Filtering data from an analytical device

1 . A computer implemented method for generating a message filter configuration based on a message priority indication received from a first analyzer network, wherein the first analyzer network comprises an analytical device configured to generate analytical device status data, the method comprising:

receiving, at a data processing agent, an analytical device status data message generated by the analytical device in the first analyzer network;

determining, based at least in part on network configuration information associated with the first analyzer network, a use context associated with the analytical device;

identifying a type of the analytical device status data message, wherein the analytical device status data message comprises condition data associated with the analytical device including one or more of a hardware heartbeat, a specific hardware fault, overheating information, lid jam information, reagent information, device temperature information, or count of assays performed;

determining, at the data processing agent, a message priority indication assigned to the analytical device status data message;

determining, at the data processing agent, a record for a message filter configuration associated with the identified type of the analytical device status data message and the use context, based at least in part on the message priority indication;

updating, by the data processing agent, a data structure defining the message filter configuration, based at least in part on the record associated with the identified type of the analytical device status data and the use context; and

communicating the data structure defining the message filter configuration, or a portion thereof, to a second analyzer network comprising a second analytical device.

2 . The computer implemented method according to claim 1 , further comprising, receiving, at the data processing agent, a plurality of message priority indications from one or more further analyzer networks, and wherein the message filter configuration is generated based on the plurality of message priority indications.

3 . The computer implemented method according to claim 1 , wherein the identified type of data of analytical device status data comprises feedback information associated with the analytical device.

4 . The computer implemented method according to claim 3 , wherein the feedback information comprises one or more of a software or firmware update request, user login information, audit log message, and memory capacity information.

5 . The computer implemented method according to claim 1 , wherein the use context associated with the analytical device is determined based on one or more of:

network configuration data at least partially characterizing a device configuration of the first analyzer network,

internal configuration data, or internal sensor data, of the analytical device that sent the message subsequently assigned the message priority indication,

battery life data of the analytical device that sent the message subsequently assigned the message priority indication,

quality control data generated by the analytical device that sent the message subsequently assigned the message priority indication,

an assay type performed on the analytical device of medical samples at a time proximate to when the message priority indication was generated,

the time at which the message priority indication and/or the message was generated,

location data of the analytical device and/or a first analytical device management system,

operator data and/or certification data of the analytical device and/or the first analytical device management system,

a content of the analytical device status data,

a number of items of analytical device status data received from the analytical device,

log data defining a previous configuration of the first analyzer network and/or the first analytical device management system, and

metadata obtained from a further information source such as a user logon server or a certification server.

6 . The computer implemented method according to claim 1 , wherein the message filter configuration comprises, for at least one type of message, a plurality of records corresponding to message priorities assigned to different identified use contexts of the first analyzer network and/or a first analytical device management system and/or the analytical device from which the message priority indication originated.

7 . The computer implemented method according to claim 1 , further comprising,

receiving, at the data processing agent, a request to send the message filter configuration to a second analytical device management system in a second analyzer network and/or to a second analytical device of medical samples in the second analyzer network;

receiving, at the data processing agent, information defining at least one of a geographical location or a use context of the second analytical device management system and/or the second analytical device;

obtaining at least one message filter configuration based on the information defining at least one of the geographical location or the use context of the second analytical device management system and/or the second analytical device; and

sending the obtained at least one message filter configuration to the second analytical device management system and/or the second analytical device.

8 . The computer implemented method according to claim 1 , further comprising, comparing the message filter configuration to a reference message filter configuration;

identifying a deviation between the message filter configuration and the reference message filter configuration; and

updating the message filter configuration to reduce or to remove the deviation between the message filter configuration and the reference message filter configuration.

9 . The computer implemented method according to claim 1 , further comprising,

displaying, via a user interface of a first analytical device management system or the analytical device in the first analyzer network, the analytical device status data generated by the analytical device;

receiving, via the user interface of the first analytical device management system or the analytical device, the message priority indication; and

transmitting the message priority indication to the data processing agent.

10 . The computer implemented method according to claim 1 , wherein determining the record for the message filter configuration comprises:

determining, based at least in part on the message priority indication, a binary indication of whether a received message having the identified type of analytical device status data should be displayed.

11 . The computer implemented method according to claim 1 , wherein determining the record for the message filter configuration comprises:

calculating a category importance ratio associated with the identified type of analytical device status data, based at least in part on a first number of messages received by the data processing agent, and a second number of the messages received having the assigned priority indication.

12 . The computer implemented method according to claim 1 , wherein determining the use context associated with the analytical device comprises:

determining a network address associated with the analytical device status data message; and

determining whether the network address is within a range of network addresses associated with a network server.

13 . The computer implemented method according to claim 1 , wherein determining the use context associated with the analytical device comprises at least one of:

determining that the analytical device is being used in a teaching context;

determining that the analytical device is operating in an accident ward;

determining that the analytical device is operating in a laboratory; or

determining that the analytical device is operating in a home visit context.

