Systems and methods for controlling pulse mode pumping in infusion systems

Inventors

Fischer, Steven Ward • Wallace, Morris • Chen, Ye

Assignees

Baxter Healthcare SA • Baxter International Inc

Abstract

The present disclosure provides a new and innovative method and system for flow rate compensation in devices, such as medical devices and other electronic devices. In various embodiments, a computer-implemented method includes dispensing, by a pump controlled by a controller, a fluid from a fluid supply in a pulse mode over a period by determining a pulse volume for a pulse, determining a pulse cycle time, and for the period: controlling the position of the pump to perform a delay and perform a pulse to dispense an amount of the fluid, the pulse performed for the pulse cycle time, calculating an overshoot or undershoot of the amount of the fluid dispensed relative to the pulse volume, adjusting the pulse cycle time based on the calculated overshoot or undershoot, and repeating the dispensing until the period has elapsed.

Core Innovation

The invention describes a pump that dispenses fluid in pulse mode over a period comprising multiple pulses. It determines a pulse volume and pulse cycle time, calculates overshoot or undershoot relative to the pulse volume, and adjusts the cycle time for a subsequent pulse. Encoder position is also compared with a target position to control the voltage level of a subsequent pulse.

The background section is not present in the supplied partial content, so its account of the problem is not explicitly described in patent. The supplied description identifies overshoot or undershoot in the amount dispensed relative to the pulse volume, and encoder-position error relative to a target position, as conditions addressed by the control. It also describes PID and PWM-based voltage adjustment in dependent claims.

Claims Coverage

The two independent claims are claim 1, a computer-implemented method for performing an infusion treatment, and claim 11, an infusion pump apparatus. They contain four inventive features, covering pulse-cycle adjustment and encoder-based voltage control in both the method and apparatus.

The independent claims cover both a computer-implemented infusion method and an infusion pump apparatus. Both combine pulse-cycle adjustment based on overshoot or undershoot with encoder-position-based control of pulse voltage. Dependent claims further describe an IV bag, PID and PWM voltage adjustment, voltage limits, and conditions for entering pulse mode.

Stated Advantages

Documented Applications