Modular defibrillator architecture
First Claim
1. An automated external defibrillator comprising a capacitor unit configured to store and discharge sufficient energy to deliver a defibrillation shock to a patient, a charging circuit configured to charge the capacitor unit to a voltage suitable for delivery of the defibrillation shock, discharge circuitry suitable for discharging the capacitor unit to deliver the defibrillation shock, a defibrillator controller, and a speaker for delivering audio instructions to a user during emergency use of the defibrillator, wherein the defibrillator controller is configured to:
- (i) cause the speaker to deliver an audio instruction to the user during the emergency use of the defibrillator;
(ii) cause the defibrillator to repeatedly output a defibrillator instruction state identifier associated with the audio instruction during the emergency use of the defibrillator, wherein the defibrillator instruction state identifier is suitable for use by an external device having a display screen that receives the outputted defibrillator instruction state identifier to cause the display of a graphic user instruction on the display screen that is synchronized with the audio instruction; and
(iii) repeat (i)-(ii) for a plurality of different audio instructions in a sequence of audio instructions during the emergency use of the defibrillator to facilitate the external device displaying a corresponding sequence of graphic user instructions that are synchronized with the audio instructions generated by the defibrillator during the emergency use of the defibrillator; and
wherein the defibrillator does not require or utilize any control instructions from the external device during the emergency use of the defibrillator and the external device is not required for operation of the defibrillator during the emergency use of the defibrillator including for the delivery of the audio instructions during the emergency use of the defibrillator; and
wherein the defibrillator does not send the graphic instructions to the external device during the emergency use of the defibrillator.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Several defibrillators, defibrillator architectures, defibrillator components and methods of operating defibrillators are described. In one aspect, a modular defibrillator architecture is described. A base unit provides a fully functional defibrillator. The functionality of the base unit can be supplemented by attaching an interface unit to the base unit or by connecting a smartphone the base unit. Such devices provide connectivity as well as a screen for displaying supplementary graphics and/or videos which are useful to support both emergency and maintenance & monitoring activities. In some embodiments a battery pack may also or alternatively be coupled to the base unit to prolong the unit'"'"'s shelf life before recharging or replacement of its batteries is required. If necessary the base unit can be powered from a connected external device such as a mobile communication device.
107 Citations
30 Claims
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1. An automated external defibrillator comprising a capacitor unit configured to store and discharge sufficient energy to deliver a defibrillation shock to a patient, a charging circuit configured to charge the capacitor unit to a voltage suitable for delivery of the defibrillation shock, discharge circuitry suitable for discharging the capacitor unit to deliver the defibrillation shock, a defibrillator controller, and a speaker for delivering audio instructions to a user during emergency use of the defibrillator, wherein the defibrillator controller is configured to:
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(i) cause the speaker to deliver an audio instruction to the user during the emergency use of the defibrillator; (ii) cause the defibrillator to repeatedly output a defibrillator instruction state identifier associated with the audio instruction during the emergency use of the defibrillator, wherein the defibrillator instruction state identifier is suitable for use by an external device having a display screen that receives the outputted defibrillator instruction state identifier to cause the display of a graphic user instruction on the display screen that is synchronized with the audio instruction; and (iii) repeat (i)-(ii) for a plurality of different audio instructions in a sequence of audio instructions during the emergency use of the defibrillator to facilitate the external device displaying a corresponding sequence of graphic user instructions that are synchronized with the audio instructions generated by the defibrillator during the emergency use of the defibrillator; and wherein the defibrillator does not require or utilize any control instructions from the external device during the emergency use of the defibrillator and the external device is not required for operation of the defibrillator during the emergency use of the defibrillator including for the delivery of the audio instructions during the emergency use of the defibrillator; and wherein the defibrillator does not send the graphic instructions to the external device during the emergency use of the defibrillator. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A modular defibrillator system comprising an automated external defibrillator and an interface unit mounted on and detachably attached to the defibrillator such that the defibrillator and the interface unit are configured to be carried together as a unitary portable system, wherein:
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the defibrillator includes a capacitor unit configured to store and discharge sufficient energy to deliver a defibrillation shock to a patient, a charging circuit configured to charge the capacitor unit to a voltage suitable for delivery of the defibrillation shock, discharge circuitry suitable for discharging the capacitor unit to deliver the defibrillation shock, a speaker for delivering audio instructions to a user during emergency use of the defibrillator, and a defibrillator controller; the interface unit includes a display screen and an interface unit processor; the defibrillator controller is configured to (i) cause the speaker to deliver an audio instruction to the user during the emergency use of the defibrillator, (ii) cause the defibrillator to repeatedly transmit a defibrillator instruction state identifier associated with the audio instruction to the interface unit, and (iii) repeat (i)-(ii) for a plurality of different audio instructions in a sequence of audio instructions during the emergency use of the defibrillator; the interface unit processor is configured to, responsive to the reception of the defibrillator instruction state identifiers, cause graphic instructions to be displayed on the display screen that are synchronized with corresponding ones of the audio instructions provided by the defibrillator during the emergency use of the modular defibrillator system; and the graphic instructions displayed on the interface unit display screen are not received from the defibrillator during the emergency use of the defibrillator. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A method comprising:
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(i) causing an automated external defibrillator to generate an audio instruction during emergency use of the automated external defibrillator; (ii) repeatedly transmitting a defibrillator state identifier associated with the audio instruction from the automated external defibrillator to an external device having a display screen, wherein the external device is not integrated with the defibrillator and is not required for operation of the defibrillator during the emergency use of the defibrillator including for the delivery of the audio instructions during the emergency use of the defibrillator; (iii) causing the external device to display a graphic instruction on the display screen that is associated with the audio instruction in response to reception of the transmitted defibrillator state identifier, the displayed graphic instruction being displayed during a time period that is associated with the audio instruction, wherein the displayed graphic instruction is not received from the defibrillator during the emergency use of the defibrillator; and (iv) repeating steps (i)-(iii) for a plurality of different audio instructions such that the external device displays a sequence of graphic instructions that are synchronized with the audio instructions generated by the automated external defibrillator during the emergency use of the automated external defibrillator. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. A non-transitory, computer readable memory having programmed instructions and a multiplicity of graphic instruction stored therein, the memory being housed in a device that is independent of an automated external defibrillator configured to provide audio instructions during emergency use of the defibrillator wherein the device is not an integral part of the defibrillator and is not required for operation of the defibrillator or for the delivery of the audio instructions during the emergency use of the defibrillator, the device having a display screen and a processor suitable for executing the programmed instructions, the programmed instructions being configured to supplement emergency use of the defibrillator by:
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(i) in response to reception of a defibrillator instruction state identifier from the defibrillator indicative of a current audio instruction state of the defibrillator, causing the processor to retrieve a selected one of the graphic instructions that corresponds to the received defibrillator instruction state identifier from the memory housed in the device; (ii) causing the retrieved graphic instruction to be displayed on the display screen synchronously with the current audio instruction state of the defibrillator; and (iii) for a plurality of different audio instructions generated by the defibrillator, repeating (i) and (ii) to cause the device to display a sequence of graphic instructions that are synchronized with the audio instructions generated by the defibrillator during the emergency use of the defibrillator; (iv) in response to the reception of each defibrillator instruction state identifier, determine whether a currently displayed graphic instructions corresponds to the received defibrillator instruction state identifier; (v) when it is determined that the received defibrillator instruction state identifier corresponds to the currently displayed graphic instruction, maintain the currently displayed graphic instruction; and (vi) when it is determined that the received defibrillator instruction state identifier does not correspond to the currently displayed graphic instruction such that the received defibrillator instruction state identifier is a new defibrillator instruction state identifier, perform steps (i) and (ii) with respect to the new defibrillator instruction state identifier. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25)
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26. A defibrillator interface unit adapted to be attached to a base defibrillator unit that is capable of operating independently as an automated external defibrillator (AED) without the defibrillator interface unit, the defibrillator interface unit comprising:
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a housing configured to be attached to the base defibrillator unit to provide a portable modular defibrillator that combines the base defibrillator unit and the defibrillator interface unit; a display screen; memory that stores a multiplicity of graphic instructions; and a processor configured to receive communications from the base defibrillator unit when the defibrillator interface unit is attached to the base defibrillator unit, the processor being further configured to (i) receive a defibrillator instruction state identifier from the base defibrillator unit, the defibrillator instruction state identifier being associated with an audio instruction generated by the base defibrillator unit during emergency use of the portable modular defibrillator, (ii) retrieve a selected one of the graphic instructions that corresponds to the defibrillator instruction state identifier from the memory, the retrieved graphic instruction also corresponding to the audio instruction generated by the base defibrillator unit, (iii) cause the retrieved graphic instruction to be displayed on the display screen in response to the reception of the defibrillator instruction state identifier, the displayed graphic instruction being displayed during a time period that is associated with the corresponding audio instruction, and (iv) repeat steps (i)-(iii) for a plurality of different received defibrillator instruction state identifiers to cause the defibrillator interface unit to display a sequence of graphic instructions on the display screen that are synchronized with the audio instructions provided by the base defibrillator unit during the emergency use of the portable modular defibrillator; and wherein the processor is further arranged to (v) in response to the reception of each defibrillator instruction state identifier, determine whether a currently displayed graphic corresponds to the received defibrillator instruction state identifier, (vi) when it is determined that the received defibrillator instruction state identifier corresponds to the currently displayed graphic instruction, maintain the currently displayed graphic instruction, and (vii) when it is determined that the received defibrillator instruction state identifier does not correspond to the currently displayed graphic instruction such that the received defibrillator instruction state identifier is a new defibrillator instruction state identifier, perform steps (ii) and (iii) with respect to the new defibrillator instruction state identifier. - View Dependent Claims (27, 28, 29, 30)
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Specification