EP-4741807-A1 - TITRATION SYSTEM AND PROGRAM

EP4741807A1EP 4741807 A1EP4741807 A1EP 4741807A1EP-4741807-A1

Abstract

A versatile titration system, and the like, are provided that is capable of accurately determining an equivalence point. The titration system comprises: a camera installed so as to be able to capture a flask containing a sample solution; an image generation part that generates image data that represents an image in which a sample solution is captured, based on an image signal output from the camera; a storage part that stores multiple parameter sets including: a type of color value to be used as a determination target when determining an equivalence point; and a determination criterion corresponding to the type of color value; an operation input part; a setting part that reads, from among the multiple parameter sets, a parameter set that depends on an input signal accepted by the operation input part, from the storage part, and sets a type of color value to be used as a determination target, and a determination criterion, based on the parameter set; a pixel value acquisition part that acquires a pixel value in an area of the image, in which a sample solution is captured; a color value acquisition part that acquires a color value based on the pixel value acquired by the pixel value acquisition part; and a determination part that evaluates the color value based on the determination criterion.

Inventors

OKADA YASUSHI
NAKAMURA TAKESHI
ONODERA Kazunari
AIDA YOHEI
SARUTA Ippei

Assignees

I-Motion Technology Co., Ltd.

Dates

Publication Date: 20260513
Application Date: 20240702

Claims (8)

