WIRELESS COMMUNICATION AUTHENTICATION FOR MEDICAL MONITORING DEVICE

• US 20140176338A1
• Filed: 12/20/2012
• Published: 06/26/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 12/20/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Abbott Diabetes Care Incorporated (Abbott Laboratories Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Abbott Diabetes Care Incorporated (Abbott Laboratories Incorporated)
• Inventors: Taub, Marc B., He, Lei Lawrence
• Granted Patent: US 9,344,777 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/870.02
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2560/0214 of power generation or supply
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0004 characterised by the type of physiological signal transmitted
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0015 characterised by features of the telemetry system
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/14532 for measuring glucose, e.g. by tissue impedance measurement
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/14546 for measuring analytes not otherwise provided for, e.g. ions, cytochromes
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 17/02 using a radio link
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/72 for local intradevice communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2209/43 using wireless personal area networks [WPAN], e.g. 802.15, 802.15.1, 802.15.4, Bluetooth or ZigBee
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2209/47 using RFID associated with sensors
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2209/886 using energy harvesting, e.g. solar, wind or mechanical
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 9/00 Arrangements in telecontrol or telemetry systems for selectively calling a substation from a main station, in which substation desired apparatus is selected for applying a control signal thereto or for obtaining measured values therefrom
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/80 Services using short range communication, e.g. near-field communication [NFC], radio-frequency identification [RFID] or low energy communication
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/56 Power conversion systems, e.g. maximum power point trackers

Abstract

Methods, systems, and devices for short-range low-power wireless communication of analyte information are provided. In some implementations, short-range low-power wireless communication of analyte information may include receiving an electromagnetic wireless communication signal and harvesting energy from the electromagnetic wireless communication signal. In some implementations, short-range low-power wireless communication of analyte information may include enabling capabilities associated with an external sensor in response to detecting the external sensor. In some implementations, short-range low-power wireless communication of analyte information may include detecting an analyte sample; determining an analyte concentration associated with the detected analyte sample; and transmitting an indication of the analyte concentration to an external device.

Claims

1. An apparatus, comprising:

a housing;

a memory unit configured to store computer executable instructions;

an antenna;

an energy scavenging unit; and

a processor configured to execute the computer executable instructions stored in the memory to;

control the energy scavenging unit to harvest energy from an electromagnetic signal received by the antenna,

detect an analyte sample,

determine an analyte concentration associated with the detected analyte sample, and

transmit an indication of the analyte concentration to an external device using the harvested energy.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the antenna includes a magnetic loop antenna configured to receive a short-range low-power wireless communication signal.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, further comprising a wideband antenna configured to receive a wideband wireless communication signal, wherein the processor is configured to control the energy scavenging unit to harvest energy from an electromagnetic signal received by the wideband antenna.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the antenna includes a wideband antenna configured to receive a wideband wireless communication signal.

5. The apparatus of claim 4, further comprising a magnetic loop antenna configured to receive a short-range low-power wireless communication signal, wherein the processor is configured to control the energy scavenging unit to harvest energy from an electromagnetic signal received by the magnetic loop antenna.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a power reservoir configured to:

store harvested power on a condition that the apparatus is in an inactive mode; and

distribute stored power on a condition that the apparatus is in an active mode.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the electromagnetic signal is a near field communication signal or a radio frequency identification signal.

8. A method comprising:

receiving an electromagnetic wireless communication signal;

harvesting energy from the electromagnetic wireless communication signal;

detecting an analyte sample;

determining an analyte concentration associated with the detected analyte sample; and

transmitting an indication of the analyte concentration to an external device using the harvested energy.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein receiving the electromagnetic wireless communication signal include receiving a short-range low-power wireless communication signal.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

receiving a wideband wireless communication signal; and

harvesting energy from the wideband wireless communication signal.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein receiving the electromagnetic wireless communication signal include receiving a wideband wireless communication signal.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

receiving a short-range low-power wireless communication signal; and

harvesting energy from the short-range low-power wireless communication signal.

13. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

in an inactive mode, storing harvested power in a power reservoir; and

in an active mode, distributing stored power from the power reservoir.

14. The method of claim 8, wherein receiving the electromagnetic wireless communication signal includes receiving a near field communication signal or a radio frequency identification signal.

15. An apparatus, comprising:

a housing;

a memory unit configured to store computer executable instructions;

a transceiver;

a plurality of capabilities associated with an external sensor, wherein each capability in the plurality of capabilities associated with the external sensor is disabled; and

a processor configured to execute the computer executable instructions stored in the memory to;

enable an external sensor interface,

search for the external sensor,

in response to detecting the external sensor, enable each capability in the plurality of capabilities associated with the external sensor,

detect an analyte sample using the external sensor interface,

determine an analyte concentration associated with the detected analyte sample, and

transmit an indication of the analyte concentration to an external device.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the transceiver is configured to perform short-range low-power wireless communication, and the processor is configured to search for the external sensor using short-range low-power wireless communication.

17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein using short-range low-power wireless communication includes using a near field communication protocol or a radio frequency identification protocol.

18. A method comprising:

enabling an external sensor interface, wherein the external sensor interface is one of a plurality of capabilities associated with an external sensor, wherein each capability in the plurality of capabilities associated with the external sensor is disabled;

searching for the external sensor;

in response to detecting the external sensor, enabling each capability in the plurality of capabilities associated with the external sensor;

detecting an analyte sample using the external sensor interface;

determining an analyte concentration associated with the detected analyte sample; and

transmitting an indication of the analyte concentration to an external device.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein searching for the external sensor includes using short-range low-power wireless communication.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein using short-range low-power wireless communication includes using a near field communication protocol or a radio frequency identification protocol.