Infusion pump having radiofrequency identification and optical imaging capabilities

• US 7,743,975 B2
• Filed: 04/11/2006
• Issued: 06/29/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 03/09/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Novanta Corporation (Novanta Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Jadak, LLC (Novanta Inc.)
• Inventors: Miller, David Paul
• Primary Examiner(s): LE, THIEN MINH
• Application Number:
  US11/279,275
• Publication Number:
  US 20070210157A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,540 Days
• Field of Search: 235/454, 235/375, 235/487, 235/486, 235/492, 710/8
• US Class Current: 235/375
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00017 Electrical control of surgical instruments
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00119 alarm; indicating an abnormal situation
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00482 with a code
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 90/90 Identification means for patients or instruments, e.g. tags
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 90/96 using barcodes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 90/98 using electromagnetic means, e.g. transponders
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/6054 Magnetic identification systems
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/6063 Optical identification systems
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/142 Pressure infusion, e.g. using pumps
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/13 delivered from dispensers
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/17 delivered via infusion or injection

Abstract

An infusion pump including an optical imaging and an RFID reading module connected thereto through a host interface. The optical imaging and RFID module comprises a system microcontroller that interconnects an optical image capture subsystem and an RFID subsystem preferably routed through a single interface to the infusion pump. This infusion pump controls operation of the optical imaging and RFID module through commands provided through the interface and, as a result, capable of obtaining data encoded on barcodes and RFID tags. The infusion pump, through the optical imaging and RFID module, may thus automatically retrieve patient data, pharmacological information, dosage amounts, etc. from barcodes or RFID tags applied to the patient, intravenous medication, and even medical staff.

Claims

1. A medical device, comprising:

a first microcontroller programmed to send host commands;

a module comprising a printed circuit board;

a host interface positioned on said circuit board and attached to said first microcontroller for receiving said host commands;

a second microcontroller positioned on said circuit board and interconnected to said first microcontroller through said host interface that is programmed to be responsive to said host commands to retrieve data from an object presented to said medical device;

said module further including an optical imager and an RFID transceiver connected to said second microcontroller, wherein said second microcontroller controls operation of both of said optical imager and said RFID transceiver based on receipt of said host commands.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein said second microcontroller controls operation of said optical imager and said RFID transceiver based on receipt of said host commands.

3. A method of controlling an infusion pump, comprising the steps of:

presenting an object including data encoded therein to said medical device;

sending a command from a first microcontroller positioned in said infusion pump through a host interface mounted on a printed circuit board and interconnected to said first microcontroller to a second microcontroller positioned on said circuit board that is programmed to retrieve data from said object based upon said command;

retrieving said data from said object in a manner indicated by said command;

comparing said data against data stored in a database; and

enabling said medical device after comparing said data retrieved from said object to data stored in said database.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein said data is retrieved from said object by capturing an optical image of said object and decoding information present within said image.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein said information present within said image is a barcode.

6. The method of claim 3, wherein said data is retrieved from said object by interrogating said object with an RFID transceiver.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein said object is an RFID tag.

8. In an infusion pump including a first microcontroller for delivering fluids to a patient, the improvement comprising:

a printed circuit board having a host interface positioned thereon;

an optical imager positioned on said circuit board for obtaining an image of an object presented to said infusion pump;

a radiofrequency identification (RFID) transceiver positioned on said circuit board for obtaining data from an RFID tag presented to said infusion pump;

a second microcontroller positioned on said circuit board and attached to said optical imager and said RFID transceiver, wherein said second microcontroller interconnected to said first microcontroller of said infusion pump via said host interface, wherein said first microcontroller is programmed to transmit host commands to said second microcontroller, and wherein said second microcontroller is programmed to operate both of said optical imager and said RFID transceiver in response to said host commands.

9. The infusion pump of claim 8, wherein said second microcontroller is programmed to extract information from said image and said data and transmit a message to said first microcontroller reflecting the information extracted from said image and said data.

10. The infusion pump of claim 9, wherein said first microcontroller selectively permits the use of said infusion pump based upon the message received from said second microcontroller.