UTILITY MODULE

• US 20130304142A1
• Filed: 11/30/2012
• Published: 11/14/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 05/08/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Physio-Control Incorporated (Stryker Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Physio-Control Incorporated (Stryker Corporation)
• Inventors: Curtin, Barry D., Daynes, John, Langman, Karen Kraft, Lim, Mina, McIlvaine, Neil G., McKay, E. Thomas, Merry, Randy L., Peterson, Ken, Smith, Mitchell Allen
• Granted Patent: US 10,105,546 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 607/5
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3925 Monitoring; Protecting
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3937 Monitoring output parameters
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3968 Constructional arrangements, e.g. casings A61N1/375 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3975 Power supply A61N1/378 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3987 characterised by the timing or triggering of the shock
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3993 User interfaces for automatic external defibrillators
• CPC Class Codes: F04C 2270/041 Controlled or regulated
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 15/02 electric
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1632 External expansion units, e.g. docking stations
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/30 relating to physical therapies or activities, e.g. physiotherapy, acupressure or exercising
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/63 for local operation
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/67 for remote operation
• CPC Class Codes: G16Z 99/00 Subject matter not provided for in other main groups of this subclass
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/26 at least one of which is mobile
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 13/00 Apparatus or processes specially adapted for manufacturing or adjusting assemblages of electric components
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49826 Assembling or joining

Abstract

A defibrillator system optimizes the timing and manner of applying a defibrillator charge to a patient based upon data provided to the defibrillator from a utility module or one or more external devices. A parameter module on the utility module provides the defibrillator with patient parameter information. Devices external to the utility module may provide the utility module with coaching data that the utility module may pass through to the defibrillator as a proxy to the external devices. The utility module may also provide external devices with patient data that the utility module may pass through to the external devices as a proxy to the defibrillator on a scheduled or other basis. The utility module may additionally provide a reserve of power to enable defibrillators to be used where power is unavailable and to enable defibrillators to deliver multiple charges more readily anywhere, anytime.

Claims

1. A docking station for a defibrillator including an energy storage module for storing an electrical charge and a defibrillator processor, comprising:

a utility module adapted to receive a defibrillator and to provide data to the defibrillator when the defibrillator is connected to the utility module, the utility module including a parameter module configured to detect a parameter of a patient.

2. The docking station of claim 1 further comprising a bridge back configured to provide the data to the defibrillator when the defibrillator is connected to the utility module.

3. The docking station of claim 2 wherein the bridge back is integrated with the utility module.

4. The docking station of claim 2 wherein the bridge back is attached to the utility module.

5. The docking station of claim 2 wherein the bridge back further comprises a data outlet adapted to mate with a defibrillator data connect port of the defibrillator when the defibrillator is connected to the utility module.

6. The docking station of claim 1 wherein the utility module provides power to the defibrillator when the defibrillator is connected to the utility module.

7. The docking station of claim 6 further comprising a bridge back configured to provide the power to the defibrillator when the defibrillator is connected to the utility module.

8. The docking station of claim 7 wherein the bridge back further comprises a power outlet for connection with a power connect on the defibrillator.

9. The docking station of claim 2 wherein the bridge back extends from a rear portion of the utility module.

10. The docking station of claim 2 wherein the bridge back extends outwardly from a rear portion of the utility module in an upwardly direction.

11. The docking station of claim 10 wherein the upwardly direction of the extension of the bridge outwardly from the rear portion of the utility module is substantially perpendicular to the utility module.

12. The docking station of claim 1, wherein the utility module further comprises a cooling fan.

13. The docking station of claim 1 wherein the utility module is used in

combination with a defibrillator, wherein the defibrillator further comprises:

an energy storage device capable of storing an electrical charge;

a defibrillation port;

a display;

a defibrillator processor configured to control the display and when an electrical charge is applied to the defibrillation port for defibrillating a patient; and

a power connect configured to engage a power outlet port of the utility module.

14. The docking station of claim 1:

wherein the utility module defines a first utility module; and

further comprising a second utility module configured to provide data, the second utility module and the first utility module being connected to each other to provide for data communication between the first utility module and the second utility module when the first utility module and the second utility module are connected to each other.

15. The docking station of claim 14 wherein the first utility module and the second utility module are connected to each other in a vertical stacked arrangement.

16. The docking station of claim 14 wherein the first utility module and the second utility module are connected to each other in a horizontal arrangement.

17. The docking station of claim 14 wherein the data communication between the first utility module and the second utility module includes communication of data provided by the second utility module for the defibrillator when the defibrillator is connected to the first utility module.

18. The docking station of claim 14 wherein either the first utility module or the second utility module provides the other utility module with power when the first utility module and the second utility module are connected to each other.

19. The docking station of claim 14:

wherein the first utility module is used in combination with a defibrillator, wherein the defibrillator further comprises;

an energy storage device capable of storing an electrical charge;

a defibrillation port;

a display;

a defibrillator processor configured to control the display and when an electrical charge is applied to the defibrillation port for defibrillating a patient; and

a power connect configured to engage a power outlet port of the utility module; and

wherein the defibrillator provides either or both the first utility module and the second utility module with power when the first utility module and the second utility module and the defibrillator are connected to each other.

20. The docking station of claim 14, wherein the first utility module serves as a host utility module and the second utility module serves as a client utility module.

