Automatic external defibrillator (AED) with wireless communications

• US 20070032830A1
• Filed: 08/04/2006
• Published: 02/08/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 08/04/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Access Cardiosystems Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Access Cardiosystems Incorporated
• Inventors: Bowers, Kyle
• Application Number:
  US11/499,273
• Publication Number:
  US 20070032830A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 607/5
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3904 External heart defibrillators [EHD]
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3993 User interfaces for automatic external defibrillators
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/005 Alarm destination chosen according to a hierarchy of available destinations, e.g. if hospital does not answer send to police station
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/016 Personal emergency signalling and security systems emergency non-personal manually actuated alarm activators G08B25/12

Abstract

An Automatic External Defibrillator (AED) with wireless communications contained within the device. The wireless system is used to contact a remote emergency specialist. The remote instructor guides the lay rescuer through the resuscitation effort, thereby increasing the likelihood for successful defibrillation.

Claims

1. An automatic external defibrillator (AED) comprising:

at least one battery;

at least one capacitor;

a charging circuit to charge the at least one capacitor from the at least one battery;

a pair of electrodes for attachment to a patient;

a shock delivery circuit to deliver energy from the at least one capacitor to the patient through the electrodes, the shock delivery circuit being configured to deliver the shock to the patient in a biphasic waveform; and

a wireless communications unit for communicating with a remote site.

2. An automatic external defibrillator (AED) according to claim 1 wherein the wireless communications unit comprises a microphone and a speaker for two-way audio communications.

3. An automatic external defibrillator (AED) according to claim 1 wherein the wireless communications unit comprises data communications.

4. An automatic external defibrillator (AED) according to claim 3 wherein the data represents the patient'"'"'s cardiac condition.

5. An automatic external defibrillator (AED) according to claim 3 wherein the data represents the patient'"'"'s ECG signal.

6. An automatic external defibrillator (AED) according to claim 3 wherein the data comprises graphics.

7. An automatic external defibrillator (AED) according to claim 3 wherein the data comprises pictures.

8. An automatic external defibrillator (AED) according to claim 3 wherein the data comprises video.

9. An automatic external defibrillator (AED) according to claim 1 wherein the wireless communications unit operates in full-duplex mode to simultaneously transmit and receive.

10. An automatic external defibrillator (AED) according to claim 1 wherein the wireless communications unit is configured to call a remote emergency specialist.

11. An automatic external defibrillator (AED) according to claim 10 wherein the automated external defibrillator (AED) automatically calls the remote emergency specialist after a predetermined period of time.

12. An automatic external defibrillator (AED) according to claim 10 wherein a pre-programmed call number is used to contact the remote specialist.

13. An automatic external defibrillator (AED) according to claim 12 wherein a pre-programmed, prioritized list of phone numbers is used to call the remote specialist.

14. An automatic external defibrillator (AED) according to claim 10 wherein data is transmitted to the remote specialist.

15. An automatic external defibrillator (AED) according to claim 10 wherein the wireless communications unit is used to contact an AED base station, which in turn calls the remote emergency specialist.

16. An automatic external defibrillator (AED) according to claim 1 wherein the automatic external defibrillator is configured to report its location to a remote site.

17. An automatic external defibrillator (AED) according to claim 16 wherein the automated external defibrillator (AED) comprises a GPS unit for identifying the location of the device.

18. An automatic external defibrillator (AED) according to claim 16 wherein the automated external defibrillator (AED) is pre-programmed with its location.

19. An automatic external defibrillator (AED) according to claim 16 wherein the automated external defibrillator (AED) further comprises a GPS unit for identifying the location of the device, and wherein the device is also pre-programmed with its location, and further wherein the user defined pre-programmed location is used to locate the device if the GPS unit is unable to determine the device location.

20. An automatic external defibrillator (AED) according to claim 1 wherein the device further comprises user interface controls.

21. An automatic external defibrillator (AED) according to claim 20 wherein the user interface controls comprise an LCD display, voice playback circuitry, an audio amplifier and a speaker.

22. An automatic external defibrillator (AED) according to claim 20 wherein the device uses the user interface controls to provide the rescuer with a prompt to call the remote emergency specialist.

23. An automatic external defibrillator (AED) according to claim 20 wherein a call button is used to initiate communications with a remote specialist.