Method for generating a medical network

• US 9,923,644 B2
• Filed: 10/23/2012
• Issued: 03/20/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 04/23/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Roche Diabetes Care Inc. (Roche Holding AG)
• Original Assignee: Roche Diabetes Care Inc. (Roche Holding AG)
• Inventors: Froech, Sybille, Roesicke, Bernd
• Primary Examiner(s): Bhatti, Hashim
• Application Number:
  US13/658,310
• Publication Number:
  US 20130059536A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,974 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 13/005 Transmission systems in which the medium consists of the human body
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/18 Self-organising networks, e.g. ad-hoc networks or sensor networks

Abstract

A method for setting up a medical network for carrying out at least one medical function is disclosed. The medical network comprises network nodes and the network nodes are set up for communicating with one another by an initialization step, wherein the network nodes exchange initialization information that includes information characterizing the network nodes and a self-organization step where the network nodes define their role distribution. A work step where the network carries out the medical function and the two network nodes interact in the role of distribution defined in the self-organization step.

Claims

1. A method for setting up a medical network for carrying out at least one medical function, said medical network including at least two network nodes set up for communicating with one another, comprising:

at least one initialization step, wherein at least two network nodes exchange at least one item of initialization information, wherein the initialization information includes at least one item of information characterizing the network nodes;

at least one self-organization step, wherein the network nodes define a role distribution of the network nodes; and

at least one work step, wherein the network carries out the at least one medical function in the work step, wherein at least two of the network nodes interact in accordance with the role distribution defined in the self-organization step, wherein the self-organization step is carried out in such a way that the role distribution comprises an interaction of at least two network nodes for carrying out at least one function which cannot be achieved individually by the network nodes, wherein a warning is issued to a user if, in the self-organization step, it is identified that a sufficient functionality of the remaining network no longer exists, wherein the self-organization step is carried out such that the network node having the most time-critical function is defined as a master node and wherein the most time-critical function comprises requiring the immediate attention by a user, when the network node generates abnormal results.

2. The method as in claim 1, wherein the self-organization step is carried out in such a way that the role distribution comprises a dynamically adaptable set of role distributions.

3. The method as in claim 1, wherein the self-organization step is carried out in such a way that the role distribution comprises a utilization of at least one resource of a first network node by at least one second network node.

4. The method as in claim 1, wherein, in the self-organization step, at least one item of information about the role distribution is stored in at least one data storage device of at least one of the network nodes.

5. The method as in claim 4, wherein the data storage device comprises data storage devices in a plurality of network nodes.

6. The method as in claim 1, wherein the self-organization step is controlled by one of the following:

a pre-definition of boundary conditions;

or a confirmation of at least one result of the self-organization step by at least one superordinate authority.

7. The method as in claim 1, further comprising at least one log-off step to remove one network node;

and, after the log-off step, the self-organization step is carried out again in order to newly define a role distribution of the remaining network.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the network is configured such that any one of said network nodes can take on the role of the master node during operation of the network.

9. A method for setting up a medical network for carrying out at least one medical function with the medical network including at least two network nodes set up for communicating with one another, comprising:

at least one initialization step, wherein at least two network nodes exchange at least one item of initialization information in the initialization step, wherein the initialization information includes at least one item of information characterizing the network nodes;

at least one self-organization step, wherein the network nodes define a role distribution of the network nodes; and

at least one work step, wherein the network carries out the at least one medical function in the work step, wherein at least two of the network nodes interact in accordance with the role distribution defined in the self-organization step, wherein the self-organization step is carried out in such a way that the role distribution comprises an interaction of at least two network nodes for carrying out at least one function which cannot be achieved individually by the network nodes, wherein at least two of the network nodes are in each case set up for performing at least one node function, and wherein the self-organization step and the work step are carried out in such a way that the function of the network comprises at least one further function going beyond the sum of the node functions, wherein the self-organization step is carried out such that the network node having the most time-critical function is defined as a master node and wherein the most time-critical function comprises requiring the immediate attention by a user, when the network node generates abnormal results.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the network is configured such that any one of said network nodes can take on the role of the master node during operation of the network.

11. A method for setting up a medical network for carrying out at least one medical function with the medical network including at least two network nodes set up for communicating with one another, comprising:

at least one initialization step, wherein at least two network nodes exchange at least one item of initialization information in the initialization step, wherein the initialization information includes at least one item of information characterizing the network nodes;

at least one self-organization step, wherein the network nodes define a role distribution of the network nodes; and

at least one work step, wherein the network carries out the at least one medical function in the work step, wherein at least two of the network nodes interact in accordance with the role distribution defined in the self-organization step, wherein at least one further function is provided and comprises at least one of the following functions;

provision of an item of information, wherein the information is generated by combination of at least two measurement variables of at least two network nodes;

driving of at least one first network node by at least one second network node;

a control function, wherein at least one first network node with an actuator function is subjected to open-loop and/or closed-loop control by the comparison of at least one measurement value of at least one second network node with a measurement function with at least one desired value, wherein the self-organization step is carried out such that the network node having the most time-critical function is defined as a master node and wherein the most time-critical function comprises requiring the immediate attention by a user, when the network node generates abnormal results.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the network is configured such that any one of said network nodes can take on the role of the master node during operation of the network.