Coordination of control commands in a medical device system based on synchronization status between devices

• US 9,579,454 B2
• Filed: 11/10/2014
• Issued: 02/28/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 07/09/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Medtronic Minimed Incorporated (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: Medtronic Minimed Incorporated (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: Moberg, Sheldon B., Hanson, Ian B.
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Nam V
• Application Number:
  US14/537,754
• Publication Number:
  US 20150065989A1
• Time in Patent Office: 841 Days
• Field of Search: 340/3.1, 340/3.2, 340/506, 340/539.1, 340/539.12, 604/151, 604/500, 455/67.11
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/33 Controlling, regulating or measuring
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3553 remote, e.g. between patient's home and doctor's office
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3561 local, e.g. within room or hospital
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3592 using telemetric means, e.g. radio or optical transmission
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/505 Touch-screens; Virtual keyboard or keypads; Virtual buttons; Soft keys; Mouse touches
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/16831 Monitoring, detecting, signalling or eliminating infusion flow anomalies low-level float-valves causing cut-off A61M5/40; indicating or recording presence, absence or direction of flow in general G01P13/0066
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/172 electrical or electronic A61M5/16804, A61M5/16831 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 17/02 using a radio link
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/40 relating to mechanical, radiation or invasive therapies, e.g. surgery, laser therapy, dialysis or acupuncture
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/63 for local operation
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/67 for remote operation

Abstract

A medical device system includes at least one controllable patient-worn or patient-carried medical device, and a plurality of controller devices that are capable of independently controlling features or functions of the patient medical device. Control commands and other data is wirelessly communicated among the patient medical device and the multiple controller devices. A number of techniques, protocols, and other measures are provided to coordinate wireless communication between the various devices in a medical device system. These control command coordination processes address situations where conflicting, redundant, or concurrent control commands might be independently issued by the multiple controller devices.

Claims

1. A method of coordinating control commands in a medical device system comprising a medical device that delivers therapy to a patient, and a wireless controller device for the medical device, the method comprising:

obtaining a user input at the wireless controller device, the user input corresponding to a request to initiate a command that influences therapy delivered by the medical device;

in response to the user input, checking a synchronization status between the wireless controller device and the medical device;

transmitting, to the medical device, a control message for the command only when the checking step confirms that status data of the wireless controller device is synchronized with current status data maintained by the medical device; and

preventing execution of the command when the checking step determines that the status data of the wireless controller device is not synchronized with the current status data maintained by the medical device.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising synchronizing the status data of the wireless controller device with the current status data maintained by the medical device when the checking step determines that the wireless controller device is not synchronized with the medical device, wherein the transmitting step is performed after the synchronizing step.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the synchronizing step comprises receiving updated synchronization data from the medical device.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the medical device periodically broadcasts synchronization messages intended for receipt by the wireless controller device;

the method further comprises synchronizing the wireless controller device with the medical device when the checking step determines that the wireless controller device has missed at least one of the synchronization messages; and

the transmitting step is performed after the synchronizing step.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the synchronization messages are conveyed in beacons transmitted by the medical device.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the medical device system comprises an insulin infusion system, and the medical device comprises a portable insulin infusion pump that is worn or carried by the patient.

7. A wireless controller device for a medical device system comprising a medical device that delivers therapy to a patient, the wireless controller device comprising a processing architecture configured to execute a method of coordinating control commands in the medical device system, the method comprising:

obtaining a user input at the wireless controller device, the user input corresponding to a request to initiate a command that influences therapy delivered by the medical device;

in response to the user input, checking a synchronization status between the wireless controller device and the medical device;

transmitting, to the medical device, a control message for the command only when the checking step confirms that status data of the wireless controller device is synchronized with current status data of the medical device; and

preventing execution of the command when the checking step determines that the status data of the wireless controller device is not synchronized with the current status data maintained by the medical device.

8. The wireless controller device of claim 7, wherein the method executed by the processing architecture further comprises:

synchronizing the status data of the wireless controller device with the current status data maintained by the medical device when the checking step determines that the wireless controller device is not synchronized with the medical device, wherein the transmitting step is performed after the synchronizing step.

9. The wireless controller device of claim 8, wherein the synchronizing comprises:

receiving updated synchronization data from the medical device.