Abstract: A medical fluid machine having a solenoid control system with temperature compensation includes an electromechanical solenoid including an armature and a coil, a voltage source, a switching device configured to selectively apply power from the voltage source to the solenoid coil, and a control element connected electrically to the switching device and operable to receive at least one signal indicative of a resistance of the coil and using the signal to control the switching device to selectively apply power from the voltage source to the solenoid coil.

Abstract: A fuel-cell powered medical fluid processing machine or dialysis machine is disclosed. The machine is intended for remote or rural areas where standard household or utility power is not available or is subject to interruption. The fuel cell is powered by hydrogen or other source of protons, or may instead be powered by methanol or ethanol, such as a direct methanol fuel cell. The fuel cell may be operated directly, as in powering a portable, wearable dialysis device, or may be operated indirectly, to generate and store power in an electric power storage device of the medical fluid or dialysis device. The medical fluid processing machine or dialysis machine may include circuitry allowing for use by household or utility power while also including a fuel cell for use when other power is not available. A catalytic heater may be used to warm the dialysis fluid.

Abstract: A dialysis machine includes a control unit having a user interface; a heater(s) located separate from the control unit; a supervisory processor located with the control unit; a delegate control processor located with the heater(s), the delegate control processor in communication with the supervisory processor and configured to receive load cell, heater(s) plate and supply bag temperature sensor inputs; and a sub-delegate heater(s) processor in communication with the control processor and configured to control power to the heater(s). The machine can also include primary and secondary monitoring processors that perform a safety check to the control processing and monitor the load cell.

Abstract: The patent discloses a method of verifying that a dialysis machine audio alarm has been sounded. The method senses a waveform of electric power, such as a waveform of the current or voltage that drives a speaker. When the speaker produces sound, power consumption changes the waveform in a manner that is detectable by electrical and electronic sensors. The amplitude envelope and frequency or period of the waveform is specific to the electrical and mechanical characteristics of the speaker. The waveform may be detected by a current-sensing resistor in series with the speaker power source, by a non-contact current transformer or hall-effect sensor, or may be sampled by an ADC. A computer program then compares this resulting signal to an expected signal or waveform and verify the speaker is working. If the speaker is not working, the machine sends a visual alarm or places itself in a safe state.

Abstract: A medical fluid machine having a solenoid control system with temperature compensation includes an electromechanical solenoid including an armature and a coil, a voltage source, a switching device configured to selectively apply power from the voltage source to the solenoid coil, and a control element connected electrically to the switching device and operable to receive at least one signal indicative of a resistance of the coil and using the signal to control the switching device to selectively apply power from the voltage source to the solenoid coil.

Abstract: An electromechanical solenoid control system with reduced hold current includes an electromechanical solenoid including an armature and a coil; a voltage source; a resistor placed in an electrical line between the voltage source and the solenoid coil; a switching device configured to selectively apply power from the voltage source to the solenoid coil; and a control element connected electrically to the switching device, the control element operable to receive a signal from the electrical line and use the signal to control the switching device to selectively apply power from the voltage source to the solenoid coil.

Abstract: A dialysis machine having a multiple line voltage heater includes first and second heater elements, first and second switching devices connected electrically to the first and second heating elements, first and second power lines, and a control element configured to provide a first switching device state in which power at a first voltage is supplied via the first and second power lines to both first and second heater elements via both first and second switching devices and a second switching device state in which power at a second voltage is supplied via the first and second power lines to the first heater element only via the first switching device.

Abstract: A medical machine includes: an enclosure defining an opening, at least a portion of the enclosure being electrically conductive and acting as a first capacitor plate; a medical device component located inside the enclosure; a window placed adjacent to the opening; a video display with an at least partially conductive case acting as a second capacitor plate; and a dielectric member placed between the first and second capacitor plates, the plates and dielectric member forming a capacitor configured to prevent leakage of electromagnetic energy from the enclosure.

Abstract: A medical fluid machine includes an enclosure; a disposable unit accepted by the enclosure, the disposable unit including a conduit through which a medical fluid can flow, the conduit including a viewing portion; a light source configured and arranged to emit light onto the viewing portion of the conduit; a camera focused on the viewing portion of the conduit; and a processor configured to determine a speed of a particle entrained in the medical fluid based on at least two images of the particle in the viewing area taken by the camera.

Abstract: A medical fluid machine includes: an enclosure; at least one medical fluid delivery component located inside the enclosure, the component capable of being powered by an external power source or a back-up battery; a transistor in electrical communication with the battery; and a regulator configured to: (i) receive as feedback a supply voltage; and (ii) vary a gate voltage at the transistor to maintain the supply voltage at least substantially at a desired level.

Abstract: A medical therapy machine includes: an enclosure; a medical therapy machine component located inside the enclosure; a video monitor supported by the enclosure and displaying at least one of information and indicia relating to the medical therapy; an ambient light sensor positioned with respect to the enclosure so as to be able to sense a level of ambient light impinging the enclosure; and a logic implementor configured to control a level of backlight brightness for the video monitor based on the level of ambient light sensed by the sensor.

Abstract: An apparatus, a system and a method for venting a gas from a liquid delivery system are provided. A venting tube may be provided and may be positioned within a chamber that contains the liquid. The liquid may have a top surface within the chamber. The venting tube may have an opening covered by a liquiphobic membrane or a hydrophobic membrane. The membrane may define a plane or a surface which is not parallel to the top surface of the liquid. Gas may pass through a portion of the membrane into the venting tube. Moreover, the membrane may vent the gas. The membrane is non-parallel to the liquid, and, as a result, the membrane may be less prone to clogging.

Abstract: An apparatus, a system and a method for venting a gas from a liquid delivery system are provided. A venting tube may be provided and may be positioned within a chamber that contains the liquid. The liquid may have a top surface within the chamber. The venting tube may have an opening covered by a liquiphobic membrane or a hydrophobic membrane. The membrane may define a plane or a surface which is not parallel to the top surface of the liquid. Gas may pass through a portion of the membrane into the venting tube. Moreover, the membrane may vent the gas. The membrane is non-parallel to the liquid, and, as a result, the membrane may be less prone to clogging.

Abstract: An improvement to a half duplex multipoint communication environment wherein a pilot tone enables a control modem to maintain synchronization with a plurality of remote modems. By employing a VCXO in a remote modem, a low jitter timing pulse is generated thus allowing a control modem to maintain synchronization with a plurality of remote modems.

Abstract: A circuit card is interfaced to a powered electrical bus by applying power to the circuit card before it interfaces to the electrical bus or by removing power from the circuit card after it has been removed from the bus. This is accomplished using a power cord that connects the equipment's power supply to a mating connector on the card to be inserted or removed. Attaching the power cord to the mating connector of the card disables the output drivers that provide output signals to the equipment's communication bus and places the card in a reset state. This prevents introducing error signals onto the communication bus. Additionally, the contacts on the edge connector are sequenced to prevent applying power to the circuit card before a ground is available. Additionally, the power cord and circuit card are keyed to prevent improper insertion and the power card includes an inductor to provide surge protection.

Abstract: A "Personal Computer Memory Card International Association" (PCMCIA) peripheral, e.g., a modem, incorporates a shared memory interface to a personal computer. This shared memory interface provides the capability to easily program the PCMCIA peripheral either in the factory or in the field. In addition, the shared memory interface removes the requirement of having a resident "boot-up" code in the PCMCIA peripheral. Finally, the shared memory interface provides the capability to transfer user data from the personal computer, i.e., data terminal, to the PCMCIA modem at a higher data transfer rate than is currently available via the modem's universal asynchronous receive/transmit (UART) integrated circuit.