MONITORING MEDICAL DEVICE STATES TO DETERMINE UPDATE TIMING

• US 20150199485A1
• Filed: 01/13/2014
• Published: 07/16/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 01/13/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Carefusion 303 Incorporated (Becton, Dickinson & Co)
• Original Assignee: Carefusion 303 Incorporated (Becton, Dickinson & Co)
• Inventors: Borges, Gregory
• Granted Patent: US 9,904,765 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2560/0209 adapted for power saving
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2560/029 adapted for auto-initiation
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2560/0443 Modular apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3553 remote, e.g. between patient's home and doctor's office
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3561 local, e.g. within room or hospital
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3569 sublocal, e.g. between console and disposable
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/1413 Modular systems comprising interconnecting elements
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/1415 Stands, brackets or the like for supporting infusion accessories
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/142 Pressure infusion, e.g. using pumps
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/168 Means for controlling media flow to the body or for metering media to the body, e.g. drip meters, counters ; Monitoring media flow to the body flow control in general G05D7/00
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 15/02 electric
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/17 delivered via infusion or injection
• 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

A medical device operates in conjunction with a medical device controller. The medical device can include a low-power processor that monitors the states of the medical device. The low-power processor can determine to wake data processors and memory in the medical device based on the states. The data processors can further determine the current versions of executable code and configuration information associated with the data processors by polling a network server or a medical device controller to determine whether at least one update to the current versions is available. If an update is available, the medical device can receive the at least one update from the network server or medical device controller, and deploy it to the appropriate data processor. After deployment the medical device controller can activate the at least one update at a clinically appropriate time.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

monitoring, by a low-power processor at a medical device controller, at least one state of the medical device controller;

determining, by the low-power processor, to wake at least one data processor and memory in the medical device controller based on the at least one state; and

determining, at the medical device controller, one or more current versions of executable code and configuration information associated with the at least one data processor, polling a network server to determine whether at least one update to the current versions of executable code and configuration information are available for the at least one data processor, receiving the at least one update from the network server, deploying the at least one update to an appropriate one of the at least one data processor, and activating the at least one update at a clinically appropriate time, wherein the medical device controller operates in conjunction with a medical device.

2. The method as in claim 1, wherein the at least one state includes at least one of a timer state, an accelerometer state, and a power source state.

3. The method as in claim 1, wherein the clinically appropriate time comprises a time at least eight hours after the medical device controller has been turned off.

4. The method as in claim 1, wherein the waking comprises causing the medical device controller to exit the low-power state by enabling to operate at least one of:

the at least one data processor and associated memory; and

at least one communications interface.

5. The method as in claim 1, wherein the executable code comprises at least one of an operating system and an application, and wherein the configuration information comprises values that can be modified by a user, wherein the values affect the functioning of the medical device.

6. The method as in claim 1, wherein the at least one communications interface wirelessly couples the medical device controller to the network server.

7. A method as in claim 1, wherein the medical device comprises a fluid infusion pump including at least one of:

a syringe pump, a patient controlled infusion pump, a large volume infusion pump, and a peristaltic pump.

8. The method as in claim 1, wherein the medical device comprises one of a patient-controlled analgesia (PCA) system, a vital signs monitor, a blood analyte monitor, a cardiac output monitors a gastric tonometer, an SpO2 sensor, an EtCO2 sensor, an identification module, a barcode scanner, and a radio frequency identification (RFID) scanner.

9. A method comprising:

monitoring, by a low-power processor at a medical device, at least one state of the medical device;

determining, by the low-power processor, to wake at least one data processor and memory in the medical device based on the at least one state; and

determining, at the medical device, one or more current versions of executable code and configuration information associated with the at least one data processor, polling at least one of a network server and a medical device controller to determine whether at least one update to the current versions of executable code and configuration information are available for the at least one data processor, receiving the at least one update from the network server, deploying the at least one update to an appropriate one of the at least one data processor, and activating the at least one update at a clinically appropriate time, wherein the medical device controller operates in conjunction with the medical device.

10. The method as in claim 9, wherein the at least one state includes at least one of a timer state, an accelerometer state, and a power source state.

11. The method as in claim 9, wherein the clinically appropriate time comprises a time at least eight hours after the medical device has been turned off.

12. The method as in claim 9, wherein the waking comprises causing the medical device to exit the low-power state by enabling to operate at least one of:

the at least one data processor and associated memory; and

at least one communications interface.

13. The method as in claim 9, wherein the executable code comprises at least one of an operating system and an application, and wherein the configuration information comprises values that can be modified by a user, wherein the values affect the functioning of the medical device.

14. The method as in claim 9, wherein the at least one communications interface wirelessly couples the medical device to the at least one of the network server and the medical device controller.

15. A method as in claim 9, wherein the medical device comprises a fluid infusion pump including at least one of:

a syringe pump, a patient controlled infusion pump, a large volume infusion pump, and a peristaltic pump.

16. The method as in claim 9, wherein the medical device comprises one of a patient-controlled analgesia (PCA) system, a vital signs monitor, a blood analyte monitor, a cardiac output monitor, a gastric tonometer, an SpO2 sensor, an EtCO2 sensor, an identification module, a barcode scanner, and a radio frequency identification (RFID) scanner.

17. An apparatus comprising:

at least one processor; and

at least one memory containing executable instructions configured to cause the at least one processor to perform operations comprising;

monitoring, by a low-power processor at a medical device, at least one state of the medical device;

determining, by the low-power processor, to wake at least one data processor and memory in the medical device based on the at least one state; and

determining, at the medical device, one or more current versions of executable code and configuration information associated with the at least one data processor, polling at least one of a network server and a medical device controller to determine whether at least one update to the current versions of executable code and configuration information are available for the at least one data processor, receiving the at least one update from the network server, deploying the at least one update to an appropriate one of the at least one data processor, and activating the at least one update at a clinically appropriate time, wherein the medical device controller operates in conjunction with the medical device.