Discovery and connection management with mobile systems manager
The present invention provides for a system and method of discovering whether a medical device is connected to a network, establishing secure communications between and a server and the medical device, and communicating with the medical device. Also disclosed is a method of encryption to ensure secure communications within the network between a server and medical devices connected to the network. The invention also includes a system and method for determining the location of medical devices within an institution. Also disclosed is a mobile server functioning as a mobile systems manager.
1 . A system for managing patient care in an institution, comprising:
a wireless network for carrying data between devices connected to the network;
a mobile server having wireless communication capability in communication with the network through a selected port of the server, the server having a processor programmed to broadcast a beacon signal over the network at a selected interval;
a client device in communication with the network and programmed to listen for the beacon signal from the selected port and respond to the signal with a status message, the status message including information for use by the server in establishing a secure communication session with the client device;
wherein upon receiving the status message, the server uses the information contained in the status message to establish a communication session with the client device.
2 . The system of claim 4 , wherein the processor is configured with a systems manager program, wherein the mobile server operates as a mobile systems manager.
3 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the client device is programmed listen for the beacon signal, determine if the beacon signal is valid, and respond only to a valid beacon signal.
4 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the wireless communication capability of the mobile server has a selected range such that the beacon signal broadcast by the mobile server cannot be detected by clients located beyond the selected range.
5 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the mobile server is connected to a wireless access module.
6 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the wireless communication capability of the mobile server is integral with the mobile server.
7 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the mobile server is disposed on a moveable platform configured to be rolled about a care facility.
8 . The system of claim 7 , wherein the moveable platform is a remotely controlled cart, the cart including sensors responsive to instructions communicated to the cart to control the movement of the cart.
9 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the mobile server is a laptop computer.
10 . The system of claim 9 , wherein the laptop computer is in wireless communication with a database.
11 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the mobile service is a PDA.
12 . The system of claim 11 , wherein the PDA is in wireless communication with a database.
13 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the mobile server is programmed to encrypt the beacon signal before the beacon signal is broadcast.
14 . The system of claim 13 , wherein the client is programmed to decrypt the received encrypted beacon signal.