Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 21
Claim 1
Independent Claim
101 words
A method of timing of blood withdrawal and examination system connected to a patient via a catheter, comprising the steps of: filling the system with at least one biologically inert fluid; calibrating the system; withdrawing blood, upon command, from the patient through the catheter into the system in fluid-to-fluid contact with the inert fluid; sensing the inert fluid/blood interface at a blood examination site; automatically and instantaneously discontinuing the withdrawal step when the sensing step occurs; applying pressure to the inert fluid to push substantially all of the blood out of the system through the catheter and back into the patient.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
101 words
A method of timing of blood withdrawal and examination system connected to a patient via a catheter, comprising the steps of: filling the system with at least one biologically inert fluid; calibrating the system; withdrawing blood, upon command, from the patient through the catheter into the system in fluid-to-fluid contact with the inert fluid; sensing the inert fluid/blood interface at a blood examination site; automatically and instantaneously discontinuing the withdrawal step when the sensing step occurs; applying pressure to the inert fluid to push substantially all of the blood out of the system through the catheter and back into the patient.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
34 words
The method of claim 1 wherein the withdrawing and applying steps comprise the step of confining the flow of inert fluid and blood to laminar flow in passageways of uniform cross-sectional area and configuration.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
25 words
The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of terminating the withdrawing step if the sensing step does not occur within a predetermined time.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
29 words
The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of examining at least one blood characteristic at the blood examination site and providing a visual display of the results.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
27 words
The method of claim 4 further comprising the step of initiating additional automated blood withdrawal and examination at other sites when said visually displayed results are abnormal.
Claim 7
Independent Claim
118 words
A method of minimizing Blood loss during blood withdrawal and blood testing, comprising the steps of: withdrawing blood, upon command, from a patient through a catheter into a blood withdrawal system; discharging only a predetermined quantity of blood from the withdrawal system into a blood testing system while maintaining a physical separation between the two systems; creating a fluid/blood interface in the blood testing system; displacing in unison fluid, blood and the interface into the blood testing system; sensing the fluid/blood interface at a blood testing site; automatically discontinuing the displacing step when the sensing step occurs; testing the blood at said site; applying pressure to the blood to discharge blood from the blood testing system to waste.
Claim 8
Independent Claim
118 words
A method of minimizing Blood loss during blood withdrawal and blood testing, comprising the steps of: withdrawing blood, upon command, from a patient through a catheter into a blood withdrawal system; discharging only a predetermined quantity of blood from the withdrawal system into a blood testing system while maintaining a physical separation between the two systems; creating a fluid/blood interface in the blood testing system; displacing in unison fluid, blood and the interface into the blood testing system; sensing the fluid/blood interface at a blood testing site; automatically discontinuing the displacing step when the sensing step occurs; testing the blood at said site; applying pressure to the blood to discharge blood from the blood testing system to waste.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
25 words
The method of claim 6 further comprising the step of terminating the displacing step if the sensing step does not occur within a predetermined time.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
26 words
The method of claim 6 further comprising the step of returning substantially all of the blood in the withdrawal system to the patient through the catheter.
Claim 11
Independent Claim
115 words
A method of calibrating a blood monitoring system comprising the steps of: providing at least one source of calibration fluid; displacing calibration fluid from the source through lines of the system to at least one blood monitoring site; causing a calibration measurement in respect to the calibration fluid to be made at said site; removing a quantity of blood from the patient through a catheter; creating an interface between the blood and the calibration fluid; simultaneously displacing the calibration fluid and the blood within lines of the system so as to distinctly maintain the interface while evacuating fluid from and introducing blood at said site; causing a blood measurement to be made at said site.
Claim 12
Independent Claim
115 words
A method of calibrating a blood monitoring system comprising the steps of: providing at least one source of calibration fluid; displacing calibration fluid from the source through lines of the system to at least one blood monitoring site; causing a calibration measurement in respect to the calibration fluid to be made at said site; removing a quantity of blood from the patient through a catheter; creating an interface between the blood and the calibration fluid; simultaneously displacing the calibration fluid and the blood within lines of the system so as to distinctly maintain the interface while evacuating fluid from and introducing blood at said site; causing a blood measurement to be made at said site.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
13 words
The method of claim 9 wherein the removing step precedes the displacing step.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
23 words
The method of claim 9 further comprising the step of flushing blood from the lines of the system following the last-mentioned causing step.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
30 words
The method of claim 9 further comprising the steps of allowing the calibration fluid and the blood respectively to equilibrate at said site before causing said measurements to be made.
Claim 16
Independent Claim
94 words
A method of calibrating a blood monitoring system comprising the steps of: placing one calibration fluid within lines of the system at one monitoring site and another calibration fluid within lines of the system at a second monitoring site; causing a calibration measurement to be made at each site in respect to the calibration fluid there disposed; removing blood from the patient through a catheter into lines of the system; evacuating calibration fluid from the sites and replacing the calibration fluid with blood; causing a blood measurement to be made at each said site.
Claim 17
Independent Claim
94 words
A method of calibrating a blood monitoring system comprising the steps of: placing one calibration fluid within lines of the system at one monitoring site and another calibration fluid within lines of the system at a second monitoring site; causing a calibration measurement to be made at each site in respect to the calibration fluid there disposed; removing blood from the patient through a catheter into lines of the system; evacuating calibration fluid from the sites and replacing the calibration fluid with blood; causing a blood measurement to be made at each said site.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
19 words
The method of claim 13 wherein each causing step comprises two separate measurements each made at a different time.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
23 words
The method of claim 13 wherein said evacuating step comprises removing the two calibration fluids from said sites at different points in time.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
18 words
The method of claim 13 wherein said placing step comprises separate acts each made at a different time.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
21 words
The method of claim 13 wherein said placing, causing and evacuating steps, respectively, occur at essentially the same point in time.