Wireless relay module for remote monitoring systems

摘要

A wireless relay module for networked communications between a series of medical devices and a remote monitoring device. An interface circuit coupled to each medical device communicates with the wireless relay module via a wireless relay network. The relay module communicates with the remote monitoring device over an internet-accessible wireless communication network, and includes a receiver coupled to the wireless relay network, a first transmitter coupled to the wireless relay network, a second transmitter coupled to the internet-accessible wireless communications network; and a controller. The controller determines a status of the internet-accessible wireless communications network. When the status indicates that the internet-accessible wireless communications network is accessible, the second transmitter is selected for transmitting medical device data. When the internet-accessible wireless communications network is not accessible, the first transmitter is selected for transmitting the data to another wireless relay module.

主权项

1. A wireless relay module comprising:
a first receiver capable of wirelessly receiving medical device data over a wireless relay network from at least one medical device; a first transmitter capable of wirelessly transmitting medical device data over an internet-accessible wireless communications network; a second transmitter capable of wirelessly transmitting medical device data to at least one other wireless relay module over the wireless relay network; a processor coupled to the first and second transmitters, wherein said processor is capable of determining a device status for each of the at least one medical devices and a connection status of each of the first and second transmitters and the wireless relay module; a status module in communication with the first transmitter and the processor, wherein the status module is capable of determining an access status of the wireless relay network and providing the access status to the processor for selecting the first or second transmitter for data transmission based upon: (1) the access status of the wireless relay network determined by the status module; (2) the device status for each of the at least one medical devices determined by the processor; and (3) the connection status of each of the first and second transmitters and the wireless relay module determined by the processor; wherein the wireless relay module is configured to determine its current status and to communicate its current status to other wireless relay modules in the wireless relay network; and the relay module is configured to receive a current status of the other wireless relay modules in the wireless relay network.