Property detection for fluid in cartridge

Abstract

To disclose methods and devices for detecting a property of a fluid inside a cartridge.SOLUTION: An electronic reader can be configured to electrically connect to a cartridge and detect a property of a fluid in-line. The electronic reader can measure a voltage of the fluid inside the cartridge to determine an impedance of the fluid at a first time point. The electronic reader can use the determined impedance of the fluid and an impedance of a calibration resistor to obtain a first impedance ratio at the first time point. The electronic reader can then compare the first impedance ratio with a second impedance ratio determined at a second time point to evaluate whether the fluid inside the cartridge is still effective for its intended purpose.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present application relates to devices and methods for detecting properties of a fluid within a cartridge.

[0002] CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS This application claims the benefit of priority to U.S. patent application Ser. No. 18 / 221,782, entitled "PROPERTY DETECTION FOR FLUID IN CARTRIDGE," filed July 13, 2023, the disclosure of which is incorporated by reference in its entirety and for all purposes. [Background technology]

[0003] Various types of medical devices may contain fluids stored within a cavity of the device. Such fluids may have a shelf life during which the fluid is no longer effective for its intended purpose. Also, one or more properties of the fluid within the cartridge may change over time. It may be difficult and / or inconvenient to access and test the properties of the fluid within the cavity of the device. Thus, there remains a need for devices and methods for detecting properties of fluids stored within a medical device. Summary of the Invention [Means for solving the problem]

[0004] The present disclosure generally relates to devices and methods for detecting a characteristic of a fluid within a cartridge. One aspect of the present disclosure includes a system for detecting a characteristic of a fluid. The system includes a cartridge and an electronic reader. The cartridge includes a fluidic channel, the fluidic channel comprising at least two electrodes disposed along the fluidic channel of the cartridge. The electronic reader is configured to electrically connect to the cartridge, the electronic reader comprising a calibration resistor and an impedance processing circuit. The impedance processing circuit is configured to determine a first impedance of a fluid within the fluidic channel of the cartridge, determine a second impedance of the calibration resistor within the electronic reader, determine at least a first impedance ratio based at least in part on the first impedance and the second impedance, and determine a characteristic of the fluid based at least in part on the first impedance ratio.

[0005] In a variation of the above embodiment, the electronic reader is configured to determine a first impedance based at least in part on a first voltage of the fluid measured between at least two electrodes of the cartridge, and to determine a second impedance based at least in part on a second voltage measured between two points on the calibration resistor.

[0006] In a variation of the above aspect, the electronic reader is configured to apply an input voltage between at least two electrodes of the cartridge when fluid is between the two electrodes in the fluid channel and measure a first voltage between the two electrodes.

[0007] In a variation of the above embodiment, the impedance processing circuit is configured to compare a first impedance ratio to a second impedance ratio to determine a characteristic of the fluid, the first impedance ratio being determined at least in part based on measurements taken at a first time point and the second impedance ratio being determined at least in part based on measurements taken at a second time point.

[0008] In a variation of the above aspect, the electronic reader further comprises a memory for storing at least the first impedance ratio and the second impedance, and the electronic reader is configured to determine the second impedance ratio based at least in part on the stored second impedance.

[0009] In a variation of the above embodiment, the impedance processing circuit is configured to determine that the fluid has expired when a difference percentage between the first impedance ratio and the second impedance ratio is greater than a predetermined percentage.

[0010] In a variation of the above aspect, the impedance processing circuit is configured to output a notification indicative of the determined characteristic of the fluid.

[0011] Another aspect of the present disclosure includes a method of detecting a characteristic of a fluid within a cartridge using an electronic reader, the method including electrically connecting the electronic reader to the cartridge, determining a first impedance of a fluid in a fluid channel of the cartridge at a first time, determining a second impedance of a calibration resistor in the electronic reader at the first time, determining at least a first impedance ratio based at least in part on the first impedance and the second impedance, and determining a characteristic of the fluid based at least in part on the first impedance ratio.

[0012] A variation of the above embodiment further includes that determining the first impedance includes measuring a first voltage between two points along a fluid channel of the cartridge containing the fluid at a first time, and determining the second impedance includes measuring a second voltage between two points on a calibration resistor at the first time.

