Infusion system using optical imager for controlling flow and method thereof
AssigneesBaxter International Inc., Baxter Healthcare S.A.
InventorsRoger L. Hungerford, Tuan Bui
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method of operating an infusion pump includes transmitting light through or around a drop of fluid suspended from an end of a drip tube for the infusion pump, the end of the drip tube located in a drip chamber for the infusion pump, wherein the drip tube is configured for connection to a source of the fluid; receiving, using an optical system for the pump, light transmitted through or around the drop; transmitting, to a specially programmed microprocessor and using the optical system, data regarding the received light; and, using the microprocessor to calculate a volume of the drop using the data.
Claims14
A method of operating a flow meter, comprising:
- projecting a pattern into a drip chamber, wherein the pattern includes pattern information;
- generating one or more images of a drop of fluid and drip chamber, wherein the image is generated using data received from an optical system having a sensor;
- comparing the one or more images of the drop of fluid with the pattern information;
- and
- calculating at least one fluid property based on the one or more images of the drop of fluid and the pattern information.
A method of controlling a flow meter, the method comprising:
- projecting a pattern into a drip chamber, wherein the pattern includes pattern information;
- generating one or more images of a drop of fluid and a drip chamber, wherein the image is generated using data received from an optical system having a sensor;
- comparing the one or more images of the drop of fluid with the pattern information;
- calculating the volume of the drop based on comparing the one or more images of the drop of fluid and the pattern information;
- calculating a flow rate of fluid, using one or more microprocessors, through the drip chamber based on the calculated volume of the drop;
- and
- controlling a mechanism, using the one or more microprocessors, to achieve a target flow rate, the mechanism comprising a flexible tube section, a pump, and one or more flow restrictors.
A method of operating a flow meter, comprising:
- using a pattern in association with a drip chamber, wherein the pattern includes pattern information;
- generating one or more images of a drop of fluid and drip chamber, wherein the image is generated using data received from an optical system having a sensor;
- comparing the one or more images of the drop of fluid with the pattern information;
- and
- calculating at least one fluid property based on the one or more images of the drop of fluid and the pattern information,
- wherein the pattern is configured such that the pattern is viewable on the surface of the fluid.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.