Methods, apparatus and systems for medical device communication, control and localization
Disclosed is a medical device including a therapeutic component to provide one or more therapeutic functionalities during whilst in therapeutic mode, and may further enter into a device sleep mode (DSM), a transceiver configured to provide the medical device with wireless connectivity and which may further transition into a transceiver sleep mode (TSM) substantially concurrent with transition into DSM, the transceiver may intermittently transition between TSM and a scan mode, during which scan mode the transceiver may listen for a wireless packet addressed to the transceiver, and a localization module which may emit a discovery signal upon receipt of the wireless packet addressed to the transceiver.
1. A system for localizing medical devices, said system comprising:
a medical device comprising:
a therapeutic component;
a wireless transceiver;
wherein said medical device is configured to deactivate said therapeutic component and said wireless transceiver during a deep sleep mode of said medical device;
a controller configured to periodically initiate, when said medical device is in the deep sleep mode, a scan mode, in which said controller:
a. activates said transceiver and causes said transceiver to:
i. transmit a first wireless signal carrying an identifier associated with said medical device;
ii. scan for a second wireless signal indicating a localization request addressed to said medical device; and
iii. signal said controller if the second wireless signal is detected;
b. in the event the second wireless signal is detected, cause said medical device to emit a localization signal; and
c. in the event a wireless signal indicating a localization request addressed to said medical device is not detected within a pre-defined time period, cause said medical device to return to the deep sleep mode;
and
a computing platform comprising:
a registry of identifiers of sought after medical devices; and
communication circuitry for receiving the first wireless signal transmitted by said medical device and transmitting a localization request addressed to said medical device if the identifier carried by the first wireless signal matches an identifier of a sought after device in said registry.
2. A system according to claim 1 , wherein said controller is adapted to initiate the scan mode at pre-defined time intervals, when said medical device is in the deep sleep mode.
3. A system according to claim 1 , wherein said computing platform is further configured to derive locational data of said medical device from the first wireless signal.
4. A system according to claim 3 , wherein said computing platform is further configured to record the derived locational data, such as to maintain a listing of current locations of a set of medical devices including said medical device.
5. A system for localizing medical devices, said system comprising:
a set of medical devices, each having alternative operating modes including a deep sleep mode, a scan mode and an active mode, each of said medical devices comprising:
a therapeutic component;
a wireless transceiver;
wherein each of said medical devices is configured to deactivate said therapeutic component and said wireless transceiver during the deep sleep mode;
a controller configured to periodically initiate, when said medical device is in the deep sleep mode, the scan mode, in which said controller:
a. activates said transceiver and causes said transceiver to:
i. transmit a first wireless signal carrying an identifier associated with said medical device;
ii. scan for a second wireless signal indicating a request addressed to said medical device; and
iii. signal said controller if the second wireless signal is detected;
b. in the event the second wireless signal is detected, cause said medical device to transition to the active mode and receive instructions; and
c. in the event a wireless signal indicating a request addressed to said medical device is not detected within a pre-defined time period, cause said medical device to return to the deep sleep mode;
and
a computing platform comprising:
a registry of identifiers of said set of medical devices;
communication circuitry for receiving the first wireless signals transmitted by said medical devices and deriving a location of each of said medical devices from the first wireless signals;
a listing of current locations of each of the medical devices, compiled and updated based on the received first wireless signals;
communication circuitry for transmitting requests addressed to said medical devices, each timed to match a scan mode of a respective medical device of said set of medical devices by transmitting the requests in response to receiving the first wireless signal from the respective medical device.
6. A system according to claim 5 , wherein said controller is adapted to initiate the scan mode at pre-defined time intervals, when said medical device is in the deep sleep mode.
7. A system according to claim 5 , wherein said instructions are configured to cause said medical device to receive a software update from said computing platform.
8. A system according to claim 5 , wherein said instructions are configured to cause said medical device to activate a therapeutic functionality.
9. A system according to claim 5 , wherein said instructions are configured to cause said medical device to transition to a slave mode, allowing remote control of said medical device.
10. A self-localizing medical device comprising:
a therapeutic component;
a wireless transceiver;
wherein said medical device is configured to deactivate said therapeutic component and said wireless transceiver during a deep sleep mode of said medical device;
a controller configured to periodically initiate, when said medical device is in the deep sleep mode, a scan mode, in which said controller:
a. activates said transceiver and causes said transceiver to:
i. transmit a first wireless signal carrying an identifier associated with said medical device to a computing platform containing a registry of sought after medical devices;
ii. scan for a second wireless signal transmitted by the computing platform indicating the identifier associated with said medical device is listed in the registry of sought after devices; and
iii. signal said controller if the second wireless signal is detected;
b. in the event the second wireless signal is detected, cause said medical device to emit a localization signal; and
c. in the event a wireless signal, indicating the identifier associated with said medical device is listed in the registry of sought after devices, is not detected within a pre-defined time period, cause said medical device to return to the deep sleep model.
11. A device according to claim 10 , wherein said controller is adapted to initiate the scan mode at pre-defined time intervals, when said medical device is in the deep sleep mode.