[0013] A variation of the above embodiment further includes determining a third impedance between two points along a fluid channel of the cartridge containing the fluid at a second time, determining a second ratio based at least in part on the third impedance, and comparing the first impedance ratio and the second impedance ratio to determine a characteristic of the fluid within the cartridge.

[0014] In a variation of the above embodiment, measuring a first voltage between two points along a fluid channel includes applying an input voltage between two points along a fluid channel of a cartridge containing the fluid.

[0015] In a variation of the above embodiment, measuring the second voltage includes applying the same input voltage between two points on the calibration resistor.

[0016] In a variation of the above embodiment, determining the characteristic of the fluid includes determining that the fluid has expired if a difference percentage between the first impedance ratio and the second impedance ratio is greater than a predetermined percentage.

[0017] A variation of the above aspect further includes outputting a notification indicative of the determined characteristic of the fluid.

[0018] Another aspect of the disclosure includes an electronic reader for detecting a characteristic of a fluid inside a cartridge. The electronic reader includes at least two electrodes disposed along a fluid channel of the cartridge, a calibration resistor, and traces configured to connect to an impedance processing circuit. The impedance processing circuit is configured to determine a first impedance of the fluid between the at least two electrodes of the cartridge at a first time point, determine a second impedance between two points on the calibration resistor at the first time point, determine a first impedance ratio based at least in part on the first impedance and the second impedance, determine a third impedance of the fluid between the at least two electrodes of the cartridge at a second time point, and determine a second impedance ratio based at least in part on the third impedance. The characteristic of the fluid is based at least in part on the first impedance ratio and the second impedance ratio.

[0019] In a variation of the above embodiment, the impedance processing circuit is configured to determine a first impedance based at least in part on a first voltage measured between two points on the calibration resistor at a first time point, determine a second impedance based at least in part on a second voltage measured between two points on the calibration resistor at the first time point, and determine a third impedance based at least in part on a third voltage measured between two points on the calibration resistor at the first time point at the second time point.

[0020] In a variation of the above embodiment, the electronic reader is configured to apply an input voltage between at least two electrodes of the cartridge when fluid is between the two electrodes in the fluid channel and measure an output voltage between the two electrodes.

[0021] In a variation of the above embodiment, the impedance processing circuit is configured to compare the first impedance ratio to the second impedance ratio to determine a property of the fluid.

[0022] In a variation of the above embodiment, the impedance processing circuit is configured to determine that the fluid is expired with respect to its intended purpose if the difference percentage between the first impedance ratio and the second impedance ratio is greater than a predetermined percentage.

[0023] In a variation of the above aspect, the impedance processing circuit is configured to output a notification indicative of the determined characteristic of the fluid. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0024] The present disclosure will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which like reference characters refer to like elements.

[0025] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 illustrates an internal view of an electronic reader connected to a cartridge according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0026] Generally described, one or more aspects of the present disclosure relate to devices and methods for in-line detection of one or more properties of a fluid inside a cartridge. One or more properties of a solution stored inside a cartridge may change over time. However, it may be difficult to access and test the solution without releasing it from the cartridge. In certain embodiments, the present disclosure relates to devices and methods for detecting properties of a calibration solution inside a cartridge used to calibrate a sensor of the cartridge. In certain embodiments, the devices and methods disclosed herein relate to detecting properties of one or more solutions inside a cartridge. Many cartridges used to obtain measurements in medical environments include a calibration solution inside the cartridge for calibrating a sensor in the cartridge. For example, the cartridge may include a sensor configured to measure properties of a sample fluid. To ensure that the sensor is still accurate, the sensor can be calibrated between uses by storing a calibration fluid in the cartridge to provide consistent data points for comparison. A calibration fluid can be provided to the sensor during a calibration mode, and the sensor can measure and set the properties of the calibration fluid as its baseline. However, over time, one or more qualities of the calibration solutions may change, for example due to exposure to light or external leaching, which may affect the accuracy of the cartridge's measurements.

[0027] Various methods of detecting properties of a solution within a cartridge disclosed herein can include comparing a metric of the solution to a metric obtained from a material that does not change substantially over time. In certain embodiments, the method can include comparing the measured impedance of the solution to the measured impedance of a resistor. In some embodiments, the method can also include testing and comparing metrics determined at different times to determine changes in the properties of the solution within the cartridge.

