System and method for controlling a data transmission to and/or from a plurality of medical devices

System and method for controlling a data transfer to and / or from a plurality of medical devices

description

The invention relates to a system and method for controlling a data transfer to and / or of a / a plurality of medical devices in accordance with the upper handle of the claims 1 and 9. FIG.

In clinics or hospitals networks for transmitting data are made available frequently, which are intended to provide a data communication with a plurality of medical devices on one side and a server or a server device on the other side are available. Such networks have to task of that data transfers take place promptly. This applies to both data that is generated on the medical devices, which are often associated with patients who show a patient's bed and need to be sent to the central server means to monitor the data, evaluate and display, as well as data, the to be sent from the server device from a central to the various medical devices. This communication must be timely (near real time) and smoothly carried out, which is often very fact not assured because all medical devices to access a shared network and thereby often takes place overloading the network. In addition can be done in the data transfer and are thus performed no interference-free data transmission by such overload an interruption. This often results in that disposed in the medical devices are large buffer the order for the network failure or overloading of the data that are currently produced in the medical device or have been previously received, temporarily.

A reading of this buffer will only be re-enabled when a fixed data transmission connection has been built up with the server means, for example by reducing network congestion.

Accordingly, the present invention seeks to provide a system and method for controlling data transfer to and / or from one / a plurality of the medical devices available that a trouble-free, continuous transmission of data between the medical devices on the one hand and a server device on the other hand to make sure that no data loss in timely transmission of data, and an overload of a network takes place. This object is achieved by the system side features of claim 1 and method rensseitig by the features of claim. 9

An essential point of the invention is that in case of a system for controlling a data transfer to and / or of a / a plurality of medical devices, wherein the plurality is divided medical devices into individual groups each having at least one medical device, each group medical instruments is connected directly to a first data transfer stage with a disposed on a second data transfer stage communication means for the transfer, storage and control of data on each of a first network, and means are provided which are designed so that a plurality of said communication devices to a third data transmission with arranged on a third data transfer step common central server means for storing, for control and data transmission data exchanges. Such means may be a second Netwerk, which connects the communication device directly connected to the server device. Alternatively or additionally to such means external storage media such as USB sticks or memory cards that represent which can be used for transmitting data.

By such a system for controlling a data transmission is advantageously allows, due to the multi-stage arrangement of the individual in the data transmission system components involved not only the network load is minimized with data, thereby preventing an overload on the networks, but also a trouble-free data transfer between the medical devices on the one hand and the server device on the other hand ensured. This is because the connection of the individual medical devices, which are divided into groups, each with a communication device, which is constructed such, moreover, that they may be self-sustaining, that is, independent from the server means, to communicate with the medical devices, which are preferably infusion pumps and also can store data, a direct connection between each communication device on the one hand and a medical GE is advises the other hand, as the exclusive connection of the first network created.

This means that for example in the use of a network of the type CAN, take place no temporal and mengenmäßen duplication of data or data packets between medical devices and a centrally located server device to, since the exclusive direct line between the communication device and a medical device latency and data loss in the transmission of data is reduced and almost excludes. It will thus not only repeat loops, as they must often be done for a successful transfer of data over a network, which is to provide a variety of medical devices at the same time, but also update - prevents crashes while updating the software of the medical devices.

In addition, may result from this direct line between the communication device and the medical device interference-free transmission of data from the medical device to the communication device, or vice versa. This can be both device-specific and patient-related data of patients, associated with medical devices such as insulin pumps, as well as drug-specific data that is to be sent from the server means to the medical devices, concern.

For this purpose, the central server means a server application unit and a memory unit, wherein the application server unit is connected to application units operating on a fourth data transfer step by means of a third network. Thus, a plurality of applications operating units disposed on a further data transfer stage of this cascade or multi-stage established communication structure, resulting in a plurality of loosely communicating devices, units, and medical devices arise at different levels of communication structure that can operate relatively independently and act in order to continue to maintain communication with the neighboring devices / units / medical equipment the next lower or next higher level upright. This enables a reduction in susceptibility to communication problems, as they often can with a server that is connected to such a network directly with the medical equipment throughout the hospital, for example, occur when using Wireless LAN (WLAN).

Each communication device is equipped for this with at least a first storage unit and a first control unit for inter zuspeichern of the medical equipment group coming and receiving data, particular device-specific and patient-related data from patients who are connected to the medical devices, and bundled to the storage server unit to pass.

Also, the first storage unit and the first control unit of each communication device is adapted, from the storage server unit or application server unit incoming and receiving data, in particular drugs specific data between schenzuspeichern and rebroadcast to query or to selected medical devices if needed. This allows data can be sent both from the communication device to the medical devices as well as the medical equipment to the communication device, all data can be cached within each communication device and optionally also read directly from this communication device without using a server device or in this can be written. This is a virtually independent first network between a group of medical equipment on the one hand and at least one communication means on the other hand possible.

Similarly, the second network, which onseinrichtungen between a plurality of such communication on the one hand and the server device is configured to be regarded by the other networks independent network business. In this respect, a data transmission from the server means to the individual communication devices, which is necessary for example to medication data that are available from the server device in a new form available to the individual communication devices and thus the medical devices to pass, take place first by means of the second network and within the individual communication devices, this data can be cached to be redirected as needed and at a suitable operating state of the medical device to this. This may, for example, when the insulin pump designed as a medical device is currently no drug delivery in the form of insulin to the patient.

The third network between the server device and the application of control units that can be located remotely from the server device, with utmost care as self-sufficient. This independent third network can be done using a web interface and a web browser to connect the application to control units with the application server unit and thus enable operation, control, an upload and a readout of the data stored on the server device data. The data stored on the server means, which are stored mainly in the storage server unit can be represented also visually, which representation can be used both on the server means and in one or several application control units, which are located away from the server means carried out. An inventive method for controlling the data transmission to and / or from the plurality of medical devices is characterized in that each group transmits to medical devices on a first data transfer stage of / to a disposed on a second data transfer stage communication device data on each of a first network and stores at the receiver or on the transmitter site and possibly used to control the device or the device. This may affect device-specific configuration data, device-specific drug data, device-specific software programs, and the collection and analysis of device-specific status information and the collection and analysis of device-specific treatment information.

The operating on the first data transfer stage devices that operate as nearly independent of the mains, moreover, thus function autonomously are thus controlled by the communication devices via configuration files and commands and give Operating the other way around, status, and medical data to the communication device.

The communication devices on the second data transfer stage are also virtually across network and in particular self-sufficient working formed and receive configuration files and commands from the server device on occasion to pass this automatically to the connected to the respective communication device medical devices from the server device. Likewise, operating status and medical data of all the connected medical devices are the other way around received and buffered in order to then pooled and concentrated to the server means to the third data transfer stage to pass. In addition, the time and function of the communication devices is preferably controlled by the central server means on the third data transfer step by transfer of such control data.

Which is arranged on the third data transfer stage server device is preferably arranged centrally within the hospital and is controlled by the application control units on the fourth data transfer stage. Such control may cause device-specific configuration data and commands are passed on to selected communication devices of the second data transfer stage. Likewise, operating status and medical data of all connected communication are onseinrichtungen the second data transfer level within this third transmission level, ie within the server device, cached.

The arranged in the fourth data transfer level application operating units generate the configuration files and commands automatically or with the help of clinical staff to see. They also carry out a selection of the board to be communication units and define the functional and temporal behavior of the communication devices by allowing them to provide the necessary data or information in the server device according to the third data transfer stage available. The application operating units can also use the operating status and medical data that are temporarily stored in the server device, evaluate appropriately, focus and represent. The application server unit is operated by the application of operating units, controlled and data writing and data reading controlled.

Also in the inventive process are in any communication device in at least a first storage unit and by means of a first control unit received data, which are transmitted from the medical devices of the group, particularly device-specific and patient-related data from patients who are connected to the medical device, cached and bundled and forwarded to the storage server unit.

Likewise, by the first storage unit and the first control unit, the data, in particular drug-specific data received from the storage server unit or the application server unit and buffered in order to rebroadcast to query or to selected medical equipment if needed. This may for example be present if the medical device is located in a suitable for updating with data mode. Then, the communication device receives the transmitting and updating the data in the medical device before its own. For this purpose, the data of all the medical devices are continuously read out from the communication device and stored within the communication device. Once this cached data, which include operating condition data of the medical devices indicating that a suitable mode of operation of the medical device is present, an update of a database of the medical device by the communication device takes place. This may not take place in an operating state, during which there is an ongoing treatment by the medical device.

Preferably, the presence of new data, as well as new configuration data visually displayed within the medical device. The first network is preferably of the CAN and the second and third network are type-Fi and / or LAN.

Further advantageous embodiments emerge from the dependent claims.

Additional features and advantages are shown in the following description with the drawing. In the figures:

FIG. 1 is a schematic representation of the multi-stage built system of the invention; and

FIGS. 2a and 2b in a flow chart in the form of an embodiment of a possible

Application of the multistage system and method of the invention.

In Fig. 1 the basic structure of the system for carrying out the method according to the invention for controlling a data transmission from a plurality of medical equipment is shown in a schematic representation. This system allows the control and configuration of a variety of medical devices without communications failure and without overloading the associated networks and a collection and visualization of other data that are sent from the medical devices and are collected centrally for evaluation and monitoring purposes.

