User interface improvements for medical devices

• US 7,945,452 B2
• Filed: 04/11/2005
• Issued: 05/17/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 04/11/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ICU Medical Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Hospira Incorporated (Pfizer Inc.)
• Inventors: Rubalcaba, Bernardino Jr., Barkan, Kevin, Barnes, Heather J., Magurno, Amy B., Willey, Suzanne, Cozmi, Mihaela, Paine Proctor, Corinna S., Delano, Kristine T., Schroeder, Katalin M., Roughton, Kevin O., Wald, Eric R., Silkaitis, Raymond P., Fathallah, Marwan A., Davis, Glenn, Huang, John W.
• Primary Examiner(s): O'Connor; Gerald J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Pauls; John A
• Application Number:
  US11/103,235
• Publication Number:
  US 20060229557A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,227 Days
• Field of Search: 705/2, 705/3, 705/4, 141/27, 273/148.R, 345/123, 345/786, 345/77, 368/10, 395/157, 604/65, 600/300, 700/265, 58/50.R, 340/608
• US Class Current: 705/2
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/17 delivered via infusion or injection
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/63 for local operation
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 70/40 relating to drugs, e.g. their side effects or intended usage
• CPC Class Codes: G16Z 99/00 Subject matter not provided for in other main groups of this subclass

Abstract

A method and apparatus is disclosed for operating a medical device with a screen having an improved graphical user interface, which selectively reallocates screen display for both single and multi-channel pumps. Channel indicators associate operation information with a specific delivery channel. Patient or drug order verification is facilitated with a rendering of the patient or the entire drug order/label on the screen. Decimal numbers are presented in vertically offset decimal format. A dual function button cancels the current operation and, after a delay, clears entered parameters. An area sensitive scrollbar cycles through information at various speeds. Screen brightness is adjusted based on an ambient light detector. A screen saver mode activates based on several operating conditions. The screen is incorporated in a removable user interface.

Claims

1. A medical pump, comprising:

a display screen;

a processing unit in electronic communication with the screen; and

a memory coupled to the processing unit, wherein the memory contains programming code executed by the processing unit for;

presenting a first display comprising a pump channel selection/indicator tab, pump therapy selection buttons associated with the pump channel selection/indicator tab, and a plurality of data entry fields for permitting a user to input and view pump programming data that is used by the processing unit to define a given amount of operation data regarding the operation of the medical pump on the screen; and

selectively switching between the first display and a second display on the screen at a trigger event, wherein the second display lacks the pump therapy selection buttons but includes the pump channel selection/indicator tab and, in a font size larger than a given font size originally used to input the pump programming data, a partial data subset of the given amount of operation data.

2. The medical pump of claim 1 further comprising a photo sensor for monitoring ambient light conditions at the medical pump to trigger the event to switch between the first display and the second display such that when the monitored ambient light is less than a threshold level the first display is replaced with the second display.

3. The medical pump of claim 1 wherein the display screen is a touch screen on which the first display and the second display alternatively are presented, and wherein the touch screen is responsive to a touch on the second display to switch to the first display.

4. The medical pump of claim 3 wherein the touch screen is responsive to a touch on the pump channel selection/indicator tab on the second display to switch to the first display.

5. A method of operating a medical pump having a display screen, comprising the steps of:

presenting a first display comprising a pump channel selection/indicator tab, pump therapy selection buttons associated with the pump channel selection/indicator tab, and a plurality of data entry fields for permitting a user to input and view pump programming data that is used by the processing unit to define a given amount of operation data regarding the operation of the medical pump on the screen; and

inputting pump programming data into at least one of the data entry fields;

displaying the inputted pump programming data on the first display in a given first font size;

selectively switching between the first display and a second display on the screen at a trigger event, wherein the second display lacks the pump therapy selection buttons but includes the pump channel selection/indicator tab and, in a second font size larger than the given first font size, a partial data subset of the given amount of operation data.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the trigger event is based on time elapsed from last user interaction with the medical pump and the step of selectively switching between the first display and the second display is done automatically without user interaction.

7. The method of claim 5, further comprising the step of monitoring ambient light conditions at the medical pump with a photo sensor and wherein the trigger event is based on ambient light conditions at the medical pump and a threshold-based feedback signal generated by the photo sensor.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the brightness of the screen is adjusted based on the ambient light conditions at the medical pump and the threshold-based feedback signal generated by the photo sensor.

9. The method of claim 5, further comprising providing the medical pump as an infusion pump and wherein the second display partial data subset includes information selected from a group consisting of:

rate, dose, dosage, volume remaining to be infused, drug identification information, status of the medical pump, current time, assigned patient identification information, a timer count down to a drug infusion, alarm information, elapsed time in alarm status, channel identification, clinical care area, limit status, and units.

10. The method of claim 5, further comprising the step of providing the display screen as a touch screen for input and output and further comprising the step of providing a touch screen keypad display on the first display, the touch screen keypad display being selected from a group consisting of an alphabetic keypad and a numeric keypad.

