US20240028319A1 - Medical software download to mobile phone - Google Patents

Abstract

A method is provided for monitoring medical information using a portable medical device and a mobile device, comprising: establishing a communication link between the mobile device and a download server; selecting, depending on the type of mobile device, a communication software package from a plurality of communication software packages accessible by the download server; downloading the selected communication software package to the mobile device over the link; installing the communication software package on the mobile device; wirelessly transferring medical data from the portable medical device to the mobile device using the installed communication software package; and uploading at least a portion of the medical data from the mobile device to a medical care server.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
• The present application claims priority to and is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 17/038,823, entitled “MEDICAL SOFTWARE DOWNLOAD TO MOBILE PHONE,” filed Sep. 30, 2020, which claims priority to U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/722,067, now U.S. Pat. No. 10,803,989, entitled “MEDICAL SOFTWARE DOWNLOAD TO MOBILE PHONE,” filed Oct. 2, 2017, which claims priority to and is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/911,142, now U.S. Pat. No. 9,811,633, entitled “MEDICAL SOFTWARE DOWNLOAD TO MOBILE PHONE,” filed Aug. 5, 2008, which is a national stage entry of PCT Application No. PCT/EP2006/061554, entitled “MEDICAL SOFTWARE DOWNLOAD TO MOBILE PHONE,” filed Apr. 12, 2006, the entire disclosures of which being hereby expressly incorporated herein by reference. The present application is also related to U.S. patent application Ser. No. 17/830,076 now U.S. Pat. No. 11,593,081 entitled “MEDICAL SOFTWARE DOWNLOAD TO MOBILE PHONE” and U.S. patent application Ser. No. 17/830,190, now U.S. Pat. No. 11,494,172 entitled “MEDICAL SOFTWARE DOWNLOAD TO MOBILE PHONE.”
FIELD OF THE DISCLOSURE
• The disclosure relates to a method for monitoring medical data using a portable medical device and a mobile communication device. The disclosure further relates to a system for monitoring medical data, the system comprising a portable medical device and a mobile communications device. The method and the system according to the disclosure may be applied, e.g., for monitoring a glucose level information, a blood pressure information, a cholesterol level information, and/or a coagulation information, or may be applied to information transfer concerning an insulin medication. The method and the system according to the disclosure may be applied within the framework of a homecare medical system, e.g. a homecare medical system comprising one or more healthcare centers.
BACKGROUND
• In many fields of medical treatment and healthcare, a monitoring of certain body functions is required. Thus, e.g., for patients suffering from diabetes, a regular check of the blood glucose level forms an essential part of the daily routine. The blood glucose level has to be determined fast and reliably several times per day, in order to initiate a responsive medication in case certain limits are exceeded. In order not to unduly disturb the daily routine of the patient, in many cases portable medical devices are used. A large number of portable medical devices for monitoring various body functions are commercially available.
• Nevertheless, the use of portable medical devices involves some risks, which are mainly due to the fact that the handling of the portable medical devices is sometimes complicated, which, mainly for elderly patients or infants, may lead to handling failures and, thus, to the risk of insufficient or even wrong monitoring results. Further, since most of the patients handling the portable medical devices have not undergone a medical training, the interpretation of the medical data gained by using the portable medical devices is not always easy. Therefore, often, the patients are required to see their doctors or any other health consultants in short time-intervals on a regular basis.
• In order to reduce the frequency of necessary visits to the doctor or even hospitalizations, the idea of home-care has gained popularity over the recent years. Thus, e.g. the availability of mobile communications devices, such as cell phones, as well as the omnipresence of communication networks, such as the internet or wireless communication networks, has led to the development of medical care systems allowing for monitoring patients at home, using a portable medical device and a data transfer system for transferring medical data to a health care center.
• U.S. Pat. No. 5,544,661 discloses a patient monitoring system which includes a portable device and a central station. The portable device includes an ECG and a photo-plethysmograph connected to the patient, an arrhythmia analysis apparatus, an expert system for determining if a pre-established critical parameter set has been exceeded, and a wireless wide-area communication device for automatically contacting the central station via a public cellular phone network when the critical parameter set has been exceeded. When the central station is contacted, the patient's ECG waveforms, measurements, and trends are sent to the central monitoring station and a 2-way voice channel between the patient and the central station is automatically opened.
• The components of the system have to be adapted by integrating suitable hardware and software modifications into standard devices, in order to be applied within the mobile patient monitoring system. Thus, for many “every day” purposes, such as blood pressure monitoring or blood glucose level monitoring, the system described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,544,661 exceeds the frame of allowable costs for a health monitoring system.
• WO 97/28736 discloses a method for monitoring the health of a patient by utilizing measurements. The method comprises a supply of the results of the measurements to a person treating the patient via a communications device utilizing a wireless data transmission link to a data processing system available to the person monitoring the patient's health. The patient's health is monitored by means of the data stored in the data processing system. Specifically, WO 97/28736 relates to the self-care and monitoring of the health of a diabetes patient.
• Similarly, EP 0970655 A1 discloses a portable apparatus of reduced size, which has an analyzer for analyzing the glucose in the blood and for providing a series of values. The values can be processed in situ by a microprocessor and displayed on a screen of a personal computer connected to the glucose analyzer. The telematic control system for patients provided with the apparatus would provide that the data calculated in the portable apparatus would be transmitted to a central unit for the remote interpretation of the data through a mobile telephone which is also interconnected with the microprocessor and the analyzer. The system disclosed in EP 0970655 A1 is made up of four basic elements: a central unit, a laboratory terminal, a doctor's unit, and a patient's terminal. The patient's terminal is made up of a blood glucose auto analyzer, a compatible personal computer and a digital mobile telephone apparatus (GSM), which are integrated in a single apparatus.
