MEDICAL DEVICE AND METHOD FOR COMMUNICATION FOR A MEDICAL DEVICE

Description

[0001] The present invention relates to a medical device and a method for communication for a medical device and preferably at least one other device.

[0002] Conventional medical devices, such as extracorporeal blood treatment devices, especially dialysis machines, are characterized by only limited communication capabilities.

[0003] US2016 / 284198A1 discloses a method for adjusting a tone in a medical device. EP2740413A1 discloses a coupling method for a control unit and a medical device. US2011 / 301439A1 discloses a system for personal health monitoring.

[0004] This presents challenges, particularly in situations where multiple medical devices of this type need to be operated in a coordinated manner.

[0005] For example, in a dialysis unit, a large number of dialysis machines are typically operated at synchronized intervals. Since all machines should perform the same preparation / post-treatment and operating processes as simultaneously as possible, synchronization of the machines is necessary.

[0006] However, without a means of communication between devices, the operation of a group of devices is traditionally realized as a sequencing of manual process repetitions. This requires personnel to walk from device to device and initiate the same process at each one individually by manually entering a command. This not only leads to physical (walking distances) and psychological (process repetition) strain on the personnel, but also to unwanted delays in operations.

[0007] Typically, before starting treatment operations, personnel initiate all machines one at a time and then, after each machine has completed its preparation step, initiate the next process for each machine. Since individual processes can take different amounts of time depending on the machine, the resulting workflow is often uncoordinated and inefficient.

[0008] In order to solve these problems caused by the lack of communication capability of medical devices, various solutions are known from the state of the art.

[0009] For example, communication capabilities are to be increased by equipping or retrofitting medical devices, such as dialysis machines, with a network interface through which data can be transferred from / to the device, e.g. via an intranet.

[0010] In older devices, which make up the majority of all dialysis machines in use, this network interface must be retrofitted, which represents a considerable technical, regulatory and financial effort and is not always possible.

[0011] The present invention is therefore based on the object of mitigating or even completely eliminating the problems known from the prior art. Specifically, it aims to provide a medical device with improved communication capabilities and a method for communicating between a medical device and other medical devices or even non-medical devices.

[0012] This object is achieved by a medical device according to claim 1 and by a method according to claim 9.

[0013] A medical device according to the invention, in particular a device for extracorporeal blood treatment, has an output unit for transmitting system tones for communication with a user, wherein the output unit is additionally designed to transmit notification tones for communication with at least one other device.

[0014] In other words, the existing hardware, i.e., the output unit, is used to communicate not only with a user but also with other medical devices or non-medical devices. This dual use of the existing output unit eliminates the need for costly retrofitting.

[0015] This takes advantage of the fact that many common dialysis machines are equipped with an output unit, such as a loudspeaker or loudspeakers. This is often required by regulations so that staff can be alerted by sound.

[0016] To ensure the function of the loudspeaker, the devices are also equipped with a receiving unit, in particular with a microphone, which is sensitive to all system sounds, among other things.

[0017] In other words, according to the invention, these already existing units (microphone and loudspeaker) and the already established system tones (e.g. information tones, message tones, alarm tones, test tones) are to be used to realize an additional communication interface without upgrading / retrofitting the devices.

[0018] For this purpose, according to the invention, data to be communicated between the devices is preferably encrypted and encoded as a tone sequence (also referred to as a message tone). These encrypted messages are preferably transmitted simultaneously with the emitted system tones from the same output unit or loudspeaker and received by the receiving unit (e.g., microphone) of another device.

[0019] Preferably, the frequency of the notification tone is set in relation to the frequency of the system tone in such a way that the additional message / notification tone cannot be perceived by the human ear. This method serves to mask the notification tone.

[0020] Another type of masking, which is not part of the claimed invention, is temporal masking, in which an additional message tone, preferably short and quiet relative to the system tone, containing the additional data message is appended to the end of the system tone.

[0021] It has proven advantageous in practice if, for a medical device according to the invention, the database of system tones stored on the device is expanded to include the notification tones, as well as their adaptation for masking within any system tone. In other words, the database of a medical device according to the invention thus contains not only the conventional system tones, but also a number of notification tones. Furthermore, the medical device has appropriate software that enables the device to encrypt the notification tones accordingly or to decrypt and / or mask or unmask received notification tones.

