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EP-4736182-A1 - CONNECTION OF A MEDICAL DEVICE TO A LOCAL SERVER

EP4736182A1EP 4736182 A1EP4736182 A1EP 4736182A1EP-4736182-A1

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to a method for connecting a first medical device (10) to a local server (100). The method comprises transmitting (S102), to an external server (200), a request for information, comprising a customer ID associated with the local server; receiving (S104), from the external server, a plurality of device IDs associated with the customer ID, wherein each device ID is associated with a respective one of a plurality of medical devices; receiving (S106) a connection request from the first medical device, comprising a first device ID associated with the first medical device; comparing (S108) the first device ID with the plurality of device IDs received from the external server; and upon the first device ID corresponding to a device ID of the plurality of device IDs, allowing (S110) the connection request to the local server.

Inventors

  • ANDERSSON, JONAS

Assignees

  • Maquet Critical Care AB

Dates

Publication Date
20260506
Application Date
20240626

Claims (14)

  1. 1. A method for connecting a first medical device (10) to a local server (100), wherein the local server comprises an environment for running an application using data generated by the first medical device, the method comprising: transmitting (SI 02), to an external server (200), a request for information, the request for information comprising a customer ID associated with the local server; receiving (SI 04), from the external server, a plurality of device IDs associated with the customer ID, wherein each device ID is associated with a respective one of a plurality of medical devices; receiving (SI 06) a connection request from the first medical device, the connection request comprising a first device ID associated with the first medical device; comparing (SI 08) the first device ID with the plurality of device IDs received from the external server; and upon the first device ID corresponding to a device ID of the plurality of device IDs, allowing (SI 10) the connection request to the local server.
  2. 2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the local server and the first medical device are arranged in a local network of a healthcare setting, and wherein the external server is arranged outside the local network.
  3. 3. The method according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the request for information is transmitted periodically to the external server.
  4. 4. The method according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the connection request is received upon installation of the first medical device.
  5. 5. The method according to any of the preceding claims, wherein allowing the connection request comprises sharing a communication certificate with the first medical device.
  6. 6. The method according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the first medical device is a cardiac and/or respiratory support device.
  7. 7. A local server (100) comprising an environment for running an application using data from a first medical device (11), the local server being configured to: transmit, to an external server (200), a request for information, the request for information comprising a customer ID associated with the local server; receive, from the external server, a plurality of device IDs associated with the customer ID, wherein each device ID is associated with a respective one of a plurality of medical devices; receive a connection request from the first medical device, the connection request comprising a first device ID associated with the first medical device; compare the first device ID with the plurality of device IDs received from the external server; and upon the first device ID corresponding to a device ID of the plurality of device IDs, allow the connection request.
  8. 8. A system comprising: an external database (300) configured to hold and update information pertaining to a plurality of medical devices (10), the information comprising: a plurality of device IDs, wherein each device ID is associated with a respective one of the plurality of medical devices, and a customer ID associated with the plurality of device IDs; the system further comprising: an external server (200) connected to the external database and configured to receive the customer ID and the plurality of device IDs from the external database; and a local server (100) connected to the external server, wherein the local server is associated with the customer ID and configured to transmit, to the external server, a request for information, the request for information comprising the customer ID; wherein the external server is configured to, upon receiving the request for information from the local server, transmit, to the local server, the plurality of device IDs associated with the customer ID; wherein the local server comprises an environment for running an application using data from a first medical device (11); wherein the local server is further configured to receive a connection request from the first medical device, the connection request comprising a first device ID associated with the first medical device; and wherein the local server is further configured to compare the first device ID with the plurality of device IDs received from the external server and, upon the first device ID corresponding to a device ID of the plurality of device IDs, allow the connection request.
  9. 9. The system according to claim 8, wherein the local server is configured to receive information from the medical device, the information comprising personal identifiable information, PII, and non-PII, and to filter the information to remove the PII and transmit the filtered information to the external server.
  10. 10. The system according to claim 9, wherein the external server is configured to transmit the filtered information comprising the non-PII to the external database.
  11. 11. The system according to claim 9 or 10, wherein the non-PII comprises equipment data pertaining to the medical device.
  12. 12. The system according to any of claims 8-11, wherein the external server is configured to periodically receive the customer ID and the plurality of device IDs from the external database.
  13. 13. The system according to any of claims 8-12, wherein the local server and the first medical device are arranged in a local network, and wherein the external database and the external server are arranged externally to the local network.
  14. 14. One or more non-transitory computer-readable media storing instructions executable by one or more processors, wherein the instructions, when executed, cause the one or more processors to perform operations comprising: transmitting (SI 02), to an external server, a request for information, the request for information comprising a customer ID associated with a local server comprising an environment for running an application using data from a first medical device connected to the local server; receiving (SI 04), from the external server, a plurality of device IDs associated with the customer ID, wherein each device ID is associated with a respective one of a plurality of medical devices; receiving (SI 06) a connection request from the first medical device, the connection request comprising a first device ID associated with the first medical device; comparing (SI 08) the first device ID with the plurality of device IDs received from the external device; and upon the first device ID corresponding to a device ID of the plurality of device IDs, allowing (SI 10) the connection request to the local server.

