor the liquid level of hundreds of waste liquid tanks, and achieve centralized management and scheduling through the cloud management platform 4, which greatly reduces the workload of manual inspection. Figure 1 and Figure 4 The overall system architecture and additional embodiments are shown, where terminal device 5 can display the liquid level, remaining capacity, and location information of each waste liquid tank in real time. In research institutions, the system can accurately record waste liquid generation data, providing reliable data support for environmental audits and waste liquid treatment. In biopharmaceutical companies, the system can be linked with other automated equipment to achieve fully automated management of the entire process of waste liquid collection, storage, and transportation. The system architecture of this invention is flexible and can be expanded according to actual needs, such as by increasing the number of sensor nodes to expand the monitoring range, or by upgrading the wireless communication module 3 to adapt to different network environments. In addition, the software functions of the cloud management platform 4 can be expanded through modular design, such as adding waste liquid component analysis auxiliary functions to record the generation amount of different types of waste liquid, providing a reference for waste liquid classification and treatment.

[0044] The above embodiments are merely preferred embodiments of the present invention and should not be construed as limiting the scope of protection of the present invention. Any non-substantial changes and substitutions made by those skilled in the art based on the present invention shall fall within the scope of protection claimed by the present invention.

Claims

1. A laboratory waste liquid monitoring system, characterized in that, include: A liquid level monitoring module is installed on the waste liquid tank to collect liquid level data inside the waste liquid tank; a wireless communication module is electrically connected to the liquid level monitoring module to transmit the liquid level data to the cloud management platform via a wireless network; and the cloud management platform is used to receive and process the liquid level data, and generate early warning information and / or collection and transportation work orders when the liquid level data meets preset conditions.

2. The system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The liquid level monitoring module includes an ultrasonic sensor, a microcontroller, and a power supply module; the microcontroller is electrically connected to the ultrasonic sensor and is used to control the ultrasonic sensor to emit ultrasonic pulses and receive echo signals, and to calculate the liquid level height based on the echo time; the power supply module supplies power to the liquid level monitoring module.

3. The system according to claim 2, characterized in that, The ultrasonic sensor is a transceiver integrated miniature ultrasonic sensor. Its probe emitting surface is installed vertically downward on the sealing cover of the waste liquid tank, and is flush with or slightly lower than the lower edge of the tank cover.

4. The system according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, The cloud management platform includes a data analysis engine and a database for storing historical liquid level data and generating waste liquid generation curves and predicting overflow time. Furthermore, the cloud management platform is set with two levels of liquid level thresholds. When the liquid level reaches the first threshold, an early warning message is generated and a collection and transportation work order is automatically generated. When the liquid level reaches the second threshold, an emergency alarm message is generated.

5. The system according to claim 4, characterized in that, The first threshold is 75% of the total capacity of the waste liquid tank, and the second threshold is 80% of the total capacity of the waste liquid tank.

6. The system according to claim 4, characterized in that, The data analysis engine is also used to analyze the rate of liquid level change. When the liquid level in the waste liquid tank reaches the third threshold within a unit of time, the cloud management platform generates a liquid level change wake-up signal and triggers a leakage alarm.

7. The system according to claim 2 or 6, characterized in that, The microcontroller supports a low-power sleep mode, entering deep sleep during non-working periods; and the microcontroller is configured to exit sleep mode and perform liquid level acquisition and data upload in response to a timed wake-up signal or a liquid level change wake-up signal; wherein the timed wake-up signal is generated at a preset time interval.

8. The system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The cloud management platform is also used to push collection and transportation work orders to mobile terminals, and reset the liquid level data of the corresponding waste liquid tank to zero after receiving the collection and transportation confirmation information.

9. The system according to claim 1, characterized in that, It also includes terminal devices, which are communicatively connected to the cloud management platform to display the liquid level, remaining capacity and location information of each waste liquid tank in real time, and to receive the early warning information and / or collection and transportation work orders.

10. A method for monitoring laboratory waste liquid, characterized in that, include: Collect liquid level data in the waste liquid tank; upload the liquid level data to the cloud management platform via wireless network; The cloud management platform processes the liquid level data according to preset conditions, generates early warning information and / or collection and transportation work orders, and pushes the early warning information and / or collection and transportation work orders to terminal devices.

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