Abstract: This invention addresses the problem of creating a communication path in a distributed system, with a simpler configuration. In order to solve this problem, a distributed system comprises a plurality of distributed devices consisting of a communication master station and a plurality of communication slave stations, wherein a communication port that communicates with the upstream side is dynamically updated according to the traffic volume on a communication path by which routing packets are communicated, a communication path is created on the basis thereof, and if a communication failure occurs in the distributed system, a bypass path for bypassing the communication failure is created, as a communication path.

Abstract: Provided are a conveying device and a conveying method capable of improving the position detection accuracy of the holder as compared with the related art. A conveying device 100 includes a coil 107 including a core 105 and a winding 106, a drive unit 108 that supplies a current to the winding 106, a current detection unit 109 that detects the value of the current flowing through the winding 106, and a control unit 110 that calculates the position of a holder 102, in which the control unit 110 calculates the position of the holder 102 based on the current value detected by the current detection unit 109 and the calibration curve obtained in advance, and changes the calibration curve used depending on how the drive voltage is applied by the drive unit 108.

Abstract: The present invention has a plurality of conveyance lanes disposed in parallel, and also has an information-reading unit for reading a sample identifier of a container present in a reading region set within a conveying unit, the reading region being disposed in at least one location from among the conveyance-direction front-surface side of a holder, the conveyance-direction reverse side of the holder, and above the conveyance lanes. The information-reading unit is configured to read the sample identifier of a container being conveyed through any conveyance lane among the plurality of conveyance lanes using the one information-reading unit. There are thereby provided a specimen conveyance device and a specimen conveyance method by which the accuracy of reading sample information can be improved over that in the past.

Abstract: Provided is an automatic analysis system that reduces a personnel burden and increases an operating rate using an autonomous mobile robot while suppressing an initial cost. The automatic analysis system includes: a plurality of devices that are disposed in an automatic analysis area 101 and includes analyzing units 103 and 104 included in an automatic analyzer; and a robot 102 that moves in the automatic analysis area, in which an operation screen of the analyzing unit has a first screen mode for an operator and a second screen mode for the robot and is switchable between the first screen mode and the second screen mode, and the robot obtains state information of the analyzing unit from the operation screen in the second screen mode.

Abstract: An inspection result of a specimen inspection automation system can be reported within a prescribed time, even if a large number of urgent specimens have been input. An instruction reception unit receives turn around time (TAT) information and a discharge instruction. The necessity of discharging a specimen for which the instruction was issued with the discharge instruction is determined and a discharge instruction unit creates a discharge destination and a conveyance route to the discharge destination for the specimen. A discharge mechanism discharges the specimen for which the instruction was issued. Even for a specimen which is caused to wait for processing due to the occurrence of specimen congestion and for which there is a risk of an inspection result reporting delay, an inspection result can be reported within a prescribed time by switching from automatic processing by the system to manual processing by an operator.

Abstract: There is provided a sample conveying device capable of stable conveyance while suppressing power consumption, a sample analysis system, and a method for conveying a sample. In the sample conveying device, the specifications of one of coils 706, 706B, 706C, 706D, 706E, 706F, and 706G or coil shafts 705, 705A, 705C, 705D, 705E, 705F, and 705G are different between magnetic poles 707A, 707B, 707C, 707E, and 707G directly below positions where a container holder 100 does not stop and the magnetic poles 707, 707D, and 707G directly below positions where the container holder 100 stops in a conveyance tile 120.

Abstract: There are provided a sample conveying device and a sample conveyance method capable of determining a cause of an abnormality in a conveyance speed more quickly than in the related art. In a conveying device 501, a general conveyance speed of a conveying container 102 is obtained from a position of the conveying container 102 detected by a position detection unit 110 to determine whether the general conveyance speed is abnormal, and when it is determined that the general conveyance speed is abnormal, an inspection conveying container 105 is conveyed, and the cause of the abnormality in the general conveyance speed is determined based on the conveyance speed of the inspection conveying container 105.

Abstract: There are provided a sample conveyance system and a sample conveyance method capable of conveying a sample in a more stable manner than in the related art corresponding to a conveyance method using an electromagnetic actuator. A driving unit 208 applies a first voltage to a first coil 207a located on a front side in a traveling direction of a holder 202, which is selected to attract or repel the holder 202, to excite the first coil 207a and applies a second voltage having a polarity opposite to a polarity of the first voltage to at least one or more of second coils 207b among coils 207 adjacent to the first coil 207a except for the coils 207 in the front side in the traveling direction to excite the second coil 207b, and a control unit 210A estimates a position of the holder 202 based on a value of a current flowing through a winding 206 of the first coil 207a.

Abstract: In a two-dimensional conveyance line employing an electromagnetic conveyance technique, carriers are conveyed in consideration of the length of a group of stagnated carriers, so as to reduce idle positions and ensure conveyance efficiency of a specimen inspection system and maximize the number of carriers conveyed simultaneously. Current is supplied to a winding of an electromagnetic circuit and an electromagnetic force is generated between the winding and a carrier with a magnet that holds a test tube to move the carrier. The processing efficiency of a specimen inspection system is improved by changing the current of the electromagnetic circuit to change a conveyance speed of the carrier to which the specimen sample is mounted, and by shortening the conveyance time, and reducing the conveyance speed of the carrier and increasing the number of carriers that are conveyed simultaneously as an alternative to detouring the carrier during congestion.

