Light source inspecting device, automated analyzing device, and light source inspection method

Abstract

Provided are: a light source inspecting device capable of easily and quickly inspecting a light source mounted on an automated analyzing device; an automated analyzing device; and a light source inspection method. A light source inspecting device (1) according to the present invention comprises: an imaging device (3) that captures a light emission image of a light source (2) provided with two or more LEDs; a calculating unit (4) that calculates a first feature quantity from the light emission image of a first LED (301) of the light source (2), and calculates a second feature quantity from the light emission image of a second LED (302) of the light source (2); and a determining unit (5) that compares the first feature quantity and the second feature quantity with a threshold to determine the quality of analysis stability of the light source (2).

Description

Light source inspection device, automatic analysis device, and light source inspection method

[0001] The present invention relates to a light source inspection device, an automatic analysis device, and a light source inspection method.

[0002] There are automated analyzers that analyze the amounts of components, such as proteins, sugars, lipids, enzymes, hormones, and disease markers, contained in biological samples such as blood and urine. Such automated analyzers dispense specimens and reagents into containers containing the samples, and perform analysis based on changes in optical properties such as absorbance and fluorescence. Absorption analysis in automated analyzers involves irradiating light onto a sample or a reaction solution containing a mixture of the sample and reagents, measuring the light of a single wavelength or multiple wavelengths that passes through the sample or reaction solution with a photodetector, calculating the absorbance, and determining the amount of a component from the relationship between absorbance and concentration.

[0003] In order to perform various tests with high accuracy, a light source for absorption spectrometry is required to have a wide emission spectrum, ensure a sufficient amount of light at each wavelength of the spectrum, and provide a highly stable amount of light. For this reason, xenon lamps, halogen lamps, etc. have traditionally been used. In recent years, light-emitting diodes (LEDs) have been considered as light sources for absorption spectrometry.

[0004] Automated analyzers use different wavelengths of light corresponding to the reagents used depending on the components to be measured, and the wavelength range is wide, for example, from 340 nm to 800 nm. For this reason, it is difficult to cover the entire wavelength range with a single LED, and methods using a halogen lamp and an LED or multiple LEDs have been considered. Here, a dual-wavelength measurement method is one of the methods for absorbance analysis in automated analyzers. This method simultaneously measures light at two wavelengths, calculates the difference, reduces background noise, and determines the concentration of the target substance with high accuracy. However, if there are differences in the light characteristics, such as the optical axis position or light intensity distribution, between the two wavelengths, the high accuracy that is the advantage of this method is lost. Therefore, for example, when performing dual-wavelength measurement by simultaneously measuring light from a halogen lamp and light from an LED, it is desirable that the characteristics of both the lamp and the LED are consistent. Furthermore, when performing dual-wavelength measurement by simultaneously measuring light from one LED and light from another LED, it is desirable that the characteristics of the two LEDs are consistent. In light of this situation, development is underway for light source configurations with high performance and stability.

[0005] Patent Document 1 proposes a method of reducing the difference in light intensity distribution between the light from the LED and the light from the phosphor by using transmitted light from an LED light source and fluorescence from a phosphor and providing a slit between the light source and the sample container.

[0006] Patent Document 2 describes a configuration for multiplexing two LED lights. Specifically, Patent Document 2 discloses a configuration in which light emitted from a second LED is reflected to multiplex the light emitted from the first LED on the same optical axis. Patent Document 2 also discloses a configuration in which the first LED and the second LED are in contact with the same temperature adjustment member, making it easier to align their temperature characteristics.

[0007] JP 2018-105739 A JP 2021-81312 A

[0008] The configuration of Patent Document 1 uses one LED, and excitation light from the LED light source is wavelength-converted by a phosphor. With the configuration of Patent Document 1, light can be obtained over a wide wavelength range, for example, from 340 nm to 800 nm. However, with this configuration, it is difficult to ensure a sufficient amount of light over the entire wavelength range. On the other hand, when attempting to ensure a sufficient amount of light with this configuration, it becomes difficult to ensure a wide wavelength range.

[0009] Furthermore, because LEDs are semiconductor elements, there are variations in the amount of light emitted by the LED due to crystal defects in the semiconductor, etc., and variations in the amount of fluorescent light due to variations in the encapsulation of phosphors, etc. Patent Document 1 does not consider methods for evaluating and inspecting these effects and for ensuring the performance of the light source.

[0010] The configuration of Patent Document 2 is shown to have excellent temperature stability because the two LEDs are in contact with the same temperature control member. However, while it is stated that strict design tolerances are required for the alignment of the optical axes of the two LEDs, no specific solutions are described. While strict dimensional tolerances can be achieved by designing, the example of Patent Document 2 includes many optical components such as filters, mirrors, and lenses in addition to the LEDs, so it is not realistic to specify strict dimensional tolerances for all components. The configuration of Patent Document 2 has difficulties in aligning the optical axes of the two LEDs and adjusting the optical axes.

[0011] The configurations of Patent Documents 1 and 2 both assume that the light intensity distribution of light sources such as LEDs is uniform and that the optical axes are aligned. In actual devices, the light intensity has a specific distribution, and it is quite possible that the optical axes of the light sources in the system that combines the light sources will not be perfectly aligned. When the performance of a light source falls short of the design value, some kind of inspection must be performed to determine whether the light source is good or bad. One method of determination is to repeatedly measure the absorbance of a reference sample, such as water, to evaluate whether the light source's light emission stability meets or exceeds a standard. This method requires repeated measurements to determine the stability of the light source, which takes a long time, more than several tens of minutes. Furthermore, determining the stability of a single light source requires an automatic analyzer, making it impossible to easily and quickly determine the stability of multiple light sources.

[0012] The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and an object of the present invention is to provide a light source inspection device, an automatic analyzer, and a light source inspection method that can easily and quickly inspect a light source mounted in an automatic analyzer.

[0013] The light source inspection device of the present invention, which solves the above-mentioned problems, includes an imaging device that captures an emission image of a light source having two or more LEDs, a calculation unit that calculates a first feature amount from the emission image of a first LED of the light source and calculates a second feature amount from the emission image of a second LED of the light source, and a determination unit that compares the first feature amount and the second feature amount with a threshold value to determine whether the analytical stability of the light source is good or bad.

[0014] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a light source inspection device, an automatic analyzer, and a light source inspection method that can easily and quickly inspect a light source installed in an automatic analyzer. Problems, configurations, and effects other than those described above will become apparent from the following description of the embodiments. Further features related to the present invention will become apparent from the description of this specification and the accompanying drawings.

