Automatic Analyzer Power Shutdown Maintenance Screen
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing automatic analyzers lack a mechanism for operators to selectively set and reset maintenance functions specifically for next startup, leading to potential delays in inspection due to forgetfulness or irregular operations, especially after a power shutdown and restart.
Innovation Solution
An automatic analyzer with a dedicated power shutdown screen that allows operators to set which maintenance operations are executed upon restarting, enabling selective activation of necessary operations and avoiding unnecessary ones, thus ensuring timely inspection readiness.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If automatic maintenance operations are executed upon normal startup, then the medical instrument is properly initialized and maintained, but the inspection cannot start until the maintenance operations are completed
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically adjusts maintenance execution based on startup type. Normal startups automatically execute maintenance operations to ensure proper initialization, while restarts skip maintenance to enable immediate inspection. This dynamic behavior resolves the contradiction by adapting the maintenance execution policy to the specific operational context.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the operational parameter of maintenance execution based on the startup condition. By detecting whether it's a normal startup or a restart, the system modifies the maintenance execution parameter accordingly - executing maintenance for normal startups and skipping for restarts - thereby resolving the time delay issue while maintaining reliability where needed.
2Speed
If maintenance operations are cancelled for restart to enable immediate inspection, then inspection can start without waiting, but the automatic maintenance function cannot be activated at normal startup due to operator forgetfulness
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements feedback by detecting the current startup type and automatically adjusting maintenance execution settings. When a restart is detected, the system feedbacks that maintenance should be skipped. When a normal startup is detected, it feedbacks that maintenance should execute. This eliminates operator forgetfulness by making the system self-aware of its operational state and self-adjusting accordingly.
Solution Approach 2:
The system serves itself by automatically determining whether to execute maintenance based on the detected startup type. No operator intervention is needed - the system autonomously decides to skip maintenance during restarts and execute maintenance during normal startups, resolving both the speed and reliability issues through self-service operation.
3Ease of operation
If a dedicated setting screen for next startup maintenance is implemented, then operators can selectively set maintenance operations, but the system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the maintenance setting function into a dedicated power shutdown screen that appears only at specific moments. This extracted interface allows operators to selectively configure maintenance operations for the next startup without complicating the overall system structure. The setting screen is a isolated, purpose-specific interface that adds functionality without pervasive complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary action by providing the maintenance setting screen during the power shutdown phase, before the next startup occurs. This allows operators to pre-configure maintenance settings in advance, so that when the system restarts, the appropriate maintenance operations are automatically executed based on the pre-set preferences, eliminating the need for complex runtime decision-making interfaces.
Data Source
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AI summary
Execution of an operation item which is determined as being omittable by an operator at the latest power shutdown is omitted at startup immediately after power shutdown so as to resume the inspection as soon as possible. The automatic analyzer includes a sample storage section for accommodating a plurality of samples, a reagent storage section for accommodating a plurality of reagents, an analysis section for carrying out an analysis by reacting the sample with the reagent, a display, a storage section for storing a setting of an operation item to be automatically executed, which is effective only at restarting, and a control section which displays a screen for setting the operation item to be automatically executed upon acceptance of power shutdown operation by an operator during the analysis on the display to accept the setting from the operator, and automatically executes or omits execution of the operation item to be automatically executed, which has been set by the operator in accordance with the setting read from the storage section at the restarting.