Patent ID: 9408968
Filing Date: 2016-08-09
CPC Classification: A61M

Claim Text:
1. A method of detecting an air-in-line condition with respect to flow of liquid through tubing connected to an infusion pump, the method comprising: providing an air-in-line sensor at a sensing location along the tubing, the air-in-line sensor generating a signal indicating whether a volume of fluid observed by the sensor at a given time is air or liquid; operating the pump to deliver fluid at a therapy flow rate; sampling the sensor signal as fluid flows past the sensor; calculating a total volume of air observed by the sensor since the sensor last observed liquid; operating the pump to deliver a bolus volume of fluid at a bolus flow rate greater than the therapy flow rate when the total volume of air exceeds a first threshold, wherein the bolus volume is delivered automatically by the pump, prior to stopping the pump or signaling an alarm, when the total volume of air exceeds the first threshold; detecting the air-in-line condition when the total volume of air exceeds a second threshold greater than the first threshold, wherein the air-in-line condition is basis for stopping the pump or signaling the alarm.