Chromatography system employing one or more smart bottles

Abstract

In one example, a system comprises a chromatography instrument intaking a first liquid to generate a flow through the flow path thereof and discharging a second liquid from the flow path. The system has a smart bottle including a liquid container portion used to supply the first liquid or collect the second liquid. An electronics portion of the smart bottle is fixedly attached to the liquid container portion and includes a sensor configured to sense an amount of liquid in the liquid container portion. The system also includes a computing device that controls various components of the chromatography instrument and communicates with the bottle's electronics portion via a wireless communication link. The bottle's electronics portion transmits through the wireless communication link a signal indicative of the amount of liquid. The computing device initiates a responsive action when the signal indicates that the amount of liquid is outside a preselected range.

Description

Docket No.: TP388921 WO 1 CHROMATOGRAPHY SYSTEM EMPLOYING ONE OR MORE SMART BOTTLES CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

[0001] This application claims the benefit of the Indian Provisional Application S / N 202441089203, filed November 18, 2024, which is incorporated by reference in its entirety.TECHNICAL FIELD

[0002] Various examples relate generally to chromatography and more specifically but not exclusively to elements and / or components of a liquid chromatography system or instrument.BACKGROUND

[0003] Liquid chromatography is a technique used to separate a sample into its constituent parts. This separation occurs due to interactions of the sample with mobile and stationary phases. Because there are many stationary phase / mobile phase combinations that can be employed when separating a mixture, there are several different types of liquid chromatography that are classified based on the physical characteristics of those phases. For example, liquid-solid column chromatography features a liquid mobile phase which slowly filters through a solid stationary phase. Various types of liquid chromatography include normal phase chromatography, reverse phase chromatography, flash chromatography, partition chromatography, liquid-solid chromatography, ion exchange or ion chromatography, size exclusion chromatography, affinity chromatography, and chiral chromatography.SUMMARY

[0004] Disclosed herein are, among other things, various examples, aspects, features, and embodiments of a chromatography system employing a smart bottle fluidically connected to the flow path to supply eluent or eluent components or to collect waste fluid. The smart bottle includes a sensor configured to sense the amount of liquid present in the bottle’s liquid container portion. An electronic controller of the chromatography system wirelessly communicates with the bottle’s electronics portion to receive signals indicative of the amount of liquid and initiates a responsive action when the signals indicate that the amount of liquid is outside a preselected range. In some examples, the responsive action includes one or more of stopping the pump that pumps fluids through the flow path, generating a visual or textual alert for the user, and generating an audibleDocket No.: TP388921 WO 1 alert for the user. The automatic pump stoppage can beneficially prevent damage to certain components of the chromatography system that can potentially occur when the pump is forced to operate in low- or no-flow conditions. In some examples, the smart bottle includes a rechargeable battery and an inductive charger configured to charge the rechargeable battery when inductively coupled to an ac-powered primary inductive charger, e.g., incorporated in a tray for holding one or more smart bottles during chromatography runs.

[0005] In one example, a system comprises: a chromatography instrument including a pump for pumping a first liquid through an inlet port to generate a flow through a flow path of the chromatography instrument, the flow causing the chromatography instrument to discharge a second liquid through an outlet port; a first smart bottle including a liquid container portion configured to supply the first liquid to the inlet port or collect the second liquid from the outlet port, the first smart bottle further including an electronics portion fixedly attached to the liquid container portion and including a first sensor configured to sense an amount of liquid in the liquid container portion; and a computing device configured to control the chromatography instrument and further configured to communicate with the electronics portion via a wireless communication link, wherein the electronics portion is configured to transmit through the wireless communication link a signal indicative of the amount of liquid; and wherein the computing device is configured to initiate a responsive action when the signal indicates that the amount of liquid is outside a preselected range.

[0006] In another example, a method performed via a computing device for providing support to a chromatography instrument comprises: controlling a pump of the chromatography instrument to pump a first liquid through an inlet port for generating a flow through a flow path of the chromatography instrument, the flow causing the chromatography instrument to discharge a second liquid at an outlet port; communicating with an electronics portion of a smart bottle via a wireless communication link, the smart bottle including a liquid container portion fixedly attached to the electronics portion, the liquid container portion being configured to supply the first liquid to the inlet port or collect the second liquid from the outlet port, the electronics portion including a sensor configured to sense an amount of liquid in the liquid container portion; receiving from the electronics portion, through the wireless communication link, a signal indicative of the amount of liquid; and initiating a responsive action when the signal indicates that the amount of liquid is outside a preselected range.Docket No.: TP388921 WO 1

[0007] According to yet another example, provided is a non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions that, when executed by the computing device, cause the computing device to perform operations comprising the above method.BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0008] The foregoing aspects and many of the attendant advantages of the present disclosure will become more readily appreciated as the same become better understood by reference to the following detailed description, when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

[0009] FIG. l is a block diagram illustrating a chromatography system using which various embodiments can be practiced according to some examples.

[0010] FIG. 2 pictorially illustrates a smart bottle one or more instances of which are used in the chromatography system of FIG. 1 according to some examples.

[0011] FIG. 3 pictorially illustrates a sensor module used in the electronics portion of the smart bottle of FIG. 2 according to one example.

[0012] FIG. 4 is a block diagram illustrating an electrical circuit used in the electronics portion of the smart bottle of FIG. 2 according to one example.

[0013] FIG. 5 schematically illustrates a bridge circuit used in the electronics portion of the smart bottle of FIG. 2 according to one example.

[0014] FIG. 6 pictorially illustrates a charger tray used in the chromatography system of FIG. 1 according to some examples.

[0015] FIG. 7 is a flowchart illustrating a control method implemented using the chromatography system of FIG. 1 according to some examples.

[0016] FIG. 8 is a block diagram illustrating a computing device used in the chromatography system of FIG. 1 according to some examples.DETAILED DESCRIPTIONDocket No.: TP388921 WO 1

[0017] In various liquid chromatography applications, an end user supplies eluents that are flushed through a column. Additionally, some output fluids are collected as waste. Containers of eluent are refilled or replaced by the end user as eluent is used, and containers of waste are emptied out or replaced with empty containers as those containers are filled.

[0018] In at least some liquid chromatography applications, the end user needs to monitor the availability of eluents through their usage rate and any needed refill. Various embodiments of a smart bottle disclosed herein can beneficially be used to provide real-time monitoring of the level of eluent and to alert the user when the eluent level is below or above a selectable threshold. A smart bottle can also be used to monitor the eluent drain such that the user is alerted when the waste liquid level reaches or exceeds a preselected threshold level.

[0019] As used herein, the term “real time” refers to a computer-based process that controls or monitors a corresponding environment by receiving data, processing the received data, and generating a response sufficiently quickly to affect or characterize the environment without significant delay. In the context of control or processing software, real-time responses are often understood to be on the order of milliseconds, or sometimes microseconds. In the context of a liquid chromatography run, “real-time” updates mean that the experimental data and measurement results derived therefrom sufficiently accurately represent the state of the system at any point in time. In some cases, data-acquisition and / or processing delays of several seconds may still be considered to be within “real time” or “near real time” for at least some systems or instruments.

[0020] One example embodiment of the smart bottle is an integrated bottle assembly that supports the functional features of volume measurement and level indication using the corresponding elements / components incorporated into the assembly. Another example embodiment provides a smart bottle accessory configured to serve as a permanent or temporary attachment to the bottom of a conventional bottle. When the smart bottle accessory is attached to a conventional bottle, the latter is converted thereby into a functional equivalent of the integrated smart bottle.

