Granted Patent B2

US 7,959,579 · App. 11/624,177 · Granted Jun 14, 2011

Assignee: Laborie Medical Technologies, Inc.

Abstract

Claims (67)

1. A cassette comprising:

a housing including

a bottom part, and

a lid,

said bottom part and said lid form an enclosure;

at least one probe connector connected to said housing;

for at least one of said at least one probe connector, at least one sensor in communication with said respective probe connector;

a connector in communication with said at least one sensor; and

a circuit located in said enclosure and in electrical communication between said at least one sensor and said connector, said circuit includes a timing circuit having a counter that prevents transmission of monitoring data being sent through said connector after a predetermined time has passed after connection to a communications module.

2. The cassette according to claim 1 , wherein said circuit includes electrical components for controlling operation of said at least one sensor.

3. The cassette

according to claim 1 , wherein at least one of said at least one probe connector includes

a catheter connector,

a pressure chamber, and

said catheter connector and said pressure chamber together have a passageway running from said catheter connector into said pressure chamber.

4. The cassette according to claim 3 , wherein said sensor connected to said pressure chamber includes a fluid pressure sensor.

5. The cassette according to claim 3 , wherein said pressure chamber includes at least one pressure relief opening having a one-way valve positioned such that fluid can be introduced past said valve into said pressure chamber,

wherein when the pressure relief valve is brought into an opened state the pressure chamber is in free communication with an environment around said cassette.

6. The cassette according to claim 3 , further comprising at least one catheter connected to said at least one catheter connector.

7. The cassette according to claim 3 , further comprising at least one one way valve where said one way valve is connected to a pressure chamber.

8. The cassette according to claim 3 , further comprising a cover over at least one pressure chamber.

9. The cassette according to claim 1 , further comprising at least two electrode connectors on an outside of said housing, said electrode connectors electrically connected to said connector.

10. The cassette according to claim 1 , further comprising a plate, said connector extending from said plate, said plate having at least one connecting pin configured to be attached to at least one module.

11. A cassette comprising:

a housing including

a bottom part, and

a lid having a upper part and a lower part in interlocking fit such that said lower part is pivotable about said upper part to provide access to an area enclosed by said bottom part and said lid,

said bottom part and said lid form an enclosure;

at least one probe connector connected to said housing;

for at least one of said at least one probe connector, at least one sensor in communication with said respective probe connector;

a connector in communication with said at least one sensor, said connector located in the enclosure formed by said bottom part and said lid; and

a circuit located in said enclosure and in electrical communication between said at least one sensor and said connector.

12. A module comprising:

a housing;

a connector member connected to said housing and accessible externally to said housing, said connector member configured to releasably connect to a cassette having at least one sensor;

a wireless transmitter connected to said connector member, said transmitter is located substantially in said housing;

a power supply connected to said transmitter and said connector member, said power supply located inside said housing;

means for processing information received through said connector member,

means for transmitting control signals through said connector member, and

means for transmitting information through said transmitter.

13. The system according to claim 12 , wherein said module includes

means for verifying that a cassette attached to said module is compatible to operate with said module, said verifying means will prevent operation of the cassette when a verification fails; and

means for reading values produced by said at least one sensor in said cassette during operation of the system.

14. A system comprising:

a cassette having

a cassette housing;

at least one probe connector connected to said cassette housing;

for at least one of said at least one probe connector, at least one sensor in communication with said respective probe connector; and

a connector in communication with said at least one sensor, and

a module having

a module housing;

a connector member connected to said module housing and accessible externally to said module housing by said connector of said cassette,

when said connector and said connector member are connected, an electrical connection is established between said cassette and said module; and

a transmitter connected to said connector member.

15. The system according to claim 14 , wherein said cassette further comprising a circuit located in said cassette housing and in electrical communication between said at least one sensor and said connector such that an electrical pathway is formed from said at least one sensor to said circuit to said connector.

16. The system according to claim 15 , wherein said circuit includes electrical components for controlling the operation of said at least one sensor.

17. The system according to claim 15 , wherein said circuit includes a timing circuit having a counter that prevents transmission of monitoring data being sent through said connector after a predetermined time has passed after said cassette is connected to said module.

18. The system according to claim 14 , wherein said module further includes

means for processing information received from said at least one sensor through said connector member and said connector,

means for transmitting control signals to said at least one sensor through said connector member and said connector, and

means for transmitting information through said transmitter.

19. The system according to claim 14 , wherein said module includes

means for verifying that a cassette attached to said module is compatible to operate with said module, said verifying means will prevent operation of the cassette when a verification fails; and

means for reading values produced by said at least one sensor in said cassette during operation of the system.

20. The system according to claim 14 , wherein said module fits and is substantially enclosed within said cassette housing during use of said system.

21. The system according to claim 14 , wherein said cassette includes a hole passing through one side of said cassette housing, and

said module including a sensor connector that is aligned with the hole of said cassette housing when said module is enclosed in said cassette housing.

Assignments (9)

Priority Claims (1)

Continuity (3)