BIO-MEDICAL UNIT HAVING STORAGE LOCATION INFORMATION

• US 20110076983A1
• Filed: 08/02/2010
• Published: 03/31/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Avago Technologies International Sales Pte Limited (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Broadcom Corporation (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Inventors: ROFOUGARAN, AHMADREZA (REZA)
• Granted Patent: US 8,254,853 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/404.1
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/055 involving electronic [EMR] or nuclear [NMR] magnetic resonance, e.g. magnetic resonance imaging
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/00 Apparatus or devices for radiation diagnosis; Apparatus or devices for radiation diagnosis combined with radiation therapy equipment instruments measuring radiation intensity for application in the field of nuclear medicine, e.g. in vivo counting, G01T1/161; apparatus for taking X-ray photographs G03B42/02
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 9/0009 involving or responsive to electricity, magnetism or acoustic waves; Galenical aspects of sonophoresis, iontophoresis, electroporation or electroosmosis microelectromechanical systems A61K9/0097
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2037/0007 having means for enhancing the permeation of substances through the epidermis, e.g. using suction or depression, electric or magnetic fields, sound waves or chemical agents
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3507 with implanted devices, e.g. external control
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3523 using telemetric means
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3592 using telemetric means, e.g. radio or optical transmission
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 31/002 Devices for releasing a drug at a continuous and controlled rate for a prolonged period of time artificial gland structures or devices A61F2/022; intra-uterine contraceptive devices A61F6/14; tampons for introducing into the vagina A61F13/20, A61L15/00; suppositories or bougies for intra-vaginal or intra-uterine application A61K9/02; physical forms of medicinal preparations for sustained or differential drug release A61K9/20, A61K9/50
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 37/00 Other apparatus for introducing media into the body for reproduction or fertilisation A61B17/425; apparatus for iontophoresis or cataphoresis A61N1/30; Percutany, i.e. introducing medicines into the body by diffusion through the skin salt baths A61H33/04
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/325 for iontophoresis, i.e. transfer of media in ionic state by an electromotoric force into the body electrodes for external use A61N1/0428
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 2/002 in combination with another treatment
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 10/65 stored on portable record carriers, e.g. on smartcards, RFID tags or CD
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/13 delivered from dispensers
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/17 delivered via infusion or injection
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/63 for local operation
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/67 for remote operation
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/10 Current supply arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/50 in wire-line communication networks, e.g. low power modes or reduced link rate

Abstract

A bio-medical unit includes a power harvesting module, a processing module, memory, and a transceiver. The power harvesting module converts an electromagnetic signal into a supply voltage, which powers the processing module, the memory, and the transceiver. The processing module communicates, via the transceiver, with an external device regarding a medical matter to obtain storage location information regarding the medical matter, wherein the storage location information indicates where data associated with the medical matter is at least partially stored. The processing module then aggregates the storage location information with patient data storage location information to produce updated patient data storage location information, wherein the patient data storage location information contains storage location information regarding previous medical matters associated with the host body. The memory stores the patient data storage location information and the updated patient data storage location information.

Claims

1. A bio-medical unit comprises:

a power harvesting module operable to convert an electromagnetic signal into a supply voltage, wherein the bio-medical unit is implanted in, or associated with, a host body;

a processing module powered by the supply voltage and operable to;

communicate with an external device regarding a medical matter;

obtain storage location information regarding the medical matter, wherein the storage location information indicates where data associated with the medical matter is at least partially stored; and

aggregate the storage location information with patient data storage location information to produce updated patient data storage location information, wherein the patient data storage location information contains storage location information regarding previous medical matters associated with the host body;

memory powered by the supply voltage, wherein the memory stores the patient data storage location information and the updated patient data storage location information; and

a transceiver powered by the supply voltage and operable to facilitate the communication between the processing module and the external device.

2. The bio-medical unit of claim 1 further comprises:

the processing module further operable to;

generate a communication initiation message to initiate the communication with the external device, wherein the external devices is a service provider communication device;

process a communication response message to verify authenticity of the service provider communication device; and

when the authenticity of the service provider is verified, receive the storage location information regarding the medical matter from the service provider communication device; and

the transceiver further operable to;

convert the communication initiation message into an outbound wireless signal;

transmit the outbound wireless signal;

receive an inbound wireless signal; and

convert the inbound wireless signal into the communication response message.

