# US 12,112,846 B2 · Electronic laboratory metering system for liquids and method for operating an electronic laboratory metering system for liquids

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- Number: US 12,112,846 B2
- Document ID: US12112846B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 16/981,011
- Filed: 2019-03-12
- Published: 2021-04-15
- Granted: 2024-10-08
- Earliest claimed: 2018-03-16
- Assignees: Eppendorf AG
- Applicants: Eppendorf AG
- Inventors: Jan-Hendrik Hacker; Peter Molitor
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12112846B2

## CPC

- B01L 3/0237: {Details of electronic control, e.g. relating to user interface}
- G16H 40/20: for the management or administration of healthcare resources or facilities, e.g. managing hospital staff or surgery rooms
- B01L 3/0293: {for liquids}
- B01L 9/54: {Supports specially adapted for pipettes and burettes}
- G01N 35/1016: {Control of the volume dispensed or introduced}
- G05B 15/00: Systems controlled by a computer (G05B13/00, G05B19/00 take precedence; automatic controllers with particular characteristics G05B11/00)
- G16H 10/40: for data related to laboratory analysis, e.g. patient specimen analysis
- G16H 40/40: for the management of medical equipment or devices, e.g. scheduling maintenance or upgrades
- G16H 40/67: for remote operation
- G16H 70/20: relating to practices or guidelines
- B01L 2200/143: Quality control, feedback systems
- B01L 2300/022: Transponder chips
- B01L 2300/023: Sending and receiving of information, e.g. using Bluetooth®
- G01N 2035/1025: {Fluid level sensing}
- B01L: CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL LABORATORY APPARATUS FOR GENERAL USE
- G16H: HEALTHCARE INFORMATICS, i.e. INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY [ICT] SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR THE HANDLING OR PROCESSING OF MEDICAL OR HEALTHCARE DATA
- 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)
- G05B: CONTROL OR REGULATING SYSTEMS IN GENERAL; FUNCTIONAL ELEMENTS OF SUCH SYSTEMS; MONITORING OR TESTING ARRANGEMENTS FOR SUCH SYSTEMS OR ELEMENTS (systems for controlling or regulating non-electric variables G05D; systems for regulating electric or magnetic variables G05F; control devices or systems insofar as characterised by mechanical features only G05G)

## Abstract

An electronic laboratory metering system for liquids includes an electrical hand-held metering device (2) having at least one operation sensor unit (5) that detects operation of the hand-held metering device (2) and generates operating data and stores same in a storage apparatus (6), wherein the hand-held metering device (2) has an interface module (7) for connecting the hand-held metering device (2) to an external network access apparatus (4) for transferring the operating data; the metering system (1), specifically a data processing system (3), has a comparison unit (9) to compare operating data with target operating data and/or to compare context parameter data from the context parameter sensor unit (8) with target context parameter data and to generate a comparison result. The metering system (1) includes a documentation unit (10) designed to generate and store log data records including at least the operating data and/or the context parameter data. The documentation unit (10) is connected to the comparison unit (9) to transmit the comparison results from the comparison unit (9) to the documentation unit (10) and the documentation unit (10) stores the comparison results as part of the log data records to be assigned to the relevant operating data and/or context parameter data, to add to same after operation of the hand-held metering device (2) has ended.

## Claims

### Claim 1

An electronic laboratory metering system (1) for liquids, comprising:
at least one electrical handheld metering device (2) having at least one operation sensor unit (5) detecting the operation of the handheld metering device (2) and generating corresponding operating data and, the handheld metering device (2) having an interface module (7) by means of which the handheld metering device (2) can be connected to an external network access device (4) via a data connection, the network access device (4) being data-connectable to an external data processing system (3), the data processing system (3) being data-connectable to at least one context parameter sensor unit (8) (a) at least indirectly detecting the operation of the handheld metering device (2) and/or (b) detecting environmental operating conditions of the handheld metering device (2), and generating context parameter data therefrom, the data processing system (3) having a comparison unit (9, 29) configured at least (a) to compare operating data of the operation sensor unit (5) with target operating data and/or (b) to compare context parameter data of the at least one context parameter sensor unit (8) with target context parameter data, and to generate a comparison result,
wherein
the metering system (1) comprises a documentation unit (10) which is configured to generate and to store protocol data sets relating to the operation of the at least one handheld metering device (2), the documentation unit (10) being connected to the comparison unit (9, 29) in such a manner that the comparison results of the comparison unit (9, 29) can be transmitted to the documentation unit (10) and the documentation unit (10) is configured to store the comparison results as part of the protocol data sets.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The metering system according to claim 1, wherein the handheld metering device (2) further comprises at least one output unit (17) for outputting user instructions and/or user information, the output unit (17) being connected to the comparison unit (9, 29) in such a manner that comparison results, comprising a deviation of the data from the target data identified in the course of the comparison, are directly outputted.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The metering system according to claim 1, wherein the at least one context parameter sensor unit (8) is configured to detect static and/or dynamic context parameters.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The metering system according to claim 1, wherein
the at least one context parameter sensor unit (8) is connected to a classification unit (16) of the data processing system (3), wherein the classification unit (16) is configured to classify the detected operation of the handheld metering device (2) and/or the detected environmental operating conditions, wherein a context parameter can be derived from the classification and/or context parameter data can be generated by means of the classification.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The metering system according to claim 1, wherein the data processing system (3) further comprises a documentation storage device (18) which is configured to store and/or to catalog protocol data sets.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The metering system according to claim 5, wherein the data processing system (3) further comprises at least one evaluation unit (20) which is connected to the documentation storage device (18) and which is configured to evaluate protocol data sets and/or to compare protocol data sets and which can output results from the evaluation via an output interface (21), for further processing by the metering system.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The metering system according to claim 1, wherein the data processing system (3) further comprises a conversion device (19) which is configured to convert the protocol data sets into a data format of an electronic laboratory journal or to embed the protocol data sets into laboratory information management systems.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The metering system according to claim 1, wherein the data processing system (3) further comprises a programming unit (22) for defining work routines and/or for defining device parameters of a parameter unit (23) of the handheld metering device (2), the programming unit (22) being configured to generate and to store target operating data and/or target context parameter data based on defined work routines and/or device parameters.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The metering system according to claim 1, wherein the network access device (4) further comprises a fastening device (13) for the detachable fastening of at least one handheld metering device (2).

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The metering system according to claim 1, wherein the context parameter sensor unit (8) is configured to duplicate or to detect a measured value or an output signal of a laboratory liquid measuring device (24).

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

The metering system according to claim 1, wherein the operation sensor unit (5) stores said operating data in a storage device (6) of the handheld metering device (2), wherein the handheld metering device (2) can be connected to the external network access device (4) for transmitting the operating data, wherein the data processing system (3) has the comparison unit (9), wherein the comparison result is a deviation of the data from the target data identified in the course of the comparison, wherein the protocol data sets comprise at least the operating data and/or the context parameter data, and wherein the documentation unit (10) is configured to store the comparison results as part of the protocol data sets in a manner assigned to the corresponding operating data and/or context parameter data to add to said comparison results after an operation of the handheld metering device (2) has ended.