• Both the system disclosed in WO 97/28736, and the system disclosed in EP 0970655 A1 utilize devices of every day use, such as personal computers and digital mobile phones, in order to exchange medical information between the patient and a health care center. Nevertheless, the systems disclosed in WO 97/28736 and EP 0970655 A1 still involve several disadvantages. Thus, the mobile digital phones have to be specifically adapted, in order to be applicable within the health monitoring system. Thus, the mobile phone has to be equipped with suitable software and/or hardware, in order to be able to communicate with the blood glucose auto analyzer. For this purpose, in many cases, the mobile digital phone has to be shipped to a specialized health care provider, in order to be disassembled and in order to, e.g., have a software flashed into the cell phone's EEPROM. Alternatively or additionally, the software can be programmed by exchanging the SIM-card using a new SIM-card containing a suitable software. This method is rather time-consuming and costly. Further, the flexibility of this method is rather low, since the service lifetime of devices such as digital mobile phones or certain medical monitoring devices in many cases does not exceed several months. In this case, after replacing the digital mobile phone or the portable medical device, the routine of programming the portable medical device and/or the digital mobile phone has to be repeated, thus further increasing costs. Further, the systems disclosed in the state of the art, are not designed to be “open” to new “members” of the system, such as new portable medical devices. Therefore, in most cases, only certain pairs of portable medical devices and digital mobile phones can be combined.
SUMMARY
• The method according to the disclosure is applicable for monitoring medical data using a portable medical device and a mobile communications device, each of these devices comprising at least one interface for data transfer. In this context, the expression “monitoring” comprises a wide variety of meanings. Thus, monitoring may comprise an exchange of data, including medical data, an evaluation and/or validation of data, (pre-) processing of data, visualization of data, bringing data to someone's attention, and/or initiating certain processes, such as warning functions or medical treatment, in case predetermined conditions are fulfilled by the data.
• The mobile communications device may comprise basically any type of mobile communications device or any combination of mobile communication devices. The mobile communications device may comprise a mobile phone and/or a personal digital assistant (PDA) and/or a handheld computer. The mobile communications device is equipped to communicate via a mobile communications network.
• The portable medical device may comprise basically any portable medical device, including a medical device for monitoring a patient's medical data and/or applying a medical treatment to a patient. Further, a combination of portable medical devices may be used. The portable medical device may comprise a glucose meter, such as a blood glucose meter, and/or a cholesterol meter, and/or a blood pressure meter, and/or a coagulation meter, and/or an insulin pump.
• The method comprises the following steps, which do not have to be performed in the order given below. Further steps not listed below may be performed additionally. Steps may be performed repeatedly or several steps may be performed in parallel.
• In one embodiment, a download link is established between the mobile communications device and a download server during the first process step. The download link comprises a wireless download link, e.g. using a public mobile communications network, such as a digital wireless network, e.g. a GSM network. The initiation of the establishment of the download link between the mobile communications device and the download server may be performed by several possible ways. Thus, the patient may call a pre-determined telephone number, in order to initiate the establishment of the download link. Further, an electronic message, such as a Wireless Application Protocol (WAP) Push Message may be transmitted to the mobile communications device, e.g. by the download server, the electronic message comprising a download address defining a download location on the download server. This download address may, e.g. comprise an Internet Protocol (IP) address and/or a Uniform Resource Locater (URL). The download server may be part of a health care center or may be part of a server's system provided by a mobile communications device manufacturer and/or a portable medical device manufacturer.
• In a second step, a communication software package is chosen from a plurality of communication software packages for controlling a data transfer between a mobile communications device and a portable medical device stored on the download server. This choice of a communication software package depends on the type of mobile communications device and/or on the type of portable medical device used by the patient (user). Thus, e.g. the user may select from the list of mobile communications device types and a list of types of portable medical devices. Alternatively, or additionally, the type of the user's mobile communications device may be detected automatically by the download server. For this purpose, the method may include a step of transmitting “type information” comprising information of the type of the mobile communications device to the download server. This embodiment of the disclosure allows for the download server to automatically narrow the choice of communication software packages offered to the user, in a way, that only communication software packages suited for the user's type of mobile communications device are offered. In this case, the user only has to select from a list of portable medical devices, in order to download a communication software package suited for the communication between the user's mobile communications device and the user's portable medical device.
• The communication software package comprises a software package, e.g. a self-installing software package, for controlling the data transfer between the mobile communications device and the portable medical device. Therefore, as denoted above, both the mobile communications device and the portable medical device each comprise at least one interface for data transfer. This interface comprises at least one interface for wireless data transfer. Thus, e.g. an infrared data transfer, using an Infrared Data Association (IrDA) standard link, can be used. Alternatively or additionally, a radio frequency data transfer link may be used, comprising an interface for Bluetooth data transfer and/or for near field communication (NFC) data transfer. Nevertheless, alternatively or additionally, hardware-based data transfer means may be used, such as a data transfer by communication cables or interface cables. Thus, using the communication software package, data may be exchanged between the portable medical device and the mobile communications device uni-directionally or bi-directionally. Thus, medical data can be transmitted from the portable medical device to the mobile communications device. In turn, control signals, such as signals indicating a command for starting a measurement, as well as other data, can be transmitted from the mobile communications device to the portable medical device.