3. The bio-medical unit of claim 1 further comprises:

the processing module further operable to;

convert an inbound signal into the storage location information regarding the medical matter from a cellular telephone affiliated with the bio-medical unit, wherein the external devices is the cellular telephone; and

the transceiver further operable to;

receive an inbound wireless signal; and

convert the inbound wireless signal into the inbound signal.

4. The bio-medical unit of claim 1, wherein the storage location information comprises at least one of:

a local area network address;

a wide area network address;

a web page address; and

a uniform resource locator (URL).

5. The bio-medical unit of claim 1 further comprises:

the processing module is further operable to;

convert an inbound signal into a request for the storage location information of a specific medical matter;

retrieve the storage location information for the specific medical matter from the memory; and

convert the storage location information for the specific medical matter into an outbound signal; and

the transceiver is further operable to;

convert an inbound wireless signal into the inbound signal; and

convert the outbound signal into an outbound wireless signal.

6. The bio-medical unit of claim 1, wherein the medical matter comprises one or more of:

image data of at least a portion of the host body;

information regarding identity of the host body;

medication prescriptions for the host body;

physical examination data of the host body;

operations performed on the host body; and

blood test results of the host body.

7. A bio-medical unit comprises:

a power harvesting module operable to convert an electromagnetic signal into a supply voltage, wherein the bio-medical unit is implanted in, or associated with, a host body;

a processing module powered by the supply voltage and operable to;

convert an inbound signal into a request for storage location information of a specific medical matter;

retrieve the storage location information for the specific medical matter from memory based on the request; and

convert the storage location information for the specific medical matter into an outbound signal;

memory powered by the supply voltage, wherein the memory stores storage location information of a plurality of medical matters regarding the host body, wherein the plurality of medical matters includes the specific medical matter; and

a transceiver powered by the supply voltage and operable to;

convert an inbound wireless signal into the inbound signal; and

convert the outbound signal into an outbound wireless signal.

8. The bio-medical unit of claim 7 further comprises:

the processing module further operable to;

convert the inbound signal into the request for storage location information of the specific medical matter;

determine identity of a source of the request;

when the source of the request is an affiliated cellular telephone, retrieve the storage location information for the specific medical matter from memory;

when the source of the request is a service provider communication device, execute an authentication process to authenticate the service provider communication device; and

when the service provider communication device is authenticated, retrieve the storage location information for the specific medical matter from memory.

9. The bio-medical unit of claim 7, wherein the storage location information comprises at least one of:

a local area network address;

a wide area network address;

a web page address; and

a uniform resource locator (URL).

10. The bio-medical unit of claim 7, wherein the medical matter comprises one or more of:

image data of at least a portion of the host body;

information regarding identity of the host body;

medication prescriptions for the host body;

physical examination data of the host body;

operations performed on the host body; and

blood test results of the host body.

11. A method for execution by a cellular telephone, the method comprises:

establishing a wireless communication link with a bio-medical unit;

via the wireless communication link, transmitting a command regarding a specific medical matter of a host body associated with the bio-medical unit;

when the command is a retrieval command, including in the command a request for storage location information for the specific medical matter;

receiving, via the wireless communication link, the storage location information; and

initiating a cellular telephone communication to retrieve data regarding the specific medical matter based on the storage location information.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the storage location information comprises at least one of:

a local area network address;

a wide area network address;

a web page address; and

a uniform resource locator (URL).

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the medical matter comprises one or more of:

image data of at least a portion of the host body;

information regarding identity of the host body;

medication prescriptions for the host body;

physical examination data of the host body;

operations performed on the host body; and

blood test results of the host body.

14. The method of claim 11 further comprises:

when the command is a storage command, including in the command an instruction to store the storage location information for the specific medical matter.

15. The method of claim 14 further comprises:

receiving a download instruction from a remote medical device via a cellular telephone communication; and

in response to the download instruction, generating the storage command.