System and method for communicating over a network with a medical device

• US 8,060,576 B2
• Filed: 05/25/2011
• Issued: 11/15/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 01/19/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: eVent Medical Incorporated (Kobayashi Pharmaceutical Company Limited)
• Original Assignee: eVent Medical Incorporated (Kobayashi Pharmaceutical Company Limited)
• Inventors: Chamblee, Brent, Chan, Johnny Yat Ming
• Primary Examiner(s): Shin; Kyung H
• Application Number:
  US13/115,901
• Publication Number:
  US 20110219091A1
• Time in Patent Office: 174 Days
• Field of Search: 709/206, 709/219, 715/205, 715/234, 381/67
• US Class Current: 709/206
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 15/00 ICT specially adapted for medical reports, e.g. generation or transmission thereof
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/67 for remote operation

Abstract

A device is provided for connecting a medical apparatus to a network. The device collects data from the medical apparatus and performs a variety of processing functions, such as trending, protocol translation, generating reports, etc. related to the collected data. The device then transmits the collected data over a network to interested parties. In some implementations, the device can transmit the collected data as an email message.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method of communicating with a client system over a network, the method comprising:

receiving, by a network device and from the client system over the network using a first protocol, an email message comprising a command;

formatting the received email message so that the command can be communicated to a medical apparatus using a second protocol;

transmitting the command to the medical apparatus, wherein the network device is physically connected to the medical apparatus;

receiving a response from the physically connected medical apparatus after the physically connected medical apparatus has processed the command;

generating a response email message comprising the received response;

generating a report related to the received response; and

transmitting the response email message and the report to the client system over the network;

wherein elements or functions may be executed out of order from that shown or discussed including substantially concurrently or in reverse order, depending on the functionality involved; and

wherein three layers of ASCII based security based measures may be used;

the first layer may relate to cryptographic hash functions, such as MD5;

the second level may relate to data blocking and stuffing;

the third level may relate to private-key stream ciphering.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the physically connected medical apparatus is a ventilator.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the network device is located within a medical institution.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the medical institution includes a firewall.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising storing the received response in a data storage located within the network device.

6. A computer-implemented method of communicating with a client system over a network, the method comprising:

receiving, by a network device, medical data from a medical apparatus, wherein the medical apparatus is physically connected to the network device;

generating an applet for displaying the received medical data;

generating an email message comprising the received medical data; and

sending the email message and the applet to the client system over the network;

wherein elements or functions may be executed out of order from that shown or discussed, including substantially concurrently or in reverse order, depending on the functionality involved; and

wherein three layers of ASCII based security based measures a be used;

the first layer may relate to cryptographic hash functions, such as MD5;

the second level may relate to data blocking and stuffing;

the third level may relate to private-key stream ciphering.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the network device further generates reports related to the medical data and performs trending analysis on the medical data.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein the medical apparatus is a ventilator.

9. The method of claim 6, wherein the network device further stores the medical data.

10. A device for connecting a medical apparatus to a network, the device comprising:

a first port for physically connecting the device to the medical apparatus;

a second port for connecting the device to the network;

a data storage system for storing medical data received from the physically connected medical apparatus; and

a computer system configured to;

receive an email message including a request for medical data associated with the physically connected medical apparatus;

transmit the request to the physically connected medical apparatus;

receive medical data from the physically connected medical apparatus using a first protocol;

store the received medical data for future analysis;

format the received medical data for transmission using a second protocol; and

generate an applet for displaying the received medical data;

wherein elements or functions may be executed out of order from that shown or discussed, including substantially concurrent or in reverse order, depending on the functionality involved; and

wherein three layers of ASCII based security based measures may be used;

the first layer may relate to cryptographic hash functions, such as MD5;

the second level may relate to data blocking and stuffing;

the third level may relate to private-key stream ciphering.

11. The device of claim 10, wherein the physically connected medical apparatus is a ventilator.