• Further, the method according to the disclosure comprises a step of downloading the communication software package from the download server to the mobile communications device. The communication software package may e.g. be stored in a storage medium within the mobile communications device and/or on a separate computer device. In a further step, the communication software package is installed on the mobile communications device. As explained above, the installation step may be performed automatically or may involve a user-initiated action. Thus, e.g. before installing the communication software package, the user may be asked permission to initiate the installation, e.g. by activating a certain key of the mobile communications device.
• The method according to the disclosure offers a high flexibility regarding the choice of the mobile communications device and the choice of the portable medical device. The patient or user may easily switch between various types or models of devices. In case of a device change, the user only has to download a new communication software package from the download server, in order to allow for the communication between the mobile communications device and the portable medical device he intends to use. Hardware changes may not be required, since many portably medical devices and mobile communications devices are using standardized interfaces, such as IrDA interfaces. Thus, a shipment of the mobile communications device to a provider, in order to exchange software modules and in order to adapt the mobile communications device for communication with a specific portable medical device, is not necessary any longer.
• For downloading the communication software package from the download server, simple download procedures can be used, such as procedures known from downloading ring tones to cell phones from a provider's server. Thus, the method according to the disclosure significantly increases the applicability of mobile health care systems and, thus, reduces health care costs and improves patient's monitoring in everyday life.
• The method according to the disclosure may be extended or improved by many ways. Thus, the method may comprise a step during which at least one first medical information is exchanged between the portable medical device and the mobile communications device by means of data transfer. Thus, at least one diagnostic information may be exchanged, for example by transmission from the portable medical device to the mobile communications device. The first medical information may comprise several types of information. Thus, as described above, the data transfer may be unidirectional in each direction between the mobile communications device and the portable medical device or may be bidirectional. Thus, the mobile communications device may be used in order to initiate measurements and/or to program the portable medical device. Further, medical information may be transmitted from the portable medical device, such as measurement information of medical measurements. Thus, a glucose level information, such as a blood glucose level information and/or a blood pressure information, and/or a cholesterol level information, and/or a coagulation information may be transmitted. Further, a measuring time, such as a point of time related to a measurement of a specific medical information, may be transmitted. Further, a dose information, e.g. a dose information for an insulin medication, such as a dose information for programming an insulin pump, may be transmitted, in this case in the direction from the mobile communications device to the portable medical device.
• The at least one first medical information may be stored in a database on the mobile communications device. Thus, the mobile communications device may comprise a database software. This database software may, e.g. be downloaded from the same download server as the communication software package or may be downloaded from a separate download server. The way of downloading may be similar to the downloading of the communication software package as listed above. Further, the database software may even be part of the communication software package downloaded from the download server.
• Additionally or alternatively to the database software, other types of software algorithms may be applied to the first medical information. Thus, at least one evaluation algorithm may be applied by the mobile communications device to the at least one first medical information. Similarly to the database software, this evaluation algorithm may be separate from or may be part of the previously listed software modules, such as the communication software package and/or the database software. Further, the at least one evaluation algorithm may be downloaded from the same download server or from a separate download server, within the same or a separate download step.
• The at least one evaluation algorithm may e.g. provide an algorithm for processing or pre-processing the at least one first medical information. This processing may include a comparison of the at least one first medical information with certain user-specific limits, such as a comparison of blood glucose levels with pre-determined blood glucose level limits, and, additionally, may comprise a warning function warning a user in case certain levels are exceeded. Further, the processing of data may comprise averaging, filtering, and other similar algorithms.
• Further, separately or being part of the evaluation algorithm, at least one medical user information can graphically and/or acoustically be presented to a patient by the mobile communications device. Thus, the at least one medical user information may be graphically displayed on a display, such a display integrated into the mobile communications device. Alternatively or additionally, data can be transferred to a separate computer, such as data stored in the database, which may be downloaded to a personal computer or a laptop, e.g. for the purpose of further evaluation and/or storage.
• The method according to the disclosure may further be extended by adding a step of establishing an upload link between the mobile communications device and a medical care server. The medical care server may be identical or be part of the download server or may comprise a separate server. As an example, the medical care server may be part of a server system located at a hospital or a health care center. Thus, after establishing the upload link between the mobile communications device and the medical care server, at least one second medical information may be exchanged between the mobile communications device and the medical care server. This at least one second medical information exchanged between the mobile communications device and the medical care server may be identical to the first medical information described above. It may further be an extraction from the at least one first medical information, such as a selection from the first medical information considered to be relevant. Thus, the at least one first medical information may be pre-processed for the purpose of data-reduction, in order to reduce the amount of data transferred between the mobile communications device and the medical care server.
