Abstract:
A sample analyzer for analyzing a sample with a liquid in a container is disclosed. The sample analyzer comprises: a reader that reads an information of a liquid in a container, the information of the liquid being stored in a storage medium; a display; and a controller including a processor and a memory under control of the processor, the memory storing instruction causing the processor to carry out operations comprising: determining whether the sample analyzer is ready to read the information of the liquid by the reader; and causing, when the sample analyzer is determined to be ready, the display to display an indication that indicates the sample analyzer is ready to read the information of the liquid by the reader.

Description:
RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. §119 to Japanese Patent Application No. 2010-261694 filed on Nov. 24, 2010, the entire content of which is hereby incorporated by reference. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0003]    The present invention relates to a sample analyzer for analyzing a samples using liquids such as reagents, controls, calibrators and the like. 
         [0004]    2. Description of the Related Art 
         [0005]    Many conventional sample analyzers have been developed for analyzing samples using liquids such as reagents, controls, calibrators and the like. For example, Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2008-096214 discloses an automatic analyzer provided with a barcode reader for obtaining reagent information from a barcode affixed to the reagent container that contains the reagent. The automatic analyzer obtains the reagent information relating to the reagent when the user scans the barcode affixed to the reagent container using the barcode reader. 
         [0006]    The conventional sample analyzer disclosed in Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2008-096214 requires that the user manually scans the barcode. However, a user who is unfamiliar with the operation of the apparatus may have difficulty in determining whether the reagent information has been satisfactorily read by the automatic analyzer via the arbitrary timing used to scan the barcode. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0007]    A first aspect of the present invention is a sample analyzer for analyzing a sample with a liquid in a container. The sample analyzer comprises: a reader that reads an information of a liquid in a container, the information of the liquid being stored in a storage medium; a display; and a controller including a processor and a memory under control of the processor, the memory storing instruction causing the processor to carry out operations comprising: determining whether the sample analyzer is ready to read the information of the liquid by the reader; and causing, when the sample analyzer is determined to be ready, the display to display an indication that indicates the sample analyzer is ready to read the information of the liquid by the reader. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0008]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view schematically showing the structure of an embodiment of the sample analyzer of the present invention; 
           [0009]      FIG. 2  is a partial enlargement perspective view showing the open cover of the embodiment of the sample analyzer of the present invention; 
           [0010]      FIG. 3  shows an example of the reagent information screen of the embodiment of the sample analyzer of the present invention; 
           [0011]      FIG. 4  is a block diagram showing the structure of the control unit of the embodiment of the sample analyzer of the present invention; 
           [0012]      FIG. 5  is a function block diagram of the control unit of the embodiment of the sample analyzer of the present invention; 
           [0013]      FIG. 6  shows an example of the setting screen for the hand-held code reader of the embodiment of the sample analyzer of the present invention; 
           [0014]      FIG. 7  is a flow chart showing the CPU processing sequence of the control unit when reagent information is input to the embodiment of the sample analyzer of the present invention; 
           [0015]      FIG. 8  shows an example of the reagent information input screen indicating the usable icon of the embodiment of the sample analyzer of the present invention; 
           [0016]      FIG. 9  shows an example of the reading confirmation screen of the embodiment of the sample analyzer of the present invention; 
           [0017]      FIG. 10  shows an example of the reagent information input screen displaying the usable icon of the embodiment of the sample analyzer of the present invention; 
           [0018]      FIG. 11  shows an example of the reagent information input screen without the icon display of the embodiment of the sample analyzer of the present invention; 
           [0019]      FIG. 12  shows an example of the reagent information screen with input reagent information of the embodiment of the sample analyzer of the present invention; and 
           [0020]      FIG. 13  shows an example of a confirmation screen for confirming whether to save the input reagent information of the embodiment of the sample analyzer of the present invention. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       [0021]    The present embodiment of the sample analyzer is described, based on the drawing, in terms of a blood coagulation measuring apparatus for analyzing the coagulation factor activity in blood samples. The present embodiment is described in terms of a sample analyzer  1  (refer to  FIG. 1 ) for analyzing samples using reagent accommodated in reagent containers  150  (refer to  FIG. 1 ) as the liquid accommodated in liquid containers. In the present embodiment, the reagent container  150  has an attached recording medium which records information related to the reagent accommodated in the reagent container  150  as the liquid information related to the liquid accommodated in the liquid container. The recording medium in the present embodiment is a two-dimensional code  160  (refer to  FIG. 1 ). The information related to the reagent includes the reagent lot number and expiration date (this information, in aggregate, is referred to generically as reagent information hereinafter) in the present embodiment. Note that the sample analyzer  1  is not limited to blood coagulation measuring apparatuses, and ALSO may be, for example, a clinical sample analyzer such as a hemocytometer, immunoanalyzer, biochemical analyzer, urine analyzer, or an industrial particle measuring apparatus, 
         [0022]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view schematically showing the structure of an embodiment of the sample analyzer  1  of the present invention. As shown in  FIG. 1 , the housing  2  of the sample analyzer  1  of the present embodiment has a cover  21  which opens and closes over a concavity on the upper part of the front left side. 