[0015] 1 is an overall configuration diagram of an automatic analyzer 100. FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram showing an example of the configuration of a light source 120 and a spectroscope 107 that play a role in measuring absorbance in the automatic analyzer 100. FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram showing an example of the configuration of the light source 120 of the automatic analyzer 100. FIG. 2 is a configuration diagram explaining an example of the configuration of a light source inspection device 1 according to the present embodiment. FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of an emission image of an LED irradiated by the light source 120. FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram showing an example of a feature amount calculated from the emission image. FIG. 4 is a graph showing an example of the relationship between the stability of analysis and the feature amount obtained from the image. FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram showing the irradiation light (light-emitting region 502) irradiated to the reaction cell 112 in FIG. 2 over time. FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram showing an example of absorbance at a certain measurement timing. FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of an emission image when foreign matter such as dust or dirt is present on the light path. FIG. 8 is a graph showing an example of the relationship between fluctuations in analysis and non-uniformity in brightness. FIG. 1 is an overall configuration diagram explaining an embodiment of an automatic analyzer 1000 that can inspect a light source 120. 1 is a flowchart illustrating the details of a light source inspection method according to an embodiment; FIG. 2 is a flowchart illustrating the details of the method according to a preferred embodiment; FIG. 3 is a flowchart illustrating the details of the method according to a preferred embodiment; and FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing a series of steps related to inspection of a light source 2 according to a preferred embodiment.

[0016] A light source inspection device, an automatic analyzer, and a light source inspection method according to one embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings as appropriate. Note that common components in the following description and drawings may be assigned the same reference numerals and redundant description may be omitted. Furthermore, the present invention is not limited to the following embodiments. Furthermore, the descriptions in this specification are merely typical examples and do not limit the scope of the claims or application examples in any sense.

[0017] <Relationship between Light Source Inspection Device and Automatic Analysis Device> The light source inspection device 1 ( FIG. 4 ) according to this embodiment is used to inspect the light source 120 ( FIG. 1 ) mounted on the automatic analysis device 100 ( FIG. 1 ). The light source 2 ( FIG. 4 ) that has been inspected by the light source inspection device 1 and determined to have good analytical stability is mounted on the automatic analysis device 100 as the light source 120 ( FIG. 1 ).

[0018] 1 to 3, an automatic analyzer 100 equipped with a light source 2 (i.e., light source 120) inspected by a light source inspection device 1 will be described. Next, the light source inspection device 1 will be described with reference to FIG.

[0019] <Automated analyzer 100> Fig. 1 is an overall configuration diagram of the automated analyzer 100. As shown in Fig. 1, the automated analyzer 100 is composed of a conveying line 101, a rotor 102, a reagent disk 103, a reaction disk 104, dispensing mechanisms 105a and 105b, a stirring mechanism 106, a spectroscope 107, a reaction cell cleaning mechanism 108, nozzle cleaning mechanisms 109a and 109b, a control unit 115, an input unit 123, a display unit 124, and the like.

[0020] The transport line 101 transports a required amount of sample racks 111 holding sample containers 110 containing samples to a sample dispensing position 121. A dispensing mechanism 105a dispenses the sample from the sample containers 110 into reaction cells 112 (reaction containers) at the sample dispensing position 121. The transport line 101 is further connected to a rotor 102. By rotating the rotor 102, the sample racks 111 are exchanged with other transport lines 101.

[0021] The reagent disk 103 holds a reagent container 113 containing a reagent and transports the reagent container 113 to a position where the dispensing mechanism 105b can perform a dispensing operation. The dispensing mechanism 105b dispenses the reagent from the reagent container 113 into the reaction cell 112 at a reagent dispensing position 122. The reagent is dispensed into the reaction cell 112 in an amount required for colorimetric analysis, and reacts with components in the sample to be analyzed.

[0022] The reaction disk 104 holds the reaction cell 112 and transports the reaction cell 112 to the positions where the spectrometer 107 that performs colorimetric analysis, the stirring mechanism 106, the reaction cell cleaning mechanism 108, etc., which are the target of each operation, operate. The reaction cell 112 is kept warm by a constant temperature medium such as temperature-controlled water. This promotes chemical reactions in the reaction liquid, which is a mixture of the specimen and the reagent.

[0023] The dispensing mechanism 105a aspirates a sample to be subjected to colorimetric analysis from a sample container 110 and dispenses it into a reaction cell 112. The dispensing mechanism 105a includes an arm 118a, a nozzle 116a, and a dispensing mechanism motor 119a. The arm 118a holds the nozzle 116a and a liquid level sensor 117. The dispensing mechanism motor 119a moves the dispensing mechanism 105a up and down and in a rotational direction. The dispensing mechanism 105b aspirates a reagent appropriate for the analysis target from a reagent container 113 and dispenses it into the reaction cell 112. The dispensing mechanism 105b includes an arm 118b, a nozzle 116b, and a dispensing mechanism motor 119b. The arm 118b holds the nozzle 116b and a liquid level sensor 117. The dispensing mechanism motor 119b moves the dispensing mechanism 105b up and down and in a rotational direction. The nozzle 116a and the nozzle 116b are each connected to a liquid level sensor 117. The liquid level sensor 117 detects the liquid level position based on, for example, a change in capacitance of the liquid.

[0024] The specimen is dispensed by inserting nozzle 116a into specimen container 110 containing the specimen, aspirating a predetermined amount of specimen, moving dispensing mechanism 105a vertically and rotationally, and dispensing the aspirated specimen into reaction cell 112. A shield unit 114 is installed near the position where dispensing mechanism 105a performs the dispensing operation. The shield unit 114 prevents specimen from scattering or becoming contaminated. The reagent is dispensed by inserting nozzle 116b into reagent container 113 containing the reagent, aspirating a predetermined amount of reagent, moving dispensing mechanism 105b vertically and rotationally, and dispensing the aspirated reagent into reaction cell 112.

[0025] The stirring mechanism 106 stirs the reaction liquid in the reaction cell 112. This promotes a chemical reaction between the analyte component in the specimen discharged from the specimen container 110 into the reaction cell 112 and the reagent discharged from the reagent container 113 into the reaction cell 112.

[0026] The light source 120 irradiates light onto the reaction solution in which the chemical reaction has been promoted by being stirred by the stirring mechanism 106. The spectroscope 107 is provided on the optical axis of the light irradiated from the light source 120. The spectroscope 107 separates the transmitted light that has passed through the reaction solution. The automated analyzer 100 performs colorimetric analysis by measuring absorbance based on the separated transmitted light. Note that this colorimetric analysis is generally performed simultaneously while the reaction cells 112 are being transported, and absorbance measurements are performed sequentially at preset timings.

