SUBNETWORK SYNCHRONIZATION AND VARIABLE TRANSMIT SYNCHRONIZATION TECHNIQUES FOR A WIRELESS MEDICAL DEVICE NETWORK

• US 20070251835A1
• Filed: 02/05/2007
• Published: 11/01/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 04/28/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Medtronic Minimed Incorporated (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: Medtronic Minimed Incorporated (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: MEHTA, Kaezad J., MIKA, John J.
• Granted Patent: US 8,073,008 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 205/783
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/002 Monitoring the patient using a local or closed circuit, e.g. in a room or building A61B5/0017 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0022 Monitoring a patient using a global network, e.g. telephone networks, internet
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/14532 for measuring glucose, e.g. by tissue impedance measurement
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/18 with alarm
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3561 local, e.g. within room or hospital
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3584 using modem, internet or bluetooth
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3592 using telemetric means, e.g. radio or optical transmission
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/50 with microprocessors or computers
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/502 User interfaces, e.g. screens or keyboards
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/52 with memories providing a history of measured variating parameters of apparatus or patient
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/142 Pressure infusion, e.g. using pumps
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/1723 using feedback of body parameters, e.g. blood-sugar, pressure measurement of body parameters A61B5/00
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/17 delivered via infusion or injection
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/67 for remote operation
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/5038 for local use, e.g. in LAN or USB networks, or in a controller area network [CAN]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/061 for key exchange, e.g. in peer-to-peer networks cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for key agreement H04L9/0838
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/126 the source of the received data
• 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: H04W 8/26 Network addressing or numbering for mobility support
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/10 Small scale networks; Flat hierarchical networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/06 : adapted for operation in multiple networks or having at least two operational modes, e.g. multi-mode terminals

Abstract

A fluid infusion system as described herein includes a number of local “body network” devices, such as an infusion pump, a handheld monitor or controller, a physiological sensor, and a bedside or hospital monitor. The body network devices can be configured to support communication of status data, physiological information, alerts, control signals, and other information between one another. In addition, the body network devices can be configured to support networked communication of status data, physiological information, alerts, control signals, and other information between the body network devices and “external” devices, systems, or communication networks. The networked medical devices are configured to support a variety of wireless data communication protocols for efficient communication of data within the medical device network. In addition, the wireless medical devices may be configured to support a number of dynamically adjustable wireless data communication modes to react to current operating conditions, application-specific data content, or other criteria.

Claims

1. A medical device system comprising:

a plurality of medical devices forming a medical device network;

a first subnetwork in the medical device network, the first subnetwork including a first subset of the plurality of medical devices configured to communicate data between each other using a first synchronized timing scheme; and

a second subnetwork in the medical device network, the second subnetwork including a second subset of the plurality of medical devices configured to communicate data between each other using a second synchronized timing scheme;

wherein

the medical device network is configured to adjust the first synchronized timing scheme and the second synchronized timing scheme to enable concurrent operation of the first subnetwork and the second subnetwork.

2. A medical device system according to claim 1, wherein:

the medical devices in the first subnetwork are associated with a first subnetwork identifier; and

the medical devices in the second subnetwork are associated with a second subnetwork identifier.

3. A medical device system according to claim 2, wherein:

the medical devices in the first subnetwork store the first subnetwork identifier; and

the medical devices in the second subnetwork store the second subnetwork identifier.

4. A medical device system according to claim 1, wherein:

the medical devices in the first subnetwork are configured to avoid communication with the medical devices in the second subnetwork; and

the medical devices in the second subnetwork are configured to avoid communication with the medical devices in the first subnetwork.

5. A medical device system according to claim 1, wherein a least one of the plurality of medical devices is common to both the first subnetwork and the second subnetwork.

6. A communication method for a medical device network having a first device and a second device configured to communicate data between each other using a synchronized data communication protocol, the method comprising:

the first device dynamically determining when a next data packet will be transmitted to the second device over a wireless data communication channel; and

the first device transmitting a variable time indicator to the second device, wherein the variable time indicator indicates when the next data packet will be transmitted over the wireless data communication channel, and wherein the variable time indicator prompts the second device to configure itself to receive the next data packet as designated by the variable time indicator.

7. A method according to claim 6, further comprising the first device configuring itself to transmit the next data packet as designated by the variable time indicator.

8. A method according to claim 6, further comprising the first device selecting the variable time indicator in response to a priority associated with data to be transferred between the first device and the second device.

9. A method according to claim 6, further comprising the first device selecting the variable time indicator in response to a data type category associated with data to be transferred between the first device and the second device.

10. A method according to claim 6, further comprising the first device selecting the variable time indicator in response to trending characteristics in data transferred between the first device and the second device.

11. A method according to claim 10, wherein the selecting step comprises:

if the trending characteristic represents a relatively high rate of change in the data transferred between the first device and the second device, selecting a first time indicator that indicates a relatively short time period corresponding to when the next data packet will be transmitted; and

if the trending characteristic represents a relatively low rate of change in the data transferred between the first device and the second device, selecting a second time indicator that indicates a relatively long time period corresponding to when the next data packet will be transmitted.

12. A method according to claim 6, further comprising the first device selecting the variable time indicator in response to a transmit power criteria.

13. A method according to claim 6, further comprising the first device selecting the variable time indicator in response to a quality of service measurement.

14. A wireless data communication signal having data fields transmitted over a wireless data communication channel between a first device in a medical device system and a second device in the medical device system, the wireless data communication signal comprising a data packet including data representing a variable time indicator that indicates when a next data packet will be transmitted over the wireless data communication channel.

15. A wireless data communication signal according to claim 14, wherein the variable time indicator is dynamically updateable during a wireless data communication session between the first device and the second device.

16. A wireless data communication signal according to claim 14, wherein the variable time indicator is dynamically updateable in response to a priority associated with data to be transferred between the first device and the second device.

17. A wireless data communication signal according to claim 14, wherein the variable time indicator is dynamically updateable in response to a data type category associated with data to be transferred between the first device and the second device.

18. A wireless data communication signal according to claim 14, wherein the variable time indicator is dynamically updateable in response to trending characteristics in data transferred between the first device and the second device.

19. A wireless data communication signal according to claim 18, wherein:

if the trending characteristics represent a relatively high rate of change in the data transferred between the first device and the second device, the variable time indicator indicates a relatively short time period corresponding to when the next data packet will be transmitted; and

if the trending characteristics represent a relatively low rate of change in the data transferred between the first device and the second device, the variable time indicator indicates a relatively long time period corresponding to when the next data packet will be transmitted.

20. A wireless data communication signal according to claim 14, wherein the variable time indicator is dynamically updateable in response to a transmit power criteria.

21. A wireless data communication signal according to claim 14, wherein the variable time indicator is dynamically updateable in response to a quality of service measurement.

22. A wireless data communication signal according to claim 14, wherein the variable time indicator indicates a time period corresponding to when the next data packet will be transmitted.

23. A wireless data communication signal according to claim 14, wherein the variable time indicator specifies a transmit time corresponding to when the next data packet will be transmitted.