Remote medical device access

• US 20020178126A1
• Filed: 05/25/2001
• Published: 11/28/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 05/25/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Roche Diabetes Care Inc. (Roche Holding AG)
• Original Assignee: Roche Diagnostics Operations Incorporated (Roche Holding AG)
• Inventors: Peyton, Amy, Beck, Timothy L., Young, Morris J., Meek, Robert, Peyton, Ronald W.
• Granted Patent: US 7,103,578 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/75
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0002 Remote monitoring of patients using telemetry, e.g. transmission of vital signals via a communication network A61B5/07 takes precedence; transmission systems for measured values G08C; transmission H04B; transmission of digital information H04L; wireless communication networks H04W
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/14532 for measuring glucose, e.g. by tissue impedance measurement
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/60 relating to nutrition control, e.g. diets
• 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 63/0421 Anonymous communication, i.e. the party's identifiers are hidden from the other party or parties, e.g. using an anonymizer
• 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 67/34 involving the movement of software or configuration parameters network booting or remote initial program loading [RIPL] G06F9/4416
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/08 Protocols for interworking; Protocol conversion
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/18 Multiprotocol handlers, e.g. single devices capable of handling multiple protocols
• 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 128/92 Computer assisted medical diagnostics

Abstract

Systems, client computing devices, server computing devices, and methods are disclosed for accessing medical devices, providing remote access to medical devices and/or remotely accessing medical devices. In one exemplary embodiment, client computing devices utilize protocol components that may be obtained from a server computing device via a network to communicate with medical devices in a communications protocol supported by the medical device.

Claims

1. A method for accessing a medical device operably coupled to a computing device, the method comprising the steps of:

receiving identification information from the computing device that is indicative of a medical device type;

transferring a protocol component to the computing device based upon the identification information; and

receiving measurement data from the medical device in response to the computing device communicating with the medical device via the protocol component.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

receiving authentication information from the computing device; and

associating the measurement data received from the medical device with previously received data associated with the authentication information.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

analyzing the measurement data received from the medical device to obtain results data; and

providing the computing device with the results data.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

receiving authentication information from the computing device;

associating the measurement data received from the medical device with previously received measurement data associated with the authentication information;

analyzing the measurement data and the previously received measurement data associated with the authentication information to obtain results data; and

providing the computing device with the results data.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

receiving authentication information comprising a user name and a password;

verifying that the password is correct for the user name; and

associating the measurement data received during the receiving step with any previously received measurement data associated with the user name if the password is correct.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the transferring step comprises the step of:

transferring the protocol component to the computing device in accordance with the Hyper-Text Transport Protocol (HTTP).

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

analyzing the measurement data received from the medical device to obtain results data in a markup language format; and

providing the computing device with the results data in the markup language format.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of:

selecting the protocol component from a plurality of protocol components based upon the identification information and device data correlating medical device types with the plurality of protocol components.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of:

selecting the protocol component from a plurality of protocol components that defines at least one of;

a message format,

a packet format,

a transfer rate,

an error detection scheme,

an error correction scheme,

a command set,

a compression scheme

for transferring information to and from the medical device.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of receiving measurement data comprises the step of:

receiving measurement data indicative of at least one blood glucose measurement.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of

receiving medical device configuration information from the medical device in response to the computing device communicating with the medical device via the protocol component.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of

causing the computing device to transfer medical device configuration information to the medical device via the protocol component.

13. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of

transferring a identification component to the client computing device that causes the client computing device to interrogate the medical device and provide the identification information.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising the steps of:

transferring the protocol component identified by the protocol component information to the computing device prior to the receiving step.

16. The method of claim 14, further comprising the steps of:

transferring the protocol component identified by the protocol component information to the computing device if the computing device does not have a copy of the identified protocol component.

17. The method of claim 14, further comprising the steps of:

receiving authentication information from the computing device;

associating the data received from the medical device with previously received data associated with the authentication information.

18. The method of claim 14, wherein the transferring step comprises the step of:

transferring the protocol component to the computing device in accordance with the Hyper-Text Transport Protocol (HTTP).

19. The method of claim 14, wherein the step of receiving data comprises the step of:

receiving measurement data indicative of at least one blood glucose measurement.

20. The method of claim 14, wherein the step of receiving data comprises the step of:

transferring a identification component to the client computing device that causes the client computing device to interrogate the medical device and provide the identification information.

14. A method of accessing a medical device operably coupled to a computing device, the method comprising the steps of:

receiving identification information from the computing device indicative of a medical device type of the medical device;

providing the computing device with protocol component information which identifies a protocol component for the computing device to use to communicate with the medical device from a plurality of protocol components; and

receiving data from the medical device in response to the computing device communicating with medical device via the protocol component identified by the protocol component information.

21. A method of providing a computing device with access to a medical device, the method comprising the steps of:

providing the computing device with identification information from which a protocol component for use with the medical device is determined;

receiving the proper protocol component from the computing device in response to providing the computing device with the identification information; and

communicating with the medical device via the proper protocol component.

22. The method of claim 21, further comprising the steps of:

transferring to the computing device data obtained from the medical device during the communicating step; and

receiving from the computing device results data that is based upon the data obtained from the medical device.

23. The method of claim 21, further comprising the steps of:

transferring to the computing device data obtained from the medical device during the communicating step;

providing the computing device with authentication information; and

receiving results data from the computing device that is based upon the data obtained from the medical device and any previously received data associated with the authentication information.

24. The method of claim 21, further comprising the steps of:

transferring to the computing device measurement data obtained from the medical device during the communicating step, the measurement data indicative of at least one blood glucose measurement.

25. The method of claim 21, further comprising the steps of:

transferring to the computing device data obtained from the medical device during the communicating step;

providing the computing device with authentication information;

receiving from the computing device in a markup language format results data that is based upon the data obtained from the medical device and previously received data associated with the authentication information; and

displaying the results data via a user interface designed to display information in the markup language format.

26. The method of claim 21, wherein the receiving step comprises the step of:

receiving the protocol component in accordance with the Hyper-Text Transport Protocol (HTTP).

27. The method of claim 21, further comprising the step of:

receiving a device identification component via which the identification information is obtained.

29. The method of claim 28, further comprising the steps of:

receiving the protocol component identified by the protocol component information from the computing device prior to the communicating step.

30. The method of claim 29, wherein the receiving step comprises the step of:

receiving the protocol component in accordance with the Hyper-Text Transport Protocol (HTTP).

31. The method of claim 28, further comprising the steps of:

receiving the protocol component identified by the protocol component information from the computing device if a copy of the protocol component identified by the protocol component information is not already available.

32. The method of claim 28, further comprising the steps of:

transferring data obtained from the medical device in response to the communicating step to the computing device.

33. The method of claim 28, further comprising the steps of:

transferring data obtained from the medical device in response to the communicating step to the computing device;

providing the computing device with authentication information;

receiving from the computing device in a markup language format results data that is based upon the data obtained from the medical device and previously received data associated with the authentication information; and

displaying the results data via a user interface designed to display information in the markup language format.

34. The method of claim 28, further comprising the step of:

transferring data to the computing device that is indicative of at least one blood glucose measurement.

36. The first computing device of claim 35, wherein the transport agent is further operable to receive measurement data from the medical device via the network in response to the second computing device communicating with medical device via the protocol component.

37. The first computing device of claim 35, wherein the transport agent is further adapted to receive measurement data from the medical device via the network in response to the second computing device communicating with medical device via the protocol component, to receive authentication information from the second computing device via the network, and to store the measurement data in the storage device such that the measurement data and any previously received measurement data may be received from the storage device based upon the authentication information.

38. The first computing device of claim 35, wherein the transport agent is adapted to transfer the protocol component to the second computing device via the network in accordance with the Hyper-Text Transport Protocol (HTTP).

