Urine analysis device

Abstract

A urine analysis device according to one embodiment of the present invention comprises: a container in which urine is collected; a loading unit which is attached along the circumference of the inner surface or the outer surface of the container, and on which a test kit, including a curved test strip that includes a plurality of test sheets for testing the urine collected in the container, is loaded; a plurality of sensor units in which a light-emitting unit for emitting light at each of the plurality of test sheets of the test kit loaded on the loading unit and a light-receiving unit for sensing the color of each of the plurality of test sheets by means of the light reflected from each of the plurality of test sheets form one pair; and an analysis unit for analyzing urine on the basis of color information of the test sheets detected by the light-receiving unit.

Description

urine analysis device

[0001] The present invention relates to a urine analysis device.

[0002] In general, urine tests are an essential test that accounts for about 30% of the total test volume in most hospitals. It is a diagnostic method that examines the components of urine to determine the condition and lesions of the entire body.

[0003] The most widely used method for this type of urine testing involves placing a test stick with a test strip attached to the subject's urine, and observing the color change on the strip to determine the urine. This involves the examiner either directly applying urine to the test stick or collecting urine using a container such as a paper cup, then placing the test stick in the urine for testing.

[0004] When conducting a urine test using a urine analysis device and a urine test kit equipped with a flat test strip, the test is performed by illuminating the entire area of ​​the flat test strip with light and receiving the reflected light to determine the color. However, when using a urine test kit equipped with a curved test strip, it is difficult to determine the color of the entire area of ​​the curved test strip using existing testing methods.

[0005] In addition, if each urine test kit is manufactured with a different degree of curvature, such as a radius of curvature or radius of curvature, there is a problem in that a urine test device capable of accurately determining each shape must be prepared.

[0006] The present invention provides a device for analyzing urine using a urine test kit having a flexible test strip.

[0007] However, the technical tasks that this embodiment seeks to accomplish are not limited to the technical tasks described above, and other technical tasks may exist.

[0008] As a means for achieving the above-described technical problem, a urine analysis device according to one embodiment of the present invention includes a container for collecting urine, a mounting portion in which a test kit including a flexible test strip attached along an inner or outer periphery of the container and including a plurality of test strips for testing urine collected in the container is mounted therein; a plurality of sensor portions each comprising a pair of a light emitting portion for irradiating light to each of the plurality of test strips of the test kit mounted on the mounting portion and a light receiving portion for detecting the color of each of the plurality of test strips by light reflected from each of the plurality of test strips; and an analysis portion for analyzing urine based on color information of the test strips detected by the light receiving portion.

[0009] According to another embodiment of the present invention, a urine analysis device comprises: a container for collecting urine; a mounting portion in which a test kit is mounted inside, the test kit including a flexible test strip attached along the inner or outer circumference of the container and including a plurality of test strips for testing urine collected in the container; a flexible substrate portion provided on the inner surface of the mounting portion;

[0010] A sensor unit including a light emitting unit for irradiating light to the plurality of test papers and a light receiving unit for detecting the color of the plurality of test papers by light reflected from the plurality of test papers, which is disposed on the substrate; and an analysis unit for analyzing urine based on color information of the test papers detected by the light receiving unit.

[0011] The above-described problem-solving methods are merely exemplary and should not be construed as limiting the present invention. In addition to the exemplary embodiments described above, additional embodiments may exist, as described in the drawings and detailed description of the invention.

[0012] According to any one of the above-described problem solving means of the present invention, a urine test can be performed more accurately even when using a urine test kit having a test strip formed in a curved shape.

[0013] FIG. 1 is a schematic drawing of a urine analysis device according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0014] Figure 2 is a configuration diagram of a urine analysis device according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0015] FIG. 3 is a drawing showing a urine test kit mounted on a urine analysis device according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0016] FIG. 4 is a drawing showing the expanded substrate portion of a urine analysis device according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0017] Figure 5 is a drawing showing a state in which the substrate portion illustrated in Figure 4 is arranged to surround the urine analysis kit.

[0018] FIG. 6A is a drawing for explaining a method in which a urine analysis device according to one embodiment of the present invention irradiates light to obtain color information of each of a plurality of test strips.

[0019] FIG. 6b is a drawing for explaining a method in which a urine analysis device according to one embodiment of the present invention irradiates light to obtain color information of each of a plurality of test strips.

[0020] Figure 7 is a flowchart of a urine analysis method using a urine test kit according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0021] Below, with reference to the attached drawings, embodiments of the present invention are described in detail so that those skilled in the art can easily implement them. However, the present invention may be implemented in various different forms and is not limited to the embodiments described herein. In the drawings, irrelevant parts have been omitted for clarity of description, and similar reference numerals have been used throughout the specification to indicate similar elements.