         [0023]    A display  3 , such as a liquid crystal panel or the like, is provided above the front right side of the housing  2 . 
         [0024]    The display  3  is a touch panel-type display provided with a touch panel  4  on the front surface. Provided within the housing  2  are a control unit  6  for controlling the operations of the various hardware of the sample analyzer  1 , and a communication part  7  for data communication with an external computer, various devices and the like. The sample analyzer  1  has a hand-held reader  9  for obtaining reagent information recorded on the two-dimensional code  160  affixed to the reagent container  150 . The hand-held reader  9  is connected via a connection line  8  so as to be capable of data communication with the control unit  6 . 
         [0025]      FIG. 2  is a partial enlargement perspective view showing the open cover  21  of the embodiment of the sample analyzer  1  of the present invention. As shown in  FIG. 2 , a sample container holder  22  for loading a sample container accommodating a sample is provided at a concavity on the front side of the housing  2  covered by the cover  21 . The user can load a sample rack holding a plurality of sample containers into the sample container holder  22 . The sample analyzer  1  performs measurements on the sample accommodated in the sample container. 
         [0026]    A reagent holder  23  is provided on the inner side of the sample container holder  22 . The reagent rack, which holds a plurality of reagent containers  150  accommodating reagent, is loaded in the reagent holder  23 . On the inner side of the reagent holder  23  is provided a cuvette holder  24  for holding a plurality of cuvettes (transparent reactor containers) used in measurements. 
         [0027]    A measuring unit  25  which performs sample measurements is disposed on the right side of the cuvette holder  24 , and a sample and reagent dispenser  26  is provided above the sample container holder  22 , reagent holder  23 , cuvette holder  24 , and measuring unit  25 . 
         [0028]    The dispenser  26  is movable in lateral and forward-and-back directions, and can be raised and lowered. The dispenser  26  is provided with a gripper (not shown in the drawing) for gripping the cuvette, and the gripper is movable while gripping the cuvette within the cuvette holder  24 . The measuring unit  25  has a plurality of holes for inserting cuvettes, and the cuvette gripped by the gripper of the dispenser  26  is inserted in a hole. 
         [0029]    The dispenser  26  aspirates sample (plasma) and reagent, and dispenses them to the cuvettes inserted in the holes of the measuring unit  25 . The measuring unit  25  is provided with a heater which heats the sample and reagent dispensed into the cuvette to a fixed temperature. 
         [0030]    A light emitter and a light receiver (not shown in the drawing) are disposed near each hole of the measuring unit  25 . The light from the light emitter irradiates the sample to which the reagent has been added, and the scattered light and light transmitted through the sample are received by the light receiver. The cover  21  has light shielding properties, such that, by closing the cover  21 , external chaotic light does no influence the measurement. The reception data from the light receiver are analyzed by the control unit  6  to obtain measurement results related to blood coagulation. 
         [0031]    The sample analyzer  1  can set one or a plurality of measurement items, such as PT (prothrombin time), APTT (activated partial thromboplastin time) and the like via user operations. The sample analyzer  1  measures the sample for the set measurement items, and displays the measurement results on the display  3 . Similarly, the user may also input the reagent information (liquid information). The reagent information can be input by two methods: code reading and direct input. The reagent information is obtained when the hand-held reader  9  reads the reagent information recorded by the two-dimensional code  160  by the user scanning the two-dimensional code  160  affixed to the reagent container  150  using the hand-held reader  9 . The reagent information may also be input from the reagent information input screen (described later; refer to  FIGS. 8 ,  10 , and  11 ) via input from a virtual keyboard on the touch panel  4 . 