[0021] In some examples, the user can set the thresholds and other pertinent operating parameters via a graphical user interface (GUI) that is wirelessly connected to the smart bottle. In some examples, the smart bottle is designed and configured to provide visual feedback, e.g., through light and color patterns, to indicate to the user the bottle’s fluid level status. In some examples, whether placed on the top of the corresponding instrument or adjacent to it, such smart bottles areDocket No.: TP388921 WO 1 modular and placeable anywhere in the vicinity for general use with the instrument. In different examples, smart bottles are configured to use different wireless communication formats and / or protocols to connect to the targeted host, enable control functions, and report the liquid level data.

[0022] In one example, a smart bottle is a container-based device capable of measuring the amount of liquid / eluent contained therein. The corresponding liquids can be used, e.g., in the liquid delivery system of an analytical instrument or can be collected from the waste system thereof. In operation, the smart bottle measures the weight of the liquid and communicates the liquid level to the analytical instrument. In some examples, the measurement is implemented based on the load cell principle where multiple load cells are connected using a bridge circuit to measure the total weight. Once the liquid level falls below or goes above the selected threshold level, the smart bottle sends an alert to the electronic controller of the analytical instrument. The smart bottle also alerts the user by flashing a light pattern indicative of the liquid level. For example, the flashing color may change from green to red when the threshold level is crossed. Once the liquid is replenished in the delivery system or emptied in the waste system, the alert is canceled, and the light color is changed back to green.

[0023] In various examples, the use of a smart bottle can provide some or all of the following features, benefits, and / or advantages:1. A smart bottle helps to monitor eluent levels that can otherwise go below the set thresholds during an analytical run, thereby substantially preventing instrument malfunctions and loss of data or samples.2. One feature of the bottle design provides for an interaction / link with the user programming interface. When initiating a single chromatographic run or a set of multiple chromatographic runs, the smart bottle programming can identify and prealert the user if sufficient fluid source volumes are present for the completion of the run(s).3. A smart bottle alerts the user / system when the eluent therein approaches a low level that is insufficient for completing the run.4. A smart bottle helps the user to estimate the volume of liquid that is needed to complete the run.5. The visual indication feature of liquid levels can alert and unambiguously indicate to the users the current liquid level without needing to access the user interface.Docket No.: TP388921 WO 1 6. Some or all of the above indicated features may help the users to reliably monitor multiple smart bottles placed at different locations in their lab oratory / work area. 7. As a portable bottle, the smart bottle can be placed on the instrument itself, on a holder tray, or on a lab table. This portability provides flexibility to the users to conveniently arrange multiple smart bottles in any suitable location in the vicinity of the instrument.8. Being a wireless plug and play device, a smart bottle enables the user to add and remove it with little or no manual configuration operations. In some examples, a smart-bottle monitor is configured to internally store the previously used set of parameters, such as the bottle type, eluent type, and one or more threshold levels, and then reuse them for a subsequent run.9. In some examples, a smart bottle can automatically communicate the type and size of the bottle and the assigned fluid type to the instrument controller.10. In some examples, a smart bottle supports digital tracking for cloud management opportunities within the overall lab information management.11. Depending on the targeted liquids, different suitable sets of materials can be used to make the liquid container portion of the smart bottle.12. A smart bottle helps the user to accurately check the eluent needed for a particular analysis, thereby saving the time involved in resolving potential human errors in the setup.13. The visual indication of the liquid level status helps the users to identify and / or locate the containers that need a refill or are about to overflow.14. The threshold warnings not only help the users to refill / unload the containers but also tend to prolong the life of certain subsidiary parts, such as pumps, columns, etc., in the flow path of the instrument.15. In some examples, the wireless interface of the smart bottle is compatible with multiple wireless technologies, such as Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, and proprietary RF formats (if any).

[0024] For illustration purposes and without any implied limitations, example embodiments are described herein below in reference to a liquid-solid column chromatography system. Based on the provided description, a person of ordinary skill in the pertinent art will be able to make and use otherDocket No.: TP388921 WO 1 embodiments corresponding to other above-mentioned liquid chromatography systems or instruments without any undue experimentation.

[0025] FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a liquid chromatography system 100 using which various embodiments can be practiced according to some examples. The system 100 includes a liquid chromatography instrument 101 and an electronic controller 118. The instrument 101 includes a pump 102, an electrolytic eluent generator 104, a continuously regenerated trap column 106, a degasser 108, a sample injector 110, a chromatographic separation device (e.g., a separation column) 112, an electrolytic suppressor 114, and a detector 116. In some examples, the chromatographic separation device 112 is in the form of a capillary column or an analytical column. A line 120 is used to transfer the liquid from the detector 116 to an inlet port of the electrolytic suppressor 114. A line 124 is used to transfer the liquid from an outlet port of the regenerant channel of the electrolytic suppressor 114 to an inlet port of the continuously regenerated trap column 106. An outlet port 126 of the continuously regenerated trap column 106 is used to transfer the waste liquid therefrom a waste container 142.

[0026] The pump 102 is configured to intake, through an inlet port 133, the liquid from a liquid source container 132 and apply the resulting liquid flow to the electrolytic eluent generator 104, which is fluidically connected to the pump 102. In the nonlimiting example shown, the liquid source container 132 contains deionized water. In other examples, the liquid source container 132 may contain other liquids. The pump 102 is configured to pump the liquid at a pressure ranging from about 20 PSI to about 15,000 PSI. In some examples, pressures greater than 15,000 PSI may also be implemented. It should be noted that the pressures mentioned herein are listed relative to an ambient pressure (which is typically in the range from 13.7 PSI to 15.2 PSI). In some examples, the pump 102 is a high-pressure liquid chromatography (HPLC) pump. In some examples, the pump 102 is configured such that the pumped liquid only contacts an inert portion of the pump 102, thereby substantially preventing impurities from leaching out. In various examples, such inert portion can be made of substantially inert polymers, such as polyether ether ketone (PEEK), or at least coated with a PEEK lining, which does not leach out significant amounts of ions or other contaminants when exposed to the pumped liquid.

[0027] In some examples, an eluent is a liquid that contains an acid, a base, a salt, or a mixture thereof and can be used to elute an analyte through the separation column 112. In some examples,Docket No.: TP388921 WO 1 the eluent may additionally include a mixture of a first liquid and a water-miscible organic solvent, where the first liquid may include an acid, a base, a salt, or a combination thereof. The electrolytic eluent generator 104 is configured to generate a generant. Herein, the term “generant” refers to a particular species of acid, base, or salt that can be added to the eluent. In one example, the generant is a base, such as cation hydroxide. In another example, the generant is an acid, such as carbonic acid, phosphoric acid, acetic acid, methanesulfonic acid, or some combination thereof.

[0028] The eluent generator 104 is configured to receive a liquid flow generated by the pump 102 and then add a generant to the pumped liquid. The resulting liquid containing the generant is outputted from the eluent generator 104 to an inlet port of the continuously regenerated trap column 106.

[0029] The continuously regenerated trap column 106 is configured to remove cationic or anionic contaminants from the eluent. In some examples, the continuously regenerated trap column 106 includes an ion exchange bed with an electrode at the eluent outlet port. An ion exchange membrane stack operates to separate the eluent from a second electrode, and the contaminant ions are swept through the ion exchange membrane stack towards the second electrode. The ion exchange membrane stack typically includes one or more ion exchange membranes. In various examples, anion removal uses an anion exchange bed with a cathode at the eluent outlet port separated from an anode by an anion exchange membrane. Alternatively, cation removal can use a cation exchange bed with an anode at the eluent outlet port separated from a cathode by a cation exchange membrane.

[0030] The degasser 108 is used to remove residual gas. In some examples, the residual gas may be electrolytically generated and include hydrogen and / or oxygen gases. In one example, the degasser 108 includes a tubing section that is gas permeable and liquid impermeable such as, for example, polymeric tubing. The flowing liquid is outputted from degasser 108 to the sample injector 110 with a substantial portion of the residual gas having been removed.

