Methods and apparatus for predicting and preventing failure of in vitro diagnostic instruments

Abstract

Methods of predicting failures of in vitro diagnostic instruments. The methods include monitoring with one or more monitoring devices associated with one or more components of the in vitro diagnostic instrument, one or more condition-based maintenance (CBM) parameters of the in vitro diagnostic instrument, providing the one or more condition-based maintenance parameters to a local database, transmitting condition-based maintenance data to a remote service location, storing the condition-based maintenance data at the remote service location, analyzing the condition-based maintenance data according to a failure prediction engine including failure prediction criteria, and performing an action based on predefined deviation from the failure prediction criteria. Apparatus configured to carry out the methods are provided, as are other aspects.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of predicting failures of an in vitro diagnostic instrument, comprising:
 monitoring, via one or more monitoring devices associated with one or more components of the in vitro diagnostic instrument, one or more condition-based maintenance parameters of the in vitro diagnostic instrument;   providing the one or more condition-based maintenance parameters of the in vitro diagnostic instrument to a local database;   transmitting condition-based maintenance data to a remote server;   storing the condition-based maintenance data at the remote server;   analyzing the condition-based maintenance data according to a failure prediction engine including failure prediction criteria; and   performing an action based on predefined deviation from the failure prediction criteria.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , comprising processing the one or more condition-based maintenance parameters to provide processed condition-based maintenance data. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the processed condition-based maintenance data comprises a maximum, minimum, mean, and standard deviation of the one or more condition-based maintenance parameters over a predefined period of time. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more condition-based maintenance parameters of the in vitro diagnostic instrument comprises one or more of:
 a temperature of a component of the in vitro diagnostic instrument;   a pressure in a component of the in vitro diagnostic instrument;   a liquid level in a component of the in vitro diagnostic instrument;   a current drawn by a component of the in vitro diagnostic instrument;   a flow rate through a component of the in vitro diagnostic instrument; and   a backlash in a pump component of the in vitro diagnostic instrument.   
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , comprising setting a collection frequency of the one or more condition-based maintenance parameters of the in vitro diagnostic instrument. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , comprising setting an upload frequency of the condition-based maintenance data of the in vitro diagnostic instrument. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the transmitting of the condition-based maintenance data to the remote server comprises a conditional push operation where a condition must be met before the transmitting takes place. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the transmitting of the condition-based maintenance data to the remote server comprises a pull operation where the transmitting is requested by the remote server. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein analyzing the condition-based maintenance data according to failure prediction engine comprises determining a failure pattern match. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the failure pattern match comprises exceeding a predetermined slope of the condition-based maintenance data over a predetermined period of time. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein analyzing the condition-based maintenance data according to failure prediction engine comprises determining a threshold deviation from normal. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the action comprises triggering one or more predefined rules from a rules engine. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the predefined rules comprise one or more of:
 provide a notice or warning to an instrument operator;   create report;   request more condition-based maintenance data from the instrument;   automatic instrument shutdown; and   schedule service of the instrument.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the failure prediction criteria comprises a preset threshold value against which the condition-based maintenance data is compared. 
     
     
         15 . An in vitro diagnostic instrument maintenance apparatus, comprising:
 one or more monitoring devices configured to monitor condition-based parameters of one or more instrument components;   a local server coupled to the one or more monitoring devices, the local server including:
 an instrument check module configured to:
 test functionality of the one or more instrument components, and 
 obtain the condition-based parameters of the one or more instrument components; 
 
 a local database configured to contain a compilation of the condition-based parameters; and 
   a remote server configured to communicate with the local server and configured to receive and store the condition-based parameters in a condition-based parameter database, the remote server including:
 a failure prediction engine, and 
 a failure rules model. 
   
     
     
         16 . The in vitro diagnostic instrument maintenance apparatus of  claim 15 , wherein the condition-based parameters comprise one or more of:
 a temperature of a component of the in vitro diagnostic instrument;   a pressure in a component of the in vitro diagnostic instrument;   a liquid level in a component of the in vitro diagnostic instrument;   a current drawn by a component of the in vitro diagnostic instrument;   a flow rate through a component of the in vitro diagnostic instrument; and   a backlash in a pump component of the in vitro diagnostic instrument.   
     
     
         17 . The in vitro diagnostic instrument maintenance apparatus of  claim 15 , wherein the local database is configured to receive the condition-based parameters from multiple in vitro diagnostic instruments. 
     
     
         18 . The in vitro diagnostic instrument maintenance apparatus of  claim 15 , wherein the condition-based parameters of one or more instrument components comprises software-related operating parameters. 
     
     
         19 . The in vitro diagnostic instrument maintenance apparatus of  claim 15 , wherein the condition-based parameters of the one or more instrument components are processed to determine a rate of change over time or a difference over time. 
     
     
         20 . An in vitro diagnostic instrument maintenance apparatus, comprising:
 monitoring devices configured to monitor condition-based parameters of instrument components of an in vitro diagnostic instrument;   a local workstation server of the in vitro diagnostic instrument coupled to the monitoring devices, the local workstation server including:
 an instrument check module configured to:
 test functionality of the instrument components, and 
 obtain the condition-based parameters of the instrument components; 
 
 a local database configured to contain a compilation of the condition-based parameters; and 
   a remote server configured to communicate with the local workstation server and configured to receive and store the condition-based parameters in a condition-based parameter database, the remote server including:
 a failure prediction engine, and 
 a failure rules model.