[0028] Other aspects of the present disclosure include detecting properties of a solution inside a cartridge in-line using an electronic reader to determine the impedance of the solution and determine the properties of the solution. FIG. 1 shows an embodiment of an electronic reader 200 disclosed herein electrically connected to a cartridge 100, for example, through traces or terminals of the reader 200. According to various embodiments, the cartridge 100 can include a fluidic channel 110 having at least two electrodes 111 and 112 disposed along the fluidic channel 110. A medium between the two electrodes 111 and 112 can have an impedance Z.

[0029] In some embodiments, the cartridge 100 can also include a calibration fluid reservoir 102 that contains a calibration fluid. In some embodiments, the calibration fluid in the calibration fluid reservoir 102 can be provided to the fluidic channel 110 to, for example, flush the sample fluid from the channel 110. In some embodiments, the calibration fluid reservoir 102 can include a valve 104 configured to control the flow of the calibration fluid. For example, a sample fluid (e.g., blood) can be provided to the fluidic channel 110 through the electrodes 111 and 112 and measured across the electrodes 111 and 112. After the sample fluid is tested, the calibration fluid can be transported along the fluidic channel 110 when the valve 104 is opened to flush the fluidic channel 110 for a subsequent measurement. In some embodiments, the calibration fluid can also be transported to the fluidic channel 110 before or after the measurement of the sample fluid to calibrate the electrodes 111 and 112, as described above.

[0030] In various embodiments, the electronic reader 200 includes an impedance processing circuit 220 and a known resistance, R calThe impedance processing circuit 220 may include a calibration resistor 210 having a capacitance of 1.0 μm. In some embodiments, the impedance processing circuit 220 may be configured to electrically connect to the calibration resistor 210, for example, through traces. In some embodiments, the impedance processing circuit 220 may be electrically connected to two ends of the resistor 210 to form a closed circuit. In some embodiments, the impedance processing circuit 220 may also be configured to electrically connect to an external device, for example, the cartridge 100. In some embodiments, the impedance processing circuit 220 may be removably connected to the cartridge 100, mechanically and / or electrically, at a removable connection point 222. As shown in FIG. 1, the impedance processing circuit 220 may be electrically connected to the two electrodes 111 and 112 of the cartridge 100 to form a closed circuit through the fluid to be tested between the two electrodes 111 and 112.

[0031] In various embodiments, the impedance processing circuit 220 may be configured to determine the impedance between two terminals electrically connected to the impedance processing circuit 220. In some embodiments, the impedance processing circuit 220 may be configured to determine the impedance by measuring a voltage between two points electrically connected to the impedance processing circuit 220. For example, the impedance processing circuit 220 may be configured to determine the impedance between a fluid between two electrodes 111 and 112 of the cartridge 100 by measuring a voltage between the two electrodes 111 and 112, or to determine the impedance of the calibration resistor 210 by measuring a voltage between two points on the calibration resistor 210. In some embodiments, the impedance processing circuit 220 may be configured to measure an output voltage between two points by applying an input voltage across the two terminals to cause a current to flow. Various methods may be used to determine the impedance, for example, in-phase / quadrature (I / Q) demodulation techniques. As an example, the following method is provided.

[0032] In some embodiments, the impedance processing circuit 220 is electrically connected to the electrodes 111 and 112 to form a closed circuit, and applies a voltage V in Similarly, the impedance processing circuit 220 is electrically connected to the calibration resistor 210 and configured to apply the same voltage V in or any other desired voltage. In some embodiments, the impedance processing circuit 220 adjusts V by generating a programmable digital / analog voltage. in , or can be configured to generate any desired voltage. In some embodiments, the impedance processing circuit 220 applies the same voltage V to the fluid between the two electrodes 111 and 112 and to the calibration resistor 210. in can be applied.

