U.S. patent application number 10/933932 was filed with the patent office on 2005-02-10 for identification and communication system for inflatable devices.
Invention is credited to Newton, Michael David.
Application Number | 20050033351 10/933932 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 10836125 |
Filed Date | 2005-02-10 |
United States Patent
Application |
20050033351 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Newton, Michael David |
February 10, 2005 |
Identification and communication system for inflatable devices
Abstract
A pneumatic system consists of an inflatable/deflatable article,
for example, a compression garment (21) connected to a pump (20) by
connectors (12 and 11), respectively. The connector (12) attached
to the garment (21) carries an RFID transponder (30) and a
corresponding radio circuit (31) is located within the pump (20).
In use, the transponder (30) transmits and receives information to
and from the pump radio circuit (31). The information exchanged is
used by the pump control system to activate the pump and to operate
the pump to provide the particular operating parameters for that
garment, for example, pressure, inflation/deflation cycle duration
of treatment, etc.
Inventors: |
Newton, Michael David;
(Machen, GB) |
Correspondence
Address: |
BROWN, RAYSMAN, MILLSTEIN, FELDER & STEINER LLP
900 THIRD AVENUE
NEW YORK
NY
10022
US
|
Family ID: |
10836125 |
Appl. No.: |
10/933932 |
Filed: |
September 3, 2004 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
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10933932 |
Sep 3, 2004 |
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09509265 |
Jul 25, 2000 |
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09509265 |
Jul 25, 2000 |
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PCT/GB99/02403 |
Jul 23, 1999 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
606/202 |
Current CPC
Class: |
G06K 19/0723 20130101;
A61H 9/0078 20130101; B60S 5/046 20130101; F04B 49/065
20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
606/202 |
International
Class: |
H01S 003/30 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Jul 25, 1998 |
GB |
98/16173.0 |
Claims
1. (canceled)
2. (canceled)
3. (canceled)
4. (canceled)
5. (canceled)
6. (canceled)
7. (canceled)
8. (canceled)
9. (canceled)
10. (canceled)
11. A pneumatic control system for an inflatable/deflatable article
useful in the clinical treatment of patients, the pneumatic system
comprising control means for operation of a pump, connection means
for connecting the article and pump for fluid flow therethrough,
communication means provided on at least one of the pump, the
article, and the connection means, wherein upon connection between
the pump and the connection means the communication means is
capable of identifying at least one of a manufacturing date
associated with the article and a maximum intended time from
manufacture to use of the article.
12. A pneumatic control system for an inflatable/deflatable article
useful in the clinical treatment of patients, the pneumatic system
comprising control means for operation of a pump, connection means
for connecting the article and pump for fluid flow therethrough,
communication means provided on at least one of the pump, the
article, and the connection means, wherein upon connection between
the pump and the connection means the communication means is
capable of identifying an application for which at least one of the
article and the pump is intended to be used.
13. A pneumatic control system for an inflatable/deflatable article
useful in the clinical treatment of patients, the pneumatic system
comprising control means for operation of a pump, connection means
for connecting the article and pump for fluid flow therethrough,
communication means provided on at least one of the pump, the
article, and the connection means, wherein upon connection between
the pump and the connection means the communication means is
capable of identifying at least one of whether the article is
intended for more than a single use, a number of times the article
is intended to be used, a duration of time for which the article is
intended to be used, and whether the article has been processed for
re-use.
14. A pneumatic control system for an inflatable/deflatable article
useful in the clinical treatment of patients, the pneumatic system
comprising control means for operation of a pump, connection means
for connecting the article and pump for fluid flow therethrough,
communication means provided on at least one of the pump, the
article, and the connection means, wherein upon connection between
the pump and the connection means the communication means is
capable of identifying at least one of an alarm setting and
security information for preventing unauthorized use of the
article.
15. A pneumatic control system for an inflatable/deflatable article
useful in the clinical treatment of patients, the pneumatic system
comprising control means for operation of a pump, connection means
for connecting the article and pump for fluid flow therethrough,
communication means provided on at least one of the pump, the
article useful in the clinical treatment of patients, and the
connection means, wherein upon connection between the pump and the
connection means the communication means is capable of identifying
a serial number associated with the article.
