Remote notification unit, program for analysis system, and analysis system

Abstract

To make it possible to remotely grasp the status of an analysis device while ensuring security.SOLUTION: A remote notification unit includes: an acquisition unit 11 that acquires, via a dedicated communication standard, coded information obtained by encoding the status of an analysis device 3 from an information terminal 4 connected to the analysis device 3; a conversion unit 12 that converts the coded information acquired by the acquisition unit 11 into status information indicating the status of the analysis device 3; and a transmitting unit 13 that transmits the status information to an external communication terminal 2.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a remote notification unit, an analysis system, and a program for an analysis system.

Background Art

[0002] In recent years, there are cases where a user cannot always analyze using a single analyzer, such as when using an analyzer that requires a long time for analysis or when using a plurality of analyzers simultaneously.

[0003] Even in such cases, in order to solve the desire to check the analysis results from the outside, as shown in Patent Document 1, there is an analysis system in which a control computer of an analyzer and a communication terminal at hand are communicable via the Internet.

[0004] With such a configuration, it becomes possible to remotely notify a user of analysis results and various states of the analyzer.

[0005] However, with such a configuration, since the analyzer is connected to the Internet, there is a risk of being accessed from the outside, and there is a problem that security cannot be ensured.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0006]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0007] Therefore, the present invention solves the above-described problems at once, and its main problem is to be able to remotely grasp the state of an analyzer while ensuring security.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0008] In other words, the remote notification unit according to the present invention is characterized by comprising: an acquisition unit that acquires coded information, which encodes the state of the analyzer, from an information terminal connected to the analyzer via a dedicated communication standard; a conversion unit that converts the coded information acquired by the acquisition unit into state information indicating the state of the analyzer; and a transmission unit that transmits the state information to an external communication terminal.

[0009] With this configuration, coded information representing the state of the analytical instrument is acquired via a dedicated communication standard, and this coded information is converted into state information and transmitted to an external communication terminal. This allows the state of the analytical instrument to be remotely monitored without connecting the analytical instrument and the information terminal connected to it to a network, in other words, while ensuring security.

[0010] Preferably, the system further includes a destination information storage unit that stores a plurality of destination information indicating the destination of the status information, and the transmission unit transmits the status information to the destination indicated by a destination information that has been selected in advance from the plurality of destination information. With this configuration, users can pre-select the destination to which they want to send status information, and the status information will be automatically sent to the selected destination, making it user-friendly.

[0011] The system further includes a destination information setting unit that receives the destination information and stores it in the destination information storage unit, and it is desirable that the destination information setting unit erases the destination information stored in the destination information storage unit when it receives new destination information. With this configuration, when a user sets new destination information, the destination information previously used by that user is deleted, thus protecting the user's personal information.

[0012] It is desirable to further include a conversion data storage unit that stores conversion data that associates the coded information with the state information. With this configuration, you can add status information you want to notify or change the content of the status information by editing the conversion data, thereby improving versatility.

[0013] Furthermore, in order to easily connect the remote notification unit and the information terminal with a single touch, it is desirable that the processing board that performs the function of the acquisition unit be connected to the information terminal via a USB port.

[0014] It is desirable that the aforementioned dedicated communication standard is a standard that can be used only for communication between the information terminal and the acquisition unit. With this configuration, it is possible to prevent external access to the information terminal via the data acquisition unit, thereby improving security.

[0015] Furthermore, an embodiment in which the effects of the present invention are particularly evident is one in which the remote notification unit is used in an analysis system in which neither the analysis device nor the information terminal is connected to a network.

[0016] The program for an analysis system according to the present invention is a program used in an analysis system comprising an analysis device, an information terminal connected to the analysis device, a remote notification unit that acquires information from the information terminal, and a communication terminal capable of communicating with the remote notification unit, and is characterized in that it causes a computer to perform the functions of: an acquisition unit that acquires coded information encoding the state of the analysis device from the information terminal via a dedicated communication standard; a conversion unit that converts the coded information acquired by the acquisition unit into state information indicating the state of the analysis device; and a transmission unit that transmits the state information to the communication terminal.

