Lab Instrument Reservation Control Using Proxy Usage Data

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Solution Overview

Problem

Laboratories face challenges in managing instrument devices from multiple manufacturers due to proprietary data formats and irregular usage schedules, leading to inefficiencies and disruptions in experimental data collection, and high operational costs.

Innovation Solution

Utilization data from support devices is used as a proxy to determine instrument device utilization rates by generating structured data based on a modified database schema, allowing for querying and monitoring across various instrument types.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If proprietary data formats from multiple instrument manufacturers are used, then each instrument device can maintain its own data format, but the system complexity increases and coordination becomes difficult

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecompatibility across multiple instrument typesVSAvoiddata format diversity

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces a support device as an intermediary between instrument devices and the central system. The support device receives proprietary data from various instrument manufacturers and translates it into a unified data structure, eliminating the need for the central system to handle multiple proprietary formats directly.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

Instead of working with the original proprietary data formats from multiple manufacturers, the system creates a standardized copy or representation of the data through the support device's translation layer, allowing uniform processing across all instrument types.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #26Copying

2Ease of operation

If utilization data from support devices is used as a proxy, then data standardization is achieved, but the accuracy of instrument utilization measurement may be compromised

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedata standardizationVSAvoidutilization rate accuracy

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The system continuously monitors and compares the proxy utilization data from support devices against actual instrument usage patterns, allowing for feedback loops that refine the measurement accuracy over time while maintaining standardized data collection.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

Data Source

PatentUS20250356281A1Correlation of lab instrument usage with lab instrument reservations

Publication Date: 2025.11.20 REGENERON PHARMACEUTICALS INC

AI summary

Systems, methods, and computer-readable media for managing reservations and usage of laboratory equipment are disclosed. In an aspect, a method for managing reservations of laboratory equipment includes receiving a request to reserve the first instrument device from a first user. The method further includes receiving instrument device data indicating first reservation data, first usage data, second reservation data, and second usage data. The first reservation data indicates at least one reservation and usage data by the first user; the second reservation data indicates at least one reservation and second usage data by a second user. The method further includes controlling a functionality of the first instrument device based on a comparison of the first reservation data with at least one of the first usage data and the second usage data.