Methods and apparatus for translating a continuous-deliver delivery profile into a plurality of periodic bolus deliveries

1. A method of operating a clinician's programming unit, comprising the step of:

displaying a graphical representation of a continuous-delivery delivery profile and a graphical representation of a plurality of periodic bolus deliveries with periods of non-delivery between successive bolus deliveries, which together are a translation of the continuous-delivery delivery profile, with the clinician's programming unit.

2. A method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the graphical representation of the periodic bolus deliveries comprises a plurality of spaced bolus markers superimposed over the graphical representation of the continuous-delivery delivery profile.

3. A method as claimed in claim 2 , wherein spacing between the bolus markers is indicative of a bolus interval.

4. A method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the color of the graphical representation of a continuous-delivery delivery profile comprises the graphical representation of a plurality of periodic bolus deliveries with periods of non-delivery between successive bolus deliveries.

5. A method as claimed in claim 4 , wherein the color of the graphical representation of a continuous-delivery delivery profile is indicative of a bolus interval.

6. A method as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising the steps of:

storing the continuous-delivery delivery profile;

receiving a bolus interval; and

translating the stored continuous-delivery delivery profile into a graphical representation of a plurality of periodic bolus deliveries with periods of non-delivery between successive bolus deliveries as a function of the received bolus interval with the clinician's programming unit.

7. A method as claimed in claim 6 , further comprising the step of:

displaying an interval menu;

wherein the step of receiving a bolus interval comprises receiving a bolus interval by way of the displayed interval menu.

8. A method of operating a clinician's programming unit with a display, the method comprising the steps of:

receiving a bolus interval with the clinician's programming unit; and

displaying a graphical representation of a plurality of periodic bolus deliveries and periods of non-delivery between successive bolus deliveries that together are a translation of a stored continuous-delivery delivery profile, as a function of the received bolus interval, with the clinician's programming unit display.

9. A method as claimed in claim 8 , further comprising the step of:

in response to an adjustment to the displayed graphical representation of a plurality of periodic bolus deliveries and periods of non-delivery between successive bolus deliveries, displaying a revised graphical representation of a plurality of periodic bolus deliveries and periods of non-delivery between successive bolus deliveries.

10. A method as claimed in claim 8 , wherein the graphical representation includes a bolus interval representation, the method further comprising the step of:

in response to an adjustment of the displayed bolus interval representation to a revised displayed bolus interval representation, displaying a revised graphical representation of a plurality of periodic bolus deliveries and periods of non-delivery between successive bolus deliveries that are a translation of a stored continuous-delivery delivery profile, based on the revised bolus interval, with the clinician's programming unit display.

11. A method as claimed in claim 8 , wherein the continuous-delivery delivery profile is stored by the clinicians programming unit.

12. A method as claimed in claim 8 , wherein the continuous-delivery delivery profile is stored by an ambulatory infusion device.

13. A method as claimed in claim 8 , wherein the graphical representation of the periodic bolus deliveries comprises a plurality of spaced bolus markers superimposed over the graphical representation of the continuous-delivery delivery profile.

14. A method as claimed in claim 13 , wherein spacing between the bolus markers is indicative of a bolus interval.

15. A method as claimed in claim 8 , further comprising the step of:

translating the stored continuous-delivery delivery profile into a graphical representation of a plurality of periodic bolus deliveries and periods of non-delivery between successive bolus deliveries, as a function of the received bolus interval, with the clinician's programming unit.

16. A method as claimed in claim 8 , further comprising the step of:

displaying an interval menu;

wherein the step of receiving a bolus interval comprises receiving a bolus interval by way of the displayed interval menu.

17. A method as claimed in claim 8 , further comprising the step of:

displaying a graphical representation of the continuous-delivery delivery profile with the clinician's programming unit display in conjunction with the graphical representation of a plurality of periodic bolus deliveries and periods of non-delivery between successive bolus deliveries.