• Additionally or alternatively, the at least one second medical information exchanged between the medical care server and the mobile communications device may comprise additional data, such as a user identification number or a similar data. Similarly to the communication between the mobile communications device and the portable medical device, the data exchange between the mobile communications device and the medical care server may be unidirectional in each direction or may be bidirectional. Thus, e.g. the at least one second medical information may comprise an information transmitted from the medical care server to the mobile communications device, indicating for the patient to consult his doctor, e.g. in case part of the at least one second medical information transmitted from the mobile communications device to the medical care server indicates that a critical medical condition has occurred.
• The exchange of the at least one second medical information between the mobile communications device and the medical care server may, e.g., comprise an exchange of a Short Message Service (SMS) message. Thus, the amount of data exchange between the mobile communications device and the medical care server may be reduced to a minimum, by using standard SMS messages, whereby communication channel resources are freed.
• The embodiment of the exchange of the at least one second medical information between the mobile communications device and the medical care server allows a full integration of the patient into a mobile health care system. The at least one medical care server may be accessible by the patient's doctor, in order for the doctor to access information on the health status of the patient at any time or anywhere. Additionally or alternatively, the medical care server may comprise evaluation means, such as evaluation algorithms, and/or database applications, in order to allow for e.g. a long term monitoring of the patient's health. Further, the health care server may transmit information to the mobile communications device on medical treatment, e.g. in response to a measured health condition, such as information on an insulin dose or an automatic warning. The insulin dose information or other medication information may be transmitted from the medical care server to the mobile communications device and, successively, from the mobile communications device to the portable medical device. Thus, the method allows for an ultra-fast reaction, which may occur automatically to critical changes of the patient's health conditions. Thus, the method according to the disclosure reduces the health care risk and reduces the cost for health care by reducing the necessity of frequent hospitalization.
• Within the spirit and the scope of the disclosure, a second method for monitoring medical data using a portable medical device and mobile communications device is proposed. The portable medical device and the mobile communications device may be equipped as in the first method described above. The second method according to the disclosure comprises the following steps, which, again, do not have to be performed in the order given below. Further, additional steps not listed below may be performed and steps may be performed repeatedly and/or in parallel.
• The method comprises a step of establishing a download link between the mobile communications device and a download server. Further, the method comprises choosing an upload communication software package from a plurality of upload communication software packages for uploading at least one third medical information from the mobile communications device to a medical care server. The choice of the upload communication software package depends on the type of mobile communications device used by the patient. Again, the method may comprise an automatic transmission of an information concerning the type of mobile communications device used by the patient to the download server, as described above. In the latter case, the download server may automatically select an appropriate communication software package suited for the type of mobile communications device used by the patient. Alternatively, the patient may manually select or input the type of mobile communications device he is using.
• This upload communication software package is downloaded to the mobile communications device and, as described above, installed automatically or initiated by a separate user action. This second method according to the disclosure allows for the user to upload at least one third medical information to the medical care server. This at least one third medical information may, as described for the at least one second medical information, comprise part of the at least one first medical information and/or the at least one second medical information, may be identical to this information, and/or may comprise additional information. Thus, the at least third medical information may comprise a glucose level information, a blood pressure information, a cholesterol level information, a coagulation information, a measuring time, a dose information for insulin indication, and/or other types of information. The transmission of the at least one third medical information may comprise a transmission of a Short Message Service (SMS) message, similar to the first method according to the disclosure described above.
• The difference between the first method according to the disclosure and the second method according to the disclosure resides within the generation of the at least one second medical information and the at least one third medical information, respectively. The second method according to the disclosure does not necessarily have to comprise a step of automatically exchanging information between the mobile communications device and the portable medical device. Thus, for the second method according to the disclosure, the user might manually input data into the mobile communications device for transmission to the medical care server. The user might obtain some medical information by simply reading an output value of the portable medical device and may manually input this value into the mobile communications device for transmission to the medical care server.
• The software package downloaded from the server may comprise a software package for communication between the mobile communications device and the portable medical device and/or the communication software package for uploading the at least one third medical information from the mobile communications device to the medical care server. Thus, both methods according to the disclosure support the idea of mobile health care and home care.
