SYSTEM FOR TRACKING THE LOCATION OF COMPONENTS, ASSEMBLIES, AND SUB-ASSEMBLIES IN A MEDICAL INSTRUMENT

• US 20090309726A1
• Filed: 06/12/2008
• Published: 12/17/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 06/12/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Abbott Laboratories Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Abbott Laboratories Incorporated
• Inventors: Schwartz, Oscar F., Lopez, Renee A., Fritchie, Patrick P.
• Granted Patent: US 7,932,826 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/568.100
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/0811 for the position of a particular part of an instrument with respect to the rest of the instrument, e.g. position of the anvil of a stapling instrument
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 90/90 Identification means for patients or instruments, e.g. tags
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 90/98 using electromagnetic means, e.g. transponders
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/40 for the management of medical equipment or devices, e.g. scheduling maintenance or upgrades

Abstract

A system and method for the tracking of medical instrument, components, assemblies, and sub-assemblies thereof, and maintenance information relating to the foregoing. According to the system, radio frequency identification tags are attached to or affixed on the medical instrument itself for the purpose of locating, identifying, monitoring, tracking the medical instrument and updating the maintenance and replacement activities relating to the medical instrument. In addition, radio frequency identification tags are attached to or affixed on the components, the assemblies, and the sub-assemblies, of the medical instrument in order to locate, identify, monitor, track the components, the assemblies, and the sub-assemblies and update the maintenance and replacement activities relating to these components, assemblies, and sub-assemblies. The medical instrument itself can have a radio frequency identification tag; each major component of the automated diagnostic instrument can have a radio frequency identification tag; each minor component of the automated diagnostic instrument can have a radio frequency identification tag on the container in which it is packaged. A master radio frequency identification tag correlated with a database is needed in order to collect information relating to all of the radio frequency identification tags associated with the medical instrument.

Claims

1. A system for tracking the location of components, assemblies, and sub-assemblies in a medical instrument comprising:

(a) at least one medical instrument having a plurality of components, assemblies, sub-assemblies, or combinations of the foregoing, at least one of said plurality of components, assemblies, sub-assemblies, or combinations of the foregoing having a radio frequency identification tag affixed thereto;

(b) a master radio frequency identification tag affixed to said medical instrument;

(c) a first client/server, said first client/server comprising at least one of a database server and a file server.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the radio frequency identification tag is capable of containing data relating to the name of the at least one component, assembly, or sub-assembly of the at least one medical instrument, the identification number of the at least one component, assembly, or sub-assembly of the at least one medical instrument, the status of repair or replacement, if any, of the at least one component, assembly, or sub-assembly of the at least one medical instrument, and the description, if any, of a service operation relating to the at least one component, assembly, or sub-assembly of the at least one medical instrument.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the master radio frequency identification tag contains the data contained in by each radio frequency identification tag of each component, assembly, or sub-assembly having a radio frequency identification tag.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one medical instrument has a radio frequency identification tag affixed thereto.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one medical instrument is selected from the group consisting of clinical chemistry analyzers and immunoassay analyzers.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein at least one component, assembly, or sub-assembly has a radio frequency identification tag attached to a container in which said at least one component, assembly, or sub-assembly is packaged.

7. The system of claim 1, further including a second client/server, said second client/server comprising at least one of a database server and a file server.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein said second client/server further includes an applications server.

9. The system of claim 7, wherein said client/server operates a world-wide call management system.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein said first client/server further includes an applications server.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein said system further includes a communications module.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein said communications module is selected from the group consisting of a Wi-Fi device, a cellular telephone, and a satellite transceiver.

13. The system of claim 11, further including a receiver of the Global Positioning System.

14. The system of claim 1, wherein said client of said client/server comprises a portable computer.

15. A method for operating the system of claim 1, said method comprising the steps of:

(a) placing a radio frequency identification tag on a component, an assembly, or a sub-assembly of the at least one medical instrument if the component, the assembly, or the sub-assembly is large enough to have a radio frequency identification tag attached thereto or a package containing a component, an assembly, or a sub-assembly of the at least one medical instrument if the component, the assembly, or the sub-assembly is too small to attach a radio frequency identification tag thereto;

(b) loading the number of the component, the assembly, or the sub-assembly onto the radio frequency identification tag;

(c) loading the serial number of the medical instrument onto the radio frequency identification tag;

(d) updating the master radio frequency identification tag; and

(e) uploading data from the master radio frequency identification tag to a database.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein a portable computer is carry out at least one of the steps of loading the number of the component, the assembly, or the sub-assembly onto the radio frequency identification tag, loading the serial number of the medical instrument onto the radio frequency identification tag, updating the master radio frequency identification tag, and uploading data from the master radio frequency identification tag to a database.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein an electronic data input form is used to load the number of the component, the assembly, or the sub-assembly onto the radio frequency identification tag.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein an electronic data input form is used to load the serial number of the medical instrument onto the radio frequency identification tag.

19. The method of claim 16, wherein an electronic data input form is used to update the master radio frequency identification tag.

20. The method of claim 16, wherein an electronic data input form is used to upload data from the master radio frequency identification tag to a database.

21. The method of claim 15, wherein the master radio frequency identification tag communicates with a communications module.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the communications module is a wireless communications module.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein the communications module is selected from the group consisting of a Wi-Fi device, a cellular telephone, and a satellite transceiver.

24. The method of claim 21, wherein the communications module is a non-wireless communications module.

25. The method of claim 21, wherein the communications module communicates with the Global Positioning System.

27. The method of claim 15, wherein a portable computer is carry out at least one of the steps of loading the number of the component, the assembly, or the sub-assembly onto the radio frequency identification tag, loading the serial number of the medical instrument onto the radio frequency identification tag, updating the master radio frequency identification tag, and uploading data from the master radio frequency identification tag to a database.

28. The method of claim 16, wherein an electronic data input form is used to load the number of the component, the assembly, or the sub-assembly onto the radio frequency identification tag.

29. The method of claim 16, wherein an electronic data input form is used to load the serial number of the medical instrument onto the radio frequency identification tag.

30. The method of claim 16, wherein an electronic data input form is used to update the master radio frequency identification tag.

31. The method of claim 16, wherein an electronic data input form is used to upload data from the master radio frequency identification tag to a database.

26. A method for recording the history of data relating to the tracking of the configuration of a medical instrument, said data placed on a master radio frequency identification tag, said method comprising the steps of:

(a) serializing a radio frequency identification tag;

(b) loading the radio frequency identification tag with the number of a component, an assembly, or a sub-assembly;

(c) adding the serial number of a medical instrument to the radio frequency identification tag;

(d) updating the master radio frequency identification tag of the medical instrument;

(e) uploading the master radio frequency identification tag to the database.