[0022] Preferably, the system tones emitted by a medical device according to the invention are perceptible to the human ear and the notification tones, alone or in combination with the system tones, are not perceptible to the human ear, so that users are not disturbed by the communication between the devices and apparatuses or do not even perceive it.

[0023] Preferably, the receiving unit of a medical device according to the invention is designed to receive and preferably decrypt or unmask the notification tones from at least one other device, which is a medical or non-medical device (e.g. a mobile phone or tablet).

[0024] Data that may be included, individually or in combination, in such a masked message or notification tone includes, among others: a device ID, a location ID, an error message ID, an ID of a running and / or most recently completed and / or next pending process, a message regarding the status of the process, e.g., data regarding the temporal progress of a queue of multiple devices, or a trigger for action instructions for other devices. However, this list is only exemplary, and the type of data transmitted is entirely arbitrary.

[0025] According to the invention, all of this data or information, including redundancies, can be encoded within a notification tone that does not outlast common system tones.

[0026] Additional sound sequences that do not occur in naturally generated sounds can also be included to avoid confusion of the notification tone with ambient noise.

[0027] The receiving unit or microphone of a device records both components, the system tone and the preferably masked message tone, of the emitted tone, and the two components are preferably processed separately within a device computer (which preferably has an evaluation unit and a control unit) of the receiving device: The system tone is processed as usual, e.g. as a self-test, and the masked message tone is decoded and then processed depending on the content.

[0028] According to an advantageous embodiment, a control unit of a medical device according to the invention is designed to control the medical device in accordance with a notification tone received by the receiving unit.

[0029] Preferably, the control unit controls the medical device to at least partially output the received notification tone, to initiate or terminate a predetermined process, preferably stored in a database, to output data, in particular data regarding the device status, as a preferably masked notification tone, to deactivate the receiving unit or to ignore notification tones, or to output a tone perceptible to the human ear for the purpose of alerting. However, this list is only exemplary, and other actions are conceivable.

[0030] To execute such actions, the software of the device-controlling computer or the control unit of a medical device according to the invention is expanded. If an instruction is part of the masked message, the receiving device executes it. Possible actions (and corresponding triggering messages) are stored in a database in the device's memory.

[0031] All action instructions can be conditionally correlated with operating parameters of the receiving devices and / or temporally correlated, ie an action instruction should be executed after a certain time has elapsed after receipt of the message and / or when the receiving device is in a certain status.

[0032] Sending and receiving masked tones, in conjunction with the actions following reception, enables multi-level communication between multiple devices without requiring any hardware modifications or upgrades. Communication between devices should preferably run parallel to the established standard tones / system tones, but can also be unmasked and / or independent of the standard tones / system tones if required.

[0033] In a medical device according to the invention, the output unit is designed to emit the system tones and the notification tones simultaneously, so that the notification tones are transmitted in a masked manner.

[0034] In particular, the medical device may provide a control unit which adjusts the frequency of the notification tones to be emitted by the output unit relative to the frequency of the system tones to be emitted by the output unit in such a way that the notification tones are masked.

[0035] According to an unclaimed aspect, the output unit is configured to output the notification tones immediately before or after the system tones or within system tone pauses.

[0036] Preferably, the control unit is designed to encrypt or mask the notification tones to be output before output.

[0037] A further aspect of the invention relates to a method for communication of a medical device with at least one other device, comprising the steps: Outputting a system tone that is preferably perceptible to the human ear, preferably by means of an output unit of the medical device and / or the at least one other device; and outputting a notification tone that is preferably imperceptible to the human ear, preferably by means of the same output unit of the medical device and / or the at least one other device, wherein the notification tone is designed to be received by the medical device and / or the at least one other device.

[0038] The method can be used for communication between several medical devices or for communication of a medical device with at least one other, preferably non-medical device.

[0039] In other words, in addition to messages between each other, the masked sounds of the devices can also be perceived by a non-medical communication device or device (e.g. a mobile phone) with a microphone, loudspeaker and common communication options (e.g. via WiFi).

