Methods and systems for managing wireless devices

• US 9,041,532 B1
• Filed: 11/05/2013
• Issued: 05/26/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 11/05/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: General Electric Company
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Hasan, SM Shajedul, Davenport, David Michael, Wik, Steven William
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Tai T
• Application Number:
  US14/071,764
• Publication Number:
  US 20150123786A1
• Time in Patent Office: 567 Days
• Field of Search: 340/539.12, 340/539.11, 340/501, 340/506, 340/10.1, 340/540, 340/541, 340/572.4, 340/572.7
• US Class Current: 340/539.12
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/002 Monitoring the patient using a local or closed circuit, e.g. in a room or building A61B5/0017 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0205 Simultaneously evaluating both cardiovascular conditions and different types of body conditions, e.g. heart and respiratory condition
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/24 Reminder alarms, e.g. anti-loss alarms
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/67 for remote operation

Abstract

Systems and methods for managing patient monitoring devices are disclosed. Patient information is transmitted from a patient sensor operatively coupled to a patient to a patient monitor. The patient sensor and the patient monitor are communicatively coupled over a communications network available in a designated monitoring area. Further, loss of the patient sensor from the designated monitoring area is detected by one or more of the patient sensor, the patient monitor and a user. One or more loss prevention indicators are initiated at the patient sensor upon detecting the loss of the patient sensor. Additionally, the loss prevention indicators are communicated to indicate location of the lost patient sensor.

Claims

1. A body worn patient sensor, comprising:

a sensor transceiver configured to transmit patient information to a patient monitor over a communications network available in a designated monitoring area;

a sensor processing unit configured to initiate one or more loss prevention indicators upon receiving a reveal signal from the patient monitor, upon failing to receive communication from the patient monitor for more than a determined period of time, or a combination thereof;

one or more sensor output devices configured to communicate the loss prevention indicators to indicate location of the patient sensor that is lost; and

at least one interrogator coupled to the communications network is configured to;

listen for an announce signal from the patient sensor, a request from the patient monitor, or a combination thereof, over a default communications channel in the communications network; and

communicate one or more loss prevention indicators to indicate location of the patient sensor upon receiving the announce signal from the patient sensor.

2. The body worn patient sensor of claim 1, wherein the sensor processing unit is further configured to initiate the loss prevention indicators upon receiving a reveal signal from an interrogator over a designated communications channel in the communications network.

3. The body worn patient sensor of claim 2, wherein the interrogator is communicatively coupled to the patient monitor, the body worn patient sensor, or a combination thereof, over the communications network.

4. The body worn patient sensor of claim 2, wherein the interrogator is an autonomous device.

5. The body worn patient sensor of claim 2, wherein the sensor processing unit is configured to initiate the loss prevention indicators upon receiving an association request from another patient monitor.

6. The body worn patient sensor of claim 2, wherein the sensor transceiver is configured to the transmit the announce signal indicative of a loss of the body worn patient sensor to the patient monitor, the interrogator, or a combination thereof, over the designated communications channel.

7. The body worn patient sensor of claim 1, further comprising a timer configured to determine a first time period taken to receive a communication from the patient monitor, a second time period elapsed since transmitting patient information to the patient monitor, or a combination thereof.

8. The body worn patient sensor of claim 7, wherein the sensor processing unit is configured to reset the timer when the body worn patient sensor is decoupled from a patient, when the body worn patient sensor is being charged, following communication of the loss prevention indicators, or combinations thereof.

9. The body worn patient sensor of claim 1, wherein the communications network corresponds to a pre-existing communications network available in the designated monitoring area.

10. The body worn patient sensor of claim 1, wherein the patient monitor is configured to transmit the reveal signal to the patient sensor to initiate one or more loss prevention indicators upon receiving user instructions, upon failing to receive communication from the patient sensor for more than a determined period of time, or a combination thereof.

11. The body worn patient sensor of claim 1, wherein the patient monitor is further configured to request at least one interrogator to transmit a reveal signal to the patient sensor upon failing to receive a response to the reveal signal from the patient sensor within a determined tracking threshold, wherein the interrogator is communicatively coupled to the patient monitor over the communication network.

12. The body worn patient sensor of claim 1, wherein the communications network comprises a sensor network, wherein the sensor network further comprises a wireless network, a wired network, or a combination thereof.

13. A method for managing patient monitoring devices, comprising:

transmitting patient information from a patient sensor operatively coupled to a patient to a patient monitor, wherein the patient sensor and the patient monitor are communicatively coupled over a communications network available in a designated monitoring area;

detecting loss of the patient sensor from the designated monitoring area by one or more of the patient sensor, the patient monitor and a user;

initiating one or more loss prevention indicators at the patient sensor upon detecting the loss of the patient sensor;

communicating the loss prevention indicators to indicate location of the patient sensor that is lost;

requesting one or more of the interrogators to transmit a reveal signal to the patient sensor; and

receiving location information corresponding to the patient sensor from at least one of the interrogators that receives an announce signal from the patient sensor in response to the reveal signal.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising communicatively coupling the patient sensor to the patient monitor using near field communication, exchange of wireless discovery messages, encryption keys, or combinations thereof.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein communicatively coupling the patient sensor to the patient monitor comprises exchanging one or more communications parameters for transmitting and receiving patient information, transmitting the one or more reveal signals, initiating the loss prevention indicators, associating the patient sensor to the patient monitor, terminating an association between the patient monitor and the patient sensor, or combinations thereof.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein initiating the one or more loss prevention indicators comprises transmitting the reveal signals from the patient monitor to the patient sensor for initiating the loss prevention indicators if the period of time since the last communication between the patient monitor and the patient sensor is greater than a determined communication threshold.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein transmitting one or more reveal signals comprises communicating loss of the patient sensor to one or more interrogators communicatively coupled to the patient monitor over the communications network when no loss prevention indicators are detected by the patient monitor within a determined tracking threshold in response to the reveal signals.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the communications network corresponds to a medical body area network, and wherein the patient sensor is configured to communicate using a designated communications link having a bandwidth corresponding to a frequency spectrum specified by a statutory authority for communications within the medical body area network.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising reconfiguring the patient sensor to communicate over a communication link having a bandwidth outside the frequency spectrum upon detecting that the patient sensor is outside the designated monitoring area.

20. The method of claim 13, wherein detecting the loss of the patient sensor comprises receiving one or more user instructions indicative of the loss of the patient sensor via a user interface associated with the patient monitor.

21. The method of claim 13, wherein detecting loss of the patient sensor comprises determining whether a period of time since the last communication between the patient monitor and the patient sensor is greater than a determined communication threshold.

22. A non-transitory computer readable medium that stores instructions executable by one or more processors to perform a method for managing patient monitoring devices, comprising:

transmitting patient information from a patient sensor operatively coupled to a patient to a patient monitor, wherein the patient sensor and the patient monitor are communicatively coupled over a communications network available in a designated monitoring area;

detecting loss of the patient sensor from the designated monitoring area by one or more of the patient sensor, the patient monitor and a user;

initiating one or more loss prevention indicators at the patient sensor upon detecting the loss of the patient sensor;

communicating the loss prevention indicators to indicate location of the lost patient sensor and

at least one interrogator coupled to the communications network is configured to;

listen for an announce signal from the patient sensor, a request from the patient monitor, or a combination thereof, over a default communications channel in the communications network; and

communicate one or more loss prevention indicators to indicate location of the patient sensor upon receiving the announce signal from the patient sensor.