System and method for identifying medical articles in an enclosure

• US 9,223,934 B2
• Filed: 04/20/2015
• Issued: 12/29/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 12/07/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Meps Real-Time, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Meps Real-Time, Inc.
• Inventors: Hussain, Shariq, Shamblin, Jeffrey, Williams, James P. Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lim, Steven
• Assistant Examiner(s): SHERWIN, RYAN W
• Application Number:
  US14/691,518
• Publication Number:
  US 20150227699A1
• Time in Patent Office: 253 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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 7/10168 the powering being adversely affected by environmental influences, e.g. unwanted energy loss in the interrogation signal due to metallic or capacitive objects in the proximity of the interrogation device or in the proximity of the interrogated record carrier
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10178 including auxiliary means for focusing, repeating or boosting the electromagnetic interrogation field comparable booster antennas integrated on the record carrier itself G06K19/07794
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10297 arrangements for handling protocols designed for non-contact record carriers such as RFIDs NFCs, e.g. ISO/IEC 14443 and 18092 cryptographic protocols H04L9/00; network security protocols H04L63/00; real-time communication protocols in data switching networks H04L65/00; network protocols for data switching network services H04L67/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10366 the interrogation device being adapted for miscellaneous applications
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/00 Commerce
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/22 Social work or social welfare, e.g. community support activities or counselling services
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 10/40 for data related to laboratory analysis, e.g. patient specimen analysis
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 10/60 for patient-specific data, e.g. for electronic patient records
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 10/65 stored on portable record carriers, e.g. on smartcards, RFID tags or CD
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/13 delivered from dispensers
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/20 for the management or administration of healthcare resources or facilities, e.g. managing hospital staff or surgery rooms
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/63 for local operation
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 50/20 for computer-aided diagnosis, e.g. based on medical expert systems
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 70/00 ICT specially adapted for the handling or processing of medical references
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 70/40 relating to drugs, e.g. their side effects or intended usage

Abstract

An automatic data collection system tracks medical articles by providing a robust electromagnetic (EM) field within an enclosure in which the articles are stored. Respective data carriers, such as RFID tags, attached to each article respond to the electromagnetic field by transmitting data identified with each article. An RFID scanner receives the transmitted RFID tag identification data and a processor compares the received identification data to a data base. The data base associates the identification data with data concerning the medical article to which the RFID tag is affixed, such as the name of the medicine, the size of the dose, and the expiration date. The processor is also programmed to keep track of the number of articles of a particular type remaining in the enclosure, to note receipt of an article in the enclosure, and to note removal of the article.

Claims

1. A medical article tracking system for reading a data carrier that is attached to a medical article, the data carrier being responsive to electromagnetic energy (EM) of a frequency f1 in response to which the data carrier provides identification data, the system comprising:

a non-transitory memory with a data base that associates the identification data of a data carrier with data about the medical article to which the data carrier is attached;

a communication unit configured to transmit data;

an enclosure having electrically conductive walls, the enclosure having an internal storage area, the enclosure further having electrically conductive walls that completely surround the internal storage area and any medical article with associated data carrier placed therein, the enclosure having a natural frequency of resonance f2 which is different from f1 and to which a data carrier that is responsive to frequency f1 is not responsive;

a probe disposed at a wall of the enclosure within the enclosure, the probe configured to inject electromagnetic energy of a frequency f1 into the enclosure, wherein the position of the probe in relation to the electrically conductive walls of the enclosure is selected so that reflected EM of frequency f1 within the enclosure is in phase at the probe position to thereby optimize power transfer at frequency f1 into the enclosure;

an active impedance matching circuit coupled to the probe and configured to actively more closely match impedance of the probe to impedance of the enclosure at frequency f1;

a storage device located within the internal storage area of the enclosure configured to receive a medical article with an associated data carrier that is responsive to EM at frequency f1;

a receiving antenna disposed within the enclosure and configured to receive the identification data provided by the data carrier; and

a processor connected to the memory, the communication unit, and the receiving antenna, the processor being programmed to receive the identification data of the data carrier from the receiving antenna, access the memory and compare the received identification data to the data base to locate therein associated data about the medical article to which the data carrier is attached, the processor being further programmed to control the communication unit to transmit the medical article data.

2. The medical article tracking system of claim 1 wherein the medical article data associated with the identification data of the data carrier in the memory comprises at least one of the type of medicine, the size of the dose in the medical article, and the expiration date of the medical article.

3. The medical article tracking system of claim 1 wherein the processor is further programmed to control the communication unit to notify a pharmacy that a medical article has been received upon associating the identification data of a data carrier attached to the medical article with the medical article data in the data base thereby determining the name of the medical article.

4. The medical article tracking system of claim 3 wherein the processor is further programmed to control the communication unit to notify a finance department that a medical article has been identified for use by a particular patient upon associating the identification data of a data carrier attached to the medical article with the medical article data in the data base thereby determining the name of the patient.

5. The medical article tracking system of claim 3 wherein the processor is further programmed to control the communication unit to provide a count of medical articles in the storage device upon receiving identification data of data carriers in the storage device, associating received identification data of data carriers attached to respective medical articles with the medical article data in the data base to thereby determine the names of the medical articles and a count of each.