[0033] In various embodiments, the impedance processing circuit 220 may also be configured to measure an output voltage between two points to which an input voltage is applied by the impedance processing circuit 220. In some embodiments, the input voltage may be an alternating voltage. In some embodiments, the impedance processing circuit 220 may then be configured to determine the impedance based on at least the output voltage measured between the two points to which the voltage is applied. In some embodiments, the impedance processing circuit 220 may include an analog-to-digital converter ("ADC") configured to measure the measured voltage and convert it to a digital signal for processing. For example, the impedance processing circuit 220 may measure the voltage V of the fluid between the two electrodes 111 and 112. Zunk and the voltage V of the calibration resistor 210. RCAL In some embodiments, the impedance processing circuit 220 can also include a digital Fourier transform ("DFT") engine to convert the ADC readings into a form having a magnitude and phase.

[0034] In some embodiments, the same voltage V is applied to the fluid between the two electrodes 111 and 112 and the calibration resistor 210. in When is applied, cartridge 100Z UNK The unknown impedance of the fluid in can be calculated using the following equation:

[0035]

number

[0036] Advantageously, the impedance processing circuit 220 may be configured to calculate an impedance ratio based at least in part on the measured voltage of the fluid between the two electrodes 111 and 112. In some embodiments, the impedance ratio is calculated based on the Z UNK and the impedance Z between the two points of the calibration resistor 210 RCAL and the ratio may be between

[0037]

number

[0038] Managed by.

[0039] In other embodiments, the impedance ratio may also be determined without converting the measured voltage into an impedance value, and instead may be determined directly from the measured voltage of the fluid between the two electrodes 111 and 112 and the measured voltage between the two points of the calibration resistor 210.

[0040] Other aspects of the disclosure include using the electronic reader 200 to determine the impedance ratio as described above at two or more different time points to determine one or more properties of the fluid between the two electrodes 111 and 112 of the cartridge 100. In some embodiments, the one or more properties of the fluid that are determined can include a percentage change in the concentration of a particular substance in the fluid. In some embodiments, the one or more properties of the fluid that are determined can include a degree of change in a particular quality or quantity of the fluid. In some embodiments, the one or more properties of the fluid that are determined can include whether the fluid is still effective for its intended purpose, e.g., as a calibration fluid to calibrate a sensor. In some embodiments, the one or more properties of the fluid that are determined can be used to monitor how much the fluid properties of the calibration fluid have changed over time to ensure that the calibration fluid is still suitable for use, e.g., that the calibration fluid has not exceeded its useful life or expired.

[0041] In certain embodiments, for example, a shift from a first impedance ratio N0 at a first time t0 to a second impedance ratio N1 at a second time t1 may represent a change in concentration of a substance in the calibration fluid. In some embodiments, the percentage of change may be predetermined for a particular type of calibration fluid and recorded in a memory of the impedance processing circuit 220 of the electronic reader 200, for example, within a range of 0.5% to 20%, within a range of 1% to 10%, or within a range of 0.2% to 30%. When the impedance processing circuit 220 detects an impedance ratio greater than a predetermined percentage of change,

number

[0042] In some embodiments, based at least in part on the impedance ratio, the impedance processing circuit 220 may cause an indicator to be displayed on the electronic reader 200 indicating whether the fluid in the cartridge 100 is still suitable for use as a calibration fluid. In some embodiments, based at least in part on the impedance ratio, the impedance processing circuit 220 may cause the electronic reader 200 to display the degree of change in a particular quality or quantity of the fluid. In some embodiments, based at least in part on the impedance ratio, the impedance processing circuit 220 may cause the electronic reader 200 to display the percentage of change in the concentration of a particular substance in the fluid. In other embodiments, based at least in part on the impedance ratio, the impedance processing circuit 220 may send a notification or alarm to an external device through wired or wireless communication indicating the characteristics of the fluid in the cartridge 100 determined as described above.

[0043] In some embodiments, the first time t0 for testing the fluid in the cartridge 100 with the electronic reader 200 can be when the fluid in the cartridge 100 is known to be valid, for example, immediately after manufacturing the cartridge 100, before the cartridge 100 is placed in storage, or immediately after the cartridge 100 is withdrawn from storage. In some embodiments, the second time t1 for testing the fluid in the cartridge 100 with the electronic reader 200 can be a predetermined period of time after the first time t0 to periodically check whether the cartridge 100 can still be accurately calibrated. In some embodiments, the second time t1 can be when the cartridge 100 is used by a user of the cartridge 100 to check whether the cartridge 100 can still be accurately calibrated for use.

