SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR CONFIGURING A MEDICAL DEVICE

• US 20080314973A1
• Filed: 06/21/2007
• Published: 12/25/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 06/21/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Stryker European Operations Holdings, LLC (Stryker Corporation)
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Zuhars, Joel, Groszmann, Daniel
• Granted Patent: US 7,997,474 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 235/380
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/40 for the management of medical equipment or devices, e.g. scheduling maintenance or upgrades
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/63 for local operation

Abstract

In one embodiment a medical device comprising an interface, a portable component and a controller is provided. The interface is configured for receiving identification data of a user, the portable component is configured for storing configuration data and the controller is configured for retrieving the configuration data based on the identification data and for configuring the medical device based on the configuration data.

Claims

1. A medical device comprising:

an interface for receiving identification data;

a portable component for storing configuration data; and

a controller for retrieving the configuration data based on the identification data and configuring the medical device based on the configuration data.

2. The medical device of claim 1, wherein the portable component is an RFID tag operable to be attached to a user.

3. The medical device of claim 1, wherein the portable component is one of a Universal Serial Bus (USB) storage device and a removable media.

4. The medical device of claim 1, wherein the identification data is obtained from at least one of the portable component, a physical key, a biometric device and a user input.

5. The medical device of claim 1, wherein the identification data is obtained from a physical key, and the physical key comprises one of a physical signature, a magnetic signature and a digital signature.

6. The medical device of claim 1, wherein the identification data is obtained from a biometric device, and the biometric device comprises one of a fingerprint analyzer, a voiceprint analyzer and a retinal scanner.

7. The medical device of claim 1, wherein the medical device is a surgical device.

8. The medical device of claim 1, wherein the interface is a transceiver operable to receive and transmit data.

9. The medical device of claim 8, wherein the interface is operable to program the portable component with a modified configuration data, and the portable component is operable to receive and store the modified configuration data.

10. A method for configuring a medical device, the method comprising:

providing a portable component operable to store configuration data;

receiving an identification data at an interface operable to receive the identification data in the medical device;

determining at a controller in the medical device whether a user associated with the identification data is authorized to use the medical device based on the identification data received at the interface;

retrieving the configuration data from the portable component based on the identification data; and

configuring the medical device based on the configuration data retrieved.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the portable component is an RFID tag operable to be attached to the user.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the portable component is one of a USB storage device and a removable media.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein the identification data is obtained from at least one of the portable component, a physical key, a biometric device and a user input.

14. The method of claim 10, wherein the identification data is obtained from a physical key, and the physical key comprises one of a physical signature, a magnetic signature and a digital signature.

15. The method of claim 10, wherein the identification data is obtained from a biometric device, and the biometric device comprises one of a fingerprint analyzer, a voiceprint analyzer and a retinal scanner.

16. The method of claim 10, wherein the medical device is a surgical device.

17. A computer program product stored in a computer readable media for providing a method for configuring a medical device, the computer program product comprising:

a routine for receiving configuration data stored in a portable component;

a routine for receiving an identification data at an interface operable to receive the identification data in the medical device;

a routine for determining at a controller in the medical device whether a user associated with the identification data is authorized to use the medical device based on the identification data received at the interface;

a routine for retrieving the configuration data from the portable component based on the identification data; and

a routine for configuring the medical device based on the configuration data retrieved.

18. The computer program product of claim 17, wherein the portable component is an RFID tag operable to be attached to the user.

19. The computer program product of claim 17, wherein the portable component is one of a Universal serial bus (USB) storage device and a removable media.

20. The computer program product of claim 17, wherein the identification data is obtained from at least one of the portable component, a physical key, a biometric device and a user input.

21. The computer program product of claim 17, wherein the identification data is obtained from a physical key, and the physical key comprises one of a physical signature, a magnetic signature and a digital signature.

22. The computer program product of claim 17, wherein the identification data is obtained from a biometric device, and the biometric device comprises one of a fingerprint analyzer, a voiceprint analyzer and a retinal scanner.

23. The computer program product of claim 17, wherein the medical device is a surgical device.