Source: http://www.google.com/patents/US20090300507?ie=ISO-8859-1
Timestamp: 2015-04-27 06:54:18
Document Index: 321886972

Matched Legal Cases: ['art 17', 'art 22', 'art 17', 'art 22', 'art 22', 'art 22', 'art 22', 'Application No. 60']

Patent US20090300507 - Wireless medical room control arrangement for control of a plurality of ... - Google PatentsSearch Images Maps Play YouTube News Gmail Drive More »Sign inAdvanced Patent SearchPatentsA wireless medical room control arrangement includes a wireless controller having a wireless router. A room identifier and a device identifier are stored in the controller. A communication interface sends commands to and receives commands from the wireless controller. In response to commands from the...http://www.google.com/patents/US20090300507?utm_source=gb-gplus-sharePatent US20090300507 - Wireless medical room control arrangement for control of a plurality of medical devicesAdvanced Patent SearchPublication numberUS20090300507 A1Publication typeApplicationApplication numberUS 12/454,622Publication dateDec 3, 2009Filing dateMay 20, 2009Priority dateMay 27, 2008Also published asCA2723301A1, CN102047256A, EP2297660A1, EP2793153A2, EP2793153A3, EP2793154A2, WO2009151535A1Publication number12454622, 454622, US 2009/0300507 A1, US 2009/300507 A1, US 20090300507 A1, US 20090300507A1, US 2009300507 A1, US 2009300507A1, US-A1-20090300507, US-A1-2009300507, US2009/0300507A1, US2009/300507A1, US20090300507 A1, US20090300507A1, US2009300507 A1, US2009300507A1InventorsPrabhu Raghavan, Travis MorganOriginal AssigneePrabhu Raghavan, Travis MorganExport CitationBiBTeX, EndNote, RefManPatent Citations (4), Referenced by (2), Classifications (11), Legal Events (1) External Links: USPTO, USPTO Assignment, EspacenetWireless medical room control arrangement for control of a plurality of medical devices
US 20090300507 A1Abstract
A wireless medical room control arrangement includes a wireless controller having a wireless router. A room identifier and a device identifier are stored in the controller. A communication interface sends commands to and receives commands from the wireless controller. In response to commands from the interface, the wireless controller sends wireless control signals to operate medical devices in the room. A room monitor adjacent a doorway provides room identifiers to medical devices and wireless controllers entering the room and provides dummy identifiers to medical devices and controllers exiting the room. The room monitors may connect to a global network processor that determines the location of the medical devices in a medical facility.
1. A wireless control arrangement for medical devices in a medical room comprising:
a plurality of controllable medical devices including portable medical devices located in the medical room, each said medical device including a device identifier stored therein; a wireless controller located in the medical room, said wireless controller including device identifiers stored therein; and a communication interface for providing control commands to the wireless controller; wherein said arrangement automatically determines said medical devices located in the medical room, including said portable medical devices entering or exiting the room, and wherein said wireless controller, in response to control commands from said communication interface, sends wireless control commands recognized by one of said medical devices located in the medical room to operate the one said medical device. 2. The arrangement of claim 1, wherein each said portable medical device and said wireless controller include a room identifier identifying the medical room, and wherein said wireless controller located in the medical room transmits the room identifier to said medical devices to automatically determine which said controllable medical devices are located in the medical room, said wireless controller comprising a portable wireless controller.
3. The arrangement of claim 2, wherein said wireless controller provides said identified medical devices to said communication interface for display thereon.
4. The arrangement of claim 2, further including a room monitor disposed adjacent a doorway for monitoring said portable medical devices entering and exiting the medical room, said room monitor having the room identifier and a dummy identifier stored therein,
wherein each said portable medical device includes a room identifier storage device; wherein said portable wireless controller comprises one of a plurality of portable wireless controllers, each said portable wireless controller including a room identifier storage device, wherein said room monitor senses entry of a powered or unpowered said portable medical device or a powered or unpowered said portable wireless controller into the medical room and wirelessly provides the room identifier to the entering portable medical device or the entering portable wireless controller for storage in the respective room identifier storage device, and wherein said room monitor senses exit of a powered or unpowered said portable medical device or a powered or unpowered said portable wireless controller from the medical room and wirelessly provides the dummy identifier to said powered or unpowered exiting portable medical device or said powered or unpowered exiting wireless controller to prevent unintended operation thereof. 5. The arrangement of claim 1, wherein the device identifiers of said medical devices comprise unique device identifiers so that said wireless controller automatically identifies the exact medical device, and
wherein the unique device identifiers enable control of two said medical devices of the same type in the medical room. 6. The wireless control arrangement of claim 1, including at least two transceiver locator devices provided in the medical room for sensing the device identifiers stored in the respective medical devices located in the medical room, and for notifying said wireless controller of said medical devices located in the medical room.