Description
[0001] This invention relates to pneumatic systems and in
particular to pneumatic systems having an inflatable/deflatable
article connected to a fluid source, for example a pump.
[0002] It is known for such systems to have a coupling assembly
connecting the article to the fluid source, the coupling assembly
comprising a male insert and a cooperating female receptacle for
receiving the male insert so as to form a coupled state. The male
insert or female receptacle includes a mechanical latch cooperating
with a cavity on a corresponding surface of the other for
mechanically latching and unlatching the coupling assembly, the
male insert member and the female receptacle both defining a
pathway for the flow of fluid through it when in the coupled state.
A seal member extends between the male insert member surface and
the surface of the female receptacle to provide a fluid tight seal
when in the coupled state.
[0003] WO96/14785 describes a pneumatic system comprising an
inflatable mattress connected to a pump by a connector mounted on
the end of a fluid line from the inflatable mattress, the connector
being mechanically inoperable upon disconnection with the pump. In
this way, the connector ensures that the inflatable mattress is
used only once, for reasons of clinical safety.
[0004] However, such pneumatic systems of the prior art including
connectors that prevent re-use are not able to distinguish between
different articles to be inflated or different pumps.
[0005] Modern technology has now made it possible to design a pump
to be programmable so that a number of different inflatable
articles with differing inflating and/or deflating arrangements
fulfilling totally different functions may be attached to a
physically identical pump. Thus, there is a need for an intelligent
means associated with the pump and/or the article able to identify
or distinguish between the pump and the article connected, and
further to control the operation of the pump appropriate to the
article connected.
[0006] Accordingly, the invention provides a pneumatic control
system including a pump and at least one inflatable/deflatable
article, control means for operation of the pump, connection means
for connecting the article and pump for fluid flow therethrough,
communication means provided on each of the pump and article,
wherein upon connection between the pump and article at least one
of said communication means capable of identifying the article and
instructing the control means to activate the pump accordingly.
[0007] Preferably, the communication means are capable of
exchanging information or energy so as to identify the article as
that compatible to the pump and more preferably instruct the pump
control means to operate a predetermined inflation and/or deflation
of the article.
[0008] The information exchange between the article and the pump
may comprise information contained in the article communication
means being read by the pump communication means and used by the
pump control means to operate the pump, or information contained in
the article communication means being read by the pump
communication means, and information modified/generated within the
pump communication means being stored within the article
communication means during use. The information exchange may be by
means of an energy source which may include but not be limited to
electrical, pneumatic, acoustic, magnetic, electromagnetic or
optical signals.
[0009] The modified information or energy transmitted to the pump
is used to identify the article and thereafter used to control the
pump operation either without user interface or to signal the user
to operate the pump as indicated. Thus, operation of the pump may
be altered automatically to match the requirements of the article
to be inflated/deflated and its application.
[0010] Preferably, the information may include specific
information, i.e. codes, to identify the article and/or its mode of
operation (including pressure and flow versus time profile, and
alarm settings) and/or security markings, to prevent unauthorised
use.
[0011] In a preferred embodiment, the communication means on the
article is located within the connection means connecting the
article to the pump. Preferably, during use the respective
communication means do not contact each other.
[0012] Examples of information contained within the article
communication means may include some or all of the following
data:
[0013] (i) Article serial number--for traceability in the event of
customer complaint, product modification, recall or product
ownership.
[0014] (ii) Article manufacturing date--the pump communication
means can automatically infer that an article with a limited
storage time from manufacture to use is out of time and therefore
will not operate the pump, indicating so on the operator panel.
This would be relevant to the case of single use sterile articles
where the sterile packaging has a limited lifetime.
[0015] (iii) Article type information--the pump communication means
reads the code and identifies the code as that to be used by the
pump and sets up the correct pressure and flow versus time profiles
on the air delivery paths automatically. Also the communication
means on the pump can indicate to the user on the pump operator
panel which application or applications the pump/article
combination is intended for.
[0016] (iv) Single use/re-use information--indicates to the pump
communication means to display on the operator panel whether the
connected article is designed for re-use or for single use
only.