Description

CONNECTION OF A MEDICAL DEVICE TO A LOCAL SERVER Technical Field The present invention relates to medical device connectivity, and more specifically to technologies for connecting a medical device to a local server comprising an environment for running an application using data generated by the medical device. Background Medical device connectivity has become an increasingly important aspect of healthcare technology, primarily due to the evolving need for real-time transfer and monitoring of patient data as well as equipment data. Medical devices, such as monitors, ventilators, extracorporeal membrane oxygenation devices, infusion pumps, and similar devices, may establish and maintain a connection through which data are transferred to a local server in a healthcare setting. The data transfer can be employed for various applications, including applications for patient monitoring, diagnostics, device status monitoring, and device control. For data privacy and security purposes, it is of importance that the medical device is authenticated and allowed to connect to the local server. This ensures that the transferred data are secured, thereby reducing the risk for unauthorised access and potential data breaches. However, the existing methods of connecting the medical devices to the local server typically involve manual configuration processes, which can be timeconsuming with a potential for errors, especially when a large number of devices are involved. Therefore, there exists a need for an improved technology that can simplify the connection process and enhance the overall security of medical device data transfer. Summary In view of the above, it is thus an object of the present invention to overcome or at least mitigate some of the problems discussed above. In particular, it is an object to provide an improved technology for connecting a medical device to a local server. Hence, according to a first aspect, there is provided a method for connecting a first medical device to a local server, wherein the local server comprises an environment for running an application using data generated by the first medical device. The method comprises transmitting a request for information to an external server, wherein the request comprises a customer ID associated with the local server, and receiving, from the external server, a plurality of device IDs associated with the customer ID. Each device ID is associated with a respective one of a plurality of medical devices. The method further comprises receiving a connection request from the first medical device, wherein the connection request comprises a first device ID associated with the first medical device, comparing the first device ID with the plurality of device IDs received from the external server, and, upon the first device ID corresponding to a device ID of the plurality of device IDs, allowing the connection request to the local server. According to a second aspect, a system is provided, comprising an external database configured to hold and update information pertaining to a plurality of medical devices, wherein the information comprises a plurality of device IDs, each of which being associated with a respective one of the plurality of medical devices, and a customer ID associated with the plurality of device IDs. The system further comprises an external server that is connected to the external database and configured to receive the customer ID and the plurality of device IDs from the external database, as well as a local server that is connected to the external server, wherein the local server is associated with the customer ID and configured to transmit, to the external server, a request for information. The request for information comprises the customer ID. The external server is configured to transmit, to the local server, the plurality of device IDs associated with the customer ID. The local server comprises an environment for running an application using data from a first medical device and is configured to receive a connection request from the first medical device, wherein the connection request comprises a first device ID associated with the first medical device. The local server is further configured to compare the first device ID with the plurality of device IDs received from the external server and, upon the first device ID corresponding to a device ID of the plurality of device IDs, allow the connection request. Medical devices that communicate with a local server are typically found in healthcare settings. For data privacy and security purposes, it is of interest to authenticate the medical devices to reduce the risk of unauthorised access and potential data breaches. The present invention beneficially provides a technology for handling a request from a first medical device to establish a communicative connection to the local server. This request may, for example, form part of a configuration process or an onboarding process in which the first medic