Adjusting sound on a medical device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10207040-B2
Application number	US-201715787054-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 18, 2017
Priority date	Mar 27, 2015
Publication date	Feb 19, 2019
Grant date	Feb 19, 2019

Abstract

A dialysis machine comprising: a microphone; an alert module for producing an audible alert related to an operating condition of the dialysis machine; and a processing module configured for: receiving, from the microphone, information related to measured noise; determining, based on the information related to measured noise, an audible alert that will not be masked by the measured noise when the audible alert is produced by the alert module; and providing, to the alert module, instructions for producing the audible alert.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A dialysis machine comprising:
a microphone;
an alert module for producing an audible alert related to an operating condition of the dialysis machine; and
a processing module configured for:
receiving, from the microphone, information related to measured noise;
identifying a type of the measured noise;
determining, based on the information related to the measured noise and the identified type of the measured noise, an audible alert that will not be masked by the measured noise when the audible alert is produced by the alert module; and
providing, to the alert module, instructions for producing the audible alert.

2. The dialysis machine of claim 1 , wherein the measured noise is ambient noise.

3. The dialysis machine of claim 2 , wherein the information related to the ambient noise includes a measurement of a volume of the ambient noise.

4. The dialysis machine of claim 3 , wherein the instructions cause the alert module to produce an audible alert that is louder than the volume of the ambient noise.

5. The dialysis machine of claim 1 , wherein the measured noise is a second audible alert.

6. The dialysis machine of claim 5 , wherein the second audible alert is related to an operating condition of a second dialysis machine.

7. The dialysis machine of claim 5 , wherein the information related to the second audible alert includes a measurement of a timing of the second audible alert.

8. The dialysis machine of claim 7 , wherein the instructions cause the alert module to produce an audible alert that has a timing that is out of phase with the timing of the second audible alert.

9. The dialysis machine of claim 5 , wherein the information related to the second audible alert includes a measurement of a frequency of the second audible alert.

10. The dialysis machine of claim 9 , wherein the instructions cause the alert module to produce an audible alert of a frequency different from the frequency of the second audible alert.

11. The dialysis machine of claim 10 , wherein the audible alert has a frequency that is within a predefined range.

12. The dialysis machine of claim 1 , wherein the instructions for producing the audible alert are based at least in part on the priority of the audible alert.

13. The dialysis machine of claim 12 , wherein the instructions cause the alert module to produce an audible alert that is louder than lower-priority audible alerts that are measured by the microphone.

14. The dialysis machine of claim 1 , wherein the instructions cause the alert module to produce an audible alert having a pitch indicative of a condition or event that corresponds to the audible alert.

15. The dialysis machine of claim 1 , wherein the processing module is configured for instructing a second dialysis system emitting the measured noise to adjust one or more characteristics of the measured noise.

16. A method comprising:
receiving, from a microphone of a dialysis machine, information related to measured noise;
identifying a type of the measured noise;
determining, based on the information related to the measured noise and the identified type of the measured noise, an audible alert related to an operating condition of the dialysis machine, the audible alert determined such that the audible alert will not be masked by the measured noise when the audible alert is produced by an alert module of the dialysis machine; and
providing, to the alert module, instructions for producing the audible alert.

17. A system comprising:
a dialysis machine comprising:
a microphone;
an alert module for producing an audible alert related to an operating condition of the dialysis machine; and
a processing module configured for:
receiving, from the microphone, information related to measured noise;
identifying a type of the measured noise;
determining, based on the information related to the measured noise and the identified type of the measured noise, an audible alert that will not be masked by the measured noise when the audible alert is produced by the alert module; and
providing, to the alert module, instructions for producing the audible alert.

18. A computer-readable storage device storing a computer program including instructions for causing a computer to:
receive, from a microphone of a dialysis machine, information related to measured noise;
identify a type of the measured noise;
determine, based on the information related to the measured noise and the identified type of the measured noise, an audible alert related to an operating condition of the dialysis machine, the audible alert determined such that the audible alert will not be masked by the measured noise when the audible alert is produced by an alert module of the dialysis machine; and
provide, to the alert module, instructions for producing the audible alert.

Assignees

• Fresenius Medical Care Holdings Inc
• Fresnius Medical Care Holdings Inc

Inventors

• Tarn Jeffrey
• Wang Fei

Classifications

• A61M2205/581

  by audible feedback · CPC title

• A61M2205/70

  with testing or calibration facilities · CPC title

• A61M2205/3375

  Acoustical, e.g. ultrasonic, measuring means · CPC title

• A61M2205/18

  with alarm · CPC title

• A61M1/1601 Primary

  Control or regulation · CPC title