Intelligent Laboratory Lockbox With Active Cooling and Pickup Tracking
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Solution Overview
Problem
Laboratories face challenges in maintaining proper storage conditions and tracking specimens during transport, as current lockboxes often fail to regulate temperature effectively and lack communication with other systems, leading to potential sample integrity issues and missed pickups.
Innovation Solution
An intelligent laboratory lockbox system with a vault unit and base unit that self-regulates temperature and includes sensors to monitor specimen presence, communicating with remote systems to optimize pickup workflows and ensure specimen integrity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If simple cooler-type lockboxes with gel packs are used, then device complexity is reduced, but temperature control reliability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces passive mechanical cooling systems (gel packs) with an active electronic cooling system consisting of a compressor, evaporator, and temperature sensor. This substitution enables reliable temperature control while maintaining reasonable device complexity through integrated design.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements a feedback control mechanism where temperature sensors continuously monitor the lockbox interior temperature and send signals to a control unit, which adjusts the cooling mechanism accordingly. This closed-loop feedback ensures reliable temperature maintenance despite varying external conditions.
2Device complexity
If manual tracking of specimens is used, then system complexity is reduced, but information loss increases
Solution Approach 1:
The lockbox system performs self-tracking by automatically detecting specimen presence through weight sensors and communicating location/status information to remote systems without requiring manual intervention. This eliminates information loss while keeping the system relatively simple.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces manual tracking methods with electronic communication systems that automatically transmit specimen location, status, and temperature data to remote computing devices, eliminating information loss through automated data exchange.
3Device complexity
If basic lockboxes without communication capabilities are used, then device complexity is reduced, but loss of information increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent integrates multiple functions into a single communication system that handles specimen tracking, temperature monitoring, and status notification simultaneously. This multi-functional approach minimizes additional complexity while preventing information loss.
Solution Approach 2:
The system continuously communicates specimen status and location information to remote systems through integrated communication modules, enabling real-time information exchange without adding significant complexity to the overall system.
4Ease of operation
If fixed pickup workflows are used, then ease of operation is improved, but productivity deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transforms fixed pickup workflows into dynamic, adaptive schedules that automatically adjust based on real-time lockbox status, specimen availability, and location data. This dynamic approach maintains ease of operation through automated decision-making while significantly improving pickup efficiency.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses real-time feedback from lockbox sensors and communication modules to automatically optimize pickup workflows, adjusting schedules and routes based on actual conditions to maximize productivity while maintaining operational simplicity.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The system maintains appropriate storage temperatures, improves specimen tracking, reduces missed pickups, and enhances client satisfaction through efficient route optimization and communication with EHR systems.
Implementation Method 1
at least one temperature sensor configured to measure an internal temperature of the vault unit
Implementation Method 2
cooling mechanism configured within the base unit and configured to, based on at least the internal temperature received from the at least one temperature sensor, activate cooling functions to self-regulate the internal temperature to a first temperature
Data Source
AI summary
Systems and methods provide for an intelligent laboratory lockbox. The intelligent laboratory lockbox includes a vault unit and one or more presence sensors configured to detect a presence of a specimen within the one or more compartments of the vault unit. The presence sensor(s) may generate a load status based on sensing a specimen in the vault unit, wherein the load status includes one of a loaded status or an unloaded status. A control unit is operably connected to at least the vault unit and the one or more presence sensors. The control unit is configured to modify a specimen pickup workflow based on the load status.