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

• US 8,171,094 B2
• Filed: 01/11/2011
• Issued: 05/01/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 01/19/2010
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: eVent Medical Incorporated (Kobayashi Pharmaceutical Company Limited)
• Original Assignee: eVent Medical Incorporated (Kobayashi Pharmaceutical Company Limited)
• Inventors: Chan, Johnny Yat Ming, Chamblee, Brent
• Primary Examiner(s): WANG, LIANG CHE A
• Application Number:
  US13/004,799
• Publication Number:
  US 20110179123A1
• Time in Patent Office: 476 Days
• Field of Search: 709/202, 709/205, 709/206, 709/217, 709/218, 709/230, 709/246
• 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, an email message comprising a command;

performing protocol translation on the received email message so that the command can be communicated to a medical apparatus;

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

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

generating a response email message comprising the received response; and

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

wherein three layers of ASCII based security based measures are used to communicate over the network;

the first layer relating to cryptographic hash functions;

the second level relating to data blocking and stuffing;

the third level relating to private-key stream ciphering.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the 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 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;

generate a report related to the received medical data; and

generate an email message comprising the received medical data;

wherein three layers of ASCII based security based measures are used to communicate over the network;

the first layer relating to cryptographic hash functions;

the second level relating to data blocking and stuffing;

the third level relating to private-key stream ciphering.

7. A computer-implemented method of communicating with a network device over a network, the method comprising:

generating a first email message including a request for medical data;

transmitting the first email message over the network to the network device;

receiving data over the network from the network device, the data comprising a second email message including the requested medical data and an applet for displaying the requested medical data; and

outputting the requested medical data for display using the applet;

wherein the network device is physically connected to a medical apparatus and the network device generates the second email message including the requested medical data and the applet for viewing the requested medical data;

wherein three layers of ASCII based security based measures are used to communicate over the network;

the first layer relating to cryptographic hash functions;

the second level relating to data blocking and stuffing;

the third level relating to private-key stream ciphering.

8. A device for connecting a ventilator to a network, the device comprising:

a first port for physically connecting the device to the ventilator;

a second port for connecting the device to the network;

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

a computer system configured to;

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

transmit the request to the physically connected ventilator;

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

store the received medical data for future analysis;

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

generate a report related to the received medical data; and

generate an email message comprising the received medical data;

wherein three layers of ASCII based security based measures are used to communicate over the network;

the first layer relating to cryptographic hash functions;

the second level relating to data blocking and stuffing;

the third level relating to private-key stream ciphering.