RESCUE SCENE VIDEO TRANSMISSION

• US 20140005506A1
• Filed: 06/29/2012
• Published: 01/02/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 06/29/2012
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Zoll Medical Corporation (Asahi Kasei Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Zoll Medical Corporation (Asahi Kasei Corporation)
• Inventors: Elghazzawi, Ziad F.
• Application Number:
  US13/538,031
• Publication Number:
  US 20140005506A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/324
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0006 ECG or EEG signals
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0013 Medical image data A61B1/00011, A61B6/56, A61B8/56 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0022 Monitoring a patient using a global network, e.g. telephone networks, internet
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0205 Simultaneously evaluating both cardiovascular conditions and different types of body conditions, e.g. heart and respiratory condition
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3993 User interfaces for automatic external defibrillators
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/181 for receiving images from a plurality of remote sources
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/70 Services for machine-to-machine communication [M2M] or machine type communication [MTC]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/90 Services for handling of emergency or hazardous situations, e.g. earthquake and tsunami warning systems [ETWS]

Abstract

A defibrillator or monitoring system may comprise a defibrillator, at least one video camera configured to acquire a video of a subject being treated by the defibrillator, a data collection unit configured to collect data associated with the subject, a communications unit configured to establish a communication channel between the defibrillator system and an emergency response center; and a processing unit configured to cause transmission to the emergency response center of at least one of the video of the subject and the data associated with the subject.

Claims

1. A defibrillator system comprising;

a defibrillator;

a video camera configured to acquire a video of a subject being treated by the defibrillator;

a data collection unit configured to collect data associated with the subject;

a communications unit configured to establish a communication channel between the defibrillator system and an emergency response center; and

a processing unit configured to cause transmission to the emergency response center of at least one of the video of the subject and the data associated with the subject.

2. The defibrillator system of claim 1, wherein the processing unit is further configured to:

compare available bandwidth of the communication channel to a threshold bandwidth;

if the available bandwidth exceeds the threshold bandwidth, cause transmission of both the video of the subject and the data associated with the subject; and

if the available bandwidth is less than the threshold bandwidth, cause transmission of at least one of (1) only the data associated with the subject and (2) the data associated with the subject and the video at a lower frame rate than an original frame rate of the video.

3. The defibrillator system of claim 1, wherein the processing unit is configured to cause transmission of only the data associated with the subject when the available bandwidth is below a threshold bandwidth.

4. The defibrillator system of claim 3, wherein the threshold bandwidth is at least about 750 kbps.

5. The defibrillator system of claim 1, wherein the processing unit is configured to transmit the video at a lower frame rate than an original frame rate of the video when the available bandwidth is below a threshold bandwidth.

6. The defibrillator system of claim 5, wherein a ratio of the lower frame rate to the original frame rate is at least about 2:

1.

7. The defibrillator system of claim 1, wherein the processing unit is configured to determine the available bandwidth of the communication channel.

8. The defibrillator system of claim 1, wherein the processing unit is configured to receive an input indicative of the available bandwidth of the communication channel.

9. The defibrillator system of claim 1, wherein the video camera is coupled with the defibrillator or at least one electrode.

10. The defibrillator system of claim 1, wherein the video camera is configured to be worn by a person treating the subject.

11. The defibrillator system of claim 1, wherein the data include at least one of an electrocardiogram signal, an SpO₂ level, a blood pressure, a measure of cardiac output, and a compression parameter.

12. The defibrillator system of claim 1, further comprising an audio unit configured to receive audio signals, the processing unit further configured to cause transmission of the audio signals based on the available bandwidth.