[0017] The analysis system according to the present invention comprises an analysis device, an information terminal connected to the analysis device, a remote notification unit that acquires information from the information terminal, and a communication terminal capable of communicating with the remote notification unit, and is characterized by comprising: an acquisition unit that acquires coded information encoding the state of the analysis device from the information terminal via a dedicated communication standard; a conversion unit that converts the coded information acquired by the acquisition unit into state information indicating the state of the analysis device; and a transmission unit that transmits the state information to the communication terminal.

[0018] Furthermore, the analysis system according to the present invention is an analysis system comprising an analysis device, an information terminal connected to the analysis device, a remote notification unit that acquires information from the information terminal, and a communication terminal capable of communicating with the remote notification unit, characterized in that it comprises an acquisition unit that acquires coded information encoding the state of the analysis device from the information terminal via a dedicated communication standard, a transmission unit that transmits the coded information acquired by the acquisition unit to the communication terminal, and a conversion unit that converts the coded information into state information indicating the state of the analysis device.

[0019] It is desirable that the information terminal be configured not to accept information from the remote notification unit.

[0020] This configuration prevents external access to the information terminal via the data acquisition unit, thus further enhancing security.

[0021] By the way, even if a user receives status information on their communication device, they need to actively confirm whether or not they have received the status information, for example, by refreshing the page where they receive the status information. In this case, users would need to keep the receiving page open on their communication device at all times or frequently refresh the receiving page, which places a heavy burden on them.

[0022] Therefore, it is desirable that the communication terminal further includes a notification unit that pushes a notification when it receives information from the remote notification unit.

[0023] According to this configuration, the user can quickly know that the status information has been received by the push notification, so the burden on the user can be reduced.

[0024] With the above program for the analysis system and the analysis system, the same operational effects as those of the remote notification unit described above can be obtained.

Effect of the Invention

[0025] According to the present invention described above, it is possible to remotely grasp the state of the analysis device while ensuring security.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0026] [Figure 1] A schematic diagram showing the overall configuration of an analysis system according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] A functional block diagram showing the functions of the analysis system of the embodiment. [Figure 3] A flowchart showing the operation of the remote notification unit of the embodiment. [Figure 4] A functional block diagram showing the functions of the analysis system of other embodiments. [Figure 5] A functional block diagram showing the functions of the analysis system of other embodiments. [Figure 6] A flowchart showing the operation of the analysis system of other embodiments.

Modes for Carrying Out the Invention

[0027] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the remote notification unit according to the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

[0028] <Device Configuration> As shown in Figure 1, the remote notification unit 1 in this embodiment is used together with a communication terminal 2 owned by the user, an analysis device 3 for analyzing samples, and an information terminal 4 connected to the analysis device 3, and together with these, it constructs an analysis system 100.

[0029] This analysis system 100 is characterized by its remote notification unit 1, so first, we will briefly explain the communication terminal 2, the analysis device 3, and the information terminal 4.

[0030] Communication terminal 2 receives information transmitted from the remote notification unit 1, which will be described later, and is a portable device such as a smartphone or tablet. However, communication terminal 2 is not limited to these and may be a computer such as a laptop computer.

[0031] The analytical device 3 analyzes the physical properties of a sample, for example, by qualitatively or quantitatively measuring the composition, structure, properties, and state of a substance.

[0032] Specifically, examples of analytical devices 3 include particle size distribution analyzers, Raman spectrometers, molecular structure analyzers, crystallinity analyzers, surface analyzers, thin film analyzers, elemental analyzers, fluorescence analyzers, and water quality analyzers.

[0033] This analysis device 3 is not connected to a network for transmitting information and is unable to communicate with at least the aforementioned communication terminal 2.

[0034] The information terminal 4 is connected to the analysis device 3, and like the analysis device 3, it is not connected to a network for transmitting information, and is at least incapable of communicating with the communication terminal 2 mentioned above.

