Disclosed is a method for applying a control reference value regarding a quality control sample to a specimen analyzer by a computer, the method comprising: generating the control reference value on the basis of a measurement result of the quality control sample measured by the specimen analyzer; and applying the control reference value to the specimen analyzer.

Provided are a quality control method, a quality control system, a management apparatus, an analyzer, and a quality control abnormality determination method in which measurement results of both a quality control substance and a specimen are sufficiently utilized to improve the quality of quality control. The quality control method used in a management apparatus which is connected via a network to an analyzer installed in each of a plurality of facilities includes obtaining, from an analyzer in each facility via a network, first quality control information obtained by measuring an artificially generated quality control substance, and second quality control information obtained by measuring a plurality of specimens by the analyzer in each facility; and outputting information concerning quality control of an analyzer in at least one facility, based on the obtained first quality control information and second quality control information.

A method for performing quality control on a diagnostic analyzer includes receiving control measurement values from each of a plurality of diagnostic analyzers. A quality control measurement value is received from a target diagnostic analyzer. The quality control measurement value is compared with statistical criteria associated with the plurality of quality control measurement values received from the plurality of diagnostic analyzers. A comparison result is communicated to a user interface associated with the target diagnostic analyzer.

An interlock system for an industrial inspection system. The interlock system includes a first interlock mechanism having a projection that has an internal thread extending into the projection; and a second interlock mechanism having a receiving member that receives the projection. The second interlock mechanism has a threaded shaft that extends into the internal thread of the first interlock mechanism when rotated. The second interlock mechanism moves toward the first interlock mechanism when the threaded shaft is rotated.

An object of the present invention is to provide an automatic analyzer that can decrease the frequency of cleaning as compared to the past by suppressing breeding of bacteria and the like in a buffer tank as compared to the past and can reduce maintenance work time of an operator. Provided is an automatic analyzer comprising: an analysis module 20 that analyzes a specimen; and a supply system that supplies a liquid to the analysis module 20, wherein the supply system includes: a buffer tank 3 that temporarily stores pure water supplied from a pure water production device 50 outside of the analyzer; a supply channel 7 through which the pure water in the buffer tank 3 is sent to the analysis module 20; a circulation water pump 4 that feeds the pure water in the buffer tank 3; a circulation channel 8 through which the pure water discharged from the circulation water pump 4 is returned to the buffer tank 3; a sterilization mechanism 5 that sterilizes the pure water in the supply system; and a control unit 30 that controls an operation of each device in the supply system.

There is provided an article inspection verification system provided in an article inspection line including a plurality of article inspection devices that determine whether an inspection target article is a non-defective product or a defective product. The article inspection verification system includes physical effect generators that generate a physical effect that causes the inspection target article to be determined to be the defective product while the inspection target article passes through inspection sections corresponding each of article inspection devices, and a physical effect control unit that stores generation conditions of the physical effect by the physical effect generators and drives the physical effect generators in accordance with the generation conditions during an operation of the article inspection line.

The purpose of the present invention is to provide an automated analysis apparatus that can reduce the influence of a pre-sample more reliably, by delivering an internal standard solution. The automated analyzing apparatus according to the present invention determines in advance whether the ion concentration of a first sample is higher than the ion concentration of a second sample by a reference value, and delivers a liquid other than the sample in addition to the internal standard solution (see FIG. 2)

A method of determining a level of interference with a photometric in-vitro diagnostic assay and an in-vitro diagnostic analyzer for carrying out the method are described. The method comprises treating an aliquot of a sample with at least one reagent to obtain a sample/reagent mixture and subjecting the sample/reagent mixture to a photometric measurement in order to obtain a result of the in-vitro diagnostic assay, and during the same photometric measurement determining a preliminary level of interference by semi-quantitatively determining one or more interfering substances in the same sample/reaction mixture. The method further comprises triggering a separate photometric measurement of another aliquot of the same sample either undiluted or diluted with a liquid other than a reagent in order to determine an effective level of interference by quantitatively determining the one or more interfering substances, only upon determining a preliminary level of interference above a predetermined threshold.

A method of generating smear quality control information according to an embodiment may include: obtaining a plurality of image data from a plurality of smears, respectively; obtaining, from the plurality of image data, feature values each of which reflects a staining state of each smear; and generating quality control information based on the feature values.

A neural network-based method for quantifying a volume of a specimen. The method includes providing a specimen, capturing images of the specimen, and directly classifying to one of a plurality of volume classes or volumes using a trained neural network. Quality check modules and specimen testing apparatus adapted to carry out the volume quantification method are described, as are other aspects.