# US 10,500,358 B2 · Gas regulator with integrated sensors > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,500,358 B2 - Document ID: US10500358B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 14/075,402 - Filed: 2013-11-08 - Published: 2014-05-15 - Granted: 2019-12-10 - Earliest claimed: 2012-11-09 - Assignees: 12th Man Technologies, Inc. - Applicants: 12th Man Technologies, Inc. - Inventors: Alex Stenzler; Steve Han - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10500358B2 ## CPC - A61M 16/0051: {with alarm devices} - A61M 16/024: {including calculation means, e.g. using a processor} - F17C 13/04: Arrangement or mounting of valves (valves per se F16K {; snap-coupling of nipples F16L37/00}) - A61M 16/12: by mixing different gases - A61M 16/20: Valves specially adapted to medical respiratory devices - A61M 2016/0027: {pressure meter} - A61M 2205/3561: local, e.g. within room or hospital - A61M 2205/3584: using modem, internet or Bluetooth® - A61M 2205/3592: using telemetric means, e.g. radio or optical transmission - A61M 2205/50: with microprocessors or computers - A61M 2205/6018: providing set-up signals for the apparatus configuration - A61M 2205/6054: Magnetic identification systems - A61M 2205/8206: battery-operated - F17C 2201/0109: with exteriorly curved end-piece - F17C 2201/032: with substantially vertical main axis - F17C 2201/056: Small (<1 m3) - F17C 2201/058: portable (<30 l) - F17C 2205/0329: manually actuated - F17C 2205/0338: Pressure regulators - F17C 2205/0382: Constructional details of valves, regulators - F17C 2205/0394: in direct contact with the pressure vessel - F17C 2205/058: by Radio Frequency Identification - F17C 2221/011: Oxygen - F17C 2221/03: Mixtures - F17C 2250/034: using wireless transmissions - F17C 2270/025: Breathing - A61M: DEVICES FOR INTRODUCING MEDIA INTO, OR ONTO, THE BODY (introducing media into or onto the bodies of animals A61D7/00; means for inserting tampons A61F13/26; devices for administering food or medicines orally A61J; containers for collecting, storing or administering blood or medical fluids A61J1/05); DEVICES FOR TRANSDUCING BODY MEDIA OR FOR TAKING MEDIA FROM THE BODY (surgery A61B; chemical aspects of surgical articles A61L); DEVICES FOR PRODUCING OR ENDING SLEEP OR STUPOR {(Electrotherapy, e.g. producing anaesthesia by the use of alternating or intermittent currents A61N1/36021)} - F17C: VESSELS FOR CONTAINING OR STORING COMPRESSED, LIQUEFIED OR SOLIDIFIED GASES; FIXED-CAPACITY GAS-HOLDERS; FILLING VESSELS WITH, OR DISCHARGING FROM VESSELS, COMPRESSED, LIQUEFIED, OR SOLIDIFIED GASES (storing fluids in natural or artificial cavities or chambers in the earth B65G5/00; construction or assembling of bulk storage containers employing civil-engineering techniques E04H7/00; variable-capacity gas-holders F17B; liquefaction or refrigeration machines, plants, or systems F25) ## Abstract A gas regulator is described. The gas regulator includes a gas inlet having an attachment mechanism for attaching to a gas container, a gas outlet in fluid communication with the gas inlet and further in fluid communication with a gas delivery system, a pressure regulator, a pressure sensor and a NFC sensor. A method of entering at least one information item relating to a gas source to a gas delivery system control unit. The method includes the steps of providing a gas source having a NFC tag that includes at least one information item stored in a memory of the NFC tag, attaching a regulator that includes a NFC sensor, wherein the NFC sensor is positioned to read the NFC tag when attached to the gas source, reading the at least one information item via the NFC sensor, and transmitting the at least one information item read by the NFC sensor to a gas delivery system control unit. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A gas regulator, comprising: a housing; a gas inlet to the housing, the gas inlet having an attachment mechanism configured to attach to a valve assembly of a pressurized gas container holding a gas at a raised pressure; a gas outlet from the housing, the gas outlet in fluid communication with the gas inlet and configured for fluid communication with a gas delivery system; a pressure regulator within the housing; and a Near Field Communication (NFC) sensor within the housing configured for communication with the gas delivery system and configured to sense an NFC tag on the pressurized gas container when the NFC sensor is positioned within 10 cm of the NFC tag. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The regulator of claim 1, further comprising a pressure sensor within the housing. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The regulator of claim 1, wherein the NFC sensor comprises a NFC reader. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The regulator of claim 1, wherein the regulator is configured for communicative connectivity to a gas delivery system control unit. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The regulator of claim 4, wherein the regulator is configured to transmit data read from the NFC tag to the gas delivery system control unit. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The regulator of claim 5, wherein the data read from the NFC tag is selected from the group consisting of gas type, gas concentration, gas volume, gas expiration date, gas container owner, gas container size, and gas tank inspection dates. ### Claim 7 (depends on 4) The regulator of claim 4, wherein the regulator is configured to transmit a signal indicative of sensed pressure by the pressure sensor to the gas delivery control unit. ### Claim 8 (depends on 6) The regulator of claim 6, wherein the pressure regulator is controlled by the control unit. ### Claim 9 (depends on 7) The regulator of claim 7, wherein the pressure regulator is controlled by the control unit. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The regulator of claim 1, further comprising a pressure gauge. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The regulator of claim 1, wherein the pressurized gas container comprises a therapeutic gas. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) A method of entering at least one information item relating to a pressurized gas source to a gas delivery system control unit, comprising the steps of: providing a pressurized gas source holding a gas at a raised pressure, the pressurized gas source having a NFC tag that includes at least one information item stored in a memory of the NFC tag; attaching the regulator of claim 1 to the pressurized gas source, wherein the NFC sensor of the regulator is positioned to read the NFC tag when attached to the pressurized gas source; reading the at least one information item via the NFC sensor; and transmitting the at least one information item read by the NFC sensor to a gas delivery system control unit. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12, wherein the at least one information item is selected from the group consisting of gas type, gas concentration, gas volume, gas expiration date, gas container owner, gas container size, and gas tank inspection dates. ### Claim 14 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12, further comprising sensing the pressure of gas from the pressurized gas source via a pressure sensor positioned in the regulator, and transmitting a signal indicative of the sensed pressure to the gas delivery system control unit. ### Claim 15 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12, wherein the pressurized gas source comprises a therapeutic gas. ### Claim 16 A method of controlling flow of a pressurized therapeutic gas to a gas delivery system, comprising the steps of: providing a pressurized gas source having a gas at a raised pressure, the pressurized gas source having a NFC tag that includes at least one information item stored in a memory of the NFC tag; attaching a regulator that includes a NFC sensor within a housing, wherein the housing of the regulator includes a gas inlet and outlet and is in fluid communication with a gas delivery system, and wherein the NFC sensor within the regular housing is positioned to read the NFC tag when the regulator is attached to the pressurized gas source and within 10 cm of the NFC tag; reading the at least one information item via the NFC sensor; transmitting the at least one information item read by the NFC sensor to a gas delivery system control unit; and controlling the flow of pressurized gas based on the transmitted at least one information item. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The method of claim 16, wherein the at least one information item is selected from the group consisting of gas type, gas concentration, gas volume, gas expiration date, gas container owner, gas container size, and gas tank inspection dates. ### Claim 18 (depends on 16) The method of claim 16, further comprising sensing the pressure of gas from the pressurized gas source via a pressure sensor positioned in the regulator, and transmitting a signal indicative of the sensed pressure to the gas delivery system control unit.