System and method for providing remote expert communications and video capabilities for use during a medical procedure

• US 20010037366A1
• Filed: 03/26/2001
• Published: 11/01/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 03/27/1997
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Medtronic Incorporated (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: Medtronic Incorporated (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: Thies, James G., Nelson, C. Gary, Webb, James D., Stauffer, Ronald A.
• Granted Patent: US 6,699,187 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/204
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/37282 characterised by communication with experts in remote locations using a network
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1462 with means for detecting differences between the image stored in the host and the images displayed on the remote displays
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2340/02 Handling of images in compressed format, e.g. JPEG, MPEG
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 5/08 Cursor circuits
• 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: G16Z 99/00 Subject matter not provided for in other main groups of this subclass
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/12 specially adapted for proprietary or special-purpose networking environments, e.g. medical networks, sensor networks, networks in vehicles or remote metering networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 128/904 Telephone telemetry

Abstract

A system is described for allowing medical data obtained at a local site to be transferred to a data processing system located at a remote site. This medical data may include video data and/or data obtained from one or more medical devices such as a fluoroscopy device or an electrocardiograph (ECG) signal monitoring device. The data may be viewed on one or more display windows of the remote data processing system to allow a remotely-located expert to participate in an examination or medical procedure being conducted at the local site. In one embodiment, the remote data processing system also receives screen data from an implantable medical device programmer that is located at the local site. This screen data may include data associated with the configuration of the programmer, the configuration of an implantable medical device, and other information obtained from a patient such as physiological waveforms. Routing of all data may be performed by a communication hub operating as a stand alone device. Alternatively, the data routing function may be implemented on the programmer.

Claims

1. A hub-based, integrated communication system to transfer medical data from a patient site to a remote site, comprising:

a hub operating as a communications platform;

a communications network coupled to the hub;

a video device to obtain video-formatted data at the patient site, and coupled to transfer the video-formatted data to the communications network via the hub; and

a receiving device at the remote site coupled to receive the video-formatted data from the communications network.

2. The system of

claim 1

, wherein the receiving device includes display means for allowing the video-formatted data to be viewed at the remote site.

3. The system of

claim 2

, wherein the video-formatted data includes an audio signal, and wherein the receiving device includes an audio system to allow the audio signal to be monitored at the remote site.

4. The system of

claim 3

, wherein the display means includes means for allowing the video-formatted data to be viewed in substantially real-time.

5. The system of

claim 2

, and further comprising at least one medical device to obtain medical information from a patient at the patient site, and coupled to transfer the medical information to the communications network, and wherein the receiving device is adapted to monitor the medical information.

6. The system of

claim 5

, wherein the display means includes means for allowing the medical information to be viewed on the display screen.

7. The system of

claim 6

, wherein the at least one medical device includes a fluoroscopy device.

8. The system of

claim 6

, wherein the at least one medical device includes a device for obtaining an electrocardiograph (ECG) signal.

9. The system of

claim 5

, and further comprising a programmer for programming an implantable medical device, the programmer having a display to display screen data, wherein the programmer is coupled to transfer the screen data to the communications network.

10. The system of

claim 9

, wherein the display means includes means for displaying the display screen data.

11. The system of

claim 10

, wherein the display means includes means for displaying the display screen data in substantially real-time.

12. The system of

claim 10

, wherein the display means includes means for allowing a user to activate multiple displays simultaneously, each of the displays for displaying one or more of the screen data, the medical data, and the video-formatted data.

13. The system of

claim 9

, wherein the programmer includes means for transferring to the communications network only display screen data associated with changes occurring during a predetermined time interval.

14. The system of

claim 10

, wherein the programmer includes a cursor that may be controlled at the patient site, wherein the programmer includes means for transferring first cursor information indicative of cursor control at the patient site to the communications network, and wherein the display means includes means for using the first cursor information to monitor the control of the cursor at the patient site.

15. The system of

claim 14

, wherein the receiving device includes means for allowing the cursor to be controlled at the remote site, wherein the receiving device includes means for transferring second cursor information indicative of cursor control at the remote site to the communications network, and wherein the programmer includes means for using the second cursor information means to monitor the control of the cursor at the remote site.

16. The system of

claim 1

, wherein the hub is a stand-alone data processing system.

17. The system of

claim 16

, wherein the hub includes communication stack means for routing the data between the communications network and each of the video device, the at least one medical device, and the programmer.

18. The system of

claim 10

, wherein the programmer is coupled to the at least one medical device and to the video device, and the hub is implemented on the programmer to route data between each of the video device and the at least one medical device and the communications network.

19. The system of

claim 10

, and further comprising a device to receive an audio signal, the device being coupled to transfer the audio signal to the communications network, and wherein the receiving device includes an audio system to allow the audio signal to be monitored at the remote site.

20. The system of

claim 10

, and further including at least one additional receiving device located at a second remote site coupled to receive one or more of the video-formatted data, the display screen data and the device data from the communications network, and whereby the one or more of the video-formatted data, the display screen data and the device data may be monitored at the second remote site.