[0044] In some embodiments, the electronic reader Z RCAL The impedance of the electronic reader Z RCALThe impedance processing circuit 220 of the durable reader 200 may store a predetermined value or a series of predetermined values ​​corresponding to a series of voltages so that the impedance ratio can be determined without calculating the impedance of the electronic reader Z. RCAL The impedance of the electronic reader Z can be tested and recorded in the memory of the impedance processing circuit 220, so that the impedance processing circuit 220 RCAL Without redetermining the new impedance of the electronic reader Z RCAL The recorded impedances can be used to determine the impedance ratio.

[0045] The foregoing disclosure is not intended to limit the disclosure to the precise form or particular field of use disclosed. As such, various alternative embodiments and / or modifications to the disclosure, whether expressly described or implied herein, are contemplated in light of the disclosure. Thus, having described embodiments of the disclosure, those skilled in the art will recognize that changes can be made in form and detail without departing from the scope of the disclosure. Thus, the disclosure is limited only by the scope of the claims.

[0046] In the foregoing specification, the present disclosure has been described with reference to certain embodiments. However, as those skilled in the art will appreciate, the various embodiments disclosed herein can be modified or otherwise implemented in various other ways without departing from the spirit and scope of the present disclosure. Thus, this specification is to be regarded as illustrative and is intended to teach those skilled in the art how to make and use various embodiments of the disclosed method and device for detecting the characteristics of a fluid in a cartridge. It should be understood that the forms of the disclosure shown and described herein should be taken as representative embodiments. Equivalent elements, materials, processes, or steps may be substituted for those typically illustrated and described herein. Moreover, certain features of the present disclosure may be utilized independently of the use of other features, all of which would be apparent to one skilled in the art after having the benefit of this specification of the present disclosure. The terms "including," "comprising," "including," "comsing of," "having," and the like, used to describe and claim the present disclosure, are intended to be interpreted in a non-exclusive manner, i.e., allowing for items, components, or elements not expressly described to also be present. References to the singular are also to be construed as relating to the plural.

[0047] Furthermore, the various embodiments disclosed herein should be taken in an illustrative and descriptive sense and should not be construed as limiting the present disclosure in any way. Additionally, all numerical terms, such as "first", "second", "third", "primary", "secondary", "main", or any other conventional and / or numerical terms, should also be taken only as identifiers to aid the reader's understanding of the various elements, embodiments, variations and / or modifications of the present disclosure, and in particular cannot create any limitations with respect to the order or preference of any element, embodiment, variation and / or modification relative to or over another element, embodiment, variation and / or modification.

[0048] It will also be understood that one or more of the elements depicted in the drawings / figures may be implemented in a more separated or integrated manner as may be useful according to a particular application, or may in certain cases be removed or rendered inoperative. [Explanation of symbols]

[0049] 100 cartridges 102 Calibration fluid reservoir 104 Valve 110 Fluid Channel 111 Electrode 112 Electrode 200 Electronic Reader 200 Leader 210 Calibration Resistor 220 Impedance Processing Circuit 222 Connection points

Claims

1. 1. A system for detecting a property of a fluid, comprising: a cartridge comprising a fluid channel, the fluid channel comprising at least two electrodes disposed along the fluid channel of the cartridge; an electronic reader configured to electrically connect to the cartridge, A calibration resistor; An impedance processing circuit, comprising: determining a first impedance of the fluid in the fluid channel of the cartridge; determining a second impedance of the calibration resistor in the electronic reader; determining at least a first impedance ratio based at least in part on the first impedance and the second impedance; and an impedance processing circuit configured to determine the characteristic of the fluid based at least in part on the first impedance ratio; an electronic reader comprising: A system comprising:

2. The electronic reader, determining the first impedance based at least in part on a first voltage of the fluid measured between the at least two electrodes of the cartridge; and and determining the second impedance based at least in part on a second voltage measured between two points on the calibration resistor. The system of claim 1 .

3. 2. The system of claim 1, wherein the electronic reader is configured to apply an input voltage between the at least two electrodes of the cartridge when the fluid is between the two electrodes in the fluid channel and measure the first voltage between the two electrodes.

