Multi-level controller system
First Claim
1. A medical system for analyzing a sample comprising:
- a first control level having at least one level-1 controller for moving through a sequence of first level states each associated with a unique first state index number, the first control level generating a first level command associated with one of the first level states; and
a second control level having a level-2 controller for moving through a sequence of second level states each associated with a unique second state index number in response to the first level command and for sending a status report to the first control level when a level-2 condition that is defined in one of the second level states is fulfilled;
wherein at least one of the first controller and the second controller sending or receiving signals to or from components of a medical system in response to the moving through the sequence of the first or second level states for controlling or sensing a status of the components;
wherein the components of the medical system comprise sample aspiration components, flow cell components, transport mechanisms, and image acquisition components for urinalysis, and the second control level comprising;
a first level-2 controller for controlling the sample aspiration components, wherein the first level-2 controller is the level-2 controller;
a second level-2 controller for controlling the flow cell components;
a third level-2 controller for controlling the transport mechanisms associated with sampling; and
a fourth level-2 controller for controlling the image acquisition components.
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Accused Products
Abstract
The invention is a state machine having a host controller that controls a level-i controller, wherein the level-1 controller controls the level-2 controller. The level-2 controller controls system component controllers, which in turn control system components to execute a process segment. For example, the machine includes a host controller that selects a set of states to be executed, a level-1 controller that activates the set of states in a predetermined order, wherein each state includes commands, and a level-2 controller that controls system components according to the commands. A method of executing a process includes identifying a set of states to be executed, issuing state commands that need to be issued to execute the current state in the set of states, and activating a next state only after all expected status reports have been received for the current state.
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Citations
24 Claims
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1. A medical system for analyzing a sample comprising:
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a first control level having at least one level-1 controller for moving through a sequence of first level states each associated with a unique first state index number, the first control level generating a first level command associated with one of the first level states; and a second control level having a level-2 controller for moving through a sequence of second level states each associated with a unique second state index number in response to the first level command and for sending a status report to the first control level when a level-2 condition that is defined in one of the second level states is fulfilled; wherein at least one of the first controller and the second controller sending or receiving signals to or from components of a medical system in response to the moving through the sequence of the first or second level states for controlling or sensing a status of the components; wherein the components of the medical system comprise sample aspiration components, flow cell components, transport mechanisms, and image acquisition components for urinalysis, and the second control level comprising; a first level-2 controller for controlling the sample aspiration components, wherein the first level-2 controller is the level-2 controller; a second level-2 controller for controlling the flow cell components; a third level-2 controller for controlling the transport mechanisms associated with sampling; and a fourth level-2 controller for controlling the image acquisition components. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
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Specification