# US 8,772,037 B2 · Analysis assisting method, analyzer, remote computer, data analyzing method, program, and reagent container > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 8,772,037 B2 - Document ID: US8772037B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 11/632,710 - Filed: 2005-07-22 - Published: 2007-11-01 - Granted: 2014-07-08 - Earliest claimed: 2004-07-22 - Assignees: Wako Pure Chemical Industries, Ltd. - Applicants: Masahiro Satomura; Hishiri Komiyama - Inventors: Masahiro Satomura; Hishiri Komiyama - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8772037B2 ## CPC - G01N 35/00663: {of consumables} - G01N 1/28: Preparing specimens for investigation {including physical details of (bio-)chemical methods covered elsewhere, e.g. G01N33/50, C12Q}(mounting specimens on microscopic slides G02B21/34; means for supporting the objects or the materials to be analysed in electron microscopes H01J37/20 {; laboratory gas handling apparatus B01L5/00}) - G01N 35/00732: {Identification of carriers, materials or components in automatic analysers} - G01N 35/00871: {Communications between instruments or with remote terminals} - G16H 10/40: for data related to laboratory analysis, e.g. patient specimen analysis - B01L 3/545: {for laboratory containers} - G01N 2035/00673: {of reagents} - G01N 2035/00782: {reprogrammmable code} - G01N 2035/00811: {consumable or exchangeable components other than sample carriers, e.g. detectors, flow cells} - G01N 2035/00841: {results of the analyses} - G01N 2035/00851: {process control parameters} - Y10T 436/11: Automated chemical analysis - Y10T 436/115831: Condition or time responsive - Y10T 436/12: Condition responsive control - 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) - G16H: HEALTHCARE INFORMATICS, i.e. INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY [ICT] SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR THE HANDLING OR PROCESSING OF MEDICAL OR HEALTHCARE DATA - B01L: CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL LABORATORY APPARATUS FOR GENERAL USE - Y10T: TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION ## Abstract In an analysis system having an analysis apparatus using a reagent container having a memory to store reagent information concerning the reagent in the reagent container and a remote computer, the following steps are executed: reading out the reagent information from the memory of the reagent container; judging, based on the read reagent information, whether or not the reagent in the reagent container is usable; when it is judged that the reagent in the reagent container is unusable, writing data representing the reagent is unusable into the memory of the reagent container; and when it is judged that the reagent in the reagent container is unusable, registering the data representing the reagent is unusable, into a reagent database managed by the remote computer in association with identification information to identify the reagent container. Thus, it is possible to automatically identify the reagent, which should not be used, and to manage the reagent not so as to use it for the analysis. In addition, it is possible to use the data for the enhancement of the business efficiency such as the automatic order of the reagent, the stock management in the manufacturer and the like. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An analysis support method executed by an analysis system having an analysis apparatus and a remote computer, the analysis support method comprising: reading reagent information concerning a reagent in a reagent container from a memory included in the reagent container, the reagent container being used by the analysis apparatus; first judging whether the reagent in the reagent container is usable based on the read reagent information; upon judging an unusable condition of the reagent by the first judging, writing data representing that the reagent is unusable into the memory included in the reagent container, and registering the data representing that the reagent is unusable into a reagent database managed by the remote computer connected with the analysis apparatus in association with identification information to identify the reagent container; second judging whether there is an abnormal state for a specimen of an analysis using the reagent in the reagent container according to an abnormal detection condition for the specimen; writing data relating to a result of the analysis of the specimen into the memory, the data relating to the result of the analysis of the specimen including information concerning a presence or absence of the abnormal state judged by the second judging; and storing the data relating to the analysis of the specimen into an analysis result data storage managed by the remote computer. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The analysis support method as set forth in claim 1, further comprising: upon judging a usable condition by the first judging, third judging, by the remote computer, whether the reagent in the reagent container is usable based on a condition identified from utilization results of reagents having a predetermined relation with the reagent in the reagent container; and upon the third judging that the reagent in the reagent container is unusable, writing the data representing that the reagent is unusable into the memory included in the reagent container. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The analysis support method as set forth in claim 1, further comprising: third judging, by the remote computer, whether the analysis apparatus is in an abnormal state based on analysis apparatus information concerning an operation state of the analysis apparatus. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The analysis support method as set forth in claim 1, further comprising: third judging, by the remote computer, whether there is an abnormal state for an entire result of the analysis of the specimen by using the data relating to the result of the analysis for each specimen in a plurality of specimens. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The analysis support method as set forth in claim 4, further comprising: upon the third judging of the abnormal state for the entire result of the analysis, presuming, by the remote computer, a cause of the abnormal state by using the data relating to the result of the analysis for each specimen in the plurality of specimens; and presenting data concerning a presence or absence of the abnormal state for the entire result of the analysis and data concerning the presumed cause of the abnormal state for a user of the analysis apparatus. ### Claim 6 An analysis support method executed by an analysis system having an analysis apparatus and a remote computer, said analysis support method comprising: reading reagent information concerning a reagent in a reagent container from a memory included in the reagent container, the reagent container being used by the analysis apparatus; first judging whether the reagent in the reagent container is usable based on the read reagent information; upon judging an unusable condition of the reagent by the first judging, writing data representing that the reagent is unusable into the memory included in the reagent container, and registering the data representing that the reagent is unusable into a reagent database managed by the remote computer connected with the analysis apparatus in association with identification information to identify the reagent container; writing data relating to a result of an analysis of a specimen using the reagent in the reagent container into the memory; storing the data relating to the result of the analysis into an analysis result data storage managed by the remote computer; and second judging whether there is an abnormal state for an entire result of the analysis of the specimen by using the data relating to the result of the analysis for each specimen in a plurality of specimens. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The analysis support method as set forth in claim 6, further comprising: upon judging a usable condition by the first judging, third judging, by the remote computer, whether the reagent in the reagent container is usable based on a condition identified from utilization results of reagents having a predetermined relation with the reagent in the reagent container; and upon the third judging that the reagent in the reagent container is unusable, writing the data representing that the reagent is unusable into the memory included in the reagent container. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The analysis support method as set forth in claim 7, further comprising: fourth judging, by the remote computer, whether the analysis apparatus is in an abnormal state based on analysis apparatus information concerning an operation state of the analysis apparatus. ### Claim 9 (depends on 6) The analysis support method as set forth in claim 6, further comprising: fifth judging, by the remote computer, whether there is an abnormal state according to an abnormal detection condition for the specimen of the analysis, and the data relating to the result of the analysis including information concerning a presence or absence of the abnormal state judged at the fifth judging. ### Claim 10 (depends on 6) The analysis support method as set forth in claim 6, further comprising: upon the second judging that there is an abnormal state for the entire result of the analysis, presuming, by the remote computer, a cause of the abnormal state by using the data relating to the result of the analysis for each specimen in the plurality of specimens; and presenting data concerning a presence or absence of the abnormal state for the entire result of the analysis and data concerning the presumed cause of the abnormal state for a user of the analysis apparatus.