CH719951A2 - System for locating mobile devices in medical systems - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for locating a mobile device (20), which is part of a system with a medical device (10) worn on the human body, wherein the mobile device and the medical device can communicate with one another via a wireless point-to-point connection. The medical device worn on the body includes a control element (11) via which the described procedures can be started.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to systems for the medical administration of medications and real-time monitoring of physiological parameters, in particular systems for the (quasi-) continuous administration of fluid medications, particularly in the area of diabetes and the (quasi-) continuous monitoring of interstitial sugar levels and blood sugar levels and/or ketone levels in the human body.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0002] Many modern medications, such as antibody medications, biologics, or even insulins, are now typically administered into the human body via injections or infusions. In the diabetes sector, it is widespread to administer insulin via small infusion pumps. Such pumps can be worn on the body and supply patients with insulin (quasi-) continuously. Such insulin pumps can be connected to the body via an infusion set, as in the case of the applicant's Ypsopump, or applied directly to the skin (as a so-called patch pump), as in the case of the Omnipod from the manufacturer Insulet. Many of the well-known insulin pump systems now include smart phone apps for (partial or complete) remote control of the infusion pumps. Systems such as the Omnipod 5 system include a (quasi-) continuous measuring device to monitor the interstitial sugar concentration in the patient in real time (short: CGM for continuous glucose monitor), an infusion pump and a smart phone app. The CGM device, like the Omnipod 5, is glued directly to the patient's skin. The CGM device transmits measured sugar values to the smart phone app installed on a smart phone, which evaluates the measured values. The smart phone app is also used to control the insulin pump, either in a closed loop or manually through entries on the smart phone by the patient. This shows how important the smart phone is in the systems described. For example, since the Omnipod 5 itself has no controls, it must be controlled and operated via the smart phone app or a dedicated remote control. If a patient then misplaces their smart phone, operating the pump becomes problematic or even dangerous. In addition, for safety reasons, an infusion pump cannot be controlled by any smart phone on which the appropriate smart phone app is installed. Smart phone and infusion pump must be paired and authenticate each other. The communication between the smart phone and the infusion pump is also encrypted to prevent communication from being intercepted.

[0003] Systems are known from the prior art in which smart phones can locate objects using so-called markers or tags. For example, more modern iPhones from Apple can locate so-called Airtags at short and long distances.

[0004] Due to the problems described above with the infusion systems, which use a smart phone as a central and ultimately indispensable unit, it seems important to find misplaced or abandoned smart phones that are used to control infusion pumps as quickly as possible.

[0005] The term “product”, “medication” or “medical substance” in the present context includes any flowable medical formulation which is suitable for controlled administration using a cannula or hollow needle into subcutaneous or intramuscular tissue, for example a liquid, a solution, a gel or a fine suspension containing one or more medicinal active ingredients. A drug may therefore be a single active ingredient composition or a premixed or co-formulated multi-active ingredient composition from a single container. The term includes in particular drugs such as peptides (e.g. insulins, insulin-containing drugs, GLP 1-containing and derived or analogous preparations), proteins and hormones, biologically derived or active active ingredients, active ingredients based on hormones or genes, nutritional formulations, enzymes and other substances in solid (suspended) or liquid form. The term also includes polysaccharides, vaccines, DNA or RNA or oligonucleotides, antibodies or parts of antibodies as well as suitable base, auxiliary and carrier materials.

The term “distal” refers to a side or direction directed towards the front, puncture-side end of the administration device or towards the tip of the injection needle. In contrast, the term “proximal” refers to a side or direction directed towards the rear end of the administration device opposite the puncture end.

[0007] The terms “locate”, “localization” and “localization” mean displaying and/or communicating a local position or similar, i.e. in the sense of locating.

PRESENTATION OF THE INVENTION

[0008] It is an object of the invention to provide methods and medical systems and their elements which enable the localization of mobile devices integrated in the medical systems.

[0009] The problem is solved by the method in claim 1 respectively. 11 and the devices in claims 7 and 10. Further developed solutions to the problem can be found in the dependent claims, the description and the figures.

A first aspect relates to a method for locating a mobile device using a medical device, both of which are parts of a system. The mobile device can be a cell phone, a smartphone, a tablet (computer), or a mobile computer (such as a notebook). The medical device can be a body-worn infusion pump, a plaster or patch pump, or a body-worn device for monitoring (blood) sugar levels. Further medical devices are explicitly included provided that they include the functionality described in the disclosure for carrying out the method according to the invention according to the first aspect, i.e. in particular cannot be lost or at least less easily lost than a mobile device. What is important to the invention is that the medical device is worn on the body and has a connection to the body surface and/or the interior of the body during active use. On the body this can mean directly on the skin. Alternatively, it can also be meant that the medical device is worn on the body on a separate holding device, such as a holster. Alternatively, it can also mean that the medical device is worn in or on clothing.

