Management device, management method, and program

Abstract

A management device according to the present invention includes: an acquisition unit that acquires a sequence, representing the order of execution of a plurality of culture operations to be executed in a project, and a time frame, serving as the start timing of the project; a creation unit that creates, on the basis of the sequence and the start timing, a culture schedule in which time frames for executing each of the culture operations of the project are allocated; and a determination unit that determines whether or not the culture operations of the project have been allocated to a non-allocatable time frame that is at least one of a time frame allocated to a culture operation of another project or a time frame that does not satisfy the time constraints of operation intervals determined in advance for each combination of the culture operations that occur one after the other.

Description

Management device, management method, and program

[0001] This application claims priority to Japanese Patent Application No. 2023-219442, filed on December 26, 2023, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.

[0002] For example, Patent Documents 1 and 2 describe techniques in which a cell culture system automatically performs culture operations based on a culture schedule set by an engineer (user).

[0003] Japanese Patent No. 4656646 Japanese Patent No. 6732028

[0004] In addition, there are time constraints regarding the interval between successive culture operations, such as waiting n days or more until the cell culture progresses, or the next operation must be performed within n days based on the cell growth rate. Therefore, users must create a culture schedule that satisfies such time constraints. Furthermore, when multiple projects are carried out in parallel using one cell culture system, users must consider not only the time constraints but also the need to avoid overlapping with the culture schedules of other projects.

[0005] An object of the present disclosure is to provide a management device, a management method, and a program that can assist in creating a culture schedule that takes into account time constraints for culture operations and culture schedules of other projects.

[0006] According to one aspect of the present disclosure, the management device is a management device that manages a culture schedule for a cell culture system, and includes: an acquisition unit that acquires a sequence that represents the order in which multiple culture operations to be performed in a project are performed and a time frame that represents the start timing of the project; a creation unit that creates a culture schedule that assigns a time frame for performing each culture operation of the project based on the sequence and the start timing; and a determination unit that determines whether a culture operation of the project is assigned to an unallocatable time frame, which is at least one of a time frame that has already been assigned to a culture operation of another project and a time frame that does not satisfy the time constraints of the operation intervals predetermined for each combination of consecutive culture operations before and after it.

[0007] According to one aspect of the present disclosure, a management method is a management method for managing a culture schedule of a cell culture system, and includes the steps of: acquiring a sequence representing the order in which multiple culture operations to be performed in a project are to be performed and a time slot representing the start timing of the project; creating a culture schedule that assigns a time slot for performing each of the culture operations of the project based on the sequence and the start timing; and determining whether the culture operation of the project is assigned to an unassignable time slot, which is at least one of a time slot already assigned to a culture operation of another project and a time slot that does not satisfy the time constraints of the operation intervals predetermined for each combination of consecutive culture operations before and after the project.

[0008] According to one aspect of the present disclosure, a program causes a management device that manages a culture schedule for a cell culture system to perform the following steps: acquire a sequence that represents the order in which multiple culture operations to be performed in a project are performed and a time frame that represents the start timing of the project; create a culture schedule that assigns a time frame for performing each culture operation of the project based on the sequence and the start timing; and determine whether the culture operation of the project is assigned to an unassignable time frame that is at least one of a time frame that has already been assigned to a culture operation of another project and a time frame that does not satisfy the time constraints of the operation intervals that are predetermined for each combination of consecutive culture operations before and after the project.

[0009] According to the above aspect, it is possible to assist in creating a culture schedule that takes into account time constraints for culture operations and culture schedules of other projects.

[0010] 1 is a schematic plan view showing a schematic configuration of a cell culture system according to a first embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a schematic configuration of a management system according to the first embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing a functional configuration of a management device according to the first embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an example of a management screen and a project list according to the first embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 5 is a diagram showing an example of a management screen and a management menu according to the first embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing an example of processing of the management device according to the first embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 7 is a first diagram for describing a schedule creation process according to the first embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 8 is a second diagram for describing a schedule creation process according to the first embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 9 is a third diagram for describing a schedule creation process according to the first embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 10 is a flowchart showing an example of processing of the management device according to the second embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 11 is a diagram for describing a schedule creation process according to the second embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 12 is a flowchart showing an example of processing of the management device according to the third embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 13 is a first diagram for describing a schedule creation process according to the third embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 14 is a second diagram for describing a schedule creation process according to the third embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 15 is a third diagram for describing a schedule creation process according to the third embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 16 is a fourth diagram for describing a schedule creation process according to the third embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0011] First Embodiment A first embodiment of the present disclosure will be described in detail below with reference to FIGS.

[0012] As shown in FIG. 1, the cell culture system 100 of this embodiment is a system that performs unmanned and automatic cell culture and analysis of the cultured cells, using a workpiece W as a processing unit.

[0013] (Configuration of Cell Culture System) As shown in FIG. 1, the cell culture system 100 includes a stocker 110, a cell storage booth 120, an incubator 130, a clean bench 140, a pass box 150, a measuring device 160, a culture medium supply device 161, and a waste liquid tank 162.

[0014] <Stocker> The stocker 110 is a facility for storing a plurality of workpieces W to be used in the incubator 130 and the clean bench 140. The workpiece W has a flask therein that contains a culture medium. The stocker 110 forms a workpiece storage area R1 inside. A workpiece storage device 112 is arranged in the workpiece storage area R1 of the stocker 110. The workpiece storage device 112 is capable of storing a plurality of workpieces W. The stocker 110 is also provided with a door 110a for transporting the workpiece W to the clean bench 140 by a transport device (not shown).

[0015] <Cell Storage Booth> The cell storage booth 120 is a facility for storing cultured cells. The cell storage booth 120 forms a cell storage area R2 inside. A storage container 122 is disposed in the cell storage area R2 of the cell storage booth 120 for freezing and storing a portion of the culture solution in which cells have proliferated. The cell storage booth 120 is also provided with a door 120a for carrying in and out the workpiece W to and from the clean bench 140 using a transport device (not shown).

