Multiple times available drug concentration measuring apparatus and method

A multiple times available drug concentration measuring apparatus comprising:

• a sample input unit configured to allow a liquid drug sample to be introduced therethrough;
• a dilution unit configured to add a solvent to a portion of the liquid drug sample in order to dilute the liquid drug sample;
• a concentration measurement unit configured to measure a concentration of the liquid drug sample, wherein the concentration measurement unit includes a plurality of sensors;
• and
• a control unit configured to decide a dilution ratio of the liquid drug sample based on data received from the concentration measurement unit, to control the dilution unit to dilute the liquid drug sample according to the dilution ratio, and to calculate a concentration of the liquid drug sample based on the dilution ratio and the data received from the concentration measurement unit,
• wherein the control unit is configured to:
• determine an upper limit of a concentration range that can be measured by the sensors of the plurality of sensors, and the upper limit of the concentration range is determined by:
• comparing an output value of a first sensor of the plurality of sensors that has measured a standard sample having a first highest concentration with an output value of a second sensor that has measured the standard sample having a second highest concentration which is lower than the first highest concentration;
• comparing the output value of the second sensor with an output value of a third sensor of the plurality of sensory that has measured the standard sample having a third highest concentration which is lower than the second highest concentration;
• in response to determining the sensors of the plurality of sensors are saturated, resetting the concentration of the standard sample so as to have a lower concentration, wherein the sensors of the plurality of sensors are determined to be saturated based on one or more of the output values of the first sensor and the second sensor or the output values of the second sensor and the third sensor being equal to each other;
• and
• in response to one or more of the output values of the first sensor, the second sensor, or the third sensor being lower than the other sensors of the plurality of sensors, determining the concentration of the standard sample exposed to the sensor of the plurality of sensors having a lower output value as the upper limit of the concentration range that can be measured by the sensors of the plurality of sensors;
• determine, based on the data received from the concentration measurement unit whether the concentration of the liquid drug sample exposed to a fourth sensor of the plurality of sensors, exceeds the upper limit of the concentration range;
• in response to determining the concentration of the liquid drug sample exposed to the fourth sensor of the plurality of sensors exceeds the upper limit of the concentration range, control the dilution unit to dilute the liquid drug sample exposed to the sensor at a predetermined ratio and the concentration measurement unit to measure the concentration of the diluted liquid drug sample received from the dilution unit using a fifth sensor of the plurality of sensors, and repeats determining whether the concentration of the diluted liquid drug sample exceeds the upper limit of the concentration range, dilution of the liquid drug sample, and measurement of the concentration of the diluted liquid drug sample;
• and
• in response to determining the concentration of the liquid drug sample exposed to the fourth sensor of the plurality of sensors is less than or equal to the upper limit of the concentration range, calculate the concentration of the liquid drug that has not been diluted using a dilution ratio obtained as a result of repeated dilution.