Wearable cardioverter defibrillator (WCD) system having main UI that conveys message and peripheral device that amplifies the message

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11040214-B2
Application number	US-201916283342-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 22, 2019
Priority date	Mar 1, 2018
Publication date	Jun 22, 2021
Grant date	Jun 22, 2021

Abstract

In embodiments, a Wearable Cardiac Defibrillator (WCD) system is configured to be worn by an ambulatory patient. The WCD system includes a main user interface (UI) output device that can output an image, sound or vibration as a main message about a condition of the patient or the WCD system. The patient may further carry a peripheral device that can also output an image, sound or vibration as a peripheral message about the condition. The peripheral message may mirror the main message at least in part, amplify it, and so on. The availability of the peripheral message provides the patient with the opportunity to better perceive the main message, and the flexibility to receive and react to it discreetly, learn more about the condition, and so on.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A wearable cardioverter defibrillator (WCD) system configured to be worn by an ambulatory patient, comprising:
an electrode;
a support structure configured to be worn by the ambulatory patient so as to maintain the electrode on a body of the ambulatory patient;
an energy storage module configured to store an electrical charge, and to discharge at least some of the stored electrical charge via the electrode through the ambulatory patient;
a main housing;
a main user interface (UI) output device located at least partly within the main housing;
a main communication module;
a main processor configured to:
receive an input about a condition, the condition being about one of the ambulatory patient and a component of the WCD system,
cause, responsive to the received input, the main UI output device to output a main human-perceptible indication (HPI), the main HPI being about the condition, and
cause, responsive to the received input, the main communication module to transmit an amplification signal, the amplification signal encoding and amplifying a message about the condition; and

a peripheral device that is configured to be carried by the ambulatory patient, the peripheral device comprising:
a peripheral housing distinct from the main housing;
a peripheral communication module (PCM) located at least partly within the peripheral housing, the PCM configured to receive the transmitted amplification signal with the encoded and amplified message; and
a peripheral UI output device configured, responsive to the PCM receiving the amplification signal with the encoded and amplified message, to output a peripheral HPI, the peripheral HPI being about the condition.

2. The WCD system of claim 1 , in which
the energy storage module is located within the main housing.

3. The WCD system of claim 1 , in which
the main UI output device includes an antenna,
the PCM includes an antenna, and
the amplification signal is transmitted and received wirelessly via the antenna of the main UI output device and via the antenna of the PCM.

4. The WCD system of claim 1 , in which
the peripheral device further comprises:
a peripheral processor configured, responsive to the PCM receiving the amplification signal, to decode the encoded message and drive the peripheral UI output device to output the peripheral HPI.

5. The WCD system of claim 1 , in which
the peripheral HPI is output concurrently with the main HPI.

6. The WCD system of claim 1 , further comprising:
a sensor configured to monitor a patient parameter of the ambulatory patient, and
in which the condition includes a value of the patient parameter.

7. The WCD system of claim 1 , further comprising:
a sensor configured to monitor an operational parameter of the WCD system, and
in which the condition includes a value of the operational parameter.

8. The WCD system of claim 1 , further comprising:
a sensor configured to monitor an operational parameter of the WCD system, and
in which the condition includes that a value of the operational parameter is beyond a threshold.

9. The WCD system of claim 1 , further comprising:
a battery; and
a charge monitor configured to monitor a state of charge of the battery, and
in which the condition includes a value for the state of charge.

10. The WCD system of claim 1 , further comprising:
a wear monitor configured to determine whether or not the support structure is worn by the ambulatory patient in a certain way, and to output a wear confirmation responsive to determining that the support structure is worn by the ambulatory patient in the certain way, and
in which the condition includes an indication of the wear confirmation.

11. The WCD system of claim 1 , in which
the main HPI includes a sound,
the main UI output device includes a main speaker configured to emit the sound,
the peripheral HPI includes an image, and
the peripheral UI output device includes a peripheral screen configured to display the image.

12. The WCD system of claim 1 , in which
the main HPI includes a vibration,
the main UI output device includes a main vibration device configured to emit the vibration,
the peripheral HPI includes an image, and
the peripheral UI output device includes a peripheral screen configured to display the image.

13. The WCD system of claim 1 , in which
the peripheral HPI includes a sound, and
the peripheral UI output device includes a peripheral speaker configured to emit the sound.

14. The WCD system of claim 1 , in which
the peripheral HPI includes a vibration, and
the peripheral UI output device includes a peripheral vibration device configured to generate the vibration.

15. The WCD system of claim 1 , in which
the main HPI includes a main image,
the main UI output device includes a main screen configured to display the main image,
the peripheral HPI includes a peripheral image, and
the peripheral UI output device includes a peripheral screen configured to display the peripheral image.

16. The WCD system of claim 15 , in which
the peripheral image that includes the entire main image.

17. The WCD system of claim 15 , in which
the peripheral image includes a second image that is not included in the main image.

18. The WCD system of claim 15 , in which
the peripheral image includes an aspect of the main image, and
the aspect of the main image as displayed on the peripheral screen has at least 24% larger area than as displayed on the main screen.

19. The WCD system of claim 15 , in which
the peripheral image includes an aspect of the main image.

20. The WCD system of claim 15 , in which
the peripheral image includes text that is not included in the main image.

21. The WCD system of claim 15 , in which
the peripheral image has a first portion and a second portion, and
the peripheral UI output device includes a screen configured to initially display the first portion but not the second portion, and then to display the second portion.

22. The WCD system of claim 21 , in which
the peripheral UI output device includes a touchscreen, the touchscreen configured to display the second portion responsive to the touchscreen being touched.

23. The WCD system of claim 21 , in which
the first portion includes a link, and
the peripheral UI output device includes a touchscreen, the touchscreen configured to display the second portion responsive to the touchscreen being touched at the link.

24. Non-transitory computer-readable storage media storing programs which, when executed by at least a main processor and a peripheral processor of a wearable cardioverter defibrillator (WCD) system that is configured to be worn by an ambulatory patient, the WCD system including an electrode, a support structure configured to be worn by the ambulatory patient so as to maintain the electrode on a body of the ambulatory patient, an energy storage module configured to store an electrical charge, and to discharge at least some of the stored electrical charge via the electrode through the ambulatory patient, a main housing, a main user interface (UI) output device located at least partly within the main housing, a main communication module, the main processor, and a peripheral device that is configured to be carried by the ambulatory patient, the peripheral device including a peripheral housing distinct from the main housing, the peripheral processor, a peripheral communication module

Assignees

• West Affum Holdings Corp

Inventors

• Engman Zoie
• Piazza Aaron
• Hansen Christoffer Peter Hart
• Finch David P
• Gustavson Laura M
• Schneider Erik L
• Roane Erick
• Hall Amanda K

Classifications

• A61N1/3904 Primary

  External heart defibrillators [EHD] · CPC title

• A61N1/0484

  Garment electrodes worn by the patient · CPC title

• A61N1/3968

  Constructional arrangements, e.g. casings (A61N1/375 takes precedence) · CPC title

• A61B5/026

  Measuring blood flow {(A61B3/1233, A61B3/1241 take precedence)} · CPC title

• A61B7/04

  Electric stethoscopes · CPC title