Autonomous vehicle comprising extracorporeal blood treatment machine

• US 9,081,382 B2
• Filed: 03/15/2013
• Issued: 07/14/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 03/15/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Fresenius Medical Care Holdings Incorporated (Fresenius Medical Care AG)
• Original Assignee: Fresenius Medical Care Holdings Incorporated (Fresenius Medical Care AG)
• Inventors: Tanenbaum, Lee, Doyle, Matthew, Tong, John
• Primary Examiner(s): Tarcza, Thomas
• Assistant Examiner(s): GOLDMAN, RICHARD A
• Application Number:
  US13/837,811
• Publication Number:
  US 20140277894A1
• Time in Patent Office: 851 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/14 Dialysis systems; Artificial kidneys; Blood oxygenators semi-permeable membranes characterised by the material, manufacturing processes therefor B01D71/00 ; Reciprocating systems for treatment of body fluids, e.g. single needle systems for hemofiltration or pheresis
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/16 with membranes
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/1601 Control or regulation
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/367 Circuit parts not covered by the preceding subgroups of group A61M1/3621
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/18 with alarm
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3331 Pressure; Flow
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3334 Measuring or controlling the flow rate
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3379 Masses, volumes, levels of fluids in reservoirs, flow rates
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3393 by weighing the reservoir
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3553 remote, e.g. between patient's home and doctor's office
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3576 with non implanted data transmission devices, e.g. using external transmitter or receiver
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3666 using heat loss of a motor
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/502 User interfaces, e.g. screens or keyboards
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/8206 battery-operated
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/825 using mechanical generation of electricity, e.g. hand cranked generators
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/8262 connectable to external power source, e.g. connecting to automobile battery through the cigarette lighter
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2209/08 Supports for equipment
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/04 including control of propulsion units
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/26 for electrical energy, e.g. batteries or capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/30 including control of auxiliary equipment, e.g. air-conditioning compressors or oil pumps
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/1886 : Controlling power supply to auxiliary devices
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 40/12 : related to parameters of the vehicle itself , e.g. tyre models
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 50/0098 : Details of control systems ensuring comfort, safety or stability not otherwise provided for
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 60/00 : Drive control systems specially adapted for autonomous road vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3407 : specially adapted for specific applications
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3453 : Special cost functions, i.e. other than distance or default speed limit of road segments
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/00 : Control of position, course, altitude or attitude of land, water, air or space vehicles, e.g. using automatic pilots drive control systems specially adapted for autonomous road vehicles B60W60/00
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0088 : characterized by the autonomous decision making process, e.g. artificial intelligence, predefined behaviours using knowledge based models G06N5/00
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/40 : relating to mechanical, radiation or invasive therapies, e.g. surgery, laser therapy, dialysis or acupuncture
• CPC Class Codes: Y02A 90/10 : Information and communication technologies [ICT] supporting adaptation to climate change, e.g. for weather forecasting or climate simulation

Abstract

An autonomous vehicle is provided that includes an autonomous vehicle control system, a dialysis machine, and an interface providing an electrical communication between the dialysis machine and the autonomous vehicle control system. The dialysis machine is configured to perform a dialysis treatment on a patient while the autonomous vehicle is under the control of the autonomous vehicle control system. A vehicle is also provided that includes a navigation system, a dialysis machine, and an interface between the navigation system and the dialysis machine. The vehicle can be a car, a train, a plane, or another vehicle.

Claims

1. An autonomous vehicle comprising:

an autonomous vehicle control system comprising a first input device configured to accept a destination input, the autonomous vehicle control system configured to calculate a travel duration for the autonomous vehicle to reach the destination;

a dialysis machine comprising a control unit and a second input device configured to accept a prescription therapy input, the control unit configured to accept the travel duration from the autonomous vehicle control system and to calculate a rate of treatment to complete the inputted prescription therapy within the travel duration, the dialysis machine configured to perform a dialysis treatment on a patient while the autonomous vehicle is under the control of the autonomous vehicle control system; and

an interface providing an electrical communication between the dialysis machine and the autonomous vehicle control system.

2. The autonomous vehicle of claim 1, wherein the dialysis machine further comprises a transmitter and a receiver, the transmitter is configured to transmit wireless signals pertaining to the dialysis machine, and the receiver is configured to receive wireless signals pertaining to the dialysis machine.

3. The autonomous vehicle of claim 1, further comprising a vehicle electrical system, a car battery, an alternator for charging the car battery during operation of the vehicle, and a backup battery dedicated to the dialysis machine, wherein the backup battery is in electrical communication with the alternator and the vehicle electrical system is configured to charge the backup battery during operation of the vehicle.

4. The autonomous vehicle of claim 3, wherein the vehicle electrical system comprises an ignition switch and an ignition switch bypass circuit configured to provide battery power from the backup battery to the dialysis machine in the event that the ignition switch is turned off during a prescription therapy.

5. The autonomous vehicle of claim 2, further comprising a dialysis machine alarm system configured to determine the nearest hospital, dialysis clinic, urgent care center, or other emergency care center, using the wireless signals, and the autonomous vehicle control system is configured to navigate the autonomous vehicle to the nearest hospital, dialysis clinic, urgent care center, or other emergency care center, for corrective measures.

6. The autonomous vehicle of claim 1, wherein the dialysis machine comprises a blood flow circuit, the blood flow circuit comprising:

a blood pump;

a dialyzer;

an arterial tube configured to be connectable to a patient blood flow system;

a venous tube configured to be connectable to a patient blood flow system; and

an emergency state alarm system operably configured to indicate an emergency condition, and wherein the emergency state alarm system is configured such that, upon activation, the autonomous vehicle control system navigates the autonomous vehicle to a hospital, a dialysis clinic, an urgent care center, or another emergency care center, for corrective measures.

7. The autonomous vehicle of claim 1, wherein the dialysis machine comprises at least one blood pump and an alarm system, the alarm system being configured to stop operation of at least one blood pump in response to receiving a low level alarm signal, and the autonomous vehicle control system being configured to navigate the autonomous vehicle to the nearest emergency care center in response to receiving an emergency state alarm signal from the alarm system.

8. The autonomous vehicle of claim 1, further comprising a vehicle interior, wherein the dialysis machine comprises a control unit and further comprises a receiver fixedly attached to the vehicle interior and configured to receive disposable dialysis equipment.

9. The autonomous vehicle of claim 8, wherein the dialysis machine further comprises:

a door having an interior face; and

a housing built into the interior of the vehicle and including a panel,

wherein the housing and the panel together define a recessed region configured to receive the interior face of the door, and the receiver is fixedly attached to the panel.

10. The autonomous vehicle of claim 8, wherein the autonomous vehicle comprises a dash board and the control unit is mounted in or on the dash board.

11. The autonomous vehicle of claim 8, further comprising a catch basin, wherein the vehicle interior comprises a floor, the dialysis machine comprises a plurality of connectors, the catch basin is secured to the floor, and the catch basin is positioned with respect to the dialysis machine to catch liquid that drips from the connectors in the event that liquid drips from one or more of the plurality of connectors.

12. A vehicle comprising:

a vehicle navigation system;

an energy source;

an energy source level sensor;

a dialysis machine configured to perform a dialysis treatment on a patient while the vehicle is operating, the dialysis machine comprising a control unit configured to receive a signal sent from the energy source level sensor and to calculate the amount of energy needed to operate the autonomous vehicle and the dialysis machine together for a time needed to complete the dialysis treatment; and

an interface providing an electrical communication between the dialysis machine and the vehicle navigation system.

13. The vehicle of claim 12, wherein the vehicle navigation system comprises a first input device configured to accept a destination input, the vehicle navigation system is configured to calculate a travel duration for the vehicle to reach the desired destination, the dialysis machine comprises a second input device configured to receive a prescription therapy input for the dialysis treatment, and the control unit is configured to calculate a rate of treatment that would be required to complete the inputted prescription therapy within the amount of time, calculated by the vehicle navigation system, needed to complete the dialysis treatment.

14. The vehicle of claim 12, further comprising a vehicle electrical system, a car battery, an alternator for charging the car battery during operation of the vehicle, and a backup battery dedicated to the dialysis machine, wherein the backup battery is in electrical communication with the alternator and the vehicle electrical system is configured to charge the backup battery during operation of the vehicle.

15. The vehicle of claim 14, wherein the vehicle electrical system comprises an ignition switch and an ignition switch bypass circuit configured to provide battery power from the backup battery to the dialysis machine in the event that the ignition switch is turned off.

16. The vehicle of claim 12, wherein the dialysis machine further comprises at least one blood pump and an alarm system, the alarm system being configured to stop operation of the at least one blood pump in response to receiving a low level alarm signal, and the vehicle navigation system being configured to navigate the vehicle to the nearest emergency care center in response to receiving an emergency state alarm signal from the alarm system.

17. The vehicle of claim 12, further comprising an engine, the energy source comprising a fuel source for the engine, and the energy source sensor comprising a fuel sensor configured to sense the amount of fuel available for the engine, wherein the control unit comprises a user interface configured to enable a user to input a prescription therapy to the dialysis machine, the interface between the dialysis machine and the vehicle navigation system comprises an electrical communication between the fuel sensor and the control unit, the prescription therapy includes a value for the amount of time required to carry out the prescription therapy, the fuel sensor is configured to send a signal to the control unit indicating the amount of fuel available to power the engine, and the control unit is configured to notify the user if there is insufficient fuel to power the engine for the amount of time that would be required to carry out the prescription therapy.

18. The vehicle of claim 12, further comprising a battery-operated motive engine motor, the energy source comprises a battery configured to supply battery power to the engine motor, and the energy source level sensor comprises a battery sensor configured to sense the amount of battery power available for the engine motor, wherein the control unit comprises a user interface configured to enable a user to input a prescription therapy to the dialysis machine, the interface between the dialysis machine and the vehicle navigation system comprises an electrical communication between the battery sensor and the control unit, the prescription therapy includes a value for the amount of time required to carry out the prescription therapy, the battery sensor is configured to send a signal to the control unit indicating the amount of battery power available to power the engine motor, and the control unit is configured to notify the user if there is insufficient battery power to power the engine motor for the amount of time that would be required to carry out the prescription therapy.

19. The vehicle of claim 12, wherein the vehicle comprises an automobile.

20. The vehicle of claim 12, wherein the energy source comprises fuel, battery power, or a combination thereof.

21. The vehicle of claim 12, wherein the control unit is configured to notify the user if there is insufficient energy to power the vehicle for the time needed to complete the dialysis treatment.

22. An autonomous vehicle comprising:

a dialysis machine comprising at least one blood pump, and an alarm system configured stop operation of the at least one blood pump in response to receiving an emergency state alarm signal;

an autonomous vehicle control system configured to receive the emergency state alarm signal and navigate the autonomous vehicle to the nearest emergency care center; and

an interface providing an electrical connection between the autonomous vehicle control system and the dialysis machine.