Optical Measuring Device Threshold Determination
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing optical measuring devices for immunochromatography face challenges in ensuring accuracy and preventing false positives due to temporal fluctuations in the degree of coloration of test lines, which can lead to erroneous determinations when measurements are taken before reaction completion time.
Innovation Solution
The optical measuring device employs a threshold-based determination system that requires consecutive measurements to exceed threshold values, uses a control line for pre-measurement validation, and adjusts thresholds to account for influences from other test lines, thereby ensuring accurate and reliable results.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If measurement is performed before reaction completion time to improve throughput, then productivity is improved, but measurement precision deteriorates due to temporal fluctuations in coloration degree
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements periodic measurements at multiple time points (first measurement at initial time, second measurement at subsequent time) rather than a single measurement. This periodic sampling approach allows the system to capture temporal fluctuations in coloration degree and identify stable positive results that persist across measurement cycles, thereby maintaining determination accuracy while enabling earlier termination of the testing process when confidence is sufficient.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses feedback from comparative analysis between first and second measurements to determine whether a positive result is reliable. When the coloration degree exceeds the threshold in both measurements, the system confirms a stable positive result. This feedback mechanism filters out transient fluctuations and ensures accurate determination, allowing the system to confidently terminate testing early when results are consistent.
2Productivity
If threshold-based determination is used to improve speed, then productivity is improved, but reliability deteriorates due to false positives from temporary fluctuations
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs threshold-based determination at multiple periodic time points rather than relying on a single threshold crossing. A false positive that occurs temporarily will not persist across multiple measurement cycles, so requiring threshold exceedance in both first and second measurements filters out transient false positives while maintaining rapid determination when results are genuinely positive.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent establishes a buffer mechanism by requiring consistent threshold exceedance across multiple measurements before confirming a positive result. This beforehand cushioning approach prevents premature determination based on temporary fluctuations, reducing false positives while maintaining fast determination speed for genuine positive cases that show consistent threshold exceedance.
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
This approach allows for rapid and accurate determination of immunochromatographic test pieces by minimizing the impact of temporary fluctuations and false positives, ensuring high accuracy and reliability in test results.
Implementation Method 1
an optical head that performs irradiation of measurement light and measurement of reflected light
Implementation Method 2
a pigment labeled with fluorescence
Data Source
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AI summary
An optical measuring device (1) includes a measuring unit (an optical head (2) and a control unit (3)) that irradiates a detection portion (16) of an immunochromatographic test piece (K) with measurement light and measures light obtained from the detection portion (16) due to the irradiation with the measurement light, and a determination unit (4) that performs a determination regarding the immunochromatographic test piece (K) on the basis of a determination according to a comparison of a measurement value obtained by the measuring unit with a preset threshold value, the measuring unit performs the measurement of the light obtained from the detection portion (16) a plurality of times, and the determination unit (4) performs a determination regarding the immunochromatographic test piece (K) when the determination unit determines that a measurement value in an nth measurement is equal to or greater than the threshold value and also determines that a measurement value in an (n + 1)th measurement is equal to or greater than the threshold value.