[0031] The sample injector 110 is used to inject a bolus of a liquid sample into an eluent stream. In various examples, the liquid sample may include a plurality of chemical constituents (e.g., matrix components) and one or more analytes of interest. In the example shown, the sample injector 110 includes an auto sampler 134, a sample loop 136, and a multiport valve 138. The auto sampler 134 operates to draw a sample from a sample container. The multiport valve 138 is placed in a firstDocket No.: TP388921 WO 1 position to allow the sample to fill the sample loop 136. After the sample loop 136 is filled to a desired level, the multiport valve 138 is operated to switch to a second position in which the eluent stream drives the sample onto the chromatographic separation device 112.

[0032] The chromatographic separation device 112 is used to separate various matrix components present in the liquid sample from the analyte(s) of interest and separate the analytes of interest from each other. In one example, the chromatographic separation device 112 is in the form of a hollow cylinder that contains a packed solid stationary phase. As the liquid sample flows through the chromatographic separation device 112, the matrix components and target analytes experience a range of retention times for eluting off of the chromatographic separation device 112. Depending on the characteristics of the target analytes and matrix components, they typically exhibit different respective affinities to the stationary phase in the chromatographic separation device 112, which enables the separation process. The output port of the chromatographic separation device 112 is fluidically connected to the electrolytic suppressor 114.

[0033] The electrolytic suppressor 114 is used to reduce the eluent conductivity background and enhance the analyte response through efficient exchange of the eluent counterions for the regenerant ions. In one example, the electrolytic suppressor 114 includes an anode chamber, a cathode chamber, and an eluent suppression bed chamber separated by one or more ion exchange membranes. The anode chamber and / or the cathode chamber operate to produce regenerate ions or to transport the supplied regenerant ions. The eluent suppression bed chamber includes a flow path for the eluent separated from the regenerant by an ion exchange barrier, and eluent counterions can be exchanged with regenerate ions across the ion exchange barrier. An output port of the electrolytic suppressor 114 is fluidically connected to the detector 116 to detect and measure the separated chemical constituents of the sample in the liquid flow. In some examples, the electrolytic suppressor 114 can be of the chemical kind that uses a chemical regenerant for its operation. In additional examples, other suitable types of electrolytic suppressors can also be used.

[0034] In various examples, the detector 116 can be implemented using an ultraviolet-visible spectrometer, a fluorescence spectrometer, a refractive index detector, a radio flow detector, a chiral detector, an electrochemical detector, a conductivity detector, a mass spectrometer, or a selected combination thereof. The detector 116 is preferably a non-destructive detector, such as the above-mentioned conductivity detector, that substantially preserves the composition of the eluent stream.Docket No.: TP388921 WO 1

[0035] Various electrical circuits used in the system 100 include the electronic controller 118, a timer, a memory, and a power supply. In various examples, the electronic controller 118 can be implemented using one or more computing devices, such as the computing device 800 described in more detail below in reference to FIG. 8. The electronic controller 118 is used to control the operation of the system 100. In various examples, the electronic controller 118 may either be integrated into the chromatography instrument 101 or be a part of the computer that communicates with and supports certain functions of the system 100. In some examples, the electronic controller 118 is configured to communicate with and control various components of the chromatography instrument 101, such as the pump 102, the eluent generator 104, the sample injector 110, and the detector 116. The memory portion of the electronic controller 118 is used to store control software configured to generate various instructions and control signals.

[0036] In some examples, the electronic controller 118 communicates with the various components of the system 100 using a multichannel wireless link 198 and optionally one or more wireline links (not explicitly shown). The wireless link 198 can be implemented using one or more wireless technologies, such as Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, and suitable proprietary wireless formats (if any). In some examples, the wireless link 198 includes a wireless channel to a LAN access point (AP) or to an edge router of a network to which the electronic controller 118 is connected. In some other examples, the wireless link 198 includes one or more direct wireless channels between the corresponding components of the system 100 and the electronic controller 118.

[0037] In some examples, some or all of the liquid source container 132 and the waste containers 142, 152 used in the system 100 are implemented using respective instances of a smart bottle. In such examples, the wireless link 198 includes respective wireless channels between the smart bottles and the electronic controller 118. In some examples, the smart bottles 132, 142, and / or 152 are placed on a holder tray (not explicitly shown in FIG. 1, e g., see FIG. 6) that is equipped with an inductive charger designed and configured to charge the rechargeable batteries of the smart bottles placed on the holder tray. In some examples, the smart bottles 132, 142, and / or 152 can include a charging port and can be charged with a charging cable which can be connected to a separate power supply or can be connected to the system 100.

[0038] FIG. 2 pictorially illustrates a smart bottle 200 one or more instances of which are used in the system 100 according to some examples. In one example, a respective instance of the smartDocket No.: TP388921 WO 1 bottle 200 is used in the system 100 to implement one or more of the liquid containers 132, 142, and 152 (also see FIG. 1). In the example shown, the smart bottle 200 includes a liquid container portion 210 and an electronics portion 220. In some examples, the portions 210 and 220 are fixedly attached to one another, e.g., such that the separation thereof from one another is not intended to be performed outside of the production facility or factory. In some examples, the bottom surface of the electronics portion 220 has a covered access window (not explicitly shown) that enables the battery used to power the electrical circuits housed in the electronics portion 220 to be replaced when needed. An example implementation of the electronics portion 220 is described in more detail below in reference to FIGS. 3-5.

[0039] In the example shown, the container portion 210 is a narrow-necked container made of a suitable liquid-impermeable material (such as glass, metal, or plastic) and configured to hold liquids. The top surface of the container portion 210 has an inlet / outlet port 212 and an air vent 214. The inlet / outlet port 212 can be connected to the corresponding liquid transfer line of the system 100. When used as an outlet port, the port 212 enables the liquid stored in the container portion 210 portion to be drawn out using a liquid pump, such as the pump 102 (FIG. 1). When used as an inlet port, the port 212 enables the liquid from the liquid transfer line to be transferred into the container portion 210. The air vent 214 is used to equilibrate the pressure inside the container portion 210 with the ambient pressure when liquid is pumped into or removed from the container portion 210. The container portion 210 also has a neck 216 that is used to quickly fill or empty the container portion 210. In the example shown, the neck 216 is sealed with an external cap 218. For transportation and storage purposes, the inlet / outlet port 212 and the air vent 214 can be sealed with respective removable stoppers.

[0040] FIG. 3 pictorially illustrates a sensor module 300 used in the electronics portion 220 of the smart bottle 200 according to one example. In the example shown, the sensor module 300 includes a sensor tray 312, four sensors 322, and a circuit board 324. In another example, a different (from four) number of the sensors 322 can also be used.

[0041] In the example shown, the sensor tray 312 includes a plurality of sensor mounts 302, an electrical passthrough 306, a plurality of circuit board mounts 308, and a plurality of mount holes 314. The mount holes 314 enable the sensor tray 312 to be affixed to the corresponding assembly or stack of components used in the electronics portion 220 of the smart bottle 200. The sensor mountsDocket No.: TP388921 WO 1 302 are located near the corners of the sensor tray 312 and are placed approximately equidistantly from the geometric center of the sensor tray 312. An individual sensor mount 302 retains the corresponding sensor 322 in place below the container portion 210 to enable measurement of the quantity (e.g., weight) of the liquid present in the container portion 210. More specifically, the sensor mount 302 is configured to hold the corresponding sensor 322 at a proper height above the main plane of the sensor tray 312 such that the sensor is placed in mechanical communication with an underside of the container portion 210. The sensor 322 thereby receives a mechanical stimulus corresponding to the total weight of the container portion 210 including the weight of any liquid contained therein.

[0042] The circuit board mounts 308 provide a sturdy mechanical connection of the circuit board 324 to the sensor tray 312. In one example, each of the circuit board mounts 308 includes a respective screw or other fastener fixedly connected to the sensor tray 312 through a respective hole in the circuit board 324. The electrical passthrough 306 provides a path for power and communications cords / wires connecting the circuit board 324 to the battery and other electronic components housed in the electronics portion 220 of the smart bottle 200.