[0035] Specifically, this information terminal 4 is a general-purpose or dedicated computer equipped with a CPU, memory, etc., and the CPU and its peripheral devices work together according to the program stored in the memory to perform the functions of a control unit 41 that controls the analysis device 3 and a results storage unit 42 that stores the analysis results obtained by the analysis device 3, as shown in Figure 2.

[0036] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 2, this information terminal 4 is equipped with the functions of a coded information creation unit 43 that creates coded information which is coded information representing the state of the analysis device 3, and a coded information transmission unit 44 that transmits the coded information to the remote notification unit 1.

[0037] The coded information is information that codes the state of the analyzer 3 that the user tries to know remotely from a location away from the analyzer 3; in other words, it is information that codes the state that the user has selected from among the various states of the analyzer 3.

[0038] Specifically, the coded information includes, for example, whether the analyzer 3 is in a state before analysis begins, in a state during analysis, in a state where analysis is complete, or in a state where an abnormality or malfunction has occurred. This coded information may include the total time required for the analysis, the progress of the analysis, the remaining time until the analysis is completed, and any abnormalities or malfunctions occurring in the analysis device 3.

[0039] The coded information creation unit 43 is configured to determine the state of the analyzer 3 based on control signals output from the control unit 41 to the analyzer 3, or detection signals output from various sensors that make up the analyzer 3, such as analyzers, ammeters, voltmeters, temperature sensors, and pressure sensors.

[0040] More specifically, the coded information creation unit 43 determines, for example, that the analyzer 3 is in a state before analysis begins until an analysis start signal is output from the control unit 41 to the analyzer 3 as a control signal to start the analysis. It then determines that the analyzer 3 is in an analysis state until a predetermined time has elapsed since the analysis start signal was output. After the predetermined time has elapsed since the analysis start signal was output, it determines that the analyzer 3 has completed the analysis.

[0041] Furthermore, the coded information creation unit 43 may be configured to determine that there is an abnormality or malfunction in the analyzer 3 when the magnitude of the detection signals output from the various sensors described above exceeds the normal range.

[0042] Furthermore, the coded information creation unit 43 may determine the state of the analyzer 3 based on information that the control unit 41 can obtain by communicating with the CPU of the analyzer 3. Examples of such information include information indicating the operating status of the devices constituting the analyzer 3, such as whether the power is on or off, and information indicating the analysis sequence pre-set by the user.

[0043] The coded information described above is, for example, an encrypted representation of the state of the analyzer 3 using either letters or numbers, or both, and specifically, it may consist of an irregular string of characters.

[0044] In this embodiment, coded data such as a table that associates the state of the analyzer 3 with predefined coded information corresponding to that state is stored in the coded data storage unit 45 (see Figure 2).

[0045] In this configuration, the coded information creation unit 43 determines the state of the analysis device 3 as described above, and uses the coded data stored in the coded data storage unit 45 to create coded information corresponding to the determined state.

[0046] The coded information transmission unit 44 transmits the coded information described above to the remote notification unit 1. Specifically, the coded information may be transmitted sequentially to the remote notification unit 1, transmitted at regular time intervals, or transmitted only when requested by the remote notification unit 1.

[0047] Next, we will describe the remote notification unit 1, which is a characteristic component of the analysis system 100.

[0048] The remote notification unit 1 acquires coded information transmitted from the coded information transmission unit 44, converts that coded information into status information indicating the status of the analysis device 3, and then transmits it to the communication terminal 2.

[0049] Specifically, the remote notification unit 1 is equipped with a CPU and memory, and the CPU and its peripheral devices work together according to the analysis system program stored in the memory to perform the functions of an acquisition unit 11, a conversion unit 12, and a transmission unit 13, as shown in Figure 2.

[0050] The acquisition unit 11 acquires the coded information transmitted from the coded information transmission unit 44 described above, and in this embodiment, this function is performed by a processing board A such as a USB serial board. However, the function of the acquisition unit 11 does not necessarily have to be performed by a USB serial board, and the specific physical configuration may be changed as appropriate.

[0051] Processing board A, such as this USB serial board, is connected to information terminal 4 via a USB port provided on information terminal 4, but processing board A and information terminal 4 may also be connected via an electrical cable.