[0040] The non-medical device is ideally positioned in the vicinity of the medical devices, e.g. in the treatment room, so that it can perceive the sounds of all medical devices in the room without interference.

[0041] Preferably, the non-medical device is also capable of generating sounds generated by the medical devices or treatment devices. The network connection allows the non-medical device to communicate with other non-medical devices, e.g., a nursing staff cell phone. This allows staff to be informed about the status of device processes, any warnings, etc., even if they are not within earshot or sight of the treatment devices.

[0042] Conversely, staff can also transmit instructions to a non-medical device located near the medical devices by entering them on the non-medical device / mobile phone. These instructions are then transmitted via audio to individual medical devices. Direct communication between a communication device (e.g., a mobile phone) used by the nursing staff and the medical devices is also conceivable.

[0043] The procedure also includes the step: Masking the notification tone by the system tone, preferably by means of frequency-based masking or, according to an unclaimed aspect, temporal masking.

[0044] Masking offers the advantage that human users are not distracted or disturbed by the communication between the devices.

[0045] According to an advantageous embodiment, the method further comprises the steps: Evaluating the notification tone, preferably by means of an evaluation unit on the part of the medical device and / or the at least one other device, and executing a control command encoded in the notification tone by means of a control unit on the part of the medical device and / or the at least one other device.

[0046] In this embodiment, as described above, the notification tone causes the receiving device to perform a predetermined action stored in a database.

[0047] A further aspect of the invention relates to a system comprising at least one medical device according to the invention and at least one other device, in particular a non-medical communication device, wherein the system is preferably designed to carry out communication according to a method according to the invention.

[0048] Preferably, in such a system, the at least one other device comprises a receiving unit, an output unit and preferably a network connection unit and is preferably a mobile phone, a computer or a tablet computer.

[0049] Another aspect of the invention relates to a computer program product for retrofitting a conventional medical device, in particular an extracorporeal blood treatment device, in particular a dialysis machine, to carry out a method according to the invention, wherein the computer program product contains instructions which, when read by a conventional medical device, enable it to carry out a method according to the invention.

[0050] In other words, a computer program product according to the invention contains instructions by means of which a conventional medical device can be upgraded or retrofitted into a medical device according to the invention.

[0051] The computer program product can be provided, for example, on a data storage device (USB stick, CD, etc.). Alternatively, the computer program product can also be provided in the cloud, so that the program stored in the cloud can be accessed specifically to upgrade a specific medical device.

[0052] Further features, effects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description of preferred non-limiting embodiments.

[0053] Dialysis machines should be able to communicate with each other or with other external devices by incorporating information into the system sounds in a way that is inaudible to the human ear.

[0054] Since the system tones of a dialysis machine must be very loud due to standard requirements, good masking properties are achieved on the neighboring "frequency bands".

[0055] System tones refer to all sounds typically emitted by a medical device, such as a dialysis machine, such as information, notification, and alarm tones. Even the test sound during the T1 test can be used.

[0056] One possible application of the present invention relates to synchronized processes with multiple dialysis machines.

[0057] Information in message tones can be used, for example, to synchronize the control of a group of devices located in the same room, starting from the switching on of all devices, through the setup and preparation, right up to the treatment.

[0058] This is particularly interesting if the different devices spend different amounts of time in the individual preparation steps due to different setup settings or different treatment procedures.

[0059] This would make the work of the nursing staff much easier if the same steps could always be carried out on all devices at the same time, or almost at the same time.

[0060] The synchronization is carried out in such a way that the devices initially, ie with the function test, with a preferably masked notification tone, among other things, ID and send their location to all devices in the area (identification message). It is important that all devices are switched on when the identification messages sound so that all devices can receive them.

[0061] Alternatively, synchronization occurs at the beginning. In this process, all devices send a specific signal and receive incoming sounds. The devices then store information about which and how many other devices each device is connected to and synchronized with.

[0062] In In other words, virtually all devices know which other devices are in the same room. This would require a device to be informed of its location, for example, during setup, so that it can transmit it.

[0063] Another way to detect devices in close proximity would be a quantitative analysis of the signal amplitude and frequency of message tones received from nearby devices. Attenuation by walls and other barriers would alter the signal amplitude and frequency.

