Method for verifying amount of sample solution, method for controlling measurement system and method for measuring concentration of solution in apparatus for measuring optical characteristic

• US 7,282,367 B2
• Filed: 03/30/2001
• Issued: 10/16/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 04/13/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Kawamura, Tatsurou
• Primary Examiner(s): Gordon; Brian R.
• Application Number:
  US09/820,854
• Publication Number:
  US 20010031500A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,391 Days
• Field of Search: 436/55, 436/148, 436/164, 436/168, 436/171, 436/172, 422/82.05, 422/82.09, 422/82.11
• US Class Current: 436/55
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2035/1025 Fluid level sensing
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/31 Investigating relative effect of material at wavelengths characteristic of specific elements or molecules, e.g. atomic absorption spectrometry G01N21/72 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/51 inside a container, e.g. in an ampoule G01N21/53 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 436/114998 with treatment or replacement of aspirator element [e.g., cleaning, etc.]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 436/12 Condition responsive control

Abstract

A verification method of a sample solution amount includes the steps of: detecting at least one of a transmitted light component, a scattered light component and a reflected light component of a light by a photosensor while irradiating a sample solution, which is being injected into a sample cell, with the light; and verifying that a predetermined amount of the sample solution is held in the sample cell based on a change in an output signal from the photosensor.

Claims

1. A method for controlling a measurement system comprising the steps of:

(a) detecting at least one selected from the group consisting of a transmitted light component, a scattered light component and a reflected light component of a light which is traversed by a rising surface of a sample solution being injected into a sample cell, and outputting an output signal corresponding to the detection;

(b) verifying that a predetermined amount of said sample solution is held in said sample cell based on a change in the output signal; and

then

(c) measuring an optical characteristic of the sample solution,

wherein step (b) is performed based on the rate at which the output signal changes over time, and

wherein said light in the step (a) is also used for measuring said optical characteristic in the step (c).

2. The method for controlling a measurement system in accordance with claim 1, further comprising a step of:

verifying that said sample solution has become stable based on the fact that said absolute value of said amount of change in said output signal is maintained at or less than a predetermined value for a predetermined duration or longer, after the step (b) and before the step (c).

3. The method for controlling a measurement system in accordance with claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

(d) discharging said sample solution from said sample cell after the step (c); and

then

(e) washing said sample cell.

4. The method for controlling a measurement system in accordance with claim 3, wherein the steps (d) and (e) are conducted simultaneously by replacing said sample solution in said sample cell with a cleaning solution.

5. The method for controlling a measurement system in accordance with claim 1, wherein said sample solution is a urine, the steps (a) to (c) are conducted after said sample cell installed in a position closed to a side wall of a toilet bowl is moved into a hollow space of said toilet bowl.

6. The method for controlling a measurement system in accordance with claim 1, wherein said sample solution is a urine, the steps (a) and (b) are conducted after said sample cell installed in a position closed to a side wall of a toilet bowl is moved into a hollow space of said toilet bowl, and step (c) is conducted after said sample cell is restored to the initial position.

7. The method for controlling a measurement system in accordance with claim 5, wherein a urine and/or a cleaning solution is discharged into a toilet bowl.

8. The method for controlling a measurement system in accordance with claim 1, wherein step (b) is a step of verifying that said predetermined amount of said sample solution is held in said sample cell based on the fact that an absolute value of an amount of change in said output signal over time is maintained at or less than a first predetermined value for a first predetermined duration or longer.

9. A method for controlling a measurement system comprising the steps of:

(a) detecting at least one selected from the group consisting of a transmitted light component, a scattered light component and a reflected light component of a light which is traversed by a rising surface of a sample solution being injected into a sample cell, and outputting an output signal corresponding to the detection;

(b) verifying that a predetermined amount of said sample solution is held in said sample cell based on a change in the output signal; and

then

(c) measuring an optical characteristic of the sample solution,

wherein step (b) is performed based on the rate at which the output signal changes over time, and

where said sample solution is transfused from said cell to another sample cell after the step (b), and step (c) is conducted thereafter.

10. A method for controlling a measurement system comprising the steps of:

(a) detecting at least one selected from the group consisting of a transmitted light component, a scattered light component and a reflected light component of a light which is traversed by a rising surface of a sample solution being injected into a sample cell, and outputting an output signal corresponding to the detection;

(b) verifying that a predetermined amount of said sample solution is held in said sample cell based on a change in the output signal; and

then

(c) measuring an optical characteristic of the sample solution,

wherein step (b) is performed based on the rate at which the output signal changes over time, and

wherein the step (c) is a step of detecting a light, which has been transmitted through said sample solution and an analyzer, by a photosensor to measure an angle of rotation of said sample solution, using an output signal from said photosensor as a transmitted light component.