Architecture for field upgrade of a health monitoring system

• US 10,176,888 B2
• Filed: 09/20/2016
• Issued: 01/08/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 05/30/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ascensia Diabetes Care Holdings AG (PHC Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Ascensia Diabetes Care Holdings AG (PHC Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Charlton, Steven, Chen, Jun, Chen, Lin, Fu, Qiang, Gofman, Igor, Harris, Steven B., Johnson, Gary J., Inman, Paul L., Li, Qiong, Lieber, Harris, Lok, Derek, Nguyen, Tony, Ripley, Paul M., Stefkovic, Gregory, Sun, Hoi-Cheong Steve
• Primary Examiner(s): Bullock, Jr., Lewis A
• Assistant Examiner(s): Huynh, Tina
• Application Number:
  US15/270,780
• Publication Number:
  US 20170010882A1
• Time in Patent Office: 840 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/14532 for measuring glucose, e.g. by tissue impedance measurement
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/16 Constructional details or arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1605 Multimedia displays, e.g. with integrated or attached speakers, cameras, microphones
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/266 Arrangements to supply power to external peripherals either directly from the computer or under computer control, e.g. supply of power through the communication port, computer controlled power-strips
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 13/385 for adaptation of a particular data processing system to different peripheral devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 13/4081 Live connection to bus, e.g. hot-plugging current or voltage limitation during live insertion H02H9/004
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/182 Distributed file systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/22 Indexing; Data structures therefor; Storage structures
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/61 Installation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/65 Updates security arrangements therefor G06F21/57
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/71 Version control security arrangements therefor G06F21/57; Configuration management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/22 Social work or social welfare, e.g. community support activities or counselling services
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 10/60 for patient-specific data, e.g. for electronic patient records
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols

Abstract

An architecture allows individual system components to be developed and tested individually, i.e., as distinct modules, and to be subsequently combined through standardized electrical and communication interfaces. Any combination of these modules can be implemented to form different products that provide any number of functions, such as an integrated system for monitoring a health condition and/or delivering a medication. The architecture also provides an approach for dynamically updating the product and offering its users the latest generation of technology even after the users have already purchased the product. In particular, the embodiments employ the communication interfaces to also provide connection to a remote network that can update or upgrade the product'"'"'s software when the product is out in the field.

Claims

1. A system for managing healthcare data, comprising:

a first module circuit providing a first healthcare function, the first module circuit being a blood glucose meter including;

a sensor-receiving module disposed within a housing configured to receive a test sensor therein;

a reaction-detection system disposed within the housing, the reaction-detection system being configured to be coupled with the test sensor received within the housing to detect a reaction caused by a blood sample being received by the test sensor; and

at least one processor that executes program instructions to determine a glucose concentration of the blood sample based at least in part on the detected reaction;

a first central circuit controlling the first module circuit;

a second module circuit providing a second healthcare function;

a second central circuit controlling the second module circuit; and

a communication interface providing a connection between the first central circuit and the second central circuit;

an external device storing one or more upgraded software components, the communication interface providing a connection between the external device and the second central circuit;

a download engine configured to receive the one or more upgraded software components from the external device, via the communication interface, to upgrade upgradable software stored in a memory area of the second module circuit by replacing a first version of the upgradable software with an upgraded second version of the upgradable software, wherein the healthcare function provided by the blood glucose meter continues to operate as expected while the download engine upgrades the upgradable software stored in the memory area of the second module circuit; and

