METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR AGGREGATING DIAGNOSTIC ANALYZER RELATED INFORMATION

• US 20160020986A1
• Filed: 07/17/2014
• Published: 01/21/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 07/17/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sysmex Corporation
• Original Assignee: Sysmex Corporation
• Inventors: Sugiyama, Tomomi, Bosko, Judy, Dahlberg, Mark, Carrier, Chris, Smith, Mark, Postma, Steve, Nakahira, Masunao, Inoue, Mao
• Granted Patent: US 10,447,573 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/20 Administration of product repair or maintenance
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 10/40 for data related to laboratory analysis, e.g. patient specimen analysis
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/67 for remote operation
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/50 Testing arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/55 Push-based network services

Abstract

A method for communicating information related to a diagnostic analyzer includes receiving user identification information from a portable computer. A user associated with the user identification information operates the diagnostic analyzer. First diagnostic analyzer information is retrieved from at least one database that relates analyzer information to the user of the diagnostic analyzer. The first diagnostic analyzer information is related to the diagnostic analyzer. The first diagnostic analyzer information is communicated to the portable computer. Second diagnostic analyzer information from the diagnostic analyzer is retrieved. The second diagnostic analyzer information is generated by the diagnostic analyzer. The first and the second diagnostic analyzer information is communicated to the portable computer. The portable computer is configured to display the first and the second diagnostic analyzer related information.

Claims

1. A method, implemented separately or collectively by at least one server having a network connection to a diagnostic analyzer, for displaying information related to the diagnostic analyzer on a portable computer having a network connection to the at least one server, comprising:

receiving user identification information from the portable computer, wherein a user associated with the user identification information operates the diagnostic analyzer;

retrieving first diagnostic analyzer information from at least one database that relates analyzer information to the user of the diagnostic analyzer, wherein the first diagnostic analyzer information is related to the diagnostic analyzer;

receiving second diagnostic analyzer information from the diagnostic analyzer, wherein the second diagnostic analyzer information is generated by the diagnostic analyzer;

communicating with the portable computer to present the first and the second diagnostic analyzer information to the portable computer, wherein the portable computer is configured to display the first and the second diagnostic analyzer information.

2. The method of claim 1,

wherein the step of receiving the second diagnostic analyzer information comprises:

receiving, by a first server that is one of the at least one server, the second diagnostic analyzer information from the diagnostic analyzer; and

communicating, by the first server, the second diagnostic analyzer information to a second server that is one of the at least one server; and

wherein the second server communicates with the portable computer to present the first and the second diagnostic analyzer information to the portable computer.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the first diagnostic analyzer information is at least one of diagnostic analyzer identification information, maintenance information of the diagnostic analyzer, and software update information of the diagnostic analyzer.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the second diagnostic analyzer information is at least one of error information generated by the diagnostic analyzer and quality control information generated by the diagnostic analyzer.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one server retrieves the first diagnostic analyzer information from a plurality of different servers.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one server communicates the first and the second diagnostic analyzer information at different times to the portable computer.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the diagnostic analyzer and the portable computer operate within a first network domain and the at least one server operates within a second network domain, wherein information is communicated between the first network domain and the second network domain via an Internet connection.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining whether the second diagnostic analyzer information is critical information; and

when the second diagnostic analyzer information is critical, communicating a notification to a push notification server, wherein the push notification server subsequently communicates the notification to the portable computer.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one server communicates with a plurality of the diagnostic analyzers and each of the plurality of the diagnostic analyzers generates the second diagnostic analyzer information.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

receiving a selection of at least one of a plurality of the diagnostic analyzers from the portable computer; and

communicating with the portable computer to present the first or the second diagnostic analyzer information associated with the selected analyzer, wherein the portable computer displays the first or the second diagnostic analyzer information associated with the selected analyzer.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the first or the second diagnostic analyzer information communicated to the portable computer is filtered according to an authority level of the user.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising, communicating with the portable computer to present information that defines an estimated time of arrival (ETA) of a service technician to a site of the user.

