System for sampling and relaying patient medical data

• US 8,140,356 B2
• Filed: 11/03/2010
• Issued: 03/20/2012
• 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:
  US12/939,151
• Publication Number:
  US 20110093286A1
• Time in Patent Office: 503 Days
• Field of Search: 705 2- 3, 710 15- 16, 600/300
• US Class Current: 705/2
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2505/07 Home care
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2560/0209 adapted for power saving
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2560/0431 Portable apparatus, e.g. comprising a handle or case
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2560/045 with a separable interface unit, e.g. for communication
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0022 Monitoring a patient using a global network, e.g. telephone networks, internet
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1112 Global tracking of patients, e.g. by using GPS
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/63 for local operation
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/67 for remote operation
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 50/20 for computer-aided diagnosis, e.g. based on medical expert systems

Abstract

A system according the present invention comprises a processor, a device interface configured to receive data from one or more different medical devices through a wired or wireless connection (or both), 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 the one or more medical devices through a wired or wireless connection (or both) using the device interface and transmits the data to an intermediary device using the data relay transceiver. Accordingly data from a medical device can be received by the system through the one or more of a wired connection and a wireless connection, and a message including the received data for transmission may be formatted to be sent to one or more of a medical data server and a intermediary device, wherein the intermediary device includes a software program configured to retransmit the message to the medical data server. Aspects of the system can be practiced automatically to allow a medical device for a patient or other subject to be monitored without requiring the patient to manually enter information.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a processor;

a first medical device interface;

a second medical device interface;

a data relay transceiver; and

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

transition the system 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, wherein the first medical device interface is configured to receive patient data via a wired connection from a first plurality of different medical devices, wherein the second medical device interface is configured to receive data via a wireless connection from a second plurality of medical devices, wherein the signal is received via one or more of the first medical device interface and the second medical device interface, and wherein the data comprises at least one of patient data, a device identifier and a patient identifier;

broadcast, via one or more of the first medical device interface and the second medical device interface, an authorization code stored in the memory in response to a request for authorization, wherein the authorization code is for authenticating the system by the medical device;

automatically detect, based on a voltage of a signal received via the first medical device interface, a first communication protocol used by one or more of the first plurality of medical devices;

automatically configure the first medical device interface to communicate using the first communication protocol;

automatically detect, based on a wireless signal received via the second medical device interface, a communication protocol used by one or more of the second plurality of medical devices;

automatically configure the second medical device interface to communicate using the second communication protocol;

receive data from the first plurality of medical devices through the first medical device interface;

receive data from the second plurality of medical devices through the second medical device interface; and

transmit a message including the received data, using the data relay transceiver, to one or more of;

a medical data server; and

a intermediary device, wherein the intermediary device includes a software program configured to retransmit the message to the medical data server.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the first medical device interface is configured to receive the data through a wired connection selected from the group consisting of an optical fiber connection, 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, a FireWire connection, and combinations thereof.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the second medical device interface is configured to receive the data through a wireless connection using a protocol selected from the group consisting of a Zigbee protocol, a Wibree protocol, an IEEE 802.11 protocol, an IEEE 802.15 protocol, an IEEE 802.16 protocol, an Ultra-Wideband (UWB) protocol, an Infrared Data Association (IrDA) protocol, a Bluetooth protocol, and combinations thereof.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the data includes respective information regarding one or more patients associated with one or more medical devices from the first plurality of medical devices and the second plurality of medical devices.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the respective information regarding the one or more patients includes a patient identifier for each of the respective one or more patients.

6. The system of claim 4, wherein the memory further stores instructions to cause the processor to analyze the information for the one or more patients to identify a respective condition for the one or more patients.

7. The system of claim 6, further comprising a user interface in communication with the processor, wherein the memory further stores instructions to cause the processor to contact, using the user interface, a patient from the one or more patients when the information and the condition for the patient satisfies respective predetermined thresholds.

8. The system of claim 4, further comprising a user interface in communication with the processor, wherein the memory further stores instructions to cause the processor to contact, using the user interface, a patient from the one or more patients when information from the patient is not received for a predetermined interval.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the data includes an environmental parameter, wherein the environmental parameter includes at least one of a battery charge level, a temperature, a barometric pressure, a code relating to an accessory for a medical device, a data validity measurement, an elapsed time since a previous reading by the medical device, a test result parameter, a signal to-noise parameter, and a quality of service (QoS) parameter.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the memory further stores instructions to cause the processor to authenticate one or more of:

the intermediary device; and

the medical data server.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the data relay transceiver is configured to transmit the message through a wireless network selected from the group consisting of:

a cellular network;

a General Packet Radio Service (GPRS) network;

a wireless Local Area Network (WLAN);

a Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM) network;

a Personal Communication Service (PCS) network;

an Advanced Mobile Phone System (AMPS) network;

a satellite communication network; and

combinations thereof.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the memory further stores instructions to cause the processor to select a transmission method for the message from a plurality of transmission methods based at least partially on a cost associated with the transmission method.

13. The system of claim 1, wherein the memory further stores instructions to cause the processor to process the data into one or more formats, the one or more formats including at least one of an XML record, an SMS text message, an email, and a facsimile.

14. The system of claim 1, wherein the memory further stores instructions to cause the processor to receive a command from the medical data server through the data relay transceiver.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the command is generated in response to interpretation of input from a user.

16. The system of claim 14, wherein the command reconfigures a software application running on the intermediary device.

17. The system of claim 14, wherein the command controls one or more medical devices from the first plurality of medical devices and the second plurality of medical devices.

18. The system of claim 1, wherein the memory further stores instructions to cause the processor to request a medical device identifier from one or more medical devices from the first plurality of medical devices and the second plurality of medical devices through one or more of the first medical device interface and the second medical device interface.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the memory further stores instructions to cause the processor to determine a medical device type based at least partially on the medical device identifier.

20. The system of claim 1, wherein one or more of the first plurality of medical devices and the second plurality of medical devices include a medical device selected from the group consisting 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;

a patient height measuring device;

a biochip assay device;

a monitor for biological agents;

a hazardous chemical agent monitor;

an ionizing radiation sensor;

a sphygmomanometer;

a loop recorder;

a spirometer;

an event monitor;

a prothrombin time (PT) meter;

an international normalized ratio (INR) meter;

a tremor sensor;

a defibrillator; and

combinations thereof.