A titration system, comprising: a camera installed so as to be able to capture a flask containing a sample solution including an analyte and configured to capture the sample solution and output an image signal; an image generation part configured to generate image data that represents an image in which the sample solution is captured, based on an image signal output from the camera; a storage part configured to store multiple parameter sets including: a type of color value to be used as a determination target when determining an equivalence point; and a determination criterion corresponding to the type of color value, depending on a combination of an analyte and a standard solution added with a titration indicator; an operation input part configured to accept an input signal that depends on an external operation; a setting part configured to read, from among the multiple parameter sets, a parameter set that depends on an input signal accepted by the operation input part, from the storage part, and to set a type of color value to be used as a determination target, and a determination criterion, based on the parameter set; a pixel value acquisition part configured to acquire a pixel value in an area of an image, in which a sample solution is captured, the image being generated by the image generation part; a color value acquisition part configured to acquire a color value of the type set by the setting part, based on the pixel value acquired by the pixel value acquisition part; and a determination part configured to evaluate the color value acquired by the color value acquisition part, based on the determination criterion set by the setting part.
The titration system according to claim 1, wherein the setting part is configured to set multiple types of color values as a determination target and to set a relative relationship between the multiple types of color values as a determination criterion.
The titration system according to claim 1, wherein the setting part is configured to set one type of color value as a determination target and to set a threshold of the one type of color value as a determination criterion.
The titration system according to claim 1, wherein the setting part is configured to set one type of color value as a determination target and to set a mode of change of the one type of color value as a determination criterion.
The titration system according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the setting part is further configured to change the set color value type and determination criterion, depending on an input signal accepted by the operation input part.
The titration system according to any one of claims 1 to 5, further comprising an area designation part configured to designate a specific area within the image as an observation area, depending on an input signal accepted by the operation input part, and the pixel value acquisition part is configured to acquire a pixel value in the observation area.
The titration system according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the storage part is configured to further store a measurement file that includes a pixel value acquired by the pixel value acquisition part and a color value acquired by the color value acquisition part, and is also configured to further store a hash value of the measurement file.
A program that causes a computer to execute the following steps, the computer including an operation input part that accepts an input signal that depends on an external operation, and a storage part, the storage part storing multiple parameter sets including: a type of color value to be used as a determination target when determining an equivalence point; and a determination criterion corresponding to the type of color value, depending on a combination of an analyte and a standard solution added with a titration indicator, the steps including: an image generation step in which image data is generated, the image data representing an image in which a sample solution is captured, based on an image signal output from a camera installed so as to be able to capture a flask containing a sample solution including an analyte and configured to capture the sample solution and output an image signal; a setting step in which, a parameter set is read, from among the multiple parameter sets, that depends on an input signal accepted by the operation input part, from the storage part, and a type of color value to be used as a determination target, and a determination criterion, are set based on the parameter set; a pixel value acquisition step in which a pixel value is acquired in an area of an image, in which a sample solution is captured, the image being generated in the image generation step; a color value acquisition step in which a color value of the type set in the setting step is acquired, based on the pixel value acquired in the pixel value acquisition step; and a determination step in which the color value acquired in the color value acquisition step is evaluated based on the determination criterion set in the setting step.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to a titration system and a program. BACKGROUND ART As a titration method, a method in which a standard solution added with a titration indicator is dripped into a sample solution and the color of the solution is observed (colorimetric method), and a method in which the potential difference is measured while a standard solution is dripped into a sample solution in which an electrode is installed (potentiometric titration; see, for example, PLT 1), are known. An automatic titrator has also been proposed that detects changes in the color development status of indicators based on the image information of the camera (see, for example, PLT 2). PRIOR ART DOCUMENTS PATENT LITERATURE PLT 1: JP2010-101724 APLT 2: JP06(1994)-058882 A SUMMARY OF INVENTION PROBLEMS TO BE SOLVED BY INVENTION In the colorimetric method, which is based on visual confirmation, in addition to the heavy burden on the operator, there may be variations in the determination of the equivalence point, depending on the operators. On the other hand, in the potentiometric titration, the electrodes must be cleaned every time the titration is performed, and the series of tasks required for titration becomes cumbersome. In addition, in PLT 2, the end point of the titration is detected with an emergence of a noticeable change in the brightness of the sample solution either by irradiating the sample solution with a light source of the same color or a complementary color as the titration indicator, or by providing a filter of the same color or a complementary color as the titration indicator in the light source. However, since various kinds of indicators are used in titration based on the colorimetric method, it is difficult to realize a versatile titration system when configurations are used in which the light source and filter are changed depending on the types of indicator. The present invention has been made in view of the above, and an object of the present invention is to provide a versatile titration system and program that are capable of accurately determining an equivalence point. MEANS FOR SOLVING THE PROBLEMS In order to solve the above-described problems, the titration system, which is an aspect of the present invention, comprises: a camera installed so as to be able to capture a flask containing a sample solution including an analyte and configured to capture the sample solution and output an image signal; an image generation part configured to generate image data that represents an image in which the sample solution is captured, based on an image signal output from the camera; a storage part configured to store multiple parameter sets including: a type of color value to be used as a determination target when determining an equivalence point; and a determination criterion corresponding to the type of color value, depending on a combination of an analyte and a standard solution added with a titration indicator; an operation input part configured to accept an input signal that depends on an external operation; a setting part configured to read, from among the multiple parameter sets, a parameter set that depends on an input signal accepted by the operation input part, from the storage part, and to set a type of color value to be used as a determination target, and a determination criterion, based on the parameter set; a pixel value acquisition part configured to acquire a pixel value in an area of an image, in which a sample solution is captured, the image being generated by the image generation part; a color value acquisition part configured to acquire a color value of the type set by the setting part, based on the pixel value acquired by the pixel value acquisition part; and a determination part configured to evaluate the color value acquired by the color value acquisition part, based on the determination criterion set by the setting part. In the above-described titration system, the setting part may be configured to set multiple types of color values as a determination target and to set a relative relationship between the multiple types of color values as a determination criterion. In the above-described titration system, the setting part may be configured to set one type of color value as a determination target and to set a threshold of the one type of color value as a determination criterion. In the above-described titration system, the setting part may be configured to set one type of color value as a determination target and to set a mode of change of the one type of color value as a determination criterion. In the above-described titration system, the setting part may be further configured to change the set color value type and determination criterion, depending on an input signal accepted by the operation input part. The above-described titration system may further comprise an area designation part configured to designate a specific area within the image as an observation area, depending on