39. The first computing device of claim 35, wherein

the storage device further comprises device data that correlates a plurality of medical device types with the plurality of protocol components, and

the transport agent is further adapted to select the protocol component from the plurality of protocol components based upon the identification information and the device data.

40. The first computing device of claim 35, wherein the transport component selects the protocol component from the plurality of protocol components that defines at least one of:

a message format,

a packet format,

a transfer rate,

an error detection scheme,

an error correction scheme,

a command set,

a compression scheme

for transferring information to and from the medical device.

28. A method of providing a computing device with access to a medical device, the method comprising the steps of:

establishing communication with the computing device via a network address associated with the medical device;

receiving protocol component information from the computing device which identifies the protocol component to communicate with the medical device from a plurality of protocol components; and

communicating with medical device via the protocol component identified by the protocol component information.

35. A first computing device for accessing a medical device operably coupled to a second computing device via a network, the first computing device comprising:

a storage device comprising a plurality of protocol components that configure second computing device to communicate with a plurality of medical devices in accordance with a plurality of communications protocols supported by the plurality of medical devices;

a transport agent operably coupled to the storage device and the network, the transport agent being adapted to receive from the second computing device identification information associated with a particular medical device operably coupled to the second computing device, to select from the plurality of protocol components of the storage device a protocol component to configure the second computing device for communications with the particular medical device, and transfer to the second computing device via the network the protocol component selected from the plurality of protocol components.

41. A first computing device for accessing a medical device operably coupled to a second computing device via a network, the first computing device comprising:

a storage device comprising a plurality of protocol components that configure the second computing device to communicate with a plurality of medical devices in accordance with communications protocols supported by the plurality of medical devices;

a memory comprising a plurality of instructions;

a network interface adapted to communicate with the second computing device via the network; and

a processor operably coupled to the storage device, the memory, and the network interface and adapted to execute the plurality of instructions to cause the processor

to receive from the second computing device via the network interface identification information from which a medical device type of the medical device coupled to the second computing device is determined,

to provide protocol component information to the second computing device via the network interface which identifies the protocol component from the plurality of protocol components for the second computing device to use to communicate with the medical device, and

to receive measurement data from the medical device via the network interface in response to the second computing device communicating with medical device via the protocol component identified by the protocol component information.

42. The first computing device of claim 41, wherein the plurality of instructions, when executed by the processor, further causes the processor to

transfer the protocol component identified by the protocol component information to the second computing device via the network interface prior to receiving the measurement data.

43. The first computing device of claim 41, wherein the plurality of instructions, when executed by the processor, further causes the processor to

transfer to the second computing device via the network interface, the protocol component identified by the protocol component information if the second computing device does not have a copy of the protocol component identified by the protocol component information.

44. The first computing device of claim 41, wherein the plurality of instructions, when executed by the processor, further causes the processor to

receive authentication information from the second computing device via the network interface, and

store the measurement data received from the medical device in the storage device such that the measurement data is associated with any previously received data associated with the authentication information.

45. The first computing device of claim 41, wherein the plurality of instructions, when executed by the processor, further causes the processor to

analyze the measurement data received from the medical device to obtain results data in a markup language format, and

provide the second computing device via the network interface with the results data in the markup language format.

46. The first computing device of claim 41, wherein the plurality of instructions, when executed by the processor, further causes the processor to

receiving measurement data from the medical device via the network interface that is indicative of at least one blood glucose measurement.

48. The first computing device of claim 47, wherein the plurality of instructions, when executed by the processor, further causes the processor to

receive results data from the second computing device that is based upon the measurement data.

49. The first computing device of claim 48, further comprising a user interface adapted to present information in the markup language format, wherein the plurality of instructions, when executed by the processor, further causes the processor to

provide authentication information to second computing device via the network interface,

receive from the second computing device via the network interface, results data in a markup language format that is based upon the measurement data and previously received measurement data associated with the authentication information, and

display the results data via the user interface.

