Device, system and method for monitoring, display of information and operation of medical fluid management machines

• US 10,126,759 B2
• Filed: 10/02/2013
• Issued: 11/13/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 10/25/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Fresenius Medical Care Deutschland GmbH (Fresenius SE & Co. KGaA)
• Original Assignee: Fresenius Medical Care Deutschland GmbH (Fresenius SE & Co. KGaA)
• Inventors: Mueller, Carsten
• Primary Examiner(s): Kasenge, Charles
• Application Number:
  US14/044,181
• Publication Number:
  US 20140121845A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,868 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/14 Dialysis systems; Artificial kidneys; Blood oxygenators semi-permeable membranes characterised by the material, manufacturing processes therefor B01D71/00; Reciprocating systems for treatment of body fluids, e.g. single needle systems for hemofiltration or pheresis
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/50 with microprocessors or computers
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/505 Touch-screens; Virtual keyboard or keypads; Virtual buttons; Soft keys; Mouse touches
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/60 with identification means
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/6063 Optical identification systems
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/1413 Modular systems comprising interconnecting elements
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/14212 Pumping with an aspiration and an expulsion action
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/14232 Roller pumps
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/145 using pressurised reservoirs, e.g. pressurised by means of pistons
• CPC Class Codes: F04C 2270/0421 Controlled or regulated
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 7/0629 characterised by the type of regulator means
• 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

Abstract

The invention is in the field of medical fluid management machines, in particular dialysis machines. The invention is based on the problem of expanding the input and output devices of medical fluid management machines and creating alternative possibilities for monitoring medical fluid management machines or treatments performed using such machines. In accordance with the teaching disclosed, this problem is solved by the fact that mobile computers such as tablet PCs or smartphones can be connected mechanically to the medical fluid management machines, and there is a data transmission between the medical fluid management machine and the mobile communication device or mobile computer leading to the display of information pertaining to the medical fluid management machine or a treatment performed using this device on the display unit of the mobile communication device or the mobile computer. In addition, it is proposed that sensors of the mobile computer should be used for monitoring and/or controlling the medical fluid management machine or a treatment performed using the same.

Claims

1. A medical fluid management machine having an internal control unit, an operating unit connected to the internal control unit for operating the machine by operator entries, and an interface designed for data exchange with a mobile computer, wherein the machine is configured to cooperate with a mechanical connecting device designed for connection, positionally, to a suitably designed counterpart on the mobile computer, wherein the internal control unit is equipped to send information pertaining to the medical fluid management machine and/or a treatment performed using the medical fluid management machine by means of the interface to the mobile computer and/or to receive operator entries input on the mobile computer or to receive control signals from the mobile computer, and wherein the machine is configured to block operator entries from the operating unit to the internal control unit in response to the machine being linked for data exchange with the mobile computer.

2. A system comprising the medical fluid management machine according to claim 1 and a mobile computer having a computer control unit, an input and/or output device and an interface linked for data exchange with the medical fluid management machine interface, whereby the operating unit on the medical fluid management machine is blocked for operating the machine by operator entries, and configured for mechanically connecting to a mechanical connecting device designed for connection to a suitably designed counterpart on the medical fluid management machine, such that the computer control unit is equipped to display information on the output device, said information pertaining to the medical fluid management machine and/or a treatment performed using the medical fluid management machine and/or to relay operator entries that are input by means of the input device or to relay control signals to the medical fluid management machine by means of the interface.

3. The system according to claim 2, wherein the mobile computer further has at least one sensor which can detect at least one signal based on the medical fluid management machine and/or based on a treatment performed using the medical fluid management machine after the mobile computer has been connected to the medical fluid management machine, and wherein the control unit is equipped to relay control signals to the medical fluid management machine, said control signals depending on the detected signal and/or to output alarm messages which depend on the detected signal.

4. The system according to claim 3, wherein the sensor is a camera, a microphone, an inclination sensor, a vibration sensor, a touch-sensitive sensor, a fingerprint sensor, a UPS sensor or a temperature sensor, and wherein the control unit is equipped to determine with the detected signal the filling level of a liquid in a container, the volume flow of the liquid in a container, a patient'"'"'s body temperature, the identity of the user, or to recognize gestures made by a patient, noises or accessory parts of the medical fluid management machine, to check the imperviousness of an extracorporeal blood circulation, to enable therapeutic options or to determine the location of the mobile computer.

5. The system according to claim 2, wherein the mobile computer interface is additionally configured to receive electricity from the medical fluid management machine.

6. The system according to claim 2, wherein the medical fluid management machine interface is configured for data exchange with at least one other device besides the medical fluid management machine.

7. The system according to claim 2, wherein the fluid management machine is a blood purification device.

8. The system according to claim 2 further comprising the mechanical connecting device mechanically connecting the mobile computer in a positionally maintaining manner to the medical fluid management machine.

9. The system according to claim 8, wherein the mechanical connecting device is selected from the group consisting of plug connectors, hooks, eyes, clamps, magnetic connections, and Velcro-type closures.

10. The system according to claim 8, wherein the mechanical connecting device provides rotatable positioning, pivotal positioning, pull-out positioning, or combinations thereof.

11. The machine according to claim 1, wherein the fluid management machine is a dialysis machine.

12. The machine according to claim 1, mechanically connected to the mechanical connecting device, which provides rotatable positioning, pivotal positioning, pull-out positioning, or combinations thereof.

13. A method for monitoring and/or controlling a medical fluid management machine or a treatment performed using the medical fluid management machine, wherein the medical fluid management machine has an internal control unit and an operating unit connected to the internal control unit for operating the machine by operator entries, comprising the steps of:

establishing a data link between the medical fluid management machine and a mobile computer equipped with an input for operating the medical fluid management machine, and an output for displaying information pertaining to the medical fluid management machine or a treatment performed using the medical fluid management machine, whereby the operating unit on the medical fluid management machine is blocked for operating the machine by operator entries from the operating unit in response to establishing the data link between the medical fluid management machine and the mobile computer, and at least one of

displaying information pertaining to the medical fluid management machine or a treatment performed using the medical fluid management machine by means of the mobile computer output, or

operating the medical fluid management machine by means of the mobile computer input.

14. The method of claim 13 further comprising the steps of:

mechanically connecting the mobile computer in a positionally maintaining manner to the medical fluid management machine in such a way that a sensor on the mobile computer is able to record sensor values pertaining to the medical fluid management machine or a treatment performed using the medical fluid management machine,

recording the sensor values,

data processing of the sensor values and, depending on the results, monitoring and/or controlling the medical fluid management machine or a treatment performed using the medical fluid management machine.

15. The method according to claim 14, wherein the sensor is a camera, a microphone, an inclination sensor, a vibration sensor, a touch-sensitive sensor, a fingerprint sensor, a GPS sensor or a temperature sensor.

16. The method according to claim 14, wherein the sensor signal is used to determine the filling level of a liquid in a container, the volume flow of a liquid in a container, a patient'"'"'s body temperature, the identity of the user, to recognize a gesture made by the patient, noises or accessory parts on the medical fluid management machine, to check the imperviousness of an extracorporeal blood circulation, to enable therapeutic options or to determine the location of the mobile computer.