[0052] The acquisition unit 11 is configured to acquire coded information transmitted from the coded information transmission unit 44 of the information terminal 4 via a dedicated communication standard. In other words, the information terminal 4 and the processing board A, such as the USB serial conversion board mentioned above, are connected via a dedicated communication standard cable B.

[0053] Unlike general-purpose communication standards such as Ethernet and Wi-Fi, this proprietary communication standard is a communication standard that can only be used for communication between the information terminal 4 and the acquisition unit 11. Examples include direct connection (one-to-one connection) serial communication using a proprietary data format, and communication using a dedicated cable with signal lines.

[0054] In this embodiment, coded information is unilaterally output from the information terminal 4 to the processing board A, and the information terminal 4 is configured not to be accessible via the processing board A, for example, the result storage unit 42. In other words, the information terminal 4 in this embodiment is configured not to accept information from the remote notification unit 1.

[0055] The conversion unit 12 converts the coded information acquired by the acquisition unit 11 into state information indicating the state of the analysis device 3. In this embodiment, this function is performed by a single-board computer C equipped with a CPU, memory, communication ports, etc. However, the function of the conversion unit 12 does not necessarily have to be performed by the single-board computer C, and the specific physical configuration may be changed as appropriate.

[0056] In this embodiment, conversion data such as a table that associates coded information with state information indicating the state of the analysis device 3 from which the coded information is derived is stored in the conversion data storage unit 14 (see Figure 2).

[0057] In this configuration, the conversion unit 12 converts the coded information acquired by the acquisition unit 11 into state information corresponding to the coded information using the conversion data stored in the conversion data storage unit 14.

[0058] The transmission unit 13 transmits the status information converted by the conversion unit 12 to an external communication terminal 2, thereby notifying the owner of the communication terminal 2 of the status of the analysis device 3.

[0059] The transmitting unit 13 may be a function performed by a CPU common to the conversion unit 12 described above, but in this embodiment, it is a function performed by a CPU separate from the conversion unit 12, and specifically, this function is handled by a USB-type communication terminal D. However, the function of the transmitting unit 13 does not necessarily have to be performed by a USB-type communication terminal D, and the specific physical configuration may be changed as appropriate.

[0060] Next, the operation of the remote notification unit 1 in this embodiment will be described with reference to Figure 3.

[0061] First, by turning on the power to the analysis device 3, communication becomes possible between the analysis device 3 and the information terminal 4, and then communication becomes possible between the information terminal 4 and the remote notification unit 1.

[0062] Then, before the start of the analysis, during the analysis, or after the completion of the analysis, the coded information creation unit 43 of the information terminal 4 determines the status of the analysis device 3 and creates coded information indicating that status (S1).

[0063] This coded information is output from the coded information transmission unit 44 to the remote notification unit 1 via a dedicated communication standard and is also acquired by the acquisition unit 11 (S2).

[0064] Then, the conversion unit 12 converts the coded information acquired by the acquisition unit 11 into state information indicating the state of the analysis device 3 (S3).

[0065] Subsequently, the transmission unit 13 transmits the state information converted by the conversion unit 12 to the external communication terminal 2 (S4).

[0066] Furthermore, the communication terminal 2 in this embodiment is equipped with a notification unit that sends a push notification when it receives information from the remote notification unit 1.

[0067] <Effects of this embodiment> With the remote notification unit 1 configured in this way, coded information representing the state of the analysis device 3 is acquired via a dedicated communication standard, and this coded information is converted into state information and transmitted to the external communication terminal 2. This allows the state of the analysis device 3 to be remotely monitored without connecting the analysis device 3 and the information terminal 4 to a network, in other words, while ensuring security.

[0068] This allows the user to remotely check, for example, whether the analysis is complete or if there is an abnormality or malfunction in the analyzer 3, without having to constantly monitor the analyzer 3, and enables the user to quickly go to the analysis site as needed.

[0069] Furthermore, since coding data is used to create coded information, and conversion data is used to convert coded information into state information, editing this coding data and conversion data allows you to add state information to be notified or change the content of the state information, thereby improving versatility.

