Process and control unit for coordinating acoustic signals output by different medical devices

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12514516-B2
Application number	US-202318172424-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 22, 2023
Priority date	Feb 23, 2022
Publication date	Jan 6, 2026
Grant date	Jan 6, 2026

Abstract

A process coordinates the acoustic alarm signals output by different medical devices ( 1 ). A first medical device ( 1 a ) outputs, at a time interval before an output of a n acoustic alarm signal, a pre-signal which differs from the acoustic alarm signal with respect to at least one property. A further device receives the pre-signal output by the first medical device ( 1 a ) and carries out an analysis of the received pre-signal. As a function of a result of the analysis of the pre-signal, an alarm signal output unit ( 4 ) of a second medical device ( 1 b ) is driven in such a way that, as a function of the result of the analysis, at least one property of an alarm signal which is currently being output or will be output by the alarm signal output unit ( 4 ) is at least temporarily changed and/or a pre-signal is transmitted by the second medical device ( 1 b ).

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A process for coordinating acoustic alarm signals output by different medical devices, the process comprising the steps of:
with a first medical device, outputting, at a time interval before an output of an acoustic alarm signal, a pre-signal which contains information about the acoustic alarm signal and differs from the acoustic alarm signal with respect to at least one characteristic, wherein the first medical device outputs the acoustic alarm signal when an alarm threshold value for at least one patient condition is reached; with a second medical device or an external control device, receiving the pre-signal output by the first medical device; analyzing the received pre-signal in an evaluation unit of the second medical device or the external control device based on the information about the acoustic alarm signal; and controlling an alarm signal output unit of the second medical device as a function of a result of an analysis of the received pre-signal such that, as the function of the result, at least one characteristic of an alarm signal which is currently being output by the alarm signal output unit or will be output by the alarm signal output unit is at least temporarily changed and/or a pre-signal is output by the second medical device.

2 . The process according to claim 1 , wherein the pre-signal is configured as an acoustic, optical and/or electrical signal.

3 . The process according to claim 1 , wherein the pre-signal is transmitted via a wired and/or wireless network.

4 . The process according to claim 1 , wherein the pre-signal is transmitted directly from the first medical device to the second medical device.

5 . The process according to claim 1 , wherein a volume, a frequency, a modulation, a pitch, a tone type, an alarm type and/or a melody of the alarm signal is changed depending on the result of the analysis.

6 . The process according to claim 1 , wherein, depending on the result of the analysis, the alarm signal currently or in the future output by the alarm signal output unit is interrupted at least temporarily.

7 . The process according to claim 1 , wherein a prioritization of events underlying the output of an alarm signal is taken into account in the analysis of the received pre-signal.

8 . The process according to claim 1 , wherein at least one patient-specific parameter and/or parameter specific to at least one of the first medical device and the second medical device is taken into account when determining the result on which an activation of an alarm signal evaluation unit is based.

9 . The process according to claim 1 , wherein: an environment of the first and second medical devices is monitored for a presence of persons; and controlling the output of the pre-signal and/or alarm signal is at least partly based on a result of the environment monitoring.

10 . The process according to claim 1 , wherein a result of an analysis for a standby period is stored in a data memory and is taken into account in an analysis of a further pre-signal and/or for the control of the alarm signal output unit.

11 . The process according to claim 1 , wherein when determining the result of the analysis of the received pre-signal on which an actuation of an alarm signal output unit is based, a result of an analysis of an alarm signal and/or a pre-signal of a further medical device is taken into account.

12 . The process according to claim 1 , wherein at least one characteristic of the acoustic alarm signal from the first medical device is changed based on a pre-signal output from the second medical device.

13 . The process according to claim 1 , wherein a noise load characteristic value is determined on the basis of alarm and pre-signals detected in a room and is made available for further use in medical devices and/or a central unit for data storage, data processing and/or control of the medical devices.

14 . The process according to claim 13 , wherein the noise load characteristic value is taken into account in determining a result on which an activation of an alarm signal evaluation unit is based.

15 . A control unit of a medical device or a central monitoring system for coordinating acoustic alarm signals output by different medical devices, the control unit comprising:
an input configured to receive a pre-signal output from a first medical device at a time interval before an output of an acoustic alarm signal from the first medical device, the pre-signal containing information about the acoustic alarm signal and differing from the acoustic alarm signal with respect to at least one characteristic; wherein the first medical device outputs the acoustic alarm signal when an alarm threshold value for at least one patient condition is reached; and an evaluation unit configured to:
analyze the received pre-signal based on the information about the acoustic alarm signal; and
output a control signal to an alarm signal output unit of a second medical device to at least temporarily change an alarm signal which is currently being output by the alarm signal output unit or will be output by the alarm signal output unit as a function of a result of an analysis of the received pre-signal and/or to output a second medical device pre-signal by the second medical device.

16 . The control unit according to claim 15 , wherein a volume, a frequency, a modulation, a pitch, a tone type, an alarm type and/or a melody of the alarm signal is changed depending on the result of the analysis.

17 . The control unit according to claim 15 , wherein, depending on the result of the analysis, the alarm signal currently or in the future output by the alarm signal output unit is interrupted at least temporarily.

18 . The control unit according to claim 15 , wherein a prioritization of events underlying the output of an alarm signal is taken into account in the analysis of the received pre-signal.

19 . The control unit according to claim 15 , wherein:
an environment of the medical devices is monitored for a presence of persons; and outputting the control signal to control the output of a pre-signal and/or the alarm signal is at least partly based on a result of the environment monitoring.

20 . A medical device or central monitoring system comprising:
an alarm signal output unit; and a control unit, the control unit comprising: an input configured to receive a pre-signal output from another medical device at a time interval before an output of an acoustic alarm signal from the another medical device, the pre-signal containing information about the acoustic alarm signal and differing from the acoustic alarm signal with respect to at least one characteristic; wherein the another medical device outputs the acoustic alarm signal when an alarm threshold value for at least one patient condition is reached; an evaluation unit configured to:
analyze the received pre-signal based on the information about the acoustic alarm signal; and
output a control signal to the alarm signal output unit to at least temporarily change an alarm signal which is currently being output by the alarm signal output unit or will be output by the alarm signal output unit as a function of a result of an analysis of the received pre-signal and/or to output another medical device pre-signal from the medical device.

Assignees

• Draegerwerk Ag & Co Kgaa

Inventors

• Gerder Henning
• Landwehr Birger

Classifications

• A61B5/0002

  Remote monitoring of patients using telemetry, e.g. transmission of vital signals via a communication network (endoradiosondes A61B5/07) · CPC title

• A61B2560/0266

  for monitoring or limiting apparatus function · CPC title

• G16H50/30

  for calculating health indices; for individual health risk assessment · CPC title

• G16H40/20

  for the management or administration of healthcare resources or facilities, e.g. managing hospital staff or surgery rooms · CPC title

• G16H40/67

  for remote operation · CPC title