Graphic user interface for a patient ventilator

• US 6,369,838 B1
• Filed: 05/19/1999
• Issued: 04/09/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 03/14/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Nellcor Puritan Bennett Incorporated (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: Nellcor Puritan Bennett Incorporated (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: Sanborn, Warren G., Wallace, Charles L., Arnett, David, Butterbrodt, Jay, Ferguson, Howard L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Bayerl, Raymond J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): JOSEPH, THOMAS J
• Application Number:
  US09/314,860
• Time in Patent Office: 1,056 Days
• Field of Search: 128/204.18, 128/204.21, 128/204.23, 128/205.23, 345/326, 345/335, 345/352-354, 345/340-342, 345/173, 345/846, 345/854, 345/840, 345/866, 345/781, 345/701, 345/808, 345/810, 434/219, 434/118
• US Class Current: 715/810
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/0051 with alarm devices
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/024 including calculation means, e.g. using a processor
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/13 with means for the detection of operative contact with patient, e.g. lip sensor
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/505 Touch-screens; Virtual keyboard or keypads; Virtual buttons; Soft keys; Mouse touches
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/581 by audible feedback
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/583 by visual feedback
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/587 Lighting arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04842 Selection of displayed objects or displayed text elements G06F3/0482 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/453 Help systems
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/63 for local operation
• CPC Class Codes: Y02A 90/10 Information and communication technologies [ICT] supporting adaptation to climate change, e.g. for weather forecasting or climate simulation
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 715/965 for process control and configuration

Abstract

A ventilation control system for controlling the ventilation of a patient. The ventilation control system utilizes a user-friendly user interface for the display of patient data and ventilator status, as well as for entering values for ventilation settings to be used to control the ventilator.

Claims

1. A system for programming a respirator for ventilating a patient, comprising:

a programmable controller responsive to selected ventilation parameters for controlling the respirator to ventilate the patient and for storing a plurality of ventilation parameters;

a display for displaying the plurality of ventilation parameters, including the simultaneous display of ventilation parameters currently used by the controller to control the respirator and a plurality of proposed ventilation parameters, said display including a graphical representation of the ventilation parameters currently used and the proposed ventilation parameters of a breath cycle, and a graphical representation of the effect of the proposed ventilation parameters on the breath cycle;

input means cooperating with the controller and the display for selecting one of the proposed ventilation parameters from the plurality of proposed ventilation parameters and for assigning values to the selected proposed ventilation parameter, the selected values being displayed by the display;

wherein proposed ventilator parameters may be individually selected in any order and values assigned to each of the proposed ventilator parameters by the user while the controller controls the ventilator using the currently used values of the ventilation parameters; and

wherein the user accepts the one or more displayed values of the proposed ventilator parameters by activating an input device and the controller stores the assigned proposed ventilator values in the controller, and controls the ventilator using the newly stored values.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the graphical representation of the effect of the proposed ventilation parameters on the breath cycle comprises a time scale, an inspiration bar and an expiration bar, and the lengths of the inspiration bar and the expiration bar are a function of the ventilator settings used by the controller to control the ventilator.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the graphical representation of the effect of the proposed ventilation parameters on the breath cycle comprises a time scale, an inspiration bar and an expiration bar, and the lengths of the inspiration bar and the expiration bar are a function of the assigned values of the proposed and not yet accepted ventilator settings.

4. The system of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of sensors connected to the controller for providing signals to the controller representing the status of the ventilation of the patient.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the controller determines that a patient has become connected to the ventilator based upon signals received from at least one of said plurality of sensors.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the input device is a button.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the input device is a touch screen display.

8. The system of claim 2, wherein the time scale is associated with the inspiration and expiration bar and is automatically rescaled to be compatible with the combination of the times on the bar.

9. The system of claim 3, wherein the time scale associated with the inspiration and expiration bar is rescaled to be compatible with the combinations of the times on the bar.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the means of varying the displayed parameters is a rotary device.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein said rotary device is a rotary knob.