Method of remote monitoring and modulation of medical apparatus
First Claim
1. A method of remotely programming a cochlear implant, comprising:
- at a remote patient location attendable by a patient using a cochlear implant;
operatively coupling the cochlear implant to a remote programming computer configured to generate a signal to program the cochlear implant; and
receiving, with a remote video conferencing system independent of the remote programming computer, video and audio of a local operator remotely programming the cochlear implant from a local programming location removed from the remote patient location to enable the patient to both hear and see a face of the local operator during programming of the cochlear implant by the local operator to enable the patient to read lips of the local operator to supplement hearing of the patient in communicating with the local operator during the programming;
at the local programming location;
providing the local operator with access to a local programming computer that is communicationally coupled to the remote programming computer at the remote patient location by an interactive communication capability having at least a 1 Mb/second communication rate in both directions by which the local operator at the local programming location can interactively control the remote programming computer to program the cochlear implant from the local programming location;
transmitting, with a local video conferencing system independent of the local programming computer, the video and the audio of the local operator that is remotely programming the cochlear implant to the remote video conferencing system during the programming;
wherein the video and the audio of the local operator are synchronized and the patient both is able to see and hear the local operator that is remotely programming the cochlear implant during the programming; and
programming the cochlear implant while the video and audio of the local operator are synchronized,wherein the local programming computer and local video conferencing system of the local programming location are interconnected with the remote programming computer and remote video conferencing system of the remote patient location by an encrypted virtual private network (VPN),wherein the local programming computer and the remote programming computer are linked by a virtual network computing (VNC) link enabling simultaneous view of a graphical desktop output at the local programming computer and at the remote programming computer when the local operator interactively controls the remote programming computer, andwherein the local programming computer and local videoconferencing system and the remote programming computer and remote videoconferencing system are configured for remote mapping of the cochlear implant by the local operator comprising selection by the local operator, based on patient response, of settings for thresholds and most comfortable loudness levels for electrodes of the cochlear implant and for overall gain or sensitivity of a speech processor of the cochlear implant.
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Abstract
A method of remotely programming a cochlear implant comprises, at a remote patient location attendable by a patient, operatively coupling the cochlear implant to a remote programming computer configured to generate a signal to program the cochlear implant. The patient is provided with a remote video conferencing system configured to receive video and audio of a local operator remotely programming the cochlear implant to enable the patient to both hear and see a face of the local operator during programming to enable the patient to read lips of the local operator to supplement hearing of the patient in communicating with the local operator. At a local programming location, the local operator accesses a local programming computer that is communicationally coupled to the remote programming computer by which the local operator at the local programming location can interactively control the remote programming computer to program the cochlear implant.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A method of remotely programming a cochlear implant, comprising:
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at a remote patient location attendable by a patient using a cochlear implant; operatively coupling the cochlear implant to a remote programming computer configured to generate a signal to program the cochlear implant; and receiving, with a remote video conferencing system independent of the remote programming computer, video and audio of a local operator remotely programming the cochlear implant from a local programming location removed from the remote patient location to enable the patient to both hear and see a face of the local operator during programming of the cochlear implant by the local operator to enable the patient to read lips of the local operator to supplement hearing of the patient in communicating with the local operator during the programming; at the local programming location; providing the local operator with access to a local programming computer that is communicationally coupled to the remote programming computer at the remote patient location by an interactive communication capability having at least a 1 Mb/second communication rate in both directions by which the local operator at the local programming location can interactively control the remote programming computer to program the cochlear implant from the local programming location; transmitting, with a local video conferencing system independent of the local programming computer, the video and the audio of the local operator that is remotely programming the cochlear implant to the remote video conferencing system during the programming; wherein the video and the audio of the local operator are synchronized and the patient both is able to see and hear the local operator that is remotely programming the cochlear implant during the programming; and programming the cochlear implant while the video and audio of the local operator are synchronized, wherein the local programming computer and local video conferencing system of the local programming location are interconnected with the remote programming computer and remote video conferencing system of the remote patient location by an encrypted virtual private network (VPN), wherein the local programming computer and the remote programming computer are linked by a virtual network computing (VNC) link enabling simultaneous view of a graphical desktop output at the local programming computer and at the remote programming computer when the local operator interactively controls the remote programming computer, and wherein the local programming computer and local videoconferencing system and the remote programming computer and remote videoconferencing system are configured for remote mapping of the cochlear implant by the local operator comprising selection by the local operator, based on patient response, of settings for thresholds and most comfortable loudness levels for electrodes of the cochlear implant and for overall gain or sensitivity of a speech processor of the cochlear implant. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A method of remotely programming a programmable audiological medical apparatus, comprising:
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at a remote patient location attendable by a patient using a programmable audiological medical apparatus; operatively coupling the programmable audiological medical apparatus to a remote programming computer configured to generate a signal to program the programmable audiological medical apparatus; and receiving, with a remote video conferencing system independent of the remote programming computer, video and audio of a local operator remotely programming the programmable audiological medical apparatus from a local programming location removed from the remote patient location to enable the patient to both hear and see the local operator during programming of the programmable audiological medical apparatus by the local operator and transmitting video and audio of the patient during the programming; at the local programming location; providing the local operator with access to a local programming computer that is communicationally coupled to the remote programming computer at the remote patient location by an interactive communication capability having at least a 1 Mb/second communication rate in both directions by which the local operator at the local programming location can interactively control the remote programming computer to program the programmable audiological medical apparatus from the local programming location; transmitting, with a local video conferencing system independent of the local programming computer, the video and the audio of the local operator that is remotely programming the programmable audiological medical apparatus to the remote video conferencing device during the programming and receiving the video and audio of the patient during the programming; wherein the video and the audio of the local operator are synchronized and the patient is able to see and hear the local operator and the local operator is able to see and hear the patient; and programming the programmable audiological medical apparatus while the video and audio of the local operator are synchronized, wherein the local programming computer and local video conferencing system of the local programming location are interconnected with the remote programming computer and remote video conferencing system of the remote patient location by an encrypted virtual private network (VPN), wherein the local programming computer and the remote programming computer are linked by a virtual network computing (VNC) link enabling simultaneous view of a graphical desktop output at the local programming computer and at the remote programming computer when the local operator interactively controls the remote programming computer, and wherein the local programming computer and local videoconferencing system and the remote programming computer and remote videoconferencing system are configured for remote mapping of the programmable audiological medical apparatus by the local operator comprising selection by the local operator, based on patient response, of settings for thresholds and most comfortable loudness levels for electrodes of the programmable audiological medical apparatus and for overall gain or sensitivity of a speech processor of the programmable audiological medical apparatus. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A method of remotely programming a cochlear implant, comprising:
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providing a local operator at a local programming location with access to a local programming computer that is communicationally coupled to a remote programming computer at a remote patient location by an interactive communication capability by which the local operator at the local programming location can interactively control a remote programming computer operationally coupled to a cochlear implant to program the cochlear implant from the local programming location; and providing the local operator with a local video conferencing system comprising a first videophone device configured to transmit synchronized video and audio of the local operator that is remotely programming the cochlear implant to a remote video conferencing system comprising a second videophone device at the remote patient location during the programming; and the local operator programming the programmable apparatus from the local programming location while a patient using the cochlear implant is both able to see the face of and hear the local operator that is remotely programming the cochlear implant during the programming, wherein the local programming computer and local video conferencing system of the local programming location are interconnected with the remote programming computer and remote video conferencing system of the remote patient location by an encrypted virtual private network (VPN), wherein the local programming computer and the remote programming computer are linked by a virtual network computing (VNC) link enabling simultaneous view of a graphical desktop output at the local programming computer and at the remote programming computer when the local operator interactively controls the remote programming computer, and wherein the local programming computer and local videoconferencing system and the remote programming computer and remote videoconferencing system are configured for remote mapping of the cochlear implant by the local operator comprising selection by the local operator, based on patient response, of settings for thresholds and most comfortable loudness levels for electrodes of the cochlear implant and for overall gain or sensitivity of a speech processor of the cochlear implant. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification