Systems and methods for adapter-based communication with a medical device

• US 8,126,734 B2
• Filed: 10/22/2007
• Issued: 02/28/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 10/24/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Medapps Incorporated (Abbott Laboratories Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Medapps Incorporated (Abbott Laboratories Incorporated)
• Inventors: Dicks, Kent, Kent, Ralph, Tripp, Robert, Bartlett, Terry, Crosley, Thomas
• Primary Examiner(s): Najarian, Lena
• Assistant Examiner(s): SEOH, MINNAH L
• Application Number:
  US11/876,744
• Publication Number:
  US 20080097911A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,590 Days
• Field of Search: 705 2- 3, 710 15- 16, 600/300
• US Class Current: 705/2
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 10/60 for patient-specific data, e.g. for electronic patient records
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/67 for remote operation

Abstract

A system according to one aspect of the present invention comprises a processor, a device interface, a data relay transceiver, and a memory coupled to the processor and storing instructions. The processor executes the instructions in the memory to receive data from a medical device through a wired connection using the device interface, where the data is received through an adapter coupled to the device interface and that communicates with the medical data interchange device using a first communication format and with the medical device using a second communication format. The processor further executes the instructions in the memory to transmit the data to an intermediary device using the data relay transceiver. This system can be implemented in a small, portable unit that is easy for a patient to transport. The adapter can be removably coupled to the medical data interchange device to allow different adapters configured to communicate with different medical devices to be used with a single medical data interchange device.

Claims

1. A medical data interchange device comprising:

a processor;

a plurality of device interfaces, wherein each device interface is configured to receive patient data directly from a plurality of different medical devices;

a data relay transceiver coupled to and communicating with at least one intermediary device, the data relay transceiver not capable of wireless communication with a medical device; and

a memory coupled to the processor and storing instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to;

transition from a quiescent state to an active state in response to a signal transmitted from a medical device to prepare the medical data interchange device to receive data from the medical device;

broadcast an authorization code stored in the medical data interchange device to the medical device in response to a request for authorization from the medical device for authenticating the medical data interchange device;

automatically detect, based on a voltage of the signal from the medical device, a communication protocol used by the medical device;

automatically configure a device interface of the plurality of medical device interfaces to communicate with the plurality of medical devices using the detected communication protocol;

receive data from the medical device through a wired connection using the configured device interface, wherein the data from the medical device is received by the medical data interchange device through an adapter coupled to the configured device interface, the adapter configured to communicate with the medical data interchange device using a first communication format and communicate with the medical device using a second communication format, the adapter being removably coupled to the medical data interchange device;

activate the intermediary device to transition from a quiescent state to an active state by transmitting a signal to prepare the intermediary device to receive the medical device data; and

transmit the data to an intermediary device using the data relay transceiver.

2. The medical data interchange device of claim 1, wherein the data relay transceiver includes a wireless transmitter for transmitting the data wirelessly to the intermediary device.

3. The medical data interchange device of claim 1, further comprising a wired connecter in communication with the transceiver for transmitting the data to the intermediary device.

4. The medical data interchange device of claim 1, wherein the device interface comprises at least one of a:

tip and sleeve (TS) connection;

a tip, ring, and sleeve (TRS) connection;

a tip, ring, ring, and sleeve (TRRS) connection;

a serial peripheral interface bus (SPI) connection;

a universal serial bus (USB) connection;

an RS-232 serial connection;

an Ethernet connection; and

a FireWire connection.

5. The medical data interchange device of claim 1, wherein the device interface is configured to receive data from a plurality of different medical devices.

6. The medical data interchange device of claim 5, wherein the plurality of different medical devices include at least one of a blood glucose meter, a pacemaker, a blood pressure monitor, an insulin pump, a pulse oximeter, a holter monitor, an electrocardiograph, an electroencephalograph, a blood alcohol monitor, an alcohol breathalyzer, an alcohol ignition interlock, a respiration monitor, an accelerometer, a skin galvanometer, a thermometer, a patient geolocation device, a scale, an intravenous flow regulator, patient height measuring device, a biochip assay device, a sphygmomanometer, a hazardous chemical agent monitor;

an ionizing radiation sensor;

a monitor for biological agents, a loop recorder, a spirometer, an event monitor, a prothrombin time (PT) meter, an international normalized ratio (INR) meter, a tremor sensor, and a defibrillator.

