MEDICAL COMMUNICATION HUB AND ASSOCIATED METHODS

• US 20140258743A1
• Filed: 08/24/2012
• Published: 09/11/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 08/24/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Volcano Corporation (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Original Assignee: Volcano Corporation (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Inventors: Nool, Jeffrey A., Schuerkamp, Dennis, Perez, Cesar
• Granted Patent: US 10,175,735 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 713/310
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2560/0204 of power management
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0066 Optical coherence imaging
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/742 using visual displays A61B5/339 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/565 involving data transmission via a network
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/266 Arrangements to supply power to external peripherals either directly from the computer or under computer control, e.g. supply of power through the communication port, computer controlled power-strips
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 13/4081 Live connection to bus, e.g. hot-plugging current or voltage limitation during live insertion H02H9/004
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 19/00 Electric signal transmission systems G08C17/00 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 19/16 in which transmission is by pulses

Abstract

A powered medical communication hub including a housing and a rear interface assembly. The rear interface assembly includes a first data link configured to transmit first medical data to a processing system and a power link configured to receive a first amount of power. The hub also includes a power distribution module disposed within the housing, electrically coupled to the power link, and configured to convert the first amount of power into a plurality of power levels, and a forward interface assembly including a first connector communicatively coupled to the first data link and electrically coupled to the power distribution module, the first connector being configured to provide a first medical sensing device coupled thereto with a second amount of power equal to one of the plurality of power levels and receive the first medical data from the first medical sensing device.

Claims

1. A powered medical communication hub, comprising:

a housing;

a rear interface assembly disposed at a distal end of the housing, the rear interface assembly including;

a first data link configured to transmit first medical data associated with a first modality to a processing system; and

a power link configured to receive a first amount of power;

a power distribution module disposed within the housing, electrically coupled to the power link, and configured to convert the first amount of power into a plurality of power levels; and

a forward interface assembly disposed at a proximal end of the housing, the forward interface assembly including a first connector communicatively coupled to the first data link and electrically coupled to the power distribution module, the first connector being configured to provide a first medical sensing device coupled thereto with a second amount of power equal to one of the plurality of power levels and receive the first medical data from the first medical sensing device.

2. The powered communication hub of claim 1,

wherein the housing is fluid resistant;

and

wherein an interface between the rear interface assembly and the housing and an interface between the front interface assembly and the housing are fluid resistant.

3. The powered communication hub of claim 1, wherein the first connector is fluid resistant.

4. The powered communication hub of claim 1, wherein the first medical data includes one of intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) imaging data, optical coherence tomography (OCT) data, functional measurement (FFR) data, forward looking IVUS (FLIVUS) imaging data, and electrocardiogram (ECG) data.

5. The powered communication hub of claim 1, wherein the front interface assembly includes a display connector configured to transmit video data to a display device coupled thereto.

6. The powered communication hub of claim 1, wherein the second amount of power is different than the first amount of power.

7. The powered communication hub of claim 1, wherein the front interface assembly includes a second connector electrically coupled to the power distribution module, the second connector being configured to provide a second medical sensing device coupled thereto with a third amount of power equal to one of the plurality of power levels and receive second medical data associated with a second modality different from the first modality from the second medical sensing device.

8. The powered communication hub of claim 7,

wherein the second connector is communicatively coupled to the first data link;

and

wherein the first data link is configured to transmit the second medical data to the processing system.

9. The powered communication hub of claim 7,

wherein the rear interface assembly includes a second data link configured to transmit the second medical data to the processing system;

and

wherein the second connector is communicatively coupled to the second data link.

10. The powered communication hub of claim 7, wherein the third amount of power is different than the second amount of power.

11. A medical communication system, comprising:

a powered medical communication hub having a mounting portion thereon, the hub including;

a plurality of connectors, each connector in the plurality of connectors being configured to receive medical data associated with a different medical sensing modality and to provide power to a medical sensing device coupled thereto; and

a rear interface assembly configured to receive a plurality of cables, the cables communicatively and electrically coupling the hub to a processing system;

mounting means releaseably coupled to the mounting portion of the powered medical communication hub, the mounting means being configured to mount the powered medical communication hub within a medical environment; and

a cable protection assembly releaseably coupled to the rear interface assembly of the powered medical communication hub, the plurality of cables extending through the cable protection assembly.

12. The medical communication system of claim 11, wherein the cable protection assembly includes an elongate and flexible housing enclosing the cables therein.

13. The medical communication system of claim 11, wherein an interface between the cable protection assembly and the rear interface assembly is fluid-resistant.

14. The medical communication system of claim 11, wherein the mounting means includes a rail clamp configured to releaseably couple to a rail in a medical environment.

15. The medical communication system of claim 11, wherein the mounting means includes magnets configured to releaseably couple to a surface within a medical environment.

16. A method of collecting medical sensing data, comprising:

receiving, at a powered medical communication hub, a first amount of power from a power source;

converting, with a power distribution module in the powered medical communication hub, the first amount of power into a plurality of power levels;

providing, with the powered medical communication hub, a second amount of power equal to one of the plurality of power levels to a first medical sensing device;

receiving, at the powered medical communication hub, first medical data associated with a first modality from the first medical sensing device; and

transmitting, with the powered medical communication hub, the first medical data to a processing system.

17. The method of collecting medical sensing data of claim 16, wherein the second amount of power is different than the first amount of power.

18. The method of collecting medical sensing data of claim 16, including:

providing, with the powered medical communication hub, a third amount of power equal to one of the plurality of power levels to a second medical sensing device;

receiving, at the powered medical communication hub, second medical data associated with a second modality different from the first modality from the second medical sensing device; and

transmitting, with the powered medical communication hub, the second medical data to the processing system.

19. The method of collecting medical sensing data of claim 18, wherein the third amount of power is different than the second amount of power.

20. The method of collecting medical sensing data of claim 16, including mounting the powered medical communication hub within a medical environment.