[0027] The reaction cell cleaning mechanism 108 aspirates the reaction liquid from the reaction cell 112 after colorimetric analysis has been completed, and then dispenses detergent or the like to clean the reaction cell 112. The nozzle cleaning mechanism 109a cleans the tip of the nozzle 116a of the dispensing mechanism 105a that dispensed the sample. The nozzle cleaning mechanism 109b cleans the tip of the nozzle 116b of the dispensing mechanism 105b that dispensed the reagent. This removes any residue adhering to the nozzles 116a and 116b, preventing them from affecting the next analysis target. The control unit 115 is composed of a processor, memory, etc., and controls the above-mentioned mechanisms and devices. The input unit 123 is composed of a keyboard, mouse, touch panel, etc., and inputs instructions from the user to the control unit 115. The display unit 124 is composed of an LCD (Liquid Crystal Display) or the like, and displays an operation screen, etc.

[0028] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of the light source 120 and the spectroscope 107 that play a role in measuring absorbance in the automated analyzer 100. As shown in FIG. 2 , the illumination light generated by the light source 120 is emitted along an optical axis 201, condensed by a condenser lens 203, and irradiated onto the reaction cell 112. At this time, a light source-side slit 202 may be disposed to limit the width of the illumination light from the light source 120 in order to extract a region of the illumination light from the light source 120 with as uniform a light intensity distribution as possible within the illumination surface. Furthermore, the light source 120 may be provided with optical filters, such as a short-pass filter, a long-pass filter, a band-pass filter, or an ND (neutral density) filter, at appropriate positions on the optical axis 201. By providing these filters, light with desired optical characteristics can be obtained.

[0029] The light that has passed through the reaction solution 205 in the reaction cell 112 is split by a diffraction grating 206 in the spectroscope 107 and received by a detector array 207 equipped with a large number of light receivers. At this time, the light that has not passed through the reaction solution 205 becomes noise as stray light. Therefore, a spectroscope-side slit 204 may be provided to prevent the light from entering the spectroscope 107.

[0030] Examples of wavelengths of light measured by the detector array 207 include 340 nm, 376 nm, 405 nm, 415 nm, 450 nm, 480 nm, 505 nm, 546 nm, 570 nm, 600 nm, 660 nm, 700 nm, 750 nm, and 800 nm. A light reception signal from the light receiver of the detector array 207 is transmitted to the control unit 115 via the light quantity measurement circuit 208, and absorbance measurement is performed from the signal.

[0031] Fig. 3 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of the light source 120 of the automatic analyzer 100. Fig. 3 shows an example in which light from two LEDs is combined by an optical element, but the configuration of the light source 120 is not necessarily limited to this.

[0032] As shown in FIG. 3 , an LED substrate 303 is held by a support 304. A first LED 301 and a second LED 302 are mounted on the LED substrate 303. The LED substrate 303 supplies power to the first LED 301 and the second LED 302, for example, via a constant current source. Because the LED generates heat due to the current flowing through it when it is lit and the light emission intensity of the LED is temperature-dependent, it is desirable to maintain a constant ambient temperature when the LED is lit. For example, the LED substrate 303 and the support 304 are preferably made of a metal with high thermal conductivity, such as aluminum or copper. This allows the ambient temperature of the LED to quickly stabilize to a constant value. It is also effective to surround the light source 120 with a temperature-controlled metal block or a constant-temperature fluid.

[0033] A dichroic filter 305 is disposed on the optical path of the first LED 301, and light is incident at an angle of 45°. Furthermore, a reflector 306, such as a mirror, is disposed on the optical path of the second LED 302, and light is incident at an angle of 45°. In this manner, the light emitted from the second LED 302 is reflected in two stages by both the reflector 306 and the dichroic filter 305, and then combined with the light emitted from the first LED 301. The combined light then enters the spectroscope 107 along the optical axis 201.

[0034] When two LEDs are mounted on one LED board 303 and combined, the temperature characteristics of the two LEDs tend to be the same because heat conduction occurs through the LED board 303. On the other hand, with regard to the accuracy of the mounting position of the LEDs, it becomes difficult to finely adjust the positions of the two LEDs individually, so the design tolerance for aligning the optical axes 201 becomes strict. In addition, for the light source 120 configured as shown in Figure 3, the mounting position accuracy of the dichroic filter 305 and reflector 306 is also required.

[0035] Therefore, in this embodiment, the light source 2 is inspected using the light source inspection device 1, which will be described next with reference to Figure 4, and the light source 2 that is determined to have good analytical stability is installed in the automatic analysis device 100 as the light source 120.

[0036] <Light Source Inspection Apparatus 1> (Embodiment 1) In embodiment 1, an aspect of inspecting a light source 2 that ensures the stability of analysis by calculating the positional deviation between the light emission images of two LEDs will be described. Fig. 4 is a configuration diagram illustrating an example of the configuration of a light source inspection apparatus 1 according to this embodiment. As shown in Fig. 4, the light source inspection apparatus 1 includes an imaging device 3, a calculation unit 4, and a determination unit 5 in order to inspect the light source 2.

[0037] The light source 2 includes two or more LEDs. The light source 2 has the same configuration as the light source 120 described with reference to FIG. 3 . That is, the light source 2 includes a first LED 301 and a second LED 302. The imaging device 3 captures an emission image of the light source 2. The calculation unit 4 calculates a first feature amount from the emission image of the first LED 301 of the light source 2. The calculation unit 4 also calculates a second feature amount from the emission image of the second LED 302 of the light source 2. The determination unit 5 compares the first feature amount and the second feature amount with thresholds to determine whether the analytical stability of the light source 2 is good or bad.

[0038] The light emission of the light source 2 is controlled by a light emission control unit 6. The image capturing of the image capturing device 3 is controlled by an image capturing control unit 7. The light emission control unit 6 and the image capturing control unit 7 are connected to each other, and an image is captured at the timing of light emission.

[0039] The light source 2 is preferably configured so that the optical axis center of the first LED 301 (FIG. 3) and the optical axis center of the second LED 302 (FIG. 3) coincide with each other using a reflecting element. The optical axis center can be understood as the center position 504 (FIG. 5B) of the LED light emission image. In this way, there is little or no misalignment between the centers of the two LEDs, so fluctuations in analysis are small. Therefore, analysis stability is high. The reflecting element refers to, for example, the dichroic filter 305 and reflector 306 described above.

[0040] The imaging device 3 is, for example, an area scan camera that captures monochrome images, but may also be a line scan camera, a color camera, a hyperspectral camera, or the like. The imaging device 3 is disposed on the optical path of the optical axis 9. The imaging device 3 is preferably installed at a cross section where the reaction solution 205 in the reaction cell 112 shown in FIG. 2 is present, more preferably at the focal position where light is collected by the collecting lens 8. The center position of the imaging device 3 is preferably aligned with the optical axis 9. In addition, to eliminate the influence of stray light, a light source-side slit 10 may be provided between the imaging device 3 and the collecting lens 8. In addition, to acquire the desired luminescence image, the light source 2 may be provided with an optical filter such as a short-pass filter, a long-pass filter, a band-pass filter, or an ND filter at an appropriate position on the optical axis 9. The collecting lens 8 is preferably positioned and configured similarly to the collecting lens 203 described above. The light source-side slit 10 is preferably positioned and configured similarly to the light source-side slit 202 described above. The optical filter is also preferably positioned and configured similarly to the optical filter described above.

