Automatic Analyzer Sample Positioning via Self-Service Control
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing automatic analyzers require skilled operators to manually set up calibration and control samples, leading to potential errors and inefficiencies, especially when inexperienced personnel or those on night duty need to operate the equipment, and they lack the ability to automatically determine and display the arrangement position of samples when not pre-assigned on the turntable.
Innovation Solution
An automatic analyzer with a sample-container array unit, display unit, input unit, and control unit that automatically determines and displays the arrangement position of samples necessary for measurement based on availability information and specified rules, allowing operators to select items for measurement without pre-setting positions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If manual setting of calibration and control sample positions is required, then measurement accuracy can be maintained through operator control, but operator error and complexity increase for inexperienced personnel
Solution Approach 1:
The automatic analyzer performs self-service by automatically determining and displaying the arrangement positions of calibration and control samples without requiring manual operator input. The control unit automatically identifies available positions on the turntable and presents them to the operator, eliminating the need for operators to manually configure sample positions while maintaining measurement accuracy through systematic automated management.
2Reliability
If pre-assignment of sample positions is required, then measurement reliability is improved, but setup time and operational efficiency decrease
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary action by automatically identifying and displaying available positions for calibration and control samples before the measurement process begins. The control unit proactively determines which positions on the turntable are available and presents this information to the operator, so that sample arrangement can be quickly completed without time-consuming manual configuration during operation.
3Measurement precision
If multiple arrangement positions must be preset for different samples, then measurement precision is maintained, but device complexity and setup burden increase
Solution Approach 1:
The automatic analyzer performs self-service by automatically determining the arrangement positions of calibration and control samples based on available space on the turntable. The control unit systematically identifies suitable positions and presents them to the operator, eliminating the need for operators to manually configure multiple sample positions while maintaining measurement precision through automated position management.
4Ease of operation
If automated position determination is implemented, then ease of operation improves for inexperienced personnel, but risk of incorrect settings may increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements feedback by displaying the determined arrangement positions to the operator on the display unit. This allows the operator to verify the automatically determined positions before proceeding with sample arrangement, providing a check mechanism that prevents incorrect settings while maintaining ease of operation for inexperienced personnel.
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3
Figure 4
AI summary
In an aspect of the present invention, when a sample necessary to perform measurement for measurement content selected on an item selection screen is not arranged in a sample-container array unit (2), the measurement content selected on the item selection screen and availability information (35f) that is information indicating whether each position in the sample-container array unit (2) is available are referred to, a position in the sample-container array unit (2) at which a container containing the sample necessary to perform measurement for the selected measurement content is to be arranged is specified in accordance with a specified arrangement rule, and information on the specified position in the sample-container array unit (2) is displayed on a display unit (34).