Autonomous device for detecting characteristics of a medium to be measured and method therefor

• US 10,520,483 B2
• Filed: 07/12/2017
• Issued: 12/31/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 08/19/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hamilton Bonaduz AG (Hamilton Company)
• Original Assignee: Hamilton Bonaduz AG (Hamilton Company)
• Inventors: Juillerat, Frederic, Gasteuil, Yoann
• Primary Examiner(s): Kolb, Nathaniel J
• Application Number:
  US15/647,441
• Publication Number:
  US 20180053547A1
• Time in Patent Office: 902 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 2/0035 Gamma radiation
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 2/081 Gamma radiation
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 2/28 Devices for testing the effectiveness or completeness of sterilisation, e.g. indicators which change colour apparatus involving enzymes or microorganisms C12M1/34; methods involving enzymes or microorganisms C12Q1/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 2202/14 Means for controlling sterilisation processes, data processing, presentation and storage means, e.g. sensors, controllers, programs
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 55/16 by irradiation
• CPC Class Codes: C12M 41/48 Automatic or computerized control automatic analysis G01N35/00
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/1886 using probes, e.g. submersible probes, buoys
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/48785 Electrical and electronic details of measuring devices for physical analysis of liquid biological material not specific to a particular test method, e.g. user interface or power supply
• CPC Class Codes: G11C 11/005 comprising combined but independently operative RAM-ROM, RAM-PROM, RAM-EPROM cells
• CPC Class Codes: G11C 11/22 using ferroelectric elements
• CPC Class Codes: G11C 11/4125 Cells incorporating circuit means for protecting against loss of information
• CPC Class Codes: G11C 13/0002 using resistive RAM [RRAM] elements
• CPC Class Codes: G11C 16/04 using variable threshold transistors, e.g. FAMOS

Abstract

An autonomous device for detecting characteristics of a medium to be measured is disclosed. The device includes a sensor, a first microcontroller and a second microcontroller. The first microcontroller has a memory which is not resistant against gamma radiation during the sterilization of the device and the second microcontroller has a memory which is resistant against gamma radiation during the sterilization of the device.

Claims

1. A sensor unit for detecting characteristics of a medium to be measured having a housing with an interior, the interior of the housing comprising a sensor, a first microcontroller and a second microcontroller, wherein the first microcontroller includes a memory which is not resistant against gamma radiation during a sterilization of the sensor unit and the second microcontroller has a memory which is resistant against gamma radiation during sterilization of the sensor unit.

2. The sensor unit according to claim 1 wherein the memory of the second microcontroller is a FRAM (Ferroelectric Random Access Memory) component.

3. The sensor unit according to claim 1 wherein the memory of the second microcontroller is a RRAM (Resistive Random Access Memory) component.

4. The sensor unit according to claim 1 wherein the sensor unit is configured as a sensor ball and the first microcontroller is provided with a wireless communications device.

5. The sensor unit according to claim 1 further comprising a switching device configured to trigger a switching pulse on contact with the medium to be measured.

6. The sensor unit according to claim 5 wherein the switching device comprises two electrodes configured to trigger the switching pulse on contact with the medium to be measured.

7. The sensor unit according to claim 1 wherein the medium to be measured is a gas, a liquid or a granulate.

8. The sensor unit according to claim 1 wherein the function of the sensor comprises detecting at least one of physical or chemical characteristics of the medium to be measured said characteristics comprising at least one of:

pH value, temperature, viscosity, density, enzyme activity, ion content, conductivity, substance concentration, hardness, pressure, biological activity, radioactivity and flow rate.

9. A system having a cell culture container, the system comprising at least one sensor unit according to claim 1.

10. The system of claim 9 further including an analysis or display device.

11. The system of claim 9 wherein the container is configured as a single-use or disposable article.

12. A method for operating a sensor unit for detecting the characteristics of a medium comprising:

providing a sensor unit having a housing with an interior, the interior comprising a sensor, a first microcontroller and a second microcontroller, wherein the first microcontroller comprises a memory which is not resistant against gamma radiation during a sterilization of the sensor unit, and the second microcontroller comprises a memory which is resistant against gamma radiation during sterilization of the sensor unit;

performing a gamma sterilization of the sensor unit;

activating the second microcontroller by way of an external signal, the second microcontroller then activating the first microcontroller by transferring and starting suitable firmware from the memory of the second microcontroller to the memory of the first microcontroller, and

switching on the sensor to enable the detection of the characteristics of the medium to be measured.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein the second microcontroller is activated by a switching device which triggers a switching pulse on contact with the medium to be measured.

14. The method of claim 12 wherein after activation of the sensor the first or second microcontroller is turned off.