• Further, the disclosure includes the system for monitoring medical data, which can, e.g. be applied with the methods according to the disclosure disclosed above. The system comprises a portable medical device, a mobile communications device, and a download server, as described above. The portable medical device and the mobile communications device each comprise at least one interface for data transfer, such as for wireless data transfer, e.g. of the types described above. The mobile communications device and the download server comprise means for establishing a download link, such as a wireless download link, between the mobile communications device and the download server. The expression “means” may include hardware means and/or software means, e.g. means for transmitting data via a wireless telecommunications network, as well as suitable modem connections including software.
• On the download server, a plurality of communication software packages for controlling data transfer, such as wireless data transfer, between a mobile communications device and a portable medical device are stored. These communication software packages may comprise communication software packages as described above with the method according to the disclosure.
• Further, the mobile communications device and/or the download server comprise means for exchanging information on which type of mobile communications device and/or which type of portable medical device is used by the user, as well as means for choosing an appropriate communication software package from the plurality of communication software packages accordingly. The means for exchanging information on the type of mobile communications device and/or the type of portable medical device may include hardware and software means, such as memories for storing information on the type of mobile communications device and/or the type of portable medical device, may comprise a software offering a list of types of mobile communications devices and/or types of portable medical devices to the user, and/or may comprise means for automatic transmission of an information on the type of mobile communications device used by the user.
• The system according to the disclosure may further comprise software means for performing one or both of the methods according to the disclosure as described above. Thus the disclosure includes a computer program comprising program means for performing one or both of the methods according to the disclosure as described above, while the computer program is being executed on a computer or a computer network, the computer or computer network being part of a mobile communications device, a download server, and/or a medical care server. The program means may be stored on storage medium readable to a computer. Further, the disclosure includes a storage medium, wherein a data structure is stored on the storage medium and wherein the data structure is adapted to perform one or both of the methods according to the description given above after having been loaded into a main and/or working storage of a computer or of a computer network, the computer or computer network being part of the mobile communications device, a download server, and/or a medical care server.
• Furthermore, an embodiment of the disclosure includes a computer program product having program code means, wherein the program code means are stored on a storage medium, for performing one or both of the methods disclosed above. If the program code means are executed on a computer or on a computer network, the computer or computer network being part of a mobile communications device, a download server, and/or a medical care server. Therein, a computer program product is meant to be a tradable product. It may exist in any viable form, e.g. on paper and/or a computer-readable data carrier, and may be distributed via a computer network.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
• For more complete understanding of the present disclosure, reference is established to the following description made in connection with accompanying drawings in which:
• FIG.1 shows a system for monitoring medical data using a cell phone and a blood glucose meter;
• FIG.2 shows an embodiment of the first method according to the disclosure for monitoring medical data; and
• FIG.3 shows an embodiment of the second method according to the disclosure for monitoring medical data.
• Although the drawings represent embodiments of various features and components according to the present disclosure, the drawings are not necessarily to scale and certain features may be exaggerated in order to better illustrate and explain the present disclosure. The exemplification set out herein illustrates embodiments of the disclosure, and such exemplifications are not to be construed as limiting the scope of the disclosure in any manner.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS OF THE DISCLOSURE
• For the purposes of promoting an understanding of the principles of the disclosure, reference will now be made to the embodiments illustrated in the drawings, which are described below. It will nevertheless be understood that no limitation of the scope of the disclosure is thereby intended. The disclosure includes any alterations and further modifications in the illustrated devices and described methods and further applications of the principles of the disclosure, which would normally occur to one skilled in the art to which the disclosure relates. Moreover, the embodiments were selected for description to enable one of ordinary skill in the art to practice the disclosure.
• InFIG.1, an exemplary embodiment of asystem110 for monitoring medical data is depicted. In this exemplary embodiment, thesystem110 comprises amobile phone112 and ablood glucose meter114. Themobile phone112 comprisesmeans116 for transmitting and receiving data within amobile communications network118, e.g. a GSM network. Further, themobile phone112 comprises at least onemicrocomputer120 with storage means, as well as adisplay122 andkeys124. Further, themobile phone112 comprises astandard IrDA interface126.
• In the embodiment according toFIG.1, theblood glucose meter114 constitutes the portable medical device of thesystem110. Other portable medical devices may be used additionally or alternatively. Theblood glucose meter114 in this example is a commercially available standard blood glucose meter for electrochemical blood glucose level measurements using atest strip128. Theblood glucose meter114 comprises electronic components and at least onemicrocomputer130 for evaluating the blood glucose level measurements. Further, theblood glucose meter114 comprisesseveral keys132 as well as adisplay134 for displaying medical information and other user information. Furthermore, theblood glucose meter114 comprises astandard IrDA interface136. As described above, other types of interfaces thanIrDA interfaces126,136 may be used, such as e.g., interfaces using an interface cable for connecting themobile phone112 and theblood glucose meter114. Nevertheless, the wireless IrDA interfaces126,136 allow for setting up a wirelessinfrared connection138 between themobile phone112 and theblood glucose meter114, thus avoiding the necessity for the patient to carry an interface cable.
