APPARATUS AND ARRANGEMENT FOR CAPTURING OR EVALUATING MEDICAL DATA ON BOARD A MEANS OF TRANSPORT

• US 20100049009A1
• Filed: 08/19/2009
• Published: 02/25/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 08/19/2008
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Lufthansa Technik AG (Deutsche Lufthansa AG)
• Original Assignee: Lufthansa Technik AG (Deutsche Lufthansa AG)
• Inventors: MUIRHEAD, Andrew
• Application Number:
  US12/544,126
• Publication Number:
  US 20100049009A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/301
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/67 for remote operation
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/18508 with satellite system used as relay, i.e. aeronautical mobile satellite service
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/12 specially adapted for proprietary or special-purpose networking environments, e.g. medical networks, sensor networks, networks in vehicles or remote metering networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/61 taking into account QoS or priority requirements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/06 Authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/77 Graphical identity

Abstract

An apparatus for capturing and/or evaluating medical data on board a means of transport, and a system including the apparatus. The apparatus includes at least one interface configured to capture or input medical data and a device configured to transmit medical data, audio data, or video data from the apparatus to or from a ground station situated outside the means of transport via data transmission means. The apparatus has a first and second mode of operation for transmitting data to or from the ground station. The first mode of operation is designed to use a first bandwidth sufficient for video transmission on the data transmission means. The second mode of operation is designed to use a second bandwidth narrower than the first bandwidth or a discontinuous data transmission mode on the data transmission means.

Claims

1. An apparatus for capturing or evaluating medical data on board a means of transport, comprising:

at least one interface configured to capture or input medical data; and

a device configured to transmit medical data, audio data, or video data from the apparatus to or from a ground station situated outside the means of transport via a data transmitter,

wherein the apparatus has a first and second mode of operation for transmitting data to or from the ground station, the first mode of operation designed to use a first bandwidth sufficient for video transmission on the data transmitter and the second mode of operation designed to use a second bandwidth narrower than the first bandwidth or a discontinuous data transmission mode on the data transmitter.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the at least one interface comprises connections for sensors that measure vital functions of the body.

3. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the at least one interface is further configured to capture audio or video data or receive input of data by an ancillary person.

4. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the device comprises a wireless or wired network connection for connecting to a network in the means of transport.

5. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first bandwidth is at least 64 kBit/s.

6. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the second bandwidth is at least 16 kBit/s.

7. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the apparatus is configured to automatically use the first mode of operation when a video transmission is performed.

8. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising an identification device which, when the first mode of operation is used, identifies the apparatus to an operator of the data transmitter and requests an appropriate bandwidth.

9. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the apparatus has a third mode of operation in which no data transmission from or to a ground station takes place.

10. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a label printer.

11. A system for capturing or evaluating medical data on board a means of transport, comprising:

an apparatus according to claim 1 on board the means of transport;

a network configured to transmit data from the apparatus to a first transmission/reception device in the means of transport on board the means of transport;

a ground station having a second transmission/reception device designed for data communication with the first transmission/reception device in the means of transport;

devices in the ground station for data communication with a device configured to provide telemedical services.

12. A system according to claim 11, wherein the network on board the means of transport is a wireless network.

13. A system according to claim 11, wherein data communication between the first transmission/reception device in the means of transport and the ground station is effected using a satellite link.

14. A system according to claim 12, wherein data communication between the first transmission/reception device in the means of transport and the ground station or data communication with the device configured to provide telemedical services is effected in encrypted form.

15. A system according to claim 11, further comprising a database configured to store transmitted medical data, the database being accessible to third parties which have an authorization via a data network.

16. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first bandwidth is 64 to 128 kBit/s.

17. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first bandwidth is at least 96 kBit/s.

18. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the second bandwidth is at least 32 kBit/s.

19. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the second bandwidth is 32 to 64 kBit/s.

20. The system according to claim 12, wherein the wireless network is a W-LAN.

21. The system according to claim 11, wherein data communication with the device configured to provide telemedical services is effected via the Internet.