14 . The computer implemented method according to claim 1 , further comprising tracking the use context associated with the analytical device using a finite state machine, wherein tracking the use context comprises:

determining, using the finite state machine, a previous use context associated with the analytical device;

and

validating, using the finite state machine, a transition between the previous use context and the use context.

15 . An apparatus configured to host a data processing agent for processing data from an analytical device, the apparatus comprising:

a communications interface, wherein the communications interface is configured to receive one or more items of data comprising a message priority indication transmitted from a first analytical device management system to the data processing agent via a communications network;

a data memory; and

a processor coupled to the communications interface and the data memory, wherein the processor is configured to:

receive, from the communications interface, a message priority indication indicating a priority assigned to an item of analytical device status data,

determine, based at least in part on network configuration information associated with the communications network, a use context associated with the analytical device;

identify a type of the analytical device status data associated with the message priority indication, wherein the analytical device status data comprises condition data associated with the analytical device including one or more of a hardware heartbeat, a specific hardware fault, overheating information, lid jam information, reagent information, device temperature information, or count of assays performed,

determine a record for a message filter configuration stored in the data memory based on the message priority indication, the use context associated with the analytical device, and the identified type of analytical device status data associated with the message priority indication, and

update a data structure defining the message filter configuration, based at least in part on the record associated with the identified type of the analytical device status data and the use context, and

wherein the communications interface is configured to communicate the data structure defining the message filter configuration, or a portion thereof, to a second analyzer network comprising a second analytical device.

16 . An apparatus configured to host an analytical device management system for processing data from one or more analytical devices, the apparatus comprising:

a communications interface, wherein the communications interface is configured to receive a plurality of items of analytical device status data from at least one analytical device in a second analyzer network, and to obtain, via a communications network, a message filter configuration configured to filter at least one of a plurality of messages received from the second analyzer network, wherein the message filter configuration is generated by:

receiving a message priority indication indicating a first priority assigned to a first analytical device status data generated by a first analytical device in the second analyzer network;

identifying a type of the first analytical device status data associated with a message priority indication, wherein the first analytical device status data comprises condition data associated with the analytical device including one or more of a hardware heartbeat, a specific hardware fault, overheating information, lid jam information, reagent information, device temperature information, or count of assays performed;

determining, based at least in part on network configuration information associated with the second analyzer network, a use context associated with the first analytical device;

determining a record for the message filter configuration associated with the identified type of the analytical device status data and the use context, based at least in part on the message priority indication; and

configuring the message filter configuration in a first data memory based on the record associated with the identified type of analytical device status data and the use context;

a second data memory, wherein the communications interface is configured to receive, via the communications network, the message filter configuration and to store it in the second data memory;

a display interface; and

a processor coupled to the communications interface and the second data memory, wherein the processor is configured to filter at least one item of analytical device status data in the plurality of items of analytical device status data according to the message filter configuration stored in the second data memory to generate a filtered plurality of analytical device status data and wherein the display interface is configured to display the filtered plurality of analytical device status data.

17 . A networked system for analytical device management, the networked system comprising:

a first set of one or more analytical devices configured to analyze patient medical samples and to generate analytical device status data;

a first analytical device management system configured to receive analytical device status data from one or more analytical devices comprised in the first set of one or more analytical devices;

an apparatus configured to host a data processing agent for processing data received from the first analytical device management system and/or the first set of one or more analytical devices;

a second set of one or more analytical devices configured to analyze patient medical samples;

a second analytical device management system configured to receive analytical device status data from one or more analytical devices comprised in the second set of one or more analytical devices; and

a communication network configured to communicatively connect the first analytical device management system, the apparatus configured to host the data processing agent, and second analytical device management system, wherein the apparatus is configured to:

receive a message priority indication generated by the first analytical device management system and/or a first analytical device in a first analyzer network,

identify a type of the analytical device status data associated with the message priority indication, wherein the analytical device status data comprises condition data associated with the first analytical device including one or more of a hardware heartbeat, a specific hardware fault, overheating information, lid jam information, reagent information, device temperature information, or count of assays performed,

determining, based at least in part on network configuration information associated with the first analyzer network, a use context associated with the first analytical device management system and/or the first analytical device;

determine a record for a message filter configuration based on the identified type of the analytical device status data, the use context, and the message priority indication,

update a data structure defining the message filter configuration, based at least in part on the record associated with the identified type of the analytical device status data and the use context; and

communicate the data structure defining the message filter configuration, or a portion thereof, to the second analytical device management system and/or the second set of one or more analytical devices, and

wherein the second analytical device management system and/or at least one analytical device in the second set of one or more analytical devices is configured to receive a further item of analytical device status data from within a second analyzer network, and to display the further item of analytical device status data according to a priority assigned in the message filter configuration.

18 . The networked system according to claim 17 , wherein the identified type of data of analytical device status data comprises feedback information associated with the first analytical device.