IP Library Granted Patent US 12,059,551
Granted Patent B2
US 12,059,551 · App. 18/178,332 · Granted Aug 13, 2024

Infusion system and method of use which prevents over-saturation of an analog-to-digital converter

Inventors: John Hicks Dumas, III (Libertyville, IL); Paul T. Kotnik (Commerce Township, MI); Kunal Sur (Evanston, IL); Anatoly S. Belkin (Glenview, IL); Timothy L. Ruchti (Gurnee, IL)
Assignee: ICU Medical, Inc.
A61M5/16831A61M5/142A61M5/365G01N29/02G01N29/348G01N29/42H03M1/129A61M2205/3306A61M2205/3327A61M2205/3375A61M2205/52A61M2205/702G01N2291/014G01N2291/02433
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,059,551
App. No.
18/178,332
Granted
Aug 13, 2024
Kind
B2
Abstract

To detect air in a fluid delivery line of an infusion system, infusion fluid is pumped through a fluid delivery line adjacent to at least one sensor. A signal is transmitted and received using the at least one sensor into and from the fluid delivery line. The at least one sensor is operated, using at least one processor, at a modified frequency which is different than a resonant frequency of the at least one sensor to reduce an amplitude of an output of the signal transmitted from the at least one sensor to a level which is lower than a saturation level of the analog-to-digital converter to avoid over-saturating the analog-to-digital converter. The signal received by the at least one sensor is converted from analog to digital using an analog-to-digital converter. The at least one processor determines whether air is in the fluid delivery line based on the converted digital signal.

Claims (20)

1. A system configured to calibrate a sensor for operating with a fluid delivery line, said system comprising one or more hardware processors configured to:

control an operating frequency of a first sensor, said first sensor configured to transmit a first signal in a fluid delivery line;

receive a digital signal from an analog to digital converter, said analog to digital converter configured to convert a detected signal responsive to the transmitted first signal from analog to digital;

determine that the detected first signal is saturated; and

change the operating frequency of the sensor based on the determination of saturation.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the changed operating frequency is different than a resonant frequency of the sensor.

3. The system of claim 2 , wherein the resonant frequency of the sensor is predetermined.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the sensor is responsive to signals above a minimum level.

5. The system of claim 4 , wherein the changed operating frequency exceeds the minimum level for detected signals.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the changed operating frequency is within ±50% of a resonant frequency.

7. A method of calibrating a sensor for operating with a fluid delivery line in an infusion pump, the method comprising:

controlling an operating frequency of a first sensor, wherein said first sensor is configured to transmit a first signal in a fluid delivery line;

receiving a digital signal from an analog to digital converter, said analog to digital converter configured to convert a detected signal responsive to the transmitted first signal from analog to digital;

determining that the detected first signal is saturated; and

changing the operating frequency of the sensor based on the determination of saturation.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein the changed operating frequency is different than a resonant frequency of the sensor.

9. The method of claim 7 , further comprising transmitting a second signal at the changed operating frequency.

10. The method of claim 7 , further comprising determining a minimum level for received signals.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the changed operating frequency causes the detected signals to exceed the minimum level.

12. The method of claim 7 , wherein the changed operating frequency is within ±50% of a resonant frequency.

Assignments (3)
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Oct 31, 2025
From: ICU MEDICAL, INC.; EXCELSIOR MEDICAL CORPORATION; TANGENT MEDICAL TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
To: WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 073428/0588 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Mar 7, 2023
From: HOSPIRA, INC.
To: ICU MEDICAL, INC.
Reel/Frame 062909/0233 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Mar 7, 2023
From: DUMAS, JOHN HICKS, III; KOTNIK, PAUL T.; SUR, KUNAL; BELKIN, ANATOLY S.; RUCHTI, TIMOTHY L.
To: HOSPIRA, INC.
Reel/Frame 062909/0361 →