Aptitude test system

• US 20060009949A1
• Filed: 06/10/2003
• Published: 01/12/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 06/13/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Original Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Inventors: Seher, Jens-Peter, Pross, Gerhard
• Granted Patent: US 7,191,094 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 702/182
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 90/90 Identification means for patients or instruments, e.g. tags
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 90/96 using barcodes
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2035/00752 bar codes
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 35/00663 of consumables
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 35/00732 Identification of carriers, materials or components in automatic analysers

Abstract

The present invention relates to an aptitude test system (4) which includes at least one object (1) which is provided with a data carrier (2) on which data associated with the object (1) is stored, as well as a test device (5) which includes a reading apparatus (6) whereby the data of the data carrier (2) can be transfer-red to a computer (7). The data includes aptitude data which characterizes at least one permissible application for the associated object (1). The computer (7) has access to current application data which characterizes a concrete application intended for the relevant object (1). For aptitude testing of the relevant object (1) the computer evaluates the aptitude data thereof and the actual application data. The computer (7) outputs a release signal when the object (1) is suitable for the intended application.

Claims

1. An aptitude test system which is suitable for testing an object (1) in respect of its aptitude for an actual intended application, which system includes:

at least one object (1) which is provided with a data carrier (2) on which data associated with the object (1) is stored, and

a test device (5) which includes a reading apparatus (6) whereby the data of the data carrier (2) can be transferred to a computer (7) which is coupled to the reading apparatus (6),

the data being or including aptitude data which characterizes one or more permissible applications for the associated object (1),

the computer (7) having access to actual application data which characterizes a concrete application envisaged for the relevant object (1),

the computer (7) evaluating the aptitude data of the relevant object (1) and the current application data for the aptitude testing of the relevant object and outputting a release signal when the object (1) is suitable for the intended application and/or an alarm signal when the object (1) is not suitable for the intended application.

2. An aptitude test system as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the test device (5) is coupled to a processing device (12) which processes the relevant object (1), or a packing (3) of the object (1), in dependence on the result of the aptitude test.

3. An aptitude test system as claimed in claim 2, characterized in that the object (1) includes a packing (3), that the processing device (12) is arranged to open the packing (3), and that the processing device (12) opens the packing (3) only when the computer (7) outputs the release signal.

4. An aptitude test system as claimed in claim 2 or 3, characterized in that the processing device (12) invalidates and/or marks the object (1) or its packing (3) when the computer (7) outputs the alarm signal.

5. An aptitude test system as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the test device (5) and/or the processing device (12) include an output unit (9, 10, 11) which provides the user of the test device (5) with an optical and/or acoustic indication of the result of the aptitude test.

6. An aptitude test system as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the data carrier (2) is formed by a one-dimensional or two-dimensional bar code and that the reading apparatus (6) is formed by an optical bar code reading apparatus (6).

7. An aptitude test system as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the aptitude data includes a date of expiry of the object (1) and that the application data includes the current date, the computer (7) generating the alarm signal when the date of expiry of the object (1) has been passed when the aptitude test is carried out.

8. An aptitude test system as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that

the object (1) is a medicament (1″

) and/or a combination of medicaments (1′

″

),

the aptitude data includes a date of expiry of the medicament (1″

) or the combination of medicaments (1′

″

) and/or identification data enabling identification of the medicament (1″

) or the combination of medicaments (1′

″

),

the application data includes the current date and/or the current time and/or patient data required for medication of a patient so as to administer the medicament (1″

) and/or the combination of medicaments (1′

″

) to a concrete patient,

the computer (7) generates the alarm signal when the medicament (1″

) or the combination of medicaments (1′

″

) is not suitable for administration to the intended patient.

9. An aptitude test system as claimed in claim 8, characterized in that the computer (7) has access to a database (21) in which the patient data of a plurality of patients is stored, and that the computer (7) can receive, via an input unit (19, 20) or the reading apparatus (6), a patient identification code of the actual patient intended to be administered the medicament (1″

) or the combination of medicaments (1′

″

), said patient identification code enabling the computer (7) to access the patient data of the relevant patient in the database (21).

10. An aptitude test system as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the object (1) is a cartridge (1′

) intended for carrying out point of care diagnosis of a body fluid sample taken from a patient.

11. An aptitude test system as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that

the test device (5) is a cash register or is integrated in such a cash register,

the aptitude data is formed by a date of expiry associated with the relevant object (1) or contains this date of expiry,

the application data is formed by the current date or by a given minimum period of keeping quality which commences at the current date, or includes the current date or said minimum period of keeping quality,

the computer (7) generates the alarm signal when the date of expiry has been passed and/or when it is about to pass and/or when it will be passed within the minimum period of keeping quality.