US Patent 11488381 Medical device with camera for imaging disposable

A method of recording a state of an apheresis machine or a dialysis machine having a disposable component disposed thereon. The disposable component has tubing and a blood component bag. The disposable component is configured to be installed on the apheresis device or dialysis machine by a human operator. The method includes acquiring with a camera an image of a forward-facing external surface portion of the apheresis machine or dialysis machine and the tubing and the blood component bag of the disposable component. The image is acquired automatically without requiring user input. The method includes recording medical device information for the apheresis machine or dialysis machine comprising the image. The method includes generating a message comprising the image and transmitting the message comprising the image to a remote computer.