[0043] A sensor 322 is a suitable sensor that provides a measurable variable electrical output in response to the application of force, weight, strain, or stress. Examples of such sensors include, but are not limited to resistive gauges, capacitive strain gauges, and strain gauge load cells.

[0044] In one example, the circuit board 324 is a printed circuit board to which various integrated circuits and / or discrete electrical components and devices configured to support one or more functions of the smart bottle 200 are electrically and mechanically connected. In the example shown, the circuit board 324 has mounted thereon a visual indicator 326 and several integrated circuits (also see FIG. 4). In operation, the visual indicator 326 generates an optical signal (such as the presence or absence of light or colors of light) to visually indicate to the user the level of liquid in the container portion 210. For example, the visual indicator 326 may be configured to emit light of a first color (e.g., red) when the level of liquid in the container portion 210 is such that the user needs to take a responsive action, e.g., to empty, refill, or replace the smart bottle 200. The visual indicator 326 may be further configured to emit light of a second color (e.g., green) or remain in the OFF state when the level of liquid in the container portion 210 is acceptable for the task at hand. In various examples, the visual indicator 326 may include a single light emitter or multiple lightDocket No.: TP388921 WO 1 emitters, e.g., one or more light emitting diodes (LEDs) (also see FIG. 4). In various embodiments, the LEDs can emit various colors or patterns to indicate various states of the smart bottle 200, such as full, empty, fully charged, low battery, paired, unpaired, connected, disconnected, or other status indications that may be useful to the user. Additionally, the LEDs can emit various colors or patterns for identification purposes. In some embodiments, the smart bottle 200 can include a display such as a touchscreen display, a liquid crystal display (LCD), a light-emitting diode display, or a flat panel display. In some cases, the user can use the display to enter settings and / or view results directly rather than by using the electronic controller 118.

[0045] In some examples, an exterior wall of the electronics portion 220 may have an optical window that is made of wholly or partially optically transparent material. For example, the optical window can be made of a clear plastic. The optical window is optically aligned with the visual indicator 326 such that the light emitted thereby passes through the optical window and is visible to the user. In some other examples, the entire exterior wall of the electronics portion 220 is made of a partially light-transmitting material. In such examples, the visual indicator 326 may be configured to substantially illuminate the entire exterior wall of the electronics portion 220 to enable the user to discern, at a glance and from a distance away, the present status of the corresponding smart bottle 200.

[0046] FIG. 4 is a block diagram illustrating an electrical circuit 400 used in the electronics portion 220 of the smart bottle 200 according to one example. The electrical circuit 400 is powered by a battery 406. In the example shown, the battery 406 is a rechargeable battery configured to be (re)charged via an inductive charger 402. When the smart bottle 200 is placed on a charging station or pad (e.g., a holder tray 600, FIG. 6), an induction coil in the inductive charger 402 is inductively coupled to a corresponding induction coil in the charging station or pad. An alternating current passing through the latter coil induces a corresponding alternating current in the induction coil of the inductive charger 402, which is rectified and converted into a direct current. The direct current can then be used to charge the battery 406 and / or directly provide the operating power to the electrical circuit 400.

[0047] In the example shown, the electrical circuit 400 includes one or more (e.g., four) sensors 322, an analog-to-digital converter (ADC) 410, a microcontroller 420, a wireless communication module 430, and the visual indicator 326. The visual indicator 326 includes a green LED 442 and aDocket No.: TP388921 WO 1 red LED 444. The ADC 410, the microcontroller 420, the wireless communication module 430, and the visual indicator 326 are mounted on and electrically connected to the circuit board 324 (also see FIG. 3).

[0048] The sensor 322 is configured to apply to the circuit board 324 analog electrical signals 408 that are indicative of the physical load applied to the sensor 322 by the container portion 210 of the smart bottle 200. The ADC 410 converts the analog electrical signals 408 into digital form, and the resulting stream of digital values is directed to the microcontroller 420 via a serial peripheral interface (SPI) 412 for processing. The microcontroller 420 processes the received stream of digital values to determine the corresponding liquid level in the container portion 210 of the smart bottle 210.

[0049] In some examples, the microcontroller 420 operates to perform further processing of the determined liquid-level values and also provides these values to the wireless communication module 430 for transmission, via a wireless channel 432 of the wireless link 198, to the electronic controller 118. In one example, such further processing in the microcontroller 420 includes comparing the determined liquid level to a predetermined threshold level. In situations in which the liquid level needs to be above the threshold level (e g., when the smart bottle 200 is used as the liquid source container 132, FIG. 1) but the liquid level is, in fact, below the threshold, the microcontroller 420 operates to set an “alert” status. Likewise, in situations in which the liquid level needs to be below the threshold level (e.g., when the smart bottle 200 is used as the liquid waste container 142, FIG. 1) but the liquid level is, in fact, above the threshold level, the microcontroller 420 similarly sets an “alert” status. When the liquid level is within the acceptable range, the microcontroller 420 operates to set a “ready” status.

[0050] In response to the system status being “ready,” the microcontroller 420 activates the green LED 442 to indicate that no bottle-related responsive action is needed from the user at this time. In response to the system status being “alert,” the microcontroller 420 activates the red LED 444 to indicate that a bottle-related responsive action is needed from the user at this time.

[0051] In some examples, the microcontroller 420 also sends communications, via the wireless channel 432, to the electronic controller 118 to provide information thereto on whether the smart bottle 200 is in the “ready” or “alert” status. The wireless module 430 includes a wireless transceiver and operates to encode, packetize, and otherwise prepare the information signal to beDocket No.: TP388921 WO 1 sent thereby via the wireless channel 432. In some examples, the information signal is a binary signal, wherein a first binary value indicates the “ready” status, and a second binary value indicates the “alert” status. In some examples, the microcontroller 420 can additionally or alternatively send, via the wireless channel 432, the digitized raw sensor data received from the ADC 410.

[0052] The electronic controller 118 typically includes a display to provide graphical on-screen indications of the respective “ready” or “alert” status for each of the smart bottles 200 used in the system 100. In some examples, the electronic controller 118 can interrupt or stop operations of the associated chromatography instrument, e.g., when the liquid level in the liquid source container 132 is insufficient for proper operation of the chromatography instrument. Such interruption or stoppage can beneficially prevent damage to the chromatography instrument 101 that can potentially occur when the pump 102 is forced to operate in low- or no-flow conditions. Similarly, stopping operation of the chromatography instrument 101 when the waste container 142 or 152 is about to overflow can potentially prevent spills. As a result, in addition to helping the user to timely refill / unload the liquid containers, the above-described alert warnings can help to prolong the service life of certain subsidiary parts, like pumps, columns, etc., used in the flow path of the chromatography instrument.

[0053] In some examples, the microcontroller 420 can determine the weight of the container portion 210 having a liquid therein based on the digitized signals 408 from the sensors 322. For example, the microcontroller 420 may be programmed to compare the sensed weight to a known (e.g., stored in the memory) empty weight for the type of container or other threshold set by the user. When the sensed weight approaches the known weight (e.g., as the liquid level threshold is approached), the microcontroller 420 can trigger the “alert” status because the container is nearly empty. In some cases, the memory of the microcontroller 420 is loaded with the specific-gravity values associated with different liquids, e.g., as a look-up table (LUT), or based on user input values (for example, values inputted by the user through the electronic controller 118). In some cases, the microcontroller 420 can calculate the volume of liquid in the container based on the full or empty weight of the container portion, the rate of change of the weight of the container and the flow rate of the pump. In some examples, the memory can store the threshold value to which the measured liquid levels are compared. In some other examples, the memory can store expected weights for different full container types, empty container types, or both. In some examples, the memory can also store information about the elevation (above the sea level) of the geographic location of the system 100 to improve the precision of weight measurements. The information in the memory canDocket No.: TP388921 WO 1 be updated by the user and / or by the electronic controller 118. In some examples, the memory can store a previously used set of parameters including the bottle type, the eluent type, and / or the threshold levels and can import the stored parameters for any subsequent runs.

