APPLICATION LICENSING FOR A CENTRALIZED SYSTEM OF MEDICAL DEVICES

• US 20140283011A1
• Filed: 03/15/2013
• Published: 09/18/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 03/15/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Carefusion 303 Incorporated (Becton, Dickinson & Co)
• Original Assignee: Carefusion 303 Incorporated (Becton, Dickinson & Co)
• Inventors: Weiler, Aron, Ward, Patrick A., Orona, Martin
• Granted Patent: US 9,558,331 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 726/18
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/105 Arrangements for software license management or administration, e.g. for managing licenses at corporate level
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/1075 Editing
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/12 Protecting executable software
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/121 Restricting unauthorised execution of programs
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/17 delivered via infusion or injection
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/20 for the management or administration of healthcare resources or facilities, e.g. managing hospital staff or surgery rooms
• 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

Abstract

Centralized systems execute one or more applications for monitoring and operating a plurality of network enabled medical devices. An indication to start a selected application at the centralized system or at a network enabled medical device is received at the centralized system/network enabled medical device. The selected application may require a license to operate and, at the time the indication is received, may have a first license available. Instead of using the first license, the centralized system/network enabled medical device may determine to inherit at least a portion of a second license to operate the selected application. The centralized system/network enabled medical device may inherit at least the portion of the second license to form an inherited license, where the inherited license enables features of the selected application. Using the inherited license, the selected application is started with the enabled features. Related apparatus, systems, techniques and articles are also described.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving, at a centralized system executing applications for monitoring and operating a plurality of network enabled medical devices, an indication to start a selected application at the centralized system, wherein the selected application requires a license to operate and, at the time the indication is received, the selected application has a first license;

determining, at the centralized system, to inherit at least a portion of a second license to operate the selected application at the centralized system instead of using the first license;

inheriting at least the portion of the second license to form an inherited license;

enabling features of the selected application according to the inherited license; and

starting, at the centralized system, the selected application with the enabled features.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first license is a license to operate only the selected application.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the features enabled by the inherited license is different from features enabled by the first license.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the selected application is a command and status application for an infusion pump.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the determining comprises selecting to use the portion of the second license rather than the first license.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the determining comprises determining that the first license is not available or the first license is not valid.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the determining comprises:

reading the portion of the second license from the centralized system and extracting license information applicable to the selected application;

determining that the portion of the second license permits use of the selected application

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the medical device comprises one of an infusion pump, a vital signs monitor, and a ventilator.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the selected application comprises executable instructions for the centralized system.

20. The method of claim 1, wherein the application is a command and status application for an infusion pump.

21. The method of claim 1, wherein the decrypting comprises decryption with an advanced encryption standard.

22. The method of claim 1, wherein the determining from the decrypted license that communication with a license server is required comprises:

searching the decrypted license for a limit value to a configuration parameter of the centralized system;

searching a configuration of the centralized system for an actual value of the configuration parameter; and

determining from the limit value and the actual value whether communication with the license server must be initiated.

23. The method of claim 1, wherein the determining from the decrypted license that communication with a license server is required comprises determining from logic included in the decrypted license that communication with the license server is required.

24. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of network enabled medical devices comprises one or more of infusion pumps, vital signs monitors, and ventilators.

25. The method of claim 1, wherein the application comprises executable instructions for the centralized system.

10. A method comprising:

receiving, at a first network enabled medical device, an indication to start a selected application at the medical device, wherein the selected application requires a license to operate and, at the time the indication is received, the selected application has a first license;

determining, at the first network enabled medical device, to inherit from a centralized system at least a portion of a second license to operate the selected application at the first network enabled medical device instead of using the first license, wherein the centralized system monitors and operates a plurality of network enabled medical devices including the first medical device;

inheriting at least the portion of the second license to form an inherited license;

enabling features of the selected application according to the inherited license; and

starting, at the first network enabled medical device, the selected application with the enabled features.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the first license is a license to operate only the selected application.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein at least one of the features enabled by the inherited license is different from features enabled by the first license.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein the selected application is a command and status application for an infusion pump.

14. The method of claim 10, wherein the determining comprises selecting to use the portion of the second license rather than the first license.

15. The method of claim 10, wherein the determining comprises determining that the first license is not available or the first license is not valid.

16. The method of claim 10, wherein the determining comprises:

reading the portion of the second license from the centralized system and extracting license information applicable to the selected application;

determining that the portion of the second license permits use of the selected application

17. The method of claim 10, wherein the first medical device comprises one of an infusion pump, a vital signs monitor, and a ventilator.

18. The method of claim 10, wherein the selected application comprises executable instructions for the first medical device.

19. A method comprising:

receiving, at a centralized system executing applications for monitoring and operating a plurality of network enabled medical devices, an indication to start one of the applications at the centralized system, wherein the application requires a decrypted license to operate;

decrypting a license to produce the decrypted license;

determining from the decrypted license that communication with a license server is required;

polling the license server with data characterizing the decrypted license to receive a new license; and

updating the decrypted license based on the new license.