Automated Analysis System Error Notification and Operator Tracking

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Solution Overview

Problem

Automated analysis systems for biological samples often face delays in diagnosis due to undetected errors, as operators lack information on who has handled errors, leading to potential delays in corrective actions.

Innovation Solution

An automated analysis system with a management device that detects errors, notifies appropriate operators, registers the operator who handles the error, and shares information on troubleshooting actions among registered operators, including support requests and notifications.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Speed

If error notification is sent to a designated operator only, then the operator can be quickly notified of the error, but other operators cannot know whether the error has been handled or who is handling it

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveerror notification speedVSAvoiderror handling information
Core Design Contradiction:
SpeedVSLoss of information

Solution Approach 1:

The notification system is segmented into two distinct functions: rapid notification to a designated operator and information sharing among all operators. The error notification means sends urgent alerts to the responsible operator immediately, while separately updating the operator notification management table to inform all operators of the error status and handler identity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The system implements feedback by continuously updating the operator notification management table with error handling status. When an operator handles an error, this information is fed back to the system and automatically communicated to all operators, creating a closed-loop information flow that maintains system-wide awareness.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

2Loss of information

If multiple operators are notified of an error, then information sharing is improved, but the notification system becomes more complex

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveerror handling informationVSAvoidnotification system complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of informationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The operator notification management table serves as an intermediary data structure that mediates between error detection and operator notification. It stores error information, notified operator IDs, and troubleshooter IDs, allowing the system to efficiently manage notifications to multiple operators without requiring complex direct communication logic between each operator pair.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Loss of information

If the system tracks who handled the error, then information sharing is improved, but the data management complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveerror handling informationVSAvoiddata management complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of informationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary action by pre-establishing the operator notification management table with all necessary data fields (error information, notified operator IDs, troubleshooter IDs) before errors occur. This preparation allows rapid error tracking and information sharing without requiring complex real-time data structure modifications when errors are detected and handled.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentEP2775307B1Automated analysis system
Publication Date: 2019.12.04 HITACHI HIGH TECH CORP
  • EP2775307B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP2775307B1 patent drawingFigure 3
  • EP2775307B1 patent drawingFigure 4~5

AI summary

This invention includes either an analyzer 110 that analyzes a sample, or a processing device 120 that pre-processes the sample, and a management device 130 that manages at least one of the analyzer 110 and the processing device 120, wherein the management device 130 includes: error detection means 137 that detects errors in the analyzer 110 or the processing device 120; storage means 135 having stored therein an operator notification management table 136 in which at least one operator is registered per kind of error; error notification means 134 that notifies an error that the error detection means 137 has detected to operators who are to individually handle the error, the means notifying on the basis of the operator notification management table 136 and in accordance with the kind of error detected by the error detection means 137; and registration means 133 that registers an operator, who has handled the error as a troubleshooter, among operators to whom the error was notified from the error notification means 134. Thus, a plurality of operators will be able to share information on who has performed troubleshooting even if an error occurs in the analyzer, the processing device, or the like.