[0022] Throughout the specification, when a part is said to be "connected" to another part, this includes not only cases where it is "directly connected," but also cases where there are other components intervening or where it is "electrically connected" with other elements intervening. Furthermore, when a part is said to "include" a component, this should be understood to mean that, unless specifically stated to the contrary, it may include other components rather than excluding them, and does not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, numbers, steps, operations, components, parts, or combinations thereof.

[0023] In this specification, the term "unit" includes a unit realized by hardware, a unit realized by software, and a unit realized using both. Furthermore, a single unit may be realized using two or more pieces of hardware, and two or more units may be realized by a single piece of hardware.

[0024] Some of the operations or functions described herein as being performed by a terminal or device may instead be performed by a server connected to the terminal or device. Similarly, some of the operations or functions described as being performed by a server may also be performed by a terminal or device connected to the server.

[0025] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the attached drawings.

[0026] FIG. 1 is a schematic drawing of a urine analysis device according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0027] Referring to FIG. 1, a urine test device (200) according to an embodiment of the present invention is intended to analyze the urine of a subject by detecting the color of a test paper (135) of a flexible test strip (130) reacted by the urine of a subject collected in a cup-type urine test kit (100).

[0028] In one embodiment of the present invention, a urine test kit (100) may include a container (110) and a curved test strip (130) attached along the inner or outer circumference of the container (110).

[0029] Specifically, as illustrated in FIG. 1, a urine test kit (100) may include a container (110) from which urine is collected and a flexible test strip (130) attached along the inner or outer periphery of the container (110) and including a test strip (135) for testing urine collected in the container (110).

[0030] For example, the curved test strip (130) can be attached along the inner or outer circumference of the container (110) with an appropriate curvature depending on the size of the container (110) and the length of the curved test strip (130).

[0031] The curved test strip (130) can accommodate a test strip (135) that reacts to urine in each of the separate spaces, and can form a path that allows urine to individually flow into the separate space side of the test strip (135).

[0032] At this time, the test paper (135) may be formed in multiple pieces corresponding to various test items. For example, the number of test papers (135) may be 11, 7, or 4, as shown in Table 1.

[0033] Sequential inspection items (indicated) Initial color 11-point kit 7-point kit 4-point kit 1 Occult blood (OBD) a color ooo 2 Bilirubin (BIL) b color o-- 3 Urobilinogen (URO) c color o-- 4 Ketone bodies (KET) d color o-- 5 Protein (PRO) e color o-- 6 Nitrate (NIT) f color o-- 7 Glucose (GLU) g color ooo 8 Acidity (pH) h color o-- 9 Specific gravity (SG) i color o-- 10 White blood cells (LEU) j color ooo 11 Vitamin Ck color o--

[0034] Referring to Table 1, test items include occult blood (OBD), bilirubin (BIL), urobilinogen (URO), ketones (KET), protein (PRO), nitrite (NIT), glucose (GLU), acidity (pH), specific gravity (SG), leukocytes (LEU), vitamin C, etc., and urine analysis can be performed using a urine test kit (100) having 11, 7, or 4 test strips (135) depending on the purpose of the test.

[0035] The urine is divided into a lower passage that is connected to the lower side of the test strip (135) and an upper passage that is connected to the upper side. When the air pump (not shown) attached to the upper passage is pressed, urine collected in the container (110) flows along the lower passage to wet the test strip (135).

[0036] The container (110) may be a cylindrical or cup-shaped container made of transparent plastic material to easily collect the urine of the subject and to allow the collected urine to be visually confirmed.

[0037] In one embodiment, when the container (110) is seated on the mounting portion of the urine analysis device (200) described below, a protrusion or groove may be formed on the lower portion of the container (110) to guide the exact mounting position of the container (110). Conversely, the mounting portion of the urine analysis device (200) may be formed with a groove or protrusion corresponding to the protrusion or groove of the container (110).

[0038] Meanwhile, a tag or code may be attached to one side of the container (110) to identify the type of urine test kit (100) and record information about the subject.

[0039] For example, an NFC reader (not shown) may be attached to one side of the container (110), and the NFC reader is for reading the recorded data of an NFC tag attached to a urine test kit (100). The NFC tag may record information on the subject, information on the type of urine test kit (100) indicating whether the test items are 11 points, 7 points, or 4 points, etc. In the embodiment of the present invention, an NFC tag has been described as an example, but an RFID, a barcode, or a QR code may be used.

[0040] A urine analysis device (200) according to one embodiment of the present invention may be a device that analyzes urine using a urine test kit (100) having a flexible test strip (130).

