Controlling an analysis system of biological samples

Abstract

A method for controlling an analysis system is presented. The method comprises receiving, by an encryption unit, authentication data of a user. In the case of a successful authentication, a user-specific security code is generated by the encryption unit. The security code is outputted by the encryption unit to the authenticated user. The security code and the user-ID are received by an authentication unit coupled to the analysis system via a user-interface coupled to the authentication unit. The security code is decrypted by the authentication unit. If the decrypted security code matches with the user-ID, the user is authenticated at the authentication unit and an authentication signal is generated by the authentication unit for permitting the user to initialize at least one function of the analysis system.

We claim: 
     
         1 . A method for analyzing biological samples with an analysis system, the analysis system comprising a hardware processor and a hardware memory implementing an analyzer and an authentication unit, the method comprising:
 controlling by the authentication unit access of a user to one or more functions of the analysis system;   receiving a security code and a user-ID of the user via a user-interface coupled to the authentication unit, wherein the security code is transmitted as a machine readable code;   enabling access of the user to the analysis system via the authentication unit;   decrypting the security code and determining if the decrypted security code matches with the user-ID, wherein the matching encompasses a check if the security code comprises the user-ID in encrypted form;   if the decrypted security code matches with the user-ID, authenticating the user at the authentication unit and generating an authentication signal by the authentication unit for permitting the user to initialize at least one function of the analysis system, wherein the at least one function is selected from a group comprising: unlocking a reversibly lockable hardware component of the analysis system for permitting the user to access the hardware component; replenishing solid consumables of the analysis system or permitting the user to replenish the solid consumables; refilling liquid consumables of the analysis system or permitting the user to refill the liquid consumables; updating an application program used for maintaining or controlling the analysis system or permitting the user to execute the update; repairing an error state of the analysis system or permitting the user to execute the repair; execute a calibration by the analysis system or permitting the user to execute the calibration; and combinations thereof.   
     
     
         2 . The method according to  claim 1 , further comprising,
 receiving a user-ID of the user by an encryption unit;   receiving authentication data of the user for authenticating the user at the encryption unit;   in the case of a successful authentication at the encryption unit, generating a user-specific security code by using an encryption algorithm and taking the user-ID as input;   storing the user-ID in the security code only in encrypted form; and   outputting the security code for providing the security code to the authenticated user.   
     
     
         3 . The method according to  claim 2 , further comprising,
 storing the user-ID in a log-file, an audit trail, or combinations thereof.   
     
     
         4 . The method according to  claim 2 , further comprising,
 storing security code on a portable storage medium of the encryption unit.   
     
     
         5 . The method according to  claim 4 , wherein the portable storage medium of the encryption unit is an USB-stick, a storage medium of a mobile phone, a memory unit of an RFID chip or combinations thereof. 
     
     
         6 . The method according to  claim 1 , further comprising,
 transmitting and storing the security code on a storage medium of a mobile phone of the user.   
     
     
         7 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the machine readable code is a bar code, a matrix code, a QR code, an alphanumerical string, an RFID signal, or combinations thereof. 
     
     
         8 . An analysis system, the analysis system comprising a hardware processor and a hardware memory implementing:
 an analyzer for analyzing biological samples; and   an authentication unit, wherein the authentication unit controls access of a user to one or more functions of the analysis system, wherein the authentication unit receives a security code and a user-ID of the user via a user-interface coupled to the authentication unit, wherein the authentication unit enables access of the user to the analysis system, wherein the security code is transmitted as a machine readable code, wherein the authentication unit decrypts the security code and determines if the decrypted security code matches with the user-ID, wherein the matching encompasses a check if the security code comprises the user-ID in encrypted form, and wherein if the decrypted security code matches with the user-ID, the authentication unit authenticates the user at the authentication unit and generates an authentication signal by the authentication unit for permitting the user to initialize at least one function of the analysis system, wherein the at least one function is selected from a group comprising: unlocking a reversibly lockable hardware component of the analysis system for permitting the user to access the hardware component; replenishing solid consumables of the analysis system or permitting the user to replenish the solid consumables; refilling liquid consumables of the analysis system or permitting the user to refill the liquid consumables; updating an application program used for maintaining or controlling the analysis system or permitting the user to execute the update; repairing an error state of the analysis system or permitting the user to execute the repair; execute a calibration by the analysis system or permitting the user to execute the calibration; and combinations thereof.   
     
     
         9 . The analysis system of  claim 8 , further comprising,
 an encryption unit; and   a central computer system coupled to a user registry, comprising an interface allowing the user to enter authentication data to be received by the encryption unit.   
     
     
         10 . The analysis system of  claim 9 , wherein the user registry comprises a database comprising a plurality of user-IDs. 
     
     
         11 . The analysis system of  claim 10 , wherein each of the plurality of user-IDs has an assigned authentication data reference value. 
     
     
         12 . The analysis system of  claim 10 , wherein each of the plurality of user-IDs has assigned permissions to determine which analysis system and/or which functions the user has access to and/or allowed to execute. 
     
     
         13 . The analysis system of  claim 9 , wherein the central computer system comprises an interface. 
     
     
         14 . The analysis system of  claim 8 , further comprising,
 a reader device coupled to the authentication unit for reading the security code.   
     
     
         15 . The analysis system of  claim 14 , wherein the reader device is a reader device of the analysis system 
     
     
         16 . The analysis system of  claim 14 , wherein the reader device is an optical reader. 
     
     
         17 . The analysis system of  claim 16 , wherein the optical reader is a camera, a bar code reader, an RFID tag reader or combinations thereof. 
     
     
         18 . The analysis system of  claim 8 , wherein the user is a field service representative. 
     
     
         19 . The analysis system of  claim 8 , further comprising,
 a first data storage for storage of data accessible by the user; and   a second data storage for storage of data not accessible by the user.   
     
     
         20 . The analysis system of  claim 8 , wherein the second data storage comprises patient data.