Patent ID: 11872355
Assignee: COVIDIEN LP
Field: Pharmaceuticals (Chemistry)
Classification: CPC A | IPC A

Claim 16:
17. A system comprising:
an elongated body defining a lumen, the elongated body comprising a proximal portion and a distal portion;
a plurality of fluorescent microbeads configured to flow through the lumen, wherein the plurality of fluorescent microbeads is configured to fluoresce in response to light; and
one or more sensors in photonic communication with the lumen, the one or more sensors configured to:
stimulate a fluorescence response from the plurality of fluorescent microbeads in the fluid flowing through the lumen;
detect the fluorescence response from the plurality of fluorescent microbeads, wherein the fluorescence response is indicative of a composition of the fluid,

wherein the one or more sensors comprise:
a light source configured to emit light to expose the plurality of fluorescent microbeads to the emitted light, wherein the plurality of fluorescent microbeads is configured to fluoresce when exposed to the light; and
a light detector configured to detect the fluorescence response of the plurality of fluorescent microbeads; and

a probe tank configured to release the plurality of fluorescent microbeads into the fluid upstream of the light source, wherein the probe tank is configured to deliver a plurality of discrete boluses of fluorescent microbeads to the fluid with a predetermined time delay between each of the plurality of boluses, and wherein each of the plurality of discrete boluses includes a predetermined volume of the fluorescent microbeads.