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US 8,894,930 B2Granted
Specimen processing device and specimen processing method
AssigneeSysmex Corporation
InventorToru Mizumoto
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A specimen processing device is disclosed that comprises: a processing unit configured to aspirate a specimen from a specimen container accommodating the specimen, and to process the aspirated specimen; a state transition section configured to make the processing unit undergo transition to a pause state; an instruction accepting section configured to accept an instruction to start processing of the specimen when the processing unit is in the pause state; and a pause state releasing section configured to release the processing unit from the pause state to make the processing unit perform the processing of specimen when the instruction to start the processing is accepted by the instruction accepting section. A specimen processing method using a specimen processing device is also disclosed.
Claims25
A specimen processing device comprising:
- a conveyance unit configured to convey a specimen container accommodating a specimen;
- a processing unit configured to aspirate the specimen by a nozzle from the specimen container conveyed by the conveyance unit, and to process the aspirated specimen, the processing unit including the nozzle, a fluid unit and a pneumatic source respectively connected to the nozzle and the fluid unit, the pneumatic source comprising a positive pressure source and a negative pressure source;
- an instruction accepting section configured to receive an input by a user and output an instruction to start processing of the specimen;
- a sensor configured to detect existence of the specimen container at a position on a conveyance path on which the conveyance unit conveys the specimen container, and output a detection signal;
- and
- a controller programmed to perform instructions comprising:
- upon detection of no operation of the processing unit for a predetermined time, controlling the processing unit to undergo transition to a pause state, the pause state being a state in which supply of power to the pneumatic source is stopped;
- and
- releasing the processing unit from the pause state to make the processing unit perform the processing of specimen in response to receiving the instruction to start the processing of the specimen is accepted;
- from the instruction accepting section or in response to receiving the detection signal from the sensor;
- and
- controlling the conveyance unit to convey the specimen container based on receiving the detection signal from the sensor,
- wherein the fluid unit comprises a chamber connected to a reagent container accommodating a reagent through a flow path, the pneumatic source respectively supplies pressure to the nozzle and the fluid unit, the nozzle aspirates the specimen and supplies the aspirated specimen to the chamber by the pressure of the pneumatic source, and the reagent is supplied to the chamber by the pressure of the pneumatic source.
10 more elements
A specimen processing device comprising:
- a conveyance unit configured to convey a specimen container accommodating a specimen;
- a processing unit configured to aspirate the specimen by a nozzle from the specimen container conveyed by the conveyance unit, and to process the aspirated specimen, the processing unit including the nozzle, a fluid unit and a pneumatic source respectively connected to the nozzle and the fluid unit, the pneumatic source comprising a positive pressure source and a negative pressure source;
- a sensor configured to detect existence of the specimen container at a predetermined position on a conveyance path on which the conveyance unit conveys the specimen, and output a detection signal;
- and
- a controller programmed to perform instructions comprising:
- upon detection of no operation of the processing unit for a predetermined time, controlling the processing unit to undergo transition to a pause state, the pause state being a state in which supply of power to the pneumatic source is stopped;
- receiving the detection signal from the sensor;
- and
- releasing the processing unit from the pause state in response to receiving the detection signal from the sensor,
- wherein the fluid unit comprises a chamber connected to a reagent container accommodating a reagent through a flow path, the pneumatic source respectively supplies pressure to the nozzle and the fluid unit, the nozzle aspirates the specimen and supplies the aspirated specimen to the chamber by the pressure of the pneumatic source, and the reagent is supplied to the chamber by the pressure of the pneumatic source.
7 more elements
A specimen-processing device comprising:
- a conveyance unit configured to convey a specimen container accommodating a specimen;
- a processing unit configured to aspirate the specimen by a nozzle from the specimen container conveyed by the conveyance unit, and to process the aspirated specimen, the processing unit including the nozzle, a fluid unit and a pneumatic source respectively connected to the nozzle and the fluid unit, the pneumatic source comprising a positive pressure source and a negative pressure source;
- an instruction accepting section configured to receive an input by a user and output an instruction to start processing of the specimen;
- and
- a controller programmed to perform instructions comprising:
- upon detection of no operation of the processing unit for a predetermined time, controlling the processing unit to undergo transition to a pause state, the pause state being a state in which supply of power to the pneumatic source is stopped, whereby power consumption of the pneumatic source and noises caused by driving the pneumatic source are reduced;
- receiving, from the instruction accepting section, the instruction to start processing of the specimen when the processing unit is in the pause state;
- and
- releasing the processing unit from the pause state to make the processing unit perform the processing of specimen in response to receiving the instruction to start the processing is accepted, whereby aspirating the specimen and processing the aspirated specimen can be performed without an additional instruction subsequent to the instruction to start processing of the specimen,
- wherein the fluid unit comprises a chamber connected to a reagent container accommodating a reagent through a flow path, the pneumatic source respectively supplies pressure to the nozzle and the fluid unit, the nozzle aspirates the specimen and supplies the aspirated specimen to the chamber by the pressure of the pneumatic source, and the reagent is supplied to the chamber by the pressure of the pneumatic source.
7 more elements
A specimen processing device comprising:
- a conveyance unit configured to convey a specimen container accommodating a specimen;
- a processing unit configured to aspirate the specimen by a nozzle from the specimen container conveyed by the conveyance unit, and to process the aspirated specimen, the processing unit including the nozzle, a fluid unit and a pneumatic source respectively connected to the nozzle and the fluid unit, the pneumatic source comprising a positive pressure source and a negative pressure source;
- an instruction accepting section configured to receive an input by a user and output an instruction to start processing of the specimen;
- a sensor configured to detect existence of the specimen container at a position on a conveyance path on which the conveyance unit conveys the specimen container, and output a detection signal;
- and
- a controller programmed to perform instructions comprising:
- upon detection of no operation of the processing unit for a predetermined time, controlling the processing unit to undergo transition to a pause state, the pause state being a state in which supply of power to the pneumatic source is stopped, whereby power consumption of the pneumatic source and noises caused by driving the pneumatic source are reduced;
- receiving selection of one of a first mode of operation and a second mode of operation, wherein the selection of the first mode is performed by receiving, from the instruction accepting section, the instruction to start processing of the specimen when the processing unit is in the pause state and the selection of the second mode is performed by receiving the detection signal from the sensor when the processing unit is in the pause state;
- upon selection of the first mode:
- in response to receiving the instruction to start processing of the specimen, releasing the processing unit from the pause state to make the processing unit perform the processing of specimen, whereby aspirating the specimen and processing the aspirated specimen can be performed without an additional instruction subsequent to the instruction to start processing of the specimen, and
- upon selection of the second mode:
- in response to receiving the detection signal that detects the specimen container, releasing the processing unit from the pause state to make the processing unit perform the processing of the specimen,
- wherein the fluid unit comprises a chamber connected to a reagent container accommodating a reagent through a flow path, the pneumatic source respectively supplies pressure to the nozzle and the fluid unit, the nozzle aspirates the specimen and supplies the aspirated specimen to the chamber by the pressure of the pneumatic source, and the reagent is supplied to the chamber by the pressure of the pneumatic source.
10 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.