Device Having Coded Output of Operational Data

• US 20100199102A1
• Filed: 08/19/2009
• Published: 08/05/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 01/30/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: 3B Medical Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Sunrise Medical Hhg Incorporated (Sunrise Medical Incorporated)
• Inventors: Krepelka, Stephen F., Knepper, Michael B.
• Granted Patent: US 8,649,510 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 713/189
• 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 2016/0021 with a proportional output signal, e.g. from a thermistor
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2016/0039 in the inspiratory circuit
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3553 remote, e.g. between patient's home and doctor's office
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/502 User interfaces, e.g. screens or keyboards
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/52 with memories providing a history of measured variating parameters of apparatus or patient
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/63 for local operation
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/67 for remote operation

Abstract

A device for confirming compliance with usage of a breathing gas delivery system that includes at least one sensor for monitoring operating data disposed within the breathing gas delivery system and a device for encoding the monitored operating data and displaying the encoded operating data for reporting to another location.

Claims

1. A device having an encoded output of operating data comprising:

a. a storage device for storing said operating data;

b. an encoding device for encoding all or a portion of said stored operating data; and

c. an output device for outputting said encoded data.

2. The device of claim 1 wherein said output device is a display capable of displaying said encoded data as a string of one or more ASCII characters.

3. The device of claim 2 wherein each of said ASCII characters serves as an index to one or more tables, said tables containing scaled ranges of operating values for each type of said operating data.

4. The device of claim 3 wherein each type of operating data is scaled such as to fit within said range of values represented in said one or more tables.

5. The device of claim 2 wherein certain types of said operating data may be represented as a bit field, said bit field being a portion of said numeric value.

6. The device of claim 2 wherein said device displays a plurality of strings of one or more ASCII characters, each of said strings representing different operating data.

7. The device of claim 6 wherein a user of said device may select which of said strings of ASCII characters is to be displayed.

8. The device of claim 2 wherein said strings of ASCII characters contain at least one check character that serves as an error check of the other characters in said string.

9. The device of claim 8 wherein said one or more check characters are derived using a cyclic redundancy check on said other characters.

10. The device of claim 6 wherein at least one of said strings contains one or more device-specific verification characters.

11. The device of claim 10 wherein said one or more verification characters are obtained by performing a cyclic redundancy check calculation on a device-specific identifier.

12. The device of claim 5 wherein at least one character contains a bit field representing the model of the device.

13. The device of claim 2 wherein said string of ASCII characters is displayed as a plurality of groups of 3 to 5 characters with a separator character therebetween.

14. The device of claim 7 further comprising one or more buttons which allow said user to cycle through a display of said plurality of strings.

15. The device of claim 6 further comprising one or more sensors for gathering said operating data from said device and storing said operating data in said storage device.

16. The device of claim 15 wherein said device is a breathing gas delivery device.

17. The device of claim 16 wherein said device is a bi-level breathing gas delivery machine.

18. The device of claim 17 wherein said device is a CPAP machine.

19. The device of claim 16 wherein said plurality of strings represent encoded operating data from different operational time periods.

20. The device of claim 19 wherein said operational time periods are selected from a group consisting of the last day, the last 7 days, the last 30 days, and the last 90 days.

21. The device of claim 1 further comprising a communications device for communicating said encoded data to a remote location.

22. The device of claim 21 wherein said encoded data may be communicated via a telephone line or via a connection facilitated by the internet.

23. The device of claim 22 wherein said encoded data may be communicated via a telephone line using DTMF tones.

24. The device of claim 1 further comprising an input device wherein a user may input strings of ASCII characters, said strings representing encoded operating instructions for said device.

25. A method for obtaining operational data from a device comprising the steps of:

a. storing said operational data in a storage medium;

b. encoding said operational data as a string of ASCII characters; and

c. displaying said ASCII character string on a display device.

26. The method of claim 25 wherein said encoding step further comprises the steps of:

a. using said ASCII characters as an index to one or more tables, said tables containing ranged and scaled operating values for each type of said operating data;

b. scaling each type of operating data such as to fit within said range of values represented in said one or more tables;

c. selecting the ASCII character that represents the correct range in the table for the current value of the operating data; and

d. adding said selected ASCII character to said ASCII character string.

27. The method of claim 26 further comprising the step of performing a CRC calculation on said ASCII character string and adding the ASCII character to the string that represents a numerical value derived from the CRC calculation.

28. The method of claim 26 further comprising the step of compiling a plurality of ASCII character strings, each of said strings representing the operational data collected over a different operational time period.

29. The method of claim 28 further comprising the step of adding a device-specific verification to at least one of said plurality of ASCII character strings, said verification character being obtained by performing a CRC calculation on a device-specific identifier.

30. A method for obtaining operational data from a device comprising the steps of:

a. remotely obtaining one or more ASCII character strings from said device, said ASCII character strings representing the encoded operational data of the device;

b. entering said ASCII character strings in to a software facility that decodes the strings and displays the unencoded operational data; and

c. generating one or more printed reports utilizing said operational data.

31. The method of claim 30 wherein said one or more ASCII character strings are communicated over a telephone by a live person or via DTMF tones.