6. The medical article tracking system of claim 5 wherein the medical article data associated with the identification data of the data carrier in the memory comprises at least one of:

the type of medicine, the size of the dose in the medical article, the name of the medical article, and the expiration date of the medical article.

7. The medical article tracking system of claim 3 wherein the medical article data associated with the identification data of the data carrier in the memory comprises at least one of:

the type of medicine, the size of the dose in the medical article, the name of the medical article, and the expiration date of the medical article.

8. The medical article tracking system of claim 1 wherein the processor is further programmed to control the communication unit to notify a finance department that a medical article has been removed upon associating the identification data of a data carrier attached to the medical article with the medical article data in the data base thereby determining the name of the medical article.

9. The medical article tracking system of claim 8 wherein the medical article data associated with the identification data of the data carrier in the memory comprises at least one of:

the type of medicine, the size of the dose in the medical article, the name of the medical article, and the expiration date of the medical article.

10. The medical article tracking system of claim 1 wherein the processor is further programmed to control the communication unit to provide a dosage of a medical article upon associating the identification data of a data carrier attached to the medical article with the medical article data in the data base thereby determining the dosage from the data base.

11. The medical article tracking system of claim 1 wherein the processor is further programmed to control the communication unit to provide an expiration date of a medical article upon associating the identification data of a data carrier attached to the medical article with the medical article data in the data base thereby determining the expiration date from the data base.

12. The medical article tracking system of claim 1 wherein the processor is further programmed to control the communication unit to notify administration that a medical article has been removed for use by a particular patient upon associating the identification data of a data carrier attached to the medical article with the medical article data in the data base thereby determining the name of the patient so that administration may update the patient'"'"'s Medication Administration Record.

13. The medical article tracking system of claim 12 wherein the medical article data associated with the identification data of the data carrier in the memory comprises at least one of:

the type of medicine, the size of the dose in the medical article, the name of the medical article, and the expiration date of the medical article.

14. A medical article tracking system wherein the medical article tracking system reads a data carrier that is attached to a container of medical articles, the data carrier being responsive to electromagnetic energy (EM) of a frequency f1 in response to which the data carrier provides identification data, the system comprising:

a non-transitory memory with a data base that associates the identification data of a data carrier with data about the medical container to which the data carrier is attached;

a communication unit configured to transmit data;

an enclosure having walls and an internal storage area with electrically conductive walls that completely surround the internal storage area, wherein the internal storage area and enclosure are configured to be large enough to receive a container to which a data carrier is attached, the enclosure having a natural frequency of resonance f2 which is different from f1 and to which a data carrier that is responsive to frequency f1 is not responsive;

a probe disposed at a wall of the enclosure within the enclosure, the probe configured to inject electromagnetic energy of a frequency f1 into the enclosure, wherein the position of the probe in relation to the electrically conductive walls of the enclosure is selected so that reflected EM of frequency f1 within the enclosure is in phase at the probe position to thereby optimize power transfer at frequency f1 into the enclosure;

an active impedance matching circuit coupled to the probe and configured to actively more closely match impedance of the probe to impedance of the enclosure at frequency f1;

a receiving antenna disposed within the enclosure and configured to receive identification data provided by a data carrier attached to a container; and

a processor connected to the memory, the communication unit, and the receiving antenna, wherein the processor is programmed to receive identification data of a data carrier attached to a container from the receiving antenna, access the memory and compare the received identification data to the data base to locate therein associated data about the container to which the data carrier is attached, the processor being further programmed to control the communication unit to transmit the container data, and wherein the processor is further programmed to control the communication unit to provide a location of the container located with the processor upon associating the identification data of a data carrier attached to the container with the container data in the data base thereby determining the name of the container from the data base.

15. The medical article tracking system of claim 14 wherein the medical container data associated with the identification data of the data carrier in the memory comprises at least one of:

the type of medicine, the size of the dose in the medical article, the name of the medical article, and the expiration date of the medical article.

16. A method of identifying a medical article by reading a data carrier that is attached to the medical article, the data carrier having a specified operation frequency f₁ in response to which the data carrier provides identification data, the medical article being located within an internal storage area of an enclosure having electrically conductive walls, the enclosure further having electrically conductive walls that completely surround the internal storage area and any medical article with associated data carrier placed therein, the enclosure having a natural frequency of resonance f₂ which is a frequency other than the specified operation frequency f₁ of the data carrier, the method comprising:

injecting electromagnetic (“

EM”

) energy of a frequency f₁ into the enclosure from a location within the enclosure, the injecting location being selected in relation to the electrically conductice walls so that reflected energy of frequency f₁ within the enclosure is in phase at the location of injection to thereby optimize power transfer of EM energy at frequency f₁ into the enclosure;

actively matching an impedance associated with injecting the EM energy into the enclosure to more closely match an impedance of the enclosure at frequency f₁;

receiving identification data provided by a data carrier located within the internal storage area of the enclosure by means of an antenna disposed within the enclosure; and

receiving the identification data of the data carrier from the antenna, accessing a memory having a data base that associates the identification data of a data carrier with data about the medical article to which the data carrier is attached, comparing the received identification data to the data base to locate therein associated data about the medical article to which the data carrier is attached, and transmitting the medical article data.

