# US 2021/0280305 A1 · Data logger for sterilizer

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- Number: US 2021/0280305 A1
- Document ID: US20210280305A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 17/195,906
- Filed: 2021-03-09
- Published: 2021-09-09
- Earliest claimed: 2020-03-09
- Applicants: Midmark Corporation
- Inventors: Gary W. Benning; David P. Hosey; Steffen Baumann; Zachary Edward Baltrip; Douglas R. Hall
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20210280305A1

## CPC

- G16H 40/20: for the management or administration of healthcare resources or facilities, e.g. managing hospital staff or surgery rooms
- G06F 13/1668: {Details of memory controller}
- G06F 16/258: {Data format conversion from or to a database}
- G16H: HEALTHCARE INFORMATICS, i.e. INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY [ICT] SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR THE HANDLING OR PROCESSING OF MEDICAL OR HEALTHCARE DATA
- G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N)

## Abstract

A data logger for collecting, storing, and transferring data received from a sterilizer is described herein. The data logger is sized and shaped to fit into a slot or opening defined by the sterilizer and previously used for receiving a printing device to output sterilizer data on a printer ribbon. The data logger includes a circuit to facilitate receiving data formatted to conform to at least two different transmission protocols (e.g. RS-232 serial data transmission protocol or TTL serial data transmission protocol). The circuit allows the data logger to be used with different styles of sterilizers and thus increases the set of viable sterilizers. The data logger includes at least one memory device for storing the logged data. This memory device may be a removable component. The data logger may also include a port or connector element for a second memory device such as a USB stick. The data logger may be configured to transfer the logged data to the USB stuck upon insertion or detection of the USB stick in the port.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method comprising:
(a) connecting a data logger to a sterilizer, wherein the data logger is configured to receive and process incoming data from the sterilizer formatted in either a first data transfer protocol or a second data transfer protocol;
(b) performing a sterilizing cycle by the sterilizer; and
(c) after the sterilizing cycle, transmitting a data stream from the sterilizer to the data logger, wherein the data stream is formatted in the first data transfer protocol.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further comprising storing at least a portion of the data stream on a first memory device connected to a first memory holder of the data logger.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The method of claim 2, wherein the first memory device comprises a microSD card.

### Claim 4 (depends on 2)

The method of claim 2 comprising:
(a) detecting whether a second memory device is connected to a second memory holder of the data logger; and
(b) upon determining a second memory device is connected to the second memory holder, transferring at least a portion of the data stream stored on the first memory device to the second memory device.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The method of claim 4, wherein the second memory device comprises a USB stick.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further comprising:
(a) disconnecting the data logger from the sterilizer;
(b) connecting the data logger to a second sterilizer;
(c) performing a second sterilizing cycle by the second sterilizer; and
(d) after the second sterilizing cycle, transmitting a second data stream from the second sterilizer to the data logger, wherein the second data stream is formatted in the second data transfer protocol.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further comprising:
(a) prior to transmitting the data stream from the sterilizer to the data logger, determining whether an error has occurred in the sterilizing cycle; and
(b) in response to determining the error has occurred in the sterilizing cycle, including an error descriptor in the data stream.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The method of claim 7, further comprising:
(a) in response to determining the error has not occurred in the sterilizing cycle, prompting a user to accept or reject a record of the sterilizing cycle; and
(b) in response to the user accepting the record of the sterilizing cycle, including an acceptance descriptor in the data stream.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The method of claim 8, further comprising:
(a) in response to the user accepting the record of the sterilizing cycle, prompting the user to enter a personal identifier; and
(b) including the personal identifier in the data stream.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further comprising inserting the data logger into a slot defined by the sterilizer.

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the first data transfer protocol is a TTL protocol for serial communication, wherein the second data transfer protocol is a RS-232 protocol for serial communication.

### Claim 12

A method comprising:
(a) connecting a data logger to a first sterilizer;
(b) performing a sterilizing cycle by the first sterilizer;
(c) after the sterilizing cycle, transmitting a first data stream from the first sterilizer to the data logger, wherein the first data stream is formatted in a TTL protocol for serial communication;
(d) disconnecting the data logger from the first sterilizer;
(e) connecting the data logger to a second sterilizer;
(f) performing a second sterilizing cycle by the second sterilizer; and
(g) after the second sterilizing cycle, transmitting a second data stream from the second sterilizer to the data logger, wherein the second data stream is formatted in a RS-232 protocol for serial communication.

### Claim 13 (depends on 12)

The method of claim 12, further comprising storing at least a portion of the first data stream and the second data stream on a first memory device connected to a first memory holder of the data logger.

### Claim 14 (depends on 13)

The method of claim 13, wherein the first memory device comprises a microSD card.

### Claim 15 (depends on 13)

The method of claim 13 comprising:
(a) detecting whether a second memory device is connected to a second memory holder of the data logger; and
(b) upon determining a second memory device is connected to the second memory holder, storing at least a portion of the first data stream and the second data stream on the second memory device.

### Claim 16 (depends on 15)

The method of claim 15, wherein the second memory device comprises a USB stick.

### Claim 17 (depends on 12)

The method of claim 12, further comprising:
(a) prior to transmitting the data stream from the first sterilizer to the data logger, prompting a user to accept or reject a record of the sterilizing cycle; and
(b) in response to the user accepting the record of the sterilizing cycle, including a personal identifier of the user in the first data stream.

### Claim 18

A data logger comprising:
(a) a serial data input circuit configured to receive a data stream from a sterilizer, wherein the data stream comprises one of a first data transfer protocol and a second data transfer protocol;
(b) a first memory holder configured to receive a first memory device; and
(c) a processor, wherein the processor is configured to receive data from the serial data input circuit and store the data on the first memory device via the first memory holder.

### Claim 19 (depends on 18)

The data logger of claim 18 further comprising a second memory holder configured to receive a second memory device, wherein the processor is configured to determine whether the second memory device is present in the second memory holder, wherein the processor is configured receive data from the serial data input circuit and store the data on the second memory device via the second memory holder if the processor determines the second memory device is present in the second memory holder.

### Claim 20 (depends on 18)

The data logger of claim 18, wherein the first data transfer protocol is a TTL protocol for serial communication, wherein the second data transfer protocol is a RS-232 protocol for serial communication.