Recording information for emergency call by defibrillator apparatus

• US 20040172069A1
• Filed: 02/28/2003
• Published: 09/02/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 02/28/2003
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Medtronic Physio-Control Corp. (Stryker Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Medtronic Physio-Control Corp. (Stryker Corporation)
• Inventors: Hakala, Douglas T.
• Application Number:
  US10/377,991
• Publication Number:
  US 20040172069A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 607/5
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/37282 characterised by communication with experts in remote locations using a network
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3904 External heart defibrillators [EHD]

Abstract

Techniques for recording information for an emergency call to be placed by a defibrillator apparatus are disclosed. The defibrillator apparatus includes a defibrillator, and may also include a defibrillator base. A user may enter information, such as the location where the defibrillator apparatus is installed, which may be stored in a memory of the defibrillator apparatus. The defibrillator apparatus may prompt the user to enter the information. The defibrillator apparatus may receive words spoken by the user, and store the spoken words as a voice recording that includes the information. The defibrillator apparatus may provide the information, which may include a voice recording, to an emergency response center, for example, in response to receiving an indication that the defibrillator is being deployed to treat a patient.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

communicating information from a defibrillator apparatus to an emergency response center; and

including a pre-recorded voice message in the communicated information.

2. The method of claim 1, in which the voice message includes information identifying an installation site for the defibrillator apparatus.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising retrieving the voice message from a memory, wherein the voice message includes speech uttered by a person following installation of the defibrillator apparatus.

4. The method of claim 1, in which communicating information comprises:

receiving an indication that a defibrillator of the defibrillator apparatus is being deployed; and

communicating information in response to the indication.

5. The method of claim 4, in which receiving an indication that a defibrillator is being deployed comprises detecting removal of the defibrillator from a defibrillator base of the defibrillator apparatus.

6. The method of claim 4, in which receiving an indication that a defibrillator is being deployed comprises receiving at least one of an indication that the defibrillator has been powered on and an indication that electrodes of the defibrillator have been attached to a patient.

7. The method of claim 4, in which receiving an indication that a defibrillator is being deployed comprises receiving the indication via a local wireless communication session with the defibrillator.

8. The method of claim 1, in which communicating information comprises establishing telephonic connection with the emergency response center via at least one of a public switched telephone network and a cellular telephone network.

9. The method of claim 1, in which communicating information comprises repeating the voice message until an acknowledgment is received from the emergency response center.

10. The method of claim 1, in which communicating information comprises communicating information from at least one of a defibrillator and a defibrillator base of the defibrillator apparatus.

11. A device comprising:

a memory to store a pre-recorded voice message; and

a processor to communicate information from a defibrillator apparatus to an emergency response center that includes the pre-recorded voice message.

12. The device of claim 11, in which the voice message includes information identifying an installation site for the defibrillator apparatus.

13. The device of claim 11, in which the voice message includes speech uttered by a person following installation of the defibrillator system.

14. The device of claim 11, in which the processor receives an indication that a defibrillator of the defibrillator apparatus is being deployed, and communicates information in response to the indication.

15. The device of claim 14, further comprising a detection circuit to detect removal of the defibrillator from a defibrillator base of the defibrillator apparatus, wherein the processor receives the indication that the defibrillator is being deployed by receiving an indication that the defibrillator has been removed from the base via the detection circuit.

16. The device of claim 14, in which the indication includes at least one of an indication that the defibrillator has been powered on and an indication that electrodes of the defibrillator have been attached to a patient.

17. The device of claim 14, further comprising a transceiver to establish a local wireless communication session with the defibrillator, wherein the processor receives the indication that the defibrillator is being activated via the local wireless communication session.

18. The device of claim 11, further comprising at least one of a public switched telephone network interface to establish a telephonic connection with the emergency response center via a public switched telephone network and a cellular telephone transceiver to establishing a telephonic connection with the emergency response center via a cellular telephone network, wherein the processor communicates information via the telephonic connection.

19. The device of claim 11, in which the processor repeats the voice message until the processor receives an acknowledgment from the emergency response center.

20. The device of claim 11, in which the device comprises one of a defibrillator and a defibrillator base of the defibrillator apparatus.

21. The device of claim 20, in which the defibrillator comprises an automatic external defibrillator.

22. A method comprising:

receiving words spoken by a user that include emergency call information; and

storing at least some of the spoken words in a memory as a voice message that includes the emergency call information.

23. The method of claim 22, further comprising prompting the user to provide a vocal response that includes the emergency call information.

24. The method of claim 22, in which receiving words spoken by a user comprises receiving words that include a description of a location of a defibrillator apparatus, and the voice message includes the description.

25. The method of claim 22, further comprising:

communicating information from a defibrillator apparatus to an emergency response center; and

including the pre-recorded voice message in the communicated information.

26. The method of claim 25, in which receiving words spoken by a user comprises receiving words that include a telephone number for an emergency response center, the method further comprising:

translating the spoken words that include the telephone number into a digital representation of the telephone number; and

storing the digital representation in the memory.

27. The method of claim 26, in which communicating information comprises establishing a telephonic connection with the emergency response center by dialing the telephone number using the digital representation.

28. A device comprising:

a microphone to detect words spoken by a user;

a processor to receive words spoken by the user that include emergency call information via the microphone; and

a memory to store a voice message that includes the emergency call information.

29. The device of claim 28, further comprising a speaker to provide audio prompts to the user, wherein the processor prompts the user to provide a vocal response that includes the emergency call information via the speaker.

30. The device of claim 28, in which the processor receives spoken words from the user that include a description of a location of a defibrillator apparatus, and the voice message includes the description.

31. The device of claim 28, in which the processor communicates information from a defibrillator apparatus to an emergency response center that includes the voice message.

32. The device of claim 31, in which the processor receives spoken words from the user that include a telephone number for the emergency response center, translates the spoken words that include the telephone number into a digital representation of the telephone number, and stores the digital representation in the memory.

33. The device of claim 32, further comprising a telephonic communications circuit, wherein the processor controls the telephonic communications circuit to establish a telephonic connection with the emergency response center by controlling the telephonic communications circuit to dial the telephone number using the digital representation.

34. A system comprising:

a defibrillator to provide defibrillation therapy to a patient; and

a defibrillator base to receive an indication that the defibrillator is being deployed, and communicate information to an emergency response center that includes a pre-recorded voice message.

35. The system of claim 34, in which the voice message includes information identifying an installation site for the system.

36. The system of claim 34, in which the voice message includes speech uttered by a person following installation of the system.

37. The system of claim 34, in which the defibrillator base includes a detection circuit, and receives an indication that the defibrillator is being deployed by detecting removal of the defibrillator from the defibrillator base via the contact detection circuit.

38. The system of claim 34, in which the defibrillator and the defibrillator base include local wireless communications transceivers and establish a local wireless communication session, and the defibrillator base receives the indication by receiving at least one of an indication that the defibrillator has been powered on and an indication that electrodes of the defibrillator have been attached to a patient from the defibrillator via the local wireless communication session.

39. The system of claim 34, in which the defibrillator base includes a microphone and a memory, receives words spoken by a user that include emergency call information via the microphone, and stores at least some of the spoken words in a memory as the voice message.

40. The system of claim 34, in which the defibrillator base includes a speaker, and prompts the user to provide vocal responses that include emergency call information via the speaker.

41. A method comprising:

installing a defibrillator apparatus at a location; and

entering information about the location in a memory of the apparatus.

42. The method of claim 41, in which the apparatus includes a defibrillator and a base.

43. The method of claim 41, in which entering is by speaking into the apparatus.

44. The method of claim 41, in which entering is by pressing keys.

45. The method of claim 41, in which entering is responsive to a prompt.

46. The method of claim 41, further comprising communicating the entered information to an emergency response center.

47. The method of claim 46, in which communicating comprises reproducing a voice spoken into the apparatus.

48. The method of claim 46, in which communicating comprises:

receiving an indication that a defibrillator of the defibrillator apparatus is being deployed; and

communicating information in response to the indication.

49. The method of claim 46, in which communicating comprises establishing telephonic connection with the emergency response center via at least one of a public switched telephone network and a cellular telephone network.