47. A first computing device for providing a second computing device with access to a medical device via a network, the first computing device comprising:

a memory comprising a plurality of instructions;

a network interface adapted to communicate with the second computing device via the network;

a medical device interface adapted to establish a communications link with the medical device; and

a processor operably coupled to the memory, the network interface, and the medical device interface and adapted to execute the plurality of instructions to cause the processor

to provide to the second computing device via the network interface identification information from which a protocol component for use with the medical device is determined;

to receive the protocol component from the second computing device via the network interface in response to providing the second computing device with the identification information;

to execute instructions of the protocol component to obtain measurement data from the medical device via the medical device interface; and

transfer to the second computing device via the network interface, the measurement data obtained from the medical device.

50. A first computing device for providing a second computing device with access to a medical device via a network, the first computing device comprising:

a transport agent adapted to provide the second computing device with identification information from which a protocol component from a plurality of protocol components for communicating with the medical device is determined, and to receive from the second computing device protocol component information which identifies the protocol component of to communicate with the medical device; and

an update component in communication with the transport agent, the update component adapted to receive the protocol component information, and to obtain from the second computing device the protocol component identified by the protocol component information.

51. The first computing device of claim 50, further comprising a storage device, wherein the update component is further adapted to determine whether the storage device includes the protocol component identified by the protocol component information, and to obtain the protocol component from the second computing device only if the storage device does not include the protocol component.

52. The first computing device of claim 50, wherein the transport component is further adapted to communicate with the medical device via the protocol component, to transfer data obtained from the medical device to the second computing device via the network measurement, to provide authentication information to the second computing device via the network, and to receive results data from the second computing device via the network, the results data being based upon the measurement data and previously received measurement data associated with the authentication information.

53. The first computing device of claim 50, further comprising a user interface designed to display information in the markup language format, wherein the transport component is further adapted to communicate with the medical device via the protocol component, transfer to the second computing device via the network measurement data obtained from the medical device, provide authentication information to the second computing device via the network, receive from the second computing device via the network results data in a markup language format that is based upon the measurement data and previously received measurement data associated with the authentication information, and display the results data via the user interface.

54. A first computing device for providing a second computing device with access to a medical device via a network, the first computing device comprising:

a storage device;

memory comprising a plurality of instructions that define a web browser;

a network interface adapted to communicate with the second computing device via the network;

a medical device interface adapted to establish a communications link with the medical device; and

a processor operably coupled to the storage device, the network interface, and the memory and adapted to execute the plurality of instructions of the memory to cause the processor

to provide identification information to the second computing device via the network interface from which a protocol component for communicating with the medical device is determined,

to receive protocol component information from the second computing device via the network interface which identifies the protocol component that should be used to communicate with the medical device,

determine whether the storage device includes the protocol component identified by the protocol component information, and

obtain the protocol component from the second computing device via the network interface if the storage device does not include the protocol component identified by the protocol component information.

55. A system for providing access to a medical device, the system comprising:

a first computing device;

a second computing device in communication with the first computing device, the second computing device being adapted to obtain identification information from the medical device, to transfer the identification information to the first computing device, to receive protocol component information from the first computing device that identifies a protocol component to be used by the second computing device to communicate with the medical device, to determine whether the second computing device already has the protocol component identified by the protocol component information, and obtain the protocol component identified by the protocol component information from the first computing device if the second computing device does not already have the protocol component identified by the protocol component information, and wherein

the first computing device is adapted to receive the identification information from the second computing device, to identify the protocol component of a plurality of protocol components, to transfer the protocol component information to the second computing device, and to transfer the protocol component to the second computing device if the second computing device does not already have the protocol component identified by the protocol component information.

56. The system of claim 55, wherein

the first computing device is further adapted to request the second computing device to obtain measurement data from the medical device and to transfer the measurement data obtained from the medical device to the first computing device, and

the second computing device is further adapted to obtain the measurement data from the medical device via the protocol component identified by the protocol component information and to transfer the measurement data to the first computing device in response to receiving the request from the first computing device.