EMPTY CONTAINER DETECTION USING CONTAINER SIDE PRESSURE SENSING
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A method for detecting when a fluid container has emptied during the course of an infusion, comprising:
- sampling the pressure within an infusion line connecting a fluid container with an infusion flow control device at a selected frequency;
calculating a first averaged sampled pressure value by averaging the sampled pressure over a selected period of time;
storing the averaged sampled pressure value in a memory;
calculating a second averaged sampled pressure value by averaging the sampled pressure over a second selected period of time;
calculating a difference between the first averaged sampled pressure value and the second averaged sampled pressure value; and
providing a signal if the difference reaches a pre-determined threshold value.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A system and method for monitoring changes in the pressure of a fluid line upstream of an infusion pump to determine when a fluid container has emptied, and to provide a signal indicating that the container needs replacement or replenishment. The difference between averaged pressures over separate time periods is monitored to determine when the fluid container is empty. The system and method are applicable to primary and secondary fluid container setups and can detect the point where the secondary has been emptied and the primary flow has resumed.
52 Citations
17 Claims
-
1. A method for detecting when a fluid container has emptied during the course of an infusion, comprising:
-
sampling the pressure within an infusion line connecting a fluid container with an infusion flow control device at a selected frequency;
calculating a first averaged sampled pressure value by averaging the sampled pressure over a selected period of time;
storing the averaged sampled pressure value in a memory;
calculating a second averaged sampled pressure value by averaging the sampled pressure over a second selected period of time;
calculating a difference between the first averaged sampled pressure value and the second averaged sampled pressure value; and
providing a signal if the difference reaches a pre-determined threshold value. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
-
-
9. A system for determining when a fluid container connected to an infusion flow control device by an infusion line has been emptied of fluid, comprising:
-
a pressure sensor in operable communication with the fluid line, the pressure sensor capable of monitoring a pressure within the fluid line and providing a signal representative of the monitored pressure; and
a memory for storing pressure related values;
a processor in operable communication with the pressure sensor and the memory, the processor programmed to receive signals from the pressure sensor and sample the received signals at selected intervals, the processor also programmed to calculate a first averaged sampled pressure value from the signals received during a first selected interval and store the first averaged sampled pressure value in the memory, the processor also programmed to compare the stored averaged sampled pressure value with a second averaged sampled pressure value calculated during a second selected interval and provide a signal if the comparison results in a difference between the first and second calculated averaged sampled pressure values reaches a predetermined threshold. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
-
Specification