Patent ID: 8882481

Claim:
A method of determining a fluid path characteristic of a pump set loaded in a medical pumping apparatus, said pump set comprising a tube in fluid communication with a fluid source, wherein a portion of the tube is received in a guide channel of the medical pumping apparatus, said method comprising: supplying power to a motor of the medical pumping apparatus, said motor converting the supplied power to generate a motive force and providing the generated motive force to a belt of the medical pumping apparatus, wherein said motor is positioned substantially within an interior space defined by an inner surface of the belt; receiving the generated motive force at the belt, wherein the belt travels proximate the portion of the tube received in the guide channel in response to receiving the generated motive force provided thereto, said belt having at least one finger on an outer surface thereof, said finger engaging the portion of the tube received by the guide channel as the belt travels such that the tube is squeezed between the finger and an opposing surface of the guide channel to force the fluid through the tube from the fluid source to a patient; sensing a current of the motor, wherein said current is indicative of the motive force generated by the motor; comparing the sensed current to a threshold; and determining the fluid path characteristic as a function of said comparing.