[0016] <Incubator> The incubator 130 is a facility for growing cells in a culture solution. The incubator 130 forms a culture area R3 in which the temperature, humidity, and carbon dioxide concentration are controlled to be suitable for cell culture. The culture area R3 of the incubator 130 is provided with, for example, multiple shaking stages 132, which are configured to be able to shake multiple workpieces W. The incubator 130 has a transport device (not shown) for automatically transporting the workpieces W within the culture area R3.

[0017] <Clean bench> The clean bench 140 performs various operations and processes on the workpiece W, such as dispensing operations, removal of waste liquids, and labeling. A liquid handling area R4, which is a highly clean and sterile space, is formed within the clean bench 140. A plurality of (three in the example of FIG. 1 ) dispensing devices 142 are arranged in the liquid handling area R4 of the clean bench 140. The dispensing devices 142 perform operations such as dispensing onto the workpiece W. The clean bench 140 also has a transport device (not shown) for automatically transporting the workpiece W within the liquid handling area R4.

[0018] <Pass Box> Pass box 150 is provided between incubator 130 and clean bench 140. Workpieces W are transferred between culture area R3 and liquid handling area R4 via pass box 150. Pass box 150 has a first door 150a and a second door 150b. First door 150a switches between a communication state and an open state between the space within pass box 150 and culture area R3. Second door 150b switches between a communication state and an open state between the space within pass box 150 and liquid handling area R4. These first door 150a and second door 150b are never open at the same time, which prevents direct communication between culture area R3 and liquid handling area R4.

[0019] <Measuring Device> The measuring device 160 is disposed adjacent to the clean bench 140. The measuring device 160 is a device capable of measuring and analyzing the number of cells in the culture solution dispensed from the dispensing device 142.

[0020] <Culture Medium Supplying Device> The culture medium supplying device 161 is disposed adjacent to the clean bench 140. The culture medium supplying device 161 is a device capable of supplying the culture medium contained in the work W (flask) via the dispensing device 142.

[0021] <Waste Liquid Tank> The waste liquid tank 162 is disposed adjacent to the clean bench 140. Waste liquid is transferred to the waste liquid tank 162 from a waste liquid extractor (not shown) disposed on the clean bench 140.

[0022] (Operation of Cell Culture System) In the cell culture system 100 configured as described above, cell proliferation is promoted by agitating the culture medium in the workpiece W in the agitation stage 132 of the incubator 130. The workpiece W in which cell proliferation has progressed is transferred to the liquid manipulation area R4 via the pass box 150. The culture medium in the workpiece W transferred to the liquid manipulation area R4 is dispensed, and the culture medium is supplied to the workpiece W.

[0023] On the other hand, when cell proliferation is performed using a new workpiece W, the following procedure is performed, for example. First, a transport device in stocker 110 retrieves the new workpiece W from workpiece storage device 112 and transports it into liquid handling area R4. In liquid handling area R4, culture medium is supplied to the new workpiece W, which does not contain culture medium, and culture medium is dispensed from the workpiece W transferred from liquid handling area R4, which contains culture medium where cell proliferation has progressed, to the new workpiece W. This completes the cell subculture (passage) operation into the new workpiece W. After the subculture operation, the new workpiece W is transferred to incubator 130, where cell proliferation is performed, and the above process is repeated. Furthermore, during the subculture operation, if necessary, a portion of the culture medium is dispensed into the workpiece W for frozen storage, and the workpiece W is transferred to cell storage booth 120 for frozen storage.

[0024] (Configuration of Management System) The management system 200 is a system that controls and monitors the cell culture system 100, and creates a culture schedule required for the control. As shown in FIG. 2 , the management system 200 includes a PLC (Programmable Logic Controller) 20 and a management device 30.

[0025] <PLC> The PLC 20 automatically controls the operation of each device in the cell culture system 100 according to a culture schedule for each project (for each cell type requested by a customer).

[0026] <Management Device> The management device 30 is communicably connected to the PLC 20. The management device 30 accepts input operations from a user and creates and edits a culture schedule for each project in the cell culture system 100. The culture schedule created and edited by the management device 30 is transmitted to the PLC 20.

[0027] (Functional Configuration of Management Device) As shown in FIG. 3, the management device 30 includes a processor 31, a memory 32, a storage 33, a communication interface 34, a display unit 35, and an input unit 36.

[0028] The processor 31 operates in accordance with a predetermined program to function as an acquisition unit 311, a creation unit 312, a determination unit 313, a setting unit 314, and a transmission unit 315.

[0029] The acquisition unit 311 acquires a sequence indicating the order in which a plurality of culture operations to be performed in a project will be performed and a time frame indicating the start timing of the project. The sequence and start timing are input by the user via the input unit 36.

[0030] The creation unit 312 creates a culture schedule that allocates time frames for performing each culture operation of the project based on the sequence and start timing. The culture operations include, for example, seeding, subculture, measurement, FB culture, sterilization, etc.

[0031] The judgment unit 313 displays a warning when a cultivation operation of a project is assigned to at least one of a time slot that has already been assigned to a cultivation operation of another project and a time slot that does not satisfy the time constraints of the operation intervals predetermined for each combination of consecutive cultivation operations before and after it.

[0032] The setting unit 314 accepts settings by the user such as time constraints, the culture environment and operation capacity including the amount of operation for each culture operation, and the length of the time frame.

[0033] The transmitting unit 315 transmits the created culture schedule to the PLC 20. Then, the PLC 20 controls each unit of the cell culture system 100 so as to perform each culture operation of the project according to the received culture schedule.

[0034] The predetermined program executed by the processor 31 is stored on a computer-readable recording medium. Computer-readable recording media include magnetic disks, magneto-optical disks, CD-ROMs, DVD-ROMs, and semiconductor memories. The computer program may be distributed to a computer via a communication line, and the computer that receives the distribution may execute the program. The program may also be a program for implementing some of the above-described functions. Furthermore, the program may be a so-called differential file (differential program) that can realize the above-described functions in combination with a program already stored in the computer system.

[0035] The memory 32 has a memory area necessary for the operation of the processor 31 .

