METHOD FOR MEDICAL DATA COLLECTION AND TRANSMISSION

• US 20110093283A1
• Filed: 11/02/2010
• Published: 04/21/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 10/24/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kent Dicks, Ralph Kent, Robert Tripp, Terry Bartlett, Thomas Crosley
• Original Assignee: Kent Dicks, Ralph Kent, Robert Tripp, Terry Bartlett, Thomas Crosley
• Inventors: Dicks, Kent, Bartlett, Terry, Tripp, Robert, Kent, Ralph, Crosley, Thomas
• Granted Patent: US 8,131,564 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/2
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2505/07 Home care
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2560/0209 adapted for power saving
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2560/0431 Portable apparatus, e.g. comprising a handle or case
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2560/045 with a separable interface unit, e.g. for communication
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0022 Monitoring a patient using a global network, e.g. telephone networks, internet
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1112 Global tracking of patients, e.g. by using GPS
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/63 for local operation
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/67 for remote operation
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 50/20 for computer-aided diagnosis, e.g. based on medical expert systems

Abstract

An exemplary method according to various aspects of the present invention includes receiving data from a medical device and transmitting a message including at least a portion of the received data to a provided medical data server. This exemplary method further includes receiving a command from the medical data server.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving data from a medical device;

transmitting a message including at least a portion of the received data to a provided medical data server; and

receiving a command from the medical data server.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving data from a plurality of medical devices.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the data from the medical device corresponds to medical data for a plurality of patients.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the received data includes one or more of:

biological information for a patient;

biometric information for a patient; and

behavioral information for a patient.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the message is encrypted.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the data from the medical device is received through a wired connection selected from the group consisting of:

an optical fiber connection;

a tip and sleeve (TS) connection;

a tip, ring, and sleeve (TRS) connection;

a tip, ring, ring, and sleeve (TRRS) connection;

a serial peripheral interface bus (SPI) connection;

a universal serial bus (USB) connection;

an RS-232 serial connection;

an Ethernet connection;

a FireWire connection;

a docking connection;

and combinations thereof.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the data from the medical device is received through a wireless connection using a protocol selected from the group consisting of a Zigbee protocol, a Wibree protocol, an IEEE 802.11 protocol, an IEEE 802.15 protocol, an IEEE 802.16 protocol, an Ultra-Wideband (UWB) protocol, an Infrared Data Association (IrDA) protocol, a Bluetooth protocol, and combinations thereof.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the data includes an environmental parameter, wherein the environmental parameter includes at least one of a battery charge level, a temperature, a barometric pressure, a code relating to an accessory for the medical device, a data validity measurement, an elapsed time since a previous reading by the medical device, a test result parameter, a signal-to-noise parameter, and a quality of service (QoS) parameter.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the message is transmitted through a wireless network selected from the group consisting of:

a cellular network;

a General Packet Radio Service (GPRS) network;

a wireless Local Area Network (WLAN);

a Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM) network;

a Personal Communication Service (PCS) network;

an Advanced Mobile Phone System (AMPS) network;

a satellite communication network; and

combinations thereof.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the message is transmitted through a wired connection selected from the group consisting of:

a universal serial bus (USB) connection;

a serial connection;

a telephone connection;

a parallel connection;

a Firewire connection;

an Ethernet connection; and

combinations thereof.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising transmitting the message to an intermediary device, wherein the intermediary device is configured to retransmit at least a portion of the message to the medical data server.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the command is provided by the medical data server in response to input from a user.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the command reconfigures a software application running on a system receiving the medical data and transmitting the message.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the command controls the medical device.

15. The method of claim 1, further comprising transmitting a request to the medical data server, requesting that the medical data server provide a command including an update for a software application operating on a medical device;

and

wherein the command reconfigures a software application running on the medical device

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

storing the command including the update in a memory; and

transmitting the command including the update to the medical device.

17. The method of claim 1, further comprising automatically configuring the medical device, wherein configuring the medical device is based on information for one or more patients.

18. The method of claim 1, further comprising authenticating the medical device before receiving data from the medical device.

19. The method of claim 1, further comprising providing information to, and receiving information from, a patient through a user interface, wherein the information provided to the patient includes one or more of:

an indicator as to whether a medical device is currently in communication with a system coupled to the user interface;

an indicator that medical data has been received from the medical device;

a survey regarding a treatment for the patient; and

an indicator regarding the status of an update to a software application operating on the medical device.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the information received from a patient includes one or more of:

information regarding a treatment for the patient;

an indicator that the patient is in need of assistance; and

a communication from the patient for delivery to a caregiver of the patient.