Remotely programmable infusion system

Claims

What is claimed is:

1. A remotely programmable medical dispensing system having a programmable protocol, said remotely programmable medical dispensing system being programmable by both a local and a remote touch-tone transceiver, the medical dispensing system comprising:

an electronically controllable dispensing device connectable with a patient;

a memory for storing said programmable protocol;

a voice storage unit for storing a voice signal;

a remote communication port for connection to said remote touch-tone transceiver for sending said voice signal to said remote touch-tone transceiver and for receiving a remote programming signal from said remote touch-tone transceiver;

a processor, coupled to said remote communication port, to said voice storage unit and to said memory, for accessing said voice signal from said voice storage unit, for accessing said programmable protocol from said memory, and for processing said programmable protocol in response to receiving said remote programming signal;

said processor also arranged for coupling to said local touch-tone transceiver for receiving local touch and voice signals used in the processing said programmable protocol; and

said processor connectable to said dispensing device to actuate the dispensing in response to the processing of said programmable protocol.

2. The remotely programmable medical dispensing system recited in claim 1 wherein the remotely programmable medical dispensing system has a user access code; and wherein the processor permits remote programming of the programmable protocol in response to receiving said user access code from the remote touch-tone transceiver.

3. The remotely programmable medical dispensing system recited in claim 1 wherein the remotely programmable medical dispensing system has a user access code and a master access code; wherein the user access code is stored in the memory and is programmable; wherein the processor permits programming of the user access code in response to receiving said master access code from the remote touch-tone transceiver; and wherein the processor permits remote programming of the programmable protocol in response to receiving said user access code from the remote touch-tone transceiver.

4. The remotely programmable medical dispensing system recited in claim 1 wherein the processor accesses a mode query signal from the voice storage unit, the remote communication port relays said mode query signal from the processor to the remote transceiver, and the processor selects one of a plurality of programming modes in response to a mode select signal being received from the remote touch-tone transceiver, said mode select signal being sent by the remote touch-tone transceiver in response to the remote touch-tone transceiver receiving said mode query signal.

5. The remotely programmable medical dispensing system recited in claim 4 wherein the plurality of programming modes includes an edit mode for editing the programmable protocol, a review mode for reviewing the programmable protocol, and a create mode for entering a new programmable protocol.

6. The remotely programmable medical dispensing system recited in claim 1, further comprising a local communication port, coupled to the processor, for relaying signals between the processor and a local touch-tone transceiver.

7. The remotely programmable medical dispensing system recited in claim 1 wherein the remotely programmable medical dispensing system has a status report mode, the remotely programmable medical dispensing system further comprising a switch for selecting said status report mode; and wherein the processor accesses the programmable protocol from the memory in response to said status report mode being selected.

8. The remotely programmable medical dispensing system recited in claim 7 wherein the remote communication port relays the programmable protocol from the processor to a computer in response to the processor accessing the programmable protocol.

9. The remotely programmable medical dispensing system recited in claim 1, further comprising a programming access switch for selecting either a patient conversation mode or a programming mode, said programming mode providing programming of the programmable protocol by the remote touch-tone transceiver.

10. The remotely programmable medical dispensing system recited in claim 9, further comprising an override circuit for bypassing the patient conversation mode and thereby directly initiating the programming mode.

11. The remotely programmable medical dispensing system recited in claim 1, further comprising an alarm for indicating an alarm condition in the remotely programmable medical dispensing system.

12. The remotely programmable medical dispensing system recited in claim 1 wherein the voice signal is a digital voice signal, the system further comprising a voice synthesizer for converting said digital voice signal into an analog human voice signal, said analog human voice signal emulating the sound of a human voice.

13. A method for remotely programming a medical dispensing system having a medical dispenser connectable with a patient, said medical dispensing system having a voice storage unit for storing a voice signal and having a programmable protocol, said medical dispension system being programmable by a local and a remote touch-tone transceiver, and said medical dispension, system having medicinal dispenser the method comprising:

establishing a connection between said medical dispenser and said remote touch-tone transceiver;

accessing said voice signal from said voice storage unit after said connection between said remote touch-tone transceiver and said medical dispenser is established;

sending said voice signal to said remote touch-tone transceiver;

receiving a remote programming signal from said remote touch-tone transceiver or;

receiving a local programming signal from said local touch-tone transceiver;

processing said programmable protocol in response to receiving said programming signal;

said programming signals being touch tone and voice created; and operating said dispenser in response to the processing of said programmable protocol.

14. The method recited in claim 13 wherein the medical dispensing system has a user access code and the voice storage unit stores an access code voice command, the method further comprising:

sending said access code voice command to the remote touch-tone transceiver in response to establishing the connection; and

initiating a remote programming session for the programmable protocol in response to receiving said user access code from the remote touch-tone transceiver.

