Identification and communication system for inflatable devices

• US 6,884,255 B1
• Filed: 07/23/1999
• Issued: 04/26/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 07/25/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Huntleigh Technology, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Huntleigh Technology PLC (Getinge AB)
• Inventors: Newton, Michael David
• Primary Examiner(s): Truong, Kevin T.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Sam, Charles H.
• Application Number:
  US09/509,265
• Time in Patent Office: 2,104 Days
• Field of Search: 340/10.1, 340/10.3, 606201-203
• US Class Current: 606/202
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 9/0078 with intermittent or alternately inflated bladders or cuffs mattresses for preventing bed-sores with alternated pressurized chambers A61G7/05776
• CPC Class Codes: B60S 5/046 using electrical or electronical means
• CPC Class Codes: F04B 49/065 and making use of computers
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/0723 the record carrier comprising an arrangement for non-contact communication, e.g. wireless communication circuits on transponder cards, non-contact smart cards or RFIDs

Abstract

A pneumatic system consists of an inflatable/deflatable article, for example, a compression garment (21) connected to a pump (20) by connectors (12 and 11), respectively. The connector (12) attached to the garment (21) carries an RFID transponder (30) and a corresponding radio circuit (31) is located within the pump (20). In use, the transponder (30) transmits and receives information to and from the pump radio circuit (31). The information exchanged is used by the pump control system to activate the pump and to operate the pump to provide the particular operating parameters for that garment, for example, pressure, inflation/deflation cycle, duration of treatment, etc.

Claims

1. A pneumatic control system including a pump and at least one inflatable/deflatable article useful in the clinical treatment of patients, control means for operation of the pump, connection means for connecting the article and pump for fluid flow therethrough, and communication means provided on at least one of the pump, the article, and the connection means, wherein upon connection between the pump and the connection means said communication means is capable of instructing the control means to effect a predetermined compression therapy profile for a patient, the profile comprising at least one inflation and at least one deflation.

2. A pneumatic control system including a pump and at least one inflatable/deflatable article, control means for operation of the pump, connection means for connecting the article and pump for fluid flow therethrough, and communication means provided on at least two of the pump, the article, and the connection means, wherein the communication means are capable of exchanging information or energy so as to identify the article as compatible to the pump and do not contact each other.

3. A pneumatic control system for use in controlling the inflation and/or deflation of a support useful for the clinical treatment of patients, including a pump and an inflatable/deflatable support for a patient to lie on, control means to operate the pump, and connection means for connecting the support and pump for fluid flow therethrough, wherein the pump and at least one of the support and the connection means have respective communication means, and wherein upon connection between the pump and the connection means at least one said communication means is capable of identifying the support and to instruct the pump control means to activate the pump accordingly.

4. A pneumatic control system as claimed in claim 3, wherein the said communication means are capable of exchanging information or energy to identify the support and to instruct the pump control means to operate the pump to provide a predetermined inflation/deflation of the support for a patient lying thereon.

5. A pneumatic control system as claimed in claim 3, wherein the support communication means is located within the connection means connecting the support to the pump.

6. A pneumatic control system including a pump and at least one inflatable/deflatable garment to be wrapped around a portion of a patient'"'"'s body, control means to operate the pump, connection means for connecting the at least one garment and pump for fluid flow therethrough, wherein the pump and at least one of the garment and the connection means have respective communication means, and wherein upon connection between the pump and the connection means at least one of said communication means is capable of identifying the at least one garment and instructing the pump control means to activate the pump.

7. A pneumatic control system as claimed in claim 6, wherein the communication means are capable of exchanging information or energy to identify the at least one garment and to instruct the pump control means to operate the pump to provide a predetermined inflation/deflation cycle of the at least one garment suited to the garments'"'"' application.

8. A pneumatic control system as claimed in claim 6, wherein the garment communication means is located within the connection means.

9. A pneumatic control system for an inflatable/deflatable article useful in the clinical treatment of patients, the pneumatic system comprising control means for operation of a pump, connection means for connecting the article and pump for fluid flow therethrough, communication means provided on at least one of the pump, the article, and the connection means, wherein upon connection between the pump and the connection means the communication means is capable of identifying a predetermined pressure versus time profile for the article, the pressure versus time profile comprising a plurality of predetermined pressures.