Systems and methods for wirelessly controlling medical devices

• US 10,231,677 B2
• Filed: 09/24/2015
• Issued: 03/19/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 01/05/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: General Electric Company
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Georgiev, Emil Markov, Robinson, Scott William, Upton, Bayne Robin
• Primary Examiner(s): Alam, Mirza F
• Application Number:
  US14/864,049
• Publication Number:
  US 20160007937A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,272 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2560/0271 using a remote monitoring unit
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2560/045 with a separable interface unit, e.g. for communication
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 34/25 User interfaces for surgical systems
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0024 for multiple sensor units attached to the patient, e.g. using a body or personal area network
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/021 Measuring pressure in heart or blood vessels A61B5/0205 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7475 User input or interface means, e.g. keyboard, pointing device, joystick
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/0051 with alarm devices
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/021 operated by electrical means A61M16/202 – A61M16/205 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0484 for the control of specific functions or operations, e.g. selecting or manipulating an object, an image or a displayed text element, setting a parameter value or selecting a range
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 17/02 using a radio link

Abstract

Systems and methods for wirelessly controlling medical devices are provided. One system includes a portable user interface having a housing and a communication module within the housing configured to wirelessly communicate with at least one medical device. The portable user interface also includes a display displaying a graphical user interface to control the at least one medical device remotely, wherein the displayed graphical user interface corresponds to a control interface of the at least one medical device.

Claims

1. A method for controlling a medical device from a portable electronic device, the method comprising:

establishing bi-directional communication between a portable electronic device and a select medical device from a plurality of medical devices, wherein the select medical device includes a display to present a first graphical user interface (GUI), the first GUI including a control interface to control the select medical device;

displaying the first GUI on a display of the portable electronic device, the first GUI includes user selectable elements that emulate an appearance of, and display control functions of the control interface of the select medical device;

adjusting a setting of the select medical device based on a selection of the user selectable elements from the portable electronic device; and

receiving feedback from the select medical device in response to the adjusted setting on the portable electronic device.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising viewing monitoring data acquired by the select medical device on the display of the portable electronic device, wherein the monitoring data comprises at least one of uploading monitoring data to the select medical device, or viewing images.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising broadcasting a query message to the plurality of medical devices and detecting the plurality of medical devices that are controllable by the portable electronic device, wherein the detecting is based on a proximity detection of the plurality of medical devices that are controllable and acquire information for the display of the portable electronic device.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising displaying a location of the plurality of medical devices with respect to a medical setting on the display, wherein the location comprises at least one of a particular ward, a room number, a local Global Positioning System, or protocol logs of where the select medical device is located.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving updated patient information at the first GUI of the portable electronic device, wherein the patient information comprises at least one of background information, a patient address, insurance information, physical information, a patient height, a patient weight, a patient age, allergies, medical history, a time per patient, or conditions in the room of the patient;

and

transmitting the updated patient information to the select medical device and a medical data system.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the control interface of the first GUI of the portable electronic device displays all of the control functions available on the select medical device.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising selecting the GUI from a plurality of pre-loaded applications of different GUIs stored on the portable electronic device of the plurality of medical devices and select the first GUI for the select medical device.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of medical devices comprise at least one of a heart rate monitor, a blood pressure monitor, a ventilator, or an electrocardiogram.

9. A portable electronic device comprising:

a display;

a memory for storing programmed instructions; and

one or more processors to execute the programmed instructions by performing the following operations;

establishing bi-directional communication with a select medical device from a plurality of medical devices, wherein the select medical device includes a display for a first graphical user interface (GUI), the first GUI including a control interface to control the select medical device;

displaying the first GUI on the display, the first GUI includes user selectable elements that emulate an appearance of, and display, control functions of the control interface of the select medical device;

adjusting a setting of the select medical device based on a selection of the user selectable elements; and

receiving feedback from the select medical device in response to the adjusted setting on the portable electronic device.

10. The portable electronic device of claim 9, the one or more processors further receiving monitoring data acquired by the select medical device on the display, wherein the monitoring data comprises at least one of uploading monitoring data to the select medical device, or viewing images.

11. The portable electronic device of claim 9, the one or more processors further broadcasting a query message to the plurality of medical devices and detecting the plurality of medical devices that are controllable by the portable electronic device, wherein the detecting is based on a proximity detection of the plurality of medical devices that are controllable and acquire information for the display of the portable electronic device.

12. The portable electronic device of claim 9, wherein the control interface of the first GUI represents all of the control functions available on the select medical device.

13. The portable electronic device of claim 9, wherein the memory includes a plurality of pre-loaded applications of different GUIs on the portable electronic device;

the one or more processors further selecting the first GUI from the plurality of pre-loaded GUIs stored on the memory based on the select medical device.

14. The portable electronic device of claim 9, wherein the plurality of medical devices include at least one of a heart rate monitor, a blood pressure monitor, a ventilator, or an electrocardiogram.

15. A tangible and non-transitory computer readable medium comprising one or more programmed instructions configured to direct one or more processors to:

establish bi-directional communication between a portable electronic device and a select medical device from a plurality of medical devices, wherein the select medical device includes a display for first graphical user interface (GUI), the first GUI including a control interface to control the select medical device;

display the first GUI on a display of the portable electronic device, the first GUI includes user selectable elements that emulate an appearance of, and display, control functions of the control interface of the select medical device;

adjust a setting of the select medical device based on a selection of the user selectable elements from the portable electronic device; and

receive feedback from the select medical device in response to the adjusted setting on the portable electronic device.

16. The tangible and non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 15, wherein the one or more processors are further directed to receive monitoring data from the portable electronic device, wherein the monitoring data comprises at least one of uploading monitoring data to the select medical device, or viewing images.

17. The tangible and non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 15, wherein the one or more processors are further directed to broadcast a query message to the plurality of medical devices;

and

detect the plurality of medical devices that are controllable by the portable electronic device, wherein the detecting is based on a proximity detection of the plurality of medical devices that are controllable and acquire information for the display of the portable electronic device.

18. The tangible and non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 15, wherein the one or more processors are further directed to display a location of the plurality of medical devices with respect to a medical setting on the display, wherein the location comprises at least one of a particular ward, a room number, a local Global positioning system, or protocol logs of where the select medical device is located.

19. The tangible and non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 15, wherein the one or more processors are further directed to receive updated patient information at the first GUI of the portable electronic device, wherein the patient information comprises at least one of background information, a patient address, insurance information, physical information, a patient height, a patient weight, a patient age, allergies, medical history, a time per patient, or conditions in the room of the patient;

and

transmit the updated patient information to the select medical device and a medical data system.

20. The tangible and non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 15, wherein the one or more processors are further directed to select the first GUI from a plurality of pre-loaded applications of different GUIs stored on the portable electronic device of the plurality of medical devices, and select the first GUI for the select medical device.