11. The method of claim 5, further comprising providing a visual indication of alarm status and elapsed time in alarm status on one of the first and second displays.

12. The method of claim 5, further comprising providing a patient identifying image selected from a group consisting of a photograph and a barcode on one of the first and second displays to verify that correct medical pump/patient association.

13. The method of claim 5, further comprising highlighting in a visible manner drug names designated as critical by medical personnel on one of the first and second displays.

14. A method of operating a medical pump having a display screen, comprising the steps of:

supplying a list of selectable information;

displaying only a part of the list of selectable information on the screen, the list of selectable information having a displayed portion and a non-displayed portion;

providing a scroll element adjacent to a viewable portion of the screen, the scroll element being adapted to change the part of the list of selectable information that is the displayed portion by selectively scrolling through the list of selectable information at a variable scrolling rate depending upon a particular position on the scroll element that is activated by a user;

providing on the scroll element a first weighted position and a second weighted position, wherein the first weighted position is adapted to scroll through the list of selectable information at a first given scroll rate in a first direction when activated by a user, the second weighted position is adapted to scroll through the list of selectable information at a second given scroll rate in the first direction when activated by a user, and wherein the second given scroll rate is greater than the first given scroll rate;

providing on the scroll element a first intermediate position located between the first weighted position and the second weighted position and adapted to scroll through the list of selectable information in the first direction at a first intermediate given scroll rate that is greater than the first given scroll rate and less than the second given scroll rate; and

providing on the scroll element a center position located adjacent to the first weighted position and being adapted to have a scroll rate of zero through the list of selectable information when activated by a user.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the weighted positions are graphically displayed as separate items.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein the screen is a touch screen, and the scroll element is displayed on the touch screen.

17. The method of claim 14, wherein activation of one of the scroll element weighted positions allows scrolling by a given multiple increment through the list of selectable information.

18. The method of claim 14 further comprising the steps of:

providing on the scroll element a third weighted position and a fourth weighted position, wherein the third weighted position is adapted to scroll through the list of selectable information at a third given scroll rate in a second direction that is opposite to the first direction when activated by a user, the fourth weighted position is adapted to scroll through the list of selectable information at a fourth given scroll rate in the second direction when activated by a user, wherein the fourth given scroll rate is greater than the third given scroll rate; and

providing on the scroll element a second intermediate position located between the third weighted position and the fourth weighted position and adapted to scroll through the list of selectable information in the second direction at a second intermediate given scroll rate that is greater than the third given scroll rate and less than the fourth given scroll rate.

19. The method of claim 18 wherein the center position is located between the first weighted position and the third weighted position on the scroll element.

20. A medical pump, comprising:

display screen;

a processing unit in electronic communication with the screen; and

a memory coupled to the processing unit, wherein the memory contains programming code executed by the processing unit for;

supplying a list of selectable information;

displaying only a part of the list of selectable information on the screen, the list of selectable information having a displayed portion and a non-displayed portion;

providing a scroll element adjacent to a viewable portion of the screen, the scroll element being adapted to change the part of the list of selectable information that is the displayed portion by selectively scrolling through the list of selectable information at a variable scrolling rate depending upon a particular position on the scroll element that is activated by a user;

providing on the scroll element a first weighted position and a second weighted position, wherein the first weighted position is adapted to scroll through the list of selectable information at a first given scroll rate in a first direction when activated by a user, the second weighted position is adapted to scroll through the list of selectable information at a second given scroll rate in the first direction when activated by a user, and wherein the second given scroll rate is greater than the first given scroll rate;

providing on the scroll element a first intermediate position located between the first weighted position and the second weighted position and adapted to scroll through the list of selectable information in the first direction at a first intermediate given scroll rate that is greater than the first given scroll rate and less than the second given scroll rate;

providing on the scroll element a center position located adjacent to the first weighted position and being adapted to have a scroll rate of zero through the list of selectable information when activated by a user.

21. The medical pump of claim 20 further comprising:

providing on the scroll element a third weighted position and a fourth weighted position, wherein the third weighted position is adapted to scroll through the list of selectable information at a third given scroll rate in a second direction that is opposite to the first direction when activated by a user, the fourth weighted position is adapted to scroll through the list of selectable information at a fourth given scroll rate in the second direction when activated by a user, wherein the fourth given scroll rate is greater than the third given scroll rate; and

providing on the scroll element a second intermediate position located between the third weighted position and the fourth weighted position and adapted to scroll through the list of selectable information in the second direction at a second intermediate given scroll rate that is greater than the third given scroll rate and less than the fourth given scroll rate.

22. The medical pump of claim 21 wherein the center position is located between the first weighted position and the third weighted position on the scroll element.

23. The medical pump of claim 20, wherein the weighted positions are graphically displayed as separate items.