Abstract: The purpose of the present invention is to provide an automatic analysis system which, even when a large number of quality control samples is necessary, reduces the time necessary for quality control. To this end, this automatic analysis system is provided with multiple analysis devices (190), a conveyance unit (120) to which the analysis devices (190) are connected, and an operation unit (101) which operates the conveyance unit (120) to convey samples to the analysis device (190), wherein the automatic analysis system has a common storage cabinet (210) for storing the quality control samples that can be supplied to the multiple analysis devices (190), and in accordance with a rule registered in advance for each of the multiple analysis devices (190), the operation unit (101) operates the storage cabinet (210) to automatically convey a quality control sample to an analysis device (190).

Abstract: The sample container loading or storing unit includes a sample rack tray and a sample rack tray installation portion on which the sample rack tray is installed, the sample rack tray installation portion includes a claw portion that moves in a contact direction with a sidewall portion of the sample rack tray, the sample rack tray includes a claw guard portion provided on the sidewall portion of the sample rack tray, and the claw guard portion is configured to be separated from the sidewall portion of the sample rack tray by being pushed by a sample rack.

Abstract: A time period that is required for dealing with the need to access another place in advance of a device which is generating an alarm is reduced. Information of a task being presently executed by a laboratory technician present in a clinical laboratory is acquired from a responsible person schedule management table. Information based on a distance between the present position of the laboratory technician present in the clinical laboratory and a positional information reference point that indicates the position first accessed by the laboratory technician to deal with the alarm and that is specified from an alarm information management table and an alarm handling access position management table is also acquired. Based on the acquired information, ordering for issuing a notification of the alarm of which generation has been detected is performed for the laboratory technician present in the clinical inspection room.

Abstract: A management unit 101 for integrally managing a sample conveyance system 100 generates conveyance path information for conveying a holder 30 on the basis of conditions of conveyance tiles 401 detected by control drivers 301, 302, 303, 304 that perform detection of conditions and driving of the conveyance tiles 401, and control units 201, 202, 203 that manage operations of the plurality of conveyance tiles 401 and that can move the holder 30 in a planar two-dimensional direction, generate a conveyance path of the holder 30 on the basis of the conveyance path information, generate command signals for the conveyance tiles 401, and output the signals to the control drivers 301, 302, 303, 304.

Abstract: An inspection result of a specimen inspection automation system can be reported within a prescribed time, even if a large number of urgent specimens have been input. An instruction reception unit receives turn around time (TAT) information and a discharge instruction. The necessity of discharging a specimen for which the instruction was issued with the discharge instruction is determined and a discharge instruction unit creates a discharge destination and a conveyance route to the discharge destination for the specimen. A discharge mechanism discharges the specimen for which the instruction was issued. Even for a specimen which is caused to wait for processing due to the occurrence of specimen congestion and for which there is a risk of an inspection result reporting delay, an inspection result can be reported within a prescribed time by switching from automatic processing by the system to manual processing by an operator.

Abstract: Provided is an automatic analysis system that reduces a personnel burden and increases an operating rate using an autonomous mobile robot while suppressing an initial cost. The automatic analysis system includes: a plurality of devices that are disposed in an automatic analysis area 101 and includes analyzing units 103 and 104 included in an automatic analyzer; and a robot 102 that moves in the automatic analysis area, in which an operation screen of the analyzing unit has a first screen mode for an operator and a second screen mode for the robot and is switchable between the first screen mode and the second screen mode, and the robot obtains state information of the analyzing unit from the operation screen in the second screen mode.

Abstract: An automated sample inspection system is provided with a conveyance line for conveying sample carriers; an empty sample carrier line for conveying empty sample carriers; and a buffer line for temporarily holding empty sample carriers supplied from the empty sample carrier line to the conveyance line. According to the depletion status of the buffer line of each processing system, and the depletion status of other processing systems adjacent to each processing system, the number of empty sample carriers to be conveyed from the empty sample carrier line to the buffer line of each processing system, and the number of empty sample carriers to be conveyed from the empty sample carrier line of each processing system to the empty sample carrier line of another adjacent processing system are determined. Consequently, delays in the processes in the system can be suppressed due to the suppression of the depletion of sample carriers.

Abstract: A specimen conveyance system and a specimen conveyance method are realized, in which a conveyance route of a specimen can be reset even when information about an additional request is received after loading of the specimen. When an abnormality occurs in the analysis result, a notification of the abnormality is sent to an operation control unit and a host computer through a communication cable and information about the additional request for changing the conveyance route is created. After the specimen is conveyed from the analysis device to the transfer machine, information about the additional request is checked at a destination determination point, and the conveyance route is changed according to the additional request. Accordingly, the specimen container can be conveyed to the appropriate analysis device without being returned to the storage unit once, and thus the specimen analysis time can be reduced.

Abstract: A sample test automation system which is capable of reducing the workload of an operator and precisely carrying out necessary processes of each of samples without stagnation. In the sample test automation system, a sample tray 120 on which a plurality of samples 150 can be installed is prepared, an identifier for distinguishing the sample tray 120 is attached to the sample tray 120, a sample introducing unit 10 is provided with an identifier reading apparatus 111 which reads the identifier of the sample tray 120, and information about the samples 150 is switched based on the read identifier of the sample tray 120.

Abstract: The sample container loading or storing unit includes a sample rack tray and a sample rack tray installation portion on which the sample rack tray is installed, the sample rack tray installation portion includes a claw portion that moves in a contact direction with a sidewall portion of the sample rack tray, the sample rack tray includes a claw guard portion provided on the sidewall portion of the sample rack tray, and the claw guard portion is configured to be separated from the sidewall portion of the sample rack tray by being pushed by a sample rack.