21. A method of managing patient medical data, comprising the methods of:

a.) obtaining medical data at a patient site, the medical data including video data;

b.) transferring the medical data to a communications network that includes a hub;

c.) routing the medical data via the hub and the communications network to a remote site; and

d.) monitoring the medical data at the remote site.

22. The method of

claim 21

, wherein the medical data includes an audio signal, and wherein the monitoring method includes the method of monitoring the audio signal.

23. The method of

claim 21

, wherein method d.) includes the method of viewing the video data in substantially real-time.

24. The method of

claim 21

, wherein the medical data obtained in method a.) further includes device data obtained from at least one medical device, and wherein method d.) includes the method of monitoring the device data.

25. The method of

claim 24

, wherein the at least one medical device includes a fluoroscopy system.

26. The method of

claim 24

, wherein the at least one medical device includes a device to obtain an electrocardiograph signal.

27. The method of

claim 24

, wherein the medical data obtained in method a.) includes screen data indicative of one or more screen displays obtained from a display device located at the patient site, and wherein method d.) further includes the method of monitoring the screen data.

28. The method of

claim 27

, wherein the display device is a programmer for programming implantable medical devices, and wherein the screen data is indicative of one or more display windows provided by the programmer.

32. The method of

claim 28

, wherein method d.) includes the method of monitoring multiple ones of the video data, the device data, and the screen data at the same time.

33. The method of

claim 28

, wherein method d.) includes the method of controlling a cursor at the remote site, and further including the methods of:

transferring remote cursor data indicative of controlling the cursor at the remote site to the patient site; and

monitoring the remote cursor data at the local site.

34. The method of

claim 21

, wherein method c.) includes the method of routing the medical data to at least one additional remote site, and wherein method d.) includes the method of monitoring the medical data at the at least one additional remote site.

29. The method of

claim 29

, wherein the screen data is associated with cursor data indicative of cursor control operations, and wherein method d.) further includes the method of monitoring the cursor data at the remote site.

30. The method of

claim 29

, wherein the screen data is associated with control data to control the one or more display screens, and wherein method d.) further includes the method of monitoring the control data.

31. The method of

claim 30

, wherein method d.) further includes the method of utilizing the screen data to mirror at the remote site the cursor control operations and the control of the one or more display screens as occurring at the patient site.

35. A system for allowing medical data obtained at a first site to be monitored at a second site, comprising:

video means for recording video-formatted medical data;

communication network means for transferring the video-formatted medical data to the second site; and

receiving means for allowing the video-formatted medical data to be monitored at the second site.

36. The system of

claim 35

, wherein the video-formatted medical data includes an audio signal, and wherein the receiving means includes means for allowing the audio signal to be monitored at the second site.

37. The system of

claim 35

, and further including medical device means for obtaining device data from a patient at the first site, wherein the communication network means includes means for transferring the device data to the second site, and wherein the receiving means includes means for monitoring the device data at the remote location.

38. The system of

claim 37

, wherein the medical device means includes a fluoroscopy system.

39. The system of

claim 37

, wherein the medical device means includes a system for obtaining an ECG signal.

40. The system of

claim 37

, and further including programming means for programming and implantable medical device, the programming means including means for displaying screen data, wherein the communication network means includes means for transferring the screen data to the second site, and wherein the receiving means includes means for monitoring the screen data at the remote location.

41. The system of

claim 40

, wherein the programming means includes control means for controlling the programming means, wherein the communication network means includes means for transferring first control data indicative of the controlling of the programming means, and wherein the receiving means includes means for receiving and for monitoring the first control data.

42. The system of

claim 41

, wherein the receiving means includes control means for controlling the receiving means, wherein the communication network means includes means for transferring second control data indicative of the controlling of the receiving means, and wherein the programming means includes means for receiving and for monitoring the second control data.

43. The system of

claim 42

, wherein the communication network means includes hub means for routing the video-formatted data, the device data, the screen data, and the first and second control data.

44. The system of

claim 40

, and further including audio means for obtaining an audio signal at the first site, wherein the communication network means includes means for transferring the audio signal to the second site, and wherein the receiving means includes means for monitoring the audio signal at the second site.

45. A communication system to transfer medical data from a patient site to a remote site, comprising:

a communications network;

a medical device to obtain device data from the patient, the device data being indicative of the patient'"'"'s state, the medical device being coupled to transfer the device data to the communications network; and

a receiving device at the remote site coupled to receive the patient data from the communications network, and to allow the device data to be sensed at the remote site.

46. The system of

claim 45

, wherein the medical device includes a fluoroscopy device.

47. The system of

claim 45

, wherein the medical device includes a device for obtaining and ECG signal.

48. The system of

claim 45

, and further including a video device to obtain video-formatted data, the video device being coupled to transfer the video-formatted data to the communications network, and the receiving device including a display to display the video-formatted data.

49. An integrated communication system to transfer medical data from a patient site to a remote site, comprising:

a communications network;

a video device to obtain video-formatted data at the patient site, and coupled to transfer the video-formatted data to the communications network; and

a receiving device at the remote site coupled to receive the video-formatted data from the communications network.