[0041] The urine analysis device (200) of the present embodiment may be configured to allow a urine test kit (100) to be installed, and when the urine test kit (100) is installed, light is emitted to a test strip (135) of a flexible test strip (130) and light reflected from the test strip (135) is received, thereby analyzing urine based on color information of the reflected light. The urine analysis device (200) may include a display, and may display analyzed urine test results through the display.

[0042] The urine analysis device (200) according to the present embodiment can accurately perform a urine test even when using a urine test kit (100) having a flexible test strip (130).

[0043] In addition, the urine analysis device (200) according to one embodiment of the present invention can adjust individual test times and derive accurate test results through individual scanning tailored to each test item.

[0044] For example, glucose and bilirubin can be read in 30 seconds, ketones in 40 seconds, specific gravity in 45 seconds, pH, protein, urobilinogen, blood, and nitrite in 60 seconds, and leukocytes in 2 minutes. pH and protein can be read immediately or after 2 minutes or more, while leukocyte results can be confirmed based on a delayed reaction of 1 to 2 minutes.

[0045] Hereinafter, a urine analysis device (200) according to one embodiment of the present invention will be specifically described with reference to FIGS. 2 to 6b.

[0046] FIG. 2 is a configuration diagram of a urine analysis device according to one embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 3 is a drawing showing a urine test kit (100) mounted on a urine analysis device (200) according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0047] Referring to FIG. 2, the urine analysis device (200) according to the present embodiment may include a mounting unit (210), a sensor unit (220, 230), an analysis unit (240), a measurement unit (250), and a correction unit (260). However, the urine analysis device (200) illustrated in FIG. 2 is only one implementation example of the present invention, and various modifications are possible based on the components illustrated in FIG. 2. Here, the measurement unit (250) and the correction unit (260) may be implemented with an MCU having a built-in memory and peripheral devices, and the built-in memory may store firmware and a standard colorimetric table having reference color values ​​for each test item.

[0048] As illustrated in Fig. 3, a urine test kit (100) can be mounted inside the mounting portion (210). That is, the mounting portion (210) can form a predetermined space within which a urine test kit (100) can be mounted.

[0049] At this time, the mounting portion (210) may be formed to a height capable of wrapping the test strip (135) portion of the urine test kit (100). For example, the mounting portion (210) may have a substantially cylindrical receiving space capable of accommodating the entire urine test kit (100). For example, the receiving space may have a cylindrical shape concentric with the urine test kit (100), thereby facilitating alignment of the sensor portion and the curved test strip (130).

[0050] After the urine test kit (100) is accommodated in the accommodation space, the accommodation space is sealed by an upper cover (see Fig. 3) to prevent external light from entering the interior of the accommodation space.

[0051] In addition, although not shown in the drawing, the mounting portion (210) is formed with a groove or projection corresponding to the projection or groove of the container (110), so that the urine test kit (100) can be accurately mounted in a mounting position where accurate sensing is possible by the sensor portion described later in the mounting portion (210).

[0052] At this time, the sensor unit and the curved test strip (130) can be arranged to form concentric circles with different radii, assuming that the sensor unit and the curved test strip (130) are each extended with the same curvature. Accordingly, the positions of each test paper (135) of the curved test strip (130) and each sensor unit can be aligned to face each other.

[0053] A plurality of sensor units may be provided on the inner surface of the mounting unit (210), and one sensor unit may include a pair of light-emitting units (220) and light-receiving units (230).

[0054] For example, the sensor unit may be positioned so as to face the center of the receiving space of the mounting unit (210) on at least a portion of the inner wall of the mounting unit (210). Accordingly, when the urine test kit (100) is mounted on the mounting unit (210), the sensor unit is configured to face the curved test strip (130) and scan the test paper (135).

[0055] In one embodiment, the sensor unit is formed on a flexible PCB (FPCB) and can be easily placed on the inner wall of the mounting portion (210). That is, the FPCB is placed on at least a portion of the inner wall of the cylindrical receiving space of the mounting portion (210), and the sensor unit can be formed on the FPCB placed on the inner wall of the cylindrical receiving space.

[0056] The light emitting unit (220) can irradiate light onto the test paper (135) of the test strip (130) provided in the urine test kit (100), and can be configured as, for example, a white light LED light emitting sensor. For example, the light emitting unit (220) can be configured as a high-brightness white light emitting diode driven by a constant current method, and a MOS FET capable of varying the current applied to the light emitting diode according to a PWM control signal of an MCU.

[0057] In one embodiment, the light emitting diode may be a high brightness White LED of 5600K.