17. The method of identifying a medical article of claim 16 wherein the step of accessing a memory having a data base that associates the identification data of a data carrier with data about the medical article to which the data carrier is attached comprises associating the identification data of the data carrier with medical article data comprising at least one of the type of medicine, the size of the dose, and the expiration date of the medical article.

18. The method of identifying a medical article of claim 16 further comprising notifying a pharmacy that a medical article has been received upon associating the identification data of a data carrier attached to the medical article with the medical article data in the data base thereby determining the name of the medical article.

19. The method of identifying a medical article of claim 18 further comprising notifying a finance department that a medical article has been identified for use by a particular patient upon associating the identification data of a data carrier attached to the medical article with the medical article data in the data base thereby determining the name of the patient.

20. The method of identifying a medical article of claim 18 wherein the step of accessing a memory comprises accessing a memory having a data base that associates the identification data of a data carrier with data about the medical article to which the data carrier is attached, the medical article data comprising at least one of:

the type of medicine, the size of the dose, the name of the medical article, and the expiration date of the medical article.

21. The method of identifying a medical article of claim 18 further comprising providing a count of medical articles in the storage device upon receiving identification data of data carriers in the storage device, associating received identification data of data carriers attached to respective medical articles with the medical article data in the data base to thereby determine the names of the medical articles and a count of each.

22. The method of identifying a medical article of claim 21 wherein the step of accessing a memory comprises accessing a memory having a data base that associates the identification data of a data carrier with data about the medical article to which the data carrier is attached, the medical article data comprising at least one of:

the type of medicine, the size of the dose, the name of the medical article, and the expiration date of the medical article.

23. The method of identifying a medical article of claim 16 further comprising notifying a finance department that a medical article has been removed upon associating the identification data of a data carrier attached to the medical article with the medical article data in the data base thereby determining the name of the medical article.

24. The method of identifying a medical article of claim 23 wherein the step of accessing a memory comprises accessing a memory having a data base that associates the identification data of a data carrier with data about the medical article to which the data carrier is attached, the medical article data comprising at least one of:

the type of medicine, the size of the dose, the name of the medical article, and the expiration date of the medical article.

25. The method of identifying a medical article of claim 16 wherein the method is also for providing a dosage of a medical article upon associating the identification data of a data carrier attached to the medical article with the medical article data in the data base thereby determining the dosage from the data base.

26. The method of identifying a medical article of claim 16 wherein the method is also for providing an expiration date of a medical article upon associating the identification data of a data carrier attached to the medical article with the medical article data in the data base thereby determining the expiration date from the data base.

27. The method of identifying a medical article of claim 16 also comprising notifying administration that a medical article has been removed for use by a particular patient upon associating the identification data of a data carrier attached to the medical article with the medical article data in the data base thereby determining the name of the patient so that administration may update the patient'"'"'s Medication Administration Record.

28. The method of identifying a medical article of claim 27 wherein the step of accessing a memory comprises accessing a memory having a data base that associates the identification data of a data carrier with data about the medical article to which the data carrier is attached, the medical article data comprising at least one of:

the type of medicine, the size of the dose, the name of the medical article, and the expiration date of the medical article.

29. A method of tracking a container of medical articles comprising reading a data carrier that is attached to the container of medical articles, the data carrier having a specified operation f₁ in response to which the data carrier provides identification data, the container being located within an internal storage area of an enclosure both the storage area and the enclosure being large enough to receive the container, the enclosure having electrically conductive walls completely surrounding the internal storage area and container of medical articles with attached data carrier placed thereon, the enclosure having a natural frequency of resonance f₂ which is a frequency other than the specified operation frequency f₁ of the data carrier, further comprising

injecting electromagnetic (“

EM”

) energy of a frequency f₁ into the enclosure from a location within the enclosure, the injecting location being selected in relation to the electrically conductive walls so that reflected energy of frequency f₁ within the enclosure is in phase at the location of injection to thereby optimize power transfer of EM energy at frequency f₁ into the enclosure;

actively matching an impedance associated with injecting the EM energy into the enclosure to more closely match an impedance of the enclosure at frequency f₁;

receiving the identification data of the data carrier located within the internal storage area of the enclosure,

accessing a memory having a data base that associates identification data of a data carrier with data about the container to which the data carrier is attached,

comparing the received identification data to the data base to locate therein associated data about the container to which the data carrier is attached including a name of the container, and

transmitting the container data and container location upon associating container data with the identification data of the data carrier.

30. The method of identifying a medical article of claim 29 wherein the step of accessing a memory comprises accessing a memory having a data base that associates the identification data of a data carrier with data about the medical article to which the data carrier is attached, the medical article data comprising at least one of:

the type of medicine, the size of the dose, the name of the medical article, and the expiration date of the medical article.