Systems and methods for occlusion detection in infusion pumps
Inventors
Fischer, Steven Ward • Chen, Ye
Assignees
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Publication Number
US-12496394-B2
Publication Date
2025-12-16
Expiration Date
Abstract
Systems and methods for detecting an occlusion in an infusion device are disclosed. One method includes generating, during an infusion session at predetermined intervals, a feature vector including an initial measurement of a physical force caused by fluid motion through an infusion device at the start of an infusion session, a current measurement of the physical force, a long term change in the measurement of the physical force, and a short term change in the measurement of the physical force. The feature vector is inputted, during the predetermined intervals, into a support vector machine (“SVM”) to output an indication of a presence or an absence of an occlusion in the infusion device. The SVM may be trained using reference data from reference infusion sessions having known consequences regarding the presence or the absence of an occlusion at various times during the reference infusion sessions.
Core Innovation
The invention describes real-time detection of an occlusion in IV tubing using physical force measurements and a trained support vector machine. During an infusion session, the system generates feature vectors containing an initial force measurement, a current force measurement, and long-term and short-term changes in force. It selects a trained support vector machine based on parameters associated with the infusion session and uses the feature vectors to detect the presence or absence of an occlusion.
The described problem is that fixed pressure thresholds and changing baselines can be associated with false occlusion detections. Long-term and short-term force trends help distinguish gradual tubing settling and other variations from occlusion-related changes. When an occlusion is detected, the apparatus or method pauses or terminates the infusion session, while the infusion system displays an alert or alarm indicative of the occlusion.
Claims Coverage
The claims contain three independent claims covering three inventive features: force-based feature generation, selection and use of a trained support vector machine, and responses to detection of an occlusion.
Infusion pump apparatus for occlusion detection
The apparatus receives an initial measurement of physical force, identifies a trained support vector machine based on one or more parameters associated with the infusion session, and periodically generates a feature vector comprising the initial and current force measurements and long-term and short-term force changes. The feature vector is input to the trained support vector machine to detect the presence or absence of an occlusion; when an occlusion is detected, the apparatus pauses or terminates the infusion session.
Infusion system with trained support vector machines
The system identifies, from a plurality of trained support vector machines, a machine based on one or more parameters associated with the infusion session, and inputs periodic force-based feature vectors to detect an occlusion. The machine is trained using labeled reference feature vectors from reference infusion sessions sharing those parameters; an optimized-margin decision boundary separates vectors associated with the presence of an occlusion from those associated with its absence. When an occlusion is detected, the system displays an alert or alarm on the user interface.
Infusion pump method for occlusion detection
The method receives an initial force measurement, identifies a trained support vector machine based on one or more parameters associated with the infusion session, and periodically generates and inputs feature vectors comprising initial and current force measurements and long-term and short-term force changes. When the trained support vector machine detects an occlusion in the IV tubing, the processor pauses or terminates the infusion session.
The independent claims cover an apparatus, a system, and a method for detecting IV-tubing occlusions from force-based feature vectors using a trained support vector machine. The claims also specify infusion control or user-interface responses to an occlusion and, for the system claim, training based on labeled reference infusion sessions.
Stated Advantages
Long-term and short-term force trends help distinguish gradual tubing settling and other variations from occlusion-related changes, addressing false detections associated with fixed pressure thresholds and changing baselines.
Documented Applications
Detection of occlusions in IV tubing during controlled fluid delivery from a container to a patient using an infusion pump or infusion system.
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