• Using themeans116 for wireless communication (also referred to herein as a “data transceiver”),mobile phone112 is equipped to establish awireless connection140 with themobile communications network118. Thus, themobile phone112 is equipped to establish a connection with other networks connected to themobile communications network118, in the embodiment according toFIG.1 with theinternet142, which is symbolically depicted inFIG.1. Thus, themobile phone112 may establish a first connection with adownload server146 connected to theinternet142, and/or asecond connection148 to amedical care server150. Thedownload server146 and themedical care server150 do not necessarily have to be separate servers, but may belong to one and the same server system or a network of servers. Bothservers146 and150 may comprise typical server means, which may comprise storage means, data base means, evaluation software means, and/or means for connecting to theinternet142, e.g. modem means. These typical server means are not explicitly depicted inFIG.1.
• Using themeans116 for wireless communication,mobile phone112 is equipped to establish awireless connection140 with themobile communications network118. Thus, themobile phone112 is equipped to establish a connection with other networks connected to themobile communications network118, in the embodiment according toFIG.1 with theinternet142, which is symbolically depicted inFIG.1. Thus, themobile phone112 may establish a first connection with adownload server146 connected to theinternet142, and/or asecond connection148 to amedical care server150. Thedownload server146 and themedical care server150 do not necessarily have to be separate servers, but may belong to one and the same server system or a network of servers. Bothservers146 and150 may comprise typical server means, which may comprise storage means, data base means, evaluation software means, and/or means for connecting to theinternet142, e.g. modem means. These typical server means are not explicitly depicted inFIG.1.
• Themedical care server150 in this exemplary embodiment according toFIG.1 is connected to a doctor'sunit152, inFIG.1 depicted as a mobile computer, such as a laptop. Alternatively or additionally, handheld computers or palmtops may be used, or even computer systems comprising a second mobile communications device such as a doctor's mobile phone. The connection between the doctor'sunit152 and themedical care server150 may comprise a virtual private network (VPN)154, which allows a fast and secure access from the doctor'sunit152 to data stored on themedical care server150. Further, from the doctor'sunit152, even a connection may be made to themobile phone112, in order to transmit data to or receive data from themobile phone112 of the patient. Thus, a doctor may e.g. evaluate medical data sent by themobile phone112 and may in turn respond by sending data on potential medical counter actions, such as data on optimum medications.
• InFIG.2, an embodiment of the first method according to the disclosure as described above is depicted. As previously explained, the steps depicted in this figure do not necessarily have to be taken in the order depicted inFIG.2, additional steps may be taken, and steps may be taken repeatedly or in parallel. In the following, the method according toFIG.2 will be described, for exemplary purposes only, in connection with thesystem110 according toFIG.1. Nevertheless, the method may be applied to other systems for monitoring medical data.
• In afirst step210, a patient (user) sends a first SMS via themobile communications network118 to a predetermined phone number. Thus, the user indicates his interest in starting a download process. This phone number may be the phone number of a service center, which, e.g. may comprise thedownload server146 or may be part of thedownload server146. As a response to this first SMS, in step212 a WAP Push Message is sent to the patient'scell phone112. As described above, this WAP Push Message may contain download information, such as the download address, e.g. the internet address of thedownload server146. The WAP Push Message may be transmitted by thedownload server146 or by any other system.
• Instep214, the user opens the WAP Push Message, e.g. by simply selecting the message on thedisplay122 and activating a key124. As a consequence, instep216 themobile phone112 automatically navigates to thedownload server146 and starts a download and setup process. Instep218, the information on the type of the user'smobile phone112, such as an information on the mobile phone's112 manufacturer and/or the model of themobile phone112, is automatically transmitted to thedownload server146. Consequently, a software installed on thedownload server146 narrows down the number of communication packages which are suited to be used by the patient.
• Instep220, a list of types of blood glucose meters and/or other portable medical devices is presented to the patient, e.g. by transmitting this list from thedownload server146 to themobile phone112 and by displaying this list on thedisplay122. The user selects the type of portable medical device, specifically the type ofblood glucose meter114 he intends to use, e.g. by selecting this type ofblood glucose meter114 from the list displayed on thedisplay122 and activating one specific key of thekeys124, e.g. an “Enter” key. Thus, a suitable communication software package stored on thedownload server146 is selected, which allows for a communication between themobile phone112 and theblood glucose meter114, e.g. via theinfrared connection138.
• Instep224, permission is asked from the user to download the selected software package and to install the software package on themicrocomputer120 of themobile phone112. Consequently, if the user indicates his permission, e.g. by activating apredetermined key124 of themobile phone112, the download from thedownload server146 to themobile phone112 via the first connection144 (download connection) is performed. This download may comprise, as indicated, the download of a communication software package allowing for a communication between themobile phone112 and theblood glucose meter114. Further software packages may be downloaded, such as a software package allowing for communication between themobile phone112 and themedical care server150, e.g. via thesecond connection148. Further software packages may be downloaded, such as e.g. database software for monitoring medical data as well as other application software packages, e.g. software packages for (pre-)processing medical information and/or displaying this medical information on thedisplay122 of themobile phone112. Nevertheless, these application software packages may alternatively be downloaded in a separate process, e.g. from aseparate download server146.
• Instep228, the software downloaded from thedownload server146 is installed on themicrocomputer120 of themobile phone112. Again, this installation may be performed automatically, or may be initiated by the user, e.g. after giving a separate permission for installation. After performing the installation instep228, themobile phone112 may communicate with theblood glucose meter114 and may uni-directionally or bi-directionally, exchange information with theblood glucose meter114. Further, themobile phone112 may be used in order to control several or all functions of theblood glucose meter114. Further, optionally, as indicated above, after the installation instep228, themobile phone112 may also be equipped to perform communication with themedical care server150.
