Smart supplies, components and capital equipment
First Claim
1. A medical supply or component comprising a generic data carrier tag, said tag being associated with said medical supply or component and providing information regarding said medical supply or component, said information comprising one or more of the following:
- a unique ID for the supply or component, identification of the supply or component, identification of the source of the supply or component, purity levels of any drug contained in the supply or component, concentration levels of any drug contained in the supply or component, status of whether said supply or component has been previously used, a batch number of the supply or component, a date of manufacture of the supply or component, an address where updated information on said supply or component can be obtained, number of recorded use cycles and recommended number of use cycles for the supply or component, and an expiration date of the supply or component, wherein said tag comprises a radio-frequency identification circuit that allows said information to be updated electronically, and wherein said medical supply or component is contained in a package that is constructed in a manner and from a material that shields the tag so as to prevent said information from being updated.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
The present invention relates to capital equipment units, such as systems for providing medical treatment, that are associated with smart supplies. The smart supplies are tagged with data carriers which may encode such information as a unique ID for the supply or component, the identification of the supply or component, the identification of the source of the supply or component, the status of whether said supply or component has been previously used, the expiration date of the supply or component, and in the case where the supply or component contains drug, the purity levels of the drug and the concentration levels of the drug. The capital equipment units or their users then utilize the information to assure quality of any procedure run with the units, by way of improved pre-use checks, certification of the supplies for use, record keeping, inventory control, and charge capture.
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Citations
59 Claims
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1. A medical supply or component comprising a generic data carrier tag, said tag being associated with said medical supply or component and providing information regarding said medical supply or component, said information comprising one or more of the following:
- a unique ID for the supply or component, identification of the supply or component, identification of the source of the supply or component, purity levels of any drug contained in the supply or component, concentration levels of any drug contained in the supply or component, status of whether said supply or component has been previously used, a batch number of the supply or component, a date of manufacture of the supply or component, an address where updated information on said supply or component can be obtained, number of recorded use cycles and recommended number of use cycles for the supply or component, and an expiration date of the supply or component, wherein said tag comprises a radio-frequency identification circuit that allows said information to be updated electronically, and wherein said medical supply or component is contained in a package that is constructed in a manner and from a material that shields the tag so as to prevent said information from being updated.
- View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
- 8. A medical treatment system, comprising a patient treatment apparatus, at least one electronic data reader or reader/writer, and at least one medical supply or component, said medical supply or component having a writable generic electronic data carrier tag, said tag adapted to provide information through said electronic data reader for use by said patient treatment apparatus, said tag being further adapted to store information representing a change in status of said medical supply or component, wherein said medical treatment system is configured for being coupled to a patient, said information provided by said tag can be altered electronically via a signal generated by said electronic data reader, and said system further comprises a shielded region that prevents said tag from being altered electronically via a signal generated by said electronic data reader when said medical supply or component is placed within the shielded region.
- 28. A medical treatment system, comprising a patient treatment apparatus, at least one electronic data reader or reader/writer, and at least one medical supply or component, said medical supply or component having a writable generic electronic data carrier tag, said tag adapted to provide information through said electronic data reader for use by said patient treatment apparatus, said tag being further adapted to store information representing a change in status of said medical supply or component, wherein said medical treatment system is configured for being coupled to a patient, wherein said information provided by said tag has multiple values dependent upon the physical status of a mechanical use indicator.
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38. A method for automating the performance of pre-use checks on a plurality of medical treatment supplies for use with a medical treatment apparatus, said method comprising:
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affixing to each of said items an electronically readable identification tag, said identification tag being adapted to store information regarding each particular tagged item, said information at least including the use status of said tagged item; attaching to said medical treatment apparatus means for reading said information stored on each electronically readable identification tag, said means for reading said information being adapted to read any tagged medical treatment supply or component being attached to said medical treatment apparatus for use by said medical treatment apparatus; installing one or more of said tagged medical treatment supplies on said medical treatment apparatus such that said installed supplies may be used by said medical treatment apparatus; reading said information stored on each electronically readable identification tag associated with each tagged medical supply or component with said means for reading, wherein said reading is conducted prior to each use of said medical treatment apparatus; and providing an indication representative of the current status of each medical treatment supply or component to an operator of said medical treatment apparatus. - View Dependent Claims (39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50)
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51. A care system for alleviating patient pain, anxiety and discomfort associated with medical or surgical procedures said system comprising:
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a patient health monitor device adapted so as to be coupled to a patient and generate a signal reflecting at least one physiological condition of the patient; a drug delivery controller supplying one or more drugs to the patient; at least one single-use supply or component removably connected to said system, wherein said supply or component includes a data carrier tag; a recognition device that reads information carried on said data carrier tag and that generates a signal reflecting the information, wherein said information comprises one or more of the following;
a unique ID for the supply or component, identification of the supply or component, identification of the source of the supply or component, purity levels of any drug contained in the supply or component, concentration levels of any drug contained in the supply or component, status of whether said supply or component has been previously used, a batch number of the supply or component, a date of manufacture of the supply or component, an address where updated information on said supply or component can be obtained, number of recorded use cycles and recommended number of use cycles for the supply or component, and an expiration date of the supply or component;a memory device storing a safety data set reflecting parameters of at least one monitored patient physiological condition and reflecting certification parameters for said supply or component; and an electronic controller interconnected between the patient health monitor, the drug delivery controller, the recognition device, and the memory device storing the safety data set;
wherein said electronic controller receives said signals and in response manages the application of the drugs in accord with the safety data set. - View Dependent Claims (52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58)
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59. A capital equipment unit, said unit comprising:
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at least one supply or component removably connected to said unit, wherein said supply or component includes a data carrier tag; and an electronic data reader or reader/writer that reads information carried on said data carrier tag and that generates a signal reflecting the information, wherein said information comprises one or more of the following;
a unique ID for the supply or component, identification of the supply or component, identification of the source of the supply or component, purity levels of any drug contained in the supply or component, concentration levels of any drug contained in the supply or component, status of whether said supply or component has been previously used, a batch number of the supply or component, a date of manufacture of the supply or component, an address where updated information on said supply or component can be obtained, number of recorded use cycles and recommended number of use cycles for the supply or component, and an expiration date of the supply or component;wherein said information provided by said tag can be altered electronically via a signal generated by said electronic data reader/writer and said unit further comprises a shielded region that prevents said tag from being altered electronically via a signal generated by said electronic data reader/writer when said component is placed within the shielded region.
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Specification