SYSTEM, DEVICE AND PROCESS FOR REMOTELY CONTROLLING A MEDICAL DEVICE

• US 20070155208A1
• Filed: 12/30/2006
• Published: 07/05/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 01/03/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Shahzad Pirzada
• Original Assignee: Shahzad Pirzada
• Inventors: PIRZADA, Shahzad
• Granted Patent: US 8,015,972 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 439/144
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0006 ECG or EEG signals
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0008 Temperature signals
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0022 Monitoring a patient using a global network, e.g. telephone networks, internet
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/01 Measuring temperature of body parts ; Diagnostic temperature sensing, e.g. for malignant or inflamed tissue clinical contact thermometers G01K13/20
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/02055 Simultaneously evaluating both cardiovascular condition and temperature
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/021 Measuring pressure in heart or blood vessels A61B5/0205 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0816 Measuring devices for examining respiratory frequency measuring frequency of electric signals G01R23/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/087 Measuring breath flow
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1112 Global tracking of patients, e.g. by using GPS
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/14532 for measuring glucose, e.g. by tissue impedance measurement
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/14551 for measuring blood gases
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4836 Diagnosis combined with treatment in closed-loop systems or methods A61B5/0036 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7246 using correlation, e.g. template matching or determination of similarity
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/746 Alarms related to a physiological condition, e.g. details of setting alarm thresholds or avoiding false alarms alarms per se G08B
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/747 in case of emergency, i.e. alerting emergency services
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/0003 Accessories therefor, e.g. sensors, vibrators, negative pressure
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/0051 with alarm devices
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/0069 the speed thereof being controlled by respiratory parameters, e.g. by inhalation
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/024 including calculation means, e.g. using a processor
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/101 using an oxygen concentrator
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/202 : electrically actuated
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2016/0027 : pressure meter
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2016/0033 : electrical
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 13/409 : Mechanical coupling back panels H05K7/1438
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49716 : Converting

Abstract

A system for controlling medical devices, wherein this system can comprise a device having at least one wireless or cellular based communication module. The module can be in the form of a GPRS module associated with a SIM card, or a CDMA module. The SIM card can be adapted such that it contains additional memory for storing a program for controlling the device or the system. Multiple cellular communication modules can also be installed in this system. Additional communication modules such as wireless modules including but not limited to Bluetooth, IRDA, RF, or any other wireless module can also be incorporated into the system. Wired modules can also be used, for example these wired modules can be RS-232 modules, USB, Serial adapters, phone and fax modem. Other modules can include audio modules such as speaker and microphone jacks, and video modules such as a camera for processing video readings. All of these components can be installed on a first side of a motherboard, which is disposed inside of a housing. The other side of the motherboard can have particular functional elements installed thereon. These functional elements can include a flow meter, and/or a electromechanical valve. All of these components can be controlled by one or more processor coupled to the motherboard. When this device is coupled to an ordinary PAP machine, such as a CPAP machine, it can be used to turn an ordinary PAP machine into an auto-adjust PAP machine or a BiPAP machine.

Claims

1. A system for controlling and communicating with medical devices comprising:

a) a housing;

b) a motherboard disposed in said housing;

c) a plurality of components coupled to the motherboard comprising;

i) a microprocessor coupled to said motherboard;

ii) a first smart identification module coupled to said motherboard for communicating through a wireless telecommunication channel; and

iii) a second smart identification module coupled to said motherboard for communicating through a wireless telecommunication channel;

wherein the device can communicate through either telecommunication channel such that said communication through either channel is independent of each other, wherein the device can be used to remotely control medical devices.

2. The device as in claim 1, further comprising at least one connection element coupled to said housing, wherein said at least one connection element is for connecting to a wire for communication with a medical device.

3. The device as in claim 1, further comprising least one additional wireless communication element is for communicating through at least one wireless protocol selected from the group consisting of bluetooth, radiofrequency (RF), 802.11x, IRDA, or Zigbee.

4. The device as in claim 1, wherein said first smart identification module is in the form of a card, wherein said first module has a memory which stores a program for controlling said microprocessor.

5. The device as in claim 1, wherein at least one of said first and said second module is in the form of a card and has a memory for storing data received from the medical device.

6. The device as in claim 4, wherein said second smart identification module is in the form of a card and has a memory for storing data received from the medical device.

7. The device as in claim 6, wherein said card for storing data is removable from said motherboard.

8. The device as in claim 5, wherein said card for storing the data is removable from said motherboard.

9. The device as in claim 7, wherein said card for storing said program is removable from said housing.

10. The device as in claim 1, wherein said motherboard is in the form of a double sided motherboard, wherein the system further comprises at least one additional component in the form of a sensor, wherein at least one of said plurality of components is coupled to a first side of said motherboard and at least one of said plurality of components is coupled to a second side of said motherboard.

