Renee M Lopez

US Patent:

20090309726, Dec 17, 2009

Filed:

Jun 12, 2008

Appl. No.:

12/137638

Inventors:

Patrick P. Fritchie - Southlake TX, US
Oscar F. Schwartz - Arlington TX, US
Renee A. Lopez - Grand Prairie TX, US

Assignee:

Abbott Laboratories - Abbott Park IL

International Classification:

G08B 13/14

US Classification:

3405681

Abstract:

A system and method for the tracking of medical instrument, components, assemblies, and sub-assemblies thereof, and maintenance information relating to the foregoing. According to the system, radio frequency identification tags are attached to or affixed on the medical instrument itself for the purpose of locating, identifying, monitoring, tracking the medical instrument and updating the maintenance and replacement activities relating to the medical instrument. In addition, radio frequency identification tags are attached to or affixed on the components, the assemblies, and the sub-assemblies, of the medical instrument in order to locate, identify, monitor, track the components, the assemblies, and the sub-assemblies and update the maintenance and replacement activities relating to these components, assemblies, and sub-assemblies. The medical instrument itself can have a radio frequency identification tag; each major component of the automated diagnostic instrument can have a radio frequency identification tag; each minor component of the automated diagnostic instrument can have a radio frequency identification tag on the container in which it is packaged. A master radio frequency identification tag correlated with a database is needed in order to collect information relating to all of the radio frequency identification tags associated with the medical instrument.