[0041] It is preferable that the imaging device 3 acquires an image with, for example, approximately 2000 vertical x 2000 horizontal pixels or more. In this example, since the light from two LEDs is combined, an emission image when only the first LED 301 is lit and an emission image when only the second LED 302 is lit are acquired. It is also possible to leave both LEDs lit and select the light to be extracted using an optical filter or the like. It is preferable that the current value flowing through the LEDs and the exposure time of the imaging device 3 are appropriately set so that the brightness value of the acquired emission image does not become saturated.

[0042] The calculation unit 4 and the determination unit 5 are operated by a central processing unit (CPU) executing a predetermined program. The calculation unit 4 calculates a first feature amount from the light emission image of the first LED 301, and calculates a second feature amount from the light emission image of the second LED 302. The determination unit 5 analyzes the captured image and determines the results (i.e., determines whether the analytical stability of the light source 2 is good or bad).

[0043] Here, the calculation unit 4 may calculate a difference value between the first feature amount and the second feature amount. Furthermore, the determination unit 5 may compare the difference value with a threshold value (inspection threshold value 601 ( FIG. 6B )) to determine whether the analytical stability of the light source 2 is good or bad. This aspect will be described later with reference to FIG. 6B , but by adopting this aspect, a good correlation can be obtained between the deviation of the center position of the LED with respect to the optical axis 9 and fluctuations in the analysis. Therefore, the analytical stability of the light source 2 can be determined with high accuracy.

[0044] The calculation unit 4 may also calculate a difference value between the first feature value and a feature of the light emission image of the first LED of a reference light source (not shown) whose optical performance has been inspected in advance. At the same time, the calculation unit 4 may also calculate a difference value between the second feature value and a feature of the light emission image of the second LED of the reference light source whose optical performance has been inspected in advance. The reference light source has a configuration similar to that of the light source 2. The feature value of the light emission image of the first LED of the reference light source whose optical performance has been inspected in advance and the feature value of the light emission image of the second LED of the reference light source whose optical performance has been inspected in advance may be stored in a database in advance and read out as needed for use in the calculation. The determination unit 5 may then compare the first and second difference values ​​with thresholds to determine whether the analytical stability of the light source 2 is good or bad. For example, the determination unit 5 may compare the first difference value with a threshold and make a determination (first determination). The determination unit 5 may also compare the second difference value with a threshold and make a determination (second determination). The judgment unit 5 then judges whether the light source 2 is good or bad based on the results of the first judgment and the second judgment. If both the first judgment and the second judgment are judged to be good relative to the threshold, the judgment unit 5 judges that there is no abnormality. If either or both of the first judgment and the second judgment are judged to be bad relative to the threshold, the judgment unit 5 judges that there is an abnormality. Even in this embodiment, a good correlation can be obtained between the center positional deviation of the LED with respect to the optical axis 9 and fluctuations in analysis. Therefore, it is possible to accurately judge whether the analytical stability of the light source 2 is good or bad.

[0045] 5A is an explanatory diagram showing an example of an image of an LED illuminated by light source 120. As shown in FIG. 5A, there are a background region 501 that does not emit light and a light-emitting region 502. The background region 501 has a low luminance value and appears black. The light-emitting region 502 has a high luminance value and appears white.

[0046] FIG. 5B is a schematic diagram showing an example of a feature calculated from the light emission image. One example of the feature is the center position 504 of the light emission image, which is illustrated in FIG. 5B . That is, the first feature and the second feature described above may each be the center position 504 of the light emission image. That is, the first feature may be the center position 504 of the light emission image of the first LED 301, and the second feature may be the center position 504 of the light emission image of the second LED 302. In this way, the optical axis position of the actual LED can be calculated, and the amount of positional deviation from the optical axis 201 (optical axis 9) relative to the LED can be calculated. In the light source 120 configured as shown in FIG. 3 , the center position 504 of the light emission image of the first LED 301 and the center position 504 of the light emission image of the second LED 302 ideally coincide with the optical axis 201, but in reality, they often do not coincide. In such cases, if the center position 504 of the light emission region 502 (i.e., the center position 504 of the light emission image) can be calculated, the optical axis position of the actual LED can be calculated.

[0047] The following methods are available for calculating the center position 504 of the luminous region 502. Regions in an image are roughly divided into a background region 501 and a luminous region 502. These can be distinguished from each other by the brightness values ​​of the pixels. For example, the background region 501 and the luminous region 502 can be divided using a method commonly known as binarization in image processing, more specifically, Otsu's binarization method, which maximizes variance between classes, or Gaussian model fitting. A boundary region 503 can be set by executing a contour extraction process for the luminous region 502. The center position 504 of the boundary region 503 can be calculated by approximating the region with a circle, ellipse, or rectangle, or by detecting the bounding box of the boundary region 503, and the center position 504 of the region can be calculated using the center coordinates (X ｉ , Y ｉ) and can be determined as the center position 504 of the light emitting region 502. In this way, one center position 504 can be determined for each image of the light emitting image. In this example, since there are two LEDs to be combined, it is possible to calculate the feature amount, i.e., the center position 504, for each image by performing the same process on the light emitting images of the two LEDs. Specifically, the center position 504 of the light emitting image of the first LED 301 is determined by the center coordinates (X １ , Y １ ), and the center position 504 of the light emission image of the second LED 302 is calculated as center coordinates (X ２ , Y ２ ) is calculated as follows.

[0048] Next, the position of the optical axis 9 in the light emission image is determined. If precise mechanical position adjustment is possible so that the center position 504 of the light source 2, the condenser lens 8, and the image capture device 3 coincide, the position of the center coordinates (1000, 1000) of the 2000 x 2000 pixel image may be used as the optical axis position. Another method is to use a reference light source (not shown) that has been subjected to a dimensional inspection in advance to confirm that the positions of the LEDs and optical components fall within specified dimensional tolerances. If the center coordinates (X, Y) of the reference light source are calculated from the light emission image in the same manner as described above, the center position 504 of the reference light source can be treated as the optical axis position. In the following explanation, the center coordinates (X, Y) of the reference light source will be considered to be the optical axis position.

