Flow meter
First Claim
1. A flow meter, comprising:
- a coupler adapted to couple to a drip chamber;
a support member operatively coupled to the coupler;
an image sensor having a field of view and operatively coupled to the support member, wherein the image sensor is positioned to view the drip chamber within the field of view; and
at least one processor operatively coupled to the image sensor to receive data thereform, wherein;
the at least one processor receives image data from the image sensor, andthe at least one processor determines an existence of a free flow condition by identifying an optical distortion of an area behind the free flow condition within the drip chamber using the received image data.
2 Assignments
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Accused Products
Abstract
An flow meter includes a coupler, a support member, an image sensor, and one or more processors. The coupler is adapted to couple to a drip chamber. The support member is operatively coupled to the coupler. The image sensor has a field of view and is operatively coupled to the support member. The image sensor is positioned to view the drip chamber within its field of view. The one or more processors are operatively coupled to the image sensor to receive data thereform. The one or more processors (1) receive image data from the image sensor, and (2) determine an existence of a free flow condition by identifying an optical distortion of an area behind the free flow condition within the drip chamber using the received image data.
409 Citations
22 Claims
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1. A flow meter, comprising:
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a coupler adapted to couple to a drip chamber; a support member operatively coupled to the coupler; an image sensor having a field of view and operatively coupled to the support member, wherein the image sensor is positioned to view the drip chamber within the field of view; and at least one processor operatively coupled to the image sensor to receive data thereform, wherein; the at least one processor receives image data from the image sensor, and the at least one processor determines an existence of a free flow condition by identifying an optical distortion of an area behind the free flow condition within the drip chamber using the received image data. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A flow meter, comprising:
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a coupler adapted to couple to a drip chamber; a support member operatively coupled to the coupler; an image sensor having a field of view and operatively coupled to the support member, wherein the image sensor is positioned to view the drip chamber within the field of view; a background pattern positioned within the field of the view of the image sensor, the background pattern positioned such that the drip chamber is between the background pattern and the image sensor; and at least one processor operatively coupled to the image sensor to receive image data therefrom, wherein the at least one processor is configured to estimate at least one parameter of a liquid within the drip chamber using distortion of the background pattern caused by the liquid as indicated by the image data, wherein the distortion is viewable within the field of view of the image sensor by the image sensor. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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22. A flow meter, comprising:
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a coupler adapted to couple to a drip chamber; a support member operatively coupled to the coupler; an image sensor having a field of view and operatively coupled to the support member, wherein the image sensor is positioned to view the drip chamber within the field of view; a background pattern positioned within the field of the view of the image sensor, the background pattern positioned such that the drip chamber is between the background pattern and the image sensor; and at least one processor operatively coupled to the image sensor to receive image data therefrom, wherein the at least one processor is configured to determine a freeflow condition exists when a template matches a distortion of the background pattern caused by a liquid as indicated by the image data, wherein the distortion is viewable within the field of view of the image sensor by the image sensor.
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Specification