[0054] In some examples, the microcontroller 420 or the electronic controller 118 is configured to use the information from the sensors 322 to determine whether to allow future experimental runs to proceed. When the user initiates a single chromatographic run or a set of multiple chromatographic runs, the electronic controller 118 and / or microcontroller 420 can identify and prealert the user whether or not sufficient fluid source volumes are present to complete the full series of runs and / or whether or not the free waste volume is presently sufficient to accommodate the additional waste expected to be generated by the runs. For example, the electronic controller 118 can notify the microcontroller 420 that the user wishes to do one or more experimental runs. The microcontroller 420 can then provide an estimate of the remaining liquid volume in the source eluent container or the remaining free volume in the waste container. In some examples, the microcontroller 420 can also provide an estimated use rate (e.g., the rate at which the waste bottle is expected to fill during a next run or the rate at which the source bottle is expected to empty during the next run), or the electronic controller 118 can determine this information from the sensor signal transmissions received from the microcontroller 420. The electronic controller 118 can then notify the user and to prompt a proper responsive action, such as to fill / empty the container to accommodate the full series of runs planned by the user. In some examples, the user can propose parameters for an experimental run, and the microcontroller 420 and / or the electronic controller 118 can provide an estimate for the amount of source fluid that will be needed or for the amount of waste fluid that will be generated by such experimental run and whether or not the corresponding smart bottle 200 can support that amount.

[0055] In some examples, the wireless communication module 430 functions as a radio frequency (RF), near-field, Bluetooth, and / or Wi-Fi transceiver and tag. In some applications, the wireless communication module 430 can be used for automatic identification of the corresponding smart bottle 200 by providing to an external wireless tag reader the information including one or more of the ID of the smart bottle 200, the size and shape of the smart bottle 200, the type of liquid in the smart bottle 200, and the density or specific gravity of the liquid. The wireless communication module 430 can retrieve this information, e.g., by accessing the memory associated with the microcontroller 420. In some configurations, the electronic controller 118 can continuouslyDocket No.: TP388921 WO 1 ping the wireless communication module 430 for the level information and the bottle status with respect to the applicable threshold.

[0056] In some examples, the sensors 322 are implemented using respective strain gauge load cells. Strain gauge load cells are typically accurate, versatile, and cost-effective. Structurally, this sensor type has a metal body to which strain gauges are secured. The metal body usually comprises aluminum, alloyed steel, or stainless steel, which makes it relatively sturdy and minimally elastic. This elastic property is sometimes indicated by referring to such sensors as “spring elements.” When a force is applied to the load cell, the spring element is slightly elastically deformed. As the spring element deforms, the strain gauges also change their shape. The resulting change in the electrical resistance of the strain gauge can be measured, and the applied force can be calculated based on that measurement.

[0057] FIG. 5 schematically illustrates a bridge circuit 500 used in the electronics portion 220 of the smart bottle 200 according to some examples. The resistors R1-R4 represent the four strain gauge load cells 322 of FIG. 3. In the bridge circuit 500, the resistors R1-R4 are arranged in a Wheatstone bridge configuration. A change in the resistances of the four strain gauge load cells 322 is measured by the ADC 410 as a change in the voltage Vo (also see FIG. 4). The microcontroller 420 then processes the corresponding digital values received from the ADC 410 via the SPI 412 to determine the liquid level in the container portion 210 as indicated above.

[0058] FIG. 6 pictorially illustrates a holder tray 600 used in the system 100 according to some examples. In the example shown, the holder tray 600 is equipped with primary inductive chargers 610i and 6IO2 configured to charge the rechargeable batteries 406 of the smart bottles 200i and 2OO2 placed on the holder tray 600 as indicated in FIG. 6. In one example, the smart bottle 200i implements the liquid source container 132, and the smart bottle 2OO2 implements the waste container 142 (also see FIG. 1). In other embodiments, the holder tray 600 can include a charging port to charge the rechargeable batteries 406 of the smart bottles 200i and 2002 using a charging cable.

[0059] The holder tray 600 has an ac power cord 602 which, in some examples, can be connected to a conventional ac power outlet providing the ac voltage Vac. The ac voltage Vac is transferred via electrical connections in the tray body to each of the primary inductive chargers 6IO1 and 6IO2. Each of the primary inductive chargers 6IO1 and 6IO2 includes a respective primaryDocket No.: TP388921 WO 1 induction coil through which an alternating current produced by the ac voltage Vac is driven. When the smart bottle 200i (i=l, 2) is placed on the inductive charger 610i as indicated in FIG. 6, the primary induction coil of the inductive charger 610i is aligned with and inductively coupled to the induction coil of the inductive charger 402 of the smart bottle 200i, with the latter induction coil acting as a secondary induction coil. The alternating current passing through the primary induction coil of the inductive charger 610i induces a corresponding alternating current in the secondary induction coil of the inductive charger 402, which is rectified and converted into a de current. The de current is then used to charge the battery 406 of the smart bottle 200i.

[0060] FIG. 7 is a flowchart illustrating a control method 700 implemented using the system 100 according to one example. In some examples, the method 700 is implemented using control software running on the electronic controller 118. The method 700 is described below with continued reference to FIGS. 1-7.

[0061] The method 700 is initialized in a setup block 702 including a plurality of setup operations. In one example, the setup operations of the block 702 include the electronic controller 118 receiving, e.g., through a GUI, the user selection of one or more smart bottles 200 from the pertinent set of bottles present in the system 100. Using the analysis tool of the GUI, the user can tare the selected smart bottle(s) 200 and / or, in some cases, enter approximate liquid volume(s) / level(s) if there is any liquid present in the container portion(s) 210 before the measurements begin. Via the tare option, any variations in the tubing, cap, fittings, and ferrules can be taken into consideration. The user can also enter and record notes, such as the name and type of the liquid. Control parameters can also be set, e.g., including the high or low thresholds and the brightness levels and other settings for the visual indicator 326. The setup operations of the block 702 also include the electronic controller 118 establishing the corresponding wireless communication channels 432 for communicating with each of the selected smart bottles 200.

[0062] A block 704 of the method 700 includes the electronic controller 118 starting a chromatography run. In one example, operations of the block 704 include the electronic controller 118 receiving a user command to start the chromatography run. In response to the user command, the electronic controller 118 generates properly timed respective control signals for various pertinent components of the system 100, such as the pump 102, the sample injector 110, and the detector 116.Docket No.: TP388921 WO 1 The generated control signals are transmitted to those components via respective channels of the wireless link 198.

[0063] A block 706 of the method 700 includes the electronic controller 118 receiving liquid level measurements and other pertinent telemetry from the smart bottles 200 selected in the block 702. The measurements are received via respective wireless communication channels 432 as previously explained.

[0064] A decision block 708 of the method 700 includes the electronic controller 118 (in communication with the respective microcontroller 420) determining whether the respective liquid level in each of the smart bottles 200 is within the acceptable range. Such determination can be made, e.g., by comparing the measured liquid level with the applicable threshold level as previously explained. When all of the measured liquid levels are within the respective acceptable ranges (“Yes” at the decision block 708), the processing of the method 700 is directed to a decision block 710. When at least one of the measured liquid levels is out of range (“No” at the decision block 708), the processing of the method 700 is directed to a block 709.