[0049] Here, the center coordinates of the first LED 301 (X １ , Y １ ), and the center coordinates of the second LED 302 (X ２ , Y ２ ) and the optical axis position (center coordinates (X, Y) of the reference light source). From the above, the amount of positional deviation from the optical axis 201 (optical axis 9) with respect to the first LED 301 can be calculated as follows: １ -X) ２ + (Y １ -Y) ２ The amount of positional deviation of the second LED 302 from the optical axis 201 (optical axis 9) can be written as √{(X ２ -X) ２ + (Y ２ -Y) ２}. Furthermore, the difference between the two values ​​is the amount of misalignment between the two LEDs. These amounts of misalignment can also be treated as feature quantities. In an ideal optical system, all of these amounts of misalignment would be zero, but the amount of misalignment will take on a certain value depending on the dimensional tolerance of the mounting position of the LED, the dimensional tolerance of the placement position of the filter and mirror, and the tolerance of the installation angle.

[0050] Here, Figures 6A and 6B are graphs showing an example of the relationship between analysis stability and feature values ​​obtained from images. The data shown in these graphs is an example of data acquired by the automated analyzer 100 using multiple light sources 2 (light sources 120) in which the installation positions of the LEDs and optical components vary slightly due to dimensional tolerances, assembly tolerances, etc. The horizontal axes of Figures 6A and 6B represent the positional deviation calculated from the aforementioned light emission image. That is, the horizontal axis of Figure 6A represents the center positional deviation of the LED relative to the reference optical axis 9 (i.e., the positional deviation amount). The horizontal axis of Figure 6B represents the center positional deviation between the two LEDs (i.e., the positional deviation amount). The vertical axes of Figures 6A and 6B represent the variation in analysis. That is, Figure 6A represents the stability of analysis in a mode in which a difference value between the first feature value and the second feature value is not calculated. Figure 6B represents the stability of analysis in a mode in which a difference value between the first feature value and the second feature value is calculated. The analysis variations shown in Figures 6A and 6B represent the standard deviation of the measurement results when absorbance measurements were repeatedly performed using water as the sample and reagent. The absorbance measurements were calculated using two-wavelength measurements. One of the two wavelength measurements is the wavelength originating from the first LED 301, and the other is the wavelength originating from the second LED 302. The smaller the value on the vertical axis, the smaller the absorbance fluctuation during analysis, indicating a stable and good light source 2. The larger the value on the vertical axis, the larger the absorbance fluctuation during analysis, indicating a poor light source 2.

[0051] 6A shows that there is a correlation between the deviation of the LED center position from the optical axis 9 and the fluctuations in the analysis. In other words, the greater the deviation of the LED center position from the optical axis 9, the greater the fluctuations in the analysis. This tendency was the same for both the first LED 301 and the second LED 302 when the center position on the horizontal axis was shifted.

[0052] 6B also shows that the deviation in the center position between the two LEDs correlates with the variability in the analysis. Again, as the deviation in the center position between the two LEDs increases, the variability in the analysis also increases.

[0053] 6B showed a stronger correlation than FIG. 6A. As shown in FIG. 6B, it is believed that calculating the difference between the first feature amount and the second feature amount allows for more accurate determination of the analytical stability of the light source 2. Therefore, for example, as shown in FIG. 6B, by setting an inspection threshold 601 for the central position shift between two LEDs, a light source 2 whose central position shift is less than the inspection threshold 601 can be determined to be a highly stable light source 602. In contrast, a light source 2 whose central position shift is equal to or greater than the inspection threshold 601 can be determined to be an abnormal light source 603 whose stability is low.

[0054] Typically, analytical variations cannot be determined without repeated absorbance measurements using water as the sample and reagent. Therefore, in the past, an automatic analyzer (not shown) was required to determine the quality of the light source 2. Furthermore, the need for repeated measurements conventionally meant that the determination process took time. Screening the stability of the light source 2 using the light source inspection device 1 shown in FIG. 4 eliminates the need for an automatic analyzer, which requires space for installation. Furthermore, the light source inspection device 1 has a simple configuration. Since repeated measurements are not required when inspecting the light source 2 using the light source inspection device 1, the light source 2 can be inspected quickly.

[0055] Here, two methods for determining the inspection threshold 601 for identifying an abnormal light source 603 will be described. The first method involves preparing a large number of light sources 2 in advance, storing in a database the correspondence between feature values ​​calculated from the light emission images (here, the center position deviation between two LEDs) and the fluctuations in the analysis, and selecting the inspection threshold 601 from the correspondence between the two, for example, a linear approximation, so that the amount of fluctuation is less than the desired amount. In this case, the inspection threshold 601 may be selected using a discriminant analysis technique or a machine learning technique. Expanding the database also enables more reliable inspection of the light source 2. While this method is simple, it also has drawbacks. For example, if the device configuration or analysis parameters of the automated analyzer change, it is unknown whether the existing database can be used, and it is likely that rebuilding the database will require time. Therefore, the second method for determining the inspection threshold 601 will be described.

[0056] 7A and 7B illustrate absorbance measurement in the automated analyzer 100. FIG. 7A is a schematic diagram illustrating the irradiated light (light-emitting region 502) irradiated onto the reaction cell 112 in FIG. 2 over time. FIG. 7A illustrates how the relative positional relationship between the reaction cell 112 and the irradiated light changes as the reaction cell 112 rotates at a moving speed v. Absorbance measurement is performed while the reaction cell 112 is moving, and measurements are performed at certain measurement timings t = , i-1, i, i+1, .... Ideally, measurements are performed at timing t = i, when the optical axis 201 of the irradiated light coincides with the cell center position 701 of the reaction cell 112. However, due to the high-speed rotation of the reaction cell 112 and the influence of the response speed of the measurement unit, it is difficult to perform measurements at the ideal position every time, and there is a certain measurement timing variation 703 ( FIG. 7B ).

[0057] 7B is a schematic diagram showing an example of absorbance at a certain measurement timing. As shown in FIG. 7B, when light is irradiated into the reaction cell 112, the absorbance is a high value (a predetermined value) due to absorption in the reaction cell 112 and the reaction solution 205. On the other hand, when light is irradiated outside the reaction cell 112, the absorbance is a low value because no absorption occurs in the reaction cell 112 or the reaction solution 205. In this case, no absorption occurs in the reaction cell 112 or the reaction solution 205, and the irradiated light from the light source 120 is blocked, for example, by the wall of the reaction cell 112 in a direction parallel to the irradiated light or the wall of the reaction disk 104 holding the reaction cell 112, so the measured absorbance is the maximum value as shown in FIG. 7B. Ideally, the absorbance in the reaction cell 112 would be constant regardless of the timing of measurement, but due to a slight tilt of the reaction cell 112 or uneven thickness of the inner wall of the reaction cell 112, the absorbance value may not be constant but may have a distribution, for example, an absorbance slope 702.

[0058] The absorbance slope 702 varies depending on, for example, the measurement wavelength. As mentioned above, there is also a measurement timing variation 703. Here, if the movement speed of the reaction cell 112 is v [mm / s], the measurement timing variation 703 is Δt [s], and the absorbance slope is s [abs / mm], the fluctuation range of the absorbance at a certain measurement wavelength can be described by the product svΔt.

