PATIENT MONITOR SYSTEM AND PROCESS FOR ESTABLISHING A BLUETOOTH PAIRING OF A PATIENT MONITOR SYSTEM

Abstract

A process, establishing Bluetooth pairing between a patient sensor (1) and a patient monitor (2), includes docking energy contacts (3) of the patient sensor with charging contacts (4) of a charging device (5) for charging a battery (6) of the patient sensor with an automatic detection of docking of the patient sensor with the charging device by a monitor detection device (7) of the patient monitor. The patient monitor is brought into a state of readiness for establishing Bluetooth pairing with the patient sensor. Patient sensor and charging device docking is automatically detected by a sensor detection device (8) of the patient sensor. The patient sensor is brought into a state of readiness for establishing Bluetooth pairing with the patient monitor. Bluetooth pairing between the patient sensor and the patient monitor is automatically established. A patient monitor system (20) is configured for carrying out the process.

Claims

1. A process for establishing a Bluetooth pairing between a patient sensor for detecting as well as sending at least one patient parameter and a patient monitor for receiving the at least one detected patient parameter from the patient sensor as well as for outputting patient information concerning the at least one detected patient parameter, the process comprising the steps of: docking energy contacts of the patient sensor with charging contacts of a charging device for charging a battery of the patient sensor; automatically detecting the docking of the patient sensor with the charging device by means of a monitor detection device of the patient monitor; bringing the patient monitor into a state of readiness for establishing a Bluetooth pairing with the patient sensor; automatically detecting the docking of the patient sensor with the charging device by means of a sensor detection device of the patient sensor; bringing the patient sensor into a state of readiness for establishing a Bluetooth pairing with the patient monitor; and automatically establishing a Bluetooth pairing between the patient sensor and the patient monitor.

2. A process in accordance with claim 1, wherein the Bluetooth pairing between the patient sensor and the patient monitor is stored in the patient monitor, and wherein the process further comprises the steps of: docking energy contacts of an additional patient sensor with the charging contacts; automatically detecting the docking of the additional patient sensor with the charging device by means of the monitor detection device; bringing the patient monitor into a state of readiness for establishing a Bluetooth pairing with the additional patient sensor; automatically detecting the docking of the additional patient sensor with the charging device by means of a sensor detection device of the additional patient sensor; bringing the additional patient sensor into a state of readiness for establishing a Bluetooth pairing with the patient monitor; and automatically establishing a Bluetooth pairing between the additional patient sensor and the patient monitor.

3. A process in accordance with claim 2, wherein the Bluetooth pairings between a plurality of patient sensors and the patient monitor are preserved.

4. A process in accordance with claim 1, wherein: the patient sensor transmits patient sensor information to the patient monitor after the detection of the docking via an information interface; and the patient monitor selects the patient sensor for automatically establishing the Bluetooth pairing on the basis of the transmitted patient sensor information.

5. A process in accordance with claim 1, wherein: the patient monitor transmits patient monitor information to the patient sensor after the detection of the docking via an information interface; and the patient sensor selects the patient monitor for automatically establishing the Bluetooth connection on the basis of the transmitted patient monitor information.

6. A process in accordance with claim 4, wherein: a first charging contact of the charging device as well as a first energy contact of the patient sensor are used as the information interface; and the first energy contact contacts the first charging contact in an electrically conductive manner.

7. A process in accordance with claim 4, wherein: a device communication contact of the charging device and a sensor communication contact of the patient sensor are used as the information interface; and the device communication contact is different from the charging contacts.

8. A patient monitor system comprising: a patient sensor configured to detect and transmit at least one patient parameter; a patient monitor configured to receive the at least one detected patient parameter from the patient sensor via a Bluetooth connection as well as for outputting patient information concerning the at least one detected patient parameter; and a charging device with charging contacts, wherein the patient sensor has a battery for the power supply of the patient sensor as well as energy contacts for docking with the charging contacts of the charging device for charging the battery, the patient monitor comprises a monitor detection device configured to automatically detect a docking of the patient sensor with the charging device, the patient sensor comprises a sensor detection device configured to automatically detect the docking of the patient sensor with the charging device, and the patient monitor system is configured to dock energy contacts of the patient sensor with the charging contacts of the charging device to charge the battery of the patient sensor; automatically detect the docking of the patient sensor with the charging device by means of the monitor detection device of the patient monitor; bring the patient monitor into a state of readiness for establishing a Bluetooth pairing with the patient sensor; automatically detect the docking of the patient sensor with the charging device by means of the sensor detection device of the patient sensor; bring the patient sensor into a state of readiness for establishing a Bluetooth pairing with the patient monitor; and automatically establish a Bluetooth pairing between the patient sensor and the patient monitor.

9. A patient monitor system in accordance with claim 8, wherein the patient monitor system has at least one additional patient sensor.

10. A patient monitor system in accordance with claim 8, wherein the charging device is integrated in the patient monitor.

