Method and device for remote monitoring and control of medical fluid management devices

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11869660-B2
Application number	US-202217825284-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 26, 2022
Priority date	Jul 15, 2011
Publication date	Jan 9, 2024
Grant date	Jan 9, 2024

Abstract

The invention relates to the field of medical fluid management devices, in particular dialysis machines. The object of the invention is to design methods and devices, such that the monitoring and control of medical fluid management devices from a remote site are possible. To do so, the screen content of the output device of a fluid management device is transmitted at least partially to an output device of a remote control unit. The screen content optionally has user interfaces, which can be selected on the remote control device and lead to changes in the control of the transmitting medical fluid management device.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A computer-implemented method comprising:
determining, by a first device remote from a medical device and based on communications between the first device and the medical device, a treatment state of a medical treatment that the medical device is currently providing;
receiving, by the first device and from the medical device, data of one or more images of at least a portion of a screen content presented on a display device of the medical device, the portion of the screen content including setting indicators representing one or more settings of the medical device;
displaying on a user interface of the first device (i) the one or more images of the screen content of the medical device based on the received data, and (ii) the treatment state of the medical device;
receiving, by the first device and from an operator of the first device, an operator input to create one or more modified images by modifying the one or more images displayed on the first device, the one or more modified images including an alteration of the setting indicators;
transmitting, by the first device and to the medical device, first data including operator input data representing the operator input;
receiving, by the medical device, second data from the first device;
sending, by the medical device and based on the second data, an inquiry to the first device before executing an action based in the second data;
receiving, by the medical device and from the first device, a confirmation message indicating that the inquiry associates with the first data transmitted to the medical device; and
in response to receiving the confirmation message, displaying, by the medical device, the one or more modified images on the display device by altering, based on the received second data, the one or more images displayed on the medical device.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
receiving, by the medical device and form a second device, third data that influences the medical device, the second device being remote from the medical device;
determining a first priority assigned to the first device, and a second priority assigned to the second device; and
performing operations based on the first data and in accordance with the first priority, and performing the third data in accordance with the second priority.

3. A medical system comprising:
a medical device comprising a display device; and
a first remote device configured to:
communicate with the medical device to determine a treatment state of a medical treatment that the medical device is currently providing,
receive, from the medical device, data of one or more images of at least a portion of a screen content presented on the display device of the medical device, the portion of the screen content including setting indicators representing one or more settings of the medical device,
display on a user interface of the first remote device (i) the one or more images of the screen content of the medical device based on the received data, and (ii) the treatment state of the medical device,
receive, from an operator of the first remote device, an operator input to create one or more modified images by modifying the one or more images displayed on the remote device, the one or more modified images including an alteration of the setting indicators, and
transmit, to the medical device, first data including operator input data representing the operator input,

wherein the medical device is configured to
receive the first second data from the first remote device,
send, based on the second data, an inquiry to the first remote device before executing an action based on the second data,
receive, from the first remote device, a confirmation message indicating that the inquiry associates with the first data transmitted to the medical device, and
in response to receiving the confirmation message, display the one or more modified images by altering, based on the received first second data, the one or more images displayed on the medical device.

4. The medical system of claim 3 , wherein the medical device is configured to:
receive, from a second remote device, third data that influences the medical device, the second remote device being remote from the medical device;
determine a first priority assigned to the first remote device, and a second priority assigned to the second remote device; and
perform operations based on the first data and in accordance with the first priority, and based on the third data and in accordance with the second priority.

5. The medical system of claim 4 , wherein the medical device is further configured to determine that the first priority is higher than the second priority, and in response, perform the operations preferentially in accordance with the first data as preferred to the third data.

6. The medical system of claim 3 , wherein the first remote device comprises a computing device and a touchscreen.

7. The medical system of claim 3 , wherein the first remote device comprises a mobile computing device.

8. The medical system of claim 3 , wherein the medical device comprises an interface wirelessly connected to a remote server.

9. The medical system of claim 3 , wherein the first remote device communicates with the medical device through a short-range wireless technology protocol that comprises one or more of wireless local area network communications or infrared communications.

10. The medical system of claim 3 , wherein the display device of the medical device comprises a touchscreen.

11. The medical system of claim 3 , wherein the medical device comprises a dialysis machine.

12. The medical system of claim 3 , wherein the one or more images further comprise an image of a user of the medical device.

13. The medical system of claim 12 , wherein the medical device further comprises a camera, wherein the image of the user is captured by the camera.

14. The medical system of claim 3 , wherein at least a portion of the user interface of the first remote device displays one or more images of a user of the medical device.

15. The medical system of claim 3 , wherein in response to receiving the confirmation message,
the medical device adjusts a state of an alarm indicator on the medical device based on the alternation of the setting indicators.

16. The medical system of claim 3 , wherein the one or more settings comprise a dialysis fluid flow rate.

17. The medical system of claim 3 , wherein:
the screen content comprises one or more images of a user of the first remote device; and
the first remote device is further configured to:
capture, using a camera of the first remote device, the one or more images of the user of the first remote device; and
transmit, to the medical device, the one or more images of the user of the first remote device for display.

18. The medical system of claim 3 , wherein the first data comprises command signals for altering a dialysis fluid flow rate of the medical device.

19. The medical system of claim 3 , wherein the medical device is a first medical device, and the system further comprises a second medical device, and
wherein the treatment state of the first medical device is different from a treatment state of the second medical device.

20. The medical system of claim 3 , wherein the medical device is one of multiple medical devices with which the first remote device is in communication, and
wherein a treatment state of a particular medical device indicates that the particular medical device needs at

Assignees

• Fresenius Medical Care Deutschland Gmbh

Inventors

• Brand Georg
• Hauck Daniel
• Kloeffel Peter
• Stahl Thomas

Classifications

• H04L65/80

  Responding to QoS · CPC title

• H04L1/0026

  Transmission of channel quality indication · CPC title

• G16H40/67 Primary

  for remote operation · CPC title

• G16H20/40

  relating to mechanical, radiation or invasive therapies, e.g. surgery, laser therapy, dialysis or acupuncture · CPC title