13. The method according to claim 12, further comprising determining the ETA based at least in part on a location of the service technician.

14. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving data that is generated from an image of the diagnostic analyzer captured by a camera of the portable computer; and

communicating an instruction for performing an analyzer maintenance task based on the received data to the portable computer.

15. A method, implemented by a portable computer having a network connection to at least one server and a diagnostic analyzer, for displaying information related to the diagnostic analyzer, comprising:

communicating user identification information to the at least one server, wherein a user associated with the user identification information operates the diagnostic analyzer;

receiving data to display first and second diagnostic analyzer information from the at least one server, wherein the at least one server retrieves the first diagnostic analyzer information from at least one database that relates analyzer information to the user of the diagnostic analyzer, wherein the first diagnostic analyzer information is related to the diagnostic analyzer; and

wherein the at least one server receives the second diagnostic analyzer information from the diagnostic analyzer; and

displaying the first and the second diagnostic analyzer information.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the portable computer is connected to a plurality of the diagnostic analyzers, wherein the portable computer receives the second diagnostic analyzer information from the plurality of the diagnostic analyzers, and wherein the method further comprises:

displaying a list that includes the plurality of diagnostic analyzers;

receiving a selection of at least one diagnostic analyzer in the list;

and

displaying the second diagnostic analyzer information associated with the selected diagnostic analyzer.

17. The method of claim 15, further comprising displaying at least one of calibration information, service contract information, and a connection status information related to the selected diagnostic analyzer, wherein the connection status information indicates whether the diagnostic analyzer is in communication with the at least one server.

18. The method of claim 15, further comprising displaying one or more icons configured to be actuated by a user to cause the display of educational or service related items that are related to one or more diagnostic analyzers.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising superimposing a number on at least one icon to indicate a number of educational or service items associated with the at least one icon that have not been read by the user.

20. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

capturing an image of the diagnostic analyzer by a camera;

communicating data that is generated from the image of the diagnostic analyzer to the at least one server;

receiving an instruction for performing an analyzer maintenance task decided from the data; and

displaying the instruction.

21. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

selectively displaying an analyzer screen, an education screen, and a service screen, wherein the analyzer screen displays the diagnostic analyzer that the user operates, the education screen displays an icon to offer information related to use of the diagnostic analyzer, and the service screen displays an icon to offer information related to service to the diagnostic analyzer.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the analyzer screen further displays an icon that is identical to the icon displayed on the education screen or the icon displayed on the service screen.

23. A method, implemented separately or collectively by at least one server having a network connection to a diagnostic analyzer, for displaying information related to the diagnostic analyzer on a portable computer having a network connection to the at least one server, comprising:

receiving diagnostic analyzer information generated by a diagnostic analyzer;

determining whether the diagnostic analyzer information is critical information;

when the diagnostic analyzer related information is critical, communicating a notification to the portable computer without waiting for a demand for the notification from the portable computer, wherein the user of the portable computer operates the diagnostic analyzer; and

when the diagnostic analyzer information is not critical, communicating the diagnostic analyzer information to the portable computer in response to receive a demand of the communication from the portable computer.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein when the information is non-critical information, the information is communicated to the portable computer from a first server that is one of the at least one server, and when the information is critical information, the information is communicated to the portable computer from a second server that is one of the at least one server.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein the second server communicates the critical information to the portable computer via a push notification server.

26. The method of claim 23, wherein the criteria between the critical information and the non-critical information is different among authority levels of the user.

27. A system for displaying information related to a diagnostic analyzer, comprising:

a portable computer configured to receive user identification information, wherein a user associated with the user identification information operates the diagnostic analyzer; and

at least one server having network connection to the portable computer and the diagnostic analyzer configured to;

retrieve first diagnostic analyzer information from at least one database that relates analyzer information to the user of the diagnostic analyzer, wherein the first diagnostic analyzer information is related to the diagnostic analyzer;

receive second diagnostic analyzer information from the diagnostic analyzer, wherein the second diagnostic analyzer information is generated by the diagnostic analyzer; and

communicate with the portable computer to present the first and the second diagnostic analyzer information to the portable computer, wherein the portable computer is configured to display the first and the second diagnostic analyzer information.

