Wearable cardioverter defibrillator (WCD) system having main UI that conveys message and peripheral device that amplifies the message
In embodiments, a Wearable Cardiac Defibrillator (WCD) system is configured to be worn by an ambulatory patient. The WCD system includes a main user interface (UI) output device that can output an image, sound or vibration as a main message about a condition of the patient or the WCD system. The patient may further carry a peripheral device that can also output an image, sound or vibration as a peripheral message about the condition. The peripheral message may mirror the main message at least in part, amplify it, and so on. The availability of the peripheral message provides the patient with the opportunity to better perceive the main message, and the flexibility to receive and react to it discreetly, learn more about the condition, and so on.
1. In combination, main components of a wearable cardioverter defibrillator (WCD) system configured to be worn by an ambulatory patient and a peripheral device that is configured to be carried by the ambulatory patient, wherein:
the main components comprise:
an electrode;
a support structure configured to be worn by the ambulatory patient to maintain the electrode on a body of the ambulatory patient;
an energy storage module configured to store an electrical charge, and to discharge at least some of the stored electrical charge via the electrode;
a main housing;
a main user interface (UI) output device located at least partly within the main housing;
a main communication module; and
a main processor configured to:
receive an input about a condition, the condition being about one of the ambulatory patient, one of the main components of the WCD system, or both;
transmit a main driving signal to the main UI output device;
cause, responsive to the received input and the main driving signal, the main UI output device to output a main human-perceptible indication (HPI), the main HPI being about the condition;
transmit a main notification signal to the main communication module; and
cause, responsive to the received input and the main notification signal, the main communication module to transmit an amplification signal, the amplification signal encoding a message about the condition; and
the peripheral device comprises:
a peripheral housing distinct from the main housing;
a peripheral communication module (PCM) located at least partly within the peripheral housing, wherein the PCM is configured to, responsive to receiving the transmitted amplification signal with the encoded message, amplify the encoded message; and
a peripheral UI output device configured, responsive to the PCM amplifying the encoded message, to output a peripheral HPI, the peripheral HPI being about the condition.
2. The combination of claim 1 , wherein the energy storage module is located within the main housing.
3. The combination of claim 1 , wherein the PCM includes an antenna, and the amplification signal is transmitted wirelessly.
4. The combination of claim 1 , wherein the peripheral device is a component of the WCD system.
5. The combination of claim 1 , wherein the peripheral device is a general purpose machine running a software application.
6. The combination of claim 1 , wherein the peripheral device further comprises:
a peripheral processor configured, responsive to the PCM receiving the amplification signal, to decode the encoded message and drive the peripheral UI output device to output the peripheral HPI.
7. The combination of claim 1 , wherein the peripheral HPI is output concurrently with the main HPI.
8. The combination of claim 1 , wherein the main components further comprise a sensor configured to monitor a patient parameter of the ambulatory patient, and the condition includes a value of the patient parameter.
9. The combination of claim 1 , wherein the main components further comprise a sensor configured to monitor an operational parameter of the WCD system, and the condition includes a value of the operational parameter.
10. The combination of claim 1 , wherein the main components further comprise a sensor configured to monitor an operational parameter of the WCD system, and the condition includes that a value of the operational parameter is beyond a threshold.
11. The combination of claim 1 , wherein the main components further comprise:
a battery; and
a charge monitor configured to monitor a state of charge of the battery, the condition includes a value for the state of charge.
12. The combination of claim 1 , wherein the main components further comprise a wear monitor configured to:
determine whether or not the support structure is worn by the ambulatory patient in a certain way; and
output a wear confirmation, responsive to determining that the support structure is worn by the ambulatory patient in the certain way, wherein the condition includes an indication of the wear confirmation.
13. The combination of claim 1 , wherein:
the main HPI includes a sound, wherein the main UI output device includes a main speaker configured to emit the sound; and
the peripheral HPI includes an image, wherein the peripheral UI output device includes a peripheral screen configured to display the image.
14. The combination of claim 1 , wherein:
the main HPI includes a vibration, wherein the main UI output device includes a main vibration device configured to emit the vibration; and
the peripheral HPI includes an image, wherein the peripheral UI output device includes a peripheral screen configured to display the image.
15. The combination of claim 1 , wherein the peripheral HPI includes a sound, and wherein the peripheral UI output device includes a peripheral speaker configured to emit the sound.
16. The combination of claim 1 , wherein the peripheral HPI includes a vibration, and the peripheral UI output device includes a peripheral vibration device configured to generate the vibration.
17. The combination of claim 1 , wherein:
the main HPI includes a main image, wherein the main UI output device includes a main screen configured to display the main image; and
the peripheral HPI includes a peripheral image, wherein the peripheral UI output device includes a peripheral screen configured to display the peripheral image.
18. The combination of claim 17 , wherein the peripheral image includes the entire main image.
19. The combination of claim 17 , wherein the peripheral image includes a second image that is not included in the main image.
20. The combination of claim 17 , wherein the peripheral image includes an aspect of the main image, and the aspect of the main image as displayed on the peripheral screen has at least 24% larger area than as displayed on the main screen.
21. The combination of claim 17 , wherein the peripheral image includes an aspect of the main image.
22. The combination of claim 17 , wherein the peripheral image includes text that is not included in the main image.
23. The combination of claim 17 , wherein the peripheral image has a first portion and a second portion, and the peripheral UI output device includes a screen configured to initially display the first portion but not the second portion, and then to display the second portion.
24. The combination of claim 23 , wherein the peripheral UI output device includes a touchscreen configured to display the second portion responsive to the touchscreen being touched.
25. The combination of claim 23 , wherein the first portion includes a link, and the peripheral UI output device includes a touchscreen configured to display the second portion responsive to the touchscreen being touched at the link.
26. The combination of claim 1 , wherein the main HPI being about the condition comprises the main HPI including an indication of one or more of:
a value of a patient parameter monitored by a sensor that monitors the patient parameter of the ambulatory patient;
a value of an operational parameter monitored by a sensor that monitors the operational parameter of the WCD system;
a value of an operational parameter exceeding a threshold monitored by the sensor—that monitors the operational parameter of the WCD system is beyond the threshold; and
a value of a state of charge of a battery of the WCD system.
27. A wearable cardioverter defibrillator (WCD) system for treating a patient during a medical event, the WCD system comprising:
a medical treatment device configured to monitor and provide treatment to the patient, wherein the medical treatment device comprises:
at least one physiological sensor input configured to generate physiological signals corresponding to the patient;
a medical treatment device screen for presenting medical information based on the generated physiological signals; and
at least one first processor operably coupled with the at least one physiological sensor input, and the medical treatment device screen, wherein the at least one first processor is configured to:
receive and process the physiological signals corresponding to the patient;
generate medical data based on the processed physiological signals;
display, on the medical treatment device screen in a first display format, case information comprising physiological information rendered from the generated medical data; and
transmit the case information and the generated medical data to another device; and
a companion device communicatively coupled to the medical treatment device to receive the case information and the generated medical data, wherein the companion device comprises:
a device interface having a display screen configured to allow a user to input one or more instructions for the medical treatment device during the medical event; and
at least one second processor operably coupled with the device interface, wherein the at least one second processor is configured to:
process the case information and the generated medical data received from the medical treatment device;
display, at the device interface in a second display format, a real time device view of the case information comprising the physiological information as displayed on the medical treatment device screen, wherein the second display format provides a visual reproduction of the first display format; and
transmit, responsive to detecting at least one user input at the device interface, one or more instruction signals to the medical treatment device.