[0058] As described above, the sensor portion is aligned to face the curved test strip (130), so that a plurality of light-emitting portions (220) are positioned to correspond to the test strip (135) included in the curved test strip (130) and irradiate light, thereby irradiating sufficient light intensity to the test strip (135).

[0059] Additionally, the light receiving unit (230) can receive light reflected from the test paper (135). For example, the light receiving unit (230) can be configured as a light receiving sensor having a resolution of 16 bits.

[0060] The light receiving unit (230) is an image sensor for detecting the color of the test paper (135) of the curved test strip (130) by light reflected from the test paper (135), and may be, for example, an RGB color sensor having an I2C interface and capable of detecting red, green, and blue, or an RGBW color sensor (e.g., VEML 6040) capable of detecting red, green, blue, and white light.

[0061] Here, the VEML 6040 may be a device having L x W x H of 2.0 x 1.25 x 1.0 mm and each channel (R, G, B, W) having 16-bit resolution.

[0062] In addition, the light receiving unit (230) and the MCU are connected via an I2C bus so that the master MCU can read RGBW data detected by the slave light receiving unit (230).

[0063] The space between the light emitting unit (220) and the light receiving unit (230) may be appropriately positioned or isolated so that light is not directly incident on the light receiving unit (230). Accordingly, each light receiving unit (230) may be configured to receive only the reflected light of the light emitted from the corresponding pair of light emitting units (220).

[0064] Meanwhile, the urine analysis device (200) of the present embodiment may further include a substrate (201) that supports the sensor portion (220, 230). That is, the substrate portion (201) is provided on the inner surface of the mounting portion (210), and a plurality of sensor portions (220, 230) may be arranged at preset intervals on the substrate portion (201).

[0065] In this embodiment, the substrate portion (201) may be formed of an FPCB so that it can be placed on the inner wall of the mounting portion (210) with the same or similar curvature as the test strip (130) that is arranged to be curved along the periphery of the container (110). The substrate portion (201) may be configured to be able to read samples of various shapes, and may be formed to have good flexibility and a thin thickness to maintain the flexibility of the material.

[0066] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the analysis unit (240) can identify the type of kit (11 points, 7 points, 4 points) according to the number of test items of the urine test kit (100) after the urine test kit (100) is placed inside the mounting unit (210).

[0067] The correction unit (260) can select a valid sensor unit among the plurality of sensor units (220, 230) based on data received from the plurality of sensor units (220, 230).

[0068] In one embodiment, data regarding optical signals received from a plurality of sensor units (e.g., light receiving units (230)) may be transmitted to a correction unit (260). The correction unit (260) may select, from among a plurality of closely spaced sensor units (220, 230), an effective sensor unit (220, 230) that is located at a position that can best determine the test strip (135) of the current urine test kit (100).

[0069] Table 2 below shows matching data including an effective sensor section including a color sensor for each test strip in the case of a urine test kit (100) (11-point kit) having 11 test strips (135) of test strips (130).

[0070] Sequential inspection item Inspection paper Valid sensor part 1UT1TP11th light emitting part, 1st light receiving part 2UT2TP22nd light emitting part, 2nd light receiving part 3UT3TP33rd light emitting part, 3rd light receiving part 4UT4TP44th light emitting part, 4th light receiving part 5UT5TP55th light emitting part, 5th light receiving part 6UT6TP66th light emitting part, 6th light receiving part 7UT7TP77th light emitting part, 7th light receiving part 8UT8TP88th light emitting part, 8th light receiving part 9UT9TP99th light emitting part, 9th light receiving part 10UT10TP1010th light emitting part, 10th light receiving part 11UT11TP1111th light emitting part, 11th light receiving part

[0071] In this embodiment, the analysis unit (240) analyzes urine based on data received from the valid sensor unit. Specifically, urine can be analyzed based on color information received from the sensor unit (220, 230), and as previously mentioned, the test time can be set according to the test item.

[0072] When the urine test kit (100) is placed in the mounting portion (210), the analysis portion (240) sequentially detects the color of the test paper sensed by the valid sensor portion based on the valid sensor portion data, compares it with the reference color of the corresponding test item in the standard colorimetric table, determines the level of the corresponding test item, and then derives the test result by analyzing the subject information and the test item.

[0073] Below, the case where the number of test strips (135) of the test strips (130) is less than 11 will be described.

[0074] FIG. 4 is a drawing showing the substrate (201) of a urine analysis device (200) according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0075] In a urine analysis device (200) according to one embodiment of the present invention, the number of the plurality of sensor units (220, 230) may be configured to be greater than the number of test strips (135) of the test strips (130) of the urine test kit (100).