[0036] The storage 33 is a so-called auxiliary storage device, such as a hard disk drive (HDD), a solid state drive (SSD), etc. The storage 33 stores data that each part of the processor 31 acquires, generates, and references during processing (for example, the culture schedule, time constraints, operation capability settings, etc. of each project).

[0037] The communication interface 34 is an interface for transmitting and receiving various data, control signals, and the like to and from the PLC 20 .

[0038] The display unit 35 is a display device that displays a management screen for managing each project, a screen for creating a culture schedule, etc., and is, for example, a liquid crystal display or an organic EL display.

[0039] The input unit 36 ​​is an input device that accepts user operations, and is, for example, a general mouse, keyboard, or touch sensor.

[0040] (Management Screen) Next, the management screen D1 displayed by the management device 30 will be described with reference to Figures 4 to 6. Figure 4 shows an example of the management screen D1 displayed on the display unit 35 of the management device 30. The management screen D1 is a screen that can only be accessed by users who have completed authentication processing.

[0041] For example, once user authentication is complete, the display screen displays the management screen D1 shown in FIG. 4 . This management screen D1 displays a project list D10 listing each project currently being implemented or already implemented by the cell culture system 100. For example, the project list D10 includes items such as the identification information, start date, progress, status, and schedule of each project. The identification information field displays the project number, project name, project code, etc. The start date field displays the date the project started. The progress field displays the number of completed work days relative to the total number of days for the project. The status field displays the implementation status of the project (e.g., before starting, culturing, completed, etc.). The schedule field displays a register button B12 and a view button B13. The register button B12 is a button for displaying a schedule registration screen D30 ( FIG. 8 ). The schedule registration screen D30 will be described later with reference to a flowchart. The view button B13 is a button for viewing a registered culture schedule. The project list D10 also includes an add button B11. When the user presses the Add button B11, a new project registration screen (not shown) for inputting identification information etc. of the new project is displayed. When the user registers a new project, the information is added to the project list D10. At the time of registering the new project, the culture schedule has not been registered, so a Register button B12 is displayed in the schedule column of the project list D10.

[0042] The management screen D1 also has a menu button B10. When the user presses the menu button B10, a management menu D20 (FIG. 5) is displayed on the management screen D1.

[0043] An example of the management menu D20 is shown in Fig. 5. The management menu D20 has a project list button B21, a new project button B22, and the like.

[0044] When the user presses the project list button B21, the project list D10 (FIG. 4) is displayed on the management screen D1.

[0045] When the user presses the New Project button B22, a new project registration screen (not shown) is displayed. In other words, the function of the New Project button B22 is the same as the Add button B11 of the project list D10.

[0046] When the user presses the capacity setting button B23, a screen (not shown) is displayed for setting the culture environment, operation amount, operation timing, etc. for each culture operation. The culture environment includes, for example, set values ​​for the temperature, humidity, and carbon dioxide concentration in the culture area R3. The operation amount includes the amount of liquid dispensed, the amount of reagent added, etc. The operation timing includes the timing for cleaning the liquid tubes, and the timing for measuring the glucose concentration, cell count, etc. The user can change these set values ​​as desired.

[0047] When the user presses the time constraint setting button B25, a screen (not shown) is displayed for setting or changing the time constraint for the operation interval determined for each combination of consecutive culture operations. For example, when passaging is performed after seeding, it is necessary to set the operation interval (e.g., n days) between seeding and passaging, taking into account factors such as cell proliferation speed. Although a standard value is set in advance for this operation interval for each combination of preceding and following culture operations (e.g., seeding followed by passaging, sterilization followed by seeding, etc.), the user may change this value individually. Furthermore, this operation interval may be set using a combination of the shortest and longest intervals, such as n1 days or more and n2 days or less.

[0048] (Processing Flow) Next, with reference to the flowchart shown in FIG. 6, a processing flow in which the management device 30 automatically creates a culture schedule for a new project will be described.

[0049] First, the acquisition unit 311 acquires a sequence of multiple culture operations to be performed in a new project (step S101). The sequence is information indicating the order in which the culture operations are to be performed, as shown in Fig. 7A, for example. The user may input the sequence by selecting the culture operations in the order in which they are to be performed on the management screen D1 of the management device 30, or may have the management device 30 load a data file recording the sequence.

[0050] The acquisition unit 311 also acquires the start timing of the new project (step S102). For example, as shown in FIG. 7 , a day is divided into multiple (four) time slots T1 to T4, and only one culture operation of one of the projects can be performed in each time slot. The user may input the start timing (start date and start time slot) in text or other format on the management screen D1 of the management device 30, or may select it from the timetable shown in FIG. 7 . Note that FIG. 7 shows an example in which a day is evenly divided into four time slots, but this is not limiting. In other embodiments, a day may be divided into three or fewer or five or more time slots, and the length of the time slots may be variable depending on the division, such as daytime (when the user is working) or nighttime.

[0051] Next, the creation unit 312 automatically creates a culture schedule that assigns a time frame for performing each culture operation included in the acquired sequence based on the acquired sequence, start timing, and preset time constraints (step S103). For example, as shown in FIG. 7, assume that the start timing is time frame T3 on June 7th. The creation unit 312 assigns the first culture operation of the new project (seeding in the example of FIG. 7) to the time frame of the start timing (time frame T3 on June 7th). Furthermore, for the second culture operation (passage 1), the creation unit 312 determines the time frame to which the second culture operation is assigned based on the time constraint for the operation interval between the first culture operation (seeding) and the second culture operation (passage 1). The storage 33 stores the initial value of the time constraint set in advance for each combination of culture operations, or a setting value set (changed) by the user. As shown in the example of FIG. 7, if the time constraint between seeding and passaging is 12 hours, the creation unit 312 assigns the second culture operation (passage 1) to time frame T2 on June 8th, 12 hours after the first culture operation (seeding). The creation unit performs the same process for subsequent culture operations in the sequence. When the time constraint is set to a range between a lower limit and an upper limit, the creation unit 312 assigns a time frame by, for example, giving priority to the lower limit. The user may be able to switch between the lower limit and the upper limit in the settings.

