ARCHITECTURE FOR FIELD UPGRADE OF A HEALTH MONITORING SYSTEM

• US 20080301665A1
• Filed: 05/29/2008
• Published: 12/04/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 05/30/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ascensia Diabetes Care Holdings AG (PHC Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Bayer Healthcare LLC (Bayer AG)
• Inventors: Chen, Jun, Gofman, Igor, Lok, Derek, Sun, Hoi-Cheong Steve, Ripley, Paul M., Lieber, Harris, Stefkovic, Gregory, Li, Qiong, Harris, Steven B., Charlton, Steven, Inman, Paul L., Nguyen, Tony, Johnson, Gary J., Chen, Lin, Fu, Qiang
• Granted Patent: US 8,978,026 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 717/170
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/14532 for measuring glucose, e.g. by tissue impedance measurement
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/16 Constructional details or arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1605 Multimedia displays, e.g. with integrated or attached speakers, cameras, microphones
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/266 Arrangements to supply power to external peripherals either directly from the computer or under computer control, e.g. supply of power through the communication port, computer controlled power-strips
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 13/385 for adaptation of a particular data processing system to different peripheral devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 13/4081 Live connection to bus, e.g. hot-plugging current or voltage limitation during live insertion H02H9/004
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/182 Distributed file systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/22 Indexing; Data structures therefor; Storage structures
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/61 Installation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/65 Updates security arrangements therefor G06F21/57
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/71 Version control security arrangements therefor G06F21/57; Configuration management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/22 Social work or social welfare, e.g. community support activities or counselling services
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 10/60 for patient-specific data, e.g. for electronic patient records
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/17 delivered via infusion or injection
• 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 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols

Abstract

An architecture allows individual system components to be developed and tested individually, i.e., as distinct modules, and to be subsequently combined through standardized electrical and communication interfaces. Any combination of these modules can be implemented to form different products that provide any number of functions, such as an integrated system for monitoring a health condition and/or delivering a medication. The architecture also provides an approach for dynamically updating the product and offering its users the latest generation of technology even after the users have already purchased the product. In particular, the embodiments employ the communication interfaces to also provide connection to a remote network that can update or upgrade the product'"'"'s software when the product is out in the field.

Claims

1. A system for managing healthcare data, comprising:

at least one module providing a healthcare function;

a central engine controlling the at least one module;

one or more communication interfaces providing a connection to a remote server, the remote server storing one or more program components corresponding to the at least one module or the central engine; and

a download engine configured to receive the one or more program components from the remote server via the one or more communication interfaces and to deliver the one or more program components for use with the at least one module or the central engine.

2. The system of claim 1, further comprising a version management component that determines whether the one or more program components is compatible with the at least one module or the central engine before the download engine receives the one or more program components.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more program components replaces an older version of a software running on the at least one module or the central engine with an updated version of the software.

4. The system of claim 3, further comprising a restore component that restores the older version of the software.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the updated version of the software is downloaded to a memory area that is separate from the older version of the software, and the older version of the software remains available to be restored.

6. The system of claim 4, wherein the older version of the software is restored when a validation component determines that the updated version of the software operates incorrectly or has not been downloaded properly.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more program components provides a patch for software running on the at least one module or the central engine.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more program components provides a new function to be executed by the at least one module or the central engine.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more program components includes configuration information for software running on the at least one module or the central engine.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the download engine is manually triggered by a user to receive and deliver the one or more program components.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the download engine is automatically triggered to identify the one or more program components when communication to the remote server can be established.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more interfaces include at least one of a USB interface, a radio frequency (RF) interface, a Wi-Fi interface, and an Ethernet interface.

13. The system of claim 1, wherein when communication to the remote server is established when the download engine is in range of a wireless network.

14. The system of claim 1, further comprising a data validation component configured to validate the one or more program components before the one or more program components is deployed.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the data validation component determines whether the one or more program components are not corrupted.

16. The system of claim 14, wherein the data validation component determines, with a check-sum routine, whether the one or more program components has been completely transferred from the remote server via the download engine.

17. The system of claim 14, wherein the one or more program components are removed if the data validation determines that the one or more program components is corrupted.