Appurtenances for reporting information regarding wound dressings

Abstract

Appurtenances to wound dressings are described, which include: a substrate configured to mechanically or chemically attach to a wound dressing; a transmission unit attached to a surface of the substrate, the transmission unit including circuitry and at least one antenna, the transmission unit configured to transmit a signal; and a projection operably attached to the transmission unit, the projection of a size and shape to extend into an interior region of the wound dressing and configured to sample a fluid associated with a wound.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 .- 39 . (canceled) 
     
     
         40 . An appurtenance to a wound dressing, comprising:
 a substrate configured to attach to a wound dressing;   a transmission unit attached to a surface of the substrate, the transmission unit including circuitry and at least one antenna operably attached to the circuitry;   a selectively actuatable switch operably connected to the transmission unit;   a projection operably attached to the substrate, the projection of a size and shape to extend into an interior region of a wound dressing; and   one or more sensors integral to the projection and operably connected to the selectively actuatable switch.   
     
     
         41 .- 45 . (canceled) 
     
     
         46 . The appurtenance to a wound dressing of  claim 40 , wherein the transmission unit is configured to transmit a signal including information identifying the appurtenance. 
     
     
         47 . The appurtenance to a wound dressing of  claim 40 , wherein the transmission unit is configured to transmit a signal in response to an interrogation signal. 
     
     
         48 . The appurtenance to a wound dressing of  claim 40 , wherein the transmission unit comprises:
 a radio frequency identification (RFID) device.   
     
     
         49 . The appurtenance to a wound dressing of  claim 40 , wherein the transmission unit comprises:
 a passive radio frequency identification (RFID) device.   
     
     
         50 . The appurtenance to a wound dressing of  claim 40 , wherein the transmission unit comprises:
 an active radio frequency identification (RFID) device.   
     
     
         51 . The appurtenance to a wound dressing of  claim 40 , wherein the transmission unit comprises:
 a Near Field Communication (NFC) device.   
     
     
         52 .- 54 . (canceled) 
     
     
         55 . The appurtenance to a wound dressing of  claim 40 , wherein the selectively actuatable switch comprises:
 a connector between the transmission unit and the one or more sensors.   
     
     
         56 . The appurtenance to a wound dressing of  claim 40 , wherein the selectively actuatable switch comprises:
 a physical conduit configured to allow a liquid to flow from the interior region of the wound dressing to a location in contact with the at least one antenna of the transmission unit.   
     
     
         57 .- 67 . (canceled) 
     
     
         68 . The appurtenance to a wound dressing of  claim 40 , wherein the one or more sensors integral to the projection comprise:
 one or more sensors partially internal to the projection.   
     
     
         69 . The appurtenance to a wound dressing of  claim 40 , wherein the one or more sensors integral to the projection comprise:
 one or more sensors configured to actuate the selectively actuatable switch in response to a stimulus.   
     
     
         70 . (canceled) 
     
     
         71 . The appurtenance to a wound dressing of  claim 40 , comprising:
 an indicator operably attached to the selectively actuatable switch.   
     
     
         72 .- 75 . (canceled) 
     
     
         76 . The appurtenance to a wound dressing of  claim 40 , wherein the transmission unit includes a pressure sensitive activation region, wherein the pressure sensitive activation region is configured to be activated by physical pressure on at least part of the projection. 
     
     
         77 . The appurtenance to a wound dressing of  claim 40 , wherein the transmission unit includes a pressure sensitive activation region, wherein the pressure sensitive activation region is configured to be activated by physical pressure between a surface of the substrate and a surface of the wound dressing. 
     
     
         78 . An appurtenance to a wound dressing, comprising:
 one or more sensors;   a processor operably attached to the one or more sensors;   at least one transmitter unit operably attached to the processor; and   an enclosure of a height and width to fit substantially within an interior region of a wound dressing.   
     
     
         79 . The appurtenance to a wound dressing of  claim 78 , wherein the one or more sensors are positioned substantially within the enclosure. 
     
     
         80 . The appurtenance to a wound dressing of  claim 78 , wherein the one or more sensors and the processor are positioned substantially within the enclosure. 
     
     
         81 . The appurtenance to a wound dressing of  claim 78 , wherein the one or more sensors comprise:
 at least one sensor responsive to changes in capacitance.   
     
     
         82 . (canceled) 
     
     
         83 . The appurtenance to a wound dressing of  claim 78 , wherein the at least one transmitter unit operably attached to the processor comprises:
 a radio frequency identification (RFID) device.   
     
     
         84 . The appurtenance to a wound dressing of  claim 78 , wherein the at least one transmitter unit operably attached to the processor comprises:
 an optical transmitter unit.   
     
     
         85 . The appurtenance to a wound dressing of  claim 78 , wherein the at least one transmitter unit operably attached to the processor comprises:
 a transmitter unit of signals in the UHF range.   
     
     
         86 . The appurtenance to a wound dressing of  claim 78 , wherein the at least one transmitter unit operably attached to the processor comprises:
 a near field communication (NFC) device.   
     
     
         87 .- 90 . (canceled) 
     
     
         91 . The appurtenance to a wound dressing of  claim 78 , wherein the enclosure comprises:
 one or more walls, the walls forming a flange on an edge of the enclosure, the flange positioned to attach a fastener between a surface of the wound dressing and the enclosure.   
     
     
         92 . The appurtenance to a wound dressing of  claim 78 , wherein the enclosure comprises:
 one or more walls, the walls forming a flange on an edge of the enclosure, the flange including one or more projections from a surface of the flange, the one or more projections positioned to pierce an outer surface of the wound dressing.   
     
     
         93 .- 95 . (canceled) 
     
     
         96 . The appurtenance to a wound dressing of  claim 78 , wherein the processor and the at least one transmitter unit comprise:
 a radio-frequency identification (RFID) device.   
     
     
         97 . The appurtenance to a wound dressing of  claim 78 , comprising:
 an antenna; and   a receiver operably attached to the antenna.   
     
     
         98 .- 99 . (canceled) 
     
     
         100 . The appurtenance to a wound dressing of  claim 78 , wherein the enclosure comprises:
 a flange region configured to cover part of an outer surface of the wound dressing when the appurtenance is positioned for use with the wound dressing.   
     
     
         101 . The appurtenance to a wound dressing of  claim 78 , comprising:
 an indicator operably attached to the processor, the indicator positioned on a side of the appurtenance adjacent to an outer surface of the wound dressing when the appurtenance is positioned for use with the wound dressing.   
     
     
         102 . The appurtenance to a wound dressing of  claim 101 , wherein the indicator is at least one of: a visual indicator, a vibratory indicator, or an auditory indicator. 
     
     
         103 . The appurtenance to a wound dressing of  claim 78 , comprising:
 a piercing region operably attached an edge of the enclosure distal to an edge of the enclosure adjacent to an outer surface of the wound dressing when the appurtenance is positioned for use with the wound dressing.   
     
     
         104 . (canceled) 
     
     
         105 . The appurtenance to a wound dressing of  claim 78 , comprising:
 a unique identifier for the appurtenance.   
     
     
         106 . (canceled) 
     
     
         107 . An appurtenance to a wound dressing, comprising:
 a sensor unit including one or more sensors, the sensors positioned substantially within an enclosure of a height and width to fit substantially within an interior region of a wound dressing;   a transmission unit including a processor and at least one transmitter operably attached to the processor; and   a connector between the sensor unit and the transmission unit, the connector configured to convey signals between the one or more sensors and the transmission unit.   
     
     
         108 .- 137 . (canceled)