SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR COMMUNICATION WITH AN INFUSION DEVICE

• US 20090076461A1
• Filed: 07/14/2008
• Published: 03/19/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 07/13/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Iradimed Corporation
• Original Assignee: Iradimed Corporation
• Inventors: Hefele, David, Susi, Roger
• Granted Patent: US 8,105,282 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 604/246
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3306 Optical measuring means
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3375 Acoustical, e.g. ultrasonic, measuring means
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3561 local, e.g. within room or hospital
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3592 using telemetric means, e.g. radio or optical transmission
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/14228 with linear peristaltic action, i.e. comprising at least three pressurising members or a helical member
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/16831 Monitoring, detecting, signalling or eliminating infusion flow anomalies low-level float-valves causing cut-off A61M5/40; indicating or recording presence, absence or direction of flow in general G01P13/0066
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/16854 by monitoring line pressure
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/172 electrical or electronic A61M5/16804, A61M5/16831 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/365 Air detectors A61M5/1684 takes precedence; in extracorporeal blood circuits A61M1/3626
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/17 delivered via infusion or injection

Abstract

It may desirable to monitor or control a pump remotely. For example, the pump may be positioned near the patient, with remote control or monitoring of the pump occurring in a control room. In one exemplary embodiment, the pump is used in an MRI environment. In another exemplary embodiment, the pump is used in a hyperbaric chamber. The pump may monitor one or more physiological parameters and transmit them to the remote. The pump may also transmit information relating to the pump'"'"'s operation. The pump may send the device and/or physiological data using one or more packets. The packets may consist of low priority sequential packets and high-priority asynchronous packets. The high-priority packets may enable the real-time monitoring of a patient'"'"'s heart beat or other physiological parameter.

Claims

1. A hyperbaric treatment system, comprising:

an enclosure adapted to generate an internal pressure that is greater than atmospheric pressure;

a sealable port adapted to allow entry in the enclosure; and

a liquid infusion apparatus within the enclosure, the liquid infusion apparatus comprising

a liquid conduit,

a pump disposed to receive the liquid conduit and to transfer a liquid from a liquid source through the liquid conduit in response to activation of the pump,

an actuator coupled to provide mechanical movement to the pump to provide displacement of the liquid from the liquid source through the liquid conduit,

a sensor that provides an indication of a volume of the fluid displaced through the liquid conduit,

a controller communicating with the sensor to receive the indication of the volume of the fluid displaced through the liquid conduit, the controller further communicating with the actuator to drive the pump, thereby transferring liquid from the liquid source through the liquid conduit at a controllable volumetric rate,

a communication port that provides a wireless communication link with a remote control located external to the enclosure.

2. The hyperbaric treatment system of claim 1, wherein the communication port utilizes a frequency hopping spread spectrum transceiver.

3. The hyperbaric treatment system of claim 1, wherein the communication port utilizes the industrial, scientific and medical (ISM) radio band.

4. The hyperbaric treatment system of claim 1, wherein transmissions from the communication port are compliant with the Bluetooth version 2.1 specification.

5. The hyperbaric treatment system of claim 1, wherein the communication port utilizes an infrared transceiver.

6. The hyperbaric treatment system of claim 1, wherein the communication link utilizes user selectable communication channels.

7. The hyperbaric treatment system of claim 6, wherein the user selectable communication channels enable more than one communication port and remote control combination to work in the same vicinity.

8. The hyperbaric treatment system of claim 6, wherein the remote control can be in communication with a plurality of liquid infusion apparatuses.

9. The hyperbaric treatment system of claim 1, wherein the liquid infusion apparatus further comprises a local control that may be operated in conjunction with the remote control, so that an operator can control the liquid infusion apparatus either remotely or locally.

10. The hyperbaric treatment system of claim 1, wherein an indication of the status of the communication link is provided to an operator.

11. The hyperbaric treatment system of claim 10, wherein an alarm occurs when communication over the communication link is substantially interrupted.

12. The hyperbaric treatment system of claim 10, wherein an alert tone sounds when communication over the communication link is established.

13. A liquid infusion system, comprising:

a liquid conduit,

a pump disposed to receive the liquid conduit and to transfer a liquid from a liquid source through the liquid conduit in response to activation of the pump,

an actuator coupled to provide mechanical movement to the pump to provide displacement of the liquid from the liquid source through the liquid conduit,

a sensor that provides an indication of a volume of the fluid displaced through the liquid conduit,

a controller communicating with the sensor to receive the indication of the volume of the fluid displaced through the liquid conduit, the controller further communicating with the actuator to drive the pump, thereby transferring liquid from the liquid source through the liquid conduit at a controllable volumetric rate,

a communication port that provides a wireless communication link with a remote control, wherein the wireless communication link utilizes a selected channel from a plurality of configured channels.

