Method for calibrating a sensor within an enclosure; sensor, disposable, and treatment device including a like sensor

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9310232-B2
Application number	US-91883709-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 24, 2009
Priority date	Feb 25, 2008
Publication date	Apr 12, 2016
Grant date	Apr 12, 2016

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for calibrating sensors, in particular RFID sensors, within an enclosure such as, e.g., a sterilization chamber. It furthermore relates to a sensor calibrated by the method of the invention, a disposable device including such a sensor, as well as a treatment device.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method for calibrating at least one sensor, said at least one sensor comprising a memory means for storing at least one value of at least one calibration parameter, the method comprising:
placing the at least one sensor inside an enclosure wherein a known value of said at least one calibration parameter prevails at least at one point of time; and
storing at least one value of at least one calibration parameter prevailing inside the enclosure in the memory means at least at one point of time during a sterilization process;
wherein the enclosure is a sterilization chamber.

2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one calibration parameter is a pressure, a temperature, a concentration, or a conductivity.

3. The method according to claim 2 , further comprising:
storing a time period in the memory means.

4. The method according to claim 3 , further comprising:
determining a completion of the sterilization process based on the stored time period.

5. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising:
storing a time period in the memory means.

6. The method according to claim 3 , further comprising:
determining a completion of the sterilization process based on the stored time period.

7. The method according to claim 1 , wherein a plurality of sensors is jointly placed in the enclosure.

8. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one sensor is placed inside the enclosure while being coupled to a disposable device.

9. A sensor calibrated by the method according to claim 1 .

10. A disposable device comprising at least one sensor according to claim 9 .

11. A treatment device comprising at least one disposable device according to claim 10 .

12. A dialysis apparatus comprising at least one disposable device according to claim 10 .

13. A treatment device comprising at least one sensor according to claim 9 .

14. The treatment device according to claim 13 further comprising at least one disposable device.

15. A dialysis apparatus comprising at least one sensor according to claim 9 .

16. The dialysis apparatus according to claim 15 further comprising at least one disposable device.

17. The dialysis apparatus according to claim 16 , wherein the at least one calibration parameter is a pressure, a temperature, a concentration, or a conductivity.

18. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one sensor is a RFID sensor.

19. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one calibration parameter is a physical, chemical, or biological parameter.

20. The method according to claim 1 , wherein a batch of sensors is jointly placed in the enclosure.

21. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising:
coupling the at least one sensor to a disposable device before placing the at least one sensor inside the enclosure.

22. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising:
conveying the at least one sensor on a conveyor belt before placing the at least one sensor inside the enclosure.

23. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising:
performing at least one of:
a functional test to confirm whether the at least one sensor correctly transmits its identification when contacted by a radio; or
a plausibility test to confirm whether the at least one sensor correctly indicates an ambient temperature and an ambient pressure prevailing at one point of time before placing the at least one sensor inside the enclosure.

24. The method according to claim 23 , wherein if the at least one sensor fails the at least one functional test or plausibility test, the at least one sensor is discarded.

25. The method according to claim 23 , wherein if the at least one sensor passes the at least one functional test or plausibility test, the at least one sensor is transported further on the conveyor belt into the enclosure.

Assignees

• Heide Alexander
• Metzner Klaus
• Fresenius Medical Care De Gmbh

Inventors

• Heide Alexander
• Metzner Klaus

Classifications

• A61M2209/02

  Equipment for testing the apparatus · CPC title

• A61M2205/70

  with testing or calibration facilities · CPC title

• A61M1/367

  Circuit parts not covered by the preceding subgroups of group A61M1/3621 · CPC title

• A61M2205/3569

  sublocal, e.g. between console and disposable · CPC title

• A61M2205/3592

  using telemetric means, e.g. radio or optical transmission · CPC title