Modular defibrillator architecture

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10773091-B2
Application number	US-201816146761-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 28, 2018
Priority date	Oct 2, 2017
Publication date	Sep 15, 2020
Grant date	Sep 15, 2020

Abstract

Several defibrillators, defibrillator architectures, defibrillator components and methods of operating defibrillators are described. In one aspect, a modular defibrillator architecture is described. A base unit provides a fully functional defibrillator. The functionality of the base unit can be supplemented by attaching an interface unit to the base unit or by connecting a smartphone the base unit. Such devices provide connectivity as well as a screen for displaying supplementary graphics and/or videos which are useful to support both emergency and maintenance & monitoring activities. In some embodiments a battery pack may also or alternatively be coupled to the base unit to prolong the unit's shelf life before recharging or replacement of its batteries is required. If necessary the base unit can be powered from a connected external device such as a mobile communication device.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A defibrillator system comprising:
a base defibrillator unit that constitutes a fully functional defibrillator that is independently capable of determining when a defibrillation shock is advisable and delivering the defibrillation shock, the base defibrillator unit including a capacitor unit suitable for delivering the defibrillation shock, and a battery capable of storing sufficient energy to independently facilitate charging the capacitor unit to a level suitable for delivering the defibrillation shock; and
an interface unit mounted on and detachably coupled to the base defibrillator unit such that the base defibrillator unit and the attached interface unit form at least a part of a unitary portable unit, the interface unit including a communications module that facilitates wireless communication with a remote server,
wherein the base defibrillator unit is configured to transmit information to the interface unit during emergency use of the base defibrillator unit, and the base defibrillator unit does not require or utilize any control instructions from the attached interface unit during the emergency use of the base defibrillator unit, and
wherein the interface unit has no substantial function other than to operate in conjunction with the base defibrillator unit but is not required for the base defibrillator unit to operate properly during the emergency use of the base defibrillator unit.

2. A defibrillator system as recited in claim 1 wherein the interface unit includes a display screen and is configured to cause graphic instructions to be displayed on the display screen that are synchronized with audio instructions provided by the base defibrillator unit during the emergency use of the base defibrillator unit.

3. A defibrillator system as recited in claim 1 wherein the base defibrillator unit is configured to periodically transmit self-test information to the interface unit and the interface unit is configured to forward the self-test information to the remote server.

4. A defibrillator system as recited in claim 1 wherein the interface unit further comprises a GNSS sensor, the interface unit being configured to determine a location of the defibrillator system using the GNSS sensor and to report the location of the defibrillator system to the remote server.

5. A defibrillator system as recited in claim 1 wherein the interface unit cannot function when the interface unit is not connected to a base defibrillator unit.

6. A defibrillator system as recited in claim 1 wherein the communications module facilitates both cellular and WiFi communications.

7. A defibrillator system as recited in claim 1 wherein:
the base defibrillator unit further includes a defibrillator controller configured to cause the transmission of incident information to the interface unit during emergency use of the base defibrillator unit; and
the interface unit includes a display screen and is configured to both (a) transmit at least a portion of the incident information to the remote server and (b) display at least a portion of the incident information to a user in response to a user request.

8. The defibrillator system as recited in claim 7 wherein the incident information includes, for each defibrillation shock delivered during the emergency use of the base defibrillator unit:
(i) a timestamp indicating a time at which the defibrillation shock was delivered;
(ii) an energy level delivered for the defibrillation shock; and
(iii) a waveform associated with the defibrillation shock.

9. A defibrillator system as recited in claim 1 wherein the base defibrillator unit further comprises a defibrillator housing and an electrode pad cartridge, wherein the defibrillator housing contains a defibrillator controller, the capacitor unit, the battery, a capacitor charging circuit, defibrillation shock discharging circuitry, and the electrode pad cartridge.

10. A defibrillator system as recited in claim 1 wherein the base defibrillator unit includes a first connector exposed on a first surface of the base defibrillator unit and the interface unit includes a complementary connector that engages the first connector when the interface unit is attached to the defibrillator, the complementary connector being exposed on a surface of the interface unit, wherein communications between the defibrillator controller and the interface unit processor pass through the first and complementary connectors.

11. A defibrillator system comprising:
a base defibrillator unit that constitutes a fully functional defibrillator that is independently capable of determining when a defibrillation shock is advisable and delivering the defibrillation shock, the base defibrillator unit including a capacitor unit suitable for delivering the defibrillation shock, and a battery capable of storing sufficient energy to independently facilitate charging the capacitor unit to a level suitable for delivering the defibrillation shock, the base defibrillator unit further being configured to provide audio instructions during emergency use of the defibrillator system; and
an interface unit mounted on and detachably coupled to the base defibrillator unit such that the base defibrillator unit and the attached interface unit form at least a part of a unitary portable unit, the interface unit including a display screen and a communications module that facilitates wireless communication with a remote server, and wherein the interface unit is configured to cause graphic instructions to be displayed on the display screen that are synchronized with the audio instructions provided by the base defibrillator unit during the emergency use of the base defibrillator unit, and wherein the interface unit is not required for the base defibrillator unit to operate properly during the emergency use of the base defibrillator unit.

12. A method comprising:
(a) transmitting status information from a base defibrillator unit to an interface unit mounted on and detachably attached to the base defibrillator unit such that the base defibrillator unit and the attached interface unit form at least a part of a unitary portable unit, wherein the interface unit is not required for operation of the base defibrillator unit and does not provide any control instructions to the base defibrillator unit during emergency use of the base defibrillator unit; and
(b) transmitting at least some of the status information received by the interface unit to one or more remote servers; and
(c) periodically repeating steps (a) and (b) to thereby periodically transmit status information from the base defibrillator unit to the one or more remote servers.

13. A method as recited in claim 12 wherein the status information receiving and transmitting steps are repeated once each day.

14. A method as recited in claim 12 wherein the status information includes one or more of:
(i) a base defibrillator unit battery charge level;
(ii) a base defibrillator unit charging status;
(iii) a firmware version of firmware installed on the base defibrillator unit;
(iv) a date and time of latest firmware installation;
(v) a hardware version of the base defibrillator unit;
(vi) a serial number of the base defibrillator unit;
(vii) a set of recent base defibrillator unit self-test results; and
(viii) the base defibrillator unit's functionality status.

15. A method as recited in claim 12 further comprising:
receiving at the interface unit, a software update from a remotely located software update server;
transmitting the software update from the interface unit to the base defibrillator unit; and
installing the softwar

Assignees

• Revive Solutions Inc
• Avive Solutions Inc

Inventors

• Andrews Gordon Moseley P
• Beyer Rory M

Classifications

• H02J7/927

  with introduction of pulses during the charging process · CPC title

• H02J7/865

  Battery or charger load switching, e.g. concurrent charging and load supply (H02J7/50 takes precedence) · CPC title

• H02J7/855

  with circuits adapted for supplying loads from the battery · CPC title

• H02J7/731

  specially adapted for holding portable devices containing batteries (H02J7/751 takes precedence) · CPC title

• H02J7/94

  in response to battery current · CPC title