CN115398558A - Systems and methods for a universal bridge for medical devices - Google Patents

Abstract

A system and method for communicatively connecting a parameter interface to a monitor interface includes a universal bridge having a universal interface converter including a common monitor-side actuator, a common data, and a generic parameter-side actuator, wherein , the monitor-side configuration interface communicates with at least one monitor-side configuration file compatible with the universal monitor-side actuator, and wherein the parameter-side configuration interface communicates with at least one parameter-side configuration file compatible with the universal parameter-side actuator .

Description

Systems and methods for a universal bridge for medical devices

technical field

The present technology generally relates to systems and methods for converting different medical parameter data for medical monitors using a universal bridge.

Background technique

In the field of medical care, nursing staff (eg, physicians and other medical care professionals) often desire to monitor certain physiological characteristics of their patients. Accordingly, a variety of devices have been developed for monitoring many of these characteristics of patients. Such devices provide doctors and other healthcare professionals with the information they need to provide the best possible medical care for their patients. Therefore, such monitoring devices have become an integral part of modern medicine.

Monitoring devices are often configured as dedicated monitoring units (e.g., stand-alone pulse oximeters) with integrated processing circuitry for receiving measurements from the medical device and converting those measurements into information useful to the clinician. meaningful medical information. In some healthcare settings, multiple monitoring devices may be used to monitor a single patient. For example, depending on the patient's condition, the patient may be monitored using a ventilator, pulse oximeter, dialysis machine, or any other monitoring system that facilitates the patient's diagnosis and treatment, and combinations thereof. Monitoring devices can transmit data (e.g., measurements) to external devices (e.g., multi-parameter monitors, remote displays, electronic data management systems, etc.), during patient treatment, care providers (e.g., physicians and/or medical care providers) personnel) can easily access these devices.

Traditional methods for interfacing specific medical parameter data/signal types to existing (e.g. Original Equipment Manufacturer (“OEM”)) medical monitors rely on creating bridges that connect the monitor and the parameters both in hardware and software . FIG. 1 (Prior Art) illustrates generally at 100 an example system architecture showing an example OEM monitor 110 interfacing with specific parameters 112 via a bridge 114 .

One approach for bridges is to build specific bridges for each OEM monitor and parameter connection. FIG. 2 (Prior Art) generally illustrates such an approach at 200 , where an OEM monitor interface 210 is connected to a parameter interface 212 via a bridge 214 . Each monitor-to-parameter connection requires a designated bridge software programming/interface converter (shown generally at 216) to provide the connection. The interface converter typically includes a designated monitor-side actuator 218 , a public data 220 and a designated parameter-side actuator 222 . For example, this means that for three different medical monitors and 4 parameters/signal types, 12 specified interface converters 216 need to be generated.

Another approach involves building a hardware solution to provide such a connection, such as that described in US Patent No. 10,095,649 to Joshua et al., which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.

While the software methods described above and the hardware methods cited above have utility in the art, there is still room for improvement.

Contents of the invention

The technology of the present disclosure generally relates to a universal bridge for medical devices that includes a universal interface translator that adds access to one or more monitor-side configurations for a universal monitor-side actuator The configuration interface of the file, and a configuration interface for accessing one or more parameter side configuration files is added for the general parameter side executor.

In an example embodiment, a system and method for communicatively coupling a parameter interface to a monitor interface includes a universal bridge having a universal interface converter including a common monitor-side actuator, common data, and common A parameter-side actuator, wherein the monitor-side configuration interface communicates with at least one monitor-side configuration file compatible with the generic monitor-side actuator, and wherein the parameter-side configuration interface communicates with at least one monitor-side configuration file compatible with the generic parameter-side actuator Parameter side configuration files for communication.

The details of one or more aspects of the disclosure are set forth in the accompanying drawings and the description below. Other features, objects, and advantages of the technology described in this disclosure will be apparent from the description and drawings, and from the claims.