[0052] Next, the determination unit 313 determines whether the culture schedule of the new project overlaps with the culture operation schedules of other projects (step S104). If there is no overlap between the time frames for all culture operations of the new project and the culture operations of other projects (step S104; YES), the determination unit 313 displays the culture schedule created by the creation unit 312 on the display unit 35. For example, the determination unit 313 displays the culture schedule (timetable D31) created by the creation unit 312 on the schedule registration screen D30 shown in FIG. 8. Furthermore, when the user confirms and registers the culture schedule (by pressing the registration button B31 in FIG. 8), the creation unit 312 registers the culture schedule as a confirmed schedule and stores it in the storage 33 (step S109). Furthermore, the transmission unit 315 transmits the registered culture schedule to the PLC 20 (step S110), thereby completing the schedule creation process. The PLC 20 controls the cell culture system 100 according to the culture schedule received from the management device 30.

[0053] On the other hand, if at least one of the culture operations of the new project overlaps with a time slot in which a culture operation of another project is performed (step S104; NO), the determination unit 313 displays a warning regarding the culture operation on the display unit 35 (step S105). The warning is displayed, for example, in the warning field D32 of the schedule registration screen D30 shown in FIG. 8. The warning displayed in the warning field D32 includes information about the time slot and culture operation in which the overlap was detected, as well as information indicating which culture operation of the other project overlaps (e.g., project name, culture operation name). The creation unit 312 creates a timetable D31 in which time slots assigned to culture operations of the other project are displayed in a different manner (e.g., grayed out). FIG. 8 shows an example in which the time slot T3 on June 9 and the time slot T1 on June 10 are assigned to another project, and an overlap occurs during the time slot T3 on June 9. By doing so, the user can easily determine which time slots (culture operations) overlap with other projects by referring to the timetable D31 and the warning field D32.

[0054] Next, the user confirms the warning and performs an operation to change the overlapping culture operation with another project to another time slot. For example, as shown in FIG. 9 , the user performs an operation such as dragging and dropping on the timetable D31 to change the overlapping culture operation (FB culture 1 in time slot T3 on June 9) to another time slot (e.g., time slot T4 on June 9). At this time, the creation unit 312 may restrict the designation of a time slot already assigned to another project as the drag-and-drop destination time slot (e.g., canceling the drag-and-drop operation). This prevents overlap with other projects in the changed time slot. Upon receiving the user's operation to change the time slot, the creation unit 312 changes the culture schedule (step S106). Note that, as shown in the example of FIG. 9 , when the creation unit 312 receives an operation to change the time slot of FB culture 1 (time slot + 1), it may automatically change the time slots of subsequent culture operations (FB culture 2, FB culture 3, ...) by the same amount (time slot + 1).

[0055] The determination unit 313 also determines whether the modified culture schedule satisfies the time constraint (step S107). In the example of FIGS. 8 and 9, FB culture 1 was changed to time slot T4 on June 9, so the determination unit 313 determines whether the time constraint between the culture operations before and after FB culture 1 is satisfied. For example, assume that the time constraint from measurement to FB culture was 6 to 12 hours. In this case, the determination unit 313 determines that the operation interval from measurement to FB culture 1 in the modified culture schedule (FIG. 9) is 12 hours, satisfying the time constraint (step S107; YES). Note that if the time slot for the culture operations after FB culture 1 is not automatically changed, the determination unit 313 similarly determines whether the time constraint between the modified FB culture 1 and FB culture 2 is satisfied.

[0056] If the time constraint is satisfied (step S107; YES), the determination unit 313 further determines whether all overlaps have been resolved. If any of the overlaps detected in step S104 remain unresolved, or if a new overlap occurs due to the change in the time frame in step S106 (step S108; NO), the determination unit 313 returns to step S106 and accepts a change in the time frame for the next overlapping culture operation. Furthermore, if all overlaps have been resolved (step S108; YES), the determination unit 313 displays the revised culture schedule on the display unit 35. When the user confirms the revised culture schedule and presses the registration button B31, the creation unit 312 registers the revised culture schedule as a confirmed schedule and stores it in the storage 33 (step S109). Furthermore, the transmission unit 315 transmits the registered culture schedule to the PLC 20 (step S110), thereby completing the schedule creation process. The PLC 20 controls the cell culture system 100 according to the culture schedule received from the management device 30.

[0057] 8 and 9, the time constraint from measurement to FB culture is assumed to be 6 hours. In this case, the determination unit 313 determines that the time constraint is not satisfied because changing FB culture 1 to time frame T4 on June 9 would result in a 12-hour operation interval with the previous culture operation (measurement) (step S107; NO). In this case, the determination unit 313 returns to step S105, displays a warning in the warning field D32 indicating that the time constraint between measurement and FB culture 1 is not satisfied, and prompts the user to change the time frame again.

[0058] The management device 30 repeatedly executes the series of processes shown in Fig. 6 until all deficiencies (overlap with other projects, violation of time constraints) are resolved and the user presses the culture schedule registration button B31. Note that, for example, if the deficiencies cannot be resolved by simply changing the time frame after the overlapping culture operation, the management device 30 may return to step S102, change the start timing, and re-create the culture schedule.

[0059] In the above example, the creation unit 312 restricts (drag-and-drop) a change to a time slot assigned to another project when accepting a change to the time slot. However, the present invention is not limited to this. In another embodiment, the creation unit 312 may restrict a time slot that does not satisfy the time constraints of a culture operation that is being selected (dragged) as a target for change so that the time slot cannot be designated as a drag-and-drop destination time slot. In this case, the creation unit 312 displays the time slot that does not satisfy the time constraint in an unassignable display mode (grayed out, for example). In this case, because a change to a time slot that does not satisfy the time constraints can be suppressed, the determination in step S107 may be omitted.

[0060] Furthermore, the creation unit 312 may display a time slot that does not satisfy the time constraint in a display mode indicating that it is not allocable, while allowing the user to perform an allocation operation. When the user performs an operation to allocate to a time slot that does not satisfy the time constraint, the determination unit 313 may display a warning in the warning field D32. In this way, when there is no other allocable time slot, relaxing the time constraint can prevent the culture schedule from becoming uncreatable.

