Wearable cardioverter defibrillator (WCD) system using security NFC tag for uploading configuration data

• US 10,179,246 B2
• Filed: 11/30/2016
• Issued: 01/15/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 12/04/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: West Affum Holdings DAC
• Original Assignee: West Affum Holdings Corp
• Inventors: Schneider, Erik L., Roane, Erick Michael, Beblavy, Dusan
• Primary Examiner(s): EVANISKO, GEORGE ROBERT
• Application Number:
  US15/364,401
• Publication Number:
  US 20170182330A1
• Time in Patent Office: 776 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/046 Specially adapted for shock therapy, e.g. defibrillation
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3968 Constructional arrangements, e.g. casings A61N1/375 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3987 characterised by the timing or triggering of the shock
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3993 User interfaces for automatic external defibrillators
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/44 Program or device authentication
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/6245 Protecting personal data, e.g. for financial or medical purposes
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/30 relating to physical therapies or activities, e.g. physiotherapy, acupressure or exercising
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/40 relating to mechanical, radiation or invasive therapies, e.g. surgery, laser therapy, dialysis or acupuncture
• 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 63/0428 wherein the data content is protected, e.g. by encrypting or encapsulating the payload
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0492 by using a location-limited connection, e.g. near-field communication or limited proximity of entities
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/35 Protecting application or service provisioning, e.g. securing SIM application provisioning
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/00 Services specially adapted for wireless communication networks; Facilities therefor

Abstract

A wearable cardioverter defibrillator (WCD) system includes a processor, a memory, a wireless communication module (DWCM), and an NFC tag that stores information for how an accessing device may access the DWCM wirelessly. An accessing device such as a defibrillator configurator with an NFC reader may read the NFC tag of the WCD system, if it has adequate permission to do so. Upon so reading, the accessing device will know how to address the DWCM wirelessly, and thus install or update configuration data, software updates, or request memory downloads from operations. The use of the NFC tag requires close proximity, which hampers both inadvertently programming the wrong WCD system, plus a WCD system being attacked maliciously.

Claims

1. A wearable cardioverter defibrillator (WCD) system configured to wirelessly exchange data with an accessing device distinct from the WCD system, the accessing device provided in a peripheral housing and including, within the peripheral housing, a Near Field Communications (NFC) reader configured to transmit a wireless interrogation wave and to receive a backscatter wave transmitted responsive to the interrogation wave, the backscatter wave including encoded access data, a peripheral processor configured to generate validation data from the encoded access data, and an accessing wireless communication module (AWCM) configured to transmit the validation data and configuration data, the WCD system comprising:

an electrode;

a support structure configured to be worn by a patient so as to support the electrode to make electrical contact with a body of the patient;

an energy storage module configured to store an electrical charge;

a discharge circuit coupled to the energy storage module, the discharge circuit controllable to discharge the stored electrical charge via the electrode through the patient;

a defibrillator memory configured to store a program;

an NFC tag having a tag memory with access data stored in the tag memory, the NFC tag configured to receive the wireless interrogation wave transmitted by the NFC reader, the NFC tag further configured to transmit wirelessly a backscatter wave responsive to the received interrogation wave transmitted by the NFC reader, the backscatter wave encoding the access data; and

a defibrillator wireless communication module (DWCM) configured to receive wirelessly the validation data and the configuration data transmitted by the AWCM; and

a defibrillator processor cooperating with the DWCM, the defibrillator processor configured to;

determine that the received validation data has been generated from the backscattered encoded access data, and

store in the defibrillator memory the received configuration data in response to so determining,

run, responsive to so storing, the stored program according to the stored configuration data so as to generate a certain decision to shock or not shock, and

control the discharge circuit to discharge the electrical charge responsive to the certain decision being to shock.

2. The WCD system of claim 1, in which

the NFC tag is configured to receive the wireless interrogation wave from the NFC reader when the peripheral housing is at a distance of at most 10″

from the NFC tag.

3. The WCD system of claim 1, in which

the validation data includes the access data or a hash of the access data.

4. The WCD system of claim 1, in which

the DWCM includes a network address, and

the validation data includes the network address.

5. The WCD system of claim 1, in which

the backscattered encoded access data is encrypted.

6. The WCD system of claim 1, in which

the tag memory is further configured to store a tag password, and

the NFC tag is further configured to not backscatter the encoded access data unless the interrogation wave also encodes the tag password.

7. The WCD system of claim 6, in which

the WCD system further comprises a serial number, and

the tag password is or is related to the serial number.

8. The WCD system of claim 1, in which

the DWCM further comprises a network address, and

the DWCM does not transmit the network address in response to a query signal by the AWCM.

9. The WCD system of claim 1, in which

the defibrillator processor is configured to store the received configuration data in the defibrillator memory in lieu of previous configuration data stored in the defibrillator memory.

10. The WCD system of claim 1, in which

the defibrillator processor is configured to store the received configuration data in the defibrillator memory only if the configuration data is received by the DWCM before a timeout period expires after the NFC tag transmits the backscatter wave.

11. The WCD system of claim 1, in which

the NFC tag is further configured to receive an other wireless interrogation wave from an other NFC reader, to decode updated tag data from the other wireless interrogation wave, and to store the updated tag data in the tag memory in lieu of the access data.

12. The WCD system of claim 1, in which

the NFC tag is further configured to receive an other wireless interrogation wave from the NFC reader, to decode updated tag data from the other wireless interrogation wave, and to store the updated tag data in the tag memory in lieu of the access data.

13. The WCD system of claim 1, in which

the DWCM is further configured to receive wirelessly from the AWCM updated tag data, and

the defibrillator processor is further configured to store the updated tag data in the tag memory in lieu of the access data.

14. The WCD system of claim 1, further comprising:

a defibrillator housing, the defibrillator processor and the NFC tag being located within the defibrillator housing; and

a service port in the defibrillator housing that has a contact node electrically coupled with the defibrillator processor, and

in which the defibrillator processor is further configured to store in the tag memory in lieu of the access data updated tag data received via the contact node.

15. The WCD system of claim 1, in which

the defibrillator memory is further configured to store back-up data, and

the defibrillator processor is further configured to store in the tag memory in lieu of the access data the back-up data that is stored in the defibrillator memory.

16. The WCD system of claim 15, in which

the DWCM is further configured to have received wirelessly the back-up data stored in the defibrillator memory.

17. The WCD system of claim 15, further comprising:

a defibrillator housing, the defibrillator processor and the NFC tag being located within the defibrillator housing; and

a service port in the defibrillator housing that has a contact node electrically coupled with the defibrillator processor, and

in which the defibrillator processor is further configured to have received via the contact node the back-up data that can be stored in the defibrillator memory.