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  Systems and methods for wireless processing and medical device monitoring activationUSPTO Application #: 20080103555Title: Systems and methods for wireless processing and medical device monitoring activation Abstract: One method according to the present invention includes activating a first device in response to an event, receiving data wirelessly from a medical device by the first device, transmitting the data to a second device by the first device, and transmitting the data from the second device to a medical data server. This method can be practiced automatically to allow a medical device for a patient or other subject to be monitored without requiring the patient to manually enter information. (end of abstract) Agent: Squire Sanders & Dempsey LLP - Phoenix, AZ, US Inventors: Kent Dicks, Ralph Kent, Robert Tripp, Terry Bartlett, Thomas Crosley USPTO Applicaton #: 20080103555 - Class: 607060000 (USPTO) Related Patent Categories: Surgery: Light, Thermal, And Electrical Application, Light, Thermal, And Electrical Application, Electrical Therapeutic Systems, Telemetry Or Communications Circuits The Patent Description & Claims data below is from USPTO Patent Application 20080103555. Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION [0001] This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/862,743, filed Oct. 24, 2006, the disclosure of which is incorporated by reference in its entirety. STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT [0002] Not applicable. NOTICE OF INCLUDED COPYRIGHTED MATERIAL [0003] A portion of the disclosure of this patent document contains material which is subject to copyright protection. The copyright owner has no objection to the facsimile reproduction by anyone of the patent document or the patent disclosure, as it appears in the Patent and Trademark Office patent file or records, but otherwise reserves all copyright rights whatsoever. All trademarks and service marks identified herein are owned by the applicant. DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [0004] 1. Field of the Invention [0005] The present invention relates to systems and methods for medical device monitoring, and more particularly, to systems and methods for wirelessly monitoring medical devices. [0006] 2. Background of the Invention [0007] Historically, patient medical care was often provided for in the patient's home or some other environment apart from a clinical setting. Physicians, midwives, or other healthcare providers would make house calls, observe patient symptoms, formulate diagnoses, and provide treatment. As the state of the art of health care evolved over time, the number of house calls made by healthcare professionals diminished. In large part, health care providers conducted fewer and fewer house calls because it became impractical to bring bulky medical diagnosis and test equipment to the patient. Likewise, it was not cost effective or intellectually feasible for patients to purchase and operate the complicated and expensive medical machines in a home setting. Therefore, the health care model changed dramatically, emphasizing patient visits to health care facilities where an assortment of state-of-the-art test equipment would be available to assist doctors in more accurately assessing and treating patients. This meant that patients were now expected to come to the doctor, rather than the other way around. [0008] Innovations in electronics in the last twenty years have made available a large number of more affordable and patient-operable medical devices that obviated, at least in part, the need for the patient to go to a facility each time a medical test or device checkup was required. Size and expense were not the only factors making this possible; since the new devices provided sophisticated processing in smaller form factors, the technical complexity required to operate the devices were reduced to a level that would not overwhelm a layperson's knowledge. Unfortunately, although portable medical devices such as blood glucose meters now allow patients to perform tests outside the context of medical facilities, patients still need to meet with health care providers to discuss the results obtained. [0009] Some medical devices include wireless transmitters for the communication of data to and from the medical device. For medical devices implanted in a patient, such as a pacemaker, wireless communication allows a healthcare provider to monitor the operation of the medical device, and to optionally monitor a patient's biological and biometric information, the patient's behavior, and other information pertinent to the treatment of the patient. However, the manner in which medical devices communicate data varies depending on the type and manufacturer of the device, and therefore, proprietary equipment has been designed to wirelessly communicate with medical devices only on a specific frequency and using a particular data communication protocol based on the type of medical device being used. [0010] In the United States, medical devices can broadcast on a wide range of frequencies. For example, older implantable medical devices use frequencies ranging from 32 KHz to 175 KHz. The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has allocated three frequency bands for use with wireless medical device communication, known as the Wireless Medical Telemetry System (WMTS). The WMTS frequency bands include the frequency ranges of 608-614 MHz, 1395-1400 MHz, and 1427-1432 MHz. Additionally, the FCC has allocated a band specifically for use by implanted medical devices. This band is known as the Medical Implant Communication Service (MICS) and includes the 402-405 MHz frequency band. It would be desirable to have the capability to communicate with medical devices using any of these frequency bands using a wide variety of wireless protocols that might be broadcast by the devices. [0011] To make patient monitoring more convenient, Remote Patient Monitoring (RPM) was developed. Remote Patient Monitoring (RPM) generally refers to monitoring one or more conditions of a patient without requiring the patient to visit a