[0065] Operations of the block 709 include the electronic controller 118 initiating or performing one or more responsive actions. In various examples, such responsive actions may include one or more of the following: (i) stopping the pump 102; (ii) displaying on the display screen a corresponding alert message for the user; (iii) generating an audible alert for the user; and (iv) in communication with the respective microcontroller 420, causing the respective visual indicator 326 to change the color of emitted light from green to red.

[0066] The decision block 710 of the method 700 includes the electronic controller 118 (in communication with the respective microcontroller 420) determining whether to continue the chromatography run. The affirmative decision (“Yes” at the decision block 710) is contingent upon the alert condition having been resolved. This resolution can be achieved, e.g., when the one or more pertinent smart bottles 200 are emptied or refilled and transition from the “alert” status to the “ready” status. In some examples, the affirmative decision may also be contingent upon a “resume” user command received by the electronic controller 118 through the GUI. The negative decision (“No” at the decision block 710) is reached when the alert condition is not resolved within a predetermined amount of time or when the chromatography run has been successfully completed.Docket No.: TP388921 WO 1 When the decision made in the decision block 710 is in the affirmative, the processing of the method 700 is looped back to operations of the block 706. Otherwise, the method 700 is terminated.

[0067] FIG. 8 is a block diagram illustrating a computing device 800 one or more instances of which can be used in or in conjunction with the system 100 according to some examples. In some examples, the computing device 800 can be used to implement the electronic controller 118 (FIG.1). In some examples, the computing device 700 is programmed to implement at least some parts of the method 700 (FIG. 7).

[0068] The computing device 800 of FIG. 8 is illustrated as having a number of components, but any one or more of these components may be omitted or duplicated, as suitable for the application and setting. In some embodiments, some or all of the components included in the computing device 800 may be attached to one or more motherboards and enclosed in a housing. In some embodiments, some of those components may be fabricated onto a single system-on-a-chip (SoC) (e.g., the SoC may include one or more electronic processing devices 802 and one or more storage devices 804). Additionally, in various embodiments, the computing device 800 may not include one or more of the components illustrated in FIG. 8, but may include interface circuitry for coupling to the one or more components using any suitable interface (e.g., a Universal Serial Bus (USB) interface, a High-Definition Multimedia Interface (HDMI) interface, a Controller Area Network (CAN) interface, a Serial Peripheral Interface (SPI) interface, an Ethernet interface, a wireless interface, or any other appropriate interface). For example, the computing device 800 may not include a display device 810, but may include display device interface circuitry (e.g., a connector and driver circuitry) to which an external display device 810 may be coupled.

[0069] The computing device 800 includes a processing device 802 (e.g., one or more processing devices). As used herein, the terms “electronic processor device” and “processing device” interchangeably refer to any device or portion of a device that processes electronic data from registers and / or memory to transform that electronic data into other electronic data that may be stored in registers and / or memory. In various embodiments, the processing device 802 may include one or more digital signal processors (DSPs), application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs), central processing units (CPUs), graphics processing units (GPUs), server processors, or any other suitable processing devices.Docket No.: TP388921 WO 1

[0070] The computing device 800 also includes a storage device 804 (e.g., one or more storage devices). In various embodiments, the storage device 804 may include one or more memory devices, such as random-access memory (RAM) devices (e.g., static RAM (SRAM) devices, magnetic RAM (MRAM) devices, dynamic RAM (DRAM) devices, resistive RAM (RRAM) devices, or conductive-bridging RAM (CBRAM) devices), hard drive-based memory devices, solid-state memory devices, networked drives, cloud drives, or any combination of memory devices. In some embodiments, the storage device 804 may include memory that shares a die with the processing device 802. In such an embodiment, the memory may be used as cache memory and include embedded dynamic random-access memory (eDRAM) or spin transfer torque magnetic random-access memory (STT-MRAM), for example. In some embodiments, the storage device 804 may include non-transitory computer readable media having instructions thereon that, when executed by one or more processing devices (e.g., the processing device 802), cause the computing device 800 to perform any appropriate ones of the methods disclosed herein below or portions of such methods.

[0071] The computing device 800 further includes an interface device 806 (e.g., one or more interface devices 806). In various embodiments, the interface device 806 may include one or more communication chips, connectors, and / or other hardware and software to govern communications between the computing device 800 and other computing devices. For example, the interface device 806 may include circuitry for managing wireless communications for the transfer of data to and from the computing device 800. The term “wireless” and its derivatives may be used to describe circuits, devices, systems, methods, techniques, communications channels, etc., that may communicate data via modulated electromagnetic radiation through a nonsolid medium. The term does not imply that the associated devices do not contain any wires, although in some embodiments they might not. Circuitry included in the interface device 806 for managing wireless communications may implement any of a number of wireless standards or protocols, including but not limited to Institute for Electrical and Electronic Engineers (IEEE) standards including Wi-Fi (IEEE 802.11 family), IEEE 802.16 standards, Long-Term Evolution (LTE) project along with any amendments, updates, and / or revisions (e.g., advanced LTE project, ultramobile broadband (UMB) project (also referred to as “3GPP2”), etc.). In some embodiments, circuitry included in the interface device 806 for managing wireless communications may operate in accordance with a Global System for Mobile Communication (GSM), General Packet Radio Service (GPRS), Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS), High Speed Packet Access (HSPA),Docket No.: TP388921 WO 1 Evolved HSPA (E-HSPA), or LTE network. In some embodiments, circuitry included in the interface device 806 for managing wireless communications may operate in accordance with Enhanced Data for GSM Evolution (EDGE), GSM EDGE Radio Access Network (GERAN), Universal Terrestrial Radio Access Network (UTRAN), or Evolved UTRAN (E-UTRAN). In some embodiments, circuitry included in the interface device 806 for managing wireless communications may operate in accordance with Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA), Time Division Multiple Access (TDMA), Digital Enhanced Cordless Telecommunications (DECT), Evolution-Data Optimized (EV-DO), and derivatives thereof, as well as any other wireless protocols that are designated as 3G, 4G, 5G, and beyond. In some embodiments, the interface device 806 may include one or more antennas (e.g., one or more antenna arrays) configured to receive and / or transmit wireless signals.

[0072] In some embodiments, the interface device 806 may include circuitry for managing wired communications, such as electrical, optical, or any other suitable communication protocols. For example, the interface device 806 may include circuitry to support communications in accordance with Ethernet technologies. In some embodiments, the interface device 806 may support both wireless and wired communication, and / or may support multiple wired communication protocols and / or multiple wireless communication protocols. For example, a first set of circuitry of the interface device 806 may be dedicated to shorter-range wireless communications such as Wi-Fi or Bluetooth, and a second set of circuitry of the interface device 806 may be dedicated to longer-range wireless communications such as global positioning system (GPS), EDGE, GPRS, CDMA, WiMAX, LTE, EV-DO, or others. In some other embodiments, a first set of circuitry of the interface device 806 may be dedicated to wireless communications, and a second set of circuitry of the interface device 806 may be dedicated to wired communications.

[0073] The computing device 800 also includes battery / power circuitry 808. In various embodiments, the battery / power circuitry 808 may include one or more energy storage devices (e.g., batteries or capacitors) and / or circuitry for coupling components of the computing device 800 to an energy source separate from the computing device 800 (e.g., to AC line power).

[0074] The computing device 800 also includes a display device 810 (e.g., one or multiple individual display devices). In various embodiments, the display device 810 may include any visualDocket No.: TP388921 WO 1 indicators, such as a heads-up display, a computer monitor, a projector, a touchscreen display, a liquid crystal display (LCD), a light-emitting diode display, or a flat panel display.

[0075] The computing device 800 also includes additional input / output (I / O) devices 812. In various embodiments, the I / O devices 812 may include one or more data / signal transfer interfaces, audio I / O devices (e.g., microphones or microphone arrays, speakers, headsets, earbuds, alarms, etc ), audio codecs, video codecs, printers, sensors (e.g., thermocouples or other temperature sensors, humidity sensors, pressure sensors, vibration sensors, etc.), image capture devices (e.g., one or more cameras), human interface devices (e.g., keyboards, cursor control devices, such as a mouse, a stylus, a trackball, or a touchpad), etc.