[0064] Information sent as part of a preferably masked message tone could look like this: <Gerät xy, im Raum xyz, Behandlungsverfahren CVVxyz, Meldung #abcd (z.B. Beginn Füllen)>

[0065] The next preparation step would only begin when all devices have reached the required state, e.g. all devices have passed the T1 test (and send out a corresponding signal) and can begin upgrading, or all devices have been upgraded and can begin filling.

[0066] To do this, the devices must have memorized which partner devices are in the room at the beginning so that they know whether all devices have reached the next step. This "memorization" is achieved by storing the relevant information in a database. The devices would need to know, or have memorized, which steps are performed during the preparation for the various treatment procedures.

[0067] Once a device reaches a state, it emits a single "I have reached a state" notification tone and then goes silent. When all devices have reached that state, the last device emits the normal notification tone or system tone, informing the user that all devices have reached the same state and the user can perform the next action.

[0068] In principle, a time limit could also be provided so that if the preparation time on one device takes longer, the remaining devices are not also affected by the delay. For example, a time interval is defined in which a device must report the completion of a step. If this is no longer the case, another interval is waited for and then the next step is started, possibly without the delayed device.

[0069] If a device enters an error state, it can simply notify the other devices via a notification tone. This would allow devices to dynamically log in and out of the shared process.

[0070] The affected device will also preferably emit an audible signal / alarm tone to alert the user. If the delay required to resolve the alarm does not exceed the specified time interval, the device can also re-enter synchronization.

[0071] Devices could assess whether another device is ahead or behind them in the process.

[0072] In this way, the devices could wait for each other and be brought into the treatment room with less mental effort from the nursing staff. In essence, in a metaphorical sense (object-oriented programming), multiple instances of one device are brought into the treatment room.

[0073] An alternative solution could also be to allow an input, such as pressing a control panel on one device, to also start the other devices, provided they are at the same point in the process without errors. This would mean that a user could simultaneously confirm the same message on all devices by pressing a control panel on one device.

[0074] This command from one device to all participating devices can also be transmitted in a notification tone.

[0075] Another possible application involves informing nursing staff via mobile phone. Another possible use of information transmission via notification tones is that nursing staff could also record and evaluate these tones using their mobile phones.

[0076] This could, for example, convey that device xy in room xyz is currently issuing the message or status #abc. The staff would know the current status of the dialysis machines without being physically present in the room.

[0077] A nurse would not only see from a distance that dialysis machine xy is flashing red, he would also be able to see which event is causing the alarm.

[0078] Another possible application involves informing nursing staff via a network. One or more additional devices (non-medical devices or communication devices), such as mobile phones equipped with a microphone, could be placed at central locations on the ward. These devices could record the system tones and other information from the dialysis machines, such as notification tones, and feed them into a network, thus making the information accessible to nursing staff across all rooms.

[0079] Human hearing has a lowest audible frequency of approximately 20 hertz, while the highest audible frequency, depending on the person's age, is a maximum of 20 kHz. The hearing threshold depends on the frequency; the sensitivity of perception is highest at approximately 4 kHz. The message tones used can be inaudible or audible to the human ear.

[0080] In principle, notification tones could be emitted in the inaudible frequency range. In some hardware configurations, only audible tones are possible. These fundamentally audible tones can nevertheless be made inaudible to the human ear (masking). Two types of masking are known: First, tones in the low frequency range can simultaneously mask tones in the mid-frequency range. This phenomenon is due to the human auditory anatomy.

[0081] On the other hand, there is temporal masking, in which after the end of a relatively loud tone, another relatively quieter tone cannot be perceived.

[0082] A microphone, on the other hand, can perceive these frequencies and, using appropriate bandpass filters, can define different frequency bands with different signal power and thus SNR (Signal to Noise Ratio).

[0083] Message content can be amplitude- or frequency-modulated in the message tone.

[0084] In principle, a protocol similar to the CAN bus could be conceivable for communication. Messages are prioritized, meaning they have IDs that are prioritized. This is necessary because all devices transmit on the same "bus," i.e., the same frequency / line. This system has the advantage of being able to identify frequencies that are at least partially unoccupied, over which the devices could communicate.

