Remote maintenance of medical devices

A non-transitory computer-readable medium containing instructions to configure a processor to perform operations comprising:

• receiving, by at least one processor, a request to conduct at least one test on a medical device module remotely located from a party initiating the request, the medical device module having an inductive receiver and being part of a medical device system, the medical device system comprising an inductive backplane having a plurality of mounting seats, each mounting seat being configured to mechanically secure to a medical device module, and each mounting seat having a dedicated inductive transmitter and a dedicated optical communications port separate from the dedicated inductive transmitter of each mounting seat, each dedicated inductive transmitter adapted to couple to a corresponding inductive receiver of a corresponding medical device module when the corresponding medical device module is positioned on the mounting seat such that the inductive backplane provides non-contact, inductive power to the corresponding medical device module via a coupling between the dedicated inductive transmitter and the corresponding inductive receiver of the corresponding medical device module, the inductive backplane configured to inductively power the medical device module when the medical device module is affixed to a first mounting seat, the at least one test relating to at least one attribute of the dedicated inductive transmitter of the first mounting seat or the inductive receiver of the medical device module, the request identifying the medical device module to be tested and the at least one test to be conducted, the medical device system further comprising an induction bus connected to a single power source and to each of the dedicated inductive transmitters, and further comprising a communications bus connected to a single, first communications interface and to each of the dedicated optical communications ports, and wherein each mounting seat further has a proximity sensor that can detect the presence of the medical device module,
• wherein the medical device system further comprising a second communications interface independent of the communications bus, the second communications interface providing a connection to other additional devices;
• verifying that the medical device module is not currently being used to treat a patient;
• initiate inductive powering of the medical device module via the dedicated inductive transmitter of the first mounting seat in response to the proximity sensor detecting the presence of the medical device module;
• transmitting a message representative of the request to the medical device system;
• receiving, by the at least one processor, authentication information from the party initiating the request, the authentication information including at least a role of the party wherein a role includes the party being authorized to repair the medical device module;
• receiving test data based on the one or more tests, the test data relating to the at least one attribute of the dedicated inductive transmitter of the first mounting seat or the at least one attribute of the inductive receiver of the medical device module, wherein the test data has a variation in detail based upon whether the party is authorized to repair the medical device module;
• and
• providing the test data.

A system comprising:

• a processor;
• and
• a memory, wherein the processor and the memory are configured to perform operations comprising:
• receiving, by at least one processor, a request to conduct at least one test on a medical device module remotely located from a party initiating the request, the medical device module having an inductive receiver and being part of a medical device system, the medical device system comprising an inductive backplane having a plurality of mounting seats, each mounting seat being configured to mechanically secure to a medical device module, and each mounting seat having a dedicated inductive transmitter and a dedicated optical communications port separate from the dedicated inductive transmitter of each mounting seat, each dedicated inductive transmitter adapted to couple to a corresponding inductive receiver of a corresponding medical device module when the corresponding medical device module is positioned on the mounting seat such that the inductive backplane provides non-contact, inductive power to the corresponding medical device module via a coupling between the dedicated inