Method and a system for installation of an instrument

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11321065-B2
Application number	US-201816486546-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 22, 2018
Priority date	Feb 23, 2017
Publication date	May 3, 2022
Grant date	May 3, 2022

Abstract

Disclosed is a method for automatic installation and setting up of an instrument (1), comprising the steps of: connecting (S1) the instrument (1) to a service software system (15) in a network (19) via a first communication interface (6); sending (S3) identification information (5) of the instrument (1) from the instrument to the service software system (15) via the first communication interface (6); recognizing (S5) in the service software system (15) at least one characteristic of the instrument (1) by analyzing the identification information (5); based on said at least one characteristic or identification information, creating (S7) by the service software system (15) dedicated high level control software (25) comprising parts of the control software needed for the instrument; based on said at least one characteristic or identification information, sending (S9) to the instrument (1) from the service software system (15) software to enable a second communication interface (16), and low level control software components needed for local control of the instrument, installing (S11) and configuring in the instrument the low level control software components received from the service software system; starting (S13) a built-in control software (9) in the instrument; using the (S15) the built-in control software in the instrument to access the high level control software dedicated for the instrument via the first, or a second communication interface (16), said built-in control software using the low level control software to monitor and control the instrument.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method for automatic installation and setting up of an instrument executed by a hardware processing device, the method comprising:
connecting the instrument to a service software system in a network via a first communication interface, wherein the instrument is a chromatography system, a filter system or a bioreactor;
sending identification information of the instrument from the instrument to the service software system via the first communication interface;
recognizing in the service software system at least one characteristic of the instrument by analyzing the identification information;
based on said identification information, remotely creating by the service software system customized high level control software comprising parts of the control software needed for the instrument, wherein creating the customized high level control software comprises configuring predefined software components into an integrated software solution;
determining one or more databases comprising data to be used with the customized high level control software;
providing access to the data in the one or more databases to the customized high level control software;
based on said identification information, sending to the instrument from the service software system a second communication interface, and low level control software components needed for local control of the instrument, installing and configuring in the instrument the low level control software components received from the service software system;
providing access to the data in the one or more databases to the low level control software components;
starting a built-in control software in the instrument;
using the built-in control software in the instrument to access the high level control software that is customized for the instrument via the first, or a second communication interface, said built-in control software using the low level control software components to monitor and control the instrument; and
central updating of the high level control software and low level control software components in the service software system by letting the service software system update the high level control software and low level control software components remotely.

2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein said method steps are performed in the hardware processing devices in the instrument, in the service software system and optionally also in the network.

3. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the step of sending to the instrument from the service software system further comprises sending configuration settings needed for the instrument.

4. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising the steps:
a user connecting client software to the high level control software and/or the service software system in the network; and
controlling and monitoring the instrument through the client software by the user.

5. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the instrument is an instrument requiring software installed in one or more computer(s) that allows data storage, control and monitoring of the instrument.

6. The method according to claim 1 , wherein connecting the instrument to a service software system in a network is performed automatically when a user powers the instrument whereby an address to the service software system is pre-programmed in a connect software of the instrument.

7. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one characteristic of the instrument recognized in the service software system is type of the instrument and/or capability of the instrument.

8. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising the step of providing dedicated high level control software and optionally dedicated data from the data bases for specific instrument into an installation package and make the installation package available for download for the local control and monitoring of the instrument.

9. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising one or more of the steps of providing:
subscription based software licensing;
subscription based monitoring for service purposes; and/or
remotely enabled trouble shooting.

10. An instrument to be controlled and monitored by a user, wherein said instrument comprises:
identification information specific for at least one characteristic of the instrument, wherein the instrument is a chromatography system, a filter system or a bioreactor;
built in control software; and
an instrument hardware processing device configured for performing the steps of:
connecting the instrument to a service software system in a network via a first communication interface;
sending said identification information of the instrument to the service software system via the first communication interface;
receiving from the service software system via the first or a second communication interface, low level control software components needed for the specific instrument, said low level control software components comprising parts of the control software needed for the specific instrument, wherein the low level control software components are remotely created by the service software system and are customized for the instrument, and wherein the instrument is permitted to access data in one or more databases comprising data to be used with the low level control software components;
installing and configuring in the instrument the low level control software components received from the service software system;
starting the built in control software in the instrument;
connecting the built-in control software in the instrument to high level control software comprising parts of the control software needed for the specific instrument in the network via the first or second communication interface, said built-in control software using the low level control software components to monitor and control the instrument, and wherein the instrument is permitted to access the data in one or more databases comprising data to be used with the high level control software and wherein creating the high level control software comprises configuring predefined software components into an integrated software solution; and

central updating of the high level control software and low level control software components by letting the service software system update high level control software and low level control software components remotely.

11. The instrument according to claim 10 , wherein the instrument hardware processing device further is configured for receiving from the service software system configuration settings needed for the specific instrument.

12. The instrument according to claim 10 , wherein the instrument is an instrument requiring software installed in one or more computer(s) that allows data storage, control and monitoring of the instrument.

13. The instrument according to claim 10 , wherein the instrument hardware processing device is configured for connecting the instrument to the service software system in the network automatically when a user turns the instrument on whereby an address to the service software system is pre-programmed in a connect software of the instrument.

14. The instrument according to claim 10 , wherein the instrument hardware processing device is configured for receiving software updates from the service software system.

15. A service software system provided in a network comprising at least one hardware processing device configured for performing the steps of:
receiving identification information of an instrument from the instrument via a first communication interface, wherein the instru

Assignees

• Cytiva Sweden Ab

Inventors

• Hyckenberg Key
• Karlsson Kjell
• Haggblad Par
• Engblom Niklas

Classifications

• G06F8/61 Primary

  Installation · CPC title

• G06F8/65

  Updates (security arrangements therefor G06F21/57) · CPC title

• G06F9/4411

  Configuring for operating with peripheral devices; Loading of device drivers · CPC title