Automatic Analysis Device Dynamic Maintenance Scheduling

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Solution Overview

Problem

Automatic analysis devices face challenges in optimizing the frequency of maintenance such as periodic cleaning and replacement of passages that come into contact with specimens or reagents, as existing methods rely on standard analysis conditions rather than specific properties of the specimen or analysis protocol, leading to suboptimal usability and analysis performance.

Innovation Solution

An automatic analysis device equipped with a control device that assesses the properties of specimens, reagents, and analysis protocols to determine the necessity of maintenance, outputting recommendations for periodic cleaning or replacement based on the number of dispensing, feeding, and measuring operations, ensuring adequate maintenance frequency.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If periodic cleaning or replacement is performed based on standard analysis conditions, then maintenance frequency is predetermined, but it becomes too frequent or too infrequent depending on specific analysis conditions

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveanalysis performanceVSAvoidusability
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The maintenance frequency is made dynamic by calculating a maintenance index based on actual measurement data including specimen properties, reagent properties, and number of measurements. This allows the maintenance schedule to adapt automatically to different analysis conditions rather than following a fixed predetermined schedule, resolving the contradiction between maintaining reliable performance and ensuring ease of operation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The system implements feedback by continuously monitoring measurement data and using it to calculate the maintenance index. This feedback loop allows the system to adjust maintenance timing based on actual usage patterns and specimen characteristics, preventing both excessive and insufficient maintenance while optimizing both reliability and usability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

2Reliability

If maintenance is performed frequently to ensure analysis performance, then analysis performance is maintained, but usability deteriorates due to excessive maintenance interruptions

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveanalysis performanceVSAvoidmaintenance time
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs self-assessment by automatically calculating the maintenance index based on its own measurement data without requiring external judgment. This enables the system to determine the optimal maintenance timing autonomously, minimizing unnecessary maintenance interruptions while ensuring analysis performance is maintained, thus reducing time loss without sacrificing reliability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

3Device complexity

If maintenance is performed based on standard conditions without considering specific specimen properties, then maintenance schedule is simple, but analysis performance deteriorates due to inadequate maintenance timing

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemaintenance schedule complexityVSAvoidanalysis performance
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The system changes the parameter basis for maintenance scheduling from fixed standard conditions to dynamic parameters including specimen properties, reagent properties, and measurement count. By calculating the maintenance index based on these variable parameters, the system achieves accurate maintenance timing that adapts to different analysis conditions while maintaining a relatively simple operational interface.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Data Source

PatentEP2930517B1Automatic analysis device
Publication Date: 2021.02.17 HITACHI HIGH TECH CORP
  • EP2930517B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2930517B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP2930517B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

It is determined whether an automatic analysis device is in a state where it is necessary to perform periodic cleaning or periodic replacement on a B/F separation passage of a reaction liquid suction nozzle 120 for B/F separation or the like and a detection passage of a reaction liquid suction nozzle 123 for detection, a detection unit 124, and the like, based on the properties of a specimen, a reagent, and a reaction liquid which is obtained by reacting the specimen and the reagent, an analysis protocol which defines treatment conditions of these solutions, and the number of times of dispensing, feeding, and measuring the solutions; and the determined result is displayed on a display 130 as a signal. Accordingly, the automatic analysis device is provided so as to be able to perform adequate maintenance in accordance with analysis conditions.