7. The wireless control arrangement of claim 6, wherein said transceiver locator devices comprise time-of-flight devices for determining the presence of said medical devices in the medical room depending on time-of-flight signals.
8. The arrangement of claim 1, wherein said communication interface comprises a tablet, said tablet including a tablet identifier and said wireless controller including the tablet identifier, wherein said tablet provides wireless control commands that include the tablet identifier to said wireless controller and receives information that includes the tablet identifier from said wireless controller.
9. The arrangement of claim 1, wherein said medical devices comprise at least one of operating room lights, operating room cameras, a pole pump system, an arthroscopic pump system and a waste management system.
10. The arrangement of claim 1, wherein said communication interface comprises at least one of a wireless tablet having a touch screen, a tablet having a control cord connected to said wireless controller and a voice recognition device.
11. A wireless control arrangement for medical devices in a medical room comprising:
a plurality of controllable medical devices located in the medical room, each said medical device including a room identifier stored therein; a wireless controller located in the medical room, said wireless controller including a room identifier stored therein; and a communication interface for providing control commands to said wireless controller, wherein said wireless controller, in response to control commands from said communication interface, sends control commands that include the room identifier to a selected one of said medical devices to operate the selected medical device, and wherein the room identifier prevents said wireless controller from controlling a medical device located in an area other than the medical room. 12. The arrangement of claim 11, wherein said communication interface comprises a tablet including a tablet identifier, wherein the wireless controller includes a tablet identifier, wherein said tablet provides wireless control commands that include the tablet identifier to said wireless controller and receives information from said wireless controller that includes the tablet identifier, the tablet identifier preventing operation of said wireless controller by a different wireless tablet associated with a different wireless controller.
13. The arrangement of claim 11, wherein each said medical device includes a device identifier identifying the type of medical device, wherein said wireless controller transmits the room identifier to the medical devices to automatically determine said medical devices located in the medical room, and wherein said medical devices provide the device identifier to said wireless controller for display of a list of the available medical devices on said communication interface.
14. The arrangement of claim 13, further including a room monitor adjacent a doorway of the medical room for monitoring the entering and exiting of said medical devices and said wireless controllers from the medical room, said room monitor having the room identifier and a dummy identifier stored therein,
wherein said medical devices comprise portable medical devices, each said portable medical device including a room identifier storage device, wherein said wireless controllers comprise portable wireless controllers, each said portable wireless controller including a room identifier storage device, wherein said room monitor senses entry of a said portable medical device or a said portable wireless controller into the medical room and wirelessly provides the room identifier to said entering portable medical device or said entering portable wireless controller for storage in the respective room identifier storage device, and wherein said room monitor senses exit of a said portable medical device or a said portable wireless controller from the medical room and wirelessly provides the dummy identifier to said exiting portable medical device or said exiting wireless controller to prevent unintended operation thereof. 15. The arrangement of claim 13, wherein the device identifiers of said medical devices comprise unique device identifiers so that said wireless controller automatically identifies the type and exact model of said medical devices; and
wherein the unique device identifiers enable control of two said medical devices of the same type in the medical room. 16. The arrangement of claim 11, wherein said medical devices comprise at least one of operating room lights, operating room cameras, a pole pump system, an arthroscopic pump system, and a waste management system.
17. The arrangement of claim 11, wherein said communication interface comprises at least one of a wireless tablet having a touch screen, a tablet having a control cord connected to said wireless controller and a voice recognition device.
18. The arrangement of claim 11, including at least two transceiver locator devices provided in the medical room for sensing the device identifiers stored in the respective medical devices, and for notifying the wireless controller of said medical devices located in the medical room.
19. The arrangement of claim 18, wherein said transceiver locator devices comprise time-of-flight devices for comparing and determining the presence of said medical devices in the medical room depending on time-of-flight signals.
20. The arrangement of claim 19, wherein said transceiver locator devices comprise at least five said transceiver locator devices to determine the exact location of the devices for display on a room map.
21. A global network system for monitoring wireless controllers and wirelessly controllable medical devices in at least two rooms of a medical facility comprising:
at least two room monitors, each said room monitor being provided for a respective said medical room in the medical facility, and each said room monitor determining device data comprising the presence or absence of said wireless controllers and said medical devices in the respective medical room; a network processor for receiving the device data from each said room monitor; a data storage for storing the device data received by said network processor; and a control interface for enabling a user to request said network processor to compile the device data, to determine the presence or absence of said medical devices and said controllers in any one or more of the medical rooms. 22. The global network system of claim 21, including a display connected to said network processor for displaying the device data.
