Patent ID: 6250130
Filing Date: 2001-06-26
Classification: G01F,G01N

Abstract:
A method for validating the performance of a pump system comprising a controller, a pump, a fluid-conveying pathway, a reservoir of reference liquid, and a detector adjacent said pathway, said method comprising:operating said pump, by said controller, to dispense a quantity of reference liquid from said reservoir wherein said reference liquid fills said pathway;operating said pump, by said controller, to aspirate a first quantity of air, subsequent to said dispensing of said quantity of reference liquid, until said detector detects a leading edge of said first quantity of air;detecting, by said detector, the presence of reference liquid or said first quantity of air in said pathway at known intervals;recording results of said step of detecting the presence of reference liquid or said first quantity of air as a reference data set by said controller;using said reference data set, by said controller, to define a set of acceptable intervals;operating said pump, by said controller, to aspirate a quantity of sample liquid into said pathway;operating said pump, by said controller, to aspirate a second quantity of air into said pathway following said quantity of sample liquid;detecting, by said detector and at said known intervals, the presence of said second quantity of air or said sample liquid in said pathway;identifying, by said controller, an interval at which said second quantity of air was first detected by said detector following said quantity of sample liquid; anddetermining, by said controller, if said interval at which said second quantity of air was first detected is within said set of acceptable intervals.