Automatic analysis device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2022018861-A1
Application number	US-201917312163-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Dec 13, 2019
Priority date	Feb 8, 2019
Publication date	Jan 20, 2022
Grant date	—

Abstract

Provided are a device and a method capable of determining an optimal retrieving condition of a specimen rack according to various situations, when an error occurs in any specimen among a plurality of specimens mounted on the specimen rack. When the error occurs in a specimen accommodated in a specimen container mounted on the specimen rack, conveyance of the specimen rack is controlled on the basis of information about the specimen having the error and a specimen accommodated in another specimen container on the specimen rack on which the specimen container with the specimen accommodated therein is mounted, and the retrieval condition of the specimen rack.

First claim

1 . An automatic analysis device comprising:
a conveyance line through which a specimen rack is conveyed on which a plurality of specimen containers in which a specimen to be analyzed is accommodated are mounted; a dispensing mechanism configured to dispense the specimen from the specimen container; a dispensing line on which the specimen rack is conveyed in and out from one end and conveyed to a dispensing position at which the specimen is dispensed from the specimen container by the dispensing mechanism; a rack standby unit having a slot in which the specimen rack is mountable, and configured to transfer the specimen rack between the one end of the conveyance line and one end of the dispensing line; an identification device configured to read information on a specimen in the specimen container mounted on the specimen rack to be conveyed to the conveyance line; a rack accommodating unit in which the specimen rack is accommodated at a position at which the specimen rack is removable; and a control unit, wherein the control unit is configured to when there is an error in a specimen accommodated in the specimen container mounted on the specimen rack, control the conveyance of the specimen rack based on information on the specimen in which the error occurs and information on a specimen accommodated in another specimen container in the specimen rack on which the specimen container accommodating the specimen is mounted, and a retrieval condition for retrieving a specimen rack in the rack accommodating unit.

2 . The automatic analysis device according to claim 1 , wherein
the error occurs based on a result of reading by the identification device or a result of dispensing by the dispensing mechanism.

3 . The automatic analysis device according to claim 1 , wherein
the control unit is configured to when there is the error, obtain a remaining time which is a time required for processing on a specimen accommodated in another specimen container in the specimen rack on which the sample container accommodating the specimen in which the error occurs is mounted, determine whether the obtained remaining time is within a preset allowable time range, and control the conveyance of the specimen rack based on a determination result and the retrieval condition.

4 . The automatic analysis device according to claim 3 , wherein
the control unit is configured to when the obtained remaining time is not within the preset allowable time range, retrieve the specimen rack in the rack accommodating unit at a time point when the error occurs.

5 . The automatic analysis device according to claim 3 , wherein
the control unit is configured to when there is an error in a specimen accommodated in the specimen container mounted on the specimen rack as a result of the reading by the identification device and the obtained remaining time is within the preset allowable time range, convey the specimen rack to the dispensing line.

6 . The automatic analysis device according to claim 3 , wherein
the control unit is configured to when there is an error in a specimen accommodated in the specimen container mounted on the specimen rack as a result of the dispensing by the dispensing mechanism and the obtained remaining time is within the preset allowable time range, continue dispensing of a specimen accommodated in another specimen container in the specimen rack.

7 . The automatic analysis device according to claim 3 , wherein
the control unit is configured to obtain the remaining time based on at least the number of analysis items requested for the specimen accommodated in the other specimen container and a time required for dispensing the specimen by the dispensing mechanism.

8 . The automatic analysis device according to claim 7 , wherein
when there are a plurality of dispensing lines, the control unit is configured to obtain the remaining time further based on a time required for moving the specimen rack from one dispensing line to another dispensing line via the specimen rack standby unit among the plurality of dispensing lines.

9 . The automatic analysis device according to claim 1 , wherein
the control unit is configured to when there is the error, determine whether patient information of the specimen in which the error occurs is the same as patient information of a specimen accommodated in another specimen container in the specimen rack on which the sample container accommodating the specimen in which the error occurs is mounted, and when the patient information are the same, obtain a remaining time which is a time required for processing on the specimen accommodated in the other specimen container in the specimen rack on which the sample container accommodating the specimen in which the error occurs is mounted, determine whether the obtained remaining time is within a preset allowable time range, and control the conveyance of the specimen rack based on the determination result and the retrieval condition.

10 . The automatic analysis device according to claim 1 , further comprising:
at least two analysis units each including the dispensing line and configured to analyze a component contained in the specimen, wherein the control unit is configured to when there is an error in a specimen accommodated in the specimen container mounted on the specimen rack as a result of the dispensing by the dispensing mechanism, determine whether an analysis request for a specimen accommodated in another specimen container in the specimen rack on which the sample container accommodating the specimen in which the error occurs is mounted is a request for the two or more analysis units, and when the request is the request for the two or more analysis units, obtain a remaining time, in an analysis unit in which the dispensing is being performed, which is a time required for processing on the specimen accommodated in the other specimen container in the specimen rack on which the sample container accommodating the specimen in which the error occurs is mounted, determine whether the obtained remaining time is within a preset allowable time range, and control the conveyance of the specimen rack based on the determination result and the retrieval condition.

11 . The automatic analysis device according to claim 9 , wherein
the control unit is configured to when the patient information is not the same, convey the specimen rack to the dispensing line.

12 . The automatic analysis device according to claim 1 , wherein
the control unit is configured to when there is the error, and when a specimen accommodated in another specimen container in the specimen rack on which the sample container accommodating the specimen in which the error occurs is mounted is an urgent specimen, control the conveyance of the specimen rack so as to prioritize analysis of the urgent specimen without retrieving the specimen rack in the rack accommodating unit at a time point when the error occurs.

13 . The automatic analysis device according to claim 1 , wherein
the control unit is configured to when there is the error, and when re-inspection is set for a specimen accommodated in another specimen container in the specimen rack on which the sample container accommodating the specimen in which the error occurs is mounted, control the conveyance of the specimen rack so as to prioritize analysis of the specimen for which the re-inspection is set without retrieving the specimen rack in the rack accommodating unit at a time point when the error occurs.

14 . A specimen conveyance method using an automatic analysis device,
the automatic analysis dev

Assignees

• Hitachi High Tech Corp

Inventors

• Setomaru Takeshi
• Mishima Hiroyuki

Classifications

• G01N35/00663

  of consumables · CPC title

• G01N35/00871

  Communications between instruments or with remote terminals · CPC title

• G01N2035/0094

  optimisation; experiment design · CPC title

• G01N35/04

  Details of the conveyor system {(G01N35/021 - G01N35/028 take precedence)} · CPC title

• G01N35/1009

  Characterised by arrangements for controlling the aspiration or dispense of liquids · CPC title