System and method for secure voice identification in a medical device

• US 20080082339A1
• Filed: 09/29/2006
• Published: 04/03/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 09/29/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Covidien LP (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: Nellcor Puritan Bennett Incorporated (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: Li, Li, Baker, Clark R.
• Granted Patent: US 7,925,511 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 704/275
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/14551 for measuring blood gases
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7475 User input or interface means, e.g. keyboard, pointing device, joystick
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/749 Voice-controlled interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 15/22 Procedures used during a speech recognition process, e.g. man-machine dialogue
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 17/00 Speaker identification or verification techniques
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 2015/223 Execution procedure of a spoken command
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 10/60 for patient-specific data, e.g. for electronic patient records
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/63 for local operation
• CPC Class Codes: G16Z 99/00 Subject matter not provided for in other main groups of this subclass

Abstract

There is provided a system and method for secure voice identification in a medical device. More specifically, in one embodiment, there is provided a method comprising receiving an audio signal, identifying one or more frequency components of the received audio signal, determining a permission level associated with the one or more frequency components, determining a medical device command associated with the one or more frequency components, wherein the medical device command has a permission level, and executing the medical device command if the permission level of the medical device command is at or below the permission level associated with the one or more frequency components.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving an audio signal;

identifying one or more frequency components of the received audio signal;

determining a permission level associated with the one or more frequency components;

determining a medical device command associated with the one or more frequency components, wherein the medical device command has a permission level; and

executing the medical device command if the permission level of the medical device command is at or below the permission level associated with the one or more frequency components.

2. The method, as set forth in claim 1, wherein determining a permission level associated with the one or more frequency components comprises determining a permission level associated with a person.

3. The method, as set forth in claim 1, comprising rejecting the medical device command if the permission level of the medical device command is above the permission level associated with the one or more frequency components.

4. The method, as set forth in claim 1, wherein determining a permission level associated with the one or more frequency components comprises determining if the received audio signal originated from a caregiver.

5. The method, as set forth in claim 1, wherein executing the medical device command comprises executing a pulse oximeter command.

6. A medical device comprising:

an audio processing system configured to process a voice command into a plurality of frequency components;

an audio recognition system configured to identify one or more of the frequency components as one of a plurality of voices;

a permission database configured to store a permission level associated with one or more of the plurality of voices; and

a control system configured to determine the permission level associated with the identified voice based on the permission database.

7. The medical device, as set forth in claim 6, wherein the audio recognition system is configured to determine a command for the medical device from the one or more frequency components, wherein the command has an associated permission level.

8. The medical device, as set forth in claim 7, wherein the control system is configured to execute the determined command if the permission level of the determined command is at or below the permission level associated with the identified voice.

9. The medical device, as set forth in claim 6, wherein the medical device comprises a pulse oximeter.

10. The medical device, as set forth in claim 6, comprising an audio receiver configured to receive a voice command, wherein the audio receiver is coupled to the audio processing system.

11. A method of operating a medical device comprising;

receiving an unlock signal;

determining a permission level associated with the unlock signal;

receiving a voice command;

determining permission level associated with the received voice command; and

executing the received voice command if its permission level is at or below the permission level associated with the unlock signal.

12. The method, as set forth in claim 11, comprising:

receiving a lock signal; and

rejecting a voice command after receiving the lock signal.

13. The method, as set forth in claim 11, wherein receiving the unlock signal comprises receiving a wireless signal.

14. The method, as set forth in claim 13, wherein receiving the wireless signal comprises receiving a radio frequency signal.

15. The method, as set forth in claim 11, wherein receiving the unlock signal comprises receiving an audio password.

16. The method, as set forth in claim 15, wherein receiving the audio password comprises receiving a non-English utterance.

17. The method, as set forth in claim 11, wherein receiving the unlock signal comprises receiving a BLUETOOTH signal.

18. A medical device configured to:

receive an unlock signal;

determine a permission level associated with the unlock signal;

receive a voice command;

determine permission level associated with the received voice command; and

execute the received voice command if its permission level is at or below the permission level associated with the unlock signal.

19. The medical device, as set forth in claim 18, comprising a signal processing system, wherein the signal processing system is configured to determine the permission level associated with the unlock signal.

20. The medical device, as set forth in claim 18, comprising an antenna coupled to the signal processing system.

21. The medical device, as set forth in claim 18, comprising an external device, wherein the external device is configured to generate the unlock signal.

22. The medical device, as set forth in claim 21, wherein the external device comprises a keyfob.

23. The medical device, as set forth in claim 21, wherein the external device comprises a BLUETOOTH device.

24. The medical device, as set forth in claim 18, wherein the medical device is configured to receive an audio unlock signal.

25. The medical device, as set forth in claim 24, wherein the audio unlock signal comprises non-English utterance.

26. The medical device, as set forth in claim 18, wherein the medical device comprises a pulse oximeter.