APPLICATION LIMITATIONS FOR A MEDICAL COMMUNICATION MODULE AND HOST DEVICE

• US 20120166680A1
• Filed: 12/23/2011
• Published: 06/28/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 12/27/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Medtronic Incorporated (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: Medtronic Incorporated (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: Masoud, Javaid, Verhoef, William D., Haubrich, Gregory J., Petersen, Christopher M.
• Granted Patent: US 8,868,794 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 710/8
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2560/0276 Determining malfunction
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0022 Monitoring a patient using a global network, e.g. telephone networks, internet
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0024 for multiple sensor units attached to the patient, e.g. using a body or personal area network
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6898 Portable consumer electronic devices, e.g. music players, telephones, tablet computers
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/37235 Aspects of the external programmer
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/37252 Details of algorithms or data aspects of communication system, e.g. handshaking, transmitting specific data or segmenting data
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/67 for remote operation
• CPC Class Codes: G16Z 99/00 Subject matter not provided for in other main groups of this subclass

Abstract

System and method for interfacing with a medical device having a host device and a communication module. The host device has a user interface configured to input and display information relating to the interfacing with the medical device. The communication module is locally coupled to the host device and configured to communicate wirelessly with the medical device. The system, implemented by the host device and the communication module, is configured to communicate with the medical device with functions. The system, implemented by at least one of the host device and the communication module, has a security condition. At least one of the functions is disabled, at least in part, from operating on the system based upon the security condition.

Claims

1. A system for interfacing with a medical device, comprising:

a host device comprising a user interface configured to input and display information relating to said interfacing with said medical device; and

a communication module locally coupled to said host device and configured to communicate wirelessly with said medical device;

wherein said system, implemented by said host device and said communication module, is configured to communicate with said medical device with a plurality of functions and wherein said system, implemented by at least one of said host device and said communication module, has a security condition;

wherein at least one of said plurality of functions is disabled, at least in part, from operating on said system based upon said security condition.

2. The system as in claim 1 wherein at least one of said plurality of functions operates on said system by running an application on at least one of said host device and said communication module and wherein said at least one of said plurality of functions is disabled by at least partially deleting said application.

3. The system as in claim 2 wherein said at least one of said plurality of functions is disabled by deleting said application.

4. The system as in claim 2 wherein said application implements said at least one of said plurality of functions by running said application on said host device.

5. The system as in claim 4 wherein said application is disabled by removing said application from said host device.

6. The system as in claim 4 wherein said application is disabled by moving said application from said host device to said communication module.

7. A system for interfacing with a medical device, comprising:

a host device comprising a user interface configured to input and display information relating to said interfacing with said medical device; and

a communication module locally coupled to said host device and configured to communicate wirelessly with said medical device;

wherein said system, implemented by said host device and said communication module, is configured to communicate with said medical device with a function, wherein said system is configured so that said function operates, at least in part, only for a predetermined duration.

8. The system as in claim 7 wherein said predetermined duration comprises a duration of operation of said function.

9. The system as in claim 7 wherein said predetermined duration comprises a combination based, at least in part, on both a duration of operation of said function and a duration of elapsed time.

10. The system as in claim 7 wherein said function is characterized by a number of operations and wherein said predetermined duration comprises a duration based, at least in part, on said number of operations.

11. The system as in claim 7 wherein said function is characterized by a number of operations and wherein said predetermined duration comprises a duration based, at least in part, on a combination of said number of operations and a duration of elapsed time.

12. A system for interfacing with a medical device, comprising:

a host device comprising a user interface configured to input and display information relating to said interfacing with said medical device; and

a communication module locally coupled to said host device and configured to communicate wirelessly with said medical device;

wherein said system, implemented by said host device and said communication module, is configured to communicate with said medical device with a plurality of functions and wherein said system, implemented by at least one of said host device and said communication module, has a security condition;

wherein a first one of said plurality of functions is related to said interfacing with said medical device and a second one of said plurality of functions is not related with said interfacing with said medical device, wherein an operation of said second one of said plurality of functions is limited based, at least in part, on said first one of said plurality of functions.

13. The system as in claim 12 wherein said operation of said second one of said plurality of functions is limited based, at least in part, on said first one of said plurality of function being in use.

14. The system as in claim 12 wherein said operation of said second one of said plurality of functions is limited by being disabled from use.

15. The system as in claim 12 wherein said operation of said second one of said plurality of functions is limited, at least in part, by being transferred to a temporary storage location.

16. The system as in claim 12 wherein said second one of said plurality of functions is at least partially restored to a level of operation at least partially dependent on operation of said first one of said plurality of functions.

17. A method for interfacing with a medical device using a system, said system having a host device comprising a user interface configured to input and display information relating to said interfacing with said medical device, said system further comprising a communication module locally coupled to said host device and configured to communicate wirelessly with said medical device, said system, implemented by at least one of said host device and said communication module, having a security condition, comprising the steps of:

communicating with said system, using at least one of said host device and said communication module, with said medical device with a plurality of functions; and

disabling at least one of said plurality of functions, at least in part, from operating on said system based upon said security condition.

18. The method as in claim 17:

further comprising the step of operating at least one of said plurality of functions on said system by running an application on at least one of said host device and said communication module;

wherein said disabling step disables said at least one of said plurality of functions by at least partially deleting said application.

19. The method as in claim 18 wherein said disabling step disables said at least one of said plurality of functions by deleting said application.

20. The method as in claim 17 wherein said communicating step runs said application to implement said at least one of said plurality of functions by running on said host device.

21. The method as in claim 17 wherein said disabling step disables said application by moving said application from said host device to said communication module.

22. A method for interfacing with a medical device with a system, said system comprising a host device comprising a user interface configured to input and display information relating to said interfacing with said medical device, said system further comprising a communication module locally coupled to said host device and configured to communicate wirelessly with said medical device, comprising the steps of:

communicating with said system, implemented by said host device and said communication module, with said medical device with a function; and

ceasing said communicating step so that said function operates, at least in part, only for a predetermined duration.

23. The method as in claim 22 wherein said predetermined duration comprises a duration of operation of said function.

24. The method as in claim 22 wherein said predetermined duration comprises a combination based, at least in part, on both a duration of operation of said function and a duration of elapsed time.

25. The method as in claim 22 wherein said function is characterized by a number of operations and wherein said predetermined duration comprises a duration based, at least in part, on said number of operations.

26. The method as in claim 22 wherein said function is characterized by a number of operations and wherein said predeteimined duration comprises a duration based, at least in part, on a combination of said number of operations and a duration of elapsed time.

27. A method for interfacing with a medical device with a system, said system comprising a host device comprising a user interface configured to input and display information relating to said interfacing with said medical device, said system further comprising a communication module locally coupled to said host device and configured to communicate wirelessly with said medical device, said system, implemented by at least one of said host device and said communication module, having a security condition, and a plurality of functions, wherein a first one of said plurality of functions is related to said interfacing with said medical device and a second one of said plurality of functions is not related with said interfacing with said medical device, comprising the steps of:

communicating with said medical device with said plurality of functions; and

limiting an operation of said second one of said plurality of functions based, at least in part, on said first one of said plurality of functions.

28. The method as in claim 27 wherein said limiting step limits said operation of said second one of said plurality of functions based, at least in part, on said first one of said plurality of function being in use.

29. The method as in claim 27 wherein said limiting step limits said operation of said second one of said plurality of functions by being disabled from use.

30. The method as in claim 27 wherein said limiting step limits, at least in part, said operation of said second one of said plurality of functions by being transferred to a temporary storage location.