[0017] (v) Duration of use information--this could either be in the
form of the article in-use running hours or number of pressure time
cycles per use or the actual times recorded when used. If this
information is fed by the pump communication means back to the
article communication means then it can be read by any pump
communication means on subsequent usage. In this way users can be
signalled when articles have reached the end of their operating
life and for either clinical efficacy or safety reasons should no
longer be used and whether user compliance of prescribed therapy
has been administered. Also, the pump could be automatically
shut-off or instructed to give appropriate warnings at the end of
operating life/use.
[0018] (vi) Single Use Information--if the article communication
means indicates application for single use only then the pump
communication means can input in the article communication means,
an indication that the article has already been used. On subsequent
attempts to use the article the pump communication means will
recognise single use has occurred and not operate. In this case the
clinical efficacy and safety of a single use article can be
preserved automatically.
[0019] (vii) Limited or Multiple Re-use--if this is indicated
within the article communication means then the pump communication
means will automatically clock up the number of use cycles, put the
information into the article communication means, and when the
designed number of use cycles has been reached, the pump can
automatically indicate this to the user so preserving clinical
safety and efficacy.
[0020] (viii) Re-usable clinical articles after being re-processed
(consequent to use to eliminate cross-contamination between
users)--here the pump communication means looks for an indication
from the article communication means that the article has been
validly reprocessed between use cycles. This validity information
is placed in the article communication means at the reprocessing
facility using an approved piece of equipment. In this way only
approved reprocessing which maintains clinical efficacy and safety
will be accepted by the pump for use.
[0021] Another aspect of the invention provides for the use of the
information exchange outlined above, in the field of intermittent
compression therapy and pressure area care.
[0022] Therefore, a preferred embodiment of the invention provides
a pneumatic control system including a pump and an
inflatable/deflatable support for a patient to lie on, control
means to operate the pump, connection means for connecting the
support and pump for fluid flow therethrough, wherein the pump and
support have respective communication means, at least one said
means capable of identifying the article and to instruct the pump
control means to activate the pump accordingly.
[0023] Preferably, the said communication means are capable of
exchanging information or energy to identify the support and to
instruct the pump control means to operate the pump to provide a
predetermined inflation/deflation of the support for a patient
lying thereon. More preferably, the support communication means may
be located within the connection means connecting the support to
the pump.
[0024] A further preferred embodiment of the invention provides a
pneumatic control system including a pump and at least one
inflatable/deflatable garment to be wrapped around a user's limb,
control means to operate the pump, connection means for connecting
the garment and pump for fluid flow therethrough, wherein the pump
and garment(s) have respective communication means, at least one
said means capable of identifying the garment(s) and instructing
the pump control means to activate the pump accordingly.
[0025] Preferably, the said communication means are capable of
exchanging information or energy to identify the garment(s) and to
instruct the pump control means to activate the pump accordingly
and more preferably to further operate the pump to provide a
predetermined inflation/deflation cycle of the garment(s) suited to
the garments' application. Preferably, the garment communication
means may be located within the connection means connecting the
garment to the pump.
[0026] The use of communication means to provide pressure area care
and compression therapy will result in fewer individual pump models
being required for the different care applications, all requiring
differing pneumatic performance criteria and operator interfaces.
This will lead both to manufacturing economies of scale and
substantial acquisition, storage and inventory cost reductions,
which is particularly beneficial within the cost sensitive and
resource limited healthcare establishments where such care
applications are generally used.
[0027] The communication means can be separately applied to pumps
and to the garments and supports so long as the air delivery path
configurations are functionally compatible. Thus pumps could
operate such articles yet to be developed so long as the articles
have their operating characteristics configured in a compatible
communication means attached thereto.
[0028] In a healthcare environment this use of communication means
prevents the inadvertent and unsafe operation of pump types with
inflatable garments or supports e.g. pads or mattresses, which are
not functionally safe or clinically compatible. A pump equipped
with the communication means will readily deliver safe, effective
therapy with a wide range of such inflatable articles.
[0029] The communication means of the present invention for
information exchange between an article and a pump to control
operation of the pump may comprise conventional read and write
information systems; examples of which, include bar code, magnetic
stripe coding, insertion/rotation of co-operating connectors when
connecting an article to the pump; geometry or intensity of
magnetisation or transmissive or reflective optical path read by
sensors; unique combinations of mechanical shapes read by
mechanical switches or electronic memory chip with memory retention
without power, for example, flash memory or EEPROM or UV EPROM.