There are a total of four data transfer stages 1-4, wherein in the first data transfer stage 1, a plurality of medical devices 5, such as insulin pumps, divided into various groups 5a are arranged. Each group 5a of medical equipment of a communication device 6 with a first storage unit 6a and a first control unit 6b is assigned. This is realized by means of an exclusive network based on CAN according to the reference number. 7 Thus, between the communication device and each assigned to medical device an exclusive CAN connection. 7 The plurality of communication devices 6 are in turn connected via a second network 9 with a centrally located server device 8, wherein the server device 8 may be divided into a memory unit SS server and an application server entity AS.

The server device 8 may in turn be connected via a third network 1 1 of the third data transfer stage 3 of the disposed on the fourth data transfer stage 4 application operating units 10a, 10b, 10c, which allow different applications A, B, C.

Such multi-level training of the inventive system to promote data transfer enables a trouble-free and overload-unreceptive data transmission over the available networks.

In Fig. 2a and 2b is a flow chart showing an embodiment with a possible realization of the inventive method to which the system according to the invention is necessary is illustrated. First, a new updated drug database is created by an application operating units. This is done according to step 21st

Subsequently, there will be a database storing the drug in accordance with step 22 by sending an appropriate control signal from the application control unit to the server means eighth

According to step 23 to receive all communication devices 6 the message that a new drugs database is provided in the server device. Then place a transfer of medication databases from the server to all the communication devices according to step 24 instead of by polling or by sending the data for the new drug database as needed. This is done via the second network after the third network has been used in the transmission of the application control units to the storage means. The communication devices constantly receive data from the connected to it medical devices on the current state or status of each medication th database, which is currently on the respective medical devices.

Once this check has taken place in accordance with step 25, in a step 26, is queried by sending a polling signal from the communication device to the particular medical device, or by examining the current data which are present within the communication device to the respective device, if the data for the new drug database are identical with the data to the previous drug existing database in the respective medical device. If this is the case, will not update the drug database instead of step 27th

If data on the drugs database do not match, is interrogated in a further step 28, if the concerned medical device has assumed an operational state which permits updating of the database or whether it is currently in a method of therapy. If an operational state of the medical device is present, which allows updating, an updating of the database of the medical device by transferring the medication database data is performed by the communication device of the medical device in step 29th Subsequently, a control of the portion 31 will take place, according to which the current operating state is sent from the medical device to the communication device.

If the mode currently no update allows a way as shown in step 30 setting on the update provided by the communication device to the medical device sent. The medical device sends in response, in step 31 the current operating status of the communication device, which in turn sends in step 32 the current operating status of the server storing in step 33 the current operating state to update a central database of the operating states of all devices ,

The communication device continually checked the operating status of the medical device (step 28) and automatically acquires an update before, once the operating state of a medical device allows an update. According to arrow 34 a repeated interrogation of the operating state by said communication means thus takes place until it is determined that the operating state of the medical device, according to step 28 that allows an updating of the medical device is possible.

When transferring machine information of medical devices to the server devices accordingly two levels of data transmission are traversed, namely the transition from the first data transfer stage to the second data transfer stage and the transition from the second data transfer stage to the third data transfer stage.

Due to the used exclusively by a medical device the first network to the communication device a running query the operating status and a possible consequential change of operating and status data of each medical device with high transmission quality and low distortion is possible. Within the communication device this operating and status data is temporarily stored and processed to then bundle them rebroadcast to the server device via the second network.

The communication device is logged here which data is sent and when the server device via the second network and is thereby able to transfer the data to limit to the server means to the newly arrived or received data.

If a fault of the second network should occur, all the data for predeterminable periods of time are temporarily stored within the communication devices and transmitted completely on renewed availability of the second network to the server means.

According to one embodiment of the invention, it is possible that data be sent from the communications device directly to other third-party systems, without allowing this to happen on the server device. For this to take place also protocol adaptations within the communication device. Due to the reduction of the data to be transmitted from each communication device 6 to the server device on the data that have not yet been transmitted, an overload of the second network 9 can be excluded. Likewise, data loss and latency are excluded within the first network 7 because of the direct connection between each communication device 6 and each medical device 5, as in any medical device 5 whose entire protocol including data is stored. A storage of data within the communication means 6 for the case of power failures is hereby no longer necessary.

All features disclosed in the application documents are claimed as essential to the invention, provided that they individually or in combination, over the prior art are new.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

1, 2, 3, 4 data transfer stage

5, 5a medical devices

6 communication device

6a storage unit

6b controller

7 first network

8 central server facility

9 second network

10a - 10c application operating units

1 1 third network

21 -34 steps

AS application server unit

SS storage unit