Systems and methods for managing information relating to medical fluids and containers therefor
View Patent ↗The present invention relates to management of information relating to medical fluids, containers therefor, and medical fluid administration devices for administering such medical fluids to patients. Data tags (e.g., RFID tags) are generally associated with containers of the invention and may be electromagnetically read from and/or written to using an electromagnetic device, for example, that may be associated with a medical fluid administration device of the invention.
1. A medical fluid administration device for supporting a syringe filled with a fluid between a plunger and a discharge tip from which the fluid is dispensed, the syringe having a RF data tag for storing data readable from the RF data tag, the administration device comprising:
a powerhead comprising a plunger drive adapted to interface with and move the plunger within the syringe; and
an administration device control operatively connected to the powerhead, wherein the powerhead comprises:
an electromagnetic device in electrical communication with the administration device control, the electromagnetic device being adapted to read data from the RF data tag and comprising an antenna system which in turn comprises a plurality of antennas, each antenna being operative to both transmit and receive electromagnetic signals respectively, to and from, the RF data tag to read data stored in the RF data tag, the electromagnetic device comprising:
a plurality of tuning circuits, wherein there is a separate tuning circuit for each antenna of the antenna system, wherein each tuning circuit is configured to tune its corresponding antenna to a desired frequency;
a driver circuit electrically connectable to the plurality of tuning circuits and the administration device control, wherein the driver circuit provides drive signals to the plurality of tuning circuits causing the respective antennas to transmit and receive electromagnetic signals respectively, to and from, the data tag to read data stored in the data tag; and
a switching circuit electrically connected between the driver circuit and the plurality of tuning circuits and operable to connect the plurality of antennas of the antenna system in a plurality of different circuit configurations, wherein the administration device control controls the switching circuit and proceeds from one of the plurality of different circuit configurations to another of the plurality of different circuit configurations in response to a failure to establish communication with the data tag of the syringe using the one circuit configuration and in an attempt to establish communication with the data tag of the syringe using the another circuit configuration.
2. The administration device of claim 1 wherein the plurality of antennas comprises first and second antennas, wherein the plurality of different circuit configurations comprises first and second circuit configurations, wherein each of the first and second antennas resonates in each of the first and second circuit configurations, wherein the first circuit configuration comprises the first antenna being a primary antenna of the antenna system and the second antenna being a secondary antenna of the antenna system, and wherein the second circuit configuration comprises the first antenna being the secondary antenna of the antenna system and the second antenna being the primary antenna of the antenna system.
3. The administration device of claim 2 wherein the plurality of different circuit configurations further comprises third and fourth circuit configurations, wherein the third circuit configuration comprises the first antenna being the primary antenna of the antenna system and the second antenna being disposed in a non-resonating configuration, and wherein the fourth circuit configuration comprises the second antenna being the primary antenna of the antenna system and the first antenna being disposed in a non-resonating configuration.
4. The administration device of claim 1 wherein the desired frequency is about 13.56 Megahertz.
5. The administration device of claim 1 wherein the powerhead comprises a forward end adapted to accommodate the syringe.
6. The administration device of claim 5 wherein the powerhead further comprises a mount adapted to accommodate the syringe.
7. The administration device of claim 6 wherein the mount comprises a pressure jacket for supporting the syringe, and the pressure jacket includes the plurality of antennas.
8. The administration device of claim 6 wherein the mount comprises a cradle, and the cradle includes the plurality of antennas.
9. The administration device of claim 8 wherein the cradle further comprises a heater electrically connected to the administration device control.
10. The administration device of claim 1 wherein the plunger of the syringe is substantially wholly contained within the syringe.
11. The administration device of claim 1 wherein the syringe comprises a volume in excess of about 90 ml.
12. The administration device of claim 1 wherein the plurality of antennas comprises first and second antennas, wherein the plurality of different circuit configurations comprises first and second circuit configurations, wherein the first circuit configuration comprises the first antenna being a primary antenna of the antenna system and the second antenna being disposed in a non-resonating configuration, and wherein the second circuit configuration comprises the second antenna being the primary antenna of the antenna system and the first antenna being disposed in a non-resonating configuration.