[0061] In still another embodiment, the creation unit 312 may display a time frame that satisfies the time constraint for the culture operation being selected (drag) as the target for change in a display mode (highlighted color, etc.) that indicates an allocation candidate.

[0062] Furthermore, in the above example, a user manually changes the time slot assignment for a culture operation that overlaps with another project. However, this is not limited to this. In other embodiments, the creation unit 312 may automatically perform a process (processing of FIG. 9 ) to change a culture operation that overlaps with another project to a different time slot within the time constraint. In this case, if there is no other time slot that does not overlap with another project and satisfies the time constraint, the creation unit 312 notifies the determination unit 313 that there is no time slot that can be changed. Upon receiving this notification, the determination unit 313 displays a warning in step S105 indicating that there is no time slot that can be changed for the culture operation (i.e., a time slot that can be performed without any defects). In this way, the management device 30 minimizes the number of adjustments that the user must make manually, thereby reducing the user's burden.

[0063] (Effects) As described above, the management device 30 according to this embodiment includes an acquisition unit 311 that acquires a sequence that indicates the order in which multiple culture operations to be performed in a project will be performed and a time frame that is the start timing of the project, a creation unit 312 that creates a culture schedule that assigns a time frame for performing each culture operation of the project based on the sequence and the start timing, and a determination unit 313 that determines whether a culture operation of the project has been assigned to an unallocatable time frame that is at least one of a time frame that has already been assigned to a culture operation of another project and a time frame that does not satisfy the time constraint.

[0064] In this way, the management device 30 can make the user aware of whether the created culture schedule overlaps with culture schedules of other projects or whether there are any deficiencies that do not satisfy the time constraints, so the user does not need to check the culture schedule against the culture schedules and time constraints of other projects, thereby reducing the effort required to create and adjust the culture schedule.

[0065] Furthermore, the creation unit 312 automatically creates a culture schedule based on a preset time constraint in addition to the sequence and start timing.

[0066] In this way, the management device 30 can automatically create a culture schedule that satisfies the time constraints, thereby significantly reducing the effort required for the user to create a culture schedule.

[0067] Furthermore, if the determination unit 313 determines that a culture operation has been assigned to a time slot that cannot be assigned, it displays a warning regarding the culture operation, and when the creation unit 312 accepts an operation to assign the culture operation for which the warning has been given to another time slot, it restricts the assignment to a time slot that has already been assigned to a culture operation of another project or a time slot that does not satisfy the time constraints.

[0068] In this way, the management device 30 allows the user to easily understand which parts of the culture schedule are defective. Furthermore, the management device 30 can prevent new defects (schedule overlaps, time constraint violations) from occurring due to the user changing the allocation of time slots. This allows even an inexperienced user to easily create a culture schedule without any defects.

[0069] In addition, when any of the culture operations of the project is selected, the creation unit 312 displays in the timetable a time slot that does not satisfy the time constraints of the selected culture operation as unavailable for allocation, or displays a warning if the selected culture operation is allocated to a time slot that does not satisfy the time constraints.

[0070] In this way, the management device 30 can prevent new defects (schedule overlaps, time constraint violations) from occurring due to a user changing the allocation of time slots, thereby enabling even an inexperienced user to easily create a flawless culture schedule.

[0071] Furthermore, when any one of the culture operations of the project is selected, the creation unit 312 sets the time frame that satisfies the time constraint of the selected culture operation as the display mode of the allocation candidate in the timetable.

[0072] In this way, when a user changes the allocation of time slots, the management device 30 allows the user to easily grasp appropriate time slots that satisfy the time constraints, thereby enabling even an inexperienced user to easily create a flawless culture schedule.

[0073] In addition, if the creation unit 312 determines that a culture operation has been assigned to a time slot that cannot be assigned, it automatically changes the culture operation to another time slot within the time constraints, and if there is no other time slot that does not overlap with other projects and meets the time constraints, the determination unit 313 displays a warning regarding the culture operation.

[0074] In this way, the management device 30 can minimize the number of items that the user must manually adjust, thereby reducing the burden on the user.

[0075] Second Embodiment Next, a second embodiment of the present disclosure will be described with reference to FIGS. 10 and 11 . Components common to the above-described embodiments are denoted by the same reference numerals, and detailed description thereof will be omitted. The creation unit 312 according to the first embodiment automatically created a culture schedule based on the sequence and project start timing input by the user and preset time constraints. In contrast, the creation unit 312 according to the present embodiment creates a culture schedule by accepting an operation by the user to assign individual culture operations to time slots.

[0076] (Process Flow) With reference to FIG. 10 , the process flow of the management device 30 creating a culture schedule for a new project will be described. First, the acquisition unit 311 accepts an operation to assign each culture operation of the new project to a time slot and acquires the sequence, start timing, and time slot to which each culture operation is assigned for the new project (step S201). For example, as shown in FIG. 11 , the schedule registration screen D30 has a selection section B32 for selecting culture operations. The user selects the culture operations in the selection section B32 in the order of the sequence and assigns them by dragging and dropping them to the desired time slot in the timetable D31. At this time, the creation unit 312 displays the timetable D31 in which time slots to which culture operations of other projects have been assigned are displayed as unavailable (e.g., grayed out). The creation unit 312 also restricts the allocation of culture operations of the new project to these unavailable time slots (e.g., cancels the drag and drop). This prevents the user from assigning culture operations of the new project to time slots that overlap with other projects. Furthermore, as in the example of Figure 11, the selection unit B32 may be able to select one of the sub-items with partially different operation contents for each culture operation (seeding, subculture, FB culture, sterilization, etc.).

[0077] The creating unit 312 creates a culture schedule for the new project based on the information acquired by the acquiring unit 311 (step S202).

