SYSTEM, DEVICE AND PROCESS FOR REMOTELY CONTROLLING A MEDICAL DEVICE

• US 20120068847A1
• Filed: 08/08/2011
• Published: 03/22/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 01/03/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Shahzad Pirzada
• Original Assignee: Shahzad Pirzada
• Inventors: Pirzada, Shahzad
• Granted Patent: US 9,278,183 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/573.1
• 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 5/318 Heart-related electrical modalities, e.g. electrocardiography [ECG]
• 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.

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) at least one transceiver module coupled to said motherboard for communicating wirelessly; and

iii) at least one memory coupled to said motherboard, wherein said memory is configured to store parameters relating to a patient;

d) a positive air pressure (PAP) device coupled to said housing, wherein said parameters stored in said memory are configured to control fluid flow in said pap device.

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 and wherein said fluid flow is air flow.

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, further comprising a 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, further comprising a first and a said second module which 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, further comprising a second smart identification module which 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.

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 sensor is in the form of a differential pressure sensor.

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

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

15. 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.

16. 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 computer 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.

17. 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.

18. The process as in claim 17, further comprising the step of monitoring a set of medical statistics on a patient.

19. The process as in claim 18, 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.

20. The process as in claim 19, 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.

21. A process for communicating information between a PAP machine and a data storage device comprising:

a) storing individual parameters configured to control the PAP machine in a memory;

b) communicating said parameters from said memory to said data storage device;

c) regulating an output pressure from said PAP machine to convert said PAP machine into an auto-adjustable PAP machine.

22. The process as in claim 21, further comprising the step of communicating parameters from said data storage device to said memory configured to control said PAP machine.

23. The process as in claim 21, further comprising the step of communicating with an outside emergency system to warn authorities that a patient is in distress if a patient'"'"'s vital statistics fall outside of said parameters.

24. The process as in claim 23, further comprising the step of communicating a location of a patient to the outside emergency system.

25. The process as in claim 24, wherein said step of communicating a location of a patient comprises communicating a location by communicating GPS coordinates.

26. The process as in claim 23, wherein said step of communicating said parameters from said memory to said data storage device uses a first communication protocol and said step of communicating with an outside emergency system uses a second communication protocol.

27. The process as in claim 22, wherein said step of communicating parameters from said data storage device to said memory comprises automatically communicating at least one new parameter from said data storage device to said memory.

28. The process as in claim 22, wherein said step of communicating parameters from said data storage device comprises manually updating parameters with said data storage device and then forwarding said updated parameters to said memory for controlling the PAP machine.

29. The process as in claim 22, wherein said data storage device is a remote data storage device and said step of communicating parameters comprises communicating wirelessly between said remote data storage device and said memory.

30. The process as in claim 22, wherein said data storage device is a remote data storage device and said step of communicating parameters comprises communicating via a network protocol between said remote data storage device and said memory.

31. The process as in claim 22, wherein said data storage device is a remote data storage device and said step of communicating parameters comprises communicating via a Ethernet between said remote data storage device and said memory.

32. The process as in claim 22, wherein said data storage device is a remote data storage device and said step of communicating parameters comprises communicating via a Bluetooth between said remote data storage device and said memory.

33. The process as in claim 21 wherein said step of regulating an output pressure from said PAP machine comprises using a processor to compare readings of a patient with said parameters stored in said memory.

34. The process as in claim 33, further comprising the step of taking readings from a patient relating to fluid air flow in the PAP machine.

35. The process as in claim 34, wherein said step of taking readings from a patient comprises using a flow meter to take readings of fluid flow in the PAP machine.

36. The process as in claim 21, wherein said step of regulating an output pressure comprises using said parameters to control an electro-mechanical valve.

37. The process as in claim 36, wherein said electro-mechanical valve operates as a bleeder valve.

38. The process as in claim 21 further comprising the step of communicating with at least one other medical device comprising at least one of a CPAP machine, a BiPAP machine, a ventilator, a concentrator, a blood-pressure machine, a Pulse Oximeter, a multifunction machine, or a Glucometer.

39. The process as in claim 21 wherein said parameters comprise at least one of the following parameters:

blood pressure, temperature, oxygen levels, pulse, and EKG data.

40. The process as in claim 21, wherein said step of communicating comprises communicating via a wireless module comprising at least one of a CDMA module or a GPRS module.

41. A process for controlling or monitoring a medical device comprising:

a) storing at least one parameter for the device within a memory;

b) providing at least one second device remote from the medical device;

c) updating said at least one parameter for the medical device on said at least one second device; and

d) communicating said at least one parameter from said at least one second device to said medical device.

42. The process as in claim 41, wherein said step of storing said at least one parameter includes storing an air pressure parameter for a PAP machine.

43. The process as in claim 42, further comprising reporting said air pressure parameter from said medical device to said at least one second device.

44. The process as in claim 42, wherein said step of communicating said at least one parameter occurs via wireless communication.

45. The process as in claim 42, wherein said step of communicating said at least one parameter occurs via wired communication.

46. The process as in claim 41, wherein said at least one second device is at least one of a server, a telephone, a cell phone, and a personal computer.

47. The process as in claim 41, wherein said at least one second device communicates through the internet to said medical device.

48. The process as in claim 41, further comprising the step of sending at least one alarm to at least one remote user relating to a condition of a user using the medical device.

49. The process as in claim 48, wherein said step of sending at least one alarm comprises sending a location of the medical device.

50. The process as in claim 48, wherein said step of sending at least one alarm comprises sending information to an emergency authority to notify that a patient monitored by the medical device has a condition that falls outside of a predetermined range.

51. The process as in claim 41, further comprising the step of identifying the medical device via at least one of the following characteristics:

machine ID, cellphone number, or patient name.

52. 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) at least one transceiver module coupled to said motherboard for communicating wirelessly; and

iii) at least one memory coupled to said motherboard, wherein said memory is configured to store parameters relating to a patient including parameters related to air pressure for a positive air pressure (PAP) machine.

53. The system as in claim 52, further comprising at least one port configured to communicate between the motherboard and a PAP machine wherein said at least one port comprises at least one communication line and at least one power line configured to be coupled to the PAP machine.

54. The system as in claim 52, wherein said parameters comprise at least one of a range for a standard timed inspiratory positive airway pressure (S/T IPAP), a range for a standard timed expiratory positive airway pressure, or (S/T EPAP), a range for a S/T or standard timed breath rate, such as breaths per minute, and the range for a S/T or standard timed inspiratory.

55. A process for remotely controlling a PAP machine comprising:

a) recording a plurality of parameters relating to the PAP machine in a memory;

b) transmitting parameters relating to the PAP machine;

c) receiving updated parameters related to the PAP machine; and

d) changing an air pressure provided by the PAP machine based upon said parameters.

56. The process as in claim 55, wherein said plurality of parameters comprises at least one parameter relating to air pressure provided by the PAP machine.

57. The process as in claim 55, wherein said plurality of parameters comprises at least one of a set of blood pressure data, a set of oxygen data, a set of temperature data, a set of pulse data, a set of EKG data, that is periodically updated wherein this stream of data is sent such that each vital sign is updated separately at five second intervals.

58. The process as in claim 55, wherein said plurality of parameters comprises at least one of a range for a standard timed inspiratory positive airway pressure (S/T IPAP), a range for a standard timed expiratory positive airway pressure, or (S/T EPAP), a range for a S/T or standard timed breath rate, such as breaths per minute, and the range for a S/T or standard timed inspiratory.