# US 12,111,327 B2 · Automatic analyzer with a control unit for displaying background maintenance operation notifications > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,111,327 B2 - Document ID: US12111327B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/276,906 - Filed: 2019-11-13 - Published: 2021-11-18 - Granted: 2024-10-08 - Earliest claimed: 2018-12-06 - Assignees: Hitachi High-Tech Corporation - Applicants: Hitachi High-Tech Corporation - Inventors: Satoru Chida; Masashi Akutsu; Chikook Ha; Satoshi Yokotsuka - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12111327B2 ## CPC - G01N 35/00732: {Identification of carriers, materials or components in automatic analysers} - G01N 35/00623: {of instruments} - G01N 2035/00891: {Displaying information to the operator} - G01N 2035/009: {alarms, e.g. audible} - G01N 2035/0091: {GUI [graphical user interfaces]} - G01N: INVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIR CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES (measuring or testing apparatus or processes other than immunoassay, involving enzymes or microorganisms C12M, C12Q) ## Abstract The automatic analyzer is capable of performing other operations concurrently with a maintenance operation and notifying a user when a user action is required in executing maintenance and displaying guidance. Automatic analyzer includes analysis modules and that analyze a sample, a display device that displays information related to maintenance in the analyzer including the analysis modules and, and an overall management computer that controls a constant display area to be displayed on a display screen of the display device, in which when there is a need to notify a user of a maintenance status at a timing when the maintenance in the analyzer is executed in a background and a screen other than a maintenance screen is displayed on the display device, the overall management computer displays notification information on the screen including global areas and of the display device. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An automatic analyzer comprising: an analysis unit that analyzes a sample; a display device; and a control unit coupled to the display device, wherein the control unit is configured to: execute a maintenance operation of the analysis unit; control the display device to display a screen including a constant display area which includes a plurality of display items that do not change, and an information display area adjacent to the constant display area, and upon determining a notification of a maintenance status is necessary during the maintenance operation and while the information display area of the screen is displaying information other than maintenance operation information of the maintenance operation, control the information display area to display notification information of the maintenance operation on the screen of the display device. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The automatic analyzer according to claim 1, wherein one of the display items of the constant display area is button indicating the maintenance operation, and wherein the control unit is configured to cause the button to be is highlighted upon display of the notification information. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The automatic analyzer according to claim 2, wherein the control unit is configured to cause maintenance operation information to be displayed in the information display area upon determining the button is pressed. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The automatic analyzer according to claim 3, wherein an operation to be executed next by the user is displayed by the maintenance operation information. ### Claim 5 (depends on 3) The automatic analyzer according to claim 3, wherein the control unit is configured to cause a maintenance status screen including at least information of an execution status of the maintenance of the analysis unit to be displayed upon determining the button is pressed, and thereafter causes the maintenance operation information to be displayed. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The automatic analyzer according to claim 5, further comprising: at least two or more of the analysis units including the analysis unit, wherein the controller is configured to: execute respective maintenance operations on the at least two analysis units, cause the maintenance status screen to be displayed upon determining the button is pressed, and highlight one of the two or more analysis units that is subjected to the notification of the maintenance status. ### Claim 7 (depends on 4) The automatic analyzer according to claim 4, wherein the control unit is configured to display operation guide information is in the maintenance operation information in addition to the operation to be executed next by the user. ### Claim 8 (depends on 3) The automatic analyzer according to claim 3, further comprising: at least two analysis units including the analysis unit, wherein upon executing the maintenance operations of the two or more analysis units, an operation order of plurality of analysis units is instructed to the user in the maintenance operation information. ### Claim 9 (depends on 2) The automatic analyzer according to claim 2, wherein the highlight includes at least one of blinking the button or changing a display color of the button. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The automatic analyzer according to claim 1, wherein the control unit is configured to, in displaying the notification information, display a pop-up area on the constant display area. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The automatic analyzer according to claim 10, wherein the control unit is configured to display an operation to be executed next by the user in the pop-up area. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The automatic analyzer according to claim 11, further comprising: at least two analysis units including the analysis unit, wherein the control unit is configured to collectively display information of the two or more analysis units upon displaying the plurality of analysis units in the pop-up area. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The automatic analyzer according to claim 1, wherein the control unit is configured to display a selection screen for selecting how to notify the notification information. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The automatic analyzer according to claim 13, wherein the control unit is configured to, receive a selection of and register, via the selection screen, a plurality of notification methods. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The automatic analyzer according to claim 14, wherein the control unit is configured to, receive a selection of and register, via the selection screen, a notification order of the plurality of notification methods.