[0059] In addition to the above conditions, when the offset between the centers of the two LEDs calculated in FIG. 6B is taken into consideration, the fluctuation range in the two-wavelength measurement can be expressed as follows: １ , the slope of the absorbance with respect to the wavelength of the second LED 302 is s ２ , the center position shift of the two LEDs is diff, then s １ >s ２ In the case of , the fluctuation range is s １ (vΔt+diff)-s ２ It can be written as vΔt, where s １ and s ２is determined by the characteristics of the reaction cell 112, etc., and can be obtained in advance. Furthermore, v and Δt are parameters specific to the device. Therefore, if the allowable fluctuation range of absorbance is determined, the allowable center position deviation of the two LEDs corresponding to that is determined, and the inspection threshold 601 for inspecting the light source 2 can also be determined.

[0060] As an ideal condition, if the measurement timing variation 703, Δt, is sufficiently small, the fluctuation range of the absorbance is s １ For example, if you want to keep the fluctuation range of absorbance within 0.1%, you can use s １ The automatic analyzer 100 may be configured so that the difference diff between the centers of the two LEDs is within 0.1%. １ The product of １ The value of ×diff should be set to be within a threshold value in the configuration of the automatic analyzer 100. Note that the gradient s of the absorbance with respect to the wavelength of the first LED 301 １ Since the value of is determined by the characteristics of the reaction cell 112, etc., it is advisable to set it by adopting a value with a margin of error relative to the actual measurement value. The central position shift diff between the two LEDs can be determined by the method of calculating the central position 504 of the light-emitting region 502 described above. In this embodiment, only the light sources 2 that have been inspected by the light source inspection device 1 and have met the criteria, that is, that are below the inspection threshold value 601, are selected as s １ It is sufficient to mount it on an automatic analyzer 100 in which ×diff is within a predetermined threshold value. In this way, it is possible to obtain an automatic analyzer 100 in which there is no misalignment between the centers of the two LEDs (at least within an allowable range).

[0061] According to the second method for determining the inspection threshold 601 described above, even if the device configuration or analysis parameters of the automatic analyzer 100 change, it is possible to appropriately select the inspection threshold 601 based on the device configuration or analysis parameters, etc., and there is no need to reconstruct a complicated database.

[0062] (Embodiment 2) In the first embodiment, the light source 2 is inspected to ensure analytical stability by calculating the positional deviation of the light emission images of two LEDs. However, positional deviation is not the only factor that affects analytical stability. For example, if foreign matter such as dust or dirt is present in the optical path of the light emitted from the light source 120, the light is absorbed and scattered by the foreign matter, changing the amount of light incident on the spectroscope 107. If the position of the foreign matter moves due to vibration or environmental changes, the amount of light fluctuates during analysis, causing a deterioration in stability. Even in such cases, the analytical stability of the light source 2 can be determined from the light emission images acquired by the light source inspection device 1 configured as shown in FIG. 4.

[0063] 8 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of an emission image when foreign matter such as dust or dirt is present on the optical path. As shown in Fig. 8, when foreign matter such as dust or dirt is present on the optical path of the irradiated light, the light is absorbed and scattered by the foreign matter, resulting in the presence of a foreign matter region 801 in the light-emitting region 502 where the luminance value is reduced. The presence or absence of such foreign matter can be determined by evaluating the non-uniformity of luminance in the light-emitting region 502.

[0064] The following method can be used to evaluate luminance nonuniformity. First, a region of interest (ROI) corresponding to the boundary region 503 illustrated in FIG. 5 is set. This ROI may be set using a binarization technique, or may be set as a rectangular, circular, elliptical, or other region with a certain pixel width at an arbitrary position, or as the entire image. The luminance nonuniformity can be evaluated by calculating the standard deviation of the luminance in this ROI. This ROI can be set for each LED included in the light source 2 to be inspected. In other words, the first feature amount and the second feature amount may be the luminance nonuniformity of each light emission image. In this way, it is possible to easily inspect for the presence of foreign matter such as dust or dirt on the optical path of the irradiated light for each LED included in the light source 2.

[0065] 9 is a graph showing an example of the relationship between analysis variation and luminance non-uniformity (here, the standard deviation of luminance values ​​in a circular region). As shown in FIG. 9, when the luminance non-uniformity is high, the analysis variation also becomes high. In this case, too, an abnormal light source 902 can be identified by setting a certain threshold 901 and determining the value of the feature amount (value of luminance non-uniformity). In other words, it is possible to determine whether the analysis stability of light source 2 is good or bad.

[0066] In addition to the standard deviation of brightness in the ROI region, the difference between the maximum and minimum brightness values ​​can also be used as an index for determining brightness non-uniformity. Furthermore, a parameter for comparing the relative relationship of brightness in pixel space using a GLCM (Gray-Level Co-Occurrence Matrix) can also be used as an index for determining brightness non-uniformity. Either of these methods can produce results equivalent to those obtained when calculating the standard deviation of brightness in the ROI region.

[0067] The light source inspection device 1 described above can determine whether the analytical stability of the light source 2 is good or bad simply by calculating the first feature amount and the second feature amount and comparing them with thresholds (for example, the inspection threshold 601 and threshold 901 described above). In other words, the light source inspection device 1 can determine whether the analytical stability of the light source 2 is good or bad without using an automated analyzer for the determination. Therefore, the light source 2 (light source 120) mounted on the automated analyzer 100 can be inspected simply and quickly.

[0068] <Automated analyzer capable of inspecting a light source> Next, one embodiment of an automated analyzer 1000 capable of inspecting a light source 120 will be described with reference to Fig. 10. Fig. 10 is an overall configuration diagram illustrating one embodiment of an automated analyzer 1000 capable of inspecting a light source 120. Note that this automated analyzer 1000 is an apparatus for measuring samples, and has the function and configuration to inspect the light source 120, but apart from this function and configuration, it is the same as the automated analyzer 100 described above.

[0069] 10 , the automated analyzer 1000 has the functions and configuration to inspect the light source 120, specifically, the light source 120 that irradiates light toward the spectroscope 107 and the imaging device 3 that captures an image of the light emitted from the light source 120. The light source 120 includes two or more LEDs. The automated analyzer 1000 also has a calculation unit 4 connected to the imaging device 3 and a determination unit 5 connected to the calculation unit 4.

[0070] The calculation unit 4 calculates a first feature amount from the light emission image of the first LED 301 of the light source 120. The calculation unit 4 also calculates a second feature amount from the light emission image of the second LED 302 of the light source 120. The determination unit 5 compares the first feature amount and the second feature amount with thresholds (for example, the above-mentioned inspection threshold 601 and threshold 901) to determine whether the analysis stability of the light source 120 is good or bad. The configurations, processing, etc. of the calculation unit 4 and the determination unit 5 can be similar to those of the light source inspection device 1.