23. The global network system of claim 22, wherein a user operating said control interface is capable of determining the number of and locations of a particular type of said medical device throughout the medical facility.
24. The global network system of claim 22, wherein a said network processor is capable of obtaining a location of a specific unique one of said medical devices or a unique one of said wireless controllers within the medical facility. Description
This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 61/129,000, filed May 27, 2008, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
One known operating room control system includes a master controller electrically connected to slave controllers and/or medical devices via a plurality of communication ports. As an alternative, the master controller may be connected to slave controllers or medical devices via wireless communication systems such as IR or RF signal transmitters and receivers on the master controller, slave controllers and medical devices. It is possible that such an operating room control system may actuate a medical device located remotely from the desired working space. This situation may arise when a master controller provides wireless control signals that travel outside of the desired working space and communicate with another surgical device. For example, a master controller may activate a medical device within another adjacent operating room, even when the master controller is located in the correct room or is located in a hallway outside of a nearby operating room.
In one embodiment, a global network system receives data from a plurality of room monitors and determines which devices and controllers are located in respective operating rooms. The information can be used to display the type and location of various medical devices in a single room.
Another embodiment enables a user to automatically display at a remote central location the exact number and types of medical devices located in multiple medical rooms, such as patient rooms, operating rooms, storage rooms and nurse stations in a medical facility.
One embodiment prevents a second wireless controller from interfering with control of medical devices by a first wireless controller.
Another embodiment enables wireless central control of portable medical devices and fixed medical devices, such as wall cameras and ceiling mounted lights in a medical room, without requiring wired control connections.
Another embodiment enables wireless control of a plurality of medical devices in a medical room by providing two or more transceiver locator devices in the room for a time-of-flight arrangement that determines the presence of medical devices by their distance from the respective transceiver locator devices. Thus, room identifiers are not required. In some embodiments having a plurality of transceiver locator devices, the exact position of the medical devices in an operating room also may be determined and displayed.
FIG. 1 illustrates a perspective view of an operating room including a central wireless controller for providing output signals to controllable fixed medical devices and to controllable portable medical devices located therein.
FIG. 2 is a block diagram of a system for use in a medical room including a cart supporting a central wireless controller, according to a first embodiment of the invention.
FIG. 3 is a block diagram illustrating passage of a portable central controller and a portable medical device through a registration zone of a room monitor located near a door of an operating room.
FIG. 4 illustrates a perspective view of an operating room having transceiver locator identifier devices to determine the presence of controllable medical devices in the operating room.
FIG. 5 is a diagrammatical block diagram of a medical facility or building showing the arrangement of a global network system in a surgical operating room according to another embodiment of the invention.
FIG. 6 illustrates a partial diagram of a medical facility showing a global network system that provides outputs to a global network processing system according to another embodiment of the invention.
FIG. 1 depicts a perspective view of a medical area or room, such as an operating room 10, according to one embodiment of the present invention. The operating room 10 includes operating room lights 12 and a camera 14 mounted to one of the ceiling, a room wall 15 or other stationary structure. The operating room 10 further includes a surgical table 16, a movable cart 17 supporting an arthroscopic pump system 18 and a portable waste management system 20. As shown in FIG. 1, a further movable cart 22 carries a communication interface, such as a portable touch screen wireless tablet 24, along with a central wireless controller 30 for controlling the various medical devices 12, 14, 16, 18, 20 in the operating room 10.
FIG. 1 further illustrates a room monitor 32 located adjacent a door or entryway 34. The room monitor 32 only communicates with medical devices 16, 18, 20, 24 and controllers 30 entering or exiting the room 10.
The embodiment of FIG. 2 shows each fixed medical device 12, 14, 16 in the operating room and a fixed medical device 36 fixedly mounted in the operating room. The medical device 36 is intended to represent any type of known fixed medical device, including the fixed medical devices 12, 14, 16, that may be provided in an operating room 10. Each fixed medical device 36 includes a wireless adapter module (WAM) 40 having a micro-controller unit (MCU) 42.
FIG. 2 also illustrates the arthroscopic pump system 18 provided on the cart 17 shown in FIG. 1, along with a portable pole pump system 48, and a portable medical device 50. The portable medical device 50 is intended to represent any type of portable medical device that may be provided in an operating room, including portable devices 18, 20, 48. Each portable medical device 50 includes a wireless adapter module (WAM) 40. The wireless adapter module (WAM) 40 includes both a micro controller unit (MCU) 42 and a room identifier storage device (RISD) 46.
