Matter tracking system
AssigneeCareFusion 303, Inc.
InventorsMark Bloom, Cathal Oscolai, David Brown
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A system is described that can detect, track and analyze a bubble of a secondary substance contained within a primary substance along a part of a fluid line. For example, the system can detect the presence of the bubble within the primary substance along the part of the fluid line, which can include assigning a digital signature to the bubble. In addition, the system can track the movement of the bubble in order to ensure that the bubble is accounted for only once as it passes through the part of the fluid line. Furthermore, the system can analyze the bubble, such as determine its direction of travel, speed of travel, volume and size.
Claims18
A method of tracking air flow in an intravenous fluid delivery system that delivers fluid to a patient via a fluid line, comprising:
- causing a primary substance to flow toward and into a patient through the fluid line, wherein the primary substance contains a secondary substance in the form of a bubble;
- capturing a first image of a part of the fluid line containing the primary substance with an image capturing device;
- capturing a second image of the part of the fluid line with the image capturing device;
- adjusting a frame rate of the image capturing device such that the bubble does not move farther than a diameter of the bubble from the first image to the second image;
- and
- analyzing the bubble in at least one of the first image and the second image in order to determine a volume of the secondary substance in the bubble.
A system for tracking bubbles in a patient fluid line of an intravenous system that delivers fluid to a patient, comprising:
- a light source positioned adjacent the fluid line for directing light to a part of the fluid line, wherein the fluid line is intravenously connected to a patient and contains a primary substance flowing toward and into a patient;
- an image capturing device positioned adjacent the fluid line and configured to capture a first image and capture a second image of the part of the fluid line that contains the primary substance flowing toward and into the patient;
- a controller configured to adjust a frame rate of the image capturing device based on an actual fluid flow rate of the primary substance in the fluid line;
- and
- a processing system configured to:
- adjust a frame rate of the image capturing device such that the bubble does not move farther than a diameter of the bubble from the first image to the second image;
- and
- analyze the bubble in at least one of the first image and the second image in order to determine a volume of the secondary substance in the bubble.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.