[0071] The imaging device 3 can capture the light emission image of the light source 120, for example, by inserting or placing a dichroic filter or mirror (neither of which is shown in Figure 10) that is incident at an angle of incidence of 45° on the optical path from the light source 120 to the spectrometer 107, reflecting some or all of the light incident thereon, and introducing it into the imaging device 3 as light on the optical axis 9.

[0072] The automatic analyzer 1000 calculates the center position shift between the first LED 301 and the second LED 302 (i.e., the center position shift diff between the two LEDs) and the slope s of the absorbance of the first LED 301 with respect to the wavelength. １ The product of １ It is preferable that the value of s × diff is within a threshold value. １ The value of ×diff is the fluctuation range of the absorbance. The threshold value is preferably 0.1%. That is, the fluctuation range of the absorbance (s １ It is preferable to adjust the various components of the automated analyzer 1000 so that the difference (difference between the center positions of the two LEDs) is within 0.1%. If these conditions are met, it is possible to reliably obtain an automated analyzer 1000 in which there is no misalignment between the centers of the two LEDs (at least within the tolerance range).

[0073] The automated analyzer 1000 described above can determine whether the analytical stability of the light source 120 is good or bad simply by calculating the first feature amount and the second feature amount and comparing them with a threshold value. This allows the automated analyzer 1000 to easily and quickly inspect the light source 120 installed in it. For example, the automated analyzer 1000 can easily and quickly inspect the light source 120 during maintenance, when cleaning the device, or whenever there is any concern.

[0074] <Light Source Inspection Method> Next, with reference to FIG. 11 , a light source inspection method according to this embodiment (hereinafter sometimes referred to as "this method") will be described. FIG. 11 is a flowchart illustrating the details of the light source inspection method according to this embodiment. This method includes steps a) to d). Step a) is an imaging step (S1101). In step a), each light emission image of a light source 2 including two or more LEDs is captured. The light emission images can be captured by the imaging device 3. Step b) is a first calculation step (S1102). In step b), a first feature amount is calculated from the light emission image of a first LED 301 of the light source 2. The calculation of the first feature amount can be performed by the calculation unit 4. Step c) is a second calculation step (S1103). In step c), a second feature amount is calculated from the light emission image of a second LED 302 of the light source 2. The calculation of the second feature amount can also be performed by the calculation unit 4. Step d) is a determination step (S1107). In step d), the first feature amount and the second feature amount are compared with a threshold value to determine whether the analysis stability of the light source 2 is good or bad. The determination of the analysis stability of the light source 2 can be made by the determination unit 5.

[0075] In this method, the first feature amount and the second feature amount may be the center position of the light-emitting image or the non-uniformity of the luminance of the light-emitting image. When the first feature amount and the second feature amount are the center position of the light-emitting image, the optical axis position of the actual LED can be calculated, and therefore the amount of positional deviation from the optical axis 201 (optical axis 9) for the LED can be calculated. Furthermore, when the first feature amount and the second feature amount are the non-uniformity of the luminance of the light-emitting image, it is possible to easily inspect for the presence of foreign matter such as dust or dirt on the optical path of the irradiated light for each LED included in the light source 2.

[0076] 12 is a flowchart illustrating the content of the method according to a preferred embodiment. As shown in FIG. 12, the method according to a preferred embodiment includes the following step e) between the steps c) and d), and the following processing is performed in step d). Note that steps a) to c) of the method according to this embodiment are the same as those described above.

[0077] Step e) is a third calculation step (S1104). In step e), a difference value between the first feature amount and the second feature amount is calculated. The calculation of the difference value between the first feature amount and the second feature amount can be performed by the calculation unit 4. In step d), the difference value calculated in step e) is compared with a threshold value to determine whether the analytical stability of the light source 2 is good or bad (S1107a). The determination of the analytical stability of the light source 2 can be performed by the determination unit 5. Note that in this method as well, the first feature amount and the second feature amount may be the center position 504 of the light-emitting region 502 (i.e., the center position 504 of the light-emitting image) (see FIG. 5B ) or the non-uniformity of the luminance of the light-emitting image (see FIG. 8 ).

[0078] 13 is also a flowchart illustrating the content of the method according to a preferred embodiment. As shown in FIG. 13, the method according to a preferred embodiment includes the following steps f) and g) between the steps c) and d), and the following processing is performed in step d). Note that steps a) to c) of the method according to this embodiment are the same as those described above.

[0079] Step f) is the fourth calculation step (S1105). In step f), a first difference value is calculated between the feature amount of the light emission image of the first LED 301 of a reference light source, the optical performance of which has been inspected in advance, and the first feature amount. Step g) is the fifth calculation step (S1106). In step g), a second difference value is calculated between the feature amount of the light emission image of the second LED 302 of a reference light source, the optical performance of which has been inspected in advance, and the second feature amount. The first difference value and the second difference value can be calculated by the calculation unit 4. In step d), the first difference value and the second difference value calculated in steps f) and g) are compared with a threshold value to determine whether the analytical stability of the light source 2 is good or bad (S1107b). The determination of the analytical stability of the light source 2 can be performed by the determination unit 5. In step d), for example, the determination unit 5 compares the first difference value with a threshold value and makes a determination (first determination). The determination unit 5 then compares the second difference value with a threshold value and makes a determination (second determination). The determination unit 5 then determines whether the light source 2 is good or bad based on the results of the first determination and the second determination. The determination unit 5 determines that there is no abnormality if both the first determination and the second determination are determined to be good with respect to the threshold value. The determination unit 5 determines that there is an abnormality if either or both of the first determination and the second determination are determined to be bad with respect to the threshold value. Note that in this method as well, the first feature amount and the second feature amount may be the center position 504 of the light-emitting region 502 (i.e., the center position 504 of the light-emitting image) (see FIG. 5B ), or may be the non-uniformity of the luminance of the light-emitting image (see FIG. 8 ).

[0080] Next, a preferred embodiment for inspecting the light source 2 (light source 120) will be described with reference to FIG. 14 . FIG. 14 is a flowchart showing a series of steps according to a preferred embodiment for inspecting the light source 2. As shown in FIG. 14 , first, an emission image of the first LED 301 is acquired (S1401). Then, feature quantities are calculated from the first emission image (S1402). The feature quantities calculated here include at least the center position 504 of the emission image of the first LED 301 and the luminance nonuniformity. Then, by comparing a preset threshold value with an index of luminance nonuniformity, it is determined whether or not a foreign object is present on the optical path of the first LED 301 (S1403). If no foreign object is present, the process proceeds to the next step (S1404).