In FIG. 2, the central wireless controller 30 is a portable central wireless controller represented by broken line. The wireless controller 30 includes a controller unit 52 connected to a wireless router 54. Since the wireless controller 30 is portable, a room identifier storage device (RISD) 46 is provided therewith. The controller unit 52 and/or the wireless router 54 stores a unique tablet/controller identifier that corresponds to a unique tablet/controller identifier stored in the wireless tablet 24. The wireless router 54 further receives a room identifier from the controller unit 52 that corresponds to a room identifier stored in the room identifier storage devices 46 of the portable medical devices 50 located in the medical room 10. The same room identifier is also, in one embodiment, permanently stored in the microcontroller units 42 of the wireless adapter modules 40 of the fixedly mounted medical devices 36 located in the operating room 10.
The embodiment of FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing the room monitor 32 having a registration zone 60 in the operating room 10 adjacent a doorway 62 connecting the room to a hallway 64. In FIG. 3, the hallway 64 in the medical facility is oriented to the left of the room monitor 32.
FIG. 3 also illustrates both a portable cart 22 with a central wireless controller 30 and a portable medical device 50 located within the registration zone 60 of the room monitor 32. The cart 22 and medical device 50 are either entering or exiting the operating room 10.
Operation In one embodiment, the room monitor 32 and at least one of the portable medical devices 50 and/or the central wireless controller 30 on the cart 22 enter into the room 10 through the open doorway 62. The room monitor 32 senses entry of the portable medical device 50 and of the controller 30. The room monitor 32 then sends a room identifier for storage in the room identifier storage device 46 of the portable medical device 50 and of the portable wireless controller 30 that are passing through the registration zone 60 and into the room 10. Thus, when the portable controller 30 enters the operating room 10, the controller 30 and each of the fixed or portable operating room devices 36, 50 in the room have the same room identifier stored therein. This arrangement will be discussed in more detail later herein.
Entry/Exit from Operating Room When the wireless controller 30 on the portable cart 22 exits the operating room 10, the room monitor 32 detects the exiting of the controller. In response to the detection, the room monitor 32 transmits a dummy identifier that overwrites the identifier stored in the room identifier storage device (RISD) 46. Thus, upon exit from the operating room 10 and entering the hallway 64, the central wireless controller 30 is inhibited from wirelessly controlling any medical devices 36, 50 in any of the nearby operating rooms 10 of a medical facility. Likewise, any of the portable medical devices 50 exiting room 10 is provided with a dummy identifier that prevents operation of the medical device in response to a control signal from a wireless controller 30 located at any nearby location.
The wireless adapter modules 40 are illustrated as being separate external elements connected to the respective fixed medical devices 36. In FIG. 2, the wireless adapter modules 40 are shown located internally within the housing of the respective medical devices 50. It will be appreciated that either arrangement is acceptable for any given medical device 36, 50.
While the above described embodiments include the central wireless controller 30 as a portable or mobile device, in some embodiments the central wireless controller 30 may be a permanent structure fixed within the operating room 10 or intended to remain in the operating room. In these embodiments, the central wireless controller 30 does not require a room identifier storage device (RISD) 46, but instead has the room identifier stored in the controller unit 52 and/or the wireless router 54. The stored identifier corresponds to the room identifier provided in the room monitor 32 for the operating room 10. Otherwise, the fixed wireless controller 30 operates in the same manner as the cart-based or portable central wireless controller 30 discussed above.
Time of Flight Arrangement FIG. 4 illustrates a �time-of-flight� arrangement for a central wireless controller 30 that is fixedly located in a operating room 10 in most embodiments. Elements in FIG. 4 having the same reference numerals as in the arrangements shown in FIGS. 1-3 represent the same element or device.
The main difference in the embodiment of FIG. 4 with respect to the earlier described embodiments is the absence of a room monitor 32 located adjacent the door 34 of the operating room 10. Instead, the central controller 30 relies on two or more transceiver locator devices 66, and for example at least five transceiver locator devices, provided within the operating room 10 to determine the presence of fixed medical devices 36 and portable medical devices 50 located in the room.