[0078] Next, the determination unit 313 determines whether the culture schedule of the new project overlaps with the culture operation schedule of another project (step S203). If there is no overlap (step S203; YES), the creation unit 312 registers the culture schedule as a confirmed schedule and stores it in the storage 33 (step S208) when the user confirms and registers the culture schedule (by pressing the registration button B31 in FIG. 8). The transmission unit 315 then transmits the registered culture schedule to the PLC 20 (step S209), thereby terminating the schedule creation process. If there is an overlap (step S203; NO), the determination unit 313 displays a warning in the warning field D32 (step S204). If the creation unit 312 receives a user's operation to change the time frame, it changes the culture schedule (step S205). If the determination unit 313 determines that the time constraints of the changed culture schedule are satisfied (step S206; YES) and that all overlaps have been resolved (step S207), the creation unit 312 registers and stores the changed culture schedule in accordance with the user's registration operation (pressing the registration button B31) (step S208). The transmission unit 315 transmits the registered culture schedule to the PLC 20 (step S209), thereby completing the schedule creation process. The processes of steps S203 to S209 are the same as the processes of steps S104 to S110 in the first embodiment (FIG. 6).

[0079] The creation unit 312 may restrict the time frame that does not satisfy the time constraints of the culture operation being selected (drag) as an allocation target so that it cannot be specified as a drag-and-drop destination time frame. In this case, the creation unit 312 displays the time frame that does not satisfy the time constraints in a display mode (grayed out, etc.) that indicates that it cannot be allocated.

[0080] Furthermore, the creation unit 312 may display a time slot that does not satisfy the time constraint in an unallocatable display mode, while still allowing the user to perform an allocation operation. In this case, the determination unit 313 may determine whether the time constraint with the previous culture operation is satisfied (perform the process of step S206) each time the user drags and drops a culture operation into a time slot. If the user performs an operation to allocate a culture operation to a time slot that does not satisfy the time constraint, the determination unit 313 displays a warning in the warning field D32. In this way, if there are no other allocatable time slots, relaxing the time constraint can prevent the culture schedule from becoming uncreatable.

[0081] In still another embodiment, the creation unit 312 may display a time frame that satisfies the time constraint for the culture operation being selected (being dragged) as the allocation target in a display mode (highlighted color, etc.) that indicates an allocation candidate.

[0082] (Effects) As described above, in the management device 30 according to this embodiment, the creation unit 312 limits the allocation of the culture operations of a project to time slots that have already been allocated to culture operations of other projects in the timetable D31 that lists time slots, and creates the culture schedule by accepting an operation to allocate each of the multiple culture operations to any time slot other than the time slot to which the allocation has been limited.

[0083] By doing this, the management device 30 can create a culture schedule that flexibly corresponds to different recipes depending on the user and project, while preventing overlap with culture operations of other projects.

[0084] Third Embodiment Next, a third embodiment of the present disclosure will be described with reference to FIGS. 12 to 16. Components common to the above-described embodiments are denoted by the same reference numerals, and detailed description thereof will be omitted. The creation unit 312 according to the second embodiment creates a culture schedule in accordance with a user's operation of allocating time slots for each culture operation. In contrast, in this embodiment, the creation unit 312 creates a culture schedule using presets set by the user.

[0085] (Process Flow) With reference to FIG. 12 , the process flow of the management device 30 creating a culture schedule for a new project will be described. First, the acquisition unit 311 accepts a user operation and acquires a preset (step S301). For example, as shown in FIG. 13 , the schedule registration screen D30 further includes a preset button B33. When the user presses the preset button B33, a preset selection pop-up D40 shown in FIG. 14 is displayed. The preset selection pop-up D40 includes a pull-down list B41 for selecting a preset, an input box B42 for the preset insertion date, a register button B43, and a close button B44. The user selects a desired preset from the pull-down list B41 and enters the start date of the new project in the insertion date input box B42. Alternatively, when the user presses the close button B44, the screen returns to the schedule registration screen D30 without selecting a preset. On the other hand, when the register button B43 is pressed, the acquisition unit 311 acquires information about the selected preset (step S301) and returns to the schedule registration screen D30.

[0086] The creating unit 312 creates a culture schedule for the new project based on the preset acquired by the acquiring unit 311 and the start date of the new project (step S302).

[0087] As shown in FIG. 15 , a preset specifies which days and time slots each culture operation will be performed in during the period from the start date (day 1) to the end date (day n) of the project. The user assigns each culture operation to a time slot in a preset timetable D51 by dragging and dropping it on the preset registration screen D50 shown in FIG. 15 . The preset registration screen D50 is displayed, for example, by pressing a preset registration button (not shown) on the management menu D20 ( FIG. 5 ). After completing the time slot assignment, when the user presses the registration button B51, the timetable D51 is registered with a preset name in the input box B53 and stored in the storage 33. The user can register multiple presets. For example, suppose the user selects the preset shown in FIG. 15 and enters June 7 as the start date. In this case, the creation unit 312 creates a culture schedule in which June 7 is set as day 1 and each culture operation registered as a preset is automatically assigned to the corresponding time slot, as shown in FIG. 16 .

[0088] The subsequent processing of steps S303 to S309 is the same as the processing of steps S203 to S209 in the second embodiment (FIG. 12).

[0089] (Effects) As described above, in the management device 30 according to this embodiment, the acquisition unit 311 acquires presets that predetermine the allocation of sequences and time slots, and the start timing (start date), and the creation unit 312 automatically creates a culture schedule based on the presets.

[0090] In this way, the management device 30 can automatically create a culture schedule that reflects recipes specific to a user or a project, without requiring the user to assign individual culture operations to time slots, thereby significantly reducing the workload of the user in creating a culture schedule.

[0091] Fourth Embodiment Next, a fourth embodiment of the present disclosure will be described with reference to FIG. 17 . Components common to the above-described embodiments are denoted by the same reference numerals, and detailed description thereof will be omitted. In each of the above-described embodiments, the creation unit 312 created a culture schedule by allocating each culture operation to a time slot. In contrast, the creation unit 312 according to this embodiment further creates a maintenance schedule in which maintenance work is allocated to free time in the culture schedule.