7. The medical data interchange device of claim 1, wherein the device interface is configured to receive the data through a plurality of wired connections.

8. The medical data interchange device of claim 1, wherein the first communication format and the second communication format are the same communication format.

9. The medical data interchange device of claim 1, wherein the adapter is configured to communicate with the medical device through a plurality of wired connections.

10. The medical data interchange device of claim 1, wherein the adapter is configured to communicate with the medical data interchange device through a plurality of wired connections.

11. The medical data interchange device of claim 1, wherein the adapter is configured to receive data from a plurality of medical devices through a respective plurality of wired connections.

12. The medical data interchange device of claim 1, wherein the adapter is configured to receive data from a plurality of medical devices connected to a single transmission medium.

13. The medical data interchange device of claim 1, wherein the adapter is nonremovably coupled to the medical data interchange device.

14. The medical data interchange device of claim 1, wherein the adapter is removably coupled to the medical data interchange device.

15. The medical data interchange device of claim 1, wherein the adapter includes a first connector for attaching the adapter to the medical data interchange device and a second connector for attaching the adapter to the medical device.

16. The medical data interchange device of claim 15, wherein the first connector is removably attached to the adapter.

17. The medical data interchange device of claim 15, further comprising a first cable removably attached to the first connector and configured to couple the first connector to the medical data interchange device, and a second cable removably attached to the second connector and configured to couple the second connector to the medical device.

18. A medical data interchange device comprising:

a processor;

a plurality of device interfaces, wherein each device interface is configured to receive patient data directly from a plurality of different medical devices;

a data relay transceiver coupled to and communicating with at least one intermediary device, the data relay transceiver not capable of wireless communication with a medical device; and

a memory coupled to the processor and storing instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to;

transition from a quiescent state to an active state in response to a signal transmitted from a medical device to prepare the medical data interchange device to receive data from the medical device;

broadcast an authorization code stored in the medical data interchange device to the medical device in response to a request for authorization from the medical device for authenticating the medical data interchange device;

automatically detect, based on a voltage of the signal from the medical device, a communication protocol used by the medical device;

automatically configure a device interface of the plurality of medical device interfaces to communicate with the plurality of medical devices using the detected communication protocol;

receive data from a medical device through a wired connection using the configured device interface, wherein the data from the medical device is received by the medical data interchange device through an adapter coupled to the configured device interface, the adapter configured to communicate with the medical data interchange device using a first communication format and communicate with the medical device using a second communication format, the adapter being removably coupled to the medical data interchange device;

activate the intermediary device to transition from a quiescent state to an active state by transmitting a signal to prepare the intermediary device to receive the medical device data;

encrypt the data; and

transmit the data to an intermediary device using the data relay transceiver.

19. The medical data interchange device of claim 18, wherein the device interface comprises at least one of a:

tip and sleeve (TS) connection;

a tip, ring, and sleeve (TRS) connection;

a tip, ring, ring, and sleeve (TRRS) connection;

a serial peripheral interface bus (SPI) connection;

a universal serial bus (USB) connection;

an RS-232 serial connection;

an Ethernet connection; and

a FireWire connection.

20. The medical data interchange device of claim 18, wherein the data is encrypted using at least one encryption key, the encryption key selected from the group comprising:

a private encryption key associated with the patient;

a private encryption key of a health care provider associated with the patient;

a public encryption key associated with at least one of;

an intended recipient, and

a medical data server; and

combinations thereof.

21. The medical data interchange device of claim 18, wherein the adapter is configured to communicate with the medical device through a plurality of wired connections.

22. The medical data interchange device of claim 18, wherein the adapter is configured to receive data from a plurality of medical devices through a respective plurality of wired connections.

23. The medical data interchange device of claim 18, wherein the adapter is configured to receive data from a plurality of medical devices connected to a single transmission medium.

24. The medical data interchange device of claim 18, wherein the adapter is removably coupled to the medical data interchange device.

25. The medical data interchange device of claim 18, wherein the adapter includes a first connector for attaching the adapter to the medical data interchange device and a second connector for attaching the adapter to the medical device.