Display for transportable life support system

• US 6,182,667 B1
• Filed: 04/02/1999
• Issued: 02/06/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 06/21/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Integrated Medical Systems Incorporated (Steris Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Integrated Medical Systems Incorporated (Steris Corporation)
• Inventors: Marosek, Susan Lynn, Jenks, Stephen Francis, Laband, Keith Allen, Hanks, Donald
• Primary Examiner(s): Brown, Michael A.
• Application Number:
  US09/285,360
• Time in Patent Office: 676 Days
• Field of Search: 128/845, 128/696, 128/846, 128/870, 128/903, 562/1, 562/5, 562/6, 562/7, 562/8
• US Class Current: 128/898
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 1/00 Stretchers
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 1/04 Parts, details or accessories, e.g. head-, foot-, or like rests specially adapted for stretchers
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 10/023 Rooms for the treatment of patients at over- or under-pressure or at a variable pressure
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 2203/46 for temperature
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 2210/30 for intensive care
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/0051 with alarm devices
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/021 operated by electrical means A61M16/202 – A61M16/205 take precedence

Abstract

A method for monitoring information representative of the operation of medical devices such as those of a transportable life support system includes communicating information from a plurality of medical devices to a display via at least one isolation circuit. The isolation circuit(s) mitigate interference with the medical devices so as to facilitate such monitoring without adversely affecting the operation of the medical devices.

Claims

1. A method for monitoring information representative of operation of medical devices, the method comprising the steps of:

a) providing a first signal representative of a state of a discrete parameter of a medical device to a display, the step of providing a first signal representative of a state of a discrete parameter of a medical device to a display comprising the steps of;

i) providing the discrete parameter to an optical isolator so as to cause the optical isolator to define the first signal;

ii) communicating the first signal to the display;

b) providing a second signal representative of at least one logic output of the medical device, the step of providing a second signal representative of at least one logic output of the medical device comprising the steps of;

i) providing the logic signal to an output port of the medical device so as to cause the output port to define the second signal;

ii) communicating the second signal to the display; and

c) displaying information representative of the first and second signals upon the display;

d) wherein the steps of providing the discrete parameter to an optical isolator and providing the logic signal to an output port facilitate monitoring of the medical devices in a manner which mitigates interference with operation of the medica devices so as to maintain a reliability and effectiveness thereof.

2. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the step of communicating information from a plurality of medical devices to the display via at least one isolation circuit comprises communicating information from a plurality of medical devices to the display via at least one of an optical isolator and an output port.

3. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the step of communicating information from a plurality of medical devices comprises communicating information from a plurality of medical devices disposed upon a transportable life support system.

4. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the step of communicating information from the plurality of medical devices to the display comprises communicating information to a PDA.

5. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein the step of providing at least one first signal representative of a state of a discrete parameter comprises providing at least one first signal representative of an application of power to a medical device.

6. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the step of providing the logic signal to an output port comprises providing the output signal to an RS-232 port.

7. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the step of providing a second signal further comprises the steps of providing an output of the output port to an optical isolator so as to define the second signal.