Systems and methods for wirelessly controlling medical devices

• US 9,168,006 B2
• Filed: 01/05/2012
• Issued: 10/27/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 01/05/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: General Electric Company
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Georgiev, Emil Markov, Robinson, Scott William, Upton, Bayne Robin
• Primary Examiner(s): OLSON, JASON C
• Application Number:
  US13/344,488
• Publication Number:
  US 20130176230A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,391 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2560/0271 using a remote monitoring unit
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2560/045 with a separable interface unit, e.g. for communication
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 34/25 User interfaces for surgical systems
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0024 for multiple sensor units attached to the patient, e.g. using a body or personal area network
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/021 Measuring pressure in heart or blood vessels A61B5/0205 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7475 User input or interface means, e.g. keyboard, pointing device, joystick
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/0051 with alarm devices
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/021 operated by electrical means A61M16/202 – A61M16/205 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0484 for the control of specific functions or operations, e.g. selecting or manipulating an object, an image or a displayed text element, setting a parameter value or selecting a range
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 17/02 using a radio link

Abstract

Systems and methods for wirelessly controlling medical devices are provided. One system includes a portable user interface having a housing and a communication module within the housing configured to wirelessly communicate with at least one medical device. The portable user interface also includes a display displaying a graphical user interface to control the at least one medical device remotely, wherein the displayed graphical user interface corresponds to a control interface of the at least one medical device.

Claims

1. A portable user interface for controlling medical devices, the portable user interface comprising:

a housing;

a communication module within the housing configured to detect and wirelessly communicate with at least one medical device; and

a display displaying a plurality of user selectable elements, wherein the communication module is configured to establish bi-directional communication with the at least one medical device based on a selection of at least one of the user selectable elements, and the display displaying a graphical user interface to control the at least one medical device remotely, wherein the displayed graphical user interface corresponds to a control interface of the at least one medical device.

2. The portable user interface of claim 1, wherein the graphical user interface emulates a control interface of the at least one medical device.

3. The portable user interface of claim 1, wherein the communication module detects the at least one medical device based on a proximity of the at least one medical device from the housing.

4. The portable user interface of claim 1, wherein the user selectable elements corresponds to controls for changing settings and operation of the at least one medical device.

5. The portable user interface of claim 1, wherein a number of user selectable elements is based on a number of medical devices detected by the communication module.

6. The portable user interface of claim 1, wherein the display comprises a touch-screen display.

7. The portable user interface of claim 1, further comprising one or more user inputs separate from the display.

8. The portable user interface of claim 1, wherein the housing comprises an electronic tablet type housing.

9. The portable user interface of claim 1, wherein the display displays updated data for the at least one medical device.

10. The portable user interface of claim 1, wherein the displayed graphical user interface displays monitoring data for the at least one medical device.

11. The portable user interface of claim 1, wherein the display displays location information.

12. The portable user interface of claim 1, further comprising a processor for generating a log session corresponding to changes made to settings of the at least one medical device with the graphical user interface.

13. A wireless control arrangement comprising:

at least one medical device having a communication module; and

a portable user interface having a housing, a communication module within the housing configured to detect and wirelessly communicate with the at least one medical device, and a display displaying a user selectable element corresponding to the at least one medical device when detected by the communication module, wherein the communication module is configured to establish bi-directional communication with the at least one medical device based on a selection of the user selectable element, and the display displaying a graphical user interface to control the at least one medical device remotely, wherein the displayed graphical user interface corresponds to a control interface of the at least one medical device, and the at least one medical device and the portable user interface communicate via the communication modules.

14. The wireless control arrangement of claim 13, wherein the graphical user interface emulates a control interface of the at least one medical device and wherein the display displays a plurality of user selectable elements for controlling operation of the at least one medical device.

15. The wireless control arrangement of claim 13, further comprising a plurality of medical devices and wherein the display displays a number of user selectable elements corresponding to a number of the plurality of wirelessly controllable medical devices detected by the communication module, and wherein the graphical user interface corresponding to a control interface of a selected one of the medical devices is different than the graphical user interface of another one of the plurality of medical devices.

16. The wireless control arrangement of claim 13, wherein the display comprises a touch-screen display.

17. The wireless control arrangement of claim 13, wherein the at least one medical device comprises a medical monitoring device.

18. A method for controlling a medical device, the method comprising:

detecting one or more wirelessly controllable medical devices;

receiving a user input at a portable electronic device to establish communication between the portable electronic device and at least one detected medical device and remotely control the at least one detected medical device, the user input selected at a graphical user interface displayed on the portable electronic device, the graphical user interface corresponding to a control interface of the one or more medical devices; and

wirelessly controlling the at least one detected medical device from the portable electronic device.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising emulating the control interface as the graphical user interface.

20. The method of claim 18, further comprising receiving feedback from the at least one detected medical device and displaying the feedback on a display of the portable electronic device.

21. The method of claim 18, further comprising receiving a user input selecting another one of the detected medical devices and displaying a different graphical user interface on the portable electronic device.

22. The method of claim 18, further comprising generating a log session based on the control of the at least one medical device.