a data validation component coupled to the first module circuit and the second module circuit, the data validation component being configured to validate the upgrade of the upgradable software, wherein the upgrade of the upgradable software is conducted without affecting the first module circuit.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the first central circuit is a host for the second central circuit.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the communication interface is at least one of a USB interface, a radio frequency (RF) interface, a Wi-Fi interface, and an Ethernet interface.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the first central circuit is implemented on a mother board and the first module circuit is separately implemented on a daughter board, the daughter board being standardized for connection with the mother board.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the second central circuit is implemented on the mother board and the second module circuit is implemented on a second daughter board.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the data validation component is configured to validate the upgrade of the upgradable software stored in the memory area of the second module circuit by determining whether the upgraded second version of the upgradable software operates correctly or has been downloaded properly.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein both the first central circuit and the second central circuit are disposed in the housing.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the first module circuit includes a memory area storing a first upgradable software, and wherein the upgradable software stored in the memory area of the second module circuit is a second upgradable software.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the download engine is further configured to receive the one or more upgraded software components to upgrade the first upgradable software stored in the memory area of the first module circuit.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the download engine is configured to upgrade the first upgradable software by replacing a first version of the first upgradable software with an upgraded second version of the first upgradable software.

11. The system of claim 10, further comprising a restore component configured to (i) restore the first version of the first upgradable software when the upgraded second version of the first upgradable software operates incorrectly or has not been downloaded properly, and (ii) restore the first version of the second upgradable software when the upgraded second version of the second upgradable software operates incorrectly or has not been downloaded properly, thereby ensuring that the system continues to operates as expected.

12. The system of claim 9, further comprising a security component controlling access by the download engine to the memory area of the first module circuit, the memory area of the second module circuit, or both the memory area of the first module circuit and the memory area of the second module circuit.

13. The system of claim 1, wherein the first central circuit is configured to communicate with the second central circuit to access the second healthcare function, and wherein the second central circuit is configured to communicate with the first central circuit to access the first healthcare function.

14. The system of claim 1, wherein the first module circuit is communicatively isolated from the second module circuit.

15. The system of claim 1, wherein the first central circuit is configured to authenticate the first module circuit by prompting a user for authentication information and validating the authentication information.

16. The system of claim 1, wherein the communication interface further provides a connection between the external device and the first central circuit.

17. The system of claim 1, wherein the second module circuit is a blood pressure monitor or a heart rate monitor.

18. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a security component controlling access by the download engine to (i) the first module circuit, (ii) the second module circuit, or (iii) both (i) and (ii);

and

a restore component coupled to the second module circuit, the restore component being configured to restore the first version of the upgradable software when the upgraded second version of the upgradable software operates incorrectly or has not been.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the healthcare function provided by the blood glucose meter continues to operate as expected while (i) the data validation component determines whether the upgraded second version of the upgradable software has been completely transferred from the external device, and (ii) the restore component restores the first version of the upgradable software of the second module circuit.

20. A method for managing healthcare data, comprising:

developing, according to a first development process, a first assembly of a first central circuit and a first module circuit providing a first healthcare function, the first central circuit controlling the first module circuit, the first module circuit being a blood glucose meter including;

a sensor-receiving module disposed within a housing configured to receive a test sensor therein;

a reaction-detection system disposed within the housing, the reaction-detection system being configured to be coupled with the test sensor received within the housing to detect a reaction caused by a blood sample being received by the test sensor; and

at least one processor that executes program instructions to determine a glucose concentration of the blood sample based at least in part on the detected reaction;

developing, according to a second development process, a second assembly of a second central circuit and a second module circuit providing a second healthcare function, the second central circuit controlling the second module circuit;

connecting the first assembly and the second assembly via a communication interface;

receiving, by a download engine via the communication interface, one or more upgraded software components from an external device;

upgrading, via the download engine, upgradable software stored in a memory area of the second module circuit by replacing a first version of the upgradable software with an upgraded second version of the upgradable software, wherein the healthcare function provided by the blood glucose meter continues to operate as expected while the download engine upgrades the upgradable software stored in the memory area of the second module circuit; and

validating, by a data validation component coupled to the first module circuit and the second module circuit, the upgrade of the upgradable software stored in the memory area of the second module circuit, wherein the upgrade of the upgradable software is conducted without affecting the first module circuit.