Body area network pairing improvements for clinical workflows

• US 10,136,817 B2
• Filed: 06/13/2016
• Issued: 11/27/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 06/30/2010
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Welch Allyn Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Welch Allyn Incorporated
• Inventors: Baker, Steven D., Lathrop, Braxton L.
• Primary Examiner(s): HSIEH, PING Y
• Application Number:
  US15/180,732
• Publication Number:
  US 20160296116A1
• Time in Patent Office: 897 Days
• Field of Search: 455 411, 455 412, 455 4131
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2560/0204 of power management
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2560/0214 of power generation or supply
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2560/0475 Special features of memory means, e.g. removable memory cards
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/0223 Magnetic field sensors
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/0257 Proximity sensors
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/166 the sensor is mounted on a specially adapted printed circuit board
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/002 Monitoring the patient using a local or closed circuit, e.g. in a room or building A61B5/0017 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0024 for multiple sensor units attached to the patient, e.g. using a body or personal area network
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7285 for synchronising or triggering a physiological measurement or image acquisition with a physiological event or waveform, e.g. an ECG signal A61B6/5205, A61B6/541, A61B8/5207, A61B8/543 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7425 Displaying combinations of multiple images regardless of image source, e.g. displaying a reference anatomical image with a live image geometric transforms for image registration G06T3/14; enhancement using image fusion G06T5/50; algorithms for registration of images G06T7/30
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/023 using mutual or relative location information between multiple location based services [LBS] targets or of distance thresholds
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/14 using user query or user detection
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/10 Connection setup
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/18 Self-organising networks, e.g. ad-hoc networks or sensor networks

Abstract

A method for establishing a connection between a first electronic computing device and a second electronic computing device includes moving the second electronic computing device so that it is proximal to the first electronic computing device. When the first electronic computing device detects the proximity of the first electronic computing device relative to the second electronic computing device, a radio on the first electronic device is set to a connectable and discoverable state. A wireless connection is automatically established between the first electronic computing device and the second electronic computing device. Data is transmitted between the first electronic computing device and the second electronic computing device.

Claims

1. A method for connecting a sensor device to a patient monitoring device, the method comprising:

setting a first radio of the sensor device to off;

detecting when the sensor device is in proximity of the patient monitoring device;

upon detecting proximity of the patient monitoring device, turning on the first radio of the sensor device;

before pairing, detecting a second radio of the patient monitoring device;

after turning on the first radio of the sensor device and after detecting a second radio of the patient monitoring device, pairing the first radio of the sensor device to the second radio of the patient monitoring device;

transferring status information and configuration information to the patient monitoring device;

determining whether the sensor device is compatible with the patient monitoring device;

providing an indication if the sensor device is not compatible with the patient monitoring device; and

selecting a connection mode between the sensor device and the patient monitoring device, the connection mode being one of;

loose pairing that provides no alerts when a connection between the sensor device and the patient monitoring device is broken, and

tight pairing that provides the alerts when the connection between the sensor device and the patient monitoring device is broken.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising detecting the proximity of the patient monitoring device using at least one magnet.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising turning on the first radio in a lower-power mode when the proximity is detected.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising turning on the first radio in a lower-power mode when the proximity is detected.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising setting the first radio in a standard power mode before pairing the first radio of the sensor device to the second radio of the patient monitoring device.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the connection mode further includes locked pairing that provides the alerts when an unapproved sensor is connected to the patient monitoring device.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising using the loose pairing to conduct a spot monitoring workflow.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising using the tight pairing to conduct a continuous monitoring workflow.