Infusion devices with distributed motor control and related operating methods

• US 10,137,243 B2
• Filed: 05/26/2015
• Issued: 11/27/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 05/26/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Medtronic Minimed Incorporated (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: Medtronic Minimed Incorporated (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: Wang, Yongbo, Chow, Steve, Lewinski, David P., Torres, Linda I., Campbell, Alexander S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Farrar, Lauren P
• Application Number:
  US14/721,800
• Publication Number:
  US 20160346458A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,281 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2005/14208 with a programmable infusion control system, characterised by the infusion program
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2005/14506 mechanically driven, e.g. spring or clockwork
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/50 with microprocessors or computers
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/502 User interfaces, e.g. screens or keyboards
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/52 with memories providing a history of measured variating parameters of apparatus or patient
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2230/201 Glucose concentration
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/145 using pressurised reservoirs, e.g. pressurised by means of pistons
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/16877 Adjusting flow; Devices for setting a flow rate
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/172 electrical or electronic A61M5/16804, A61M5/16831 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/40 for the management of medical equipment or devices, e.g. scheduling maintenance or upgrades

Abstract

Infusion systems, infusion devices, and related operating methods are provided. An exemplary infusion device includes a motor operable to deliver fluid to a body of a user, a first control module, and a second control module. The first control module and the second control module are coupled to one another. The first control module enables input power for the motor in accordance with a handshaking sequence of communications between the first control module and the second control module and provides a dosage command to the second control module, with the second control module operating the motor using the input power based on the dosage command in accordance with the handshaking sequence of communications.

Claims

1. An infusion device comprising:

a motor operable to deliver fluid to a body of a user;

a driver module coupled to the motor;

a first switching arrangement coupled between the driver module and an energy source;

a second switching arrangement coupled between the driver module and the motor;

a first control module coupled to the first switching arrangement; and

a second control module coupled to the first control module, the driver module, and the second switching arrangement, the first control module operating the first switching arrangement to provide a path for input power from the energy source to the driver module in accordance with a handshaking sequence of communications between the first control module and the second control module and providing a dosage command to the second control module, the second control module operating the second switching arrangement to provide a path for output power from the driver module to the motor in accordance with the handshaking sequence of communications and operating the driver module to deliver the output power comprising a portion of the input power to the motor based at least in part on the dosage command.

2. The infusion device of claim 1, wherein the second control module enables the output power from the driver module to the motor in accordance with the handshaking sequence of communications prior to operating the driver module to deliver the portion of the input power to the motor.

3. The infusion device of claim 1, the handshaking sequence of communications including a first handshaking sequence comprising a delivery request message, the first control module communicating the delivery request message to the second control module, wherein the first control module enables the input power in response to receiving an acknowledgment from the second control module.

4. The infusion device of claim 1, further comprising a user interface element to output a user notification, wherein the first control module is coupled to the user interface element and automatically generates the user notification in accordance with the handshaking sequence of communications in response to an absence of a communication from the second control module within a timeout period prescribed by the handshaking sequence.

5. The infusion device of claim 1, wherein:

the first control module provides a delivery request, enables the input power to the driver module in response to an acknowledgment of the delivery request, and provides a delivery message comprising the delivery command after enabling the input power; and

the second control module provides the acknowledgment to the first control module in response to the delivery request and operates the driver module to provide the portion of the input power to the motor based on the delivery message.

6. The infusion device of claim 5, wherein the first control module maintains the input power to the driver module disabled in an absence of the acknowledgement within a timeout period associated with the delivery request.

7. The infusion device of claim 5, further comprising a user interface element to output a user notification, wherein the first control module is coupled to the user interface element and automatically generates the user notification in an absence of the acknowledgement within a timeout period associated with the delivery request.

8. The infusion device of claim 5, the first control module providing an authorization message after enabling the input power and prior to providing the delivery message, wherein the second control module enables the output power from the driver module in response to the authorization message.

9. The infusion device of claim 8, wherein the second control module automatically disables the output power from the driver module in response to an absence of the delivery message from the first control module within a timeout period.

10. The infusion device of claim 5, wherein the first control module automatically disables the input power to the driver module after providing the delivery message in response to an absence of a drive completion message from the second control module within a timeout period associated with the delivery message.

11. An infusion device comprising:

a motor operable to deliver fluid to a body of a user;

a first control module; and

a second control module coupled to the first control module, the first control module enabling input power for the motor in accordance with a handshaking sequence of communications between the first control module and the second control module and providing a dosage command to the second control module, the second control module operating the motor using the input power based at least in part on the dosage command in accordance with the handshaking sequence of communications, wherein the first control module automatically disables the input power in accordance with the handshaking sequence of communications after providing the dosage command to the second control module in response to an absence of a completion message from the second control module within a timeout period associated with the dosage command.

12. A method of operating a motor of an infusion device, the method comprising:

enabling, by a first control module of the infusion device, input power from an energy source to a driver module coupled between the energy source and the motor in accordance with a first sequence of communications between the first control module and a second control module of the infusion device;

after enabling the input power, enabling, by the second control module, output power from the driver module to the motor in accordance with a second sequence of communications between the first control module and the second control module; and

after enabling the output power from the driver module, operating the driver module to provide the input power to the motor in accordance with a third sequence of communications between the first control module and the second control module, wherein operating the driver module in accordance with the third sequence of communications comprises the first control module automatically disabling the input power to the driver module in response to an absence of a drive completion message from the second control module.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein enabling the input power comprises the first control module communicating a request to the second control module and automatically enabling the input power in response to receiving an acknowledgment to the request from the second control module.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein enabling the output power comprises the second control module automatically enabling the output power in response to receiving an authorization message from the first control module after providing the acknowledgment.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein operating the driver module in accordance with the third sequence of communications comprises the second control module automatically disabling the output power in response to an absence of a delivery message from the first control module within a timeout period after communicating the acknowledgment.

16. The method of claim 12, wherein operating the driver module in accordance with the third sequence of communications comprises the first control module communicating a delivery message to the second control module, wherein the second control module operates the driver module in accordance with the delivery message.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein operating the driver module in accordance with the third sequence of communications comprises the first control module automatically disabling the input power after communicating the delivery message in response to the absence of the drive completion message from the second control module within a timeout period associated with the delivery message.