Monitoring medical device states to determine update timing

• US 9,904,765 B2
• Filed: 01/13/2014
• Issued: 02/27/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 01/13/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Carefusion 303 Incorporated (Becton, Dickinson & Co)
• Original Assignee: Carefusion 303 Incorporated (Becton, Dickinson & Co)
• Inventors: Borges, Gregory
• Primary Examiner(s): Bui, Hanh T
• Application Number:
  US14/153,995
• Publication Number:
  US 20150199485A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,506 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2560/0209 adapted for power saving
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2560/029 adapted for auto-initiation
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2560/0443 Modular apparatus
• 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 2205/3569 sublocal, e.g. between console and disposable
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/1413 Modular systems comprising interconnecting elements
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/1415 Stands, brackets or the like for supporting infusion accessories
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/142 Pressure infusion, e.g. using pumps
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/168 Means for controlling media flow to the body or for metering media to the body, e.g. drip meters, counters ; Monitoring media flow to the body flow control in general G05D7/00
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 15/02 electric
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/17 delivered via infusion or injection
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/40 for the management of medical equipment or devices, e.g. scheduling maintenance or upgrades
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/63 for local operation
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/67 for remote operation

Abstract

A medical device operates in conjunction with a medical device controller. The medical device can include a low-power processor that monitors the states of the medical device. The low-power processor can determine to wake data processors and memory in the medical device based on the states. The data processors can further determine the current versions of executable code and configuration information associated with the data processors by polling a network server or a medical device controller to determine whether at least one update to the current versions is available. If an update is available, the medical device can receive the at least one update from the network server or medical device controller, and deploy it to the appropriate data processor. After deployment the medical device controller can activate the at least one update at a clinically appropriate time.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

monitoring, by a low-power processor at a medical device, a power state of the medical device;

determining, by the low-power processor, to periodically wake at least one data processor and memory in the medical device based on the power state, wherein the determining to periodically wake comprises causing the at least one data processor and memory to exit a fully off state by enabling the at least one data processor and memory to operate, wherein the low-power processor and the at least one data processor are different processors, wherein the low-power processor increases a frequency of periodically waking the at least one data processor when the power state indicates that the medical device is attached to an external power source, and wherein the low-power processor decreases the frequency of periodically waking the at least one data processor when the power state indicates that medical device is attached to a battery;

waking the at least one data processor and memory in the medical device;

determining, at the medical device, a first current version of executable code associated with the at least one data processor and a second current version of configuration information associated with the at least one data processor;

polling at least one of a network server and a medical device controller to determine whether at least one of a first update to the first current version of executable code and a second update to the second current version of configuration information are available for the at least one data processor;

receiving the at least one of the first update and the second update from the network server;

deploying the at least one of the first update and the second update to an appropriate one of the at least one data processor; and

activating the at least one of the first update and the second update at a clinically appropriate time, wherein the medical device controller operates in conjunction with the medical device, wherein the clinically appropriate time comprises a time at which the at least one of the first update and the second update will not interfere with patient therapy.

2. The method as in claim 1, wherein the waking comprises enabling to operate at least one communications interface.

3. The method as in claim 1, wherein the executable code comprises at least one of an operating system and an application, and wherein the configuration information comprises values that can be modified by a user, wherein the values affect the functioning of the medical device.

4. The method as in claim 2, wherein the at least one communications interface wirelessly couples the medical device to the network server.

5. A method as in claim 1, wherein the medical device comprises a fluid infusion pump including at least one of:

a syringe pump, a patient controlled infusion pump, a large volume infusion pump, and a peristaltic pump.

6. The method as in claim 1, wherein the medical device comprises at least one of a patient-controlled analgesia (PCA) system, a vital signs monitor, a blood analyte monitor, a cardiac output monitors a gastric tonometer, an SpO2 sensor, an EtCO2 sensor, an identification module, a barcode scanner, and a radio frequency identification (RFID) scanner.

7. The method as in claim 1, further comprising:

monitoring, by the low-power processor, a timer of the medical device such that the low-power processor periodically wakes the at least one data processor based on the timer; and

adjusting, by the low-power processor, the timer based on the power state of the medical device.