The system can include additional devices, but this is by no means mandatory. In order for the medical device and mobile device to be part of the system, they must be linked to each other and to any other devices in the system via wireless communication technology. All devices can be linked to all devices or a master device can be linked to all other devices in the system. Mixed forms are also possible. The coupling in the sense of the present disclosure is, for example and advantageously, a Bluetooth coupling. In one example, the mobile device and the medical device are paired via Bluetooth technology. On an abstract level, this means that the two devices were figuratively introduced to each other and wireless communication between mobile devices and medical devices was explicitly permitted. The information necessary for data transmission was stored on both devices during pairing (including information on encryption of communication). Coupling does not mean a permanent “standing” connection between devices, but rather the coupling enables the repeated (and automatic) establishment of a communication connection between the devices based on the stored information. Alternatively, it could also be a WLAN connection. During pairing, the security standards for any data transfers between devices within the system are also determined. Data transfers between devices in the system are typically encrypted, and this can happen either at the level of the Bluetooth connection, at the application level or, advantageously, at both levels.

For the sake of simplicity, the first aspect is described using the simplest possible system, namely a system consisting of a mobile device and a medical device, both devices having a unit for wireless communication via which the devices can be coupled in the sense described above . In the initial state of the process, both devices are coupled to one another, but no communication connection between the devices is currently active. The method according to the invention allows the mobile device to be localized with the aid of the medical device. In order to start the procedure, the medical device has at least one control element that can be operated by a person using it. After pressing the control element, the medical device automatically establishes a point-to-point communication connection with the mobile device. When or after the communication connection is established, the medical device informs the mobile device that the mobile device should be located. The mobile device now emits a signal via a signal transmitter arranged in or on the mobile device. This signal can be acoustic, for example (alternatively: light, vibration, etc.). The emitted signal then allows the person who operated the control element to locate the mobile device. In preferred variants of the method according to the first aspect, the emitted signal can be variable. For example, the signal can be varied depending on the distance between the medical device and the mobile device, so that the person can estimate how far away the mobile device is. As an alternative, the mobile device can, in addition to or instead of emitting a signal itself, send a message to the medical device via the communication connection, which then also or alternatively emits a signal to the mobile device based on the message. In this case, the medical device also includes a signal generator. In an advantageous development of a variable signal, it can be a voice message that is output by the mobile device.

In a second aspect, the method from the first aspect is adapted. The control element of the medical device can, for example, also be used for several functions of the medical device. For example, the control element can also be used for temporary programming of the medical device. In such cases it is important that the operation of the control element is clear. In this aspect, activating the control element can mean activating the control element multiple times. For example, if the control element is a button, multiple activation can consist of pressing the button multiple times, in particular within a short period of up to a few seconds. For example, analogous to a double or triple click on a computer mouse. Alternatively, the control element (e.g. a button) can also be activated over a longer period of time. For example, a button can be held down for several seconds.

[0014] In a third aspect, the distance determination between mobile device and medical device is further specified. The third aspect can complement the previous aspects. In a simple variant, the distance between the mobile device and the medical device can be estimated based on the signal strength, for example the mobile device measures the signal strength of the communication signal received by the medical device and uses this to estimate the distance between the devices. As a result, the emitted signal can be varied based on this estimate. For example, if the emitted signal is an acoustic one, the signal can be varied in frequency and/or volume depending on the estimated distance.

As an alternative to the signal strength, the transit time of signals between the devices can also be used to determine distance. This is a particularly useful variant if the units for wireless communication are Bluetooth, in particular Bluetooth Low Energy, or Ultra Wide Band units (combinations of different wireless technologies are also possible without deviating from the inventive idea). For example, ultra-wide band (UWB) or German ultra-wideband refers to technologies in the sense of the IEEE 802.15.4.z standard.

A fourth aspect relates to a medical device which is suitable for carrying out a method according to one of the previously described aspects. The medical device can in particular be one of the following devices: a patch infusion pump, a continuously or quasi-continuously measuring glucose sensor or an infusion pump, which is connected to the human body via an infusion set. In a variant of the fourth aspect, the control element described can be one of several control elements on or in the medical device. The control element can be a switch, a button, or a touch-sensitive sensor. A touch-sensitive sensor can also be understood as an area on a touchscreen. The touch-sensitive sensor can function as a button. Alternatively, the sensor can also be designed to be flat and the person operating it can position one or more fingers on the sensor and, if necessary, also move them. The latter can be useful in a further modification of the second aspect, in which a movement pattern is recorded on a flat sensor instead of multiple activation of the control element.