[0076] Depending on the specific embodiment, various components of the interface devices 806 and / or VO devices 812 can be configured to output suitable control signals, receive suitable control / telemetry signals, and receive and transmit data streams. In some examples, the interface devices 806 and / or I / O devices 812 include one or more analog-to-digital converters (ADCs) for transforming received analog signals into a digital form suitable for operations performed by the processing device 802 and / or the storage device 804. In some additional examples, the interface devices 806 and / or VO devices 812 include one or more digital-to-analog converters (DACs) for transforming digital signals provided by the processing device 802 and / or the storage device 804 into an analog form suitable for being transmitted through a communication channel.

[0077] According to one example disclosed above, e.g., in the summary section and / or in reference to any one or any combination of some or all of FIGS. 1-8, provided is a system comprising: a chromatography instrument including a pump for pumping a first liquid through an inlet port to generate a flow through a flow path of the chromatography instrument, the flow causing the chromatography instrument to discharge a second liquid through an outlet port; a first smart bottle including a liquid container portion configured to supply the first liquid to the inlet port or collect the second liquid from the outlet port, the first smart bottle further including an electronics portion fixedly attached to the liquid container portion and including a first sensor configured to sense an amount of liquid in the liquid container portion; and a computing device configured to control the chromatography instrument and further configured to communicate with the electronics portion via a wireless communication link, wherein the electronics portion is configured to transmit through the wireless communication link a signal indicative of the amount of liquid; and wherein theDocket No.: TP388921 WO 1 computing device is configured to initiate a responsive action when the signal indicates that the amount of liquid is outside a preselected range.

[0078] In some examples of the above system, the responsive action includes stopping the pump.

[0079] In some examples of any of the above systems, the responsive action includes at least one of: displaying a visual or textual alert on a display screen; and generating an audible alert.

[0080] In some examples of any of the above systems, the textual or audible alert includes an instruction to empty, refill, or replace the first smart bottle.

[0081] In some examples of any of the above systems, the first sensor is selected from the group consisting of a resistive gauge, a capacitive strain gauge, and a strain gauge load cell.

[0082] In some examples of any of the above systems, the electronics portion further includes a second sensor, a third sensor, and a fourth sensor, each of the second, third and fourth sensors being configured to sense the amount of liquid.

[0083] In some examples of any of the above systems, the first, second, third and fourth sensors are electrically connected to one another in a Wheatstone bridge configuration.

[0084] In some examples of any of the above systems, the electronics portion further includes a visual indicator configured to emit light of a first color when the amount of liquid is within the preselected range and further configured to emit light of a different second color when the amount of liquid is outside the preselected range.

[0085] In some examples of any of the above systems, the electronics portion further includes: a rechargeable battery configured to provide power to electrical circuits of the electronics portion; and an inductive charger configured to charge the rechargeable battery when inductively coupled to an ac-powered primary inductive charger.

[0086] In some examples of any of the above systems, the system further comprises a tray for holding the first smart bottle, the holder tray including the ac-powered primary inductive charger.Docket No.: TP388921 WO 1

[0087] In some examples of any of the above systems, the tray is configured to hold at least one other smart bottle in addition to the first smart bottle.

[0088] In some examples of any of the above systems, the tray includes a second ac-powered primary inductive charger for charging a rechargeable battery of the other smart bottle.

[0089] In some examples of any of the above systems, the electronics portion further includes a wireless transceiver module configured to support wireless communications in accordance with one or more of a Bluetooth standard, a Wi-Fi standard, and a proprietary RF format.

[0090] In some examples of any of the above systems, the electronics portion further includes an anal og-to-digi tai converter configured to convert an electrical signal generated by the first sensor into a corresponding digital signal.

[0091] In some examples of any of the above systems, the electronics portion further includes a controller circuit configured to process the corresponding digital signal to determine whether the amount of liquid is outside the preselected range.

[0092] In some examples of any of the above systems, the electronics portion further includes a circuit board having mounted thereon and electrically connected thereto at least the anal og-to-digi tai converter and the controller circuit.

[0093] In some examples of any of the above systems, the system further comprises a second smart bottle, wherein the first smart bottle is configured to supply the first liquid to the inlet port; and wherein the second smart bottle is configured to collect the second liquid from the outlet port.

[0094] In some examples of any of the above systems, the system further comprises a third smart bottle configured to collect a third liquid from another outlet port of the chromatography instrument.

[0095] According to another example disclosed above, e.g., in the summary section and / or in reference to any one or any combination of some or all of FIGS. 1-8, provided is a method performed via a computing device for providing support to a chromatography instrument, the method comprising: controlling a pump of the chromatography instrument to pump a first liquid through an inlet port for generating a flow through a flow path of the chromatography instrument,Docket No.: TP388921 WO 1 the flow causing the chromatography instrument to discharge a second liquid at an outlet port; communicating with an electronics portion of a smart bottle via a wireless communication link, the smart bottle including a liquid container portion fixedly attached to the electronics portion, the liquid container portion being configured to supply the first liquid to the inlet port or collect the second liquid from the outlet port, the electronics portion including a sensor configured to sense an amount of liquid in the liquid container portion; receiving from the electronics portion, through the wireless communication link, a signal indicative of the amount of liquid; and initiating a responsive action when the signal indicates that the amount of liquid is outside a preselected range.

[0096] According to yet another example disclosed above, e.g., in the summary section and / or in reference to any one or any combination of some or all of FIGS. 1-8, provided is a non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions that, when executed by the computing device, cause the computing device to perform operations comprising the above method.

[0097] It is to be understood that the above description is intended to be illustrative and not restrictive. Many implementations and applications other than the examples provided would be apparent upon reading the above description. The scope should be determined, not with reference to the above description, but should instead be determined with reference to the appended claims, along with the full scope of equivalents to which such claims are entitled. It is anticipated and intended that future developments will occur in the technologies discussed herein, and that the disclosed systems and methods will be incorporated into such future examples. In sum, it should be understood that the application is capable of modification and variation.

[0098] All terms used in the claims are intended to be given their broadest reasonable constructions and their ordinary meanings as understood by those knowledgeable in the technologies described herein unless an explicit indication to the contrary is made herein. In particular, use of the singular articles such as “a,” “the,” “said,” etc. should be read to recite one or more of the indicated elements unless a claim recites an explicit limitation to the contrary.

[0099] The Abstract is provided to allow the reader to quickly ascertain the nature of the technical disclosure. It is submitted with the understanding that it will not be used to interpret or limit the scope or meaning of the claims. In addition, in the foregoing Detailed Description, it can be seen that various features are grouped together in various examples for the purpose of streamlining the disclosure. This method of disclosure is not to be interpreted as reflecting anDocket No.: TP388921 WO 1 intention that the claimed subject matter incorporate more features than are expressly recited in each claim. Rather, as the following claims reflect, inventive subject matter lies in fewer than all features of a single disclosed example. Thus, the following claims are hereby incorporated into the Detailed Description, with each claim standing on its own as a separately claimed subject matter.

[0100] Unless explicitly stated otherwise, each numerical value and range should be interpreted as being approximate as if the word “about” or “approximately” preceded the value or range.

[0101] Although the elements in the following method claims, if any, are recited in a particular sequence with corresponding labeling, unless the claim recitations otherwise imply a particular sequence for implementing some or all of those elements, those elements are not necessarily intended to be limited to being implemented in that particular sequence.

[0102] Unless otherwise specified herein, the use of the ordinal adjectives “first,” “second,” “third,” etc., to refer to an object of a plurality of like objects merely indicates that different instances of such like objects are being referred to, and is not intended to imply that the like objects so referred-to have to be in a corresponding order or sequence, either temporally, spatially, in ranking, or in any other manner.