         [0032]      FIG. 3  shows an example of the reagent information screen of the embodiment of the sample analyzer  1  of the present invention. The reagent information screen  300  displays the lot number and expiration date of the PT reagent set in the sample analyzer  1 . The lot number of the PT reagent is displayed in the lot number display field  31 . The expiration date of the PT reagent is displayed in the PT reagent expiration date display field  32 . Note that the condition prior to setting the PT reagent is shown in  FIG. 3 , so that the lot number display field  31  and the expiration date display field  32  are blank. When reagent information screen (to be described later) is displayed (refer to  FIGS. 8 ,  10 , and  11 ), the lot number and the expiration date are input by scanning the two-dimensional code  160  affixed to the reagent container  150  using the hand-held code reader  9 , or directly inputting the information via the touch panel  4 . The user calls up the reagent information screen (refer to  FIGS. 8 ,  10 , and  11 ) by selecting the [Reagent  1 ] button  33  in  FIG. 3 . When the selection of the [Reagent  1 ] button  33  is received, the CPU  61  of the control unit  6  displays the reagent information input screen (refer to  FIGS. 8 ,  10 , and  11 ) on the display  3  so that the input of the lot number and expiration date can be received. When the selection of the [Reagent  1 ] button  33  has been received, the control unit  6  detects that the condition that the reagent information (liquid information) is readable by the hand-held code reader  9 . 
         [0033]      FIG. 4  is a block diagram showing the structure of the control unit  6  of the embodiment of the sample analyzer  1  of the present invention. The control unit  6  of the sample analyzer  1  is configured to use an arithmetic processing unit such as a CPU, that is, the control unit  6  is configured by, at least, a CPU (central processing unit)  61 , memory  62 , storage device  63 , I/O interface  64 , video interface  65 , portable disk drive  66 , and internal bus  67  connecting all such hardware. The CPU  61  is connected to each piece of hardware of the control unit  6  via the internal bus  67 , and controls the operation of each piece of hardware and controls the operation of the sample analyzer  1  according to a computer program  100  stored in the storage device  63 . 
         [0034]    The memory  62  is a volatile memory such as an SRAM, flash memory, or the like, and is used to develop loaded modules when executing the computer program  100 , and store temporary data generated during the execution of the computer program  100 . 
         [0035]    The storage device  63  is a an internal ROM or read/write fixed type storage device (hard disk) or the like. The computer program  100  stored in the storage device  63  is downloaded from a portable recording medium  90  such as a DVD, CD-ROM or the like which contains the recorded program and information such as data, and during execution the computer program  100  is expanded from the storage device  63  to the memory  62  and executed. Of course, the computer program  100  stored in the storage device  63  also may be a computer program downloaded from an external computer via the communication part  7 . 
         [0036]    The I/O interface  64  is connected to the touch panel  4 , hand-held code reader  9 , and a printer  5 . The video interface  65  is connected to the display  3 , which is an LCD or the like. 
         [0037]      FIG. 5  is a function block diagram of the control unit  6  of the embodiment of the sample analyzer  1  of the present invention. A detection unit  601  detects the fact that the hand-held code reader  9  (reader) is ready to read the reagent information (liquid information) related to the reagent which is recorded on the two-dimensional code  160  (recording medium). Specifically, the detection unit  601  detects the fact that the selection of the [Reagent  1 ] button  33  has been received from the reagent information screen  300  shown in  FIG. 3 . At this time, the connection condition of the hand-held code reader  9  is normal, and when the reading program starts normally, a display controller  602  (to be described later) displays, on the display  3 , information indicating the fact that the reagent information related to the reagent recorded by the two-dimensional code  160  can be read. That is, although the reagent information is in a readable state, the hand-held code reader  9  does not necessarily read the reagent information from the two-dimensional code  160 ; rather, reading of the reagent information from the two-dimensional code  160  can be performed during any part of the period during which the reagent information is readable. 
         [0038]    During part or the entire period wherein the detection unit  601  detects that the reagent information is readable, the display controller  602  displays information indicating that the reagent information (liquid information) related to the reagent recorded on the two-dimensional code (recording medium)  160  can be read by the hand-held code reader  9 . It is desirable, for example, that predetermined pattern information (icon) imitating the hand-held code reader  9  is displayed as the information indicating the fact that the reagent information related to the reagent recorded on the two-dimensional code  160  can be read by the hand-held code reader  9 . The display field may be reduced since the information can be confirmed with a glance. 
         [0039]    A judging unit  603  for determining whether the connection condition of the hand-held code reader  9  is normal during part or the entirety of the period during which the detection unit  601  detects the fact that the reagent information is readable. The icon display changes according to whether or not the connection condition is normal. When the judging unit  603  has determined that the connection condition of the hand-held code reader  9  is normal, the display controller  602  displays on the display  3  information indicating the fact that the reagent information related to the reagent recorded on the two-dimensional code  160  can be read by the hand-held code reader  9 . 
