Voice Interface for a Dialysis Machine

• US 20170065757A1
• Filed: 09/08/2015
• Published: 03/09/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 09/08/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Fresenius Medical Care Holdings Incorporated (Fresenius SE & Co. KGaA)
• Original Assignee: Fresenius Medical Care Holdings Incorporated (Fresenius SE & Co. KGaA)
• Inventors: Merics, Tom, Tanenbaum, Lee Daniel, Wang, Fei, Gumina, Mario, Hoffstetter, Eric, Doyle, Matthew, Mok, Aleo Nobel, Raiford, Wayne Ronald
• Granted Patent: US 9,839,735 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/14 Dialysis systems; Artificial kidneys; Blood oxygenators semi-permeable membranes characterised by the material, manufacturing processes therefor B01D71/00; Reciprocating systems for treatment of body fluids, e.g. single needle systems for hemofiltration or pheresis
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/152 Details related to the interface between cassette and machine
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/159 specially adapted for peritoneal dialysis
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/1601 Control or regulation
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/28 Peritoneal dialysis ; Other peritoneal treatment, e.g. oxygenation
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3569 sublocal, e.g. between console and disposable
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3592 using telemetric means, e.g. radio or optical transmission
• 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: A61M 2205/80 voice-operated command
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/167 Audio in a user interface, e.g. using voice commands for navigating, audio feedback
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 15/22 Procedures used during a speech recognition process, e.g. man-machine dialogue
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 17/22 Interactive procedures; Man-machine interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 2015/223 Execution procedure of a spoken command
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/40 relating to mechanical, radiation or invasive therapies, e.g. surgery, laser therapy, dialysis or acupuncture
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/63 for local operation

Abstract

A dialysis machine (e.g., a peritoneal dialysis (PD) machine) can include a microphone and a component that provide voice recognition capabilities to the machine. For example, in some implementations, the component is configured to identify and/or authenticate voice commands that are issued by a user. The voice command may cause the dialysis machine to carry out a dialysis function. Alternatively, the voice command may cause a user interface of the dialysis machine (e.g., a display, such as a touchscreen display) to be adjusted. A dialysis machine can also include a speaker for providing spoken information to a user. For example, in some implementations, the speaker can provide spoken instructions to assist the user in machine set-up, calibration, and/or operation. Such spoken instructions can be particularly useful in a home dialysis setting. In some implementations, the speaker can provide spoken alarms that are related to alarm conditions.

Claims

1. A dialysis system, comprising:

a dialysis machine;

an authentication component configured to determine that a source of a voice command received by the dialysis system is an authorized user of the dialysis system; and

a processor configured to carry out a function determined based on the voice command.

2. The dialysis system of claim 1, comprising:

a voice recognition component configured to identify the voice command in audio information received by a microphone.

3. The dialysis system of claim 1, wherein the voice command comprises a command for the dialysis machine to perform a dialysis function.

4. The dialysis system of claim 1, wherein audio information from which the voice command is identified is received by the dialysis system from an external device.

5. The dialysis system of claim 4, wherein the external device comprises a microphone.

6. The dialysis system of claim 2, wherein the dialysis system comprises the microphone.

7. The dialysis system of claim 1, wherein the authentication component is configured to receive input from a non-voice interface of the dialysis system and determine that the input is received from an authorized user.

8. The dialysis system of claim 1, wherein the authentication component is configured to receive an indication that an authorized user is in proximity to the dialysis system.

9. The dialysis system of claim 2, wherein the voice recognition component has one of two states:

an enabled state in which the voice recognition component is configured to identify the voice command in the audio information; and

a standby state in which the voice recognition component is configured to not identify the voice command in the audio information.

10. The dialysis system of claim 9, wherein the voice recognition component is configured to identify a wakeup command in the audio information received by the microphone when the voice recognition component is in the standby state.

11. The dialysis system of claim 10, wherein the voice recognition component enters the enabled state when the voice recognition component identifies the wakeup command.

