Automatic external sensor interface

• US 10,091,301 B2
• Filed: 06/19/2014
• Issued: 10/02/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 06/27/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Koninklijke Philips N.V.
• Original Assignee: Koninklijke Philips N.V.
• Inventors: Delisle, Norman Maurice, Illikkal, Mashood Puthan Beetil, Wuthrich, Scott Alan, Kozin, Simon Edward
• Primary Examiner(s): Ojha, Ajay
• Application Number:
  US14/901,387
• Publication Number:
  US 20160154942A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,566 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0015 characterised by features of the telemetry system
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/025 Digital circuitry features of electrotherapy devices, e.g. memory, clocks, processors
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/22 Social work or social welfare, e.g. community support activities or counselling services
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/63 for local operation
• CPC Class Codes: G16Z 99/00 Subject matter not provided for in other main groups of this subclass
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/12 specially adapted for proprietary or special-purpose networking environments, e.g. medical networks, sensor networks, networks in vehicles or remote metering networks

Abstract

A monitor device having a sensor interface includes a connector portion configured to mechanically interface with one or more sensors of a pre-defined type. A hardware interface layer is configured to determine a sensor type and establish a communication interface with the sensor type. A hardware abstraction layer is configured to store a plurality of protocols corresponding with the one or more sensors of a pre-defined type. The hardware abstraction layer communicates with the sensor using a selected protocol for that type through the communication interface to permit interaction between the device and the sensor type.

Claims

1. A monitor device having a sensor interface, comprising:

a connector portion configured to mechanically interface with one or more sensors of a pre-defined type;

a hardware interface layer configured to determine a sensor type and establish a communication interface with the sensor type; and

a hardware abstraction layer configured to store a plurality of protocols corresponding with the one or more sensors of a pre-defined type, the hardware abstraction layer communicating with the sensor using a selected protocol for that type through the communication interface to permit interaction between the device and the sensor type.

2. The device as recited in claim 1, wherein the hardware interface layer includes a sensor detection circuit configured to sense when a sensor is connected and to determine the sensor type.

3. The device as recited in claim 2, wherein the hardware interface layer includes a multiplexing device configured to interface protocols of the hardware abstraction layer in accordance with an output of the sensor detection circuit.

4. The device as recited in claim 3, wherein the multiplexing device includes a field programmable gate array having a universal asynchronous receiver/transmitted (UART) for serial data communications with a sensor connected to the device.

5. The device as recited in claim 1, wherein the hardware interface layer includes a power regulation circuit to provide regulated power for a sensor connected to the device.

6. The device as recited in claim 1, wherein the connector portion includes engagement features that prevent connection by sensors not of the pre-defined type.

7. The device as recited in claim 1, wherein the device includes a defibrillator.

8. A monitor device having a sensor interface, comprising:

a connector portion configured to mechanically interface with one or more sensors of a pre-defined type; and

a three-level mechanism for identifying sensor compatibility and providing communication with only compatible sensor types, the three-level mechanism further comprising;

a hardware interface layer configured to determine a sensor type and establish a communication interface with the sensor type;

a hardware abstraction layer configured to store a plurality of protocols corresponding with the one or more sensors of a pre-defined type, the hardware abstraction layer communicating with the sensor using a selected protocol for that type through the communication interface to permit interaction between the device and the sensor type; and

a device application configured to interact with a compatible sensor through the hardware interface layer and hardware abstraction layer.

9. The device as recited in claim 8, wherein the hardware interface layer includes a sensor detection circuit configured to sense when a sensor is connected and to determine the sensor type.

10. The device as recited in claim 9, wherein the hardware interface layer includes a multiplexing device configured to interface protocols of the hardware abstraction layer in accordance with an output of the sensor detection circuit.

11. The device as recited in claim 10, wherein the multiplexing device includes a field programmable gate array having a universal asynchronous receiver/transmitted (UART) for serial data communications with a sensor connected to the device.

12. The device as recited in claim 8, wherein the hardware interface layer includes a power regulation circuit to provide regulated power for a sensor connected to the device.

13. The device as recited in claim 8, wherein the connector portion includes engagement features that prevent connection by sensors not of the pre-defined type.

14. The device as recited in claim 8, wherein the device includes a defibrillator.

15. A method for verifying compatibility of a sensor type, comprising:

determining whether a sensor type is mechanically compatible with a monitoring device by attempting to connect a sensor to the monitoring device;

if mechanically compatible, identifying a sensor type using a sensor detection circuit;

establishing a communication interface with a mechanically compatible sensor type through a hardware interface layer; and

communicating with the sensor type through the communication interface using a selected protocol for that sensor type, the selected protocol being stored in a hardware abstraction layer to permit interaction between the monitoring device and the sensor type.

16. The method as recited in claim 15, wherein determining whether a sensor type is mechanically compatible includes providing mating connectors to have mechanical compatibility between the monitoring device and preselected sensor types.

17. The method as recited in claim 15, wherein determining whether a sensor type is compatible with a monitoring device includes outputting a signal on a sensor type signal line to uniquely indicate the sensor type.

18. The method as recited in claim 15, wherein establishing a communication interface includes interfacing a protocol of the hardware abstraction layer in accordance with an output of the sensor detection circuit.

19. The method as recited in claim 15, further comprising if no protocol is compatible with the sensor type, alerting a user that the sensor is not compatible with the monitoring device.

20. The method as recited in claim 15, further comprising preventing connection to the monitoring device by sensors not of the pre-defined type by providing connector portions with non-compatible engagement features.