Method and apparatus for standardization of a measuring instrument

• US 20040057038A1
• Filed: 10/30/2002
• Published: 03/25/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 09/19/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: FOSS Analytical A/S
• Original Assignee: FOSS Analytical A/S
• Inventors: Buchmann, Bo, Nilsson, Sven-Anders, Ebelin, Anders, Westerhaus, Mark
• Granted Patent: US 7,227,623 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 356/72
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2021/3155 Measuring in two spectral ranges, e.g. UV and visible
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/274 Calibration, base line adjustment, drift correction
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/278 Constitution of standards
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/359 using near infrared light
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2201/0221 Portable; cableless; compact; hand-held

Abstract

A method, a portable device and a measuring instrument for standardization of a satellite measuring instrument to a corresponding master measuring instrument are disclosed. The portable device includes a device for containing a reference material, and an information unit for storing information about the reference material and measurements of the reference material on the master measuring instrument. When placed in a satellite measuring instrument, information from the master instrument stored in the information unit of the portable device is transmitted automatically and wirelessly to the satellite instrument and, together with measurements by the satellite instrument of the reference material in the portable device, a standardization model for the satellite instrument and the sample type is obtained.

Claims

1. A portable device for standardization of a satellite measuring instrument to a corresponding master measuring instrument, the device comprising

a means for containing a reference material, and

an information unit for storing information about the reference material and about measurements of the reference material on the master measuring instrument.

2. A portable device according to claim 1, wherein said information further is about said master measuring instrument.

3. A portable device according to claim 1, wherein said information unit is physically attached to said means for containing said reference material.

4. A portable device according to claim 1, wherein said information unit comprises a storage means for storing said information.

5. A portable device according to claim 1, wherein said information unit further comprises means for transmitting said information to said satellite measuring instrument.

6. A portable device according to claim 5, wherein said means for transmitting said information is arranged for wireless data transfer.

7. A portable device according to claim 5, wherein said means for transmitting said information comprises a radio frequency identifier.

8. A portable device according to claim 1, wherein said information about the reference material comprises identification of said reference material.

9. A portable device according to claim 1, wherein said information about the reference material further comprises an expiry date of said reference material.

10. A portable device according to claim 1, wherein said information about measurements of the reference material on the master instrument comprises a reference spectrum.

11. A portable device according to claim 10, wherein said reference spectrum is within the entire electromagnetic wavelength range.

12. A portable device according to claim 10, wherein said reference spectrum is within the visible and infrared wavelength interval.

13. A portable device according to claim 10, wherein said reference spectrum is measured by means of said master measuring instrument being a visible and near infrared reflection measuring instrument.

14. A portable device according to claim 10, wherein said reference spectrum is measured by means of said master measuring instrument being a visible and near infrared transmission measuring instrument.

15. A portable device according to claim 1, wherein said means for containing said reference material is hermetically sealable.

16. A portable device according to claim 1, wherein said means for containing said reference material allows visible and near infrared reflection measurements of said reference material being contained in said means for containing said reference material.

17. A portable device according to claim 1, wherein said means for containing said reference material allows visible and near infrared transmission measurements of said reference material being contained in said means for containing said reference material.

18. A measuring instrument for routine measurement of a sample material, comprising

a receiving means for receiving a sample container containing said sample material,

a means for measuring said sample material when said sample container is located in said receiving means, and

a means for reading information from an information unit of a portable device containing a reference material when said portable device is located in said receiving means.

19. A measuring instrument according to claim 18, wherein said means for reading information is arranged to read said information wirelessly.

20. A measuring instrument according to claim 18, wherein said information is about said reference material and measurements of said reference material on a master measuring instrument corresponding to said measuring instrument.

21. A measuring instrument according to claim 20, wherein said information further is about said master measuring instrument.

22. A measuring instrument according to claim 18, wherein said means for measuring said sample material is arranged to automatically start measuring on said reference material when said portable device is located in said receiving means.

