DIALYSIS APPARATUS WITH VERSATILE USER INTERFACE AND METHOD AND COMPUTER PROGRAM THEREFOR

• US 20150227293A1
• Filed: 08/27/2013
• Published: 08/13/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 08/31/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Gambro Lundia AB (Baxter International Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Gambro Lundia AB (Baxter International Inc.)
• Inventors: Stenquist, Anita
• Granted Patent: US 9,582,164 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/34 Filtering material out of the blood by passing it through a membrane, i.e. hemofiltration or diafiltration
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/3403 Regulation parameters
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/3607 Regulation parameters
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/3609 Physical characteristics of the blood, e.g. haematocrit, urea
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3331 Pressure; Flow
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3368 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/50 with microprocessors or computers
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/502 User interfaces, e.g. screens or keyboards
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04842 Selection of displayed objects or displayed text elements G06F3/0482 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04855 Interaction with scrollbars
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/63 for local operation

Abstract

An apparatus, method and computer program for performing a plurality of operation steps of a dialysis process is disclosed. In one embodiment, a process controller controls the apparatus to perform the operation steps, monitor the dialysis process and monitor sensor inputs of sensors of the apparatus. The apparatus further includes a user interface (“UI”), comprising a display, an input device and a UI controller, wherein the UI controller enables presentation of graphical data on the display, enables user interaction with the graphical data and exchanges information with the process controller. Each of the operation steps is classified as a sequential operation step or a non-sequential operation step. The UI controller, for each of the operation steps, dynamically controls enabling and disabling of interaction with displayed corresponding operation step items based on a state of the respective operation step (i.e., completed, non-completed, selectable, non-selectable).

Claims

1. An apparatus for performing a plurality of operation steps of a dialysis process, said apparatus comprising:

a process controller for controlling the apparatus to perform the operation steps of the dialysis process, monitor process progress of the dialysis process and monitor sensor inputs of sensors of the apparatus; and

a user interface comprising a display, an input device and a user interface controller, wherein the user interface controller is connected to enable presentation of graphical data on the display, and wherein the user interface controller is connected to enable user interaction with the graphical data and connected to exchange information with the process controller, wherein the exchanged information is based on the user interaction of the user interface and monitoring of process progress of the dialysis process and sensor inputs of sensors of the apparatus monitored by the process controller, and wherein

each of the operation steps are classified in the user interface controller as one of a sequential operation step, which is dependent on completion of another operation step, and a non-sequential operation step, which is independent of completion of another operation step,

the user interface controller is configured to represent each of the operation steps by an operation step item which is a graphical item suitable to be presented on said display, and

the user interface controller is further configured to dynamically, for each of the operation steps, control enabling and disabling of selection among the corresponding operation step items based on a state of the respective operation step, wherein a completed state is assigned to each operation step that is completed, a non-completed state is assigned to each operation step that is non-completed, a selectable state is assigned to each operation step item of an operation step that is non-sequential and each operation step item of an operation step that is sequential but only in relation to a completed operation step, and a non-selectable state is assigned to each operation step item of an operation step that is sequential in relation to a non-completed operation step.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the user interface controller is arranged to dynamically classify the operation steps during the dialysis process as sequential or non-sequential based on any of process progress, sensor input and input parameter settings.

3. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the process controller or user interface controller is arranged to dynamically during the dialysis process add or remove an operation step item from the display based on any of process progress and input parameter settings.

4. The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the process controller or user interface controller is arranged to cause display of the operation steps based on any of status of peripherals or consumables used by the apparatus during the dialysis process.

5. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the amount of operation guidance information of an operation step item is selectable by the operator.

6. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein one or more operation step items of said operation step items assigned a selectable state recommended to be performed next are displayed with an indicator representing the recommendation.

7. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein all operation step items representing an operation step with a process in progress by the process controller are displayed with a status indicator representing the progress.

8. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the operation step items comprises operation substep items that represent substeps of the at least one operation step by at least one of operation guidance, parameter setting and status information, and wherein the user interface controller is arranged to enable displaying of the operation substep items upon displaying of the corresponding operation step item.

9. The apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the user interface controller is arranged to enable the displaying of the operation substep items upon displaying of the corresponding operation step item based on an input from the operator, wherein such enabling based on input from the operator overrides any corresponding disabling of the displaying of the operation substep items by the user interface controller.

10. The apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the user interface controller is arranged to disable the displaying of the operation substep items upon displaying of the corresponding operation step item based on an input from the operator.

11. The apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the user interface controller is arranged to disable the displaying of the operation substep items upon displaying of the corresponding operation step item based on a determined skill level of the operator.

12. The apparatus according to claim 8, wherein at least one of the operation substep items comprises operation substep items on a further level of detail that represent operation substeps on a further level of detail of the at least one substep by at least one of operation guidance, parameter setting and status information, and wherein the user interface controller is arranged to enable displaying of the operation substep items on a further level of detail upon displaying of the corresponding operation substep item.

13. The apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the user interface controller is arranged to enable the displaying of the operation substep items on a further level of detail upon displaying of the corresponding operation substep item based on an input from the operator, wherein such enabling based on input from the operator overrides any corresponding disabling of the displaying of the operation substep items on a further level of detail by the user interface controller.

14. The apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the user interface controller is arranged to disable the displaying of the operation substep items on a further level of detail upon displaying of the corresponding operation substep item based on an input from the operator.

15. The apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the user interface controller is arranged to disable the displaying of the operation substep items on a further level of detail upon displaying of the corresponding operation substep item based on a determined skill level of the operator.

16. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the user interface controller is arranged to enable displaying of all of said operation step items assigned a selectable state through said user interface.

17. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the user interface controller is arranged to enable displaying of only a subset of said operation step items assigned a selectable state through said user interface.

18. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein an operation step is assigned a completed state by any of user interaction through said user input device, a signal from said process controller, and a sensor signal from a sensor of the apparatus, or any combination thereof.

19. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the user interface controller, based on said assignment, is arranged to enable one or more of said operation step items assigned a non-selectable state to be displayed through said user interface.

20. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein one or more operation step items of completed operation steps are displayed with a status indicator representing the completion.

21. The apparatus according to claim 20, wherein all operation step items of completed operation steps on which a sequential operation step relies upon are displayed.

22. The apparatus according to claim 20, wherein all operation step items of completed operation steps are displayed.

23-45. -45. (canceled)

46. A computer program comprising computer-executable program code which when executed by a processor of an apparatus for a dialysis process having a process controller and a user interface including a display, an input device and a user interface controller, causes the apparatus to:

perform a plurality of operation steps of the dialysis process, monitor process progress of the dialysis process and monitor sensor inputs of sensors of the apparatus;

classify each of the operation steps as one of a sequential operation step, which is dependent on completion of another operation step, and a non-sequential operation step, which is independent of completion of another operation step,

display each of the operation steps by an operation step item which is a graphical item suitable to be presented on said display; and

dynamically, for each of the operation steps, enable and disable selection among the corresponding operation step items based on a state of the respective operation step, wherein a completed state is assigned to each operation step that is completed, a non-completed state is assigned to each operation step that is non-completed, a selectable state is assigned to each operation step item of an operation step that is non-sequential and each operation step item of an operation step that is sequential but only in relation to a completed operation step, and a non-selectable state is assigned to each operation step item of an operation step that is sequential in relation to a non-completed operation step.