Method, apparatus and system for assigning remote control device to ambulatory medical device

• US 9,135,810 B2
• Filed: 10/31/2007
• Issued: 09/15/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 11/28/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Medtronic Minimed Incorporated (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: Medallion Therapeutics, Inc.
• Inventors: Shelton, Brian Michael, Gibson, Scott R., Villegas, Daniel Hernandez, Newbill, Jon Douglas, Vandegriff, Joseph Wayne, Lord, Peter Carl
• Primary Examiner(s): Bertram, Eric D.
• Application Number:
  US11/932,856
• Publication Number:
  US 20080132973A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,876 Days
• Field of Search: 607/59, 607/60
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00017 Electrical control of surgical instruments
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00367 Details of actuation of instruments, e.g. relations between pushing buttons, or the like, and activation of the tool, working tip, or the like
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00973 pedal-operated
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/37247 User interfaces, e.g. input or presentation means
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 17/02 using a radio link
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 2201/20 Binding and programming of remote control devices
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/17 delivered via infusion or injection
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/63 for local operation

Abstract

A method for assigning a remote control to an ambulatory medical device includes generating and transmitting user inputs from a remote control to an ambulatory medical device, and receiving and processing the user inputs to determine whether the user inputs represent a sequence authorizing an assignment of the remote control to the ambulatory medical device.

Claims

1. A remote control apparatus for use with an ambulatory medical device, the remote control apparatus comprising:

a user input mechanism adapted to be actuated to generate user inputs;

a communication device adapted to facilitate a communication link between the remote control apparatus and the ambulatory medical device; and

a controller adapted to control the communication device in response to the user input mechanism being actuated, and to receive and process the user inputs to determine whether the user inputs represent a sequence that specifies a predetermined number of the user inputs, said predetermined number being two or more, authorizing an assignment of the remote control apparatus to the ambulatory medical device;

wherein the remote control apparatus has only a single user operated control, which user operated control is the user input mechanism.

2. The remote control apparatus of claim 1, wherein the single user operated control is a pressable button.

3. The remote control apparatus of claim 1, wherein the controller is adapted to generate and control the communications device to transmit a command to the ambulatory medical device to generate an audible sound after the sequence has been provided.

4. The remote control apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

one or more light sources;

wherein the controller is adapted to control the one or more light sources to provide a user prompt for an additional user input.

5. The remote control apparatus of claim 4, wherein the one or more light sources is two light sources.

6. The remote control apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

a memory device;

wherein the controller is adapted to store in the memory device ambulatory medical device identification information transmitted from the ambulatory medical device to the remote control apparatus via the communication link.

7. The remote control apparatus of claim 6, wherein the controller is adapted to store the ambulatory medical device identification information in the memory device after an assignment confirmation input has been provided via the user input mechanism.

8. The remote control apparatus of claim 6, wherein the controller is adapted to control the communications device to transmit remote control identification information after an assignment confirmation input has been provided via the user input mechanism.

9. The remote control apparatus of claim 1, wherein the ambulatory medical device is an infusion pump.

10. The medical device system of claim 1, wherein the controller is adapted, in relation to a process of assigning the remote control apparatus to the ambulatory medical device, to utilize the user input mechanism in a manner distinguishable from other operations effected utilizing the user input mechanism, said other operations including one or more of commanding a bolus and sending a diagnostic signal.

11. The remote control apparatus of claim 1, wherein the controller is adapted to allow, after the remote control apparatus is assigned to the ambulatory medical device, the delivery of a predetermined dosage of therapeutic treatment with the ambulatory medical device by activating the user input mechanism to generate a signal to the ambulatory medical device to commence delivering the predetermined dosage of therapeutic treatment.

12. A medical device system comprising:

a remote, the remote having only a single user operated control, which is a single user input mechanism adapted to be actuated by a user of the remote to generate a user input;

an implantable drug pump; and

a communication link between the remote and the implantable drug pump;

wherein the remote includes a controller adapted to control the communication link in response to the single user operated control being actuated, and to receive and process user inputs generated by the single user operated control to determine whether the user inputs represent a sequence of two or more of the user inputs recognizable by the controller as an instruction to generate and transmit to the implantable drug pump via the communication link a marrying command that assigns the remote to the implantable drug pump enabling the implantable drug pump to respond only to operational commands provided by the remote;

wherein the controller is adapted, in relation to a process of assigning the remote to the implantable drug pump, to utilize the user input mechanism in a manner distinguishable from other operations effected utilizing the user input mechanism, said other operations including one or more of commanding a bolus and sending a diagnostic signal.

13. The medical device system of claim 12 wherein the sequence specifies that the predetermined number of user inputs are provided to the remote prior to generation of a user prompt for an additional user input, said additional user input being an assignment confirmation input.

14. The medical device system of claim 12, wherein the controller is adapted to allow, after the remote is assigned to the implantable drug pump, the delivery of a predetermined dosage of therapeutic treatment with the implantable drug pump by activating the single user input mechanism to generate a signal to the implantable drug pump to commence delivering the predetermined dosage of therapeutic treatment.

15. A method for communicating between a remote control and an implantable drug pump, the remote control having only a single user operated control, which single operated control is a user input mechanism adapted to be actuated by a user of the remote control to generate a user input, the remote control being adapted to facilitate a communication link with the implantable drug pump, the method including:

actuating the single user input mechanism of the remote control to generate a sequence of user inputs recognizable by the remote control as an instruction to generate and transmit to the implantable drug pump via the communication link a marrying command that assigns the remote control to the implantable drug pump enabling the implantable drug pump to respond only to operational commands provided by the remote control; and

after the marrying command assigns the remote control to the implantable drug pump, allowing the delivery of a predetermined dosage of therapeutic treatment with the implantable drug pump by activating the single user input mechanism to generate a signal to the implantable drug pump to commence delivering the predetermined dosage of therapeutic treatment.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the sequence of user inputs recognized by the remote control is provided uninterrupted by a prompt for an additional user input.

17. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

signaling to the user through user prompts generated by a status indicator when the sequence of user inputs has been received.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein the sequence is a predetermined number and pattern of user inputs.

19. The method of claim 15, wherein the sequence specifies a temporal requirement for providing one or more of the user inputs.

20. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

in relation to a process of assigning the remote control to the ambulatory medical device, the remote control utilizing the user input mechanism in a manner distinguishable from other operations effected utilizing the user input mechanism, said other operations including one or more of commanding a bolus and sending a diagnostic signal.