Remote maintenance system and relay unit

• US 10,708,074 B2
• Filed: 02/25/2011
• Issued: 07/07/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 02/25/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nihon Kohden Corporation
• Original Assignee: Nihon Kohden Corporation
• Inventors: Wakabayashi, Tsutomu, Tezuka, Shinji, Nakayama, Tadashi
• Primary Examiner(s): Phan, Hai
• Assistant Examiner(s): Tang, Son M
• Application Number:
  US13/034,862
• Publication Number:
  US 20110205031A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,420 Days
• Field of Search: 340 101, 340 1041, 3406361, 34063619, 3406362, 607 5, 607 32, 607 60
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3013 where the computing system is an embedded system, i.e. a combination of hardware and software dedicated to perform a certain function in mobile devices, printers, automotive or aircraft systems testing or monitoring of control systems or parts thereof G05B23/02
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3055 Monitoring arrangements for monitoring the status of the computing system or of the computing system component, e.g. monitoring if the computing system is on, off, available, not available error or fault processing without redundancy G06F11/0703; error detection or correction by redundancy in data representation G06F11/08; error detection or correction by redundancy in operation G06F11/14; error detection or correction by redundancy in hardware G06F11/16
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/40 for the management of medical equipment or devices, e.g. scheduling maintenance or upgrades
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/12 Arrangements for remote connection or disconnection of substations or of equipment thereof
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/50 in wire-line communication networks, e.g. low power modes or reduced link rate

Abstract

A remote maintenance system includes: a medical device which includes: a first power source; a first power source controller which controls an ON/OFF operation of the first power source; a checker which checks a check item; and a first communicator which transmits first information including a result of a check by the checker; and a relay unit which includes: a second power source; a second power source controller which automatically controls an ON/OFF operation of the second power source; and a second communicator which communicates with the first communicator and which receives the first information from the first communicator.

Claims

1. A remote maintenance system comprising:

an external medical device which includes;

a first power source;

a first power source controller which controls an ON/OFF operation of the first power source;

a checker which checks a check item; and

a first communicator which transmits first information including a result of a check by the checker, and

a relay unit which includes;

a second power source;

a second power source controller which automatically controls an ON/OFF operation of the second power source; and

a second communicator which communicates with the first communicator and which receives the first information from the first communicator,

wherein

after the first communicator transmits the first information to the second communicator, the first power source controller turns OFF the first power source,

in response to receiving of the first information by the second communicator, the second power source controller automatically turns OFF the second power source,

when the first power source is turned OFF, the first power source does not provide power to the checker, and

the checker checks the check item using a power, the power supplied from the first power source when the first power source controller turns ON the first power source.

2. The remote maintenance system according to claim 1, wherein

the relay unit includes a third communicator which communicates with a fourth communicator included in a maintenance center device, and

the third communicator transmits, to the fourth communicator, second information including the result of the check.

3. The remote maintenance system according to claim 2, wherein

the maintenance center device includes a fifth communicator which communicates with an administrator, and

the fifth communicator transmits, to the administrator, a notification based on the second information transmitted from the third communicator.

4. The remote maintenance system according to claim 2, wherein

the second power source controller automatically turns ON the second power source, at prescribed intervals or at a prescribed time, and

the second power source controller automatically turns OFF the second power source, after the second communicator of the relay unit receives the first information including the result of the check from the first communicator of the external medical device and the third communicator of the relay unit transmits the second information including the result of the check to the fourth communicator of the maintenance center device.

5. The remote maintenance system according to claim 2, wherein one of the external medical device, the relay unit and the maintenance center device includes a determiner which determines whether the check item is normal or abnormal based on the result of the check.

6. The remote maintenance system according to claim 5, wherein, when the determiner determines that the check item is abnormal, a fifth communicator of the maintenance center device transmits a notification to an administrator.

7. The remote maintenance system according to claim 5, wherein,

the check item includes communication between the external medical device and the relay unit, and

when the communication is disabled, the determiner determines that the communication is abnormal.

8. The remote maintenance system according to claim 2, wherein the maintenance center device changes and updates setting information of the relay unit and the external medical device, through the first to fourth communicators.