[0085] Alternatively, you could assign a specific frequency to each device via a master.

[0086] Furthermore, there should also be a checksum after receiving a notification tone, which can be used to check the message for errors. The checksum is an example of a verification step for a received message.

[0087] If an identification code is transmitted over a frequency along with the notification tone, all devices know which device is allowed to transmit and which must remain silent. This means that the payload / message can then be transmitted over additional frequencies to transmit more data faster than using the tone alone.

[0088] Different transmission rates (BAUD rates) on different frequencies are possible. The maximum strength of the transmitted signal determines the maximum distance between machines or devices, which determines the maximum distance between the devices and allows them to communicate with each other.

[0089] To protect the communication process against tampering, it is best to encrypt the data before transmission. Combined with an authentication system, this increases communication security.

Claims

1. Medical device, in particular a device for extracorporeal blood treatment, having an output unit for outputting system sounds for communication with a user, wherein the output unit is additionally adapted to transmit message sounds for communication with at least one other apparatus and to simultaneously emit the system sounds and the message sounds so that the message sounds are transmitted in a masked manner.

2. Medical device in accordance with claim 1, characterized in that the system sounds are perceptible to human hearing and the message sounds are not perceptible to human hearing.

3. Medical device in accordance with claim 1 or claim 2, further comprising a reception unit that is configured to receive and preferably to decrypt the message sounds from at least one other apparatus.

4. Medical device in accordance with one of the preceding claims, further comprising a control unit that is adapted to control the medical device in agreement with a message sound received by the reception unit.

5. Medical device in accordance with claim 4, characterized in that the control unit controls the medical device to at least partially output the received message sound, to initiate or end a predetermined process preferably stored in a database, to output data, in particular data with respect to the device status, as a preferably masked message sound, to switch off the reception unit or to ignore message sounds or to output a sound perceptible to human hearing for the purpose of emitting an alarm.

6. Medical device in accordance with one of the preceding claims, further comprising a control unit that sets the frequency of the message sounds to be outputted by the output unit relative to the frequency of the system sounds to be transmitted by the output unit such that a masking of the message sounds takes place.

7. Medical device in accordance with claim 4 or 6, characterized in that the control unit is adapted to encrypt the message sounds to be output prior to the output.

8. Method of communication of a medical device in accordance with one of the claims 1-7, with at least one other apparatus, comprising the steps: - outputting a system sound preferably perceptible to human hearing, preferably by means of an output unit of the medical device and / or of the at least one other apparatus; - outputting a message sound preferably not perceptible to human hearing, preferably by means of the same output unit of the medical device and / or of the at least one other apparatus, with the message sound being adapted to be received by the medical device and / or the at least one other apparatus; and masking of the message sound with the system sound.

9. Method in accordance with claim 8, wherein masking the message sound with the system sound takes place by means of a frequency-based masking.

10. Method in accordance with claim 8 or claim 9, further comprising the steps: - evaluating the message sound, preferably by means of an evaluation unit at the side of the medical device and / or of the at least one other apparatus; and - performing a control command encoded in the message sound by means of a control unit at the side of the medical device and / or of the at least one other apparatus.

11. System of at least one medical device in accordance with one of the claims 1 to 7, and at least one other apparatus, in particular a non-medical communication apparatus, wherein the system is preferably adapted to perform a communication in accordance with a method in accordance with claims 8 to 10.

12. System in accordance with claim 11, characterized in that the at least one other apparatus has a reception unit, an output unit, and a unit for a network connection and is preferably a cellular phone, a computer, or a tablet computer.

13. Computer program product for upgrading a medical device, in particular an extracorporeal blood treatment apparatus, particularly a dialysis machine, for carrying out a method in accordance with one of the claims 8 to 10, wherein the computer program product contains instructions that, when they are read out by a medical device, enable it to carry out a method in accordance with one of the claims 8 to 10.

14. Computer program product in accordance with claim 13, wherein the computer program product contains instructions that, when they are read out by a conventional medical device, provide it with the features of a medical device in accordance with one of the claims 1 to 7.