Fluid Handling Controller Power Failure Recovery

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Solution Overview

Problem

Automated fluid handling systems, such as liquid chromatography systems, face disruptions and sample loss due to power failures, requiring restarts that lead to unreliable results and reduced productivity.

Innovation Solution

An automated fluid handling system with a controller that monitors power sources, utilizes a backup power source to suspend operations during power shortages, saves process status information, and verifies the safety of resuming operations upon power restoration, allowing for automatic or user-confirmed resumption based on predefined settings.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If the system continues operation during power failure, then productivity is maintained, but reliable power supply cannot be ensured

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesystem throughputVSAvoidpower supply reliability

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary actions by saving operational status information to memory before power failure occurs. The controller continuously monitors power source input and preserves process state data, allowing the system to resume operation from the saved state rather than restarting entirely, thus maintaining productivity while ensuring power supply reliability through the backup power source.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

2Productivity

If the system restarts after power failure, then operation can continue, but sample loss occurs and time is lost

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesystem throughputVSAvoidsample loss

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSLoss of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The controller saves operational status information including sample position and process state before power failure. When power is restored, the system retrieves this saved information and resumes operation from the exact point where it was interrupted, preventing sample loss and eliminating the need to restart partially completed processes.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system implements feedback by continuously monitoring power source input and tracking operational status. The controller uses this feedback information to determine when to suspend operation and to resume operation from the correct state, ensuring that samples are not lost and process continuity is maintained.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

3Productivity

If the system restarts after power failure, then operation can continue, but time loss increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesystem throughputVSAvoidtime loss

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary actions by saving operational status information before power failure. This allows the system to resume operation immediately from the saved state rather than restarting entire processes, significantly reducing time loss and maintaining productivity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The backup power source enables continuous operation during power outages by maintaining power supply to the controller. The system can suspend operation during brief power failures and resume from the exact interruption point, ensuring continuity of useful action rather than requiring complete restarts.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #20Continuity of useful action

4Device complexity

If the system operates without backup power, then device complexity is reduced, but operation disruption occurs during power failure

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepower system complexityVSAvoidoperation continuity

Core Design Contradiction:

Device complexityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The system extracts the essential function of power continuity by using a backup power source that activates only when needed. The backup power source is connected in parallel with the main power supply, allowing the system to maintain operation continuity during power failures without significantly increasing overall device complexity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The backup power source acts as a cushion against power failures, providing preliminary protection before disruption occurs. This beforehand cushioning ensures operation continuity during power outages while adding minimal complexity to the power system architecture.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #11Beforehand cushioning (Prior cushioning)

Data Source

PatentUS10101347B2Automated fluid handling system

Publication Date: 2018.10.16 CYTIVA SWEDEN AB

AI summary

Automated fluid handling system comprising a controller arranged to control the operation of the fluid handling system in accordance with a predefined or user-defined operation process, the fluid handling system comprising a power source input for connection to an external power source, the fluid handling system comprising a back-up power source arranged to supply back-up power to the controller, wherein the controller is arranged to monitor the power source input andin response to a detected power shortage initialize suspend mode of operation powered by the back-up power source, and during suspend mode saving information relating to status of the operation process at the time of power shortagein response to a detected power up initialize a boot procedure comprising a verification if the boot procedure is initialized following a suspend mode or not:if the boot procedure is not initialized following a suspend mode, then proceed according to normal boot procedure to enable start of a new operation process, andif the boot procedure is initialized following a suspend mode, then perform a second verification based on the saved information to determine if the suspended operation process may be resumed or not.