[0076] Specifically, as illustrated in FIG. 4, the sensor units (220, 230) may be arranged at preset intervals along one direction of the substrate unit (201), for example, along the circumferential direction of the mounting unit (210) or the container (110). For example, the number of test strips (135) of the test strips (130) used in the urine analysis device (200) of the present embodiment may be 11, 7, or 4, and the number of sensor units (220, 230) may be 22 (11 light-emitting units, 11 light-receiving units).

[0077] Furthermore, as illustrated in FIG. 4, a plurality of sensor units (220, 230) may be arranged closely together so that the distance (G) between them is smaller than the width (W) of each sensor unit (220, 230) in one direction. In addition, the density at which the sensor units (220, 230) are arranged within a space may be configured to be higher than the density of the test paper (135).

[0078] In this way, since a greater number of sensor units (220, 230) are densely arranged than the number of test strips (135), all urine test kits (100) having different locations or numbers of test strips (135) can be analyzed. Therefore, various types of urine test kits (100) having different types or numbers of test items and different sizes of containers (110) can be effectively analyzed by the urine analysis device (200) according to the present embodiment without the need for different devices to be configured for analyzing them.

[0079] FIG. 5 is a drawing showing a state in which the substrate portion (201) illustrated in FIG. 4 is arranged to surround a urine test kit (100).

[0080] In one embodiment of the present invention, the substrate portion (201) may be formed to be deformable. The substrate portion (201), which may be formed of a flexible material, may be formed with notches or the like between the sensor portions (220, 230) to allow deformation that stretches in one direction. As the substrate portion (201) is elastically deformed, the distance between the plurality of sensor portions (220, 230) may vary.

[0081] In order to implement the elasticity of the base portion (201), the urine analysis device (200) of the present embodiment may further include a connecting portion (202). As illustrated in FIG. 5, both ends of the connecting portion (202) may be fixed to the mounting portion (210) and the base portion (201), respectively, and the length may be elastically deformed by a user's manipulation or power application, thereby pulling or pushing the base portion (201) in one direction.

[0082] For example, when the substrate portion (201) is pulled, the substrate portion (201) may be elongated within an allowable range, thereby widening the gap between the plurality of sensor portions (220, 230). When the pulling force is released or a further pushing force is applied toward the substrate portion (201), the gap between the plurality of sensor portions (220, 230) may be narrowed. In addition, by pulling or pushing the substrate portion (201), the substrate portion (201) may be brought into close contact with the container (110) so that the distance between the sensor portions (220, 230) and the test strip (135) is appropriate for analysis.

[0083] The urine analysis device (200) according to the present embodiment can analyze various types of urine test kits (100) having different sizes or radius of curvature of the container (110) and different numbers or positions of test strips (135) by having a plurality of sensor units (220, 230) arranged in a high density and further having variable spacing between the sensor units (220, 230). In addition, analysis can be performed even if there is a deviation in the position at which the urine test kit (100) is placed on the mounting portion (210).

[0084] FIG. 6a and FIG. 6b are drawings for explaining a method in which a urine analysis device (200) according to one embodiment of the present invention irradiates light to obtain color information of each of a plurality of test strips (135).

[0085] In FIGS. 6A and 6B, the sensor unit is illustrated as being configured as an integrated light-emitting unit (220) and a light-receiving unit (230), but this is not limited to the configuration, and the light-emitting sensor and the light-receiving sensor may be configured separately.

[0086] As illustrated, among the plurality of sensor units (220, 230) that are arranged at a close distance compared to the spacing of the test strip (135), some of the sensor units may be positioned to correspond to at least one test strip (135) included in the curved test strip (130).

[0087] As illustrated in FIG. 6a, the light emitting unit (220) can irradiate light toward the corresponding test strip (130). In addition, as illustrated in FIG. 6b, the light receiving unit (230) can receive light reflected from the corresponding test strip (135).

[0088] In this embodiment, even if all light-emitting units (220) irradiate light toward the test strip (130), light effective for analysis is received by the light-receiving unit at the position corresponding to the test strip (135), so the sensor unit having the light-receiving unit at the position corresponding to the test strip (135) can be an effective sensor unit. FIGS. 6A and 6B illustrate light emission and light reception at an effective sensor unit, but all light-emitting units (220) and light-receiving units (230) can operate simultaneously before an effective sensor unit is selected.

[0089] Table 3 below shows matching data including an effective sensor section including a color sensor for each test strip in the case of a urine test kit (100) (7-point kit) having 7 test strips (135) of test strips (130).