         [0040]    When the judging unit  603  has determined that the connection condition of the hand-held code reader  9  is not normal, the display controller  602  displays on the display  3  information indicating the fact that the reagent information related to the reagent recorded on the two-dimensional code  160  cannot be read by the hand-held code reader  9 . 
         [0041]    A setting receiver  604  receives settings specifying that the hand-held code reader  9  is connected or unconnected. When the setting that the hand-held code reader  9  is “connected” has been received during part or the entirety of the period during which the detection unit  601  detects the fact that the reagent information is readable, the display controller  602  displays on the display  3  information indicating the fact that the reagent information related to the reagent recorded on the two-dimensional code  160  is readable by the hand-held code reader  9 . 
         [0042]      FIG. 6  shows an example of the setting screen for the hand-held code reader  9  of the embodiment of the sample analyzer  1  of the present invention. As shown in  FIG. 6 , the [Connected] icon and the [Unconnected] icon are displayed in the setting selection field  68  of the setting screen  600 . The user selects either the [Connected] icon or the [Unconnected] icon, then selects the [Exit] button  69  to set the connection condition of the hand-held code reader  9 . 
         [0043]    Returning now to  FIG. 5 , a liquid information input receiver  605  receives the input reagent information (liquid information) related to the reagent. 
         [0044]    Note that, when the reagent information actually has been read in the period during which the detection unit  601  detects that the reagent information is readable, it is preferable that the display controller  602  does not display on the display  3  the information indicating the fact that the reagent information related to the reagent recorded on the two-dimensional code  160  can be read by the hand-held code reader  9 . This cessation of the indication display readily confirms that the reading of the reagent information is completed and that reading is no longer necessary. 
         [0045]      FIG. 7  is a flow chart showing the CPU  61  processing sequence of the control unit  6  when reagent information is input to the embodiment of the sample analyzer  1  of the present invention. In  FIG. 7 , the CPU  61  of the control unit  6  determines whether a reagent information input screen call up instruction has been received (step S 701 ). Specifically, the CPU  61  determines whether the selection of the [Reagent  1 ] button  33  has been received from the reagent information screen  300  shown in  FIG. 3 . When the CPU  61  determines that a call up instruction for the reagent information input screen has not been received (step S 701 : NO), the CPU  61  enters the standby state awaiting the reception of the call up instruction. 
         [0046]    When the CPU  61  has determined that a call up instruction for the reagent information input screen has been received (step S 701 : YES), the CPU  61  then determines whether the hand-held code reader  9  connection is set to [YES] in the setting receiver  604  (step S 702 ). When the CPU  61  has determined that the hand-held code reader  9  connection is set to [YES] (step S 702 : YES), the CPU  61  then determines whether the connection condition of the hand-held code reader  9  is normal (step S 703 ). Whether or not the connection condition is normal is determined based on whether the connection line  8  is physically connected, the communication software has been started, and data communication is enabled to the controller  6  for the normally read data. 
         [0047]    When the CPU  61  has determined that the connection of the hand-held code reader  9  is normal (step S 703 : YES), the CPU  61  then displays the reagent information input screen  800  (refer to  FIG. 8 ) which displays the usable icon as information indicating that the reagent information related to the reagent recorded on the two-dimensional code  160  is readable by the hand-held code reader  9  (step S 704 ). 
         [0048]      FIG. 8  shows an example of the reagent information input screen  800  which displays the usable icon of the embodiment of the sample analyzer  1  of the present invention. The example of  FIG. 8  shows a screen for receiving the input of the reagent lot number as the reagent information (liquid information). 
         [0049]    When the connection condition of the hand-held code reader  9  is normal, a usable icon imitating the hand-held code reader  9  is displayed at the upper right of the reagent information input screen  800 . The reagent lot number received by direct input is displayed in the lot number display field  82 . In  FIG. 8 , the lot number display field  82  is blank because the lot number has not been input yet. When inputting other reagent information related to the reagent, for example, the expiration date, the selection of the [Input] button  83  is received to transition the screen to the reagent information input screen allowing reception of a sequence of other reagent information. When the user obtains reagent information using the hand-held code reader  9  while the reagent information input screen  800  is being displayed, the screen transitions to the reading confirmation screen  900  (refer to  FIG. 9 ) for confirming the content of the read reagent information. 