[0030] Preferred embodiments of the present invention are described
below, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying
drawings in which:
[0031] FIG. 1 shows a schematic diagram of a communication means
according to the present invention;
[0032] FIG. 2 shows an alternative method of mounting one element
of the communication means to that in FIG. 1;
[0033] FIG. 3 shows a typical radio communication means comprising
a passive transponder and powering radio circuit; and
[0034] FIG. 4 shows an alternative embodiment of a communication
means.
[0035] Referring to FIG. 1, the preferred embodiment consists of a
pneumatic system consisting of a compression garment 21 connected
to a pump 20 by a connector 10. The connector 10 has a connector
part 11 connected to the pump 20 and a cooperating connector part
12 connected to the fluid line of the garment 21. The connector 12
carries a radio frequency identification device 30, i.e. a
transponder. The transponder 30 is mounted on the connector part 12
connecting the compression garment 21 to the pump 20 and a
corresponding radio circuit is located within the pump 20. The
transponder 30 may be in the shape of an annular ring fitted to the
connector part 12 surrounding its fluid line outlet or any suitable
shape to fit on or adjacent the connector 12. The transponder 30
typically comprises a coil acting as an antennae to transmit and
receive signals, a capacitor to temporarily store energy to power
the transponder, an integrated circuit to provide control and
modulation functions and a read/write electronic memory (EEPROM).
The transponder 30 is used to transmit and receive information to
and from the pump radio circuit 31. As shown in FIG. 3, radio
circuit 31 in the pump comprises coils located close to the pump
outlet to provide for transponder power and two-way communication
between the transponder 30 and the circuit 31. The transponder 30
is passive and does not need any power to store information. It is
energised by coming into proximity with the coils of the radio
circuit 31 in the pump 20 and can then communicate with the pump
circuit 31. As the transponder 30 does not need power to store
information there is no need for connection cables or batteries and
it may be completely sealed after assembly, within connector part
12 attached to the compression article 21.
[0036] The communication between the transponder 30 and pump 20 is
controlled by hardware and software within the pump.
[0037] The operation of the pump 20 is programmable, specifically
the operation in terms of applied pressure and flow versus time
profiles and alarm monitoring. This is achieved by having the key
parameters which control this operation stored in the transponder
30 to be read by the radio circuit 31 in the pump 20 and used to
operate the pump accordingly. Thus by changing the garment 21 the
operation of the pump 20 may be changed and hence the pump 20 may
be programmable by the garment 21.
[0038] The general approach is for the pump software to signal to
the transponder via the radio link a request to transmit certain
operational parameters. These are received by the pump radio link
and used as a basis to operate the pump. For example, if the
pressure is specified for the article then the pump will provide
that particular pressure.
[0039] It is the information stored in the transponder within the
connector on the article which indicates to the pump to operate
accordingly.
[0040] Specific examples of parameters include:
[0041] Operating parameters--operating pressure level, pressure
versus time inflation rate, pressure versus time deflation rate,
duration of inflation, duration of period between inflation's.
[0042] Alarm parameters, the pressure at which an inflation
characteristic is detected, time at which this is tested, number of
fault conditions prior to alarm occurring. This would be duplicated
for each alarm condition.
[0043] In use, the connector parts 11,12 are joined together. The
transponder 30 within the garment connector part 12 when coming
into the vicinity of the pump's radio circuit 31 is powered and
responds by transmitting a signal to the pump radio circuit 31. The
radio circuit 31 may request further information from the memory of
the transponder 30 or it may modify some of the transponder memory
30. The pump 20 processes the information it has read from the
transponder 30 and accordingly provides the specific inflation
requirements for that garment 21.
[0044] The pump 20 is reconfigured after any break in its
operation, for reasons of it being switched off, powered off or
another garment being connected.
[0045] The radio circuit 31 reads the information within the
transponder 30 memory on the connector part 12 of the garment 21
and identifies the garment 21 and if the information is compatible
with that held within the pump 20 either electronically or within
the software, then the pump operates the garment 21 according to
the information transmitted by the transponder 30. In the case of
single-use garments, the transponder memory 30 may contain
additional control information which instructs the pump not to
re-inflate or not to inflate after a certain time or any other
parameter based decision process. Additionally, the radio circuit
31 may modify the transponder 30 memory to prevent further re-use
of the garment 21 upon re-connection with the or another pump.
