# US 2023/0054331 A1 · Bench-top time of flight mass spectrometer > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2023/0054331 A1 - Document ID: US20230054331A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 17/059,809 - Filed: 2019-05-31 - Published: 2023-02-23 - Earliest claimed: 2018-05-31 - Assignees: Micromass UK Limited - Applicants: Micromass UK Limited - Inventors: Ruth Wamsley; William Johnson; Peter Spreadbury; Paul Doorbar; Michael Wilson - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20230054331A1 ## CPC - H01J 49/0022: {Portable spectrometers, e.g. devices comprising independent power supply, constructional details relating to portability (small scale devices per se H01J49/0013 and H01J49/0018)} - H01J 49/0027: {Methods for using particle spectrometers} - H01J 49/062: {Ion guides (linear ion traps performing mass selection H01J49/4225, mass filters H01J49/421)} - H01J 49/24: Vacuum systems, e.g. maintaining desired pressures - H01J 49/40: Time-of-flight spectrometers (H01J49/36 takes precedence) - H01J: ELECTRIC DISCHARGE TUBES OR DISCHARGE LAMPS (spark-gaps H01T; electric arc lamps H05B31/00; particle accelerators H05H) ## Abstract A start-up routine for a mass spectrometer is performed automatically upon switching ON the mass spectrometer. The mass spectrometer comprises a plurality of functional modules connected thereto, each module operable to perform a predetermined function of the mass spectrometer in use. The start-up routine comprises detecting which functional modules are present in the set of a plurality of functional modules connected to the mass spectrometer, and performing one or more steps of the start-up routine based upon the results of the detection. The mass spectrometer automatically determines whether configuration information is stored locally in respect of each one of the detected functional modules, and, for the or each one of the detected functional modules for which such information is found to be stored locally, automatically uses the information in configuring the mass spectrometer, and, for any detected functional module(s) for which such information is not found to be stored locally, automatically obtains configuration information for the detected functional module(s) from a remote server, and uses the information in configuring the mass spectrometer. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method of performing a start-up routine for a mass spectrometer, the start-up routine being performed automatically upon switching ON the mass spectrometer, wherein the mass spectrometer comprises a plurality of functional modules connected thereto, each module operable to perform a predetermined function of the mass spectrometer in use, and wherein the start-up routine comprises detecting which functional modules are present in the set of a plurality of functional modules connected to the mass spectrometer, and performing one or more steps of the start-up routine based upon the results of the detection. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the method comprises configuring the mass spectrometer based on the detected functional modules. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The method of claim 2, wherein the method comprises the mass spectrometer automatically determining whether configuration information is stored locally in respect of each one of the detected functional modules, and, for the or each one of the detected functional modules for which such information is found to be stored locally, automatically using the information in configuring the mass spectrometer, and, for any one or ones of the detected functional modules for which such information is not found to be stored locally, automatically obtaining configuration information for the one or ones of the detected functional modules from a remote server, and using the information in configuring the mass spectrometer. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein each of the functional modules is individually addressable and connected in a network in use, and the mass spectrometer comprises a scheduler operable to introduce discrete packets of instructions to the network at predetermined times to instruct at least one functional module to perform a predetermined operation. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the method comprises determining whether the detected functional modules correspond to an allowed combination of modules, and, where the detected functional modules do correspond to an allowed combination, continuing with the start-up routine, and, where the detected functional modules do not correspond to an allowed combination of modules, determining a fault state of the spectrometer. ### Claim 6 A mass spectrometer comprising a control system which is arranged to automatically perform a start-up routine for the mass spectrometer upon switching ON the mass spectrometer, wherein the mass spectrometer comprises a plurality of functional modules connected thereto, each module operable to perform a predetermined function of the mass spectrometer in use, and wherein the start-up routine comprises detecting which functional modules are present in the set of a plurality of functional modules connected to the mass spectrometer, and performing one or more steps of the start-up routine based upon the results of the detection. ### Claim 7 A method of performing a start-up routine for a mass spectrometer, the start-up routine being performed automatically upon switching ON the mass spectrometer, wherein the mass spectrometer comprises a mass analyser and ion optics for guiding ions from an ion source to the mass analyser in use; wherein the start-up routine comprises, when a first set of one or more conditions is met, putting the mass spectrometer into a power save mode, wherein the power save mode is a mode in which voltage is supplied to one or more components of the mass analyser, and voltage is not supplied to one or more components of the ion optics between the ion source and the mass analyser. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The method of claim 7, wherein the mass spectrometer is automatically switched to the power save mode before a pressure of a vacuum chamber housing the mass analyser has reached an operating level. ### Claim 9 (depends on 7) The method of claim 7, comprising pumping a vacuum chamber housing the mass analyser to reduce the pressure therein before switching the spectrometer to the power save mode, and continuing to pump the vacuum chamber after switching to the power save mode. ### Claim 10 (depends on 7) The method of claim 7, wherein the first set of one or more conditions includes a requirement that a pressure within a vacuum chamber housing the mass analyser has fallen below a first predetermined threshold, for example 1×10−5 mbar. ### Claim 11 (depends on 7) The method of claim 7, further comprising, subsequently, if a further set of one or more conditions is met, automatically putting the mass spectrometer into an operating mode, in which voltage is supplied to one or more components of both the mass analyser and the ion optics between the source and the mass analyser. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, wherein the further set of one or more conditions includes a requirement that there is no fault detected within the mass analyser within a predetermined period after the voltage supply to the one or more components of the mass analyser is switched on based on automatically monitoring of the current associated with one or more components of the mass analyser, wherein the method comprises automatically monitoring the current associated with one or more components of the mass analyser for a predetermined period after the voltage supply to the one or more components of the mass analyser is switched on to ensure there is no fault within the mass analyser. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, wherein the mass spectrometer is automatically switched from the power save mode to the operating mode when the pressure within a vacuum chamber housing the mass analyser falls below a second predetermined threshold, wherein the second predetermined threshold is lower than the first predetermined threshold, for example wherein the second predetermined threshold is 1×10−6 mbar. ### Claim 14 (depends on 7) The method of claim 7 wherein the mass spectrometer is configured such that it may be switched to a standby mode in which voltage is not supplied to any components of the mass analyser. ### Claim 15 (canceled) ### Claim 16 (canceled) ### Claim 17 (canceled) ### Claim 18 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the mass spectrometer comprises: a mass analyser and ion optics for guiding ions from an ion source to the mass analyser in use; a vacuum chamber housing at least a portion of the ion optics of the spectrometer, and a backing pump operable to pump the vacuum chamber; a pump associated with one or more other vacuum chambers of the spectrometer downstream of the vacuum chamber housing the at least a portion of the ion optics for reducing the pressure within the one or more other vacuum chambers, wherein the pump is operable to pump a vacuum chamber housing the mass analyser of the spectrometer, and one or more further vacuum chamber housing a respective further portion of the ion optics; the method comprising: operating the backing pump to reduce the pressure in the vacuum chamber housing the at least a portion of the ion optics; detecting when a backing pressure has decreased to a predetermined level, and then turning on the pump associated with the one or more other vacuum chambers of the spectrometer; the method further comprising putting the mass spectrometer into a power save mode when a first set of one or more conditions is met, wherein the power save mode is a mode in which voltage is supplied to one or more components of the mass analyser, and voltage is not supplied to one or more components of the ion optics between the source and the mass analyser; wherein the first set of one or more conditions includes a requirement that a pressure within the vacuum chamber housing the mass analyser has fallen below a first predetermined threshold; and automatically switching the mass spectrometer from the power save mode to an operating mode when it is determined that a further set of one or more conditions is met, wherein the further set of one or more conditions includes a requirement that the pressure within the vacuum chamber housing the mass analyser has fallen below a second predetermined threshold, wherein the second predetermined threshold is lower than the first predetermined threshold, wherein, in the operating mode, voltage is supplied to one or more components of the mass analyser and to one or more components of the ion optics between the source and the mass analyser. ### Claim 19 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, wherein the further set of one or more conditions additionally includes a requirement that the voltage supplied to one or more components of the mass analyser has stabilised within a predetermined time period. ### Claim 20 (depends on 18) The method of claim 18, wherein the mass spectrometer further comprises a plurality of functional modules connected thereto, each module operable to perform a predetermined function of the mass spectrometer in use, and, when the pump associated with the one or more other vacuum chambers of the spectrometer reaches a predetermined speed, detecting which functional modules are present in the set of a plurality of functional modules connected to the mass spectrometer, and performing one or more steps of the start-up routine based upon the results of the detection. ### Claim 21 (depends on 18) The method of claim 18, wherein the pump associated with the one or more other vacuum chambers of the spectrometer is a turbo pump, optionally wherein the method comprises turning on a pressure gauge of the mass analyser when a speed of the turbo pump relative to a maximum speed of the pump exceeds a predetermined threshold. ### Claim 22 (depends on 21) The method of claim 21, wherein the step of detecting the functional modules present is performed when a speed of the turbo pump relative to a maximum speed of the pump exceeds a predetermined threshold. ### Claim 23 (depends on 18) The method of claim 18, further comprising automatically monitoring the current associated with one or more components of the mass analyser for a predetermined period after the voltage supply to the mass analyser is switched on to determine whether there is a fault within the mass analyser. ### Claim 24 (canceled) ### Claim 25 (canceled) ### Claim 26 (canceled)