Nodal tree data structure for storing, consolidating, and displaying microbiological laboratory results
First Claim
1. A method executed by a computer as part of a computer program for displaying lab data in a composite display matrix on a display monitor, said lab data including data identifying one or more specimens, one or more organisms grown from each specimen, and one or more drugs tested against the organisms for a reaction, the lab data being entered into a lab computer to form a lab report, said lab computer coupled to said computer, said lab report being received by said computer from said lab computer, said method comprising the steps of:
- a) determining relationships among said lab data including determining which of the organisms are grown from which of the specimens and which of the drugs are tested against which of the organisms;
b) storing said lab data and said relationships in a nodal tree structure in said computer if said lab data is not already stored in said computer;
c) consolidating said lab data into said composite display matrix by arranging and combining said lab data based on said relationships between said lab data, said composite display matrix having a first dimension for each of said organisms grown for each of said specimens, a second dimension for each of said drugs tested against any of said organisms, and a cell at each of a number of different coordinate combinations of said first and second dimension, said cell containing drug sensitivity information indicating sensitivity of said organisms to said drugs; and
d) displaying said composite display matrix on said display monitor.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method for building and storing a nodal tree structure and a composite display matrix from laboratory information which includes specimen, organism, and drug sensitivity information. The method consolidates microbiological lab results by building the composite display matrix based on the lab results and the relationships among specimens, organisms, and drugs tested. The method also displays the composite display matrix once the lab results are consolidated and the composite display matrix built.
33 Citations
11 Claims
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1. A method executed by a computer as part of a computer program for displaying lab data in a composite display matrix on a display monitor, said lab data including data identifying one or more specimens, one or more organisms grown from each specimen, and one or more drugs tested against the organisms for a reaction, the lab data being entered into a lab computer to form a lab report, said lab computer coupled to said computer, said lab report being received by said computer from said lab computer, said method comprising the steps of:
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a) determining relationships among said lab data including determining which of the organisms are grown from which of the specimens and which of the drugs are tested against which of the organisms; b) storing said lab data and said relationships in a nodal tree structure in said computer if said lab data is not already stored in said computer; c) consolidating said lab data into said composite display matrix by arranging and combining said lab data based on said relationships between said lab data, said composite display matrix having a first dimension for each of said organisms grown for each of said specimens, a second dimension for each of said drugs tested against any of said organisms, and a cell at each of a number of different coordinate combinations of said first and second dimension, said cell containing drug sensitivity information indicating sensitivity of said organisms to said drugs; and d) displaying said composite display matrix on said display monitor. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A method executed by a computer as part of a computer program for displaying lab data in a composite display matrix on a display monitor, said lab data being entered into a lab computer to form a lab report, said lab computer being coupled to said computer, said lab report being received by said computer from said lab computer, said lab data comprising specimen information including a specimen name and collection time, organism information including a plurality of organism names, and drug sensitivity information including a plurality of drug names, said method comprising the steps of:
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a) determining relationships among said specimen, organism, and drug information; b) storing said lab data and said relationships in a nodal tree structure in said computer if said lab data is not already stored in said computer; c) consolidating said specimen, organism, and drug information by building said composite display matrix based on said relationships among said specimen, organism, and drug information, said composite display matrix having a first dimension for each of said organisms grown for each of said specimens, a second dimension for each of said drugs tested against any of said organisms, and a cell at each of a number of different coordinate combinations of said first and second dimension, said cell containing said drug sensitivity information indicating sensitivity of said organisms to said drugs; and d) displaying said composite display matrix on said display monitor.
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11. A method executed by a computer as part of a computer program for displaying lab data contained in a lab report in a composite display matrix on a display monitor, said lab data being entered into a lab computer to form a lab report, said lab computer being coupled to said computer, said lab report being received by said computer from said lab computer, said lab data comprising specimen information including a specimen name and collection time, organism information including a plurality of organism names, and drug sensitivity information including a plurality of drug names, said method comprising the steps of:
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(a) creating a specimen node; (b) storing specimen information in said specimen node; (c) creating a plurality of organism nodes and associating each of said organism nodes with said specimen node; (d) storing in a corresponding one of said organism nodes said organism information associated with each of said organism names; (e) creating a plurality of drug nodes and associating each of said drug nodes with at least one of said organism nodes; (f) storing in a corresponding one of said drug nodes said drug information associated with each of said drug names; (g) updating said specimen information, said organism information, and said drug sensitivity information if said specimen, organism, and drug sensitivity information differs from said lab data contained in said lab report; (h) creating a display matrix row in said composite display matrix for each combination of said specimen name, said collection time, and each of said organism names if said display matrix row does not exist in said composite display matrix; (i) creating a display matrix column for each of said drug names if said display matrix column does not exist in said composite display matrix; (j) alphabetizing said display matrix columns created for each of said drug names; (k) saving said drug sensitivity information in at least one display cell which is formed by where one of said display matrix rows and one of said display matrix columns intersect; and (l) displaying said composite display matrix on said display monitor.
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Specification