13. A method of using a medical fluid administration device comprising an electromagnetic device operable to read data from and/or write data to an RF data tag, the electromagnetic device comprising an antenna system which in turn comprises a plurality of antennas that are electrically connectable in a plurality of different circuit configurations, the RF data tag being readable by electromagnetic signals and being associated with a syringe having medical fluid disposed therein, the method comprising:
attempting RF communications between the electromagnetic device and the RF data tag associated with the syringe;
determining if a communications link, between the antenna system of the electromagnetic device and the RF data tag associated with the syringe, has been established by the attempting step and with the plurality of antennas of the antenna system being electrically connected in one of the plurality of different circuit configurations;
communicating, between the electromagnetic device and the RF data tag associated with the syringe, if the communications link has been established between the antenna system and the RF data tag associated with the syringe;
electrically connecting the plurality of antennas of the antenna system in a different one of the plurality of different circuit configurations, compared to the immediately preceding execution of the attempting step, if the determining step identifies a failure of the communications link between the antenna system of the electromagnetic device and the RF data tag associated with the syringe; and
repeating the attempting, determining, communicating, and electrically connecting steps after each execution of the electrically connecting step.
14. The method of claim 13 wherein a desired RF communication frequency is about 13.56 Megahertz.
15. The method of claim 13 wherein the plurality of antennas comprises first and second antennas, wherein the plurality of different circuit configurations comprises first and second circuit configurations, wherein each of the first and second antennas resonates in each of the first and second circuit configurations, wherein the first circuit configuration comprises the first antenna being a primary antenna of the antenna system and the second antenna being a secondary antenna of the antenna system, and wherein the second circuit configuration comprises the first antenna being the secondary antenna of the antenna system and the second antenna being the primary antenna of the antenna system.
16. The method of claim 15 wherein the plurality of different circuit configurations further comprises third and fourth circuit configurations, wherein the third circuit configuration comprises the first antenna being the primary antenna of the antenna system and the second antenna being disposed in a non-resonating configuration, and wherein the fourth circuit configuration comprises the second antenna being the primary antenna of the antenna system and the first antenna being disposed in a non-resonating configuration.
17. The method of claim 13 wherein the plurality of antennas comprises first and second antennas, wherein the plurality of different circuit configurations comprises first and second circuit configurations, wherein the first circuit configuration comprises the first antenna being a primary antenna of the antenna system and the second antenna being disposed in a non-resonating configuration, and wherein the second circuit configuration comprises the second antenna being the primary antenna of the antenna system and the first antenna being disposed in a non-resonating configuration.
18. A medical fluid administration system, comprising:
a syringe comprising a medical fluid and an RF data tag;
a powered fluid injector comprising an electromagnetic device operable to read data from and/or write data to the RF data tag of the syringe, wherein:
the electromagnetic device comprises an antenna system;
the syringe is mounted on the powered fluid injector such that the RF data tag of the syringe is disposed near the antenna system of the electromagnetic device;
the electromagnetic device and the antenna system are configured to at least one of electromagnetically read data from and electromagnetically write data to the RF data tag of the syringe;
the antenna system of the electromagnetic device comprises first and second antennas that can be electrically connected in a first circuit configuration configured to emit electromagnetic signals in order to attempt to at least one of electromagnetically read data from and electromagnetically write data to the RF data tag of the syringe;
the first and second antennas can also be electrically connected in a second circuit configuration, different from the first circuit configuration, in response to failing to at least one of electromagnetically read data from and electromagnetically write data to the RF data tag of the syringe while in the first circuit configuration; and
the second circuit configuration is configured to emit electromagnetic signals in order to attempt to at least one of electromagnetically read data from and electromagnetically write data to the RF data tag of the syringe.
19. The administration system of claim 18 wherein each of the first and second antennas resonates in each of the first and second circuit configurations, wherein the first circuit configuration comprises the first antenna being a primary antenna of the antenna system and the second antenna being a secondary antenna of the antenna system, and wherein the second circuit configuration comprises the first antenna being the secondary antenna of the antenna system and the second antenna being the primary antenna of the antenna system.
20. The administration system of claim 18 wherein only one of the first and second antennas resonates with the first and second antennas being in the first circuit configuration, and wherein each of the first and second antennas resonates with the first and second antennas being in the second circuit configuration.