Systems and methods for wireless processing, storage, and forwarding of medical data

Abstract

One method according to the present invention includes receiving data wirelessly from a medical device, storing the data, transmitting the data to an intermediary device (such as a properly equipped mobile telephone or personal digital assistant), and formatting a message including the received data for transmission 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. This method allows the data to be stored for any desired length of time, and/or until a particular event occurs.

1 . A method comprising:
 receiving data wirelessly from a medical device;   storing the data;   transmitting the data to an intermediary device; and   formatting a message for transmission to a medical data server, wherein the message includes the received data.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the data is transmitted to the intermediary device using a wireless transmitter, wherein the wireless transmitter transmits the data to the intermediary device using a protocol selected from the group consisting of a Zigbee protocol, a Wibree protocol, an IEEE 802.11 protocol, an IEEE 802.15 protocol, an IEEE 802.16 protocol, an Ultra-Wideband (UWB) protocol, an Infrared Data Association (IrDA) protocol, a Bluetooth protocol, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the data includes an environmental parameter, wherein the environmental parameter includes at least one of a battery charge level, a temperature, a barometric pressure, a code relating to an accessory for the medical device, a data validity measurement, an elapsed time since a previous reading by the medical device, a test result parameter, a signal-to-noise parameter, and a quality of service (QoS) parameter. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the medical device transmits the data in a frequency range selected from the group consisting of the medical implant communications service (MICS) frequency band, the frequency range of 402 MHz to 405 MHz, the Wireless Medical Telemetry Service (WMTS) frequency band, the frequency range of 608 MHz to 614 MHz, the frequency range of 1395 MHz to 1400 MHz, the frequency range of 1427 MHz to 1432 MHz, the frequency range 32 KHz to 175 KHz, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the medical device is selected from the group consisting of:
 a blood glucose meter;   a pacemaker;   a blood pressure monitor;   an insulin pump;   a pulse oximeter;   a holter monitor;   an electrocardiograph;   an electroencephalograph;   a blood alcohol monitor;   an alcohol breathalyzer;   an alcohol ignition interlock;   a respiration monitor;   an accelerometer;   a skin galvanometer;   a thermometer;   a patient geolocation device;   a scale;   an intravenous flow regulator;   a patient height measuring device;   a biochip assay device;   a monitor for biological agents;   a hazardous chemical agent monitor;   an ionizing radiation sensor;   a sphygmomanometer;   a loop recorder;   a spirometer;   an event monitor;   a prothrombin time (PT) meter;   an international normalized ratio (INR) meter;   a tremor sensor;   a defibrillator; and   combinations thereof.   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the data is stored until the data has been transmitted to the intermediary device. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the stored data comprises a respective plurality of test results from the medical device and at least one additional medical device. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the data is stored until an acknowledgement has been received from the medical data server, the acknowledgment indicating that the data has been received by the medical data server. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the data is stored by the intermediary device. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the data is stored until the data has been transmitted to the medical data server. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the data is stored for a predetermined amount of time. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising transmitting the formatted message from the intermediary device to a medical data server, wherein the formatted message is transmitted from the intermediary device to a medical data server through a wireless network selected from the group consisting of:
 a cellular network;   a General Packet Radio Service (GPRS) network;   a wireless Local Area Network (WLAN);   a Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM) network;   a Personal Communication Service (PCS) network;   an Advanced Mobile Phone System (AMPS) network;   a satellite communication network; and   combinations thereof.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein transmitting the data from the second device to the medical data server includes selecting a transmission method from a plurality of transmission methods based at least partially on a cost associated with the transmission method. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein formatting the data includes processing the data into one or more formats, the one or more formats including at least one of an XML record, an SMS text message, an email, and a facsimile. 
     
     
         15 . A method comprising:
 receiving data wirelessly from a medical device by a first device;   storing the data 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.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the data is transmitted wirelessly to the second device by the first device, wherein the data is transmitted wirelessly to the second device by the first device using a protocol selected from the group consisting of a Zigbee protocol, a Wibree protocol, an IEEE 802.11 protocol, an IEEE 802.15 protocol, an IEEE 802.16 protocol, an Ultra-Wideband (UWB) protocol, an Infrared Data Association (IrDA) protocol, a Bluetooth protocol, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the medical device transmits the data in a frequency range selected from the group consisting of the medical implant communications service (MICS) frequency band, the frequency range of 402 MHz to 405 MHz, the Wireless Medical Telemetry Service (WMTS) frequency band, the frequency range of 608 MHz to 614 MHz, the frequency range of 1395 MHz to 1400 MHz, the frequency range of 1427 MHz to 1432 MHz, the frequency range 32 KHz to 175 KHz, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 15 , further including receiving data wirelessly from a plurality of different medical devices by the first device. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the data is stored until the data has been transmitted to the second device. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the data is stored until an acknowledgement is received from the medical data server, the acknowledgment indicating that the data has been received by the medical data server. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the data is additionally stored by the second device. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the data is stored until the data has been transmitted to the medical data server. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the data is stored for a predetermined amount of time. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein transmitting the data from the second device to the medical data server includes selecting a transmission method from a plurality of transmission methods based at least partially on a cost associated with the transmission method. 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 24 , wherein the data is not transmitted from the second device to the medical data server until the cost associated with the transmission level is below a predetermined level.