Smart supplies, components and capital equipment

• US 7,559,483 B2
• Filed: 09/07/2007
• Issued: 07/14/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 05/21/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Scott Laboratories, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Scott Laboratories, Inc.
• Inventors: Hickle, Randall S., Lampotang, Samsun
• Primary Examiner(s): Frech; Karl D.
• Application Number:
  US11/898,063
• Publication Number:
  US 20080061153A1
• Time in Patent Office: 676 Days
• Field of Search: 235/375, 235/380, 235/382, 235/383, 235/384, 235/385, 235/492
• US Class Current: 235/492
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 1/14 Details; Accessories therefor A61J7/00 takes precedence; openers B65D, B67B7/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 2205/60 using magnetic or electronic identifications, e.g. chips, RFID, electronic tags
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/183 Filling systems
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3576 with non implanted data transmission devices, e.g. using external transmitter or receiver
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/6018 providing set-up signals for the apparatus configuration
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/6027 Electric-conductive bridges closing detection circuits, with or without identifying elements, e.g. resistances, zener-diodes
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/6054 Magnetic identification systems
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/5086 for indicating if defective, used, tampered with or unsterile
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2203/10 Transponders
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 23/14 of tags , labels, cards, coupons, decorations or the like B65D23/008 takes precedence
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/073 Special arrangements for circuits, e.g. for protecting identification code in memory protection against unauthorised use of computer memory G06F12/14
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/07749 the record carrier being capable of non-contact communication, e.g. constructional details of the antenna of a non-contact smart card
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/07758 arrangements for adhering the record carrier to further objects or living beings, functioning as an identification tag
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/0776 the adhering arrangement being a layer of adhesive, so that the record carrier can function as a sticker
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/07798 part of the antenna or the integrated circuit being adapted for rupturing or breaking, e.g. record carriers functioning as sealing devices for detecting not-authenticated opening of containers electronic seals G09F3/03
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/203 Inventory monitoring

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.

Claims

1. An electronic tag for storing and providing information regarding a tagged object, comprising an electronically readable data transmitter coupled to a breakable conductive element, said data transmitter being adapted to transmit previously stored data regarding said tagged object, and said breakable conductive loop causes a first signal to be transmitted with said previously stored data when said breakable conductive material is intact and a second signal to be transmitted with said previously stored data after said breakable conductive material is broken.

2. The electronic tag according to claim 1, wherein said breakable conductive element is formed from conductive material on a breakable seal.

3. The electronic tag according to claim 2, wherein said first signal represents that said tagged object is unused and said second signal represents that said tagged object has been used.

4. The electronic tag according to claim 2, wherein said first signal represents that a package of said tagged object is sealed and said second signal represents that a package of said tagged object has been opened.

5. The electronic tag according to claim 1, wherein said electronically readable data transmitter comprises a radio frequency identification tag.

6. The electronic tag according to claim 1, wherein said electronically readable data transmitter comprises an EEPROM.

7. The electronic tag according to claim 1, wherein said electronically readable data transmitter comprises a readable magnetic strip.

8. The electronic tag according to claim 7, wherein said medical supply or component kit is for use with a sedation and analgesia system.

9. The electronic tag according to claim 8, wherein said electronic data transmitter comprises a read/write memory such that said previously stored data can be altered and said tearable label is adapted to serve as a tamper-evident seal and electronic inventory of an item selected from the group consisting of a medical apparatus, medical equipment storage device, resuscitation kit, medical kit, sedation and analgesia kit, sedation and analgesia resuscitation kit, drug or equipment container, and a drug or equipment package.

10. The electronic tag according to claim 1, wherein said electronic data transmitter comprises a read/write memory such that said previously stored data can be altered by a user of a product attached to said tag or by a reader/writer device.

11. The electronic tag according to claim 1, wherein said electronic data transmitter comprises a read-only memory such that said previously stored data cannot be altered by a user of said tag or by a reader/writer device.

12. An electronically tagged medical supply or component, said supply or component comprising at least one of a mechanical use indicator and a generic electronic data carrier tag, said tag having a first data set that represents information regarding said medical supply or component, and said tag further having a second data set having values dependent upon the physical status of said mechanical use indicator, wherein said first data set and said second data are readable by an electronic data reader or reader/writer.

13. The medical supply or component according to claim 12, wherein said tag is attached to packaging of said medical supply or component and utilizes a data carrier mechanism selected from the group consisting of a radio frequency identification, EEPROM, and magnetic strips.

14. The medical supply or component according to claim 12, wherein said electronic data reader utilizes said first and second data sets to determine according to a predetermined set of rules how a system connected to said reader or reader/writer utilizes said medical supply or component.

15. The medical supply or component according to claim 12, wherein said first data set is read-only.

16. The medical supply or component according to claim 15, wherein said read-only data set represents information regarding at least an identification of said disposable medical supply or component to a medical care system connected to said electronic data reader.

17. The medical supply or component according to claim 12, wherein said tag is a radio frequency identification tag and is inductively coupled to said electronic data reader.

18. The medical supply or component according to claim 12, wherein said tag is a radio frequency identification tag and is capacitively coupled to said electronic data reader.

19. The medical supply or component according to claim 12, wherein said first data set can be electronically written to by said electronic data reader/writer to record a change in a status of said medical supply or component.

20. The medical supply or component according to claim 19, wherein said change in status relates to the status of said medical supply or component as used or unused.

21. The medical supply or component according to claim 19, wherein said change in status relates to the use status of said medical supply or component as the number of uses of the supply or component.

22. The medical supply or component according to claim 19, wherein said change in status relates to the use status of said medical supply or component as the expiration date of the supply or component.

23. The medical supply or component according to claim 12, wherein said mechanical use indicator comprises a breakable conductive loop connected to said tag wherein said loop assigns said second data set a first value when intact and a second value when broken.

24. The medical supply or component according to claim 23, wherein said breakable conductive loop comprises conductive material applied on a breakable seal wherein said breaking of said seal to use said medical supply or component causes said conductive loop to be broken.

25. The medical supply or component according to claim 23, wherein said first data set is read-only.