[0092] For example, as shown in FIG. 17 , the creation unit 312 references the culture schedules for all projects 1 to 4 operating during a certain period and creates a maintenance schedule D61 in which maintenance work for the cell culture system 100, the PLC 20, and the management device 30 is assigned to at least one of the time slots (free time slots) to which no culture operation is assigned for each of projects 1 to 4. In the example of FIG. 17 , the creation unit 312 assigns the maintenance work to free time slot 2 (time slot T3 on June 8) among free time slots 1 to 3. The maintenance work may include, for example, cleaning and replacing components, updating software, restarting the PC, etc. Furthermore, the creation unit 312 may assign the maintenance work to the remaining time after the completion of a culture operation within a time slot to which the culture operation is to be completed within a predetermined time. The predetermined time may be variable depending on the length of the time slot and the time required for the maintenance work.

[0093] In this way, the management device 30 can efficiently utilize the free time in the culture schedule and maintain the health of the entire system.

[0094] <Other Embodiments> Although one embodiment has been described in detail above with reference to the drawings, the specific configuration is not limited to the above, and various design modifications are possible. That is, in other embodiments, the order of the above-described processes may be changed as appropriate. Furthermore, some processes may be executed in parallel.

[0095] <Additional Notes> The above-described embodiments can be understood, for example, as follows.

[0096] (1) According to a first aspect, the management device 30 is a management device 30 that manages the culture schedule of the cell culture system 100, and includes an acquisition unit 311 that acquires a sequence that represents the order in which multiple culture operations to be performed in a project are performed and a time frame that is the start timing of the project, a creation unit 312 that creates a culture schedule that assigns a time frame for performing each culture operation of the project based on the sequence and the start timing, and a determination unit 313 that determines whether a culture operation of the project has been assigned to an unallocatable time frame, which is at least one of a time frame that has already been assigned to a culture operation of another project and a time frame that does not satisfy the time constraints of the operation intervals that are predetermined for each combination of consecutive culture operations before and after it.

[0097] In this way, the management device 30 can make the user aware of whether the created culture schedule overlaps with culture schedules of other projects or whether there are any deficiencies that do not satisfy the time constraints, so the user does not need to check the culture schedule against the culture schedules and time constraints of other projects, thereby reducing the effort required to create and adjust the culture schedule.

[0098] (2) According to the second aspect, in the management device 30 according to the first aspect, the creation unit 312 automatically creates a culture schedule based on a preset time constraint in addition to the sequence and start timing.

[0099] In this way, the management device 30 can automatically create a culture schedule that satisfies the time constraints, thereby significantly reducing the effort required for the user to create a culture schedule.

[0100] (3) According to the third aspect, in the management device 30 relating to the first or second aspect, when the determination unit 313 determines that there is a culture operation assigned to a time slot that cannot be assigned, the determination unit 313 displays a warning regarding the culture operation, and when the creation unit 312 accepts an operation to assign the culture operation for which the warning has been given to another time slot, the creation unit 312 restricts the assignment to a time slot that has already been assigned to a culture operation of another project or a time slot that does not satisfy the time constraints.

[0101] In this way, the management device 30 allows the user to easily understand which parts of the culture schedule are defective. Furthermore, the management device 30 can prevent new defects (schedule overlaps, time constraint violations) from occurring due to the user changing the allocation of time slots. This allows even an inexperienced user to easily create a culture schedule without any defects.

[0102] (4) According to the fourth aspect, in the management device 30 relating to the third aspect, when any of the culture operations of a project is selected, the creation unit 312 displays a time slot in a timetable listing time slots that does not satisfy the time constraints of the selected culture operation as unavailable for allocation, or displays a warning if the selected culture operation is allocated to a time slot that does not satisfy the time constraints.

[0103] In this way, the management device 30 can prevent new defects (schedule overlaps, time constraint violations) from occurring due to a user changing the allocation of time slots, thereby enabling even an inexperienced user to easily create a flawless culture schedule.

[0104] (5) According to the fifth aspect, in the management device 30 relating to the third or fourth aspect, when any of the culture operations of the project is selected, the creation unit 312 displays a time slot that satisfies the time constraints of the selected culture operation as a candidate for allocation in a timetable that lists the time slots.

[0105] In this way, when a user changes the allocation of time slots, the management device 30 allows the user to easily grasp appropriate time slots that satisfy the time constraints, thereby enabling even an inexperienced user to easily create a flawless culture schedule.

[0106] (6) According to the sixth aspect, in the management device 30 relating to any one of the first to fifth aspects, when it is determined that a culture operation is assigned to a time slot that cannot be assigned, the creation unit 312 automatically changes the culture operation to another time slot within the time constraints, and when there is no time slot that does not overlap with other projects and meets the time constraints, the determination unit 313 displays a warning regarding the culture operation.

[0107] In this way, the management device 30 can minimize the number of items that the user must manually adjust, thereby reducing the burden on the user.

[0108] (7) According to the seventh aspect, in the management device 30 relating to the first aspect, the creation unit 312 creates a culture schedule by limiting the allocation of culture operations of a project to time slots that have already been allocated to culture operations of other projects in a timetable that lists time slots, and accepting operations to allocate each of multiple culture operations to any time slot other than the time slot to which the allocation has been limited.

[0109] By doing this, the management device 30 can create a culture schedule that flexibly corresponds to different recipes depending on the user and project, while preventing overlap with culture operations of other projects.

[0110] (8) According to the eighth aspect, in the management device 30 relating to the first aspect, the acquisition unit 311 acquires presets that predetermine the allocation of sequences and time slots and the start timing, and the creation unit 312 automatically creates a culture schedule based on the presets.

[0111] In this way, the management device 30 can automatically create a culture schedule that reflects recipes specific to a user or a project, without requiring the user to assign individual culture operations to time slots, thereby significantly reducing the workload of the user in creating a culture schedule.

[0112] (9) According to a ninth aspect, the management device 30 according to any one of the first to eighth aspects further includes a setting unit 314 that accepts a time constraint setting.

[0113] In this way, the management device 30 can flexibly change the time constraints depending on the functions and performance of the cell culture system 100 and the project, and create a more appropriate culture schedule.

