Quality control and support method for analyzer

• US 20040019460A1
• Filed: 07/17/2003
• Published: 01/29/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 11/30/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hiroyuki Morihara, Okuno, Ken?apos;ichi, Tadayuki Yamaguchi, Tomomi Sugiyama
• Original Assignee: Hiroyuki Morihara, Okuno, Ken?apos;ichi, Tadayuki Yamaguchi, Tomomi Sugiyama
• Inventors: Okuno, Ken?apos;ichi, Yamaguchi, Tadayuki, Sugiyama, Tomomi, Morihara, Hiroyuki
• Granted Patent: US 6,937,964 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 702/187
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/48792 Data management, e.g. communication with processing unit for in vivo diagnostics A61B5/0002; transmission systems for measured values G08C
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 10/40 for data related to laboratory analysis, e.g. patient specimen analysis
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/40 for the management of medical equipment or devices, e.g. scheduling maintenance or upgrades
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/67 for remote operation
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 436/10 Composition for standardization, calibration, simulation, stabilization, preparation or preservation; processes of use in preparation for chemical testing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 436/11 Automated chemical analysis
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 436/115831 Condition or time responsive

Abstract

The present invention quickly resolves troubles in an analyzer and performs effective external quality control management. An analyzer (2) and a control device (1) are connected by a network (3). Error data and sample data taken from assay of a quality control substance are transmitted from the control device (1) to the analyzer (2). The analyzer (2) is made to be remotely operable from the control device (1) and when troubles arise repair from the control device (1) is possible. The control device (1) tallies sample data, and provides the tally results to a Web page. The analyzer (2) accesses the Web page using a WWW browser, and can perform external quality control in real time.

Claims

1. A support method employed in an information terminal connected to analyzers via a network, the information-terminal employed support method comprising:

collecting from the analyzers via the network predetermined log information indicating operational history of the analyzers;

storing the collected log information for each analyzer; and

outputting the collected log information in response to instruction by an operator of the information terminal.

2. An information-terminal employed support method as set forth in claim 1, further comprising operating the analyzer from the information terminal via the network.

3. An information-terminal employed support method as set forth in claim 1, further comprising:

preparing in advance error determination parameters;

extracting predetermined error information from the log information;

consulting the error determination parameters to create error histories; and

correlatively storing the error histories and the analyzers in a storage means.

8. A computer-readable storage medium on which is recorded a program for executing the information-terminal employed support method as set forth in any of claims 1 to 3.

4. A support method employed in an analyzer connected to a dedicated information terminal via a network, the analyzer-employed support method comprising:

transmitting predetermined log information indicating operational history of the analyzer at a predetermined timing to the information terminal via the network.

5. An analyzer-employed support method as set forth in claim 4, wherein operations are accepted from a dedicated information terminal via the network.

9. A computer-readable storage medium on which is recorded a program for executing the analyzer-employed support method as set forth in either claim 4 or claim 5.

6. A quality control method employed in an information terminal connected to analyzers via a network, the information-terminal employed quality control method comprising:

receiving via the network sample data on assays made by the analyzers on predetermined quality control substances;

storing the received sample data;

tallying the stored sample data for each analyzer and each quality control substance; and

providing the tally results for the received sample data to the analyzers within a predetermined timeframe.

10. A computer-readable storage medium on which is recorded a program for executing the information-terminal employed quality control method as set forth in claim 6.

7. A quality control method employed in analyzers connected to a dedicated information terminal via a network, the analyzer-employed quality control method comprising:

transmitting to the information terminal via the network sample data on assays made by the analyzers on predetermined quality control substances;

requesting of the information terminal tally results on the sample data;

acquiring from the information terminal the tally results on sample data the information terminal has collected from the analyzers within a predetermined timeframe; and

outputting the acquired tally results.

11. A computer-readable storage medium on which is recorded a program for executing the analyzer-employed quality control method as set forth in claim 7.

12. A control device connected to analyzers via a network, the control device comprising:

reception means for receiving from the analyzers via the network predetermined log information indicating operational history of the analyzers;

storage means for storing the log information for each analyzer; and

output means for outputting the log information in response to instruction by an operator.

13. An analyzer connected to a dedicated information terminal via a network, the analyzer comprising:

transmission means for transmitting predetermined log information indicating operational history of the analyzer at a predetermined timing to the information terminal via the network.

14. A control device connected to analyzers via a network, the control device comprising:

reception means for receiving via the network sample data on assays made by the analyzers on predetermined quality control substances;

storage means for storing the received sample data;

statistical tallying means for tallying the stored sample data for each analyzer and each quality control substance; and

provision means for providing the tally results for the received sample data to the analyzers within a predetermined timeframe.

15. An analyzer connected to a dedicated information terminal via a network, comprising:

transmission means for transmitting to the information terminal via the network sample data on assays made by the analyzers on predetermined quality control substances;

request means for requesting of the information terminal tally results on the sample data;

acquisition means for acquiring from the information terminal the tally results on sample data the information terminal has collected from the analyzers within a predetermined timeframe; and

output means for outputting the acquired tally results.