28. The system of claim 27, further comprising a first server that is one of the at least one server configured to:

receive the second diagnostic analyzer information from the diagnostic analyzer; and

communicate the second diagnostic analyzer information to a second server that is one of the at least one server; and

wherein the second server communicates with the portable computer to present the first and the second diagnostic analyzer information to the portable computer.

29. The system of claim 27, wherein the first diagnostic analyzer information is at least one of diagnostic analyzer identification information, maintenance information of the diagnostic analyzer, and software update information of the diagnostic analyzer.

30. The system of claim 27, wherein the second diagnostic analyzer information is at least one of error information generated by the diagnostic analyzer and quality control information generated by the diagnostic analyzer.

31. The system of claim 27, wherein the at least one server is further configured to retrieve the first diagnostic analyzer information from a plurality of different servers.

32. The system of claim 27, wherein the at least one server is further configured to communicate the first and the second diagnostic analyzer information at different times to the portable computer.

33. The system of claim 27, wherein the diagnostic analyzer and the portable computer operate within a first network domain and the at least one server operates within a second network domain, wherein information is communicated between the first network domain and the second network domain via an Internet connection.

34. The system of claim 27,

wherein the at least one server is further configured to;

determine whether the received second diagnostic analyzer information is critical information; and

when the second diagnostic analyzer information is critical, communicate a notification to a push notification server, wherein the push notification server subsequently communicates the notification to the portable computer.

35. The system of claim 27, wherein the at least one server is configured to communicate with a plurality of the diagnostic analyzers and each of the plurality of the diagnostic analyzers generates the second diagnostic analyzer information.

36. The system of claim 35, wherein the at least on server is further configured to:

receive a selection of at least one of a plurality of the diagnostic analyzers from the portable computer; and

communicate with the portable computer to present the first or second diagnostic analyzer information associated with the selected analyzer, wherein the portable computer displays the first or the second diagnostic analyzer information associated with the selected analyzer.

37. The system of claim 27, wherein the first or the second diagnostic analyzer information communicated to the portable computer is filtered according to an authority level of the user.

38. The system of claim 27, wherein the at least on server is further configured to communicate with the portable computer to present information that defines an estimated time of arrival (ETA) of a service technician to a site of the user.

39. The system according to claim 38, wherein the ETA is determined based at least in part on a location of the service technician.

40. The system of claim 27, wherein the at least one server is further configured to:

receive data that is generated from an image of the diagnostic analyzer captured by a camera of the portable computer; and

communicate an instruction for performing an analyzer maintenance task based on the received data to the portable computer.

41. A portable computer having a network connection to at least one server and a diagnostic analyzer, for displaying information related to the diagnostic analyzer, comprising:

a processor configured

to communicate user identification information to the at least one server, wherein a user associated with the user identification information operates the diagnostic analyzer; and

to receive first and second diagnostic analyzer related information from the at least one server, wherein the at least one server retrieves the first diagnostic analyzer information from at least one database that relates analyzer information to the user of the diagnostic analyzer, wherein the first diagnostic analyzer information is related to the diagnostic analyzer; and

wherein the at least one server receives the second diagnostic analyzer information from the diagnostic analyzer; and

a user interface in communication with the processor configured to present the first and the second diagnostic analyzer information to the user.

42. The portable computer of claim 41,

wherein the portable computer is connected to a plurality of the diagnostic analyzers;

wherein the portable computer receives the second diagnostic analyzer information from the plurality of the diagnostic analyzers;

wherein the user interface is configured to;

display a list that includes the plurality of diagnostic analyzers;

receive a selection of at least one diagnostic analyzer in the list; and

display the second diagnostic analyzer information associated with the selected diagnostic analyzer.

