System and method of communicating data for a hospital

• US 8,626,953 B2
• Filed: 03/02/2007
• Issued: 01/07/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 03/03/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: St. Louis University
• Original Assignee: St. Louis University
• Inventors: Bucholz, Richard D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Dharia, Rupal
• Assistant Examiner(s): Chacko, Joe
• Application Number:
  US11/681,431
• Publication Number:
  US 20070208833A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,503 Days
• Field of Search: 709/249, 709/208, 709/218, 340/3.1
• US Class Current: 709/249
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/67 for remote operation
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/025 for remote control or remote monitoring of applications

Abstract

A system used by a local health care facility to communicate with a remote health care facility via a data communication network. A controller at the local health care facility controls communication on the data communication network, including data communicated between the local health care facility and the remote health care facility. One or more devices located at the local health care facility transmit data to the remote health care facility via the data communication network. Additionally, the one or more devices receive control data via the data communication network and perform one or more functions in response to the received control data.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a voice activated firewall which controls communication with devices located at a local health care facility;

a local area network at the local health care facility, said local area network connected to the firewall and distributing signals to devices located at the local health care facility;

a master controller located at the local health care facility and connected to the local area network for controlling the firewall;

a plurality of local devices located at the local health care facility and connected to the local area network, each said local device comprising;

a local controller for selectively receiving, as a function of a local user of the local device, local control data and remote control data, said local controller controlling the health care device in response to the local control data and the remote control data,

a local health care device responsive exclusively to signals transmitted from the local controller, said signals being influenced by the selected control data received by the local controller,

a local memory for storing a local control form for controlling a first set of features of the local health care device, said first local control form associated with the health care device located at the local health care facility and exclusively usable only by the particular local user, and

a display and user interface for obtaining the local control data from the local user of the local device for controlling the local device, wherein said display displays the first local control form and the user interface obtains user input from the local user, wherein the first local control form generates the local control data as a function of the user input from the local user;

an audio device at the local health care facility for obtaining a voice permission signal from the local user and for controlling the firewall via the master controller based on said voice permission signal, wherein said voice permission signal is a verbal instruction from the local user to authorize the firewall to permit a remote user to communicate and control at least one of the local devices via the local area network; and

a remote device in communication with the local area network, said remote device having a display and user interface for obtaining remote control data for controlling one of the local device from the remote user of the remote device, wherein said display displays a second remote control form for controlling a second set of features of the local health care device and said user interface obtains user input from the remote user, wherein the second remote control form generates the remote control data as a function of the user input from the remote user; and

wherein the second set of features of the local health care device controlled via the second remote control form differ from the first set of features of the local health care device controlled via the first local control form;

wherein said remote device controls said one local device as permitted by said voice permission signal using said remote control data, said remote control data communicated via the local area network to the local controller of the one local device; and

wherein the audio device receives a signal from the master controller and generates an audio signal as a function thereof for the local user, said received signal transmitted from the remote device via the local area network to the master controller; and

wherein the master controller controls the firewall to restrict the remote control data communicated via the local area network and the second control form is based on said restrictions and based on said voice permission signal from the local user.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the identity associated with the user of the remote device is indicative of an access level for controlling the local device and the second control form is based on said access level associated with the user.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein the second set of features of the local health care device are based on an identity of the remote user, and said identity has preferences associated therewith and the second control form is based on said user preferences.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein the second control form has at least one standardized feature associated with a function performed by the local health care device of the local device, said standardized feature appearing substantially similar in a plurality of control forms wherein said function is performed by a plurality of devices associated with the plurality of control forms.

5. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a processing server coupled to the plurality of remote devices and the local area network, said processing server receiving data from the master controller via the local area network, said received data indicating the one or more local devices selected by the master controller via the voice permission signal for linking to a remote device, said processing server locating said remote device based on the received data.

6. The system of claim 5 wherein the received data identifies a specific remote device and the processing server locates said specific remote device.

7. The system of claim 5 wherein the received data identifies one or more medical credentials of a user of a remote device and the processing server locates a particular remote device as a function of said identified medical credentials and as a function of users available to operate the plurality of remote devices.

8. The system of claim 5 wherein the received data includes a first collection of data for requesting communication with a remote device, and a second collection of data requested by the processing server after receiving said first data collection, said second collection of data identifying a particular remote device.

9. The system of claim 1 wherein the local health care device comprises at least one of the following:

CT or MRI scanner, a hospital image retrieval system, hospital electronic health records (EHR), a digital stethoscope, an ultrasound device, a device for monitoring patient vital signs, a microscope, a bipolar coagulator, a camera, or a device instrumental in administering health care.