Infusion Pump System and Methods

Abstract

Some embodiments of an infusion pump system can provide an alarm and user instructions in response to an ambient air pressure change or ambient air temperature that exceeds an alarm limit parameter. In some circumstances, the infusion pump system can be configured to monitor the actual ambient air pressure and temperature around the infusion pump system.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A medical infusion pump system, comprising:
 a portable pump housing that receives an insulin supply for dispensation to a user, the pump housing at least partially containing a pump drive system to dispense insulin from the insulin supply through a flow path to the user;   a controller that communicates with the pump drive system to dispense the insulin from the portable pump housing, the controller comprising a user interface display device; and   a pressure detection device that communicates with the controller,   wherein the controller, in response to a detected ambient air pressure level being less than a lower threshold value or greater than a higher threshold value, is configured to output an alarm and output a textual instruction via the user interface display indicative of maintaining the same insulin supply for subsequent dispensation.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the user instructions comprise instructions to prime or flush insulin from the flow path. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the user instructions comprise instructions to inspect for bubbles in the flow path. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to resume normal operation of the infusion pump system in response to a user input, and wherein the user input is received by the controller while the pressure detection device is detecting the ambient air pressure level less than the lower threshold value or greater than the higher threshold value. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the controller comprises a controller housing that removably attaches to the pump housing, the controller being electrically connected to the pump drive system when the controller housing is removably attached to the pump housing, wherein the controller is a reusable device while at least one of the pump housing and the pump drive system include a structure to prevent reuse of the pump housing and the pump drive system. 
     
     
         6 . A medical infusion pump system, comprising:
 a portable pump housing that receives insulin for dispensation to a user, the pump housing at least partially containing a pump drive system to dispense the insulin through a flow path to the user;   a controller that communicates with the pump drive system to dispense the insulin from the portable pump housing; and   a temperature detection device that communicates with the controller,   wherein the controller, in response to a detected temperature level being less than a lower threshold value or greater than a higher threshold value, is configured to output an alarm.   
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 6 , wherein the controller is further configured, in response to the detected temperature level being less than the lower threshold value or greater than the higher threshold value, to output user instructions for continuing operations of the infusion pump system. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 6 , wherein the controller is further configured, in response to a detected temperature level being less than a lower threshold value or greater than a higher threshold value, to output user instructions for continuing the operation of the infusion pump system using the same insulin supply and components of the infusion pump system. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein the user instructions comprise instructions to prime or flush insulin from the flow path. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein the user instructions comprise instructions to inspect for bubbles in the flow path. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 6 , wherein the controller is configured to resume normal operation of the infusion pump system in response to a user input, and wherein the user input is received by the controller while the temperature detection device is detecting the temperature level less than the lower threshold value or greater than the higher threshold value. 
     
     
         12 . A medical infusion pump system, comprising:
 a portable pump housing defining an opening that slidably receives a prefilled cartridge of insulin for dispensation to a user, the pump housing at least partially containing a pump drive system to dispense the insulin through a flow path to the user,   a controller that communicates with the pump drive system to dispense the insulin from the portable pump housing; and   a detection device that communicates with the controller, wherein the detection device is configured to detect an indicator on the prefilled cartridge of insulin that indicates whether the prefilled cartridge has sustained a particular temperature exposure level, and wherein the controller, in response to a detection of the indicator that the prefilled cartridge has sustained the particular temperature exposure level, is configured to output an alarm.   
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein the indicator comprises temperature sensitive ink. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein the detection device is an optical sensor. 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein the controller in response to a detection of the indicator that the prefilled cartridge has sustained the particular temperature exposure level, is further configured to cease dispensations of insulin until the prefilled cartridge that sustained the particular temperature exposure level is replaced. 
     
     
         16 . A method of operating an insulin infusion pump system, comprising:
 receiving, at a controller of an insulin infusion pump system, ambient air pressure information indicative of an ambient air pressure external of the insulin infusion pump system;   determining if the ambient air pressure information is less than a low limit threshold value or greater than a high limit threshold value, wherein the low and high limit threshold values are stored in the memory of the controller; and   in response to determining the ambient air pressure information is less than the low limit threshold value or greater than the high limit threshold value, outputting (i) an alarm and (ii) user instructions for continuing operations of the insulin infusion pump system without replacing an insulin supply and components of the infusion pump system.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , comprising clearing the alarm and resuming normal operation of the insulin infusion pump system in response to a user input, and wherein the user input is received by the controller while the ambient air pressure information is indicating that the ambient air pressure is less than the lower threshold value or greater than the higher threshold value. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the user instructions comprise instructions to prime or flush insulin from the insulin infusion pump system. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the user instructions comprise instructions to inspect for bubbles in the insulin infusion pump system. 
     
     
         20 . A method of operating an insulin infusion pump system, comprising:
 receiving, at a controller of an insulin infusion pump system, temperature information indicative of a temperature at the insulin infusion pump system;   determining, by the controller, if the temperature information is less than a low limit threshold value or greater than a high limit threshold value, wherein the low and high limit threshold values are stored in the memory of the controller; and   outputting, by the controller, an alarm in response to determining the temperature information is less than the low limit threshold value or greater than the high limit threshold value.   
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 20 , further comprising, in response to determining the temperature information is less than the low limit threshold value or greater than the high limit threshold value, outputting, by the controller, user instructions for continuing operations of the insulin infusion pump system without replacing insulin and components of the infusion pump system. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the user instructions comprise instructions to prime or flush insulin from the insulin infusion pump system. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the user instructions comprise instructions to inspect for bubbles in the insulin infusion pump system. 
     
     
         24 . A medical infusion pump system, comprising:
 a portable pump housing that receives a medicine supply for dispensation to a user, the pump housing at least partially containing a pump drive system to dispense medicine from the medicine supply through a flow path to the user;   a controller that communicates with the pump drive system to dispense the medicine from the portable pump housing; and   at least one of a pressure detection device and a temperature detection device configured to be coupled to the portable pump housing and to communicate with the controller.   
     
     
         25 . The system of  claim 24 , wherein the controller, in response to a detected ambient pressure change event or a temperature event, is configured to output an alarm and output a textual instruction via a user interface display.