43. The portable computer of claim 41, wherein the user interface is configured to present at least one of calibration information, service contract information, and a connection status information related to the selected diagnostic analyzer, wherein the connection status information indicates whether the diagnostic analyzer is in communication with the at least one of the server.

44. The portable computer of claim 41, wherein the user interface is configured to present one or more icons configured to be actuated by a user to cause the display of educational or service related items that are related to one or more diagnostic analyzers.

45. The portable computer of claim 44, wherein the user interface is configured to superimpose a number on at least one icon to indicate a number of educational or service items associated with the at least one icon that have not been read by the user.

46. The portable computer of claim 41, further comprising:

an imager configured to capture an image of the diagnostic analyzer by a camera;

wherein the processor is in communicating with the imager and is configured to;

communicate data that is generated from the image of the diagnostic analyzer to the at least one server; and

receive an instruction for performing an analyzer maintenance task decided from the data; and

wherein the user interface is configured to display the instruction.

47. The portable computer of claim 41, wherein the user interface is configured to:

selectively display an analyzer screen, an education screen, and a service screen, wherein the analyzer screen displays the diagnostic analyzer that the user operates, the education screen displays an icon to offer information related to use of the diagnostic analyzer, and the service screen displays an icon to offer information related to service to the diagnostic analyzer.

48. The portable computer of claim 47, wherein the analyzer screen further displays an icon that is identical to the icon displayed on the education screen or the icon displayed on the service screen.

49. A system for displaying information related to a diagnostic analyzer, comprising:

a portable computer; and

at least one server, having network connection to the diagnostic analyzer and the portable computer, configured to receive diagnostic analyzer information generated by a diagnostic analyzer, and determine whether the diagnostic analyzer information is critical information;

when the diagnostic analyzer related information is critical, the at least one server is configured to communicate a notification to a portable computer without waiting for a demand for the notification from the portable computer, wherein a user of the portable computer operates the diagnostic analyzer; and

when the diagnostic analyzer information is not critical, the at least on server is configured to communicate the diagnostic analyzer information to the tablet in response to receive a demand of the communication from the portable computer.

50. The system of claim 49, wherein the at least one server comprises a first server and a second server, wherein when the information is non-critical information, the information is communicated to the portable computer from the first server, and when the information is critical information, the information is communicated to the portable computer from the second server.

51. The system of claim 49, wherein the second server is configured to communicate the critical information to the portable computer via a push notification server.

52. The system of claim 49, wherein the portable computer is configured to display a number of notifications received.

53. The system of claim 49, wherein the criteria between the critical information and the non-critical information is different among authority levels of the user.

54. A system for displaying information related to a diagnostic analyzer, comprising:

at least one diagnostic analyzer connected to at least one server; and

a portable computer connected to the at least one server, wherein the at least one server retrieves first diagnostic analyzer information from at least one database that relates analyzer information to a user of the diagnostic analyzer,

wherein the at least one diagnostic analyzer generates second diagnostic analyzer information;

wherein the portable computer receives the first diagnostic analyzer information from the at least one server; and

wherein the portable computer receives the second diagnostic analyzer information from the diagnostic analyzer through the at least one server.

55. A method for displaying information on a screen of a portable computer, said information related to a diagnostic analyzer, said diagnostic analyzer connected to a server through a communication network, said computer connected to the server through the communication network, the method comprising:

sending user identification information from the computer to said server, wherein a user associated with the user identification information operates the diagnostic analyzer;

receiving first diagnostic analyzer information from a database that relates analyzer information to the user of the diagnostic analyzer, wherein the first diagnostic analyzer information is related to the diagnostic analyzer;

sending second diagnostic analyzer information from the diagnostic analyzer to said server, wherein the second diagnostic analyzer information is generated by the diagnostic analyzer;

receiving the first and the second diagnostic analyzer information by the portable computer, and

displaying the first and the second diagnostics analyzer related information on the screen.