Method and system for collecting and circulating data derived from medicals appliances, usefil in particular in intensive care units

• US 20030200116A1
• Filed: 05/06/2003
• Published: 10/23/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 04/06/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Capsule Technologie (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Original Assignee: Capsule Technologie (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Inventors: Forrester, Steven
• Granted Patent: US 9,436,800 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/2
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2213/0002 Serial port, e.g. RS232C
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/20 for the management or administration of healthcare resources or facilities, e.g. managing hospital staff or surgery rooms
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/63 for local operation
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/67 for remote operation
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 80/00 ICT specially adapted for facilitating communication between medical practitioners or patients, e.g. for collaborative diagnosis, therapy or health monitoring

Abstract

The invention concerns a method and a system for collecting medical data derived from medical appliances (1) for example located in intensive care units, and for distributing said data to health practitioners equipped with computer equipment (5). The method and the system comprise the following software modules: (I) a service module (DS) (21); (II) a data storage module (DDS) (25); (III) control modules (DAC) (26) accessible from all points of said computer communication network and controlling the distribution of said data; (IV) an appliance interface module (DDI) (23), configured according to specific characteristics of said transmitting appliances (1); (V) a communication interface module (DCI) (22); (VI) a configuration interface module (DCP) (28); (VII) a data portal module (DDP) (40) converting the data into a communication format of clinical analysis software (5 e ) of the computer equipment (5) of the user (3).

Claims

1. A method comprised of software modules for collecting data D generated by transmitter devices (1);

namely, generated by medical devices such as those used in intensive care units (2), and for distributing said data D to users;

namely to healthcare workers (3);

each user having at least one computing equipment (5);

namely a personal computer, connected to a display monitor (5a) and/or to a printer (5b) and/or to a speaker (5c);

said computing equipment being associated with a data analysis software (5e), namely a clinical analysis software;

said software modules being comprised of the modules specified below and carrying out the following steps of the method;

(I) a DataCaptor Service (DS) (21) activating and controlling the functions of the other modules,

(II) a DataCaptor Data Store device (DDS) module (25) storing said data D and the commands namely on a disk,

(III) DataCaptor ActiveX Controls (DAC) modules (26) accessible from any point of said computer communications network and controlling the distribution of said data D;

each DataCaptor ActiveX Controls (DAC) (26) receiving said data D from the associated DataCaptor Data Store (DDS) (25) and transmitting said data to said computing equipment (5) and said data analysis software (5e);

namely, to said clinical analysis software;

each DataCaptor ActiveX Controls (DAC) (26) addressing commands C to all or part of the other modules;

said software modules being further comprised of the aforesaid module and performing the following steps of the method;

(IV) a DataCaptor Device Interfaces (DDI) module (23), configured as a function of the specifications of said transmitter devices (1) connected to said computing communications network in order to establish and to maintain a connection with said transmitter devices (1) via a DataCaptor Communication Interface (DCI) (22);

said software modules being further comprised of the modules set forth below and carrying out the following steps of the method;

(V) a DataCaptor Communication Interface (DCI) module (22) actioning and controlling the physical communication ports (29) to said data processing communication

network to which said transmitter devices (1) are connected;

(VI) a DataCaptor Control Panel (DCP)(28), used by said user for specifying;

the physical branchings between said transmitter devices (1) and said physical communications ports (29),

the communications parameters,

the identifiers of said transmitter devices (1) concerned.

2. A method according to claim 1, said method being such that each DCI module (22):

can be activated by any one of said DataCaptor Device Interfaces (DDI) modules (23), and

is activated by said DDI module (23) that requires for the first time said physical communications port (29),

(in such a fashion that each transmitter device (1) associated with a DDI (23) module is connected to said data processing communications network over a DCI module (22) it can exchange data D and/or commands with any one of said computing equipment (5)).

3. A method according to any one of claims 1 or 2;

said method being such that each DAC (26) module receiving said data D from the associated DDS modules (25) transmits said data D via a DataCaptor Data Portal (DDP) module (40), converting the data D to the communications format of the data analysis software (5e) and transmitting the data so converted to said user'"'"'s computing equipment (5).

4. A method according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein said DS module (21) maintains the integrity and the security of the process and distributes the data D.

5. A method according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein said DDS module (24) processes requests for historical data.

6. A method according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein said DDS module (24) makes available to the other modules operating interfaces for use of said data D and said commands C.

7. A method according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein said DAC module(26) is integrated into said data analysis software by the programmer of said data analysis software.

8. A method according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein said DDI module (23) simultaneously assures:

communication of the data transmitted by the transmitter devices, and

the low-level communication by using DCI modules.

9. A method according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein said DDI module (23) reads and translates the sporadic parameters and/or the data curves at output from said transmitter devices.

10. A method according to any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein said DCI modules (22) being such that there are as many DCI modules as there are communication port types.

11. A method according to any one of claims 1 to 10, wherein said DCP module (28) permitting updating of a directory (27).

12. A method according to any one of claims 1 to 11, wherein said DCP module (28) providing the DDI modules (22) via the directory (27) with information relative to the transmitter devices as well as to the concerned DCI modules.