23. A measuring instrument according to claim 18, wherein said means for reading information from said information unit of said portable device is arranged to automatically start reading said information when said portable device is located in said receiving means.

24. A measuring instrument according to claim 18, wherein said means for reading said information comprises a radio frequency identification reader.

25. A measuring instrument according to claim 18, wherein said measuring instrument is a visible and near infrared reflection measuring instrument.

26. A measuring instrument according to claim 18, wherein said measuring instrument is a visible and near infrared transmission measuring instrument.

27. A method of managing information, obtained by means of a master measuring instrument, regarding a reference material for standardization of a satellite measuring instrument, comprising

storing said information in an information unit which is a part of a portable device which also comprises a means for containing said reference material,

transporting said portable device from said master measuring instrument to said satellite measuring instrument, and

transmitting said information from said information unit of said portable device to said satellite measuring instrument.

28. A method for standardization of a satellite measuring instrument to a corresponding master measuring instrument, comprising

measuring, by means of said satellite measuring instrument, a reference material being contained in a means for containing said reference material of a portable device,

reading, by means of said satellite measuring instrument, information about a corresponding measurement, obtained by means of said master measuring instrument, from an information unit which is a part of said portable device, and

producing and storing a standardization model describing the difference between the result of said action of measuring said reference material and said corresponding measurement obtained by means of said master measuring instrument.

29. A method according to claim 28, wherein said producing and storing of said standardization model is made in said satellite measuring instrument.

30. A method according to claim 28, wherein said reading of said information is made wirelessly.

31. A method according to claim 28, wherein said information further is about said reference material and said master measuring instrument.

32. A method according to claim 28, said method being performed by the help of an external computer.

33. A method according to claim 32, wherein said action of producing and storing said standardization model is performed by means of said external computer.

34. A method according to claim 28, wherein said method is performed automatically when said portable device is located in a receiving means of said satellite measuring instrument.

35. A method according to claim 28, wherein said satellite measuring instrument is a visible and near infrared reflection measuring instrument.

36. A method according to claim 28, wherein said satellite measuring instrument is a visible and near infrared transmission measuring instrument.

37. A method for obtaining a standardized result when by routine measuring a sample material by means of a satellite measuring instrument, such that the difference between said result and the result that would have been obtained if the sample material had been measured by means of a corresponding master measuring instrument is minimized, comprising

measuring, by means of said satellite measuring instrument, said sample material being contained in a means for containing said sample material of a portable device,

reading, by means of said satellite measuring instrument, information from an information unit, which is a part of said portable device, wherein said information comprises information of the identity of the type of said sample material,

selecting the correct standardization model according to said information of the identity of the type of said sample material from amongst at least a few standardization models stored in at least one of the satellite instrument and an external computer connected to the satellite measuring instrument, and

applying said standardization model to the spectrum of said sample material so that a standardized spectrum of said sample material is produced that is essentially identical to the spectrum that would have been obtained by means of said master measuring instrument.

38. A method according to claim 37, wherein said reading of said information is made wirelessly.

39. A method according to claim 37, wherein said information of the identity of the type of said sample material further is used to select the correct prediction model from amongst at least a few prediction models stored in at least one of said satellite measuring instrument and said external computer.

40. A method according to claim 39, further comprising

applying said prediction model to said standardized spectrum of said sample material in order to obtain the desired analytical result for said sample material that is essentially identical to the result that would have been obtained by means of said master measuring instrument.

41. A method according to claim 37, wherein said method is performed automatically when said portable device is located in a receiving means of said satellite measuring instrument.

42. A method according to claim 37, wherein said satellite measuring instrument is a visible and near infrared reflection measuring instrument.

43. A method according to claim 37, wherein said satellite measuring instrument is a visible and near infrared transmission measuring instrument.

44. A cup for receiving and containing a material to analyse, said cup having attached to it a chip for storing information about said material and for wirelessly transmitting said information to a measurement instrument for measuring said material.