[0114] (10) According to the tenth aspect, in the management device 30 relating to any one of the first to ninth aspects, the creation unit 312 automatically allocates a time slot to which no culture operation is assigned, or a time slot to which a culture operation that will be completed within a predetermined time is assigned, with the remaining time after the completion of the culture operation, to maintenance work on the cell culture system.

[0115] In this way, the management device 30 can efficiently utilize the free time in the culture schedule and maintain the health of the entire system.

[0116] (11) According to an eleventh aspect, a management method is a management method for managing a culture schedule of a cell culture system, and includes the steps of: acquiring a sequence representing the order in which multiple culture operations to be performed in a project are performed and a time frame representing the start timing of the project; creating a culture schedule in which a time frame for performing each culture operation of the project is assigned based on the sequence and the start timing; and determining whether a culture operation of the project is assigned to an unassignable time frame, which is at least one of a time frame already assigned to a culture operation of another project and a time frame that does not satisfy the time constraints of the operation intervals predetermined for each combination of consecutive culture operations before and after the project.

[0117] (12) According to the twelfth aspect, the program causes a management device that manages a culture schedule of a cell culture system to execute the following steps: acquiring a sequence that represents the order in which multiple culture operations to be performed in a project are performed and a time frame that is the start timing of the project; creating a culture schedule that assigns a time frame for performing each culture operation of the project based on the sequence and the start timing; and determining whether a culture operation of the project has been assigned to an unassignable time frame that is at least one of a time frame that has already been assigned to a culture operation of another project and a time frame that does not satisfy the time constraints of the operation intervals that are predetermined for each combination of consecutive culture operations before and after the project.

[0118] According to the above aspect, it is possible to assist in creating a culture schedule that takes into account time constraints for culture operations and culture schedules of other projects.

[0119] 100 Cell culture system 110 Stocker 112 Work storage device 120 Cell storage booth 122 Storage container 130 Incubator 132 Shaking stage 140 Clean bench 142 Dispensing device 150 Pass box 160 Measuring device 161 Culture medium supply device 162 Waste liquid tank 200 Management system 30 Management device 31 Processor 311 Acquisition unit 312 Creation unit 313 Determination unit 314 Setting unit 315 Transmission unit 32 Memory 33 Storage 34 Communication interface 35 Display unit 36 ​​Input unit

Claims

1. A management device for managing a culture schedule of a cell culture system, comprising: an acquisition unit that acquires a sequence representing an execution order of a plurality of culture operations to be performed in a project and a time frame that is the start timing of the project; a creation unit that creates a culture schedule in which a time frame for performing each culture operation of the project is assigned based on the sequence and the start timing; and a determination unit that determines whether a culture operation of the project is assigned to a non-assignable time frame that does not satisfy at least one of a time frame already assigned to a culture operation of another project and a time constraint of a predetermined operation interval for each combination of consecutive culture operations before and after.

2. The management device according to claim 1, wherein the creation unit automatically creates the culture schedule based on the sequence, the start timing, and the preset time constraint.

3. The management device according to claim 1, wherein when the determination unit determines that there is a culture operation assigned to a non-assignable time frame, a warning regarding the culture operation is displayed, and when the creation unit receives an operation of reassigning the warned culture operation to another time frame, the creation unit restricts the assignment to a time frame already assigned to a culture operation of another project or a time frame that does not satisfy the time constraint.

4. The management device according to claim 3, wherein when any culture operation of the project is selected, in a time table arranging time frames, a time frame that does not satisfy the time constraint of the selected culture operation is set to a non-assignable display mode, or a warning is displayed when the selected culture operation is assigned to a time frame that does not satisfy the time constraint.

5. The management device according to claim 3, wherein when any culture operation of the project is selected, in a time table arranging time frames, a time frame that satisfies the time constraint of the selected culture operation is set to a display mode of an assignment candidate.

6. When it is determined that there is a culture operation assigned to a time frame that cannot be assigned, the creation unit automatically changes the culture operation to another time frame within the scope of the time constraint. When there is no time frame that does not overlap with other projects and satisfies the time constraint, the determination unit displays a warning regarding the culture operation. The management device according to claim 1.

7. In the time table arranging time frames, the creation unit restricts the assignment of the culture operation of the project to the time frames already assigned to the culture operations of other projects, and for each of the plurality of culture operations, accepts an operation of assigning to any time frame other than the time frames with restricted assignment, and creates the culture schedule. The management device according to claim 1.

8. The acquisition unit acquires a preset in which the assignment of the sequence and time frame is predetermined and the start timing, and the creation unit automatically creates the culture schedule based on the preset. The management device according to claim 1.

9. The management device according to claim 1, further comprising a setting unit that accepts the setting of the time constraint.

10. The creation unit automatically assigns the remaining time after completion of the culture operation to the maintenance work of the cell culture system for a time frame to which no culture operation is assigned or a time frame to which a culture operation that is completed within a predetermined time is assigned. The management device according to any one of claims 1 to 9.

11. A management method for managing the culture schedule of a cell culture system, comprising: a step of acquiring a sequence representing the execution order of a plurality of culture operations to be performed in a project and a time frame that is the start timing of the project; a step of creating a culture schedule in which a time frame for performing each culture operation of the project is assigned based on the sequence and the start timing; and a step of determining whether the culture operation of the project is assigned to a non-assignable time frame that is at least one of a time frame already assigned to the culture operation of another project and a time frame that does not satisfy the time constraint of a predetermined operation interval for each combination of consecutive culture operations before and after.

12. A program for causing a management device that manages a culture schedule of a cell culture system to perform the steps of: obtaining a sequence representing an execution order of a plurality of culture operations to be performed in a project and a time frame that is the start timing of the project; creating a culture schedule in which a time frame for performing each culture operation of the project is assigned based on the sequence and the start timing; and determining whether the culture operation of the project is assigned to a non-assignable time frame that does not satisfy at least one of a time frame already assigned to a culture operation of another project and a time constraint of a predetermined operation interval for each combination of consecutive culture operations before and after.

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