Infusion Pump System and Method

• US 20150025498A1
• Filed: 07/19/2013
• Published: 01/22/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 07/19/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Insulet Corporation
• Original Assignee: Asante Solutions, Inc
• Inventors: Estes, Mark C.
• Granted Patent: US 9,561,324 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 604/506
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2005/14208 with a programmable infusion control system, characterised by the infusion program
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2005/14268 with a reusable and a disposable component
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2005/1586 Holding accessories for holding infusion needles on the body holding devices for catheters A61M25/02
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3515 using magnetic means
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3569 sublocal, e.g. between console and disposable
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3576 with non implanted data transmission devices, e.g. using external transmitter or receiver
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/14244 adapted to be carried by the patient, e.g. portable on the body
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/14546 Front-loading type injectors
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/1456 with a replaceable reservoir comprising a piston rod to be moved into the reservoir, e.g. the piston rod is part of the removable reservoir
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/14566 with a replaceable reservoir for receiving a piston rod of the pump
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/158 Needles for infusions; Accessories therefor, e.g. for inserting infusion needles, or for holding them on the body
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/31197 Near field communication nfc
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 10/60 for patient-specific data, e.g. for electronic patient records
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/17 delivered via infusion or injection
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/63 for local operation
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/67 for remote operation
• CPC Class Codes: G16Z 99/00 Subject matter not provided for in other main groups of this subclass

Abstract

Some embodiments of an infusion pump system may be configured to wirelessly communicate with other devices using near field communication (NFC). In particular embodiments, by incorporating near field communication capabilities into the infusion pump system, user communications with the infusion pump system can be enhanced and simplified.

Claims

1. A medical infusion pump system, comprising:

a portable housing defining a space to receive a medicine;

a pump drive system to dispense medicine from the portable housing when the medicine is received in the space;

control circuitry that communicates control signals to the pump drive system to control dispensation of the medicine from the portable housing when the medicine is received in the space; and

a near field communication (NFC) circuit electrically connected with the control circuitry to communicate infusion pump task data to the control circuitry, wherein the NFC circuit is configured to wirelessly receive the infusion pump task data from a NFC communicator device when the NFC circuit and NFC communicator device are positioned with in a NFC proximity range.

2. The medical infusion pump system of claim 1, further comprising the NFC communicator device, wherein the NFC communicator device is a near field communication tag storing the infusion pump task data.

3. The medical infusion pump system of claim 2, wherein the infusion pump task data comprises a unique identifier that identifies the near field communication tag, and wherein, in response to receiving the unique identifier, the control circuitry executes user interface operations that correspond to the unique identifier.

4. The medical infusion pump system of claim 3, wherein the user interface operations comprise user interface settings for calculating a bolus dispensation of the medicine.

5. The medical infusion pump system of claim 1, further comprising an accelerometer electrically connected to the control circuitry, wherein the accelerometer is configured to detect acceleration movement of the portable housing and to communicate the detected movement to the control circuitry, and wherein the control circuitry is configured to compare a characteristic value of the detected movement to a threshold movement value.

6. The medical infusion pump system of claim 5, wherein the control circuitry is configured to activate near field communication with the NFC communicator device based on the comparison of the characteristic value to the threshold movement value.

7. The medical infusion pump system of claim 1, wherein the control circuitry is housed in a controller housing that is removably attachable to the portable housing.

8. The medical infusion pump system of claim 1, further comprising a remote control device that is separate from the portable housing, wherein the remote control device is configured to wirelessly communicate with a wireless communication device connected to the control circuitry, and wherein the remote control device includes a second NFC circuit that is configured to wirelessly receive the infusion pump task data from the NFC communicator device when the second NFC circuit and NFC communicator device are positioned within the NFC proximity range.

9. The medical infusion pump system of claim 1, wherein the wherein the NFC proximity range has a maximum working distance of less than 12 inches.

10. The medical infusion pump system of claim 1, wherein the infusion pump task data is indicative of a value of carbohydrates of a food item.

11. A portable infusion pump system, comprising:

a pump device including a pump housing that defines a space to receive a medicine, and a drive system positioned in the pump housing to dispense the medicine from the pump device when the medicine is received in the space of the pump housing; and

a controller device removably attachable to the pump housing so as to electrically connect with the pump device, wherein the controller device houses control circuitry configured to communicate control signals to the drive system positioned in the pump housing to control dispensation of the medicine from the pump device, and wherein the controller device houses a near field communication (NFC) circuit electrically connected with the control circuitry to communicate infusion pump task data to the control circuitry, wherein the NFC circuit is configured to wirelessly receive the infusion pump task data from a NFC communicator device when the NFC circuit and NFC communicator device are positioned with in a NFC proximity range.

12. The portable infusion pump system of claim 11, further comprising the NFC communicator device, wherein the NFC communicator device is a near field communication tag storing the infusion pump task data.

13. The portable infusion pump system of claim 12, wherein the infusion pump task data comprises a unique identifier that identifies the near field communication tag, and wherein, in response to receiving the unique identifier, the control circuitry executes user interface operations that correspond to the unique identifier.

14. The portable infusion pump system of claim 13, wherein the user interface operations comprise user interface settings for calculating a bolus dispensation of the medicine.

15. The portable infusion pump system of claim 11, further comprising an accelerometer electrically connected to the control circuitry, wherein the accelerometer is configured to detect acceleration movement of the portable housing and to communicate the detected movement to the control circuitry, and wherein the control circuitry is configured to compare a characteristic value of the detected movement to a threshold movement value.

16. The portable infusion pump system of claim 15, wherein the control circuitry is configured to activate near field communication with the NFC communicator device based on the comparison of the characteristic value to the threshold movement value.

17. The portable infusion pump system of claim 11, wherein the pump device is a one-time-use device equipped with one or more structures configured to prevent reuse of the pump device, wherein the pump housing includes an interior wall that defines a space to slidably receives an outer wall of a pre-filled medicine cartridge insertable through an opening defined by the pump housing, wherein the pump device further comprises a cap device that directly engages with the pump housing to enclose the pre-filled medicine cartridge in the pump housing when the pre-filled medicine cartridge is received in the space of the pump housing, and wherein the controller device is a reusable controller device including:

a controller housing that is removably attachable to the pump housing in a fixed relationship;

one or more electrical contacts disposed on the controller housing, the electrical contacts of the controller device being engageable with corresponding electrical contacts of the pump device when removably attached.

18. A method of controlling a portable infusion pump system, comprising:

receiving input via near field communication (NFC) from a NFC tag storing data indicative of a task associated with using the portable infusion pump system; and

controlling the portable infusion pump system to change an operation of the portable infusion pump system in based upon the data the input from the NFC tag.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising prompting a user via a user interface display to confirm the operation change of the portable infusion pump system in response to receiving the input from the NFC tag.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the operation change comprises calculating or initiating a bolus dispensation of a medicine from the portable infusion pump system.