Unmanned aerial vehicles in medical applications

• US 9,994,315 B2
• Filed: 07/18/2016
• Issued: 06/12/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 07/16/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Physio-Control Incorporated (Stryker Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Physio-Control Incorporated (Stryker Corporation)
• Inventors: Walker, Robert G., Smith, Mitchell, Furlan, Kristina, Daynes, John, Arbuck, Michael, Esibov, Alex, Pochop-Miller, Melissa, Skelton, Dennis
• Primary Examiner(s): Ramesh, Krishnan
• Application Number:
  US15/213,377
• Publication Number:
  US 20170137124A1
• Time in Patent Office: 694 Days
• Field of Search: 701 3
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2505/01 Emergency care
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0022 Monitoring a patient using a global network, e.g. telephone networks, internet
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0205 Simultaneously evaluating both cardiovascular conditions and different types of body conditions, e.g. heart and respiratory condition
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/021 Measuring pressure in heart or blood vessels A61B5/0205 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0255 Recording instruments specially adapted therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/026 Measuring blood flow A61B3/1233, A61B3/1241 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/08 Detecting, measuring or recording devices for evaluating the respiratory organs A61B5/0205 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/082 Evaluation by breath analysis, e.g. determination of the chemical composition of exhaled breath A61B5/083, A61B5/091 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/318 Heart-related electrical modalities, e.g. electrocardiography [ECG]
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/747 in case of emergency, i.e. alerting emergency services
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3904 External heart defibrillators [EHD]
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 10/13 Flying platforms
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2101/00 UAVs specially adapted for particular uses or applications
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2101/47 for fire fighting
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2101/55 for life-saving or rescue operations; for medical use
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2201/102 adapted for flying in formations
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/02 Alarms for ensuring the safety of persons
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/08 using communication transmission lines G08B13/19658, G08B21/0286, G08B25/016 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/10 using wireless transmission systems G08B25/009 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 10/65 stored on portable record carriers, e.g. on smartcards, RFID tags or CD
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/20 : for the management or administration of healthcare resources or facilities, e.g. managing hospital staff or surgery rooms
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/67 : for remote operation

Abstract

Systems and methods for the use of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) in medical emergencies are disclosed herein. The systems and methods include receiving at a first UAV an indication of a medical emergency and coordinating with a second UAV based on the second UAV'"'"'s capabilities. The first UAV determines if the capabilities of the second UAV complement the capabilities of the first UAV based on the indicated medical emergency. The disclosed systems and methods deploy both the first and second UAVs to the medical emergency if the capabilities of the second UAV complement those of the first UAV.

Claims

1. A method of using an unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) in medical applications, the method comprising:

at a first UAV having at least a first capability, receiving an indication of a medical emergency;

at the first UAV, coordinating with a second UAV to travel to a location of the medical emergency, the coordinating including an indication of at least a second capability of the second UAV;

at the first UAV, determining if the at least a second capability of the second UAV complements the at least a first capability of the first UAV based, at least in part, on the received indication of the medical emergency; and

if it is determined that the at least a second capability of the second UAV complements the at least a first capability of the first UAV, deploying the first UAV and the second UAV towards the location of the medical emergency.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

if it is determined that the at least a second capability of the second UAV does not complement the at least a first capability of the first UAV, coordinating with a third UAV to travel to the location of the medical emergency, the coordinating including an indication of at least a third capability of the third UAV.

3. An unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) comprising:

a processor;

a storage medium communicatively coupled to the processor; and

a UAV control module (UCM) communicatively coupled to the processor, the UCM configured to;

receive an indication of a medical emergency;

coordinate with a second UAV to travel to a location of the medical emergency, the coordinating including an indication of at least a second capability of the second UAV;

determine if the at least a second capability of the second UAV complements at least a first capability of the UAV based, at least in part, on the received indication of the medical emergency; and

if it is determined that the at least a second capability of the second UAV complements the at least a first capability of the UAV, deploy the UAV and the second UAV towards the location of the medical emergency.