[0090] Sensor Floating / Invalid Color Value Inspection Pad Inspection Items No. 1 Light Emitting Part, No. 1 Light Receiver Part aTP1UT12 Light Emitting Part, No. 2 Light Receiver Part --- No. 3 Light Emitting Part, No. 3 Light Receiver Part bTP2UT24 Light Emitting Part, No. 4 Light Receiver Part --- No. 5 Light Emitting Part, No. 5 Light Receiver Part cTP3UT36 Light Emitting Part, No. 6 Light Receiver Part dTP4UT47 Light Emitting Part, No. 7 Light Receiver Part eTP5UT58 Light Emitting Part, No. 8 Light Receiver Part --- No. 9 Light Emitting Part, No. 9 Light Receiver Part fTP6UT610 Light Emitting Part, No. 10 Light Receiver Part --- No. 11 Light Emitting Part, No. 11 Light Receiver Part gTP7UT7

[0091] Table 4 below shows matching data including an effective sensor section including a color sensor for each test strip in the case of a urine test kit (100) (4-point kit) having four test strips (135) of test strips (130).

[0092] Sensor Floating / Invalid Color Value Inspection Pad Inspection Items No. 1 Light Emitting Part, No. 1 Receiver Part---No. 2 Light Emitting Part, No. 2 Receiver Part---aTP1UT1 No. 3 Light Emitting Part, No. 3 Receiver Part---No. 4 Light Emitting Part, No. 4 Receiver Part---No. 5 Light Emitting Part, No. 5 Receiver Part---bTP2UT2 No. 6 Light Emitting Part, No. 6 Receiver Part---No. 7 Light Emitting Part, No. 7 Receiver Part---No. 8 Light Emitting Part, No. 8 Receiver Part---cTP3UT3 No. 9 Light Emitting Part, No. 9 Receiver Part---No. 10 Light Emitting Part, No. 10 Receiver Part---No. 11 Light Emitting Part, No. 11 Receiver Part---dTP4UT4

[0093] In this way, according to an embodiment of the present invention, even if the type of urine test kit (100) is different (11-point kit, 7-point kit, or 4-point kit), urine analysis can be performed simply by placing the urine test kit (100) in the urine analysis device (200) without a separate color sensor and test paper matching process.

[0094] Therefore, according to the urine analysis device (200) of the present invention, the number and size of the test strips (135) of the urine test kit (100) can be designed to a certain extent freely, so that it has excellent compatibility.

[0095] Meanwhile, in the urine analysis device (200) according to one embodiment of the present invention, the color value of the sample to be analyzed may be affected and changed depending on changes in the temperature or humidity of the sensor unit (220, 230) and its surroundings. The urine analysis device (200) according to one embodiment of the present invention can improve the accuracy of the analysis by measuring the temperature or humidity in the measuring unit (250) and maintaining the value within a certain range or compensating it by reflecting the degree of change.

[0096] Specifically, the measuring unit (250) can measure the temperature of the mounting unit (210), the sensor unit (220, 230), or the substrate unit (201) or its surroundings through a temperature sensor (not shown). Then, based on the temperature measured by the measuring unit (250), the correction unit (260) can correct the duty ratio of the light irradiated by the sensor unit (220, 230).

[0097] That is, when the light emission of the light emitting unit (220) continues and the temperature of the light emitting unit (220) rises, the compensation unit (260) can increase the duty ratio at which the light emitting unit (220) operates through PWM control. For example, by increasing the duty ratio by 2% every time the temperature rises by 2 degrees, the output of the light emitting unit (220) can be increased at high temperatures, and deviations in light data caused by temperature changes can be compensated for.

[0098] The measuring unit (250) can detect external light entering the receiving space while the urine test kit (100) is seated, through a light sensor (not shown) installed in the receiving space of the mounting unit (210). If external light enters the receiving space, an alarm can be generated through a speaker (not shown), display, etc.

[0099] Additionally, the measuring unit (250) can measure the humidity of the mounting unit (210), the sensor unit (220, 230), or the substrate unit (201) or its surroundings. The correction unit (260) can compare the humidity measured by the measuring unit (250) with a preset value or range. If the humidity is not within a desired value or range, the urine analysis device (200) can generate an alarm, and the user can take measures such as ventilation to bring the humidity within the desired range.

[0100] Furthermore, the correction unit (260) of the urine analysis device (200) according to the present embodiment can calculate the distance between the sensor unit (220, 230) and the test strip (135). In the urine analysis device (200) of the present embodiment, there may be cases where the container (110) is incorrectly placed on the mounting unit (210) depending on the user's operation. In response to this, the correction unit (260) can calculate the distance between the sensor unit (220, 230) and the test strip (135) based on the data received from the sensor unit (220, 230). The correction unit (260) can compare the calculated distance with a preset value or range, and if it is not within a desired value or range, the urine analysis device (200) of the present embodiment can generate an alarm to prompt the user to take action. For example, the user can be prompted to place the urine test kit (100) back on the mounting unit (210).

[0101] Meanwhile, the urine analysis device (200) according to one embodiment of the present invention may further include an output unit. For example, a display may be provided to display the analysis results of the tested urine. Furthermore, the output unit may transmit the aforementioned alarms to the user in the form of visual or auditory information. Furthermore, the output unit may transmit urine analysis results and other information to a terminal or other device via a communication means.

[0102] FIG. 7 is a flowchart of a urine analysis method using a urine test kit (100) according to one embodiment of the present invention. The urine analysis method illustrated in FIG. 7 includes steps that are processed in time series according to the urine analysis device (200) according to one embodiment of the present invention illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 6B. Therefore, even if the content is omitted below, it also applies to the urine analysis method using the urine analysis device (200) according to the embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 6B.

[0103] In step S710, a urine test kit may be prepared. The urine test kit (100) containing the patient's urine may be positioned in the mounting portion (210) of the urine analysis device (200).

[0104] In step S720, light may be irradiated onto a test strip provided in a urine test kit by a plurality of sensor units, and light reflected from the test strip may be received. The plurality of sensor units (220, 230) may irradiate and receive light simultaneously, or irradiate and receive light sequentially.

[0105] In step S730, a valid sensor unit is selected from among a plurality of sensor units. Based on the data received from the plurality of sensor units (220, 230), sensor units receiving valid data suitable for analyzing urine can be selected as valid sensor units.

[0106] In step S740, urine is analyzed based on data received from the valid sensor unit. The color information of the received data can be used to analyze the components of the urine.

[0107] The results of the urine analysis in step S750 may be output. The results of the analysis may be transmitted to the user through an output unit such as a display.

[0108] Meanwhile, in one embodiment of the present invention, the urine test kit (100) may include a reference kit for selecting a valid sensor unit. The reference kit may be a urine test kit that does not collect urine and has a specific number and location of test strips.

[0109] In the step of selecting a valid sensor unit in step S730, data received from multiple sensor units (220, 230) for the test paper (135) of the test strip (130) provided in the reference kit may be used as a criterion for selecting a valid sensor unit. When the reference kit is used, the valid sensor unit may be selected by comparing the color information between each sensor unit or by comparing and judging the color information according to the position of the substrate unit and the test paper.

[0110] As described above, since the urine analysis device according to one embodiment of the present invention has a larger number of sensor units than the number of test strips of the urine test kit, a certain number of sensor units (e.g., odd-numbered sensor units, see FIGS. 6A and 6B) in one direction may be selected as valid sensor units. Alternatively, sensor units up to a certain number of sensor units (e.g., sensor units up to an 11th number) may be valid sensor units.

[0111] Additionally, the urine analysis method of the present embodiment may further include a step of correcting the duty ratio of the light output irradiated by the sensor unit based on the temperature of the sensor unit or its surroundings (S715). In this case, the temperature may be a value measured by the measurement unit (250) described above.

[0112] Additionally, the urine analysis method of the present embodiment may further include a step of comparing the humidity of the sensor unit or its surroundings with a preset value or range, and generating an alarm signal if the humidity does not meet the preset desired value or range (S715). Humidity is measured by the measurement unit (250) described above, and an alarm output through the output unit can be used to prompt a user to respond.

[0113] Furthermore, the urine analysis method of the present embodiment may further include a step of calculating the distance between the sensor unit and the test strip based on data received from the sensor unit (S725). The calculated distance may be compared with a preset value or range, and an alarm signal may be generated according to preset conditions to prompt a user response. By prompting the user to re-operate, the reception of unsuitable light or color information for urine analysis may be prevented.

[0114] In the above description, steps S710 to S750 may be further divided into additional steps or combined into fewer steps, depending on the implementation of the present invention. Furthermore, some steps may be omitted as needed, and the order of steps may be switched.

[0115] The urine analysis method described in FIG. 7 may also be implemented in the form of a computer program stored on a computer-executable medium or a recording medium containing computer-executable commands. Furthermore, the urine analysis method described in FIG. 7 may also be implemented in the form of a computer program stored on a computer-executable medium.

[0116] Computer-readable media can be any available media that can be accessed by a computer, and includes both volatile and nonvolatile media, removable and non-removable media. Computer-readable media can also include computer storage media. Computer storage media includes both volatile and nonvolatile, removable and non-removable media implemented in any method or technology for storage of information, such as computer-readable instructions, data structures, program modules, or other data.