• Instep230, the patient takes a blood glucose measurement using theblood glucose meter114. Thus, the patient may apply a blood sample to thetest strip128 and may initiate the measurement using thekeys132 of theblood glucose meter114. This measurement may be processed by the electronic components and themicrocomputer130 of theblood glucose meter114, and the result of this measurement may be displayed ondisplay134 and/or stored in a memory and/or database of theblood glucose meter114.
• Instep232, themobile phone112 requests the transmission of a first medical information from theblood glucose meter114 to themobile phone112. As described above, this first medical information may comprise results of the blood glucose measurement taken instep230, or may comprise data derived from this blood glucose measurement. Other types of information may be included, such as e.g. the time of the blood glucose measurement taken instep230. Further, this first medical information may comprise the data, such as data stored in a database of theblood glucose meter114, e.g. medical data of previously taken blood glucose measurements. The first medical information is transmitted to themobile phone112 via theinfrared connection138. On themobile phone112, the first medical information is stored in a memory, and/or in a database, e.g. a database being stored on the microcomputer120 (step234). Instep234, additionally or optionally, other information may be stored in conjunction with this first medical information, such as e.g. a time of the measurement and/or the data acquisition, as gained e.g. from an internal clock of themobile phone112.
• Thesteps210 to234 as described above may constitute by themselves an embodiment of the first method according to the disclosure. The method may be optionally extended using thesteps236 to242 depicted inFIG.2. These steps allow for an exchange of information between themobile phone112 and themedical care server150. Therefore, instep236, thesecond connection148 is established between themobile phone112 and themedical care server150 via themobile communications network118 and theinternet142. Thissecond connection148 allows for exchanging a second medical information between themobile phone112 and themedical care server150. In this example, this second medical information is exchanged instep238 by sending a second SMS from themobile phone112 to themedical care server150, the second SMS comprising the second medical information. Other types of information exchange may be used. Nevertheless, the use of SMS provides a fast and cost-efficient way of exchanging information. The second medical information, as explained above, may fully or partly comprise the first medical information. Additionally or alternatively, the first medical information may be processed on themicrocomputer120 of themobile phone112, and, thus, the second medical information may comprise processed or preprocessed derivatives of the first medical information. Other information may be included, such as a user authentication, e.g. a user's identification number and/or a pin number or a password.
• Instep240 this second medical information is stored in a database on themedical care server150. Thus, this second medical information is accessible for performing further operations, such as for applying further evaluation software algorithms to this second medical information. These evaluation software algorithms may be run on themedical server150 or on separate computers, such as the doctor'sunit152. Warning functions may be implemented, such as warning functions generating a warning signal for the patient and/or the doctor or other medical personnel in case the second medical information and/or information derived from the second medical information indicates a critical status of the patient. Instep142, the second medical information and other information stored on themedical server150 may be accessed via theVPN154 from the doctor'sunit152. Thus, the doctor may monitor the patient's data and, in turn, react accordingly, such as by notifying the patient of optimum medication.
• InFIG.3, an embodiment of the second method according to the disclosure is depicted. As explained above, this method does not necessarily require themobile phone112 and/or theblood glucose meter114 to includeinterfaces126,136. In afirst step310, the patient initiates a download process by sending an SMS to a service center, e.g. the download server, similar to step210 described above. Instep312, a WAP Push Message is sent to the patient'smobile phone112, similar to step212 described above. This WAP Push Message is opened by the user in step314 (seestep214 above). Consequently, instep316, themobile phone112 navigates to thedownload server146. The type of the patient'smobile phone112 is transmitted to thedownload server146 in step318 (seestep218 above). Insteps320 and322, permission for download and installation is asked from the patient, and the download is initiated (seesteps224 and226 above). Thus, instep322, a communication software package is downloaded from thedownload server146 to themobile phone112 which allows for establishing asecond communication148 between themobile phone112 and themedical care server150. As indicated above, other software may be downloaded, such as database software or software comprising other algorithms for monitoring and/or processing medical data, such as evaluation or displaying software. The software is automatically installed on themobile phone112 instep324, similarly to step228 described above.
• Instep326 the patient takes a measurement using the blood glucose meter114 (seestep230 above). Following, instep328, the user reads out measurement results from thedisplay134 of theblood glucose meter114 and manually inputs this information into themobile phone112 using, e.g., thekeys124 or any other way of data input supported by themobile phone112, such as voice input or input via a touch pad. This data may e.g. be stored in themicrocomputer120 of themobile phone112, such as in a database. Further, instep330, the user establishes thesecond connection148 between themobile phone112 and the medical care server150 (seestep236 above). Via thissecond connection148, instep332 an SMS is sent from themobile phone112 to themedical care server150, the SMS containing a third medical information. Similar to the context of the description ofstep238 inFIG.2, this third medical information may fully or partially comprise the data of the manual data input ofstep328 and/or data derived from this manual data input. Further data may be transmitted, such as a user authentication. Instep334, this third medical information is stored in a database within themedical care server150 and, step336 may be accessed by a doctor using the doctor'sunit152 and aVPN154.
• While this disclosure has been described as having an exemplary design, the present disclosure may be further modified within the spirit and scope of this disclosure. This application is therefore intended to cover any variations, uses, or adaptations of the disclosure using its general principles. Further, this application is intended to cover such departures from the present disclosure as come within known or customary practice in the art to which this disclosure pertains

