System for monitoring a use of a medical device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2017311925-A1
Application number	US-201515526515-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Nov 24, 2015
Priority date	Nov 25, 2014
Publication date	Nov 2, 2017
Grant date	—

Abstract

The invention provides a system ( 1 ) for determining an identification characteristic of a medical device ( 3 ) carrying at least an ultrasound emitter/sensor element ( 321 ). The identification characteristic is based on a detection signal from the ultrasound emitter/sensor element ( 321 ) upon a drive signal. The system ( 1 ) can identify the medical device from a database ( 211,511 ) of known medical devices. Furthermore, the system ( 1 ) can update the duration and frequency of use of the medical device ( 3 ) and it can prohibit further use of the medical device ( 3 ) when a predetermined limit of use is exceeded.

First claim

1 . A system for recognizing an identification characteristic of a medical device carrying an ultrasound emitter/sensor element, said system comprising
an apparatus arranged to be operatively coupled to the medical device, wherein the apparatus is arranged to send a drive signal to the ultrasound emitter/sensor element and to receive a detection signal from the ultrasound emitter/sensor element, the apparatus further comprising a processor, wherein the processor of the apparatus is operable to process detection signals from the ultrasound emitter/sensor element to determine the identification characteristic of the medical device, wherein the processor is further operable to recognize the identification characteristic of the medical device from a database of known identification characteristics of medical devices subsequent to a coupling of the medical device to the apparatus.

2 . System according to claim 1 , wherein the identification characteristic of the medical device is determined based on detection signals from at least two ultrasound emitter/sensor elements, wherein at least two ultrasound emitter/sensor elements are oriented in different directions.

3 . System according to claim 1 , wherein the identification characteristic of the medical device is determined based on detection signals from at least one ultrasound emitter/sensor element originating from a piezoelectric ultrasound emitter/sensor array or from a capacitive micro-machined ultrasound emitter/sensor array.

4 . System according to claim 1 , wherein the identification characteristic is a feature vector.

5 . System according to claim 1 , wherein the identification characteristic is determined for a medical device based on detection signals received from an ultrasound emitter/sensor element comprising at least an acoustical coupling material.

6 . System according to claim 1 , wherein the processor is operable to update a database of known identification characteristics of medical devices by adding to the database the identification characteristic of the medical device coupled to the apparatus.

7 . System according to claim 1 , wherein the database of known identification characteristics of medical devices is stored in the internal memory unit of the apparatus.

8 . System according to claim 1 , wherein the database of known identification characteristics of medical devices is located on an external server and wherein the apparatus is arranged to communicate with the external server for transmitting and/or receiving at least the identification characteristic of the medical device.

9 . System according to claim 1 , wherein a transmission path between the medical device and the apparatus and/or a transmission path between the apparatus and the external server is arranged through wireless connection.

10 . System according to claim 1 , wherein the processor is operable to recognize the identification characteristic of the medical device from a database based on a quadratic norm of feature vector differences.

11 . System according to claim 1 , wherein the processor is operable to update information in the database about a duration and a frequency of use of the medical device.

12 . System according to claim 11 , wherein the processor is operable to send a warning signal to the user of the system when a predetermined limit of use of the medical device is exceeded.

13 . System according to claim 11 , wherein the apparatus is operable to update the database of known identification characteristics of medical devices on an external server with a warning message for use of the medical device exceeding the predetermined limit.

14 . System according to claim 1 , wherein the apparatus is arranged to discontinue the use of the ultrasound emitter/sensor element when a predetermined limit of use of the medical device is exceeded.

15 . System according to claim 1 , wherein the system further comprises an energy source unit for energy application to a tissue, and wherein the apparatus is arranged to disable transmission of energy from the energy source unit to the medical device when a predetermined limit of use of the medical device is exceeded.

Assignees

• Koninklijke Philips Nv

Inventors

• Fokkenrood Steven Antonie Willem
• STROUCKEN Aloysius Cornelis Johannes
• Belt Harm Jan Willem
• Kolen Alexander Franciscus
• Mihajlovic Nenad

Classifications

• G01S15/8909

  using a static transducer configuration · CPC title

• A61B8/12

  in body cavities or body tracts, e.g. by using catheters · CPC title

• A61B8/4438 Primary

  Means for identifying the diagnostic device, e.g. barcodes · CPC title

• G16H40/63

  for local operation · CPC title

• G16H40/40

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