11. The device as in claim 10, wherein said components further comprise at least one valve.

12. The device as in claim 10, wherein said at least one sensor comprises at least two sensors.

13. The device as in claim 10, wherein said sensor is in the form of a differential pressure sensor.

14. The device as in claim 10, wherein said sensor is in the form of a flow meter.

15. The device as in claim 11, wherein said at least one valve comprises an electro-mechanical valve.

16. The device as in claim 12, wherein said at least two sensors comprise a first sensor in the form of a flow meter and a second sensor in the form of a differential pressure sensor.

17. The device as in claim 4, wherein said program which is stored on said memory has a computer readable medium for performing the following steps:

a) downloading via a cellular network a set of parameters relating to a patient;

b) monitoring the patient;

c) updating said parameters;

d) determining whether the patient has vital signs that are outside of said parameters;

e) signaling an alarm if said patent'"'"'s vital signs are outside of said parameters; and

f) placing a call via at least one cellular communication protocol to another device.

18. A system for controlling and communicating with medical devices comprising:

a) a housing;

b) a motherboard disposed in said housing;

c) a plurality of components comprising;

i) a microprocessor coupled to said motherboard;

ii) a smart identification module coupled to said motherboard for communicating through a wireless telecommunication channel;

iii) at least one additional wireless communication element coupled to said motherboard,

wherein the device can communicate through either a telecommunication channel or through a wireless non telecommunication channel such that said communication through either channel is independent of each other.

19. A system for controlling a PAP machine comprising:

a) a pap machine;

b) at least one output tube coupled to said pap machine;

c) a device for controlling a fluid output of said pap machine comprising;

i) at least one fluid input coupled in series with said pap machine via said output tube of said pap machine;

ii) at least one fluid output;

iii) at least one flow meter disposed in said housing and coupled to said fluid input and to said fluid output;

iv) at least one electro-mechanical valve, disposed in said housing and coupled to said fluid input and to said fluid output;

v) at least one SIM card disposed in said housing, said SIM card for providing remote cellular communication for said device;

vi) at least one processor for controlling said at least one flow meter, said at least one electromechanical valve, and said at least one SIM card, wherein said at least one processor receives instructions from a remote control device via said SIM card wherein said instructions are for adjusting said electro-mechanical valve, to control an amount of fluid dispersed by said at least one fluid output.

20. The system as in claim 19, wherein said fluid is air.

21. The system as in claim 19, wherein said at least one SIM card has a memory for storing a program for controlling said at least on processor, and wherein said at least one flow meter reads a flow rate of fluid flowing through the device wherein said reading is forwarded to said at least one processor, and wherein said at least one processor compares said reading to a set of stored values in said memory.

22. The system as in claim 21, wherein said device further comprises at least one additional SIM card, wherein said at least one additional SIM card is in communication with said at least one processor.

23. The system as in claim 22, wherein said device further comprises a motherboard comprising a first side and a second side, wherein said first side has said processor, said at least one SIM card, and said at least one additional SIM card disposed thereon, and wherein said second side has said at least one flow meter, and said at least one electro-mechanical valve disposed thereon.

24. The system as in claim 23, wherein said device further comprises a housing, wherein said motherboard is disposed in said housing, and wherein said housing has at least one slot for inserting and removing at least one SIM card.

25. The system as in claim 23, wherein said device further comprises an LCD display which is in communication with said motherboard and said at least one processor.

26. The system as in claim 23, wherein said device further comprises at least one wired communication module.

27. The system as in claim 23, wherein said device further comprises at least one additional wireless communication module.

28. The system as in claim 26, wherein said pap machine further comprises at least one wired communication module, wherein at least one wired communication module on said device is in communication with said at least one wired communication module on said pap machine to control said pap machine.

29. The system as in claim 27, wherein said pap machine further comprises at least one wireless communication module, wherein said at least one wireless communication module on said device is in communication with said at least one wireless communication module on said pap machine to control said pap machine.

30. A process for turning a PAP machine into an adjustable PAP machine comprising the following steps:

a) coupling a device in series to a fluid output of the pap machine such that the device receives fluid input from the pap machine;

b) determining a fluid pressure rate of fluid flow to an output of the device;

c) adjusting a valve in the device to change an output pressure sent from the device;

d) calling via a cellular telephone protocol a remote device to communicate with that remote device.

31. The process as in claim 30, further comprising the step of monitoring a set of medical statistics on a patient.

32. The process as in claim 30, further comprising the step of controlling said valve to control the output pressure from the device via commands sent from said remote device over said cellular telephone protocol.

33. The process as in claim 32, further comprising the step of signaling an alarm and dialing via at least one additional cellular telephone protocol a monitoring service to provide additional service to a patient.