Apparatus and method for protecting a medical device and a patient treated with this device against harmful influences from a communication network
First Claim
1. An apparatus comprising:
- a transmission means for transmitting communication packets to and from an external device via a communication network, the communication network comprises at least one insecure sub-network and a secure sub-network on the device side;
a monitoring means for monitoring the state of the connection of the device to the network; and
a breaker means for breaking an existing connection between the secure sub-network and the insecure sub-network,wherein the external device is a medical device comprising a means for connecting to the communication network,wherein the apparatus is suitable for breaking the network connection to the medical device if, during monitoring, a state of the network connection is detected which poses a risk to a patient treated with the device or to the correct functioning of the devicewherein the apparatus carries out at least one of a translation or encryption of communication protocols used in the insecure sub-network or in the secure sub-network in such a way that communication packets that have been modified with respect to the communication packets originating from the original protocol are used in the respective other sub-network.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Apparatus for interacting with a medical device which is suitable for connection into a communication network which comprises at least one insecure area and a secure area on the device side, wherein the apparatus comprises a transmission device for transmitting communication packets to and from the medical device via the communication network, it comprises a monitoring device for monitoring the state of the connection of the device to the network, and it comprises a breaker device for breaking an existing connection between the secure area and the insecure area of the network if, during the monitoring process, a state of the network connection is detected which poses a risk to a patient treated with the device or to the correct functioning of the device.
52 Citations
24 Claims
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1. An apparatus comprising:
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a transmission means for transmitting communication packets to and from an external device via a communication network, the communication network comprises at least one insecure sub-network and a secure sub-network on the device side; a monitoring means for monitoring the state of the connection of the device to the network; and a breaker means for breaking an existing connection between the secure sub-network and the insecure sub-network, wherein the external device is a medical device comprising a means for connecting to the communication network, wherein the apparatus is suitable for breaking the network connection to the medical device if, during monitoring, a state of the network connection is detected which poses a risk to a patient treated with the device or to the correct functioning of the device wherein the apparatus carries out at least one of a translation or encryption of communication protocols used in the insecure sub-network or in the secure sub-network in such a way that communication packets that have been modified with respect to the communication packets originating from the original protocol are used in the respective other sub-network. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A method for controlling an apparatus for interacting with a medical device which is suitable for connection into a communication network which comprises at least one insecure sub-network and a secure sub-network on the device side, the secure area being protected by a firewall device, the method comprising:
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ensuring the transmission of communication packets to and from the medical device via the communication network'"'"'s; monitoring the state of the connection of the device to the network; and breaking an existing connection between the secure sub-network and the insecure sub-network of the network if during the monitoring process, a state of the network connection is detected which poses a risk to the patient or to the correct functioning of the device. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
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Specification