15. The method recited in claim 13 wherein the medical dispensing system has a master access code and a user access code, wherein the user access code is programmable, and wherein the voice storage unit stores an access code voice command, the method further comprising:

second sending said access code voice command to the remote touch-tone transceiver in response to establishing the connection;

first initiating a remote programming session for said user access code in response to receiving said master access code from the remote touch-tone transceiver; and

second initiating a remote programming session for the programmable protocol in response to receiving said user access code from the remote touch-tone transceiver.

16. The method recited in claim 13, further comprising:

second accessing a mode query signal from the voice storage unit;

second sending said mode query signal to the remote touch-tone transceiver;

third sending a mode select signal from the remote touch-tone transceiver to the medical dispensing system in response to said mode query signal; and

selecting one of a plurality of programming modes in response to receiving said mode select signal.

17. The method recited in claim 16 wherein the plurality of programming modes includes an edit mode for editing the programmable protocol, a review mode for reviewing the programmable protocol, and a create mode for entering a new programmable protocol.

18. The method recited in claim 13, further comprising relaying signals between the medical dispensing system and a local transceiver.

19. The method recited in claim 13 wherein the medical dispensing system has a status report mode and a protocol memory for storing the programmable protocol, the method further comprising selecting said status report mode; and accessing the programmable protocol from the protocol memory in response to selecting said status report mode.

20. The method recited in claim 19, further comprising second sending the programmable protocol to a computer in response to accessing the programmable protocol from the protocol memory.

21. The method in claim 13, further comprising selecting either a patient conversation mode or a programming mode, said programming mode providing for remote programming of the programmable protocol by the remote touch-tone transceiver.

22. The method recited in claim 21, further comprising bypassing the patient conversation mode and thereby directly initiating the programming mode.

23. The method recited in claim 13, further comprising detecting an alarm condition in the medical dispensing system and indicating said alarm condition.

24. The method recited in claim 13 wherein the voice signal comprises a digital voice signal, the method further comprising converting said digital voice signal to a human voice signal, said human voice signal emulating the sound of a human voice.

25. A remotely programmable infusion system having a programmable protocol stored in a protocol memory, said remotely programmable infusion system being programmable by a remote touch-tone transceiver, comprising:

an infusion pump for delivering fluids to a patient, said infusion pump having a pump data port; and

a homebase unit, coupled to said pump data port on said infusion pump via a homebase data port, for processing said programmable protocol in response to a remove input to the homebase unit, said homebase until comprising:

a voice storage unit for storing a voice signal;

a remote communication port for sending said voice signal to said remote touch-tone transceiver and for receiving a remote signal from said remote touch-tone transceiver; and

a processor, coupled to said remote communication port and to said voice storage unit and to said protocol memory, for accessing said voice signal from said voice storage unit, for accessing said programmable protocol from said protocol memory, and for processing said programmable protocol to obtain a processed programmable protocol in response to said remote signal, said processed programmable protocol being relayed from said processor to said infusion pump via said homebase data port and said infusion data port.

26. The remotely programmable medical dispensing system recited in claim 25 wherein the remote signal comprises a DTMF signal and wherein the remote touch-tone transceiver has a keypad, said keypad having a plurality of touch-tone keys, and the DTMF signal being generated by pressing one of said plurality of touch-tone keys.

27. The remotely programmable medical dispensing system recited in claim 26 wherein the programmable protocol has a plurality of operating parameters, and wherein the voice signal comprises either a recorded voice command or a recorded voice query, said recorded voice command instructing a care provider operating the remote touch-tone transceiver to press at least one of the plurality of touch tone keys, and said recorded voice query asking said care provider operating the remote touch-tone transceiver to enter at least one of said plurality of operating parameters via the plurality of touch-tone keys.

28. The remotely programmable infusion device recited in claim 25 wherein the remotely programmable medical dispensing system has a user access code; and wherein the processor permits remote programming of the programmable protocol in response to receiving said user access code from the remote touch-tone transceiver.

29. The remotely programmable medical dispensing system recited in claim 25 wherein the remotely programmable medical dispensing system has a user access code and a master access code; wherein the user access code is stored in an access code memory and is programmable; wherein the processor permits programming of the user access code in response to receiving said master access code from the remote touch-tone transceiver; and wherein the processor permits remote programming of the programmable protocol in response to receiving said user access code from the remote touch-tone transceiver.

30. The remotely programmable medical dispensing system recited in claim 25 wherein the voice signal comprises a digital voice signal, the system further comprising a voice synthesizer for converting said digital voice signal to a human voice signal, said human voice signal emulating the sound of a human voice.

