MODULAR DEFIBRILLATOR ARCHITECTURE

• US 20190117989A1
• Filed: 09/28/2018
• Published: 04/25/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 10/02/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Avive Solutions, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Revive Solutions, Inc.
• Inventors: ANDREWS, Gordon Moseley P., BEYER, Rory M., PICCO, David
• Granted Patent: US 10,737,105 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/025 Digital circuitry features of electrotherapy devices, e.g. memory, clocks, processors
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/046 Specially adapted for shock therapy, e.g. defibrillation
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/0492 Patch electrodes A61N1/0412, A61N1/0428 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3904 External heart defibrillators [EHD]
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3925 Monitoring; Protecting
• 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: G06F 3/04886 by partitioning the display area of the touch-screen or the surface of the digitising tablet into independently controllable areas, e.g. virtual keyboards or menus
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 2201/12 for medicine and surgery
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 33/74 Devices having four or more poles , e.g. holders for compact fluorescent lamps
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 33/90 adapted for co-operation with two or more dissimilar counterparts
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2310/23 The load being a medical device, a medical implant, or a life supporting device
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/10 using inductive coupling
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00 Circuit arrangements for charging or depolarising batteries or for supplying loads from batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0044 specially adapted for holding portable devices containing batteries H02J7/0045 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0048 Detection of remaining charge capacity or state of charge [SOC]
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0063 with circuits adapted for supplying loads from the battery
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0068 Battery or charger load switching, e.g. concurrent charging and load supply H02J7/0013 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00711 : with introduction of pulses during the charging process
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00714 : in response to battery charging or discharging current
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/345 : using capacitors as storage or buffering devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/042 : Public Land Mobile systems, e.g. cellular systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/12 : WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/06 : adapted for operation in multiple networks or having at least two operational modes, e.g. multi-mode terminals

Abstract

Several defibrillators, defibrillator architectures, defibrillator components and methods of operating defibrillators are described. In one aspect, a modular defibrillator architecture is described. A base unit provides a fully functional defibrillator. The functionality of the base unit can be supplemented by attaching an interface unit to the base unit or by connecting a smartphone the base unit. Such devices provide connectivity as well as a screen for displaying supplementary graphics and/or videos which are useful to support both emergency and maintenance & monitoring activities. In some embodiments a battery pack may also or alternatively be coupled to the base unit to prolong the unit'"'"'s shelf life before recharging or replacement of its batteries is required. If necessary the base unit can be powered from a connected external device such as a mobile communication device.

Claims

1. An automated external defibrillator comprising:

a capacitor unit configured to store and discharge sufficient energy to deliver a defibrillation shock to a patient;

a charging circuit configured to charge the capacitor unit to a voltage suitable for delivery of the defibrillation shock;

discharge circuitry suitable for discharging the capacitor unit to deliver the defibrillation shock;

a speaker for delivering audio instructions to a user during use of the defibrillator; and

a defibrillator controller configured to (i) cause the speaker to deliver an audio instruction to the user during emergency use of the defibrillator, and (ii) transmit information indicative of the audio instruction to an external device having a display screen to facilitate (iii) the display of graphic user instructions on the external device that are synchronized with the audio instruction, and (iv) repeat (i)-(iii) for a plurality of different audio instructions during the emergency use of the defibrillator such that the external device can display graphic instructions that are synchronized with the audio instructions generated by the defibrillator during the emergency use of the defibrillator.

2. A defibrillator as recited in claim 1 wherein:

the external unit is a dedicated interface unit interface having a display screen for displaying the graphical user instructions; and

the interface unit has no substantial function other than to operate in conjunction with the defibrillator but is not required for the defibrillator to operate properly.

3. A defibrillator as recited in any claim 1 wherein the external device is a cellular phone or other mobile communication device.

4. A defibrillator as recited in claim 3 wherein the cellular phone or other mobile communication device includes:

a defibrillator support application installed thereon,

a processor for executing the defibrillator support application; and

a display screen; and

wherein the defibrillator support application is configured to control the processor to cause the graphic instructions to be displayed on the display screen that are synchronized with the audio instructions provided by the defibrillator during emergency use of the defibrillator.

