ARCHITECTURE FOR FIELD UPGRADE OF A HEALTH MONITORING SYSTEM

• US 20170010882A1
• Filed: 09/20/2016
• Published: 01/12/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 05/30/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ascensia Diabetes Care Holdings AG (PHC Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Ascensia Diabetes Care Holdings AG (PHC Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Nguyen, Tony, Charlton, Steven, Chen, Jun, Chen, Lin, Fu, Qiang, Gofman, Igor, Harris, Steven B., Johnson, Gary J., Inman, Paul L., Li, Qiong, Lieber, Harris, Lok, Derek, Ripley, Paul M., Stefkovic, Gregory, Sun, Hoi-Cheong Steve
• Granted Patent: US 10,176,888 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/14532 for measuring glucose, e.g. by tissue impedance measurement
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/16 Constructional details or arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1605 Multimedia displays, e.g. with integrated or attached speakers, cameras, microphones
• 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 13/385 for adaptation of a particular data processing system to different peripheral devices
• 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: G06F 16/182 Distributed file systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/22 Indexing; Data structures therefor; Storage structures
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/61 Installation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/65 Updates security arrangements therefor G06F21/57
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/71 Version control security arrangements therefor G06F21/57; Configuration management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/22 Social work or social welfare, e.g. community support activities or counselling services
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 10/60 for patient-specific data, e.g. for electronic patient records
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols

Abstract

An architecture allows individual system components to be developed and tested individually, i.e., as distinct modules, and to be subsequently combined through standardized electrical and communication interfaces. Any combination of these modules can be implemented to form different products that provide any number of functions, such as an integrated system for monitoring a health condition and/or delivering a medication. The architecture also provides an approach for dynamically updating the product and offering its users the latest generation of technology even after the users have already purchased the product. In particular, the embodiments employ the communication interfaces to also provide connection to a remote network that can update or upgrade the product'"'"'s software when the product is out in the field.

Claims

1-17. -17. (canceled)

18. A system for managing healthcare data, comprising:

a first module circuit providing a first healthcare function;

a first central circuit controlling the first module circuit;

a second module circuit providing a second healthcare function;

a second central circuit controlling the second module circuit; and

a communication interface providing a connection between the first central circuit and the second central circuit, wherein validation of the second module circuit may be conducted without affecting the first module circuit.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the first central circuit is a host for the second central circuit.

20. The system of claim 18, wherein the communication interface is at least one of a USB interface, a radio frequency (RF) interface, a Wi-Fi interface, and an Ethernet interface.

21. The system of claim 18, wherein the first central circuit is implemented on a mother board and the first module circuit is separately implemented on a daughter board, the daughter board being standardized for connection with the mother board.

22. The system of claim 18, wherein the first module circuit or the second module circuit is selected from a group consisting of a blood glucose meter, a blood pressure monitor, a heart rate monitor, and a processing device configured to process data received from other modules.

23. The system of claim 18, further comprising a validation component configured to validate an updated version of a software component to determine whether the updated version of the software component operates correctly or has been downloaded properly.

24. The system of claim 18, further comprising a housing, wherein both the first central circuit and the second central circuit are disposed in the housing.

25. The system of claim 18, wherein the first module circuit includes a first module circuit memory area storing a first upgradable software, and the second module circuit includes a second module circuit memory area storing a second upgradable software.

26. The system of claim 25, further comprising a download engine configured to receive one or more upgraded software components to upgrade the first upgradable software, the second upgradable software, or both the first upgradable software and the second upgradable software.

27. The system of claim 26, wherein the download engine replaces (i) a first version of the first upgradable software stored in the central circuit memory area with an upgraded second version of the first upgradable software, (ii) a first version of the second upgradable software stored in the module circuit memory area with an upgraded second version of the second upgradable software, or (iii) both (i) and (ii).

28. The system of claim 27, further comprising a restore component configured to (i) restore the first version of the first upgradable software when the upgraded second version of the first upgradable software operates incorrectly or has not been downloaded properly, and (ii) restore the first version of the second upgradable software when the upgraded second version of the second upgradable software operates incorrectly or has not been downloaded properly, thereby ensuring that the system continues to operates as expected.

29. The system of claim 26, further comprising a security component controlling access by the download engine to the first module circuit area memory area, the second module circuit memory area, or both the first module circuit memory area and the second module circuit memory area.

30. The system of claim 18, wherein the first central circuit is configured to communicate with the second central circuit to access the second healthcare function, and wherein the second central circuit is configured to communicate with the first central circuit to access the first healthcare function.

31. The system of claim 18, wherein the first module circuit is communicatively isolated from the second module circuit.

32. The system of claim 18, wherein the first central circuit is configured to authenticate the first module circuit by prompting a user for authentication information and validating the authentication information.

33. The system of claim 18, wherein the communication interface provides a first connection between an external device and the first central circuit and a second connection between the external device and the second central circuit.

34. A system for managing healthcare data, comprising:

a first module circuit implemented on a daughterboard and providing a first healthcare function;

a first central circuit implemented on a motherboard and controlling the first module circuit, the motherboard being standardized for connection with the daughterboard;

a second module circuit providing a second healthcare function, the first module circuit or the second module circuit being selected from a group consisting of a blood glucose meter, a blood pressure monitor, a heart rate monitor, and a processing device configured to process data received from other modules;

a second central circuit controlling the second module circuit, the first central circuit being a host for the second central circuit; and

a communication interface providing a connection between the first central circuit and the second central circuit, wherein validation of the second module circuit may be conducted without affecting the first module circuit.

35. The system of claim 34, wherein the second central circuit is implemented on the motherboard and the second module circuit is implemented on the daughter board.

36. The system of claim 34, further comprising a housing, wherein both the first central circuit and the second central circuit are disposed in the housing.

37. A method for managing healthcare data, comprising:

developing, according to a first development process, a first assembly of a first central circuit and a first module circuit providing a first healthcare function, the first central circuit controlling the first module circuit;

developing, according to a second development process, a second assembly of a second central circuit and a second module circuit providing a second healthcare function, the second central circuit controlling the second module circuit; and

connecting the first assembly and the second assembly via a communications interface.