21. The docking station of claim 14, wherein the second utility module serves as a host utility module and the first utility module serves as a client utility module.

22. The docking station of claim 20, wherein the host utility module is adapted to route data to and from the client utility module and to and from the defibrillator.

23. The docking station of claim 4, wherein the bridge back further comprises a dovetail portion adapted to receive a rear portion of the utility module.

24. The docking station of claim 1 wherein the utility module further comprises:

a power outlet capable of providing an electrical charge to the defibrillator when connected to the defibrillator;

a communication module configured to transmit data between the utility module and the defibrillator; and

a module processor configured to control the parameter module and the communication module.

25. The docking station of claim 24 wherein the communication module enables wireless transmission of data from the utility module.

26. The docking station of claim 24 wherein the communication module enables wired transmission of data from the utility module.

27. The docking station of claim 24 wherein the communication module comprises a module data connect port capable of providing wired transmission of data from the host utility module to an external device.

28. The docking station of claim 24, wherein the module processor further controls data communications between the parameter module and the defibrillator.

29. The docking station of claim 25, wherein the data communications between the parameter module and the defibrillator includes the transmission of patient parameter data from the parameter module to the defibrillator for rendering on a display of the defibrillator.

30. The docking station of claim 29 wherein the data from the parameter module rendered on the display of the defibrillator is one or more patient parameters.

31. The docking station of claim 29 wherein the one or more patient parameters rendered on the display of the defibrillator is selected from the group consisting of CO₂ exhaled by a patient;

an electrical activity of the heart of a patient;

an exchange of air between the lungs of a patient and the atmosphere;

a pressure of the blood in a patient;

a temperature of a patient;

an oxygen saturation in the blood of a patient;

a chest compression of a patient;

an image of the internal structure of a patient;

an oxygen saturation in the blood in the brain of a patient; and

the acidity or alkalinity of fluids in a patient.

32. The docking station of claim 31 wherein the CO₂ exhaled by a patient is measured using capnography techniques;

an electrical activity of the heart of a patient is measured using ECG techniques;

an exchange of air between the lungs of a patient and the atmosphere is measured using ventilation techniques;

a measurement of the pressure of the blood in a patient is measured using non-invasive blood pressure measurement techniques or invasive blood pressure measurement techniques;

the temperature of a patient is measured using temperature measurement techniques;

an oxygen saturation in the blood of a patient is measured using pulse oximeter techniques or tissue oximetry techniques;

a chest compression of a patient is measured using chest compression detection and feedback techniques;

an image of the internal structure of a patient is measured using ultrasound measurement techniques;

an oxygen saturation in the blood in the brain of a patient is measured using cerebral oximetry techniques; and

the acidity or alkalinity of fluids in a patient is measured using non-invasive pH measurement techniques.

33. A docking station for a defibrillator, the docking station comprising:

a utility module adapted for connecting to the defibrillator, the utility module comprising;

a parameter module configured to detect a parameter of a patient;

a communication module configured to transmit data between the utility module and the defibrillator;

a module processor configured to control the parameter module and the communication module; and

a bridge back adapted for providing data and power to the defibrillator when the defibrillator is connected to the utility module.

34. The docking station of claim 33 wherein the utility module serves as a first utility module and further comprising a second utility module including a parameter module configured to detect a parameter of a patient, the first utility module configured for transmitting data to or receiving data from the second utility module.

35. The docking station of claim 34 wherein the parameter module of the first utility module detects a first parameter of a patient and the parameter module of the second utility module detects a second parameter of a patient.

36. The docking station of claim 34 wherein the first utility module and the second utility module are connected to each other in a vertical stacked arrangement.

37. The docking station of claim 34 wherein the first utility module and the second utility module are connected to each other in a daisy chain arrangement.

38. The docking station of claim 37, wherein the daisy chain arrangement connecting the second utility module and the first utility module is in a horizontal arrangement.

39. The docking station of claim 33, wherein the bridge back extends outwardly from the utility module in a substantially perpendicular direction.

40. A method for enhancing a defibrillation process, the method comprising:

furnishing a first utility module for use with a defibrillator having a defibrillator data connect port, wherein the first utility module includes a bridge back with a data outlet configured to mate with a defibrillator data connect port;

enabling placement of the defibrillator on top of the first utility module;

enabling connection of the defibrillator data connect port with the data outlet in the bridge back to enable communication of data to the defibrillator when the defibrillator is connected to the first utility module.

41. The method of claim 40 comprising the further step of enabling sliding of the defibrillator against the bridge back to connect the defibrillator data connect port with the data outlet in the bridge back.

42. The method of claim 40, further comprising:

furnishing a functionality module configured to perform a predetermined functionality, wherein the first utility module includes a receptacle to receive the functionality module in an electrical connection configured to enable data communication between the functionality module and the first utility module; and

enabling insertion of the functionality module into the receptacle to enable the communication of data between the functionality module and the host utility module.

43. The method of claim 42 wherein the functionality module is a parameter module configured to detect a parameter of a patient.

44. The method of claim 40 further comprising furnishing a second utility module;

and

enabling placement of the second utility module on top of the first utility module in a vertical stacked arrangement.

45. The method of claim 40 further comprising furnishing a second utility module;

and

enabling connection of the second utility module to the first utility module in a daisy chain arrangement.