Apparatus, system and method for monitoring and maintaining critical medical equipment

• US 8,874,035 B2
• Filed: 07/06/2010
• Issued: 10/28/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 07/07/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Zoll Medical Corporation (Asahi Kasei Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Impact Instrumentation, Inc. (Asahi Kasei Corporation)
• Inventors: Sherman, Leslie H., Beck, George, Eizadkhah, Denise, LeCroy, Dorian
• Primary Examiner(s): Liao, Hsin-Chu
• Application Number:
  US12/830,808
• Publication Number:
  US 20110009061A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,575 Days
• Field of Search: 455/41.2, 174/59, 702/114
• US Class Current: 455/41.2
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/40 for the management of medical equipment or devices, e.g. scheduling maintenance or upgrades
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/60 for the operation of medical equipment or devices
• CPC Class Codes: G16Z 99/00 Subject matter not provided for in other main groups of this subclass

Abstract

An apparatus, system and method for maintaining critical medical equipment for stockpile applications are provided. The apparatus, system and method of the present disclosure can be used to monitor and maintain critical medical equipment in a continuous state of readiness. The apparatus includes a storage case which protects a medical device disposed therein and the accessories required for its immediate application while also providing for constant or intermittent charging of the device'"'"'s internal battery and serial data monitoring of the primary systems. The system and method also incorporate design features in the medical device which enable performance testing via a remote interface while the device is secured within the storage case.

Claims

1. An apparatus for monitoring and maintaining medical devices stockpiled for emergency use, comprising:

a storage case;

at least one electrically powered medical device in the storage case, the electrically powered medical device in the storage case including a rechargeable battery and at least one processor;

an external power connector disposed on a surface of the storage case for providing power to the at least one medical device without opening of the case, the external power connector being coupled to the at least one medical device via a first cable and being configured for recharging the battery; and

a data communication connector disposed on the surface of the storage case for communicating data from the at least one medical device to an external computing device, the data communication connector being coupled to the at least one medical device via a second cable and being configured for;

determining a charged state of the battery, prompting the medical device to perform system checks of the at least one processor and simulating operation of the medical device by operating at least one component of the medical device.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a power supply module disposed in the storage case, wherein the power supply module is coupled between the external power connector and the at least one medical device.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the data communication connector is a USB connector.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the data communication connector is a RS232 connector.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the data communication connector is a wireless connector.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the data communication connector is a WiFi transceiver.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the data communication connector is a Bluetooth transceiver.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the data communication connector is a cellular transceiver.

9. A system for monitoring and maintaining critical medical equipment stockpiled for emergency use, comprising:

at least one apparatus comprising;

a storage case;

at least one electrically powered medical device in the storage case, the medical device having at least one processor and at least one rechargeable battery;

an external power connector disposed on a surface of the storage case for providing power to the at least one medical device without opening of the case, the external power connector being coupled to the at least one medical device via a first cable and being configured for recharging the battery; and

a data communication connector disposed on the surface of the storage case for communicating data from the at least one medical device to an external computing device, the data communication connector being coupled to the at least one medical device via a second cable; and

an external computing device for determining a state of readiness of the at least one medical device by determining a charged state of the battery, prompting the medical device to perform system checks of the at least one processor of the medical device and simulating operation of the medical device by operating at least one component of the medical device.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the external computing device is configured to calibrate the at least one medical device.

11. The system of claim 9, wherein the external computing device is configured to cycle an internal battery of the at least one medical device to optimize the battery'"'"'s life expectancy.

12. The system of claim 9, wherein the external computing device is configured to generate an alert upon failure of the at least one medical device.

13. The system of claim 9, wherein the external computing device is configured to store at least one monitored parameter of the at least one medical device in a database.

14. The system of claim 9, wherein the external computing device is coupled to the data communication connector via a wireless connection.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the wireless connection is one of a WiFi connection, Bluetooth connection or cellular connection.

16. A method for monitoring and maintaining critical medical equipment stockpiled for emergency use, comprising:

providing at least one apparatus comprising;

a storage case;

at least one electrically powered medical device in the storage case;

a rechargeable battery and at least one processor operatively connected to the electrically powered medical device in the storage case;

an external power connector disposed on a surface of the storage case for providing power to the at least one medical device without opening of the case, the external power connector being coupled to the at least one medical device via a first cable and being configured for recharging the battery; and

a data communication connector disposed on the surface of the storage case for communicating data from the at least one medical device to an external computing device, the data communication connector being coupled to the at least one medical device via a second cable; and

using the external computing device to determine a charged state of the battery and to prompt the medical device to perform a system check of the at least one processor of the medical device; and

using the external computing device to simulate operation of the medical device by operating at least one component of the medical device to determine a state of readiness of the at least one medical device by the external computing device.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising cycling, by the external computing device, an internal battery of the at least one medical device to optimize the battery'"'"'s life expectancy.