[0117] The foregoing description of the present invention is for illustrative purposes only, and those skilled in the art will readily appreciate that the present invention can be readily modified into other specific forms without altering the technical spirit or essential characteristics of the present invention. Therefore, the embodiments described above should be understood as illustrative in all respects and not restrictive. For example, each component described as a single entity may be implemented in a distributed manner, and similarly, components described as distributed may be implemented in a combined manner.

[0118] The scope of the present invention is indicated by the claims described below rather than the detailed description above, and all changes or modifications derived from the meaning and scope of the claims and their equivalent concepts should be interpreted as being included in the scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. In the urine analysis device, A test kit comprising a container for collecting urine, a test strip attached along the inner or outer periphery of the container and including a plurality of test strips for testing urine collected in the container, and a mounting portion in which the test kit is mounted inside; A plurality of sensor units, each of which comprises a light emitting unit for irradiating light onto each of the plurality of test strips of the test kit mounted on the mounting portion, and a light receiving unit for detecting the color of each of the plurality of test strips by light reflected from each of the plurality of test strips, forming a pair; and An analysis unit that analyzes urine based on the color information of the test paper detected by the photodetector. A urine analysis device comprising:

2. In paragraph 1, A urine analysis device in which each of the above sensor units individually performs scanning according to the test items of the corresponding test paper.

3. In paragraph 1, A correction unit that measures the temperature of the mounting unit or the plurality of sensor units through a temperature sensor and corrects the duty ratio of the light irradiated by the light emitting unit based on the measured temperature. A urine analysis device further comprising:

4. In paragraph 1, A protrusion or groove is formed on the lower part of the container to guide the seating position of the container when it is seated on the seating portion. A urine analysis device, wherein the above-mentioned mounting portion has a groove or protrusion formed therein corresponding to the protrusion or groove of the above-mentioned container.

5. In paragraph 1, A urine analysis device, wherein the number of the plurality of sensor sections and the number of the plurality of test strips are different.

6. In paragraph 1, A urine analysis device, wherein the number of the plurality of sensor sections and the number of the plurality of test strips are the same.

7. In paragraph 1, A urine analysis device, wherein the above-mentioned mounting portion is formed at a height capable of wrapping the plurality of test strips.

8. In paragraph 1, A urine analysis device, wherein the above-mentioned mounting portion is formed at a height that can accommodate the entire urine test kit.

9. In paragraph 8, A urine analysis device, wherein after the urine test kit is placed on the mounting portion, the receiving space of the mounting portion is sealed by an upper cover.

10. In paragraph 1, A urine analysis device, wherein the accommodation space of the above-mentioned mounting portion has a cylindrical shape concentric with the urine test kit.

11. In paragraph 10, A urine analysis device, wherein the plurality of sensor units are formed on a flexible material substrate disposed on at least a portion of the inner wall of the cylindrical receiving space.

12. In paragraph 1, A urine analysis device, wherein the plurality of sensor sections are formed on a flexible material substrate arranged on the inner wall of the mounting portion with the same curvature as the curved test strip arranged to be curved along the circumference of the container.

13. In paragraph 1, A urine analysis device, wherein the plurality of sensor units and each test strip of the curved test strip are positioned facing each other.

14. In paragraph 1, A urine analysis device, wherein the plurality of sensor units are arranged so as to face the center of the receiving space of the mounting portion on at least a portion of the inner wall of the mounting portion.

15. In the urine analysis device, A test kit comprising a container for collecting urine, a test strip attached along the inner or outer periphery of the container and including a plurality of test strips for testing urine collected in the container, and a mounting portion in which the test kit is mounted inside; A substrate made of a flexible material provided on the inner surface of the above-mentioned mounting portion; A sensor unit disposed on the substrate and including a light emitting unit for irradiating light to the plurality of test papers and a light receiving unit for detecting the color of the plurality of test papers by light reflected from the plurality of test papers; An analysis unit that analyzes urine based on the color information of the test paper detected by the photodetector. A urine analysis device comprising:

16. In paragraph 15, A urine analysis device, wherein the substrate portion of the above-mentioned flexible material is arranged on the inner wall of the mounting portion with the same curvature as the curved test strip that is arranged to be curved along the circumference of the above-mentioned container.

17. In paragraph 15, A urine analysis device, wherein the accommodation space of the above-mentioned mounting portion has a cylindrical shape concentric with the urine test kit.

18. In paragraph 17, A urine analysis device, wherein the substrate of the above-mentioned soft material is arranged on at least a portion of the inner wall of the above-mentioned cylindrical receiving space.

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