[0017] A fifth aspect is a further focus of the fourth aspect. The medical device in this aspect is a so-called patch infusion pump or patch infusion pump or patch pump (the terms are used synonymously in the present disclosure). In advantageous embodiments, the patch pump has a modular structure. The patch pump includes at least one reusable module, which contains, for example, the electronics and the electrical drive, as well as a disposable module, which contains, for example, the medication reservoir. The reusable module also includes a housing. The control element according to the invention, via which the localization of the mobile device can be started, is arranged on an external surface. The control element can, for example, break through a wall of the housing (button or switch) or can also be arranged directly behind the wall (e.g. touch-sensitive sensor).

[0018] A sixth aspect also relates to a method for locating a mobile device. In contrast to the previously described methods for localization, in which a direct wireless communication connection between the medical device and the mobile device is used, the sixth aspect concerns a method in which the localization of the mobile device takes place via an Internet connection. The actual procedure is basically the same as described above. After pressing the corresponding control element on the medical device, it establishes a communication connection to the mobile device, with this connection taking place via the Internet. In an advantageous example, the unit for wireless communication of the medical device is designed as a WLAN module or mobile radio module (GSM, 3G, 4G or 5G). The unit of the mobile device can also be, for example, either mobile communications and/or WLAN. It is important that both devices can establish and/or maintain a connection to the Internet. The prerequisite is that the mobile device and medical device have been previously paired - in the sense of the description above, for example via an (additional) Bluetooth connection. On the one hand, localization via the Internet has the advantage that localization over large distances, or any distance worldwide, is possible. On the other hand, the feedback (emitting the signal) by the mobile device has to be designed differently, because in this aspect the mobile device is typically neither within visual distance nor within sight is within hearing distance of the medical device. Since modern mobile devices usually have a geo-positioning module, such as a GPS, Galileo and/or GLONASS module, the signal emitted by the mobile device contains, in an advantageous embodiment, the geographical coordinates of the current position of the mobile device. In one example, the signal is an email message that is automatically sent by the mobile device to a predetermined email address containing the location data. This message can then be accessed via any third-party device with Internet access, and the person skilled in the art is sufficiently familiar with the various options for retrieving email messages, so that a more detailed description is omitted here. Alternatively, the signal can also be sent as a fax message or voice message to one or more predefined fax/telephone numbers.

CHARACTERS

Preferred embodiments of the invention are described below in connection with the attached figures. These are intended to show basic possibilities of the invention and must in no way be interpreted in a restrictive manner. Fig. 1 shows a simple system consisting of a body-worn medical device 10 and a smart phone as a mobile device 20, which can establish a direct (point-to-point) communication connection with one another. 2 shows a system consisting of a medical device 10 'worn on the body, a smart phone as a mobile device 20 and a computer 40 as a receiving device, whereby the devices can establish a communication connection to the Internet 50.

FIGURE DESCRIPTION

Figure 1 shows a first system with which a method according to the invention can be carried out. The person using it 1 carries a medical device 10 with a control element 11 on his right arm. In the example shown, the medical device 10 can be a patch pump and includes a communication module (not shown) which can communicate wirelessly with other devices via Bluetooth. The sofa 5 with the sofa cushions 5a is located slightly away from the person. There is a gap 6 between the sofa cushions, and the smart phone or mobile device 20 is still just visible in this gap 6. The smart phone 20 also includes a Bluetooth-capable communication module (not shown). In the present case, medical device 10 and smart phone 20 are coupled, so they can establish a direct and wireless Bluetooth communication connection with each other at any time and if necessary (symbolized as 30a and 30b in Figure 1). If the person using it 1 now wants to locate the smart phone 20, they actuate the control element 11. The medical device 10 thereby establishes a Bluetooth connection with the smart phone 20 and reports to it that the smart phone 20 has located itself relative to the person using it should. In response, the smart phone 20 emits a signal, for example an acoustic tone, via the speaker(s) (not shown) of the smart phone 20. The tone can be varied by the smart phone depending on, for example, an estimated distance between the medical device 10 and Smart Phone 20. In one example, the communication connection between the medical device 10 and the Smart Phone 20 can be maintained over a certain period of time, so that the Smart Phone 20 can continually estimate the distance to the medical device 10 and adapt the signal accordingly. Based on the signal emitted, the user 1 can now locate the smart phone 20 in the gap 6 between the sofa cushions 5a of the sofa 5.