14. The liquid infusion system of claim 13, wherein communication using the selected channel does not substantially interfere with communications from a liquid infusion apparatus utilizing a second selected channel from the plurality of configured channels.

15. The liquid infusion system of claim 13, wherein the remote control utilizes a second selected channel to communicate with a second communication port located separate from the first communication port.

16. The liquid infusion system of claim 13, wherein the wireless communication link utilizes a frequency hopping spread spectrum transceiver.

17. The liquid infusion system of claim 13, wherein the wireless communication link utilizes the industrial, scientific and medical (ISM) radio band.

18. The liquid infusion system of claim 13, wherein the wireless communication link utilizes a Bluetooth protocol.

19. The liquid infusion system of claim 13, wherein the wireless communication link utilizes an infrared transceiver.

20. The liquid infusion system of claim 13, wherein an alarm occurs when there is a substantial interruption of communication over the wireless communication link.

21. The liquid infusion system of claim 13, wherein an alert tone sounds when communication is established over the wireless communication link.

22. The liquid infusion system of claim 13, wherein an indication of the status of the wireless communication link is provided to an operator.

23. A liquid infusion system, comprising:

a first liquid conduit,

a first pump disposed to receive the first liquid conduit and to transfer a liquid from a first liquid source through the first liquid conduit in response to activation of the first pump,

an first actuator coupled to provide mechanical movement to the first pump to provide displacement of the liquid from the first liquid source through the first liquid conduit,

a first sensor that provides an indication of a volume of the fluid displaced through the first liquid conduit,

a first controller communicating with the first sensor to receive the indication of the volume of the fluid displaced through the first liquid conduit, the first controller further communicating with the first actuator to drive the first pump, thereby transferring liquid from the first liquid source through the first liquid conduit at a controllable volumetric rate,

a second liquid conduit,

a second pump disposed to receive the second liquid conduit and to transfer a liquid from a second liquid source through the second liquid conduit in response to activation of the second pump,

an second actuator coupled to provide mechanical movement to the second pump to provide displacement of the liquid from the second liquid source through the second liquid conduit,

a second sensor that provides an indication of a volume of the fluid displaced through the second liquid conduit,

a second controller communicating with the second sensor to receive the indication of the volume of the fluid displaced through the second liquid conduit, the second controller further communicating with the second actuator to drive the second pump, thereby transferring liquid from the second liquid source through the second liquid conduit at a controllable volumetric rate,

a communication port that provides a wireless communication link with a controller located remotely that provides control of the first pump and the second pump.

24. A remotely-monitored liquid infusion apparatus, comprising:

a liquid conduit,

a pump disposed to receive the liquid conduit and to transfer a liquid from a liquid source through the liquid conduit in response to activation of the pump;

a sensor configured to monitor at least one physiological parameter of a patient;

a wireless transceiver configured to communicate with a remote, wherein the wireless transceiver transmits data to the remote corresponding to the at least one physiological parameter and an operation of the liquid infusion apparatus and the wireless transceiver receives data from the remote used to control operation of the pump.

25. The liquid infusion apparatus of claim 24, wherein said wireless transmitter is configured to transmit said data via packets, said packets comprising a first category of packets scheduled to be transmitted sequentially and a second category of packets scheduled to be transmitted after the occurrence of a physiological event, where transmission of a packet in the second category temporarily interrupts the sequential transmission of packets in the first category.

26. The liquid infusion apparatus of claim 25, wherein said second category of packets comprise high-priority data.

27. The liquid infusion apparatus of claim 25, wherein said second category of packets comprise physiological parameter data and wherein said liquid infusion apparatus is configured to allow said at least one physiological parameter to be monitored in substantially real-time.

28. The liquid infusion apparatus of claim 27, wherein said at least one physiological parameter comprises a heart beat.

29. The liquid infusion apparatus of claim 25, wherein said wireless transmitter is configured to transmit said first category of packets at a guaranteed transmission rate.

30. The liquid infusion apparatus of claim 25, wherein said remote is configured to verify the integrity of received packets.

31. The liquid infusion apparatus of claim 30, wherein said remote comprises a signal integrity meter.