Radio-frequency auto-identification system for dialysis systems

1. A medical fluid delivery system comprising:

a dialysis instrument;

a disposable pumping cassette operable with a pumping actuator of the dialysis instrument, the disposable cassette including or connected fluidly to a plurality of first connectors;

a plurality of second connectors configured to interface with the first connectors, each of the plurality of second connectors connected to a fluid conduit and configured to be attached to an auto-connection mechanism;

a plurality of housings, each of the plurality of housings carrying a radio frequency (“RFID”) tag, each second connector associated with one of the RFID tags; and

electronics positioned on the autoconnection mechanism, the electronics configured to read the RFID tags via a plurality of antennae and to identify that each of the second connectors is positioned properly with respect to a proper one of the first connector,

wherein the autoconnection mechanism is configured to cause the plurality of second connectors along with the respective fluid conduits to be connected to the plurality of first connectors, and wherein the electronics are further configured to identify a position of each second connector relative to its respective first connector prior to the autoconnection mechanism connecting the second connectors to the first connectors.

2. The medical fluid delivery system of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the RFID tags is encoded with information pertaining to at least one of: (i) type of solution in a supply container connected to the corresponding second connector; (ii) volume of the supply container; (iii) that one of the second connectors is a patient line connector; (iv) that one of the second connectors is a drain line connector; and (v) that one of the second connectors is a warmer bag connector.

3. The medical fluid delivery system of claim 1 , wherein the electronics are preset to know which second connector should be connected to which first connector.

4. The medical fluid delivery system of claim 1 , wherein the antennas are positioned within the instrument or in a unit communicating with the instrument.

5. The medical fluid delivery system of claim 1 , wherein the disposable cassette includes an RFID tag encoded with information regarding the disposable cassette and readable via one of the antennas.

6. The medical fluid delivery system of claim 5 , wherein the information regarding the disposable cassette is encrypted.

7. The medical fluid delivery system of claim 5 , wherein the electronics are configured to use the cassette RFID tag to determine a type of cassette loaded into the instrument and to use the second connector RFID tags to determine that the second connectors have been connected to the type of cassette properly.

8. The medical fluid delivery system of claim 1 , wherein the antennae are positioned at least a maximum read distance apart, each antenna positioned less than the maximum read distance from one of the first connectors.

9. The medical fluid delivery system of claim 1 , wherein at least one of: (i) the first connectors are ports extending from the disposable cassette; (ii) the second connectors communicate fluidly with a solution container; (iii) one of the second connectors is a patient or drain line connector; (iv) the RFID tags are separate from the second connectors; and (v) the RFID tags are integrated with the second connectors.

10. A medical fluid delivery system comprising:

a dialysis instrument;

a disposable pumping cassette operable with a pumping actuator of the dialysis instrument, the disposable cassette including or connected fluidly to a plurality of first connectors;

a plurality of second connectors, each second connector associated with a radio frequency identification (“RFID”) tag, connected to a fluid conduit and configured to be attached to an autoconnection mechanism, the tags physically separate from the second connectors and defining a maximum read distance, each second connector configured to interface with one of the first connectors;

a plurality of antennae positioned on the autoconnection mechanism and at least a maximum read distance apart, each antenna associated with and positioned less than the maximum read distance from one of the RFID tags; and

electronics positioned on the autoconnection mechanism and operable with the antennae to identify a position of each of the second connectors relative to their respective first connector,

wherein the autoconnection mechanism is configured to cause the plurality of second connectors along with the respective fluid conduits to be connected to the plurality of first connectors, and wherein the electronics are operable with the antennae to identify a position of each second connector relative to its respective first connector prior to the autoconnection mechanism connecting the second connectors to the first connectors.

11. The medical fluid delivery system of claim 10 , wherein at least one of the RFID tags is encoded with information pertaining to at least one of: (i) a type of solution in a supply container connected to the corresponding second connector; (ii) volume of the supply container; (iii) one of the second connectors being a patient line connector; (iv) one of the second connectors being a drain line connector; and (v) one of the second connectors being a warmer bag connector.

12. The medical fluid delivery system of claim 10 , which is preset to know which second connector should be connected to which first connector.

13. The medical fluid delivery system of claim 10 , wherein the antennas are positioned within the instrument or in a unit communicating with the instrument.

14. The medical fluid delivery system of claim 10 , wherein the disposable cassette includes an RFID tag encoded with information regarding the disposable cassette and readable via one of the antennas.

15. The medical fluid delivery system of claim 14 , wherein the information regarding the disposable cassette is encrypted.

16. The medical fluid delivery system of claim 14 , wherein the electronics are configured to use the cassette RFID tag to determine a type of cassette loaded into the instrument and to use the connector RFID tags to determine that the second connectors have been connected to the particular type of cassette properly.

17. The medical fluid delivery system of claim 10 , wherein at least one of: (i) the first connectors are ports extending from the disposable cassette; (ii) the second connectors communicate fluidly with a solution container; (iii) one of the second connectors is a patient or drain line connector; and (iv) the RFID tags are integrated with the second connectors.

18. A medical fluid delivery system comprising:

a medical instrument;

a plurality of first connectors in communication with a pumping actuator of the medical instrument;

a plurality of second connectors configured to interface with the first connectors, each second connector associated with and physically separate from a radio frequency identification (“RFID”) tag, each of the plurality of second connectors connected to a fluid conduit and configured to be attached to an autoconnection mechanism;

a plurality of antennae housed within the autoconnection mechanism, each antenna positioned adjacent to one of the first connectors, the antenna spaced apart so that each antenna is able to detect only one of the RFID tags; and

electronics operable with the antennae to identify a position of each of the second connectors relative to the first connectors,

wherein the autoconnection mechanism is configured to cause the plurality of second connectors along with the respective fluid conduits to be connected to the plurality of first connectors, and wherein the electronics are configured to identify a position of each second connector relative to its respective first connector prior to the autoconnection mechanism connecting the second connectors to the first connectors.

19. The system of claim 18 , wherein the electronics includes at least one of an RFID reader and a multiplexer.

20. The medical fluid delivery system of claim 18 , wherein at least one of the RFID tags is encoded with information pertaining to at least one of: (i) a type of solution in a supply container connected to one of the second connectors; (ii) volume of the supply container; (iii) one of the second connectors being a patient line connector; (iv) one of the second connectors being a drain line connector; and (v) one of the second connectors being a warmer bag connector.

21. The medical fluid delivery system of claim 18 , wherein the electronics are configured to know which second connector should be connected to which first connector.

22. The medical fluid delivery system of claim 18 , wherein the medical instrument is selected from the group consisting of an infusion pump instrument and a dialysis instrument.

23. The medical fluid delivery system of claim 18 , wherein the electronics are positioned within the medical instrument or in communication with the medical instrument.

24. The medical fluid delivery system of claim 18 , wherein at least one of: (i) the first connectors are ports extending from the disposable cassette; (ii) the second connectors communicate fluidly with a solution container; and (iii) one of the second connectors is a patient or drain line connector.

25. The medical delivery system of claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of housings includes a handle, and wherein each of the RFID tags is located within the handle of the housing.

26. The medical delivery system of claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of housings is releasably attached to one of the fluid conduits.