SYSTEMS, METHODS, AND APPARATUS FOR LOCATING ACCESS PORT IMPLANTED IN LIVING BODY

1 . An apparatus for use with an access port implanted in a living body, the apparatus comprising:

a locator assembly including:

a sensor configured to sense an aspect of the access port,

wherein the aspect includes at least two different material densities of the access port;

a controller configured to determine a location of the access port based on differentiating the at least two different material densities of the access port,

wherein the at least two different material densities correspond to at least two different elements of the access port including at least one of a port housing or an elastomeric pierceable port septum; and

an output device configured to provide feedback to a user,

wherein the controller is further configured to instruct the output device to provide the feedback to the user based on the determined location of the access port.

2 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the access port is a subcutaneous access port.

3 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the access port is structured to deliver medication either subcutaneously or intravenously.

4 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the sensor includes a plurality of ultrasonic (UT) sensors.

5 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein:

the sensor includes a center sensor and a plurality of peripheral sensors arranged in a concentric pattern around the center sensor; and

when the locator assembly is positioned over the access port, the center sensor corresponds to the elastomeric pierceable port septum and the plurality of peripheral sensors correspond to the port housing surrounding the elastomeric pierceable port septum.

6 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the at least two different elements include the port housing and the elastomeric pierceable port septum, and a material of the port housing material is denser than a material of the elastomeric pierceable port septum.

7 . The apparatus of claim 6 , wherein the controller is further configured to identify one or more regions of the elastomeric pierceable port septum, and wherein each of the regions corresponds to a pierceable septum connected to a discrete lumen of the access port.

8 . The apparatus of claim 6 , wherein:

based on the sensing from the sensor, the controller is further configured to identify an aspect of the pierceable elastomeric port septum or the port housing; and

the aspect includes at least one of a geometry, a contour, or a material.

9 . The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein:

the controller is further configured to identify at least one of a design, a model, or a manufacturer of the access port based on the aspect of the port housing.

10 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the output device includes a wireless interface for communicating with a remote device, and the controller is configured to provide the determined location to the remote device via the wireless interface.

11 . The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the remote device is a smart phone device.

12 . A system, comprising:

the apparatus of claim 10 ; and

a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing instructions that, when executed by at least one processor of the remote device, include:

receiving the determined location from the output device; and

instructing a display of the remote device to provide the feedback in a visual form to the user.

13 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the feedback is at least one of tactile, visual, or audible.

14 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein:

the feedback includes directional feedback; and

the controller is further structured to instruct the output device to provide the directional feedback to the user such that the directional feedback indicates both a direction of movement of the apparatus to directly overlap with the access port and a relative proximity of the access port.

15 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the controller is further configured to detect, based on the sensing from the sensor, an orientation of the access port below a skin of the living body.

16 . The apparatus of claim 15 , wherein the controller is further structured to detect that the orientation of the access port below the skin is inverted based on determining that a bottom of the implanted access port is oriented upwards towards the skin.

17 . The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising:

a base plate with an adhesive for adhering to a skin of the living body,

wherein the locator assembly and the base plate are configured to attach and detach from each other.

18 . The apparatus of claim 17 , wherein the base plate is configured to cooperate with a medication administration device.

19 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the sensor includes a plurality of ultrasonic sensors.

20 . A method for locating an access port implanted in a living body, comprising:

sensing, with a sensor of a locator assembly, an aspect of the access port,

wherein the aspect includes at least two different material densities of the access port, and the at least two different material densities correspond to at least two different elements of the access port including at least one of a port housing or an elastomeric pierceable port septum;

determining a location of the access port based on differentiating the at least two different material densities of the access port; and

outputting, based on the determined location of the access port, feedback to a user.

21 . The method of claim 20 , wherein outputting the feedback to the user comprises:

providing directional feedback to the user including both a direction of movement of the locator assembly to directly overlap with the access port and a relative proximity of the access port.

22 . The method of claim 20 , wherein the outputting the feedback to the user comprises:

outputting the feedback to a remote device via a wireless interface.

23 . The method of claim 20 , wherein the feedback is provided via the locator assembly, and the feedback is at least one of tactile, visual, or audible.