Patent ID: 9039656
Filing Date: 2015-05-26
Classification: A61M,Y10T

Abstract:
1. A method for passively detecting a fault condition in an intravenous (IV) set having a primary line coupled to a first fluid source, a secondary line coupled from a second fluid source to a fitting, upstream of a pumping mechanism, on the primary line, a check valve in the portion of the primary line between the first fluid source and the fitting, a valve in the portion of the secondary line between the second fluid source and the fitting, and a portion of the primary line that is downstream of the fitting being coupled to the pumping mechanism of an infusion pump, the method comprising: determining with a processor a window of time around an initiation time of a secondary infusion mode; generating a series of pressure measurements by measuring a pressure of a fluid in the primary line at a point between the fitting and the pumping mechanism at periodic intervals; generating one or more most-recent pressure measurements by measuring the pressure of the fluid in the primary line at the point between the fitting and the pumping mechanism within the window of time; calculating a threshold pressure for each of the one or more most-recent pressure measurements based on the series of pressure measurements prior to the respective most-recent pressure measurement; comparing the each of the one or more most-recent pressure measurements to the respective threshold pressure; and indicating a fault condition if none of the one or more most-pressure measurement exceeds the threshold within the window of time.