Associating devices in a medical environment

• US 8,793,623 B2
• Filed: 01/27/2011
• Issued: 07/29/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 01/27/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Carefusion 303 Incorporated (Becton Dickinson & Co)
• Original Assignee: Carefusion 303 Incorporated (Becton Dickinson & Co)
• Inventors: Halbert, Donald, Chandrasenan, Sreelal, Vik, Daniel, Borges, Gregory
• Primary Examiner(s): LEGGETT, ANDREA C.
• Application Number:
  US13/015,515
• Publication Number:
  US 20120198392A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,279 Days
• Field of Search: 715/864, 715/863
• US Class Current: 715/863
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/017 Gesture based interaction, e.g. based on a set of recognized hand gestures interaction based on gestures traced on a digitiser G06F3/04883
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/17 delivered via infusion or injection
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/63 for local operation
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/67 for remote operation

Abstract

A medical device includes a gesture detector for detecting a gesture of a second device with respect to the medical device. The gesture is detected within a small time window. The medical device also includes an association gesture determiner for determining that the gesture is an association gesture for initiating a request to associate the medical device with the second device, and a device associator for associating the medical device with the second device based on the association gesture.

Claims

1. A medical device comprising:

a gesture detector for detecting a gesture of a second device with respect to said medical device, wherein said gesture is detected within a small time window;

an association gesture determiner for determining that said gesture is an association gesture for initiating a request to associate said medical device with said second device;

a device associator for associating said medical device with said second device based on said association gesture;

a state determiner for determining at least one of a state of said medical device and a state of said second device, said state of said medical device representing one or more current operating parameters of said medical device, and said state of said second device representing one or more current operating parameters of said second device;

a communication module for communicating information regarding one or more operations allowed by said state of said medical device with said second device following association of said medical device with said second device, said one or more allowed operations based on at least one of said state of said medical device and said state of said second device; and

at least one processor comprising said gesture detector, said association gesture determiner, said device associator, said state determiner, and said communication module.

2. The medical device of claim 1, further comprising:

a communication module for communicating information related to said detected gesture with said second device.

3. The medical device of claim 1, wherein said second device is selected from a group consisting of:

a mobile device and a second medical device.

4. The medical device of claim 1, wherein said gesture sensor is selected from a group consisting of:

an accelerometer, a gyroscope, and a user input sensor.

5. The medical device of claim 1, wherein said association gesture is selected from a group consisting of:

a physical contact of said second device with said medical device, a pattern of plurality of physical contacts of said second device with said medical device, and a movement of said second device in proximity to said medical device.

6. The medical device of claim 1, further comprising:

a proximity determiner for determining a proximity between said second device and said medical device.

7. The medical device of claim 1, further comprising:

a filter for filtering out an unauthenticated gesture.

8. The medical device of claim 1, further comprising:

an association request validator for validating said association request based on information communicated with said second device.

9. The medical device of claim 1, further comprising:

a clinician associator for associating a clinician to said medical device.

10. The medical device of claim 1, further comprising:

a patient associator for associating a patient to said medical device.

11. A non-transitory computer-readable medium containing instructions to configure a processor to perform operations comprising:

detecting a gesture of a first device with respect to a medical device, wherein said gesture is detected within a predefined time window;

determining that said gesture is an association gesture for initiating a request to associate said medical device with said first device;

associating said medical device with said first device based on said association gesture;

determining at least one of a state of said first device and a state of said medical device, said state of said first device representing one or more current operating parameters of said first device, and said state of said medical device representing one or more current operating parameters of said medical device; and

communicating information regarding one or more operations allowed by said state of said first device with said medical device following association of said first device with said medical device, said one or more allowed operations based on at least one of said state of said medical device and said state of said first device.

12. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 11, said operations further comprising:

communicating information related to said detected gesture with said medical device.

13. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 11, wherein said first device is selected from a group consisting of:

a smart phone, a personal digital assistant (PDA).

14. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 11, wherein said detecting a gesture is performed by at least one of:

an accelerometer and a gyroscope.

15. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 11, wherein said association gesture is selected from a group consisting of:

a physical contact of said first device with said medical device, a pattern of plurality of physical contacts of said first device with said medical device, and a movement of said first device in proximity to said medical device.

16. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 11, said operations further comprising:

determining a proximity between said first device and said medical device.

17. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 11, said operations further comprising:

filtering out an unauthenticated gesture.

18. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 11, said operations further comprising:

validating said association request based on information communicated with said medical device.

19. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 11, said operations further comprising:

associating a clinician to said medical device.

20. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 11, said operations further comprising:

associating a patient to said medical device.

21. A method for associating a medical device with a second device, said method comprising:

detecting a gesture of said second device with respect to said medical device, wherein said detecting said gesture is within a predefined time window;

determining that said gesture is an association gesture for initiating a request to associate said medical device with said second device;

associating said medical device with said second device based on said association gesture;

determining at least one of a state of said medical device and a state of said second device, said state of said medical device representing one or more current operating parameters of said medical device, and said state of said second device representing one or more current operating parameters of said second device; and

communicating information regarding one or more operations allowed by said state of said medical device with said second device following association of said medical device with said second device, said one or more allowed operations based on at least one of said state of said medical device and said state of said second device.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein said detecting a gesture of said second device with respect to said medical device comprises:

detecting said gesture of a mobile device with respect to said medical device.

23. The method of claim 21, wherein said detecting a gesture of said second device with respect to said medical device comprises:

detecting said gesture at said second device.

24. The method of claim 21, wherein said detecting a gesture of said second device with respect to said medical device comprises:

detecting said gesture at said medical device.

25. The method of claim 21, further comprising:

communicating information related to said detected gesture with said second device.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein said communicating information related to said detected gesture with said second device comprises:

receiving, at said medical device from said second device, information related to said detected gesture.

27. The method of claim 25, wherein said communicating information related to said detected gesture with said second device comprises:

receiving, at said second device from said medical device, information related to said detected gesture.

28. The method of claim 21, further comprising:

determining a proximity between said medical device and said second device.

29. The method of claim 21, further comprising:

filtering out an unauthenticated gesture.

30. The method of claim 21, further comprising:

validating said association request based on information communicated with said medical device.