[0046] The pump 20 may be configured so that it is solely dependent
on the transponder 30 memory to provide information regarding the
inflation requirements of the garment 21 attached. This allows for
new garments to be connected and operated by the pumps without the
pumps' having to be upgraded.
[0047] The pump radio circuit 31 and transponder 30 could exchange
information about the following:
[0048] The transponder 30 in the garment 21 could be used to store
information about the pump's own operational history--e.g. time
since last service, alarm history, degree of utilisation etc. This
information could then be accessed by the manufacturer or its
agents without physically having to gain access to the pump. This
is an advantage where the pumps are spread widely geographically or
where access is restricted due to commercial reasons.
[0049] The opposite arrangement is also possible where the pump
radio circuit 31 captures all the usage information stored within
the garment transponder 30 (which could be a history involving many
pumps). During servicing of the pump 20 the information is accessed
as part of the service procedure.
[0050] This sort of information would allow better understanding of
the actual pump/garment usage in healthcare establishments which
may provide useful information for commercial, product reliability
and quality and clinical efficacy purposes.
[0051] The facility to remotely upgrade the operation/disable
use/enable use of the pump is possible.
[0052] The pump could include a transponder itself to self check
that its own radio circuit 31 is working and further could be
adapted to accommodate an external transponder 50. The transponder
50 may be in the form of a programming key which when connected to
the pump 20, in the vicinity of the radio circuit 31 would
specifically configure the operation of the pump 20 and garments 21
together as a system for a specific patient in a healthcare
environment. This key could be configured by a physician for a
particular patient's requirements. The key would override any
existing settings stored in the pump and/or garments and ensure
that the required pump operation occurred. Thus, improved patient
compliance and increased product safety and efficacy would result.
Other transponders or similar could be used to log operational data
for maintenance purposes.
[0053] The pneumatic system above describes a pump 20 having a
radio circuit 31 communicating with a radio frequency
identification device (RFID) 30 on a connector 12 to a garment 21.
The radio circuit 31 within the pump 20 also contains a phase
detection circuit which can be used to detect any change of phase
due to external influences and this principle may be employed as an
alternative communication means for the pneumatic system.
[0054] A number of materials can be used to change the phase of the
coil 31, examples are shown in table 1.
1 Material Phase Change in Degrees Magnetically loaded plastic +45
Torrid Core +11 Amorphous metal strip +50 Steel Core -17 Cable
screen ferrite 10 mm +62 Cable screen ferrite 5 mm +28 Brass Core
-22
[0055] In the case of brass the introduction into the coil field 31
lowers the phase detected by the phase detector, and conversely the
use of ferrite increases the phase detected, resulting in different
values for differing materials. The phase angle change can be
controlled by the amount of material within the coil field and by
this method several identities can be detected.
[0056] FIG. 4 shows an alternative system using the pump 20 as in
FIG. 1 and a connector 12 to a garment 21 (not shown), the
connector 12 having communication means including an annular ring
of ferrite 40 around the fluid line outlet.
[0057] In use, as shown in FIG. 4a the connector parts 11, 12 are
joined together. The ferrite 40 when coming into the vicinity of
the pump's radio circuit 31 increases the phase detected by the
phase detection circuit within the pump 20 and accordingly
identifies the garment 21 (not shown) and if the phase change
information is held to be compatible with the pump 20 either
electronically or within the software, then the pump 20 may be
operated to provide the therapy required.
[0058] While the preferred embodiments describe intermittent
garments incorporating connectors having various types of
communication means, it is understood that mattresses as well as
any other inflatable/deflatable articles may be similarly connected
and inflated/deflated using the same principles according to the
invention. Moreover, the respective communication means within the
article and the pump may be located elsewhere than the connectors
as in the preferred embodiment, for example, within the inflatable
article and/or pump casing. The preferred embodiments have
described connectors using a means of information exchange or
identification incorporating a radio frequency identification
device (RFID) or ferrite material respectively, however any other
forms of information exchange devices as discussed earlier or as
would be apparent to those skilled in the art are within the scope
of the invention.
* * * * *