Method and system for managing results of an analysis process on objects handled along a technical process line

• US 9,020,624 B2
• Filed: 11/25/2009
• Issued: 04/28/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 12/18/2008
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Siemens AG
• Original Assignee: Siemens AG
• Inventors: Depreter, Frdric
• Primary Examiner(s): Fennema, Robert
• Assistant Examiner(s): STEVENS, THOMAS H
• Application Number:
  US12/625,748
• Publication Number:
  US 20100161097A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,980 Days
• Field of Search: 700/100, 700/116, 707/608, 705/7.13
• US Class Current: 700/100
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling

Abstract

A system manages results of an analysis process on objects handled along a technical process line. The system contains measures for defining workflow steps of the technical process line and workflow execution software, and measures for generating for each object an object record containing the results of the workflow steps and a status. The system further has measures for defining an event manager for managing a transition from an actual status to a new status according to results of the workflow steps. The event manager contains a customized number of statuses linked to the workflow steps and contains for each transition a customizable set of rules for delivering check results. Finally, measures are provided for executing in parallel the analysis process, the workflow execution software and the event manager, thereby assigning a status to the object record depending on the check results derived from the execution of the set of rules.

Claims

1. A method for managing results of an analysis process on samples handled in a laboratory, the method which comprises the steps of:

defining workflow steps to be performed in a laboratory including machines performing an analysis process on samples, and defining respective workflow executing software for implementing the workflow steps in the laboratory;

generating for each of the samples, a sample record including results of the workflow steps as the samples are handled in the laboratory and a respective status;

defining an event manager for managing a transition from an actual status to a new status in the sample record according to the results of the workflow steps, the event manager being individually programmable apart from the respective workflow executing software;

defining for the event manager a customized number of statuses linked to the workflow steps and for each transition a customizable set of rules delivering check results; and

executing in parallel the analysis process performed by the machines on the samples, the respective workflow execution software and the event manager, thereby assigning the respective status to the sample record depending on the check results derived from an execution of the customizable set of rules;

wherein the customizable set of rules checks a content of the sample record against predefined thresholds; and

wherein the step of checking the customizable set of rules against predefined thresholds further includes deciding whether an entry is present within a distinct record field of the sample record or not.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the workflow steps includes reanalyzing at least one of the samples based on an analysis parameter of the one of the samples.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the samples are human blood samples.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the analysis process includes measuring a quality of the results of the analysis process on the samples.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the customizable set of rules contains a number of activities which are executed in response to a delivered check results.

6. The method according to claim 5, which further comprises performing at least one of executing and controlling the activities by a separate processing line independent from the event manager and the respective workflow controlling software.

7. The method according to claim 1, which further comprises triggering an execution of the customizable set of rules by the event manager when any modification of one of the sample and the sample record occurs.

8. The method according to claim 7, which further comprises selecting the customizable set of rules in dependence on the actual status within the sample record.

9. The method according to claim 1, wherein the analysis process includes measuring a number of the samples handled in a unit of time by a particular one of the plurality of machines.

10. A system for managing results of an analysis process on samples handled in a laboratory, the system comprising:

means for defining workflow steps of to be performed in a laboratory including machines performing an analysis process on samples, and defining a respective workflow execution software for implementing the workflow steps in the laboratory;

means for generating for each of the samples, a sample record including results of the workflow steps as the samples are handled along the in the laboratory and a respective status;

means for defining an event manager for managing a transition from an actual status to a new status in the sample record according to the results of the workflow steps, said event manager being individually programmable apart from said respective workflow executing software;

said event manager containing a customized number of statuses linked to the workflow steps and containing for each said transition a customizable set of rules delivering check results; and

means for executing in parallel the analysis process performed by the plurality of machines on the samples, the respective workflow execution software and the event manager, thereby assigning the respective status to the sample record depending on the check results derived from an execution of the customizable set of rules;

wherein said customizable set of rules checks a content of the sample record against predefined thresholds; and

wherein checking the customizable set of rules against the predefined thresholds further includes deciding whether an entry is present within a distinct record field of the sample record or not.

11. The system according to claim 10, wherein said customizable set of rules has a number of activities executed in response to delivered check results.

12. The system according to claim 11, wherein said activities are at least one of executed and controlled by a separate processing line independent from said event manager and said respective workflow controlling software.

13. The system according to claim 10, wherein execution of said customizable set of rules by said event manager is triggered by any modification of one of the sample and the sample record.

14. The system according to claim 13, wherein said customizable set of rules is selected depending on the actual status within the sample record.

15. The system according to claim 10, wherein at least one of the workflow steps includes reanalyzing at least one of the samples based on an analysis parameter of the one of the samples.