5. A defibrillator as recited in claim 1, wherein the defibrillator is configured to provide at least one of defibrillator state information and instructions to the external device to facilitate the synchronized display of the graphic instructions on the external device.

6. A defibrillator as recited in claim 5 wherein the defibrillator state information or instructions are periodically updated to help ensure that the graphic instructions on the external device are synchronized with the audio instructions provided by the defibrillator.

7. A defibrillator as recited in claim 6 wherein the external device is configured to stop displaying the synchronized graphic instruction if an update has not been received from the defibrillator for a time period exceeding a designated timeout threshold.

8. A defibrillator as recited in any of claim 6 wherein the defibrillator state information or instructions are updated at a frequency of at least 3 updates per second to help ensure that the graphic instructions on the external device are synchronized with the audio instructions provided by the defibrillator.

9. A defibrillator as recited in claim 1 wherein the defibrillator is fully functional without the presence of the external device and is configured such that the defibrillator will not utilize any control instructions from the external device during emergency use of the defibrillator.

10. A modular defibrillator system comprising a defibrillator as recited in claim 1 and an interface unit mounted on and detachably attached to the defibrillator such that the defibrillator and the interface unit may be carried together as a portable system, the interface unit serving as the external device and including:

a display screen; and

a processor configured to receive the information transmitted by the defibrillator controller when the interface unit is attached to the defibrillator, the processor being further configured to cause the graphic instructions to be displayed on the display screen that are synchronized with the audio instructions provided by the defibrillator unit during use of the modular defibrillator system.

11. A modular defibrillator system as recited in claim 10 wherein the interface unit further comprises a connectivity module that facilitates wireless communication with a remote server.

12. A modular defibrillator system as recited in claim 10 wherein the defibrillator unit includes a first connector and the interface unit includes a complementary connector that engages the first connector when the interface unit is attached to the defibrillator, wherein communications between the defibrillator controller and the interface unit processor pass through the first and complementary connectors.

13. A defibrillator as recited in claim 1 further comprising a connector suitable for electrically coupling an external device to the defibrillator, the connector being configured to facilitate communications between the defibrillator controller and the external device, wherein the information is transmitted to the external device via the connector.

14. A defibrillator as recited in claim 1 further comprising a wireless communications module configured to communicate with the external device using short range wireless communications, wherein the information is transmitted to the external device via the wireless communication module.

21. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein:

the automated external defibrillator is fully functional without the external device; and

during emergency use, the automated external defibrillator does not require or rely on any commands from the external device.

15. A method comprising:

(i) causing an automated external defibrillator to generate an audio instruction during emergency use of the automated external defibrillator;

(ii) transmitting information indicative of the audio instruction from the automated external defibrillator to an external device having a display screen;

(iii) causing the external device to display a graphic instruction on the display screen that is associated with the audio instruction, the displayed graphic instruction being displayed during a time period that is associated with the audio instruction; and

(iv) repeating steps (i)-(iii) for a plurality of different audio instructions such that the external device displays graphic instructions that are synchronized with the audio instructions generated by the automated external defibrillator during the emergency use of the automated external defibrillator.

16. A method as recited in claim 15 wherein:

the automated external defibrillator periodically transmits information indicative of a current defibrillator state to the external device, the current defibrillator state being selected from a set of available defibrillator states; and

the external device uses the information indicative of the current defibrillator state to determine whether there is a graphic instruction associated with the current defibrillator state, and if so, displays the associated graphic instruction.

17. A method as recited in claim 15 further comprising stopping the display of the synchronized graphic instruction information indicative of the current defibrillator state when the external device has not received valid information indicative of the current defibrillator state from the automated external defibrillator for a time period exceeding a designated timeout threshold.

18. A method as recited in claim 15 wherein the current defibrillator state is updated at a frequency of at least 3 updates per second to help ensure that the graphic instructions displayed on the external device are synchronized with the audio instructions provided by the defibrillator.