12. The dialysis system of claim 9, wherein the voice recognition component is in the sleep state when an authorized user is not in proximity to the dialysis system.

13. The dialysis system of claim 8, wherein the indication that an authorized user is in proximity to the dialysis system is based on the receiving of data associated with an external tag.

14. The dialysis system of claim 13, wherein the external tag comprises an RFID tag.

15. The dialysis system of claim 1, wherein the authentication component is configured to determine that the source of the voice command is an authorized user of the dialysis system based on data identifying the source of the voice command.

16. The dialysis system of claim 15, wherein the data identifying the source of the voice command is based on a voice code in audio information received by a microphone.

17. The dialysis system of claim 15, wherein the data identifying the source of the voice command is based on an identification card containing a data storage medium that can be accessed by the dialysis system.

18. The dialysis system of claim 2, wherein the processor is configured to determine whether the dialysis function is authorized to be carried out in response to the voice command being identified.

19. The dialysis system of claim 1, comprising:

a user interface component configured to cause a user interface to display an arrangement of user interface elements.

20. The dialysis system of claim 19, wherein the user interface elements are buttons displayed by the user interface, and the voice command comprises a command to rearrange the buttons.

21. The dialysis system of claim 20, wherein the command to rearrange buttons causes a button of the dialysis machine to be replaced with a different button.

22. The dialysis system of claim 20, wherein the command to rearrange buttons causes a first button of the dialysis machine and a second button of the dialysis machine to be combined into a single button that, when interacted with, causes the dialysis system to perform at least one action associated with the first button and at least one action associated with the second button.

23. The dialysis system of claim 20, wherein the command to rearrange buttons comprises a reference to a stored profile that defines an arrangement of buttons to be displayed.

24. The dialysis system of claim 20, wherein the command to rearrange buttons comprises a reference to a stored profile that defines a particular button to be displayed.

25. The dialysis system of claim 20, wherein the command to rearrange buttons is carried out based at least in part on an identity of the source of the voice command.

26. The dialysis system of claim 25, wherein the command to rearrange buttons is associated with a stored profile associated with the source of the voice command.

27. The dialysis system of claim 19, wherein the user interface component is configured to cause the user interface to display an arrangement of user interface elements that is based on an identity of the source of the voice command.

28. A dialysis system comprising:

a dialysis machine;

a speaker; and

an alarm component configured to;

determine that an alarm condition related to the dialysis machine exists; and

cause the speaker to provide spoken information related to the alarm condition.

29. The dialysis system of claim 28, wherein the spoken information comprises an identification of the dialysis machine.

30. The dialysis system of claim 29, wherein the spoken information comprises an identification of a location of the dialysis machine.

31. The dialysis system of claim 28, wherein the alarm component is configured to determine the spoken information based on a verbosity setting of the dialysis system.

32. The dialysis system of claim 31, wherein the verbosity setting is determined based on an identity of a user of the dialysis system.

33. The dialysis system of claim 31, wherein the verbosity setting is determined based on a medical qualification of a user of the dialysis system.

34. A dialysis system comprising:

a dialysis machine;

a speaker; and

an instruction component configured to;

determine that an action has not yet been completed; and

cause the speaker to provide spoken instructions that assist a user of the dialysis system in completing the action.

35. The dialysis system of claim 34, wherein the instruction component is configured to determine the spoken instructions based on a verbosity setting of the dialysis system.

36. The dialysis system of claim 35, wherein the verbosity setting is determined based on an identity of the user.

37. The dialysis system of claim 35, wherein the verbosity setting is determined based on a medical qualification of the user.

38. The dialysis system of claim 34, wherein the instruction component is configured to cause the speaker to provide subsequent spoken instructions that assist the user of the dialysis system in completing a second action.

39. The dialysis system of claim 38, wherein the subsequent spoken instructions are provided a predetermined amount of time after the spoken instructions are provided.

40. The dialysis system of claim 34, comprising a display that is configured to provide visual information related to the action.

41. The dialysis system of claim 40, wherein the visual information is one or both of an image and a video that show the action being at least partially completed.