Figure 2 shows a second system with which a method according to the invention can be carried out. In this example, the user 1 carries a medical device 10' with a control element 11' on his right arm. In the example shown, the medical device 10' can again be a patch pump, alternatively also a CGM device. In any case, the medical device 10' in turn comprises a communication module with which a connection to the Internet 50 can be established wirelessly, for example via WLAN or WiFi can be constructed. Figure 2 again shows the sofa 5 with the sofa cushions 5a and the gap 6, in which (by way of example) the smart phone 20 is inserted. In this example, smart phone 20 and the medical device 10' are not within range for a direct point-to-point connection via, for example, Bluetooth. However, both devices were previously paired in accordance with the general description above. Instead, the smart phone 20 can also establish a connection to the Internet 50, and the two devices can communicate with each other via the Internet 50. In order to start locating the smart phone 20, the person using it 1 operates the control element 11'. As a result, the medical device 10' sends a message via the Internet 50 to the smart phone 20, which requests the smart phone 20 to communicate its own position (shown as 50a and 50b in FIG. 2). The smart phone 20 then determines its current position using, for example, GPS or Galileo and sends an email message to a preset email address via the Internet 50 (shown as 50c in Figure 2). The person using it 1 can receive this email message 60 on the computer 40 (shown as 50d in FIG. 2) and thus find out where the smart phone 20 is at the moment.

REFERENCE SYMBOL LIST

[0022] 1 person using 5 sofa 5a sofa cushion 6 gap 10 medical device worn on the body 10' alternative medical device worn on the body 11 control element 11' control element 20 mobile device/smart phone 30a Bluetooth communication of the medical device 10 30b Bluetooth communication of the mobile device 20 40 Computer 50 Internet 50a Internet communication from the medical device 10' to the Internet 50 50b Internet communication from the Internet 50 to the mobile device 20 50c Internet communication from the mobile device 20 to the Internet 50 50d Internet communication from the Internet to the computer 40 60 received email message

Claims (13)

1. A method for locating a mobile device which is part of a system with a medical device worn on the human body, the mobile device and the medical device being able to communicate with one another via a wireless point-to-point connection, the medical device worn on the body comprises a control element, wherein the mobile device and/or medical device comprise a signal transmitter which can emit a particularly variable signal to the environment, and wherein the method for locating the mobile device comprises at least the following steps: • Operating the control element, • automatic establishment of a communication connection between the medical device and mobile device, • Emission of the variable signal by the signal transmitter of the mobile device and/or the medical device, wherein the variable signal can be varied based on the distance between the mobile device and the medical device. 2. A method according to claim 1, wherein actuating the control element includes activating the control element multiple times, in particular activating it twice or three times in a short period of time of less than 2 seconds, and wherein the control element can optionally also be used for other functions of the medical device is. 3. A method according to claim 1, wherein actuating the control element comprises simply activating the control element over a period of more than 3 seconds, and wherein the control element can optionally also be used for other functions of the medical device. 4. A method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the distance between the mobile device and the medical device is determined based on the signal strengths of signals sent and received wirelessly between the mobile device and the medical device via the point-to-point connection. 5. A method according to one of claims 1, 2 or 3, wherein the distance between the mobile device and the medical device is determined based on the time period which signals of the wireless point-to-point connection need to travel from the mobile device to the medical device or vice versa get. 6. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the wireless point-to-point connection is a Bluetooth connection, a Bluetooth low energy connection or an ultra-wideband connection. 7. A medical device worn on the human body for carrying out the method according to the preceding claims, wherein the medical device is a patch infusion pump, a continuously or quasi-continuously measuring glucose sensor or an infusion pump connected to the human body via an infusion set. 8. A medical device worn on the human body according to the preceding claim, wherein the control element is a button, button or touch-sensitive sensor that can be operated by a person using it. 9. A medical device worn on the human body according to the preceding claim, wherein the medical device is a patch infusion pump, • which is composed of at least one reusable module and one disposable module, • wherein the reusable module has a housing, • wherein the control element is arranged under an outer surface of the housing of the reusable module, • and wherein the control element is designed as a touch-sensitive sensor, which can be activated by the outer surface of the housing of the reusable module. 10. A mobile device for carrying out the method according to claims 1 to 6, wherein the mobile device is a mobile phone, a smart phone, a dedicated remote control, a handheld computer, or a notebook computer. 11. Method for locating a mobile device, which is part of a system with a medical device for injecting fluid medications, wherein the mobile device and the medical device can communicate with one another via an Internet connection, the medical injection device comprising a control element, the mobile device and/or medical injection device include a signal generator which can emit a variable signal to the environment, and wherein the method for locating the mobile device comprises at least the following steps: • Operating the control element, • automatic establishment of the Internet connection between the medical device and mobile device, • Emission of the variable signal by the signal transmitter of the mobile device and/or the medical device, wherein the variable signal can be varied based on the distance between the mobile device and the medical device. 12. Method for locating a mobile device according to the preceding claim, wherein the mobile device further comprises a module with which the determination of the geographical coordinates of the mobile device is possible and the variable signal is digital information which is the current geographical coordinates of the mobile device contains and which can be sent via the Internet. 13. Method for locating a mobile device according to the preceding claim, wherein the digital information is an e-mail message which can be sent via the Internet to one or more predetermined e-mail addresses.