Infusion Pump Having Radiofrequency Identification and Optical Imaging Capabilities

• US 20070210157A1
• Filed: 04/11/2006
• Published: 09/13/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 03/09/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Novanta Corporation (Novanta Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Jadak Technologies, Inc. (Novanta Inc.)
• Inventors: Miller, David
• Granted Patent: US 7,743,975 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 235/435
• 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 microcontroller programmed to send host commands;

a module responsive to said host commands for retrieving data from an object presented to said medical device.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein said module comprises an optical imager.

3. The device of claim 2, wherein said module further comprises an optical imager.

4. The device of claim 3, wherein said module further comprises an RFID transceiver.

5. The device of claim 4, wherein said module further comprises a single interface interconnected to said optical imager, said RFID transceiver, and said microcontroller.

6. The device of claim 5, wherein said single interface interconnected to said optical imager and said RFID transceiver by a second microcontroller.

7. The device of claim 6, wherein said second microcontroller is responsive to said host commands.

8. The device of claim 7, wherein said second microcontroller controls operation of said optical imager and said RFID transceiver based on receipt of said host commands.

9. A method of controlling a medical device, comprising the steps of:

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

retrieving said data from said object;

comparing said data against data stored in a database;

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

10. The method of claim 9, wherein said data is retrieved from said object by capturing an optical image of said object and decoding information present within said image.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein said information present within said image is a barcode.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein said data is retrieved from said object by interrogating said object with an RFID transceiver.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein said object is an RFID tag.

14. The method of claim 9, wherein said medical device is an infusion pump.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein said infusion pump comprises a microcontroller programmed to send host commands that is interconnected to a module responsive to said host commands for retrieving data from said object presented to said medical device.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein said microcontroller triggers operations of said module via said host commands.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein said module comprises an optical imager and an RFID transceiver.

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

an optical imager for obtaining an image of an object presented to said infusion pump;

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

a second microcontroller interconnected to said optical imager, said RFID transceiver, and said first microcontroller of said infusion pump;

wherein said first microcontroller is programmed to transmit host commands to said second microcontroller, and said second microcontroller is programmed to operate said optical imager and said RFID transceiver in response to said host commands.

19. The infusion pump of claim 18, 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.

20. The infusion pump of claim 19, wherein said first microcontroller selectively permits the use of said infusion pump based upon the message received from said second microcontroller.