Communication with home dialysis machines using a network connected system

Inventors

Wang, Aiyuan • Crnkovich, Martin Joseph • Wang, Fei • LEE, SUE-JANE • YUDS, DAVID • LEUNG, HAK KAN • Tarn, Jeffrey

Assignees

Fresenius Medical Care Holdings Inc

Abstract

This disclosure relates to remote control of dialysis machines. In certain aspects, a method includes receiving a request for a network connection from a dialysis machine and establishing the network connection with the dialysis machine. The method also includes receiving, from a client device, a request to access the dialysis machine, authorizing the client device to access the dialysis machine, receiving, from the dialysis machine, information pertaining to an operation of the dialysis machine, and providing, to the client device, the received information.

Core Innovation

The invention relates to a networked remote-control system for a home hemodialysis environment in which a dialysis machine connects through a network to a server in a network device, and a remote device connects to the network device. The network device receives, from the dialysis machine through the network, data related to an operation of the dialysis machine, generates a virtual control for the dialysis machine based on the received data, and transmits the virtual control to the remote device.

The virtual control comprises computer program instructions that, when executed, form a user interface representing the operation of the dialysis machine on the remote device. The user interface includes a representation for monitoring the operation of the dialysis machine and/or selectable control features for providing an instruction to control the dialysis machine, and the remote device is configured to run the virtual control to present the user interface.

The system uses a proxy for the dialysis machine and communicates through the proxy, and the remote device provides an instruction to control the dialysis machine based on a user selection of one or more control features. The network device relays or transmits that instruction such that the dialysis machine receives and executes it, and the system can also transmit dialysis operation data to the remote device.

The system is also described as supporting multiple dialysis machines and multiple client devices with an access control list that authorizes client-device access. Authorization levels differentiate between monitoring and control, instruction priority is managed in the context of remote control, and optional bidirectional media such as video and audio transmission is described together with examples of user-interface mirroring and treatment data reporting.

Claims Coverage

The partial claim set provided includes three independent claims covering a networked system with virtual control and remote user interface, a web-services-implemented version of that system, and a proxy-based communication architecture for the dialysis machine. Across these independent claims, the inventive features focus on virtual control generation from dialysis operation data, remote user-interface presentation with monitoring and selectable control features, and the communication, authorization, and control instruction flow enabled by a server-based network device.

The independent claim coverage centers on a server-based network device that converts dialysis-machine operation data into a virtual control for remote user-interface presentation, supporting both monitoring and selectable control features, with further independent refinement through a web services infrastructure and a proxy communication architecture.

Stated Advantages

Documented Applications