Matrix-coded medical device tracker and maintenance

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11247038-B2
Application number	US-201916548641-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 22, 2019
Priority date	Aug 26, 2014
Publication date	Feb 15, 2022
Grant date	Feb 15, 2022

Abstract

A status monitoring function that simplifies the process of collecting status information for medical devices in a medical device system. Matrix codes are used to associate a medical device with a location. A maintenance application transmits the association information to a centralized tracking system. Status information about the medical device is also transmitted to the centralized tracking system from the maintenance application.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A system, comprising:
a medical device configured to output a matrix code and a nonencoded indicator overlaying the matrix code, the matrix code indicating an identifier of the medical device or a proper position of the medical device; and
a scanning device comprising:
an imaging sensor configured to capture an image depicting the matrix code and the nonencoded indicator output by the medical device;
a position sensor configured to identify a position of the scanning device;
a processor;
memory storing instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising:
generating a first signal comprising data representing the image and the position of the scanning device; and
outputting a notification in response to a second signal, the notification indicating that the medical device is in an improper location; and

a transceiver configured to transmit the first signal to an external system and to receive the second signal from the external system.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the scanning device further comprises:
a display,
wherein outputting the notification based on the second signal comprises causing the display to output a visual indication that the medical device is in the improper location.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the nonencoded indicator comprises text, a symbol, a letter, a word, or a picture, and
wherein the medical device comprises a defibrillator, a first aid kit, or an epinephrine auto-injector.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the medical device comprises:
a processor configured to perform a self-test of the medical device; and
a display configured to output the matrix code and the nonencoded indicator, and
wherein the matrix code indicates a result of the self-test, and
wherein the nonencoded indicator indicates the result of the self-test.

5. The system of claim 4 , wherein the medical device further comprises:
a battery;
a detection circuit;
a defibrillation circuit;
an electrode; and
a communication circuit, and
wherein the processor is configured to perform the self-test of the medical device by:
determining whether a charge level of the battery is below a threshold charge level;
determining whether the electrode is expired;
determining whether the electrode is connected to the detection circuit or the defibrillation circuit; or
determining whether the communication circuit has received a communication signal.

6. A method performed by a scanning device, the method comprising:
identifying an image of a code displayed on a medical device, the image depicting a nonencoded indicator overlaying the code, the nonencoded indicator comprising a letter, a word, or a picture;
determining a proper location of the medical device by processing the image;
determining a location of the medical device or of the scanning device;
determining that the location of the medical device is different than the proper location of the medical device; and
outputting an instruction to relocate the medical device.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the medical device comprises a defibrillator, a first aid kit, or an epinephrine auto-injector.

8. The method of claim 6 , wherein the scanning device comprises a mobile computing device.

9. The method of claim 6 , wherein the code comprises a matrix code displayed by the medical device.

10. The method of claim 6 , wherein determining the proper location of the medical device by processing the image comprises:
generating a first signal comprising data representing the image;
transmitting the first signal to an external device; and
receiving a second signal from the external device, the second signal comprising data representing the proper location of the medical device.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein transmitting the first signal to the external device comprises wirelessly transmitting the first signal, and
wherein receiving the second signal from the external device comprises wirelessly receiving the second signal.

12. The method of claim 6 , further comprising:
determining an operational status of the medical device; and
outputting a notification indicating the operational status of the medical device.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein the operational status of the medical device comprises an operational status of a battery.

14. The method of claim 12 , wherein the operational status of the medical device comprises an operational status of a defibrillator electrode.

15. A computing device, comprising:
an imaging sensor configured to capture an image depicting a code and a nonencoded indicator displayed by a medical device, the nonencoded indicator overlaying the code and comprising a letter, a word, or a picture;
a processor; and
memory storing instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising:
determining a proper location of the medical device by processing the image;
determining a location of the medical device or of the computing device;
determining that the location of the medical device is not the proper location of the medical device; and
outputting an instruction to relocate the medical device.

16. The computing device of claim 15 , wherein the medical device comprises a defibrillator, a first aid kit, or an epinephrine auto-injector.

17. The computing device of claim 15 , wherein the code comprises a matrix code displayed by the medical device.

18. The computing device of claim 15 , further comprising:
a transceiver configured to transmit a first signal to an external device and to receive a second signal from the external device,
wherein determining the proper location of the medical device by processing the image comprises:
generating the first signal to comprise data representing the image;
determining the proper location of the medical device by analyzing the second signal.

19. The computing device of claim 15 , wherein the operations further comprise:
determining an operational status of the medical device; and
outputting a notification indicating the operational status of the medical device.

20. The computing device of claim 15 , wherein determining the proper location of the medical device by processing the image comprises determining the proper location of the medical device encoded by the code.

Assignees

• Physio Control Inc

Inventors

• Hoss Jennifer Elaine
• Drew Kevin C
• Smith Mitchell A

Classifications

• A61N1/3993

  User interfaces for automatic external defibrillators · CPC title

• G08B21/18

  Status alarms (G08B21/02 takes precedence) · CPC title

• A61N1/025 Primary

  Digital circuitry features of electrotherapy devices, e.g. memory, clocks, processors · CPC title

• G16H40/40

  for the management of medical equipment or devices, e.g. scheduling maintenance or upgrades · CPC title

• A61N1/3904

  External heart defibrillators [EHD] · CPC title