Claims (20)

1. A system for monitoring medical data, comprising:

a portable medical device including an interface configured for wireless data transfer; and

a communication software package adapted to:

(i) be selected from a subset of a plurality of communication software packages accessible by a download server, each one of the subset of communication software packages being compatible with a mobile communication device of a user;

(ii) be downloaded from the download server to the mobile communication device of the user;

(iii) be installed on the mobile communication device of the user; and

(iv) facilitate exchange of medical data between the mobile communication device of the user and at least one of the portable medical device and a medical care server after the communication software package has been installed on the mobile communication device of the user.

2. The system ofclaim 1 wherein the communication software package is adapted to facilitate the exchange of medical data between the mobile communication device of the user and the portable medical device after the communication software package has been installed on the mobile communication device of the user.

3. The system ofclaim 1 wherein the communication software package is adapted to facilitate the exchange of medical data between the mobile communication device of the user and the medical care server after the communication software package has been installed on the mobile communication device of the user.

4. The system ofclaim 1 wherein the communication software package is adapted to facilitate the exchange of medical data between the portable medical device and the medical care server through the mobile communication device of the user after the communication software package has been installed on the mobile communication device of the user.

5. The system ofclaim 1 wherein the portable medical device is selected from the group consisting of a glucose meter, a blood glucose meter, a cholesterol meter, a blood pressure meter, a coagulation meter, and an insulin pump.

6. The system ofclaim 5 wherein the portable medical device is a glucose meter and the medical data includes glucose data.

7. The system ofclaim 5 wherein the portable medical device is an insulin pump.

8. The system ofclaim 1 wherein the interface configured for wireless data transfer of the portable medical device is selected from the group consisting of an infra-red data transfer interface, a radio frequency data transfer interface, and a near field communication (NFC) interface.

9. The system ofclaim 8 wherein the interface configured for wireless data transfer of the portable medical device is configured to transfer data via radio frequency data transfer.

10. The system ofclaim 9 wherein the radio frequency data transfer comprises Bluetooth data transfer.

11. A method for monitoring medical data, the method comprising:

providing a portable medical device having an interface adapted for wireless data transfer; and

providing a communication software package adapted to:

(i) be selected from a subset of a plurality of communication software packages accessible by a download server, each one of the subset of communication software packages being compatible with a mobile communication device of a user;

(ii) be downloaded from the download server to the mobile communication device of the user;

(iii) be installed on the mobile communication device of the user; and

(iv) facilitate exchange of medical data between the mobile communication device of the user and at least one of the portable medical device and a medical care server after the communication software package has been installed on the mobile communication device of the user.

12. The method ofclaim 11, wherein the subset of communication software packages includes more than one communication software package.

13. The method ofclaim 11, wherein:

the subset of communication software packages includes the communication software package and a second communication software package;

the communication software package is adapted to facilitate the exchange of medical data between the mobile communication device of the user and the portable medical device when the communication software package is installed on the mobile communication device of the user;

the second communication software package is adapted to facilitate the exchange of medical data between the mobile communication device of the user and a second portable medical device when the second communication software package is installed on the mobile communication device of the user; and

wherein the portable medical device and the second portable medical device are different medical devices.

14. The method ofclaim 11, wherein:

the subset of communication software packages includes the communication software package and a second communication software package;

the communication software package is adapted to facilitate the exchange of medical data between the mobile communication device of the user and the portable medical device when the communication software package is installed on the mobile communication device of the user; and

the second communication software package is adapted to facilitate the exchange of medical data between the mobile communication device of the user and the medical care server when the second communication software package is installed on the mobile communication device of the user.

15. The method ofclaim 11 wherein the portable medical device is selected from the group consisting of a glucose meter, a blood glucose meter, a cholesterol meter, a blood pressure meter, a coagulation meter, and an insulin pump.

16. The method ofclaim 15 wherein the portable medical device is a glucose meter and the medical data includes glucose data.

17. The method ofclaim 15 wherein the portable medical device is an insulin pump.

18. The method ofclaim 11 wherein the interface adapted for wireless data transfer of the portable medical device is selected from the group consisting of an infra-red data transfer interface, a radio frequency data transfer interface, and a near field communication (NFC) interface.

19. The method ofclaim 18 wherein the interface adapted for wireless data transfer of the portable medical device is adapted to transfer data via radio frequency data transfer.

20. The method ofclaim 19 wherein the radio frequency data transfer comprises Bluetooth data transfer.

Images