31. The remotely programmable medical dispensing system recited in claim 1, wherein:

said medical dispensing system is an infusion pump; and

said medical dispensing system comprises delivering a fluid to said patient .

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a remotely programmable infusion system for medical applications. More particularly, the present invention relates to an infusion system for delivering a variety of medicines and fluids that sends voice commands and queries to a remote touch-tone transceiver and that can be programmed by pressing keys on the keypad of the remote touch-tone transceiver in response to the commands and queries.

2. Description of the Related Art

Infusion devices are used in the medical field to administer and deliver medicines and other fluids to a patient. Today, due in part to rising health costs and the high cost of hospital rooms, and in part to the desire to provide comfort and convenience to patients, the medical industry has promoted in-home care for patients suffering from various maladies. Particularly, many patients require delivery and administration of medicines or other IV fluids on a regular basis. Delivery and administration is accomplished via a variety of infusion devices, such IV pumps and gravity pumps and other types of IV administration. By supplying patients with infusion devices that are lightweight and easy to use, the patients can receive their medicinal needs at home, i.e., without having to be at a hospital and without direct assistance by a care provider, such as a nurse.

Nevertheless, the operating parameters of infusion devices must frequently be changed, due to variations in the patient's needs. Therapy changes may also require that entire protocols be programmed. In early versions of home infusion devices, the physical presence of a care provider at the infusion device was required to reprogram the device's protocol. Such reprogramming was costly and time-consuming, thereby severely limiting the efficiency and convenience of infusion devices.

Since the introduction of these early home infusion devices, the medical industry has made advances in the techniques by which a home infusion device can be monitored and reprogrammed. For example, one system employs a patient activated switch on a diagnostic apparatus that causes automatic dialing of a telephone number corresponding to a care provider remote from the diagnostic apparatus. This enables the patient to communicate with the care provider through a speaker and microphone on the diagnostic apparatus, permitting interactive communication with the care provider regarding the routines to be performed by the diagnostic apparatus. This system, however, merely provides the capability for the care provider to monitor the infusion device, but does not offer the capacity to remotely reprogram the infusion device.

Another remote monitoring system employs a user interface for programming blood pressure testing protocol into, and downloading blood pressure data from, ambulatory blood pressure monitoring units. The user interface is connected to a central processing computer via a telephone line. Control units located at the blood pressure testing site transfer blood pressure data to the central computer, which generates comprehensive medical reports for specific patients, but which cannot transmit reprogramming signals back to the control unit.

Other systems employ remote computers for monitoring and reprogramming the protocol of the infusion device. In one such system, the infusion device has a delivery unit for delivering the medicinal solution and a removable logic unit for controlling operation of the delivery unit. The logic unit is either attached to or separate from the delivery unit, and the latter can be worn by the patient. The logic unit is connected to a programming computer via a telephone line. The computer can be used to program the logic unit with a logic configuration suitable for operating the delivery unit in accordance with the intended delivery requirements. Thus, while such systems provide for remote reprogramming of the protocol, they require a remotely located computer to accomplish reprogramming.

The previous conventional systems have a variety of drawbacks. Most importantly, they do not provide simple, interactive reprogramming by a care provider without the need for a remote reprogramming computer. The ability to have the care provider access the remotely located infusion device on a standard telephone and reprogram the infusion device via the keys on the telephone keypad is a significant advance over conventional reprogramming techniques. This is because touch-tone reprogramming is less costly, quicker, and much more convenient for both the care provider and the patient, making infusion devices easier to use and more versatile.

Conventional home infusion systems also do not have the capacity to send recorded voice signals to the remote care provider instructing and asking the care provider about reprogramming the infusion device. By using recorded voice commands and queries stored in the infusion system that direct the care provider in reprogramming the infusion device, the process of reprogramming is made simpler and more efficient, with little chance of making programming errors.

Therefore, a need exists for an infusion device that can be remotely programmed via a transceiver without the need for a remote programming computer and that sends recorded voice signals from the infusion device to a care provider.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Accordingly, the present invention is directed to a remotely programmable infusion system and a method for remotely programming an infusion system via a remote transceiver that substantially obviates one or more of the problems due to limitations and disadvantages of the related art.

Additional features and advantages of the invention will be set forth in the description that follows and in part will be apparent from the description, or may be learned by practice of the invention. The objectives and other advantages of the invention will be realized and attained by the apparatus and method particularly pointed out in the written description and claims of this application, as well as the appended drawings.