Description of drawings

FIG. 1 (Prior Art) is a block diagram of an exemplary system architecture for a medical device bridge;

Figure 2 (Prior Art) is a block diagram of a separate designated interface converter for a bridge; and

Figure 3 is a block diagram of a generic medical device bridge.

Detailed ways

Medical devices (eg, sensors, monitoring systems, etc.) may be used to monitor patients in a clinical setting. Medical devices collect information associated with physiological parameters such as blood oxygen saturation, pulse rate, respiration rate, blood pressure, tidal volume, etc. Ability to assess, diagnose and treat patients. During the treatment of patients, it is not uncommon to use medical devices with different hardware and software platforms, which may be proprietary to the medical device manufacturer. However, differences between hardware and/or software platforms may add to the complexity of patient monitoring, as medical devices may not be able to communicate with each other and/or with nursing staff to monitor and/or compile patient information such as those used in patient medical records Data information systems (eg, hospital information systems, electronic data management systems, etc.) to communicate. Different hardware and/or software platforms can present challenges for communication between such systems and for administrators attempting to integrate various monitoring systems in a healthcare environment.

Additionally, rapid advances in information systems technology may create challenges for communication between existing medical devices and external systems (eg, electronic data management systems) that may be upgraded to include more advanced information systems technology. Additionally, existing and/or future medical devices may struggle to keep up with advances in information systems technology due to quality testing and specification requirements imposed by regulatory agencies that control medical devices used to diagnose and treat patients. For example, medical devices are not approved for market use by patients until they are manufactured according to FDA or other regulatory specifications. Because such approved systems may be expensive, hospitals or other treatment settings may be reluctant to purchase new equipment that may include additional functions or features, including updated communication protocols. However, existing equipment may be difficult to upgrade and may need to undergo regulatory approval if modified from its approved version. Therefore, previous generation medical devices may not meet the connectivity requirements to communicate with external systems with newer information system technological advancements. For example, previous generation medical monitors may not be able to pass patient data into the data stream of an electronic medical records system. Further, since each hospital may purchase electronic medical record systems from different vendors, each individual electronic medical record system may use its own communication protocol. Therefore, individual monitor models may need to undergo additional regulatory approval processes for each communication upgrade specific to a different type of electronic medical record system. With the rapid advancement of information systems technology, it may be prohibitively expensive for healthcare providers and equipment manufacturers to update existing medical equipment to keep up with advances in information systems technology.

An exemplary aspect of the present disclosure provides a software solution to the above-mentioned problems, namely a universal bridge for medical equipment, the universal bridge includes a universal interface converter, the universal interface converter adds access to a universal monitor side actuator Or a configuration interface for multiple monitor-side configuration files, and a configuration interface for accessing one or more parameter-side configuration files is added for the general-purpose parameter-side actuator.

A block diagram of a universal bridge is provided generally at 300 in FIG. 3 . Exemplary OEM monitor interface 310 is connected to parameter interface 312 via universal bridge 314 . A universal bridge software programming/interface converter, shown generally at 316 , provides the connection of the parameter interface 312 and the monitor interface 310 . The general interface converter generally includes a general monitor side actuator 318 , a common data 320 and a general parameter side actuator 322 . The monitor-side configuration interface 324 provides one or more monitor-side configuration files 326 to the generic monitor-side actuator 318 . The parameter side configuration interface 328 provides the general parameter side actuator 322 with one or more parameter side configuration files 330 .

Configuration interfaces 324, 328 and configuration files 326, 330 make software solutions compact, tuned and more reliable. Once the first bridge has been created with the appropriate configuration files, the bridges can be easily updated with additional configuration files as needed to increase functionality and reduce overall effort.

