Patent ID: 8223028

Claim:
A method comprising: determining a first initial force reading prior to dispensing a first dose of an infusible fluid; dispensing the first dose of the infusible fluid; monitoring a volume of the infusible fluid dispensed in the first dose; determining a second initial force reading prior to dispensing a second dose of the infusible fluid; setting a first final force reading value as being equal to the second initial force reading; dispensing the second dose of the infusible fluid; monitoring a volume of the infusible fluid dispensed in the second dose; determining a second final force reading subsequent to dispensing the second dose of the infusible fluid; determining a first rate-of-change force reading that corresponds to the delivery of the first dose of the infusible fluid via an infusion pump assembly by subtracting the first initial force reading from the first final force reading value; determining at least a second rate-of-change force reading that corresponds to the delivery of the second dose of the infusible fluid via the infusion pump assembly by subtracting the second initial force reading from the second final force reading; normalizing the first rate-of-change force reading and the second rate-of-change force reading to be indicative of the rates-of-change force sensed for an equivalent quantity of infusible fluid; and determining an average rate-of-change force reading based, at least in part upon the normalized first rate-of-change force reading and the normalized at least a second rate-of-change force reading.