9. The remote maintenance system according to claim 2, wherein operation of at least one of the external medical device, the relay unit, the maintenance center device and a notification to an administrator check, which is requested by a user, is checked.

10. The remote maintenance system according to claim 2, wherein the second information transmitted from the third communicator of the relay unit to the fourth communicator of the maintenance center device includes information related to the relay unit.

11. The remote maintenance system according to claim 2, wherein, after elapse of a prescribed time period, the third communicator of the relay unit transmits the second information to the fourth communicator of the maintenance center device.

12. The remote maintenance system according to claim 2, wherein

the second power source controller automatically turns OFF the second power source, after the second communicator of the relay unit receives the first information including the result of the check from the first communicator of the external medical device and the third communicator of the relay unit transmits the second information including the result of the check to the fourth communicator of the maintenance center device.

13. The remote maintenance system according to claim 1, wherein

the first power source controller turns ON the first power source, at prescribed intervals or at a prescribed time.

14. The remote maintenance system according to claim 1, wherein the second power source controller turns ON the second power source before the first power source controller turns ON the first power source.

15. The remote maintenance system according to claim 1, wherein the check item includes at least one of a remaining amount of electric power of the first power source and an expiration period of an accessory of the external medical device.

16. The remote maintenance system according to claim 1, wherein the first information transmitted from the first communicator of the external medical device includes information for identifying the external medical device and information related to an installation place of the external medical device.

17. The remote maintenance system according to claim 1, wherein, when communication between the first communicator and the second communicator is established, the external medical device and the relay unit are synchronized in time with each other.

18. The remote maintenance system according to claim 1, wherein the second power source controller turns ON the second power source, after elapse of a prescribed time period from a timing when communication between the first communicator and the second communicator is established.

19. The remote maintenance system according to claim 1, wherein, after communication between the first communicator and the second communicator is established, the external medical device and the relay unit are synchronized in time with each other.

20. The remote maintenance system according to claim 1, wherein the first power source controller controls the ON/OFF operation of the first power source by an automatic operation or an external operation.

21. The remote maintenance system according to claim 1, wherein the external medical device is an AED.

22. The remote maintenance system according to claim 1, wherein the first power source and the second power source are identical with each other.

23. The remote maintenance system according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the first power source and the second power source is a battery.

24. The remote maintenance system according to claim 1, wherein communication between the first communicator and the second communicator is short-range wireless communication.

25. The remote maintenance system according to claim 1, wherein the first power source controller and the second power source controller are configured to automatically turn ON the first power source and the second power source, respectively, at the same time.

26. The remote maintenance system according to claim 1, wherein

the first communicator transmits the first information using the power supplied from the first power source when the first power source controller turns ON the first power source, and

the second communicator communicates with the first communicator using a power, the power supplied from the second power source when the second power source controller turns ON the second power source.

27. A remote maintenance system comprising:

an automated external defibrillator (AED) which includes;

a first battery;

a body portion;

electrode pads;

a first battery controller which controls an ON/OFF operation of the first battery;

a checker which checks, using a power supplied from the first battery when the first battery controller turns ON the first battery, a state of at least one of the first battery, the body portion, and the electrode pads; and

a first wireless communicator which transmits first information including a result of the check by the checker of the state of at least one of the first battery, the body portion, and the electrode pads,

wherein when the first battery is turned OFF, the first battery does not provide power to the checker; and

a relay unit comprising;

a second battery;

a second battery controller which turns ON/OFF the second battery at prescribed intervals or at a prescribed time;

a second wireless communicator which performs short-range wireless communication with the first wireless communicator; and

a communicator which transmits second information corresponding to the first information, which is transmitted from the first wireless communicator and is acquired from the second wireless communicator, wherein

in response to receiving the first information from the first wireless communicator, the second battery controller automatically turns OFF the second battery, and

the second wireless communicator communicates with the first wireless communicator using a power, the power supplied from the second battery when the second battery controller turns ON the battery.

28. The relay unit according to claim 27, wherein

the remote maintenance system further includes a maintenance center device, and

the communicator transmits the second information to the maintenance center device.

29. The relay unit according to claim 27, wherein the second battery controller is configured to automatically turn ON the second battery at the same time the first battery controller is programmed to automatically turn ON the first battery.