4. 2. The system of claim 1, wherein the impedance processing circuit is configured to compare the first impedance ratio to a second impedance ratio to determine the characteristic of the fluid, the first impedance ratio being determined at least in part based on measurements taken at a first time point and the second impedance ratio being determined at least in part based on measurements taken at a second time point.

5. 5. The system of claim 4, wherein the electronic reader further comprises a memory for storing at least the first impedance ratio and the second impedance, and wherein the electronic reader is configured to determine the second impedance ratio based at least in part on the stored second impedance.

6. 5. The system of claim 4, wherein the impedance processing circuit is configured to determine that the fluid has expired if a difference percentage between the first impedance ratio and the second impedance ratio is greater than a predetermined percentage.

7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the impedance processing circuit is configured to output a notification indicative of the determined characteristic of the fluid.

8. 1. A method for detecting a characteristic of a fluid within a cartridge using an electronic reader, comprising: electrically connecting the electronic reader to the cartridge; determining a first impedance of a fluid in a fluid channel of the cartridge at a first time; determining a second impedance of a calibration resistor in the electronic reader at the first time; determining at least a first impedance ratio based at least in part on the first impedance and the second impedance; determining the characteristic of the fluid based at least in part on the first impedance ratio; and A method comprising:

9. determining the first impedance includes measuring a first voltage between two points along the fluid channel of the cartridge containing the fluid at the first time; determining the second impedance includes measuring a second voltage between two points on the calibration resistor at the first time. The method of claim 8 further comprising:

10. determining a third impedance between the two points in time along the fluid channel of the cartridge containing the fluid at a second point in time; determining a second ratio based at least in part on the third impedance; and comparing the first impedance ratio and the second impedance ratio to determine the characteristic of the fluid within the cartridge; The method of claim 8 further comprising:

11. 10. The method of claim 9, wherein measuring the first voltage between the two points along the fluid comprises applying an input voltage between the two points along the fluid channel of the cartridge containing the fluid.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein measuring a second voltage comprises applying the same input voltage between the two points on the calibration resistor.

13. 9. The method of claim 8, wherein determining the characteristic of the fluid comprises determining that the fluid is expired if a difference percentage between the first impedance ratio and the second impedance ratio is greater than a predetermined percentage.

14. The method of claim 8 , further comprising outputting a notification indicative of the determined characteristic of the fluid.

15. 1. An electronic reader for detecting a characteristic of a fluid within a cartridge, said electronic reader comprising: traces configured to connect to at least two electrodes disposed along a fluid channel of the cartridge; A calibration resistor; An impedance processing circuit, comprising: determining a first impedance of the fluid between the at least two electrodes of the cartridge at a first time; determining a second impedance between two points on the calibration resistor at the first time; determining a first impedance ratio based at least in part on the first impedance and the second impedance; determining a third impedance of the fluid between the at least two electrodes of the cartridge at a second time; determining a second impedance ratio based at least in part on the third impedance; An impedance processing circuit configured as above; Equipped with The characteristic of the fluid is based at least in part on the first impedance ratio and the second impedance ratio.

16. 16. The electronic reader of claim 15, wherein the impedance processing circuit is configured to determine the first impedance based at least in part on a first voltage measured between two points on the calibration resistor at the first time, determine the second impedance based at least in part on a second voltage measured between two points on the calibration resistor at the first time, and determine the third impedance based at least in part on a third voltage measured between two points on the calibration resistor at the first time at the second time.

17. 16. The electronic reader of claim 15, wherein the electronic reader is configured to apply an input voltage between the at least two electrodes of the cartridge when the fluid is between the two electrodes in the fluid channel and measure an output voltage between the two electrodes.

18. 16. The electronic reader of claim 15, wherein the impedance processing circuit is configured to compare the first impedance ratio to a second impedance ratio to determine the characteristic of the fluid.

19. 20. The electronic reader of claim 18, wherein the impedance processing circuit is configured to determine that the fluid is expired for its intended purpose if a difference percentage between the first impedance ratio and the second impedance ratio is greater than a predetermined percentage.

20. 20. The electronic reader of claim 18, wherein the impedance processing circuit is configured to output a notification indicative of the determined characteristic of the fluid.

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