To achieve these and other advantages, and in accordance with the purpose of the invention as embodied and broadly described herein, the present invention defines a remotely programmable infusion system having a programmable protocol, the infusion system being remotely programmable by a remote touch-tone transceiver. The remotely programmable infusion system comprises a memory for storing a programmable protocol and a remote communication port for sending a voice signal to the remote touch-tone transceiver and for receiving a remote programming signal from the remote touch-tone transceiver. The remotely programmable infusion system also comprises a voice storage unit for storing the voice signal and a processor, coupled to the remote communication port and to the voice storage unit and to the memory, for accessing the voice signal from the voice storage unit and the programmable protocol from the memory, and for processing the programmable protocol in response to receiving the remote programming signal.

In another aspect, the present invention defines a method for remotely programming an infusion system. The infusion system has a voice storage unit for storing a voice signal and has a programmable protocol and is remotely programmable by a remote touch-tone transceiver. The method comprises several steps: establishing a connection between the infusion system and the remote touch-tone transceiver; accessing the voice signal from the voice storage unit in response to establishing the connection; sending the voice signal to the remote touch-tone transceiver; receiving a remote programming signal from the remote touch-tone transceiver; and processing the programmable protocol in response to receiving the remote programming signal.

In a further aspect, the present invention comprises a remotely programmable infusion system having a programmable protocol stored in a protocol memory, the remotely programmable infusion system being programmable by a remote touch-tone transceiver. The infusion system comprises an infusion pump for delivering fluids to a patient. The infusion pump has an infusion data port. The infusion system also comprises a homebase unit, coupled to the infusion communication port on the infusion pump via a homebase data port, for processing the programmable protocol. The homebase unit comprises a voice storage unit for storing a voice signal and a remote communication port for sending the voice signal to the remote touch-tone transceiver and for receiving a dual-tone multi-frequency (DTMF) signal from the remote touch-tone transceiver. The homebase unit further comprises a processor, coupled to the remote communication port, to the voice storage unit, and to the protocol memory, for accessing the voice signal from the voice storage unit, for accessing the programmable protocol from the protocol memory, and for processing the programmable protocol to obtain a processed programmable protocol in response to the DTMF signal. The processed programmable protocol is relayed from the processor to the infusion pump via the homebase data port and the infusion data port.

It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory only and are not restrictive of the invention, as claimed.

The accompanying drawings are included to provide a further understanding of the invention and are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification, to illustrate the embodiments of the invention, and, together with the description, to explain the principles of the invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a diagrammatical representation of the programmable infusion system of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram of the homebase unit in accordance with the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a flow diagram illustrating entry of an access code and the main menu in an example of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a flow diagram illustrating an access code menu in accordance with an example of the present invention.

FIGS. 5A and 5B represent a flow diagram illustrating a review mode menu in accordance with an example of the present invention.

FIGS. 6A and 6B represent a flow diagram illustrating an edit mode menu in accordance with an example of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a flow diagram illustrating sub-menus of the edit mode menu in accordance with an example of the present invention.

FIGS. 8A, 8B and 8C represent a flow diagram illustrating a programming mode menu in accordance with an example of the present invention.

FIG. 9 is a flow diagram illustrating sub-menus of the programming mode menu in accordance with an example of the present invention.

FIG. 10 is a table illustrating the alarm functions that can be employed in the system of the present invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Reference will now be made in detail to the present preferred embodiment of the invention, an example of which is illustrated in the accompanying drawings. Wherever possible, the same reference numbers will be used throughout the drawings to refer to the same or like parts.

In accordance with the present invention, a remotely programmable infusion system is provided that allows remote programming of the infusion system from a remotely located transceiver, such as a push-button telephone. The remotely programmable infusion system includes a memory and a voice storage unit. The infusion system also includes a remote communication port, as well as a processor that is coupled to the remote communication port, the voice storage unit, and the memory. It should be understood herein that the terms "programming," "programmable," and "processing" are generalized terms that refer to a host of operations, functions, and data manipulation. Those terms, therefore, are not to limited herein to editing and deleting data, parameters, protocol, and codes. For example, programming and processing, as used herein, may encompass editing, changing, erasing, entering, re-entering, viewing, reviewing, locking, and inserting functions.

An exemplary embodiment of the apparatus of the present invention is shown in FIG. 1 and is designated generally by reference numeral 10. As herein embodied and shown in FIG. 1, the remotely programmable infusion system 10 includes a pump unit 12 and a homebase 14. The pump unit 12 and homebase 14 may be two separate units, as illustrated in FIG. 1, or may comprise a single integral unit housing both the pump 12 and the homebase 14. With both elements integrated into a single infusion device, the device may be entirely portable and programmable, both via local and remote programming