HIGH-DENSITY BARCODES FOR MEDICAL CONSUMABLES

• US 20120211566A1
• Filed: 03/06/2012
• Published: 08/23/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 09/17/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Roche Diabetes Care Inc. (Roche Holding AG)
• Original Assignee: Roche Diagnostics Operations Incorporated (Roche Holding AG)
• Inventors: Haar, Hans-Peter, Hensel, Uwe
• Granted Patent: US 8,608,052 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 235/462.42
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10732 Light sources

Abstract

A medical instrument for carrying out at least one medical function is proposed, more particularly a medical instrument embodied as a hand-held instrument. The medical instrument is designed to interact with at least one medical consumable in order to carry out the medical function. The medical instrument has at least one code reader for reading out at least one item of information from an optical code of the medical consumable. The code reader comprises at least one image sensor. The code reader furthermore comprises at least one areal light source, which is designed to illuminate the optical code in a transmissive fashion.

Claims

1. A medical instrument for carrying out at least one medical function, wherein the medical instrument is operable to interact with at least one medical consumable in order to carry out the medical function, wherein the medical instrument has at least one code reader for reading out at least one item of information from an optical code of the medical consumable, wherein the code reader comprises at least one image sensor, wherein the code reader furthermore comprises at least one areal light source, wherein the areal light source has a planar extent of at least 1 mm², wherein the areal light source is operable to illuminate the optical code in a transmissive fashion.

2. The medical instrument of claim 1, wherein the medical instrument is configured as a hand-held instrument.

3. The medical instrument of claim 1, wherein the areal light source comprises at least one luminous film.

4. The medical instrument of claim 1, wherein the areal light source comprises at least one electroluminescent light source.

5. The medical instrument of claim 1, wherein the areal light source comprises an electroluminescent film.

6. The medical instrument of claim 1, wherein the medical instrument is operable to interact with the medical consumable with the image sensor arranged in the direct vicinity of the optical code when the information from the optical code is read out.

7. The medical instrument of claim 6, wherein the image sensor lies directly on the optical code.

8. The medical instrument of claim 1, wherein the image sensor captures the optical code without deflecting a beam path and without optical elements being disposed therein.

9. A medical instrument for carrying out at least one medical function, wherein the medical instrument is operable to interact with at least one medical consumable in order to carry out the medical function, wherein the medical instrument has at least one code reader for reading out at least one item of information from an optical code of the medical consumable, wherein the code reader comprises at least one image sensor, wherein the code reader furthermore comprises at least one light source, wherein the light source is configured to illuminate the optical code in a transmissive fashion, wherein at least one deflection element is arranged between the optical code and the image sensor, wherein the deflection element is configured to deflect a beam path at least once, wherein the light source comprises an areal light source.

10. The medical instrument of claim 9, wherein the areal light source is a luminous film.

11. The medical instrument of claim 9, wherein the areal light source is an electroluminescent light source.

12. The medical instrument of claim 9, wherein the areal light source is an electroluminescent film.

13. The medical instrument of claim 9, wherein the deflection element is selected from the group of deflection elements consisting of:

a mirror and a prism.

14. The medical instrument of claim 9, wherein the areal light source is arranged on a side of the optical code that is opposite to the image sensor.

15. The medical instrument of claim 9, wherein the areal light source comprises an optical waveguide.

16. The medical instrument of claim 9, further comprising at least one positioning device for positioning the medical consumable.

17. The medical instrument of claim 9, wherein the code reader is operable to carry out a time-resolved measurement.

18. A medical system, comprising:

at least one medical consumable with at least one optical code; and

a medical instrument operable to interact with the at least one medical consumable in order to carry out a medical function, wherein the medical instrument has at least one code reader for reading out at least one item of information from the optical code of the medical consumable, wherein the code reader comprises at least one image sensor, wherein the code reader furthermore comprises at least one areal light source, wherein the areal light source has a planar extent of at least 1 mm², wherein the areal light source is operable to illuminate the optical code in a transmissive fashion.

19. The medical system of claim 18, wherein the optical code is connected to at least one support material of the medical consumable, wherein the support material has light-conducting properties.

20. The medical system of claim 19, wherein the optical code is applied to the support material.

21. The medical system of claim 19, wherein the support material includes diffuse light-conducting properties.

22. The medical system of claim 18, wherein the optical code is connected to at least one support material of the medical consumable, wherein at least one of the support material and the optical code comprises a light converter.

23. The medical system of claim 22, wherein the optical code is applied to the support material.

24. The medical system of claim 18, wherein the optical code is connected to at least one support material of the medical consumable, wherein at least one of the support material and the optical code have luminescent properties.

25. The medical system of claim 24, wherein the luminescent properties include fluorescent properties.

26. The medical system of claim 24, wherein the optical code is applied to the support material.

27. The medical system of claim 18, wherein the optical code has a redundant design.

28. The medical system of claim 18, wherein the medical instrument is configured as a hand-held instrument.

29. The medical system of claim 18, wherein the areal light source comprises at least one luminous film.

30. The medical system of claim 18, wherein the areal light source comprises at least one electroluminescent light source.

31. The medical system of claim 18, wherein the areal light source comprises an electroluminescent film.

32. The medical system of claim 18, wherein the medical instrument is operable to interact with the medical consumable with the image sensor arranged in the direct vicinity of the optical code when the information from the optical code is read out.

33. The medical system of claim 32, wherein the image sensor lies directly on the optical code.

34. The medical system of claim 18, wherein the image sensor captures the optical code without deflecting a beam path and without optical elements being disposed therein.

35. A medical system, comprising:

at least one medical consumable with at least one optical code; and

a medical instrument operable to interact with the at least one medical consumable in order to carry out a medical function, wherein the medical instrument has at least one code reader for reading out at least one item of information from the optical code of the medical consumable, wherein the code reader comprises at least one image sensor, wherein the code reader furthermore comprises at least one areal light source, wherein the areal light source is configured to illuminate the optical code in a transmissive fashion, wherein at least one deflection element is arranged between the optical code and the image sensor, wherein the deflection element is configured to deflect a beam path at least once.

36. The medical system of claim 35, wherein the optical code is connected to at least one support material of the medical consumable, wherein the support material has light-conducting properties.

37. The medical system of claim 36, wherein the optical code is applied to the support material.

38. The medical system of claim 36, wherein the support material includes diffuse light-conducting properties.

39. The medical system of claim 35, wherein the optical code is connected to at least one support material of the medical consumable, wherein at least one of the support material and the optical code comprises a light converter.

40. The medical system of claim 35, wherein the optical code is connected to at least one support material of the medical consumable, wherein at least one of the support material and the optical code have luminescent properties.

41. The medical system of claim 40, wherein at least one of the support material and the optical code includes fluorescent properties.

42. The medical system of claim 35, wherein the optical code has a redundant design.

43. The medical system of claim 35, wherein the areal light source is a luminous film.

44. The medical system of claim 35, wherein the areal light source is an electroluminescent light source.

45. The medical system of claim 35, wherein the areal light source is an electroluminescent film.

46. The medical system of claim 35, wherein the deflection element is selected from the group of deflection elements consisting of:

a mirror and a prism.

47. The medical system of claim 35, wherein the areal light source is arranged on a side of the optical code that is opposite to the image sensor.

48. The medical system of claim 35, wherein the areal light source comprises an optical waveguide.

49. The medical system of claim 35, further comprising at least one positioning device for positioning the medical consumable.

50. The medical system of claim 35, wherein the code reader is operable to carry out a time-resolved measurement.