Wireless Relay Module For Remote Monitoring Systems

Abstract

Systems and methods for communication include one or more wireless relay devices having a first receiver capable of wirelessly receiving medical device data over a wireless relay network from at least one network device, a first transmitter capable of wirelessly transmitting data over an internet-accessible wireless communications network and a second transmitter capable of wirelessly transmitting medical device data to a second medical device or a wireless relay module over the wireless relay network. Patient identification information can be obtained and/or communicated.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A process for providing communications between a medical device to be used by a patient and a remote monitoring device via an internet-accessible wireless communications network, said process comprising:
 obtaining identification information identifying the patient;   obtaining identification information identifying the medical device transmitting each of the patient identification information and the medical device identification information to the remote monitoring device via the internet-accessible wireless communications network;   receiving an acknowledgement status from the remote monitoring device via the internet-accessible wireless communications network; and   transmitting data corresponding to an output of at least one sensor of the medical device for said patient by the medical device via the internet-accessible wireless communications network when the received acknowledgement status represents a particular status.   
     
     
         2 . The process of  claim 1 , wherein said particular status represents an authorization of use of the medical device by the patient based upon a pre-authorization record for the patient. 
     
     
         3 . The process of  claim 1 , further comprising encrypting the patient identification information prior to transmitting the patient identification information to the remote monitoring device. 
     
     
         4 . The process of  claim 1 , further comprising encrypting the medical device identification information prior to transmitting the medical device information to the remote monitoring device. 
     
     
         5 . The process of  claim 1 , wherein transmitting the patient identification information to the remote monitoring device comprises:
 receiving the patient identification information at the medical device; and   transmitting the patient identification information from the medical device via the internet-accessible wireless communications network to the remote monitoring device.   
     
     
         6 . The process of  claim 5 , wherein the medical device performs said transmitting the medical device identification information to the remote monitoring device. 
     
     
         7 . The process of  claim 6 , wherein the patient identification information and the medical device identification information are transmitted by the medical device to the remote monitoring device in a single information block. 
     
     
         8 . The process of  claim 1 , wherein obtaining the patient identification information comprises reading the patient identification information by a patient identification information reader. 
     
     
         9 . The process of  claim 8 , further comprising coupling the patient identification information reader to the medical device. 
     
     
         10 . The process of  claim 8 , further comprising transmitting the patient identification information from the patient identification information reader to the medical device via a wireless relay network. 
     
     
         11 . The process of  claim 8 , further comprising transmitting the patient identification information from the patient identification information reader to a wireless relay module via a wireless relay network. 
     
     
         12 . The process of  claim 10 , further comprising providing wireless bandwidth priority for the patient identification information reader by the medical device. 
     
     
         13 . The process of  claim 11 , further comprising providing wireless bandwidth priority for the patient identification information reader by the relay module. 
     
     
         14 . The process of  claim 8 , wherein obtaining the patient identification information comprises reading bar-coded reader patient identification information. 
     
     
         15 . The process of  claim 8 , wherein obtaining the patient identification information comprises reading a radio frequency identification (RFID). 
     
     
         16 . The process of  claim 8 , wherein obtaining the patient identification information comprises obtaining one or more sources of identification information from one or more of fingerprints, retinal scans, vein-pattern scans and optical images. 
     
     
         17 . The process of  claim 8 , wherein the patient identification information reader comprises a device selected from one or more of smartphones, tablet computers, personal digital assistants (PDAs), cell phones and pagers. 
     
     
         18 . The process of  claim 1 , wherein one or more of transmitting the patient identification information or transmitting the medical device identification information to the remote device comprises transmitting the identification information via a wireless relay module. 
     
     
         19 . The process of  claim 18 , further comprising:
 storing one or more of the patient identification information and the medical device identification information by the wireless relay module.   
     
     
         20 . The process of  claim 19 , wherein the wireless relay module transmits the patient identification information and the medical device identification information together in a single information block. 
     
     
         21 . The process of  claim 18 , further comprising transmitting one or more of the patient identification information or the medical device identification information via the internet-accessible wireless communications network from the wireless relay module to the remote monitoring device. 
     
     
         22 . The process of  claim 21 , wherein the wireless relay module transmits the patient identification information or medical device identification information to at least one other wireless relay module and the at least one other wireless relay module forwards the identification information via the internet-accessible wireless communications network to the remote monitoring device. 
     
     
         23 . The process of  claim 1 , wherein said particular status represents an authorized use of the medical device by the patient obtained in response to a confirmation query conducted by the remote monitoring device. 
     
     
         24 . The process of  claim 1 , further comprising transmitting a confirmation query request to the remote monitoring device via the internet-accessible wireless communications network. 
     
     
         25 . The process of  claim 24 , wherein the confirmation query request comprises authorization identification information. 
     
     
         26 . The process of  claim 18 , further comprising:
 transmitting a prompt for the medical device identification information by the wireless relay module to the medical device; and   transmitting a prompt for the patient identification information by the wireless relay module to one on the medical device or to a patient identification device.   
     
     
         27 . The process of  claim 26 , wherein the patient identification information and the medical device identification information is transmitted by the wireless relay module in a single information block. 
     
     
         28 . The process of  claim 26 , further comprising receiving the medical device identification information from the medical device at the wireless relay module, and wherein transmitting the prompt for the patient identification information by the wireless relay module occurs after receiving the medical device information by the wireless relay module. 
     
     
         29 . The process of  claim 26 , further comprising receiving the patient identification information from the medical device or the patient identification device by the wireless relay module, and wherein transmitting the medical device identification information and the patient identification information by the wireless relay device module occurs after receiving the medical device identification information and receiving the patient identification information by the wireless relay module. 
     
     
         30 . The process of  claim 29 , wherein transmitting the medical device identification information and the patient identification information by the wireless relay module is performed after determining that the value of an indicator of an elapsed time at the wireless relay module between transmitting the prompt for the patient identification and receiving the patient identification information is within a predetermined time-out period.