19. A method as recited in claim 15 wherein the external device is a cellular phone or other mobile communication device having a defibrillator support application stored thereon, the defibrillator support application being configured to determine the appropriate graphic instruction to be displayed on the display screen based on the information indicative of the audio instruction received from the automated external defibrillator.

20. A method as recited in claim 15 wherein:

the external device is a specific purpose interface unit that is coupled to the automated external defibrillator;

the interface unit is configured to determine the appropriate graphic instruction to be displayed on the display screen based on the information indicative of the audio instruction received from the automated external defibrillator; and

the defibrillator is fully functional without the interface unit being coupled thereto.

22. A defibrillator support application having programmed instructions suitable for storage in memory of a device that is independent of a fully functional defibrillator, the device having a display screen and a processor suitable for executing the programmed instructions, the defibrillator support application being configured to supplement emergency use of a defibrillator that is fully functional without the device by, (i) in response to reception of instruction information from the defibrillator regarding a current audio instruction state of the defibrillator, cause the device to display a graphic instruction on the display screen that corresponds to the current audio instruction state of the defibrillator, and repeat (i) for a plurality of different audio instructions such that the device displays graphic instructions that are synchronized with the audio instructions generated by the defibrillator during the emergency use of the defibrillator.

23. A defibrillator support application as recited in claim 22 wherein:

the instruction information received from the defibrillator includes a defibrillator state identifier; and

the programmed instructions are configured to cause the processor to retrieve the graphic instruction that corresponds to the received defibrillator state identifier from the device memory and to cause the retrieved graphic instruction to be displayed on the display screen synchronously with the current audio instruction state.

24. A defibrillator support application as recited in claim 23 wherein the programmed instructions are further configured to stop the display of the graphic instruction corresponding to the current audio instruction state when the device has not received a valid defibrillator state identifier from the defibrillator for a time period exceeding a designated timeout threshold.

25. A defibrillator support application as recited in claim 22 wherein the device is a cellular phone or other mobile communication device and the defibrillator support application is installed on the cellular phone or other mobile communication device.

26. A defibrillator support application as recited in claim 22 wherein the device is an interface unit configured to be attached to a defibrillator that is fully functional without the interface unit.

27. A defibrillator interface unit adapted to be attached to a base defibrillator unit that is fully functional without the defibrillator interface unit, the defibrillator interface unit comprising:

a housing configured to be attached to the base defibrillator unit to provide a portable modular defibrillator that combines the base defibrillator unit and the defibrillator interface unit;

a display screen; and

a processor configured to communicate with a defibrillator controller on the base defibrillator unit when the defibrillator interface unit is attached to the base defibrillator unit, the processor being further configured to (i) receive information indicative of an audio instruction from the automated external defibrillator, the audio instructions being generated during emergency use of the automated external defibrillator, (ii) cause a graphic instruction that is associated with the audio instruction to be displayed on the display screen, the displayed graphic instruction being displayed during a time period that is associated with the audio instruction; and

(iii) repeat steps (i) and (ii) for a plurality of different audio instructions such that the defibrillator interface unit displays graphic instructions on the display screen that are synchronized with the audio instructions provided by the base defibrillator unit during the emergency use of the base defibrillator unit.

28. A defibrillator interface unit as recited in claim 27, wherein the processor is arranged to:

receive an instruction state identifier from the defibrillator controller;

retrieve a graphic instruction corresponding to the instruction state identifier from memory of the interface unit; and

cause the retrieved graphic instruction to be displayed on the display screen to facilitate the synchronized display of the graphic instructions on the external device.

29. A defibrillator interface unit as recited in claim 27 wherein the processor is arranged to periodically receive updated instruction state identifiers from the defibrillator controller and to update the displayed graphic instructions based on the updated instruction state identifiers.

30. A defibrillator as recited in claim 29 wherein the external device is configured to stop displaying the synchronized graphic instruction if an updated instruction state identifiers has not been received from the defibrillator controller for a time period exceeding a designated timeout threshold.