hospital, doctor's office, or other healthcare facility. RPM can increase the efficiency and effectiveness of providing care to patients while reducing costs. RPM can be particularly useful when a patient has a long-term or chronic disease that would otherwise require frequent visits to a healthcare facility and/or where a patient's treatment regimen should be modified based on changed patient conditions that are monitored by one or more medical devices, such as a pacemaker or glucose meter. For example, Type-I Diabetes patients (a lifelong condition) use glucose meters to monitor their blood sugar level to assist in determining when to take insulin--it would be desirable if such information could be quickly, easily, and effectively relayed to a heath care provider for review and analysis. [0012] Conventional RPM generally involves the use of a specific monitoring device installed in a patient's home. The device collects data concerning the patient's condition and relays the data to a healthcare provider. Some conventional systems require a patient to manually enter the data. For example, a diabetes patient using a conventional system for RPM may be required to sample their blood sugar level using a glucose meter, take note of the reading, and then manually enter the level in the conventional system. There are drawbacks with these conventional devices. Because of their complexity and proprietary interfaces, many are very expensive, which reduces the cost-savings benefit of RPM. Additionally, they often require a land-line connection (such as phone or VPN) to transmit data and/or are physically bulky/heavy and therefore difficult to transport. Furthermore, conventional systems are often unable to provide data to healthcare providers quickly where data must be manually entered by a patient, which can reduce the level of benefit the patient receives from RPM. What is needed, then, is a system to allow health care providers to freely access patient-related health data, enabling the provider to conduct a virtual house call. What is also needed is a portable device and system that interoperates with a broad range of wireless-enabled medical devices to receive medical data, and provides for management and transport of that data to a healthcare provider. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION [0013] Methods and systems according to the present invention may operate in conjunction with any desired frequency band, including those described above, and may operate in conjunction with multiple frequency bands. In exemplary embodiments, methods and systems according to the present invention may be configured to receive medical device data transmitted in any format and from any medical device. One method according to the present invention includes activating a first device in response to an event, receiving data wirelessly from a medical device by the first device, transmitting the data to a second device by the first device, and transmitting the data from the second device to a medical data server. Once at the medical data server the information can be reviewed by a healthcare professional at a location remote to the patient. This method allows the first device to be activated only as necessary to communicate with the medical device in order to conserve battery life. This method may be practiced automatically, either continuously or at set intervals, or may be initiated by someone utilizing the system (such as the patient or health care provider). The method preferably functions without the need for the patient to manually enter information into a device. [0014] A method according to another aspect of the present invention includes activating a first device in response to an event, receiving data wirelessly from a medical device by the first device, transmitting the data to a second device by the first device, encrypting at least one of the received data, a portion of the received data, and a digest of the received data, and transmitting the data from the second device to a medical data server. The data can be encrypted using a combination of public and private keys, and allows sensitive medical data for a patient to be securely transmitted to the intermediary device and/or medical data server without being viewed by unintended recipients. [0015] Embodiments of the present invention may be used to wirelessly monitor any appropriate medical device from essentially any location from which a communications signal can be sent and received. This enables patients to enjoy an active lifestyle by not being tied to medical device monitoring equipment that is difficult or impossible to transport or having to routinely visit health care facilities. The present invention can be used to monitor any amount and type of data from any medical device. [0016] The present invention can also be used for a variety of other monitoring purposes. For example, the present invention can be used to monitor a blood alcohol monitor, alcohol breathalyzer, or alcohol ignition interlock device to help insure a driver does not operate a motor vehicle under the influence of alcohol or other substance. The present invention can also be used in conjunction with a Global Positioning System (GPS) or other geolocation device to monitor the position of a patient. The present invention may also be used in a wide variety of military applications, such as remotely monitoring devices tracking the health status of soldiers on a battlefield in real-time in order to quickly dispatch aid to wounded soldiers. The present invention may be used to remotely monitor a chemical, biological agent, or radiation sensor carried by a soldier to detect an attack by unconventional weaponry. [0017] Both the foregoing summary and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory only and are not restrictive of the invention. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS [0018] A more complete understanding of the present invention may be derived by referring to the detailed description and claims when considered in connection with the following illustrative figures. Continue reading... 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