[0070] Furthermore, since the information terminal 4 and the processing board A, which functions as the acquisition unit 11, are connected via a USB port, the remote notification unit 1 and the information terminal 4 can be easily connected with a single touch.

[0071] Furthermore, since the dedicated communication standard is a standard that can only be used for communication between the information terminal 4 and the acquisition unit 11, it is possible to prevent external access to the information terminal 4 via the acquisition unit 11, thereby improving security.

[0072] In addition, since the information terminal 4 is configured not to accept information from the remote notification unit 1, it is not possible to access the information terminal 4 from the outside via the acquisition unit 11, thereby further enhancing security.

[0073] Furthermore, when the communication terminal 2 receives information from the remote notification unit 1, a push notification is sent, allowing the user to quickly know that status information has been received without having to frequently check the communication terminal 2.

[0074] <Other Embodiments> However, the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above.

[0075] For example, the analysis system 100 according to the present invention may further include, as shown in Figure 4, a destination information storage unit 15 that stores a plurality of destination information indicating the destination of status information, and a destination information setting unit 16 that receives destination information and stores it in the destination information storage unit 15.

[0076] The destination information storage unit 15 is set in a predetermined area of ​​the memory of the remote notification unit 1 and stores destination information such as an identifier that identifies the communication terminal 2 or the owner of the communication terminal 2 (for example, a name or ID), the email address of the communication terminal 2, or the telephone number of the communication terminal 2.

[0077] Multiple destination information stored in the destination information storage unit 15 can be selected by an input means such as a mouse or touch panel, and the transmission unit 13 transmits status information to the destination indicated by the destination information that has been pre-selected by the user from among the multiple destination information. The destination information stored in the destination information storage unit 15 may be configured to allow only one selection, or it may allow multiple selections to be made simultaneously.

[0078] The destination information setting unit 16 receives new destination information when the user stores new destination information in the destination information storage unit 15. Specifically, it receives new destination information entered by the user via input means such as a keyboard or touch panel.

[0079] In this configuration, the destination information setting unit 16 is configured to erase existing destination information stored in the destination information storage unit 15 when it receives new destination information.

[0080] However, existing destination information does not necessarily have to be automatically deleted by the destination information setting unit 16; it may be configured to allow the user to delete it manually at any time. Furthermore, it may be possible to switch between automatic deletion by the destination information setting unit 16 and manual deletion by the user.

[0081] With this configuration, users can pre-select the destination to which they want to send status information, and the status information will be automatically sent to the selected destination, making it user-friendly.

[0082] Specifically, for example, by adding the communication terminal 2 of the next user who will use the analysis device 3 as a destination, the next user can be notified that the analysis is complete and how long it will take to complete the analysis. This makes it easier to reuse the analysis device 3 and reduces its idle time.

[0083] Furthermore, when the destination information setting unit 16 receives new destination information, the destination information stored in the destination information storage unit 15, that is, the destination information of the user who used it previously, is erased, thus protecting the user's personal information. Furthermore, the timing for erasing the destination information stored in the destination information storage unit 15 is not necessarily limited to the timing when the destination information setting unit 16 receives new destination information; for example, it may be at the timing when the remote notification unit 1 is removed from the information terminal 4.

[0084] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the function of the conversion unit 12 was provided in the remote notification unit 1, but as shown in Figure 5, it may also be provided in the communication terminal 2.

[0085] In this case, as shown in Figure 6, the coded information creation unit 43 of the information terminal 4 first determines the state of the analysis device 3 and creates coded information indicating that state (S1').

[0086] This coded information is transmitted from the coded information transmission unit 44 to the remote notification unit 1 via a dedicated communication standard and is also acquired by the acquisition unit 11 (S2').

[0087] Then, the transmission unit 13 of the remote notification unit 1 acquires the coded information and transmits the acquired coded information to the external communication terminal 2 (S3').

[0088] Then, the conversion unit 12 installed in the communication terminal 2 converts the acquired coded information into state information corresponding to the coded information using the conversion data stored in the conversion data storage unit 14 (S4').