         [0050]      FIG. 9  shows an example of the reading confirmation screen  900  of the embodiment of the sample analyzer  1  of the present invention. In  FIG. 9 , the lot number and the expiration date are read as reagent information. In  FIG. 9 , examples of the read values of the read lot number and expiration date are displayed in the read value display field  91 . The user selects the [Input] button  92  when the user has confirmed the displayed lot number and expiration date and decided that a normal reading was completed. The CPU  61  of the control unit  6  displays the reagent information screen  1200  (refer to  FIG. 12 ) with the input reagent information when the selection of the [Input] button  92  has been received. 
         [0051]    The usable icon  81  displayed in the reagent information input screen  800  is not displayed in  FIG. 9 . That is, when the reagent information has been read using the hand-held code reader  9  while the reagent information input screen of  FIG. 800  is being displayed, the screen transitions to the reading confirmation screen  900  of  FIG. 9  and the usable icon  81  is erased. In the present embodiment, the reagent information can be read using the hand-held code reader  9  only when the reagent information input screen  800  of  FIG. 8  is being displayed, whereas the reagent information cannot be read using the hand-held code reader  9  at the stage wherein the screen has transitioned to the reading confirmation screen  900  of  FIG. 9 . The user can readily see that the reagent information cannot be read from the two-dimensional code  160  by confirming that the screen has transitioned to the reading confirmation screen  900  of  FIG. 9  in which the usable icon  81  is not displayed. 
         [0052]    Returning now to  FIG. 7 , when the CPU  61  has determined that the connection of the hand-held code reader  9  is abnormal (step S 703 : NO), the CPU  61  then displays the reagent information input screen  1000  (refer to  FIG. 10 ) which displays an unusable icon as the information indicating that the reagent information related to the reagent recorded on the two-dimensional code  160  is unreadable by the hand-held code reader  9  (step S 705 ). 
         [0053]      FIG. 10  shows an example of the reagent information input screen  1000  which displays the unusable icon of the embodiment of the sample analyzer  1  of the present invention. As shown in  FIG. 10 , the screen is identical to that of  FIG. 8  with the exception that the unusable icon  85  is displayed in the upper right of the screen. In the condition shown in  FIG. 10 , the user cannot read the reagent information related to the reagent recorded by the two-dimensional code  160  using the hand-held code reader  9 . In this case, therefore, the user directly inputs the reagent information via the touch panel  4 . After the reagent information has been input, the user selects the [Exit] button  84 . The CPU  61  of the control unit  6  displays the reagent information screen  1200  (refer to  FIG. 12 ) with the input reagent information when the selection of the [Exit] button  84  has been received. 
         [0054]    Returning now to  FIG. 7 , when the CPU  61  of the control unit  6  has determined that the connection of the hand-held code reader  9  is not set to [YES] (step S 702 : NO), the CPU  61  displays the reagent information input screen  1100  (refer to  FIG. 11 ) without the icon display (step S 706 ). 
         [0055]      FIG. 11  shows an example of the reagent information input screen  1100  without the icon display of the embodiment of the sample analyzer  1  of the present invention. As shown in  FIG. 11 , the screen is identical to that of  FIGS. 8 and 10  with the exception that the icon is not displayed in the upper right area of the screen. In the condition shown in  FIG. 11 , the user cannot read the reagent information related to the reagent recorded by the two-dimensional code  160  using the hand-held code reader  9 . In this case, therefore, the user directly inputs the reagent information via the touch panel  4 . After the reagent information has been input, the user selects the [Exit] button  84 . The CPU  61  of the control unit  6  displays the reagent information screen  1200  (refer to  FIG. 12 ) with the input reagent information when the selection of the [Exit] button  84  has been received. 
         [0056]    Returning again to  FIG. 7 , the CPU  61  of the control unit  6  determines whether the input of the reagent information via code reading has been received (step S 707 ). When the CPU  61  has determined that the input of the reagent information has not been received by the code reading (step S 707 : NO), the CPU  61  then determines whether the input of the reagent information has been received via direct input from the virtual keyboard of the touch panel  4  (step S 708 ). Whether the direct input has been received is determined based on whether the lot number has been input from the virtual keyboard of the touch panel  4  and the selection of the [Exit] button  84  has been received. 
