SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR ALIGNMENT AND DETECTION OF A CONSUMABLE COMPONENT

• US 20140135692A1
• Filed: 11/15/2012
• Published: 05/15/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 11/15/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Medtronic Minimed Incorporated (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: Medtronic Minimed Incorporated (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: ALDERETE, Juan M. Jr., Tieck, R. Marie
• Granted Patent: US 8,870,818 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 604/111
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2005/14268 with a reusable and a disposable component
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2039/0267 comprising sensors or electrical contacts
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2202/07 Proteins
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/14 Detection of the presence or absence of a tube, a connector or a container in an apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/581 by audible feedback
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/582 by tactile feedback
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/14244 adapted to be carried by the patient, e.g. portable on the body
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/5086 for indicating if defective, used, tampered with or unsterile
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 7/003 for measuring position, not involving coordinate determination coordinate measuring G01B7/004
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 7/30 for measuring angles or tapers; for testing the alignment of axes
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 33/00 Arrangements or instruments for measuring magnetic variables
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 33/0035 Calibration of single magnetic sensors, e.g. integrated calibration

Abstract

Systems and methods for alignment and detection of a consumable component are disclosed herein. For example, a method for determining if a consumable component is coupled to a durable component to enable dispersion of a medicine is provided. The method includes determining if a signal from an electrical contact coupled to a durable component has changed an electrical state, and comparing the signal to a reference signal from a second electrical component coupled to the durable component. The method includes sampling a sensor coupled to the durable component to acquire sensor data indicative of a magnetic field observed by the sensor, and outputting data that a consumable component is coupled to the durable component if the signal is different than the reference signal, and the sensor data is within an acceptable range.

Claims

1. A method for determining if a consumable component is coupled to a durable component to enable dispersion of a medicine, comprising:

determining if a signal from an electrical contact coupled to a durable component has changed an electrical state;

comparing the signal to a reference signal from a second electrical component coupled to the durable component;

if the signal is different than the reference signal, sampling a sensor coupled to the durable component to acquire sensor data indicative of a magnetic field observed by the sensor; and

outputting data that a consumable component is coupled to the durable component if the signal is different than the reference signal, and the sensor data is within an acceptable range.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

comparing the signal from the electrical contact to a second signal from a third electrical contact coupled to the durable component to generate a third signal; and

comparing the third signal to the reference signal.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

if the third signal is different than the reference signal, sampling the sensor coupled to the durable component to acquire sensor data indicative of the magnetic field observed by the sensor; and

outputting data that the consumable component is coupled to the durable component if the third signal is different than the reference signal, and the sensor data is within an acceptable range.

4. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

if the third signal is substantially the same as the reference signal, sampling the sensor coupled to the durable component to acquire sensor data indicative of the magnetic field observed by the sensor; and

outputting data that the consumable component is coupled to the durable component if the third signal is substantially the same as the reference signal, and the sensor data is within an acceptable range.

5. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

outputting data that the consumable component is not coupled to the durable component if the third signal is different than the reference signal, and the sensor data is outside an acceptable range.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

resampling the sensor after a preselected time interval if the sensor data is outside of the acceptable range.

7. The method of claim 4, further comprising:

outputting data that the consumable component is not coupled to the durable component if the third signal is different than the reference signal, and the sensor data is outside an acceptable range.

8. The method of claim 5, wherein outputting data that the consumable component is not coupled to the durable component further comprises:

outputting error data to a visual device, audible device, tactile device and combinations thereof.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the durable component is an insulin infusion device having a fluid reservoir for holding insulin and the consumable component is a base plate, with the base plate cooperating with the insulin infusion device to enable dispersion of the insulin.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein determining if the signal from the electrical contact coupled to the durable component has changed electrical state further comprises:

determining if the signal from the electrical contact has changed electrical state prior to dispensing insulin from the fluid reservoir.

11. A method for determining if a consumable component is coupled to a durable component to enable dispersion of a medicine, comprising:

comparing a first signal from a first electrical contact coupled to the durable component and a second signal from a second electrical contact coupled to the durable component to a reference signal from a third electrical contact coupled to the durable component to determine if the consumable component has contacted the durable component;

if at least one of the first signal and the second signal has changed electrical state while the reference signal has remained substantially the same, sampling a sensor coupled to the durable component to acquire sensor data indicative of a magnetic field emitted by a magnetic source on the consumable component;

comparing the acquired sensor data to calibrated sensor data; and

outputting data that a consumable component is coupled to the durable component if at least one of the first signal and the second signal has changed electrical states and the acquired sensor data is within an acceptable range based on the calibrated sensor data.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein comparing the first signal and the second signal further comprises:

using a comparator to compare the first signal and the second signal, the output of the comparator being a third signal; and

comparing the third signal to the reference signal.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein outputting data that a consumable component is coupled to the durable component further comprises:

outputting connection data that indicates that the consumable component is coupled to the durable component if the first signal changed from a high voltage signal to a low voltage signal, the second signal changed from a high voltage signal to a low voltage signal and the reference signal is a high voltage signal.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein determining calibrated sensor data based on the acquired sensor data further comprises:

averaging the sensor data sampled over a preselected number of times; and

accessing a look-up table stored on a data store to compare the average sensor data to the calibrated sensor data.

15. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

determining if a position of the consumable component relative to the consumable component has changed if the average sensor data is outside the acceptable range based on the calibrated sensor data and the sampling of the sensor has been retried.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

outputting connection data that indicates that the consumable component is coupled to the durable component if the position of the consumable component has not changed.

17. A fluid infusion device for dispersion of a medicine, comprising:

a consumable component including a source of a magnetic field;

a durable component including a first electrical contact, a second electrical contact and a third electrical contact, the first electrical contact and third electrical contact having a first electrical state when the consumable component is spaced apart from the durable component and a second electrical state when the consumable component is coupled to the durable component, the durable component including a sensor that observes the magnetic field emitted by the source;

a contact control module that receives a first signal that indicates if the first electrical contact and third electrical contact are in the first electrical state or the second electrical state, and a second signal from the second electrical contact, and based on the first signal and second signal sets contact data that indicates if the consumable component is in contact with the durable component; and

an alignment control module that receives the contact data, and based on the contact data samples the sensor to acquire sensor data, and the alignment control module outputs connection data that indicates whether the consumable component is coupled to the durable component based on the contact data and the sensor data.

18. The fluid infusion device of claim 17, further comprising:

a timer control module that generates time data based on an initial contact between the consumable component and durable component,

wherein the alignment control module outputs the connection data based on the contact data, time data and the sensor data.

19. The fluid infusion device of claim 17, wherein the alignment control module outputs error data that indicates that the consumable component is not coupled to the durable component based on the contact data and sensor data.

20. The fluid infusion device of claim 17, wherein the alignment control module outputs the connection data to at least one of a visual device, audible device and tactile device.