Medical communication hub and associated methods

• US 10,175,735 B2
• Filed: 08/24/2012
• Issued: 01/08/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 08/24/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Volcano Corporation (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Original Assignee: Volcano Corporation (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Inventors: Nool, Jeffrey A., Schuerkamp, Dennis, Perez, Cesar
• Primary Examiner(s): Terrell, Emily C
• Application Number:
  US14/238,026
• Publication Number:
  US 20140258743A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,328 Days
• Field of Search: 34087001, 34053912, 3406931
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2560/0204 of power management
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0066 Optical coherence imaging
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/742 using visual displays A61B5/339 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/565 involving data transmission via a network
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/266 Arrangements to supply power to external peripherals either directly from the computer or under computer control, e.g. supply of power through the communication port, computer controlled power-strips
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 13/4081 Live connection to bus, e.g. hot-plugging current or voltage limitation during live insertion H02H9/004
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 19/00 Electric signal transmission systems G08C17/00 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 19/16 in which transmission is by pulses

Abstract

A powered medical communication hub including a housing and a rear interface assembly. The rear interface assembly includes a first data link configured to transmit first medical data to a processing system and a power link configured to receive a first amount of power. The hub also includes a power distribution module disposed within the housing, electrically coupled to the power link, and configured to convert the first amount of power into a plurality of power levels, and a forward interface assembly including a first connector communicatively coupled to the first data link and electrically coupled to the power distribution module, the first connector being configured to provide a first medical sensing device coupled thereto with a second amount of power equal to one of the plurality of power levels and receive the first medical data from the first medical sensing device.

Claims

1. A powered medical communication hub, comprising:

a housing;

a rear interface assembly disposed on a first panel at a distal end of the housing, the rear interface assembly including;

a first data link configured to transmit first medical data associated with a first modality to a processing system; and

a power link configured to receive a first amount of power;

a power distribution module disposed within the housing, electrically coupled to the power link, and configured to convert the first amount of power into a plurality of power levels; and

a front interface assembly disposed on a second panel facing away from the first panel at a proximal end of the housing, wherein the proximal end of the housing is opposite the distal end, the front interface assembly including a first connector communicatively coupled to the first data link and electrically coupled to the power distribution module such that an electrical connection passes through the housing from the power link on the first panel at the distal end of the housing to the first connector on the second panel at the proximal end of the housing, the first connector being configured to provide a first medical sensing device coupled thereto with power equal to one of the plurality of power levels and receive the first medical data from the first medical sensing device, wherein the front interface assembly further includes a second connector being configured to provide a second medical sensing device coupled thereto with power equal to a second of the plurality of power levels and receive second medical data from the second medical sensing device,

wherein the power distribution module is configured to determine power requirements of the first and second medical sensing devices automatically when the first and second medical sensing devices are connected to the respective first and second connectors and to provide the power to the first and second medical sensing devices,

wherein the first and second medical data are associated with different medical modalities representative of vasculature of a patient.

2. The powered communication hub of claim 1,

wherein the housing is fluid resistant;

and

wherein an interface between the rear interface assembly and the housing and an interface between the front interface assembly and the housing are fluid resistant.

3. The powered communication hub of claim 1, wherein the first connector is fluid resistant.

4. The powered communication hub of claim 1, wherein the first medical data includes one of intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) imaging data, optical coherence tomography (OCT) data, functional measurement (FFR) data, forward looking IVUS (FLIVUS) imaging data, or electrocardiogram (ECG) data.

5. The powered communication hub of claim 1, wherein the front interface assembly includes a display connector configured to transmit video data to a display device coupled thereto.

6. The powered communication hub of claim 1, wherein the power distribution module is configured to provide the first medical sensing device a second amount of power different than the first amount of power.

7. The powered communication hub of claim 6, wherein the front interface assembly includes a second connector electrically coupled to the power distribution module, the second connector being configured to provide a second medical sensing device coupled thereto with a third amount of power equal to one of the plurality of power levels and receive second medical data associated with a second modality different from the first modality from the second medical sensing device.

8. The powered communication hub of claim 7,

wherein the second connector is communicatively coupled to the first data link;

and

wherein the first data link is configured to transmit the second medical data to the processing system.

9. The powered communication hub of claim 7,

wherein the rear interface assembly includes a second data link configured to transmit the second medical data to the processing system;

and

wherein the second connector is communicatively coupled to the second data link.

10. The powered communication hub of claim 7, wherein the third amount of power is different than the second amount of power.

16. The powered communication hub of claim 1, wherein the power distribution module is communicatively positioned between the rear interface assembly and the front interface assembly.

17. The powered communication hub of claim 1, wherein the first panel has a planar surface, such that the first data link and the power link extend through the first panel.

18. The powered communication hub of claim 1, wherein the second panel has a planar surface, such that the first and second connectors extend through the second panel.

11. A method of collecting medical sensing data, comprising:

receiving, at a power link disposed on a first panel at a distal end of a powered medical communication hub, a first amount of power from a power source;

converting, with a power distribution module in the powered medical communication hub, the first amount of power into a plurality of power levels;

determining power requirements of a first medical sensing device and a second medical sensing device automatically when the first and second medical sensing devices are connected to respective first and second connectors of the powered medical communication hub;

providing, through a first connector of the powered medical communication hub disposed on a second panel facing away from the first panel at a proximal end of the powered medical communication hub opposite the distal end, power equal to one of the plurality of power levels and the power requirement of the first medical sensing device to the first medical sensing device and, at the same time, providing power equal to a second of the plurality of power levels and the power requirement of the second medical sensing device to the second medical sensing device;

receiving, at the powered medical communication hub, first medical data associated with a first modality from the first medical sensing device and second medical data associated with a second modality from the second medical sensing device; and

transmitting, with the powered medical communication hub, the first and second medical data to a processing system, wherein the first and second medical data are associated with different medical modalities representative of vasculature of a patient.

12. The method of collecting medical sensing data of claim 11, wherein the providing includes powering the first medical sensing device with a second amount of power different than the first amount of power.

13. The method of collecting medical sensing data of claim 12, including:

providing, with the powered medical communication hub, a third amount of power equal to one of the plurality of power levels to a second medical sensing device;

receiving, at the powered medical communication hub, second medical data associated with a second modality different from the first modality from the second medical sensing device; and

transmitting, with the powered medical communication hub, the second medical data to the processing system.

14. The method of collecting medical sensing data of claim 13, wherein the third amount of power is different than the second amount of power.

15. The method of collecting medical sensing data of claim 11, including mounting the powered medical communication hub within a medical environment.