Secure pairing of electronic devices using dual means of communication

• US 9,173,992 B2
• Filed: 03/13/2007
• Issued: 11/03/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 03/13/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Novo Nordisk A/S
• Original Assignee: Novo Nordisk A/S
• Inventors: Bengtsson, Henrik, Munk, Jens Aage, Hansen, Per Hvid, Thomsen, Terkel Valentin, Marnfeldt, Nils Gran, Holm, Per Einar Pontus
• Primary Examiner(s): VOORHEES, CATHERINE M
• Application Number:
  US12/282,576
• Publication Number:
  US 20090069868A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,157 Days
• Field of Search: 607/2, 607/60, 607/31, 607/32, 607/30, 455/41.2, 128/903
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3569 sublocal, e.g. between console and disposable
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3592 using telemetric means, e.g. radio or optical transmission
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/6018 providing set-up signals for the apparatus configuration
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/14248 of the skin patch type
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/37211 Means for communicating with stimulators
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/00 Near-field transmission systems, e.g. inductive or capacitive transmission systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/50 Secure pairing of devices

Abstract

The present invention relates to secure paring of electronically controlled devices configured to communicate with each other. A medical system is provided comprising a first unit and a second unit, the system comprising a first communication link allowing a first group of data types to be transmitted between the first unit and the second unit, and a second communication link allowing a second group of data types to be transmitted between the first unit and the second unit. Different properties of the communication links may be used to ensure that certain data, e.g. during pairing of the two devices, can be transmitted in a more controlled way whereas other data can be transmitted in a less controlled way.

Claims

1. A medical system comprising a first unit and a second unit, the system comprising:

a first wireless communication link configured to transmit a first group of data types between the first unit and to the second unit, the first group of data types including pairing information for pairing the first unit and second unit, the first unit having a first unit identification number and the second unit being assigned a sequential second unit identification number, the second identification number being assigned by the first unit, and

a second wireless communication link configured to transmit a second group of data types between the first unit and the second unit after the first unit and second unit are paired, the second group of data including other information, the first wireless communication link having a shorter range of communication than the second wireless communication link,

the first unit having a first processor configured to transmit the pairing information via the first communication link and to transmit or receive the other information via the second communication link, the pairing information including the first unit identification number and the second unit identification number,

the second unit having a second processor configured to receive the pairing information via the first communication link and send an acknowledgment via the second communication link, the acknowledgment including the first unit identification number and the second unit identification number, the first and second units then being configured to exchange communications via the second communication link only when the received second unit identification number matches the assigned second unit identification number.

2. A medical system as in claim 1, wherein the first communication link is selected from the group comprising:

RF communication, optical communication and ultrasonic communication, and

wherein the second communication link is selected from the group comprising;

RF communication, ultrasonic communication, and optical communication.

3. A medical system as in claim 1, wherein the first communication link has a range of communication less than 0.5 meter, and the second communication link has a range of communication of more than 0.5 meter.

4. A medical system as in claim 1, wherein the first communication link is an RF communication link at a frequency of less than 24 MHz, and the second communication link is an RF communication link at a frequency of more than 24 MHz.

5. A medical system as in claim 1, wherein at least one of the communication links provides uni-directional communication only between the two units.

6. A medical system as in claim 1, wherein the first communication link provides uni-directional communication from the second unit to the first unit, and the second communication link provides bi-directional communication between the first unit and the second unit.

7. A medical system as in claim 1, wherein the first group of data types comprises a time stamp.

8. A medical system as in claim 1, wherein the first group of data types comprises an activation command, the first unit being configured to allow one or more types of commands from the second group of data types to be received and executed for a given period of time after an activation command has been received.

9. A medical system as in claim 1, wherein the second group of data types comprises a unique ID for the first unit.

10. A medical system as in claim 1, wherein the first unit is a remote controller unit and the second unit is a process unit.

11. A medical system as in claim 10, further comprising an acoustic transducer having a transducer coil with a plurality of windings, the transducer coil serving as a receiver for wireless inductive signals.

12. A medical system as in claim 11, the process unit comprising:

a process unit transmitter,

a process unit receiver, and

a process unit processor connected to the process unit transmitter, the process unit receiver and the transducer coil,

the controller unit comprising;

a first controller unit transmitter configured to transmit information to the transducer coil,

a second controller unit transmitter configured to transmit information to the process unit receiver,

a controller unit receiver configured for receiving information from the process unit transmitter, and

a controller unit processor connected to the first and second controller unit transmitters and the controller unit receiver,

wherein the first communication link comprises the transducer coil and the first controller unit transmitter, and the second communication link comprises the process unit transmitter, the process unit receiver, the second controller unit transmitter, and the controller unit receiver.

