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US-12622990-B2 - Sterilization of testing equipment

US12622990B2US 12622990 B2US12622990 B2US 12622990B2US-12622990-B2

Abstract

A system including a processor and memory coupled to the processor. The system also includes a lateral flow assay (“LFA”) strip reader coupled to the processor for transmitting an LFA strip image to the processor. The processor initiates a sterilization process when the LFA strip image includes a visual feature indicating a sterilization trigger.

Inventors

  • Clas Sivertsen
  • TOM SIVERTSEN
  • Roy Larsen
  • STURLA SIVERTSEN

Assignees

  • ASSAYA LLC

Dates

Publication Date
20260512
Application Date
20210625

Claims (20)

  1. 1 . A testing system, comprising: a processor; memory coupled to the processor; a lateral flow assay (“LFA”) strip reader coupled to the processor for reading an LFA strip in a cassette; an LFA strip image created by the LFA strip reader, where the LFA strip image further comprises an image of at least part of the cassette; the processor further configured to initiate a sterilization process of an interior of the testing system when the LFA strip image includes a visual feature located on the cassette, an existence of the visual feature located on the cassette indicating that the sterilization process should be triggered, and the visual feature not comprising an identification of the LFA strip, and the visual feature comprising a code indicating a sterilization trigger, wherein the code indicating the sterilization trigger comprises one of a QR code, a data matrix, or a bar code.
  2. 2 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the LFA strip reader is an imaging device.
  3. 3 . The system of claim 2 , wherein the sterilization process is halted when the imaging device detects movement.
  4. 4 . The system of claim 1 , wherein a message is transmitted by a communications interface in communication with the processor to a central database when the sterilization process is halted.
  5. 5 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the LFA strip reader comprises a plurality of LED lights activated based on a test configuration profile and a camera for reading the LFA strip and generating the LFA strip image.
  6. 6 . The system of claim 5 wherein the plurality of LED lights includes visible lights and ultraviolet UVC lights, and wherein the sterilization trigger causes the processor to turn on the UVC lights.
  7. 7 . The system of claim 6 , further comprising an ultraviolet filter placed in front of an image sensor in the LFA strip reader to protect the image sensor from UVC lights during the sterilization.
  8. 8 . The system of claim 7 , wherein a length of time that the UVC lights are turned on is based on information in the visual feature.
  9. 9 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the visual feature comprises text on the cassette and a color on the cassette.
  10. 10 . A method, comprising: reading a lateral flow assay (“LFA”) strip in a cassette, using an imaging device, to generate an LFA strip image, where the LFA strip image further comprises an image of at least part of the cassette and wherein the LFA strip image comprises a visual feature; providing the LFA strip image to a processor; activating, using the processor, a sterilization process when the LFA strip image contains a visual feature comprising a code to trigger the sterilization process and the visual feature not comprising an identification of the LFA strip, the sterilization process to sterilize an interior of a testing machine.
  11. 11 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the activating the sterilization process using the processor comprises activating a UVC light.
  12. 12 . The method of claim 11 , the UVC light is activated for a predetermined period of time.
  13. 13 . The method of claim 12 , wherein the predetermined period of time is based on data within the visual feature.
  14. 14 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the sterilization process is halted when movement is detected in the LFA strip image.
  15. 15 . The method of claim 10 , further comprising transmitting an alert to a central database when the sterilization process is halted.
  16. 16 . The method of claim 10 , further comprising logging a successful completion of the sterilization process in a central database.
  17. 17 . The method of claim 10 , further comprising interrupting the sterilization process upon the processor receiving a request to interrupt the sterilization process.
  18. 18 . A system, comprising: a carrier to receive a lateral flow assay (“LFA”) for processing; an LFA strip reader for obtaining an LFA strip image in the carrier; a processor to analyze the LFA strip image, and identify a visual feature comprising one of: a shape of a cassette containing an LFA strip, text on the cassette, a barcode on the cassette, a color on the cassette, a bar code on a surface of a receptacle into which the cassette is inserted that is covered up by the cassette, the visual feature indicating a sterilization trigger, and wherein the visual feature does not indicate an identification of the LFA strip; and the processor to initiate a sterilization process of the carrier in response to identifying the visual feature.
  19. 19 . The system of claim 18 , wherein the LFA strip reader comprises a plurality of light emitting diode (LED) lights and a camera.
  20. 20 . The system of claim 19 , wherein the sterilization process uses an ultraviolet C (UVC) light to sterilize the carrier.

Description

BACKGROUND The present invention generally relates to sterilization and more specifically, to a testing equipment sterilization system and method. Testing devices receive a number of test samples throughout the course of a day. These test samples may contain viruses, bacteria, and contaminants. Present day testing systems often lack sterilization features within the equipment. Those that do have sterilization systems in place lack adequate controls and triggering means. SUMMARY Embodiments of the present invention are directed to a system including a processor and memory coupled to the processor. The system also includes a lateral flow assay (“LFA”) strip reader coupled to the processor for transmitting an LFA strip image to the processor. The processor initiates a sterilization process when the LFA strip image includes a visual feature indicating a sterilization trigger. Further embodiments are directed to a method that reads a lateral flow assay strip, using an imaging device, to generate an LFA strip image. The method provides the LFA strip image to a processor and activates, using the processor, a sterilization process when the LFA strip image contains a visual feature intended to trigger the sterilization process. Further embodiments of the present invention are directed to a method. The method builds an equivalence curve for a lateral flow assay (“LFA”) strip. The method receives, by a processor, test information for the LFA strip and receives, by the processor, an image of the LFA strip. The method receives, by the processor, a known concentration of a viral load placed onto the LFA strip and associates, by the processor, an intensity of a portion of the image of the cassette with the known concentration of the viral load placed onto the LFA strip and a standardized value. The method repeats one or more of the previous steps, by the processor, until the equivalence curve is created and stores, by the processor, the equivalence curve. Additional technical features and benefits are realized through the techniques of the present invention. Embodiments and aspects of the invention are described in detail herein and are considered a part of the claimed subject matter. For a better understanding, refer to the detailed description and to the drawings. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The specifics of the exclusive rights described herein are particularly pointed out and distinctly claimed in the claims at the conclusion of the specification. The foregoing and other features and advantages of the embodiments of the invention are apparent from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which: FIG. 1 depicts an orthogonal view of a testing device according to an embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 2 depicts a front view of the testing device according to an embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 3 depicts a back view of the testing device according to an embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 4a depicts an orthogonal view of an LED testing and indicating board within the testing device according to an embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 4b depicts an orthogonal view of another embodiment of an indicating board within the testing device according to an embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 5a depicts a top-down view of a first sample carrier used in the testing device according to an embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 5b depicts a top-down view of a second sample carrier used in the testing device according to an embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 5c depicts an orthogonal view of the second sample carrier used in the testing device which has a sterilization barcode sticker internal to the second sample carrier according to an embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 5d depicts an orthogonal view of the second sample carrier used in the testing device which has a sterilization barcode sticker which is both internal and external to the second sample carrier according to an embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 6a depicts an orthogonal view of the sample carrier with a sample cassette used in the testing device according to an embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 6b depicts a plurality of cassettes that may be used in conjunction with the testing device according to an embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 6c depicts the cassette containing the lateral flow assay strip being inserted into the second carrier which contains a sterilization barcode sticker according to an embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 6d depicts a sterilization cassette having a sterilization code being inserted into the second carrier where the second carrier lacks a sterilization barcode sticker according to an embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 6e depicts the LFA strip 620 within the cassette 610 according to an embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 7a depicts an orthogonal view of a card reader used in the testing device accord