The time of flight embodiment with multiple transceiver locator devices 66 shown in FIG. 4 provides separate distance values from each of the respective locator devices 66 to each medical device 36, 50 by, for example, timing the sending of a specific signal to the specific device and determining the return time of a return signal including a unique device identifier. In one embodiment this information is then sent wirelessly to the wireless controller 30. The wireless controller 30 compiles the distance values for each device from the multiple transceiver locator devices 66 to determine the exact location for each fixed or portable medical device 36, 50 in the operating room 10. In some embodiments, the locations are displayed on a room map provided on a display screen or on the tablet 24. The central controller 30 then wirelessly controls the identified medical devices 36, 50 located in the operating room 10 as discussed above.
While the embodiment of FIG. 4 shows two transceiver locator devices 66 capable of identifying the presence of medical devices 36, 50 within the medical room 10, in another embodiment a fixed transceiver locator device 66 is mounted on each wall, along with the floor and ceiling. In this embodiment, the six transceiver locator devices 66 each measure respective distances thereto from each medical device 36, 50 and the controller 30. The measured distances of each medical device 36, 50 from each of the six transceiver locator devices 66 are correlated to determine whether the respective medical device is in the operating room 10 and available for use. Further, the exact locations of the devices 36, 50 and the controller 30 are determined by a central time-of-flight microcomputer or the like. These locations are provided to the wireless controller 30 for display on a room map provided on a monitor, display screen, or a tablet. The map enables a user to easily locate the devices 36, 50 in the operating room.
In another embodiment, the time-of-flight location system operates to detect the presence of devices in the operating room 10 according to the system disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,661,490, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.
In one embodiment of the above time-of-flight arrangement, the portable devices 36 do not require a room identifier storage device (RISD) 46 for storing a room identifier. Instead, each portable or fixed medical device 36, 50 only receives transmissions from transceiver locator devices 66 and returns signals with a unique device identifier.
Further, the above time-of-flight embodiments do not require room monitors 32, much less room monitors with memory to remember the portable controllers 30 and portable medical devices 50 located in an operating room 10.
In most embodiments, the unique device identifier that identifies the exact individual medical device 36, 50 is a stored model registration number.
Global Network System FIGS. 5 and 6 illustrate a global network system that detects various devices in a room. Another arrangement for a global network system for a foot controller is disclosed in U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/995,330, owned by the Assignee hereof and filed Sep. 26, 2007, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.
The partial diagram of a medical facility 68 illustrated in FIG. 5 includes a hallway 64 and a plurality of medical rooms 10. The medical rooms 10 include operating rooms and storage rooms. The individual operating rooms 10 may have surgical tables 16 and other systems and medical devices 36, 50 represented by the same reference numerals as described above with respect to the earlier embodiments.
FIG. 6 depicts a block diagram of a global network system 70 according to one embodiment of the present invention. The global network system 70 includes a global network processor 72, data storage 74, a control interface 76 connected to the global network processor 72 and a display 78. The control interface 76 and display 78 are provided at a remote location.
As discussed above, in earlier embodiments, the room monitors 32 detect the exiting and entering of portable central wireless controllers 30 and portable medical devices 50 from the respective operating rooms 10. In this embodiment the detected information is stored in the room monitor 32. The detected information may include device data for the medical devices 36, 50 in the respective operating room 10, along with unique device identifiers.
The global network processor 70 receives outputs from each of the room monitors 32. In one embodiment, the global network system 70 determines if the portable medical devices 50 and portable wireless controllers 30 are located in a particular operating room 10 to ensure that the necessary medical devices are present therein for a particular type of scheduled surgery. The medical devices in the operating room 10 are listed on display 78.
In some embodiments, the room monitors 32 not only determine the respective operating rooms 10 within a medical building or facility 68 having medical devices 50 and portable wireless controllers 30 located therein, but also sense unique identifiers for each of the portable medical devices 50 and the portable central wireless controllers 30. The unique identifiers enable recording of the location, history or usage of each specific portable medical device 50 and each portable controller 30, along with any other relevant data. The location data for all of the portable medical devices 50 and the respective central wireless controllers 30 is received from the room monitors 32 by the global network processor 72. The global network processor 72 compiles the data and stores the data in data storage 74.
In another embodiment, the data storage 74 stores additional data and other information for each specific medical device 36, 50, such as whether the medical device is sterilized. Again, this data is first received by the global network processor 72 from the respective room monitors 32. In response to an input at the control interface 76, the display 78 shows the exact portable medical devices 50 and their locations to assist in collection of the medical devices for servicing.
In another embodiment, separate storage rooms also have room monitors 32. This arrangement enables the global network system 70 to provide an inventory of portable medical devices 50 and portable wireless controllers 30, including their locations in medical rooms, storage rooms, patient rooms and elsewhere throughout the facility.
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