11-12. (canceled)

13. A patient monitor system in accordance with claim 8, further comprising: an information interface for the transmission of data between the patient sensor and the patient monitor, wherein the information interface comprises a first charging contact of the charging contacts of the charging device and a first energy contact of the energy contacts of the patient sensor, wherein the first charging contact and the first energy contact are configured for data transmission that is separate from the Bluetooth connection when the first charging contact and the first energy contact are in touching contact with one another.

14. A patient monitor system in accordance with claim 8, further comprising an information interface for transmitting data between the patient sensor and the patient monitor, wherein a sensor communication contact of the information interface is arranged at the patient sensor and a device communication contact of the information interface is arranged at the charging device, wherein the sensor communication contact and the device communication contact are configured for data transmission that is separate from the Bluetooth connection.

15. A patient monitor system in accordance with claim 14, wherein the information interface is configured such that a data transmission between the sensor communication contact and the device communication contact can only take place if the sensor communication contact and the device communication contact are in touching contact with one another.

16. A patient monitor system in accordance with claim 8, wherein the Bluetooth pairings between a plurality of patient sensors and the patient monitor are preserved.

17. A process in accordance with claim 5, wherein: a first charging contact of the charging device as well as a first energy contact of the patient sensor are used as the information interface; and the first energy contact contacts the first charging contact in an electrically conductive manner.

18. A process in accordance with claim 4, wherein: a device communication contact of the charging device and a sensor communication contact of the patient sensor are used as the information interface; and the device communication contact is different from the charging contacts.

19. A patient monitor system in accordance with claim 8, wherein: the patient sensor transmits patient sensor information to the patient monitor after the detection of the docking via an information interface; and the patient monitor selects the patient sensor for automatically establishing the Bluetooth pairing on the basis of the transmitted patient sensor information.

20. A patient monitor system in accordance with claim 8, wherein: the patient monitor transmits patient monitor information to the patient sensor after the detection of the docking via an information interface; and the patient sensor selects the patient monitor for automatically establishing the Bluetooth connection on the basis of the transmitted patient monitor information.

21. A patient monitor system in accordance with claim 19, wherein: a first charging contact of the charging device as well as a first energy contact of the patient sensor are used as the information interface; and the first energy contact contacts the first charging contact in an electrically conductive manner.

22. A patient monitor system in accordance with claim 19, wherein: a device communication contact of the charging device and a sensor communication contact of the patient sensor are used as the information interface; and the device communication contact is different from the charging contacts.

23. A patient monitor system in accordance with claim 20, wherein: a first charging contact of the charging device as well as a first energy contact of the patient sensor are used as the information interface; and the first energy contact contacts the first charging contact in an electrically conductive manner.

24. A patient monitor system in accordance with claim 20, wherein: a device communication contact of the charging device and a sensor communication contact of the patient sensor are used as the information interface; and the device communication contact is different from the charging contacts.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0041] In the drawings:

[0042] FIG. 1 is a schematic side view of a preferred first embodiment of a patient monitor system according to the present invention;

[0043] FIG. 2 is a schematic side view of a preferred second embodiment of a patient monitor system according to the present invention;

[0044] FIG. 3 is a schematic side view of a preferred third embodiment of a patient monitor system according to the present invention;

[0045] FIG. 4 is a flow chart of a preferred embodiment of the process according to the present invention; and

[0046] FIG. 5 is a process diagram of another preferred embodiment of the process according to the present invention.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0047] Referring to the drawings, elements having the same function and mode of operation are always designated by the same reference numbers in FIGS. 1 through 5.

[0048] FIG. 1 schematically shows a preferred first embodiment of a patient monitor system 20 according to the present invention in a side view. The patient monitor system 20 has a patient sensor 1 with a sensor housing 15 and a patient monitor 2 with a monitor housing 16.

[0049] The patient sensor 1 has a battery 6 for the power supply, a sensor 17 for detecting a patient parameter, especially a heart rate or body temperature, and a Bluetooth module 18. In addition, the patient sensor 1 has two energy contacts 3 for charging the battery 6. More than one patient sensor 1 may be provided as well. The patient monitor 2 has a charging device 5 with two charging contacts 4 for charging the battery 6. It is necessary for this to bring the energy contacts 3 into contact with the charging contacts 4. This operation is also called docking within the framework of the present invention. An undocked state is shown in FIG. 1. Further, the patient monitor 2 has a display 14 for displaying patient data, e.g., heart rate, body temperature or the like, as well as a Bluetooth module 18.

[0050] The patient sensor 1 has, in addition, a sensor detection device 8 for detecting the docking of the energy contacts 3 with the charging contacts 4. The patient monitor 2 correspondingly has a monitor detection device 7 for detecting the docking of the energy contacts 3 with the charging contacts 4. Further, the patient monitor system 20 has an information interface 9, which is composed of a first energy contact 3a of the energy contacts 3 and a first charging contact 4a of the charging contacts 4. The monitor detection device 7 and the sensor detection device 8 are preferably coupled with the information interface 9. The detection of docking can be carried out in this case via the information interface 9, especially when such a data transmission can only take place in the docked state.

[0051] FIG. 2 schematically shows a preferred second embodiment of a patient monitor system 20 according to the present invention in a side view. The second embodiment differs from the first embodiment in the feature that the information interface 9 comprises in the second exemplary embodiment a sensor communication contact 11 of the patient sensor 1 and a device communication contact 10 of the patient monitor 2, the device communication contact 10 being different from the charging contact 4 and the sensor communication contact 11 being different from the energy contacts 3.

[0052] FIG. 3 schematically shows a preferred third embodiment of a patient monitor system 20 according to the present invention in a side view. The third embodiment differs from the first embodiment in the feature that no information interface 9 is present. In addition, the first patient sensor 1 has a sensor magnet 12 and the patient monitor 2 has a monitor magnet 13.

[0053] The sensor detection device 8 is configured in this exemplary embodiment to detect the monitor magnet 13 and the monitor detection device 7 is configured to detect the sensor magnet 12. The automatic detection of the docking of the patient sensor 1 with the charging device 5 can easily be carried out in this manner by the patient sensor 1 and by the patient monitor 2.

[0054] FIG. 4 schematically shows a flow chart of a preferred embodiment of the process according to the present invention. The energy contacts 3 of the patient sensor 1 are docked in a first process step 100 with charging contacts 4 of the charging device 5 for charging the battery 6 of the patient sensor 1. This operation may also be called docking of the patient sensor 1 with the charging device 5. In a second process step 200, the monitor detection device 7 of the patient monitor 2 automatically detects the docking of the patient sensor 1 with the charging device 5. This may be carried out, for example, by detecting a sensor magnet 12 of the patient sensor 1, a charging current through the charging device 5 or data transmitted via information interface 9. In a third process step 300, the patient monitor 2 is brought into a state of readiness for establishing a Bluetooth pairing with the patient sensor 1. In a fourth process step 400, the sensor detection device 8 of the patient sensor 1 detects the docking of the patient sensor 1 with the charging device 5 automatically. This may be carried out, for example, by detecting a monitor magnet 13 of the patient monitor 2, a charging current to the battery 6 or of data transmitted via the information interface. In a fifth process step 500, the patient sensor 1 is brought into a state of readiness for establishing a Bluetooth pairing with the patient monitor 2. The second process step 200 and the fourth process step 400 preferably take place simultaneously or at least essentially at the same time. Further, the third process step 300 and the fifth process step 500 preferably take place simultaneously or at least essentially simultaneously. In a sixth process step 600, a Bluetooth pairing is established automatically between the patient sensor 1 and the patient monitor 2 by means of the Bluetooth modules 18 of the patient sensor 1 and of the patient monitor 2. The patient sensor 1 and the patient monitor 2 are now paired with one another, so that a secure data transmission, especially a transmission of patient parameters from the patient sensor 1 to the patient monitor 2 can take place.

[0055] FIG. 5 schematically shows another preferred embodiment of the process according to the present invention in a process diagram. A possible communication between the patient sensor 1 and the patient monitor 2 is shown in the process diagram. The patient monitor 2 provides at first the device communication contact 10 of the information interface 9 and the patient sensor 1 provides the sensor communication contact 11 of the information interface 9. The information interface 9 is preferably configured for both GPIO and UART TX communication. The device communication contact 10 may transmit to this end, for example, an on/off signal, which can be detected by the sensor communication contact 11 after successful mechanical coupling of the patient sensor 1 with the patient monitor 2 and of the sensor communication contact 11 with the device communication contact 10. The patient sensor 1 then transmits its Bluetooth MAC address via the information interface 9 to the patient monitor 2. The patient monitor 2 searches for the MAC address in its environment and goes into a state of readiness for pairing with the patient sensor 1. The patient sensor 1 then transmits a BT pairing request to the patient monitor 2. The BT pairing request is preferably sent via the Bluetooth module of the patient sensor 1.

[0056] Provisions may be made for increased security for the patient sensor 1 additionally to transmit a pairing code via the information interface 9 to the patient monitor 2. The patient monitor 2 recognizes the MAC address of the patient sensor 1 and transmits a pairing reply with a pairing confirmation to the patient sensor 1. The transmission of the pairing reply preferably takes place via the Bluetooth module of the patient monitor 2. In case the patient sensor 1 has additionally transmitted the pairing code via the information interface 9 to the patient monitor 2, the patient monitor 2 can transmit the pairing code via the Bluetooth module of the patient monitor 2 to the patient sensor 1. A successful pairing has thus taken place between the patient sensor 1 and the patient module 2. A data transmission or a data exchange via Bluetooth may subsequently take place.

[0057] While specific embodiments of the invention have been shown and described in detail to illustrate the application of the principles of the invention, it will be understood that the invention may be embodied otherwise without departing from such principles.