13. A medical system as in claim 10, wherein the process unit comprises a reservoir configured to contain a fluid drug, an expelling assembly configured for cooperation with the reservoir to expel fluid drug from the reservoir to a subject via an outlet, and a processor for controlling the expelling assembly.

14. A medical system as in claim 13, wherein the first group of data types comprises at least one type of command controlling the delivery of an amount of fluid drug to the subject.

15. A medical device as in claim 13, wherein the outlet comprises a transcutaneous access device configured to allow a fluid drug to be expelled out of the reservoir and through the skin of the subject via the transcutaneous access device.

16. A medical system as in claim 1, wherein the first unit comprises a processor configured to transmit and/or process data acquired via a sensor device.

17. A medical system as in claim 16, further comprising a transcutaneous sensor device configured for cooperation with the processor.

18. A medical system as in claim 1, further comprising a transcutaneous device unit, the transcutaneous device unit comprising:

a transcutaneous device, and

a mounting surface configured for application to the skin of a subject,

wherein the transcutaneous device unit and the first unit are configured to be secured to each other to form a combined device.

19. A medical system as in claim 1, wherein at least one data type can only be transmitted by one of the first and second communication links.

20. A medical system as in claim 1, wherein at least one data type can be transmitted by both of the first and second communication links.

21. A medical unit, comprising:

a first wireless communication link configured to transmit a first group of data types between the unit and a further unit, the first group of data types including pairing information for pairing the unit and a further unit, the unit having a unit identification number and the further unit being assigned a sequential further unit identification number, the further unit identification number being assigned by the unit, and

a second wireless communication link configured to transmit a second group of data types between the unit and the further unit after the first unit and further unit are paired, the second group of data types including other information, the first wireless communication link having a shorter range of communication than the second wireless communication link,

the unit having a first processor configured to transmit the pairing information via the first communication link and to transmit or receive the other information via the second communication link, the pairing information including the unit identification number and the further unit identification number,

the further unit having a second processor configured to receive the pairing information via the first communication link and send an acknowledgment via the second communication link, the acknowledgment including the unit identification number and the further unit identification number, the unit and further unit then being configured to exchange communications via the second communication link only when the received further unit identification number matches the assigned further unit identification number.

22. A medical unit as in claim 21, wherein at least one of the communication links provides uni-directional communication only between the unit and the further unit.

23. A method of operating a medical system comprising first and second units, the method comprising:

providing a medical system having first and second units, the first unit having a first unit identification number and the second unit a sequential second unit identification number, the second identification number being assigned by the first unit,

transmitting a first group of data types from the first unit to the second unit using a first wireless communication link, the first group of data types including pairing information for pairing the first unit and second unit, the pairing information including the first unit identification number and the second unit identification number, and

transmitting a second group of data types between the first unit and the second unit using a second wireless communication link after the first unit and second unit are paired, the second group of data types including other information, the first communication link having a shorter range of communication than the second communication link, and

providing a first processor in the first unit, the first processor being configured to transmit the pairing information via the first communication link and to transmit or receive the other information via the second communication link,

providing a second processor in the second unit, the second processor being configured receive the pairing information via the first communication link and send an acknowledgment via the second communication link, the acknowledgment including the first unit identification number and the second unit identification number, the first and second units then being configured to exchange communications via the second communication link only when the received second unit identification number matches the assigned second unit identification number.

24. A medical drug delivery system comprising:

a remote controller and a process unit, the remote controller having a remote controller identification number and the process unit being assigned a sequential process unit identification number, the process unit identification number being assigned by the remote controller;

the remote controller being configured with a near field communication (NFC) wireless transmitter and a second wireless receiver, the NFC wireless transmitter being configured to transmit pairing information or a bolus command from the remote controller to the process unit, the pairing information including a pairing start code, the controller unit identification number and the process unit identification number; and

the process unit being configured with a NFC wireless receiver and a second wireless transmitter, the NFC wireless receiver being configured to receive the pairing information or bolus command from the remote controller and send an acknowledgment via a second wireless transmitter, the acknowledgment including the remote controller identification number and the process unit identification number, the remote controller being configured to receive communications via the second wireless receiver only when the received process unit identification number matches the assigned process unit identification number, the NFC wireless communication transmitter having a shorter range of communication than the second wireless transmitter.

25. A medical drug delivery system as in claim 24, wherein the second wireless transmitter is selected from the group comprising:

RF communication, ultrasonic communication, and optical communication.

26. A medical drug delivery system as in claim 24, wherein the first NFC wireless transmitter has a range of communication less than 0.5 meter, and the second wireless transmitter has a range of communication of more than 0.5 meter.