The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Aug. 10, 1999
Filed:
May. 07, 1996
James O Westgard, Madison, WI (US);
Bernard Stein, Ogunquit, ME (US);
WesTgard Quality Corporation, Madison, WI (US);
Abstract
Disclosed is a computer implemented method for automating the selection of an analytical statistical quality control (QC) procedure. Inputs of a quality requirement and observed performance characteristics of a method of measurement are initially provided, together with a database of theoretical operating characteristics of statistical QC procedures. An appropriate quality-planning algorithm (either analytical or clinical) which relates the quality requirement, the observed performance characteristics of the method of measurement, and the theoretical operating characteristics of statistical QC procedures is also provided. Using predetermined QC selection criteria and selection logic, a computer is programmed to automatically choosing, based on the quality requirement, observed method performance, and operating characteristic of candidate QC procedures, a subset of control rules and numbers of control measurements which satisfy selection criteria and selection logic. Also disclosed is a dynamic QC process for automatically changing the statistical QC procedure when there are changes in performance of a method of measurement. In this embodiment, real-time statistical estimates of the performance characteristics of a method are provided through on-line sampling with an analytical instrument and this data is used to automatically select a QC procedure.