Sterilization indicator reading apparatus with a color sensor

A sterilization indicator reading apparatus, comprising:

• a housing comprising a top portion, a bottom portion, and a major side portion;
• a well formed from a portion of the housing, accessible from the top portion, and oriented along a well axis from the top portion to the bottom portion, the well dimensioned to receive at least a portion of a sterilization indicator having spores that are responsive to an environmental condition in a sterilizer and a substance fluorescently responsive to spore concentration;
• a heating element thermally coupled to a portion of the well;
• and
• a first printed circuit board that forms a first plane that is oriented parallel with the well axis, the first printed circuit board having disposed thereon;
• a fluorescence excitation source configured to excite the fluorescently responsive substance of the sterilization indicator,
• a white light source configured to direct white light into the sterilization indicator;
• a color sensor positioned adjacent to the well;
• and
• a controller circuit comprising:
• a processor, and
• a memory communicatively coupled to the processor, the memory comprising instructions that when executed by the processor, causes the processor to:
• determine whether the sterilization indicator is activated based on a medium color of the sterilization indicator;
• activate a fluorescence light source for a first time period;
• activate the white light source for a second time period;
• receive a first reading from the color sensor to determine presence of the sterilization indicator in the well;
• receive a second reading from the color sensor to determine state of activation of the sterilization indicator;
• determine activation status of the sterilization indicator based on a first plurality of color channels;
• and
• deactivate the white light source in response to the sterilization indicator being activated, wherein the heating element, the fluorescence excitation source, white light excitation source, and a color sensor are communicatively coupled to the processor;
• wherein the heating element, fluorescence excitation source, white light excitation source, and the color sensor are communicatively coupled to the processor.

A sterilization indicator reading apparatus, comprising:

• a housing comprising a top portion, a bottom portion, and a major side portion;
• a well formed from a portion of the housing, accessible from the top portion, and oriented along a well axis from the top portion to the bottom portion, the well dimensioned to receive at least a portion of a sterilization indicator having spores that are responsive to an environmental condition in a sterilizer and a substance fluorescently responsive to spore concentration;
• a heating element thermally coupled to a portion of the well;
• and
• a first printed circuit board that forms a first plane that is oriented parallel with the well axis, the first printed circuit board having disposed thereon;
• a fluorescence excitation source configured to excite the fluorescently responsive substance of the sterilization indicator;
• a white light source configured to direct white light into the sterilization indicator;
• a color sensor, configured to detect at least one of:
• the sterilization indicator being positioned in the well with a medium not being present in a lower portion of an indicator chamber, and
• the sterilization indicator being positioned in the well with the medium being present in the lower portion of the indicator chamber;
• and
• a controller circuit comprising:
• a processor;
• and
• a memory communicatively coupled to the processor, the memory comprising instructions that when executed by the processor, causes the processor to:
• determine whether the sterilization indicator is activated based on a medium color of the sterilization indicator;
• activate a fluorescence light source for a first time period;
• activate the white light source for a second time period;
• receive a first reading from the color sensor to determine presence of the sterilization indicator in the well;
• receive a second reading from the color sensor to determine state of activation of the sterilization indicator;
• determine activation status of the sterilization indicator based on a first plurality of color channels;
• and
• deactivate the white light source in response to the sterilization indicator being activated, wherein the heating element, the fluorescence excitation source, white light excitation source, and a color sensor are communicatively coupled to the processor;
• wherein the heating element, the fluorescence excitation source, white light excitation source, and a color sensor are communicatively coupled to the processor.