Infusion controlling apparatus and method

Portable medical apparatus for controlling the flow rate of a fluid for medically treating a patient according to fluid flow rate information available from an individual, and from a source electronic data processor, the available flow rate information representing sequences of flow rates and their durations, comprising:

• operator input means for coupling to the individual to receive flow rate information provided by the individual and provide electrical signals representative of said information;
• source processor input means for coupling to the source electronic data processor to receive flow rate information provided by the source processor and provide electrical signals representative of said information, and
• electronic data processing means for coupling to said operator input means and to said source processor input means to receive said electrical signals, provide storage signals representative of said received electrical signals, store simultaneously storage signals representative of a sequence of fluid flow rates and their durations and provide flow rate output signals, representative of said storage signals, for regulating the flow rate of the fluid;
• said electronic data processing means including means for coupling to infusion regulator means for regulating the flow rate of the fluid in response to said output signals.

Medical apparatus for use with a programmable infusion device for controlling the flow rate of a fluid for medically treating a patient, comprising:

• storage means for storing electrical signals representative of successive stages of a sequence of discrete flow rates for said fluid and their durations and for storing electrical parameter comparison signals;
• execution means, electrically coupled to said storage means, for automatically providing an output signal corresponding to said stages of said sequence to the infusion device in response to said stored signals upon initiation of said providing by said execution means, said execution means including means for coupling said execution means to the infusion device;
• a power supply for providing at least one electrical output signal for powering said apparatus;
• and
• means for selective coupling to said execution means and to said power supply to selectively test said output signal of said execution means and of said power supply against a respective said comparison signal to detect divergences of said output signals from determined standards during said successive stages of said sequence.

Medical apparatus for use with a programmable infusion device for controlling the flow rate of a fluid for medically treating a patient, comprising:

• storage means for storing electrical signals representative of successive stages of a sequence of discrete flow rates for said fluid and their durations and for storing electrical parameter comparison signals;
• execution means, electrically coupled to said storage means, for automatically providing an output signal corresponding to said stages of said sequence to the infusion device in response to said stored signals upon initiation of said providing by said execution means, said execution means including means for coupling said execution means to the infusion device;
• means for providing a clocking signal for said execution means;
• a frequency detector, electrically coupled to said clocking signal providing means, for providing a detector output signal representative of the frequency of said clocking signal in response to said clocking signal;
• and
• means for selective coupling to said execution means and to said frequency detector to selectively test said output signal of said execution means and of said frequency detector against a respective said comparison signal to detect divergences of said output signals from determined standards during said successive stages of said sequence.

Medical apparatus for use with a programmable infusion device for controlling the flow rate of a fluid for medically treating a patient, comprising:

• storage means for storing electrical signals representative of successive stages of a sequence of discrete flow rates for said fluid and their durations and for storing electrical parameter comparison signals;
• execution means, electrically coupled to said storage means, for automatically providing an output signal corresponding to said stages of said sequence to the infusion device in response to said stored signals upon initiation of said providing by said execution means, said execution means including means for coupling said execution means to the infusion device;
• a power supply for providing at least one electrical output signal for powering said apparatus;
• means for providing a clocking signal for said execution means;
• a frequency detector, electrically coupled to said clocking signal providing means, for providing a detector output signal representative of the frequency of said clocking signal in response to said clocking signal;
• and
• means for selective coupling to said power supply and to said frequency detector to selectively test said output signal of said power supply and of said frequency detector against a respective said comparison signal to detect divergences of said output signals from determined standards during said successive stages of said sequence.

Medical apparatus for use with a programmable infusion device for controlling the flow rate of a fluid for medically treating a patient, comprising:

• storage means for storing electrical signals representative of successive stages of a sequence of discrete flow rates for said fluid and their durations and for storing electrical parameter comparison signals;
• execution means, electrically coupled to said storage means, for automatically providing an output signal corresponding to said stages of said sequence to the infusion device in response to said stored signals upon initiation of said providing by said execution means, said execution means including means for coupling said execution means to the infusion device;
• a power supply for providing at least one electrical output signal for powering said apparatus;
• means for providing a clocking signal for said execution means;
• a frequency detector, electrically coupled to said clocking signal providing means, for providing a detector output signal representative of the frequency of said clocking signal in response to said clocking signal;
• and
• means for selective coupling to said execution means, to said power supply and to said frequency detector to test said output signal of said execution means, of said power supply and of said frequency detector against a respective said comparison signal to detect divergences of said output signals from determined standards during said successive stages of said sequence.

Medical apparatus for use with a programmable infusion device for controlling the flow rate of a fluid for medically treating a patient, comprising:

• storage means for storing electrical signals representative of successive stages of a sequence of discrete flow rates for said fluid and their durations;
• execution means, electrically coupled to said storage means, for providing at least one operational output signal for operating said execution means, and for automatically providing an execution means output signal corresponding to said stages of said sequence to control the infusing of the infusion device in accordance with said sequence in response to said stored signals upon initiation of said providing of said execution means output signal by said execution means, said execution means including means for coupling said execution means to the infusion device;
• and
• means for selectively testing a plurality of said output signals against standards for said signals set in said apparatus to detect divergences of said output signals from said standards during said successive stages of said sequence.

Portable medical apparatus for controlling the flow rate of a fluid for medically treating a patient according to fluid flow rate information available from a source electronic data processor, the available flow rate information representing sequences of flow rates and their durations, comprising:

• source processor input means for coupling to the source electronic data processor to receive flow rate information provided by the source processor and provide electrical signals representative of said information;
• and
• electronic data processing means for coupling to said source processor input means to receive said electrical signals, provide and store storage signals representative of said received electrical signals and provide flow rate output signals, representative of said storage signals, for regulating the flow rate of the fluid, said electronic data processing means including control means for said processing means and memory means for programming said processing means;
• said electronic data processing means further including means for coupling to infusion regulator means for regulating the flow rate of the fluid in response to said output signals.