[0081] Next, an emission image of the second LED 302 is acquired (S1404). After that, feature quantities are calculated from the second emission image (S1405). The feature quantities calculated here are at least the center position 504 of the emission image of the second LED 302 and the non-uniformity of brightness. Then, by comparing a preset threshold value with an index of non-uniformity of brightness, it is determined whether or not there is a foreign object on the light path of the second LED 302 (S1406). If there is no foreign object, the process proceeds to the next step (S1407).

[0082] Next, the difference between the center position 504 of the light emission image of the first LED 301 and the center position 504 of the light emission image of the second LED 302 is calculated to calculate the positional deviation between the light emission images (S1407). This positional deviation (positional deviation amount) is compared with a preset threshold, and if it is equal to or less than the threshold, it is determined that the light source 2 is normal (S1408, S1409).

[0083] If a foreign object is detected in S1403 (if the brightness non-uniformity exceeds the threshold), if a foreign object is detected in S1406 (if the brightness non-uniformity exceeds the threshold), or if the positional deviation exceeds the threshold in S1408, it is determined that the light source 2 is abnormal (S1410). If it is determined that the light source 2 is abnormal, for example, if the brightness non-uniformity exceeds the threshold, the LEDs and optical elements are checked, and they are cleaned with compressed air, tweezers, lens paper, etc., and the inspection flow is repeated. Furthermore, if the positional deviation exceeds the threshold, the assembly of the light source 2 is checked. If position adjustment, reassembly, or part replacement are possible, these tasks are performed, and the inspection flow is repeated from S1401.

[0084] The results of the inspection of the light source 2, such as the calculated values ​​of each feature, the threshold values ​​used for the judgment, and the image data of the light emission image, may be stored in the control unit 115 of the automatic analysis device 100 and displayed on the display unit 124 upon request from the user.

[0085] The method described above can determine whether the analytical stability of the light source 2 is good or bad simply by calculating the first feature amount and the second feature amount and comparing them with a threshold value. Therefore, the method can easily and quickly inspect the light source 2 (light source 120) installed in the automated analyzer 100.

[0086] The above-described embodiment illustrates an example in which the light source 2 (light source 120) has two LEDs, but even if there are three or more LEDs, it is possible to perform a similar inspection even with a light source 2 having a more complex configuration by calculating the center position individually and calculating the brightness uniformity.

[0087] The light source inspection device, automatic analyzer, and light source inspection method according to the present invention have been described in detail above using embodiments. However, the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments and includes various modifications. For example, the above-described embodiments have been described in detail to clearly explain the present invention, and the present invention is not necessarily limited to those including all of the described configurations. Furthermore, it is possible to replace part of the configuration of one embodiment with the configuration of another embodiment, or to add the configuration of another embodiment to the configuration of one embodiment. Furthermore, it is possible to add, delete, or replace part of the configuration of each embodiment with other configurations.

[0088] REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 1 Light source inspection device 2 Light source 3 Imaging device 4 Calculation unit 5 Determination unit 9 Optical axis 107 Spectrometer 112 Reaction cell 120 Light source 301 First LED 302 Second LED 305 Dichroic filter (reflecting element) 306 Reflector (reflecting element) 504 Center position (center position of emission image) 601 Inspection threshold (threshold) 901 Threshold 1000 Automatic analyzer

Claims

1. A light source inspection device comprising: an imaging device that captures an emission image of a light source having two or more LEDs; a calculation unit that calculates a first feature amount from the emission image of a first LED of the light source and calculates a second feature amount from the emission image of a second LED of the light source; and a judgment unit that compares the first feature amount and the second feature amount with a threshold value to make a pass / fail judgment regarding the analytical stability of the light source.

2. A light source inspection device according to claim 1, wherein the light source is configured such that the optical axis center of the first LED and the optical axis center of the second LED coincide with each other by a reflecting element.

3. A light source inspection device according to claim 1, wherein the calculation unit calculates a difference value between the first feature amount and the second feature amount, and the judgment unit compares the difference value with a threshold value to make a pass / fail judgment regarding the analytical stability of the light source.

4. A light source inspection device according to claim 1, wherein the calculation unit calculates a difference value between a feature of an emission image of a first LED of a reference light source, the optical performance of which has been inspected in advance, and the first feature value, and calculates a difference value between a feature of an emission image of a second LED of a reference light source, the optical performance of which has been inspected in advance, and the second feature value, and the judgment unit compares the difference value with a threshold value to make a pass / fail judgment regarding the analytical stability of the light source.

5. A light source inspection device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the first feature amount and the second feature amount are the center positions of the respective light emission images.

6. A light source inspection device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the first feature amount and the second feature amount are non-uniformity of luminance of each light emission image.

7. An automatic analyzer for measuring a sample, comprising: a light source that irradiates light toward a spectroscope; and an imaging device that captures an emission image of the light source, wherein the light source comprises two or more LEDs; a calculation unit that calculates a first feature amount from the emission image of a first LED of the light source and calculates a second feature amount from the emission image of a second LED of the light source; and a determination unit that determines whether the analytical stability of the light source is good or bad by comparing the first feature amount and the second feature amount with a threshold value.

8. An automatic analyzer according to claim 7, wherein the product of the deviation of the centers of the first LED and the second LED and the gradient of the absorbance in the reaction cell is within a threshold value.

9. The automatic analyzer according to claim 8, wherein the threshold value is 0.1%.

10. A light source inspection method comprising: a) a step of capturing each light emission image of a light source having two or more LEDs; b) a step of calculating a first feature amount from the light emission image of a first LED of the light source; c) a step of calculating a second feature amount from the light emission image of a second LED of the light source; and d) a step of making a pass / fail judgment regarding the analytical stability of the light source by comparing the first feature amount and the second feature amount with a threshold value.

11. A light source inspection method according to claim 10, wherein the light source is configured such that the optical axis center of the first LED and the optical axis center of the second LED coincide with each other by a reflecting element.

12. A light source inspection method according to claim 10, comprising, between step c) and step d), a step e) of calculating a difference value between the first feature amount and the second feature amount, and in step d), determining whether the analytical stability of the light source is good or bad by comparing the difference value with a threshold value.

13. A light source inspection method according to claim 10, comprising, between step c) and step d), the steps f) calculating a first difference value between a feature amount of an emission image of a first LED of a reference light source, the optical performance of which has been inspected in advance, and the first feature amount; and g) calculating a second difference value between a feature amount of an emission image of a second LED of a reference light source, the optical performance of which has been inspected in advance, and the second feature amount, wherein in step d), a pass / fail judgment is made regarding the analytical stability of the light source by comparing the first difference value and the second difference value with a threshold value.

14. A light source inspection method according to any one of claims 10 to 13, wherein the first feature amount and the second feature amount are the center positions of the light emission image.

15. A light source inspection method according to any one of claims 10 to 13, wherein the first feature amount and the second feature amount are non-uniformity of brightness of the light emission image.

Images