SYSTEM FOR TRACKING THE LOCATION OF COMPONENTS, ASSEMBLIES, AND SUB-ASSEMBLIES IN A MEDICAL INSTRUMENT
First Claim
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.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
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.
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Citations
31 Claims
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1. A system for tracking the location of components, assemblies, and sub-assemblies in a medical instrument comprising:
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(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. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31)
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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:
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(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.
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Specification