         [0057]    When the CPU  61  has determined that direct input from the keyboard has been received (step S 708 : YES), the display  3  displays the reagent information screen with the input reagent information (refer to  FIG. 12 ) (step S 713 ). When the CPU  61  has determined that direct input of the reagent information has not been received (S 708 : NO), the CPU  61  returns the process to step S 707  and the process described above is repeated. When the CPU  61  has determined that input by code reading has been received (step S 707 : YES), the CPU  61  then determines whether the input reagent information is valid (step S 709 ). The CPU  61  determines whether the read information is valid as code information based on, for example, a check digit. 
         [0058]    When the CPU  61  has determined that the reagent information read by the hand-held code reader  9  is invalid (step S 709 : NO), the CPU  61  executes an error process (step S 710 ), returns the process to step S 710 , and repeats the above described process. When the CPU  61  has determined that the read code information is valid (step S 709 : YES), the CPU  61  displays the reading confirmation screen  900  of  FIG. 9  on the display  3  (step S 711 ). The CPU  61  determines whether the selection of the input button  92  has been received (step S 712 ). When the CPU  61  has determined that the selection of the input button  92  has not been received (step S 712 : NO), the CPU  61  enters the standby state and awaits the reception of the input button  92  selection. When the CPU  61  has determined that the selection of the input button  92  has been received (step S 712 : YES), the CPU  61  displays the reagent information screen  1200  (refer to  FIG. 12 ) with the input reagent information on the display  3  (step S 713 ), and determines whether confirmation has been received indicating to save the received reagent information (step S 714 ). 
         [0059]      FIG. 12  shows an example of the reagent information screen with input reagent information of the embodiment of the sample analyzer  1  of the present invention, and  FIG. 13  shows an example of a confirmation screen for confirming whether to save the input reagent information of the embodiment of the sample analyzer  1  of the present invention. A lot number and expiration date are displayed for each reagent in the reagent information screen  1200  shown in  FIG. 12 , and the user selects the [Exit] button  121  after confirming the content is error free. When the selection of the [Exit] button  121  has been received, the CPU  61  of the control unit  6  displays the confirmation screen  1300  shown in  FIG. 13 . In  FIG. 13 , the input reagent information is saved in the storage device  63  and the reagent information is updated via the reception of the selection of the [Confirmation] button  131 . 
         [0060]    Returning to  FIG. 7 , when the CPU  61  of the control unit  6  has determined that confirmation has not been received (step S 714 : N), the CPU  61  enters the standby state and awaits confirmation reception. When the CPU  61  has determined that confirmation has been received (step S 714 : YES), the CPU  61  stores the input reagent information in the storage device  63  (step S 715 ). 
         [0061]    According to the embodiment described above, the user can readily comprehend the timing by which reagent information is readable by confirming that the information indicating that reagent information is readable via the hand-held code reader  9  is displayed on the display  3 . 
         [0062]    Note that although the reagent information is read by scanning the two-dimensional code  160  affixed to the reagent container  150  as a recording medium in the present embodiment, the type of recording medium is not specifically limited inasmuch as either a unidimensional barcode may be used as well as a two-dimensional code. The recording medium is also not specifically limited to optical reading inasmuch as reading via magnetism, radio wave and the like also may be used, for example RFID. 
         [0063]    Although the above embodiment describes a mode of reading reagent information recorded by a two-dimensional code  160  affixed to the reagent container  150  via a hand-held code reader  9 , the present invention is not limited to this mode. For example, the recording medium may be affixed to paper provided separately from the liquid container. In this case, the user reads the liquid information from the recording medium affixed to the paper using a reader, places the liquid container corresponding to the read liquid information into the sample analyzer, and executes sample analysis. 
         [0064]    Although the above embodiment describes a hand-held type reader which is used while the user holds the reader in his/her hand, the present invention is not limited to this mode. For example, the reader also may be installed in the sample analyzer so that the liquid information is read by scanning the recording medium via the installed reader while the user holds the recording medium in his/her hand. 
         [0065]    Note that the present invention is not limited to the above embodiment, inasmuch as substitutions and a wide range of modifications are possible within the scope of the claims. For example, although a determination is made as to whether the input of the lot number and expiration date have been received, that is whether selection of the [Reagent  1 ] button  33  has been received in the above embodiment, reception of the input of the lot number and expiration date also may be detected, for example, by the sample analyzer  1  detecting that a reagent container  150  is empty. 
         [0066]    A further embodiment involves a code which includes the reagent information being downloaded over the Internet to an information terminal such as a personal computer, smart phone or the like, and saved therein, so that the stored code can be printed on paper which is then read. Alternatively, the downloaded and saved code may be displayed on a display, such that the reagent information recorded in memory can be obtained by reading the displayed two-dimensional code.