[0103] Unless otherwise specified herein, in addition to its plain meaning, the conjunction “if’ may also or alternatively be construed to mean “when” or “upon” or “in response to determining” or “in response to detecting,” which construal may depend on the corresponding specific context. For example, the phrase “if it is determined” or “if [a stated condition] is detected” may be construed to mean “upon determining” or “in response to determining” or “upon detecting [the stated condition or event]” or “in response to detecting [the stated condition or event].”

[0104] Also, for purposes of this description, the terms “couple,” “coupling,” “coupled,” “connect,” “connecting,” or “connected” refer to any manner known in the art or later developed in which energy is allowed to be transferred between two or more elements, and the interposition of one or more additional elements is contemplated, although not required. Conversely, the terms “directly coupled,” “directly connected,” etc., imply the absence of such additional elements.

[0105] The functions of the various elements shown in the figures, including any functional blocks labeled as “processors” and / or “controllers,” may be provided through the use of dedicated hardware as well as hardware capable of executing software in association with appropriateDocket No.: TP388921 WO 1 software. When provided by a processor, the functions may be provided by a single dedicated processor, by a single shared processor, or by a plurality of individual processors, some of which may be shared. Moreover, explicit use of the term “processor” or “controller” should not be construed to refer exclusively to hardware capable of executing software, and may implicitly include, without limitation, digital signal processor (DSP) hardware, network processor, application specific integrated circuit (ASIC), field programmable gate array (FPGA), read only memory (ROM) for storing software, random access memory (RAM), and nonvolatile storage. Other hardware, conventional and / or custom, may also be included. Similarly, any switches shown in the figures are conceptual only. Their function may be carried out through the operation of program logic, through dedicated logic, through the interaction of program control and dedicated logic, or even manually, the particular technique being selectable by the implementer as more specifically understood from the context.

[0106] As used in this application, the terms “circuit,” “circuitry” may refer to one or more or all of the following: (a) hardware-only circuit implementations (such as implementations in only analog and / or digital circuitry); (b) combinations of hardware circuits and software, such as (as applicable): (i) a combination of analog and / or digital hardware circuit(s) with software / firmware and (ii) any portions of hardware processor(s) with software (including digital signal processor(s)), software, and memory(ies) that work together to cause an apparatus, such as a mobile phone or server, to perform various functions); and (c) hardware circuit(s) and or processor(s), such as a microprocessor(s) or a portion of a microprocessor(s), that requires software (e.g., firmware) for operation, but the software may not be present when it is not needed for operation.” This definition of circuitry applies to all uses of this term in this application, including in any claims. As a further example, as used in this application, the term circuitry also covers an implementation of merely a hardware circuit or processor (or multiple processors) or portion of a hardware circuit or processor and its (or their) accompanying software and / or firmware. The term circuitry also covers, for example and if applicable to the particular claim element, a baseband integrated circuit or processor integrated circuit for a mobile device or a similar integrated circuit in server, a cellular network device, or other computing or network device.

[0107] It should be appreciated by those of ordinary skill in the art that any block diagrams herein represent conceptual views of illustrative circuitry embodying the principles of the disclosure. Similarly, it will be appreciated that any flow charts, flow diagrams, state transition diagrams,Docket No.: TP388921 WO 1 pseudo code, and the like represent various processes which may be substantially represented in computer readable medium and so executed by a computer or processor, whether or not such computer or processor is explicitly shown.

[0108] As used herein in reference to an element and a standard, the term compatible or in accordance with means that the element communicates with other elements in a manner wholly or partially specified by the standard, and would be recognized by other elements as sufficiently capable of communicating with the other elements in the manner specified by the standard. The compatible element does not need to operate internally in a manner specified by the standard.

Claims

Docket No.: TP388921 WO 1CLAIMSWhat is claimed is:

1. A system, comprising:a chromatography instrument including a pump for pumping a first liquid through an inlet port to generate a flow through a flow path of the chromatography instrument, the flow causing the chromatography instrument to discharge a second liquid through an outlet port;a first smart bottle including a liquid container portion configured to supply the first liquid to the inlet port or collect the second liquid from the outlet port, the first smart bottle further including an electronics portion fixedly attached to the liquid container portion and including a first sensor configured to sense an amount of liquid in the liquid container portion; anda computing device configured to control the chromatography instrument and further configured to communicate with the electronics portion via a wireless communication link, wherein the electronics portion is configured to transmit through the wireless communication link a signal indicative of the amount of liquid; andwherein the computing device is configured to initiate a responsive action when the signal indicates that the amount of liquid is outside a preselected range.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the responsive action includes stopping the pump.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the responsive action includes at least one of:displaying a textual alert on a display screen;generating a visual alert; andgenerating an audible alert.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the textual or audible alert includes an instruction to empty, refill, or replace the first smart bottle.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the first sensor is selected from the group consisting of a resistive gauge, a capacitive strain gauge, and a strain gauge load cell.Docket No.: TP388921 WO 1 6. The system of claim 1, wherein the electronics portion further includes a second sensor, a third sensor, and a fourth sensor, each of the second, third and fourth sensors being configured to sense the amount of liquid.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the first, second, third and fourth sensors are electrically connected to one another in a Wheatstone bridge configuration.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the electronics portion further includes a visual indicator configured to emit light of a first color when the amount of liquid is within the preselected range and further configured to emit light of a different second color when the amount of liquid is outside the preselected range.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the electronics portion further includes:a rechargeable battery configured to provide power to electrical circuits of the electronics portion; andan inductive charger configured to charge the rechargeable battery when inductively coupled to an ac-powered primary inductive charger.

10. The system of claim 9, further comprising a tray for holding the first smart bottle, the holder tray including the ac-powered primary inductive charger.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the tray is configured to hold at least one other smart bottle in addition to the first smart bottle.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the tray includes a second ac-powered primary inductive charger for charging a rechargeable battery of the other smart bottle.

13. The system of claim 1, wherein the electronics portion further includes a wireless transceiver module configured to support wireless communications in accordance with one or more of a Bluetooth standard, a Wi-Fi standard, and a proprietary RF format.Docket No.: TP388921 WO 1 14. The system of claim 1, wherein the electronics portion further includes an analog-to-digital converter configured to convert an electrical signal generated by the first sensor into a corresponding digital signal.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the electronics portion further includes a controller circuit configured to process the corresponding digital signal to determine whether the amount of liquid is outside the preselected range.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the electronics portion further includes a circuit board having mounted thereon and electrically connected thereto at least the analog-to-digital converter and the controller circuit.

17. The system of claim 1, further comprising a second smart bottle,wherein the first smart bottle is configured to supply the first liquid to the inlet port; and wherein the second smart bottle is configured to collect the second liquid from the outlet port.

18. The system of claim 17, further comprising a third smart bottle configured to collect a third liquid from another outlet port of the chromatography instrument.

19. A method performed via a computing device for providing support to a chromatography instrument, the method comprising:controlling a pump of the chromatography instrument to pump a first liquid through an inlet port for generating a flow through a flow path of the chromatography instrument, the flow causing the chromatography instrument to discharge a second liquid through an outlet port;communicating with an electronics portion of a smart bottle via a wireless communication link, the smart bottle including a liquid container portion fixedly attached to the electronics portion, the liquid container portion being configured to supply the first liquid to the inlet port or collect the second liquid from the outlet port, the electronics portion including a sensor configured to sense an amount of liquid in the liquid container portion;receiving from the electronics portion, through the wireless communication link, a signal indicative of the amount of liquid; andDocket No.: TP388921 WO 1 initiating a responsive action when the signal indicates that the amount of liquid is outside a preselected range.

20. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions that, when executed by the computing device, cause the computing device to perform operations comprising the method of claim 19.

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