13. The defibrillator system of claim 1, wherein the communication channel is a wireless communication channel.

14. The defibrillator system of claim 1, wherein the defibrillator is an automated external defibrillator (AED).

15. A method comprising:

acquiring a video of a patient being treated by a defibrillator, the defibrillator forming part of a defibrillator system;

collecting data associated with the subject;

establishing a communication channel between the defibrillator system and an emergency response center; and

based on an available bandwidth of the communication channel, causing transmission to the emergency response center of at least one of the video of the subject and the data associated with the subject.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein causing transmission includes:

comparing the available bandwidth of the communication channel to a threshold bandwidth;

if the available bandwidth exceeds the threshold bandwidth, causing transmission of both the video of the subject and the data associated with the subject; and

if the available bandwidth is less than the threshold bandwidth, causing transmission of at least one of (1) only the data associated with the subject and (2) the data associated with the subject and the video at a lower frame rate than an original frame rate of the video.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein causing transmission includes causing transmission of only the data associated with the subject when the available bandwidth is below a threshold bandwidth.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein causing transmission includes causing transmission of the video at a lower frame rate than an original frame rate of the video when the available bandwidth is below a threshold bandwidth.

19. The method of claim 15, wherein causing transmission further includes causing transmission of audio data.

20. The method of claim 15, further comprising determining the available bandwidth of the communication channel.

21. The method of claim 15, further comprising receiving an input indicative of the available bandwidth of the communication channel.

22. The method of claim 15, wherein the defibrillator is an automated external defibrillator (AED).

23. A defibrillator system comprising:

a defibrillator;

a plurality of video cameras each configured to acquire a video of a subject being treated by the defibrillator;

a communications unit configured to establish a communication channel between the defibrillator system and an emergency response center; and

a processing unit configured to;

cause transmission to the emergency response center of a plurality of images, each image acquired by one of the plurality of video cameras,

receive, from the emergency response center, a selection of one of the plurality of video cameras, and

cause transmission to the emergency response center of the video acquired by the selected one of the plurality of video cameras.

24. The defibrillator system of claim 23,

wherein the processing unit is further configured to cause transmission to the emergency response center of data sufficient to enable a user at the emergency response center to select one of the plurality of images;

and

wherein the selection of one of the plurality of video cameras is based on a selection by the user of a corresponding one of the plurality of images.

25. The defibrillator system of claim 23, wherein the images are still images.

26. The defibrillator system of claim 23, wherein one of the plurality of video cameras is configured to be mounted on the defibrillator.

27. The defibrillator system of claim 23, wherein one of the plurality of video cameras is configured to be worn by a person treating the subject.

28. The defibrillator system of claim 23, further comprising a data collection unit configured to collect a plurality of types of data associated with the subject.

29. The defibrillator system of claim 28, wherein the processing unit is further configured to:

receive, from the emergency response center, a selection of one of the plurality of types of data; and

cause transmission to the emergency response center of the selected type of data.

30. The defibrillator system of claim 28, wherein the processing unit is further configured to cause transmission to the emergency response center of identifiers of the plurality of types of data.

31. The defibrillator system of claim 28, wherein the plurality of types of data include at least some of an electrocardiogram signal, an SpO₂ level, a blood pressure, a measure of cardiac output, and a compression parameter.

32. The defibrillator system of claim 23, wherein the communication channel is a wireless communication channel.

33. The defibrillator system of claim 23, wherein the defibrillator is an automated external defibrillator (AED).

34. A method comprising:

using a plurality of video cameras, acquiring a corresponding plurality of videos of a subject being treated by a defibrillator, the defibrillator forming part of a defibrillator system;

establishing a communication channel between the defibrillator system and an emergency response center;

causing transmission to the emergency response center of a plurality of images, each image acquired by one of the plurality of video cameras;

receiving, from the emergency response center, a selection of one of the plurality of video cameras; and

causing transmission to the emergency response center of the video acquired by the selected one of the plurality of video cameras.

35. The method of claim 34,

wherein causing transmission of the plurality of images includes causing transmission of data sufficient to enable a user at the emergency response center to select one of the plurality of images;

and

wherein the selection of one of the plurality of video cameras is based on a selection by the user of a corresponding one of the plurality of images.

36. The method of claim 34, wherein the images are still images.

37. The method of claim 34, further comprising collecting a plurality of types of data associated with the subject.

38. The method of claim 37, further comprising:

receiving, from the emergency response center, a selection of one of the plurality of types of data; and

causing transmission to the emergency response center of the selected type of data.

39. The method of claim 37, further comprising causing transmission to the emergency response center of identifiers of the plurality of types of data.

40. The method of claim 34, wherein the defibrillator is an automated external defibrillator (AED).