8. A non-transitory computer-readable medium encoded with instructions that, when executed by a low-power processor, cause operations comprising:

monitoring, by the low-power processor at a medical device, at least one state of the medical device;

determining, by the low-power processor, to periodically wake at least one data processor and memory in the medical device based on the power state, wherein the determining to periodically wake comprises causing the at least one data processor and memory to exit a fully off state by enabling the at least one data processor and memory to operate, wherein the low-power processor and the at least one data processor are different processors, wherein the low-power processor increases a frequency of periodically waking the at least one data processor when the power state indicates that the medical device is attached to an external power source, and wherein the low-power processor decreases the frequency of periodically waking the at least one data processor when the power state indicates that medical device is attached to a battery;

waking the at least one data processor and memory in the medical device;

determining, at the medical device, a first current version of executable code associated with the at least one data processor and a second current version configuration information associated with the at least one data processor;

polling at least one of a network server and a medical device controller to determine whether at least one of a first update to the first current version of executable code and a second update to the second current version of configuration information are available for the at least one data processor;

receiving the at least one of the first update and the second update from the network server;

deploying the at least one of the first update and the second update to an appropriate one of the at least one data processor; and

activating the at least one of the first update and the second update at a clinically appropriate time, wherein the medical device controller operates in conjunction with the medical device, wherein the clinically appropriate time comprises a time at which the at least one of the first update and the second update will not interfere with patient therapy.

9. The non-transitory computer-readable medium as in claim 8, wherein the at least one state comprises at least one of a timer state, an accelerometer state, and a power source state.

10. The non-transitory computer-readable medium as in claim 8, wherein the waking comprises enabling to operate at least one communications interface.

11. The non-transitory computer-readable medium as in claim 10, wherein the at least one communications interface wirelessly couples the medical device to the at least one of the network server and the medical device controller.

12. The non-transitory computer-readable medium as in claim 8, wherein the executable code comprises at least one of an operating system and an application, and wherein the configuration information comprises values that can be modified by a user, wherein the values affect the functioning of the medical device.

13. A non-transitory computer-readable medium as in claim 8, wherein the medical device comprises a fluid infusion pump including at least one of:

a syringe pump, a patient controlled infusion pump, a large volume infusion pump, and a peristaltic pump.

14. The non-transitory computer-readable medium as in claim 8, wherein the medical device comprises at least one of a patient-controlled analgesia (PCA) system, a vital signs monitor, a blood analyte monitor, a cardiac output monitor, a gastric tonometer, an SpO2 sensor, an EtCO2 sensor, an identification module, a barcode scanner, and a radio frequency identification (RFID) scanner.

15. An apparatus comprising:

a low-power processor; and

a first memory containing executable instructions configured to cause the at least one low-power processor to perform operations comprising;

monitoring, by the low-power processor at a medical device, at least one state of the medical device;

determining, by the low-power processor, to periodically wake at least one data processor and second memory in the medical device based on the power state, wherein the determining to periodically wake comprises causing the at least one data processor and second memory to exit a fully off state by enabling the at least one data processor and second memory to operate, wherein the low-power processor and the at least one data processor are different processors, wherein the low-power processor increases a frequency of periodically waking the at least one data processor when the power state indicates that the medical device is attached to an external power source, and wherein the low-power processor decreases the frequency of periodically waking the at least one data processor when the power state indicates that medical device is attached to a battery;

waking the at least one data processor and memory in the medical device;

determining, at the medical device, a first current version of executable code and a second current version configuration information associated with the at least one data processor;

polling at least one of a network server and a medical device controller to determine whether at least one of a first update to the first current version of executable code and a second update to the second current version of configuration information are available for the at least one data processor;

receiving the at least one of the first update and the second update from the network server;

deploying the at least one of the first update and the second update to an appropriate one of the at least one data processor; and

activating the at least one of the first update and the second update at a clinically appropriate time, wherein the medical device controller operates in conjunction with the medical device, wherein the clinically appropriate time comprises a time at which the at least one of the first update and the second update will not interfere with patient therapy.