Method and System for Using Status Indicators in Wireless Communication with Medical Devices

• US 20090326722A1
• Filed: 06/30/2009
• Published: 12/31/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 06/30/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LifeScan IP Holdings, LLC
• Original Assignee: Animas Corporation (Johnson & Johnson)
• Inventors: BRUKALO, Krzysztof Z., POHLMAN, David
• Granted Patent: US 8,502,662 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/282
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3569 sublocal, e.g. between console and disposable
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/8212 with means or measures taken for minimising energy consumption
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2209/01 Remote controllers for specific apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/14244 adapted to be carried by the patient, e.g. portable on the body
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/17 delivered via infusion or injection
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/63 for local operation

Abstract

The invention, in general, relates to communications systems for medical devices. In particular, the present invention is directed toward a communications routine for a medical infusion devices and a remote control unit that includes data elements within the transmissions that indicate the operating status of the infusion device.

Claims

1. A drug infusion system, comprising:

a drug infusion device having a first microprocessor for creating, sending and receiving packets of data;

a control unit comprising a second microprocessor for, at least, receiving the packets of data and determining the content of the packet of data; and

a display screen visible to a user of the control device,

wherein the first microprocessor is configured to create packets of data comprising multiple bits wherein at least one bit of the data is a flag indicating the state of the drug infusion device, and the second microprocessor is configured to generate a screen display to communicate the state of the drug infusion device to the user of the control device.

2. The drug infusion device of claim 1, wherein the first microprocessor includes more than one flagged bit in the packet of data.

3. The drug infusion device of claim 1, wherein the state of the drug infusion device comprises an error, an alarm, a warning, a reminder, or a busy state.

4. The drug infusion device of claim 1, wherein the packets of data are transmitted from the drug infusion device to the control unit via wireless, radio-frequency transmission.