Autonomous Measuring Device Control for Sequential Sample Testing
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing measuring devices require significant user expertise and manual intervention, leading to inefficiencies, especially when no user is present, as they need to be readjusted between measurements and can be time-consuming to adapt to unforeseen events or repeated measurements.
Innovation Solution
A method and device where a control device autonomously selects samples, establishes conditions, creates measured values, and updates a database, allowing for automated operation, reduced user burden, and increased efficiency by selecting samples based on previous conditions or measured values, and repeating measurements outside plausible ranges.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If measuring devices are used by multiple users or for consecutive measurements, then the device can serve more applications, but it requires manual readjustment between measurements which reduces efficiency
Solution Approach 1:
The control device autonomously selects samples and adjusts measurement parameters without requiring manual intervention. The system automatically determines which samples to examine next based on stored measurement conditions and criteria, enabling the measuring device to serve itself for consecutive measurements while maintaining adaptability to different measurement requirements
Solution Approach 2:
Measurement conditions and selection criteria are established in advance and stored in the control device. This preliminary setup allows the system to automatically proceed with subsequent measurements without requiring users to reconfigure settings, thereby maintaining versatility while improving productivity through automated sequential processing
2Adaptability or versatility
If users manually control the measuring device, then they can adapt to unforeseen events, but it requires significant user expertise and time which reduces efficiency
Solution Approach 1:
The control device automatically monitors measurement results and compares them against stored criteria and plausible ranges. When measurement values fall outside expected parameters, the system autonomously identifies and corrects potential errors or repeats measurements, providing adaptive response to unforeseen events without requiring user intervention or extensive expertise
Solution Approach 2:
The system independently handles unexpected measurement outcomes by automatically detecting errors, determining appropriate corrective actions, and executing remedial measurements. This self-correcting capability reduces both the time required to handle unforeseen events and the expertise level needed to operate the device
3Productivity
If the measuring device operates autonomously, then efficiency increases and user burden decreases, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The control device is designed to perform multiple functions: selecting samples, establishing measurement conditions, executing measurements, monitoring results, and automatically correcting errors. By consolidating these diverse functions into a single multi-functional control system, the patent achieves high productivity while managing complexity through functional integration rather than proliferation of separate components
4Measurement precision
If measurements are repeated for quality control, then measurement accuracy improves, but additional time is required which reduces productivity
Solution Approach 1:
The control device autonomously monitors measurement results and automatically determines when repetitions are necessary based on pre-established criteria. By intelligently selecting only those measurements that require repetition rather than universally repeating all measurements, the system maintains high measurement accuracy while minimizing the time penalty, thereby preserving productivity
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
AI summary
The present invention provides a method for controlling a measuring device (100) comprising the following process steps: selecting a sample to be examined, establishing the conditions under which the sample is to be examined by the measuring device (100), and generating measured values relating to the properties of the sample, wherein the process steps are autonomously controlled by a control unit (110). Furthermore, the present invention provides a measuring device capable of performing the aforementioned method.