It should be understood that the various aspects disclosed herein may be combined in combinations other than those specifically presented in the specification and drawings. It should also be understood that, depending on the example, certain acts or events of any process or method described herein may be performed in a different order, in addition, combined, or not performed at all (e.g., all described acts or events may not be performed as technical required). Additionally, while certain aspects of the present disclosure have been described as being performed by a single module or unit for clarity, it is to be understood that techniques of the present disclosure may be performed by a combination of units or modules associated with, for example, a medical device.

In one or more examples, the techniques described may be implemented in hardware, software, firmware, or any combination thereof. If implemented in software, the functions may be stored as one or more instructions or code on a computer-readable medium and executed by a hardware-based processing unit. Computer-readable media may include non-transitory computer-readable media corresponding to data storage media (e.g., RAM, ROM, EEPROM, flash memory, or Tangible media such as any other media accessed by a computer).

Instructions may be executed by one or more processors, such as one or more digital signal processors (DSPs), general purpose microprocessors, application specific integrated circuits (ASICs), field programmable logic arrays (FPGAs), or other equivalent integrated or discrete logic circuitry. Thus, as used herein, the term "processor" may refer to any of the foregoing structures or any other physical structure suitable for implementation of the described techniques. Furthermore, the techniques may be fully implemented in one or more circuits or logic elements.

Claims (20)

1. A system for communicatively connecting a parameter interface to a monitor interface, comprising:

a monitor interface;

a parameter interface; and

a bridge, the bridge comprising:

a universal interface converter comprising a universal monitor side actuator, a common data and a universal parameter side actuator;

a monitor-side configuration interface that communicates with at least one monitor-side configuration file compatible with the universal monitor-side actuator; and

a parameter side configuration interface to communicate with at least one parameter side configuration file compatible with the generic parameter side executor.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the monitor-side configuration interface is configured to access a plurality of stored monitor-side profiles.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the parameter side configuration interface is configured to access a plurality of stored parameter side configuration files.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the system is configured to convert different medical parameters provided to the universal monitor-side effector.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the universal monitor-side actuator is configured to interface with a plurality of different monitor interfaces.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the universal monitor-side effector is configured to convert different medical parameters provided by a multi-parameter monitor.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the system is configured to receive an updated monitor-side profile.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the system is configured to receive an updated parameter side profile.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the universal monitor side effector is configured to interface with one or more of a ventilator, a pulse oximeter, a dialysis machine, and a multi-parameter monitor.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the interface converter is configured to convert one or more physiological parameters including blood oxygen saturation, pulse rate, respiratory rate, blood pressure, and tidal volume.

11. A method for communicatively connecting a parameter interface to a monitor interface, comprising:

providing a monitor interface;

providing a parameter interface; and

providing a bridge, the bridge comprising:

a universal interface converter comprising a universal monitor side actuator, a common data and a universal parameter side actuator;

a monitor-side configuration interface in communication with at least one monitor-side configuration file compatible with the universal monitor-side actuator; and

a parameter side configuration interface to communicate with at least one parameter side configuration file compatible with the generic parameter side executor.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the monitor-side configuration interface is configured to access a plurality of stored monitor-side profiles.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the parameter side configuration interface is configured to access a plurality of stored parameter side configuration files.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein the system is configured to convert different medical parameters provided to the universal monitor-side effector.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein the universal monitor-side actuator is configured to interface with a plurality of different monitor interfaces.

16. The method of claim 11, wherein the generic monitor side effector is configured to convert different medical parameters provided by a multi-parameter monitor.

17. The method of claim 11, wherein the system is configured to receive an updated monitor-side profile.

18. The method of claim 11, wherein the system is configured to receive an updated parameter side profile.

19. The method of claim 11, wherein the universal monitor side effector is configured to interface with one or more of a ventilator, a pulse oximeter, a dialysis machine, and a multi-parameter monitor.

20. The method of claim 11, wherein the interface converter is configured to convert one or more physiological parameters including blood oxygen saturation, pulse rate, respiratory rate, blood pressure, and tidal volume.

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