[0089] With this configuration, coded information acquired via a dedicated communication standard is transmitted to the communication terminal 2, and the coded information is converted into status information at the communication terminal. As with the above embodiment, the status of the analysis device 3 can be remotely monitored while ensuring security.

[0090] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, an example of coded information was given as coding that an abnormality or malfunction has occurred in the analyzer 3, but information that codes that the analyzer 3 is functioning normally may also be used as coded information. In this case, by continuously notifying the user that the analyzer 3 is functioning normally, the user can know that something is wrong with the analyzer 3 if these notifications stop coming. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0091] 100... Analysis System 1 ···Remote notification unit 11...Acquisition part 12 ···Conversion section 13 ···Transmitter 14 ···Conversion data storage unit 15 ···Destination information storage unit 16 ···Destination Information Setting Section 2. Communication terminals 3...Analyzer 4. Information terminals 41... Control Unit 42...Result storage section 43 ···Coded Information Creation Department 44 ···Coded Information Transmission Unit 45 ···Data storage unit for encoding

Claims

1. An acquisition unit that acquires coded information, which is the state of the analyzer, from an information terminal connected to the analyzer via a dedicated communication standard, A conversion unit converts the coded information acquired by the acquisition unit into state information indicating the state of the analysis device, A remote notification unit characterized by comprising a transmitting unit that transmits the aforementioned status information to an external communication terminal.

2. The system further includes a destination information storage unit that stores a plurality of destination information indicating the destination of the aforementioned status information, The remote notification unit according to claim 1, characterized in that the transmitting unit transmits the status information to the destination indicated by destination information that has been selected in advance from among the plurality of destination information.

3. The system further includes a destination information setting unit that receives the destination information and stores it in the destination information storage unit, The remote notification unit according to claim 2, characterized in that when the destination information setting unit receives new destination information, it erases the destination information stored in the destination information storage unit.

4. The remote notification unit according to any one of claims 1 to 3, further comprising a conversion data storage unit for storing conversion data that associates the coded information with the state information.

5. The remote notification unit according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the processing board that performs the function of the acquisition unit is connected to the information terminal via a USB port.

6. The remote notification unit according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the dedicated communication standard is a standard that can be used only for communication between the information terminal and the acquisition unit.

7. The remote notification unit according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that it is used in an analysis system in which neither the analysis device nor the information terminal is connected to a network.

8. A program used in an analysis system comprising an analysis device, an information terminal connected to the analysis device, a remote notification unit that acquires information from the information terminal, and a communication terminal capable of communicating with the remote notification unit, An acquisition unit that acquires coded information, which is the state of the analysis device, from the information terminal via a dedicated communication standard. A conversion unit converts the coded information acquired by the acquisition unit into state information indicating the state of the analysis device, A transmission unit that transmits the aforementioned state information to the communication terminal, and a program for an analysis system that causes a computer to perform the function of a transmission unit.

9. An analysis system comprising an analysis device, an information terminal connected to the analysis device, a remote notification unit that acquires information from the information terminal, and a communication terminal capable of communicating with the remote notification unit, An acquisition unit that acquires coded information, which is the state of the analysis device, from the information terminal via a dedicated communication standard. A conversion unit converts the coded information acquired by the acquisition unit into state information indicating the state of the analysis device, An analysis system comprising a transmitting unit that transmits the aforementioned state information to the communication terminal.

10. An analysis system comprising an analysis device, an information terminal connected to the analysis device, a remote notification unit that acquires information from the information terminal, and a communication terminal capable of communicating with the remote notification unit, An acquisition unit that acquires coded information, which is the state of the analysis device, from the information terminal via a dedicated communication standard. A transmission unit that transmits the coded information acquired by the acquisition unit to the communication terminal, An analysis system comprising a conversion unit that converts the coded information into state information indicating the state of the analysis device.

11. The analysis system according to either claim 9 or 10, characterized in that the information terminal is configured not to accept information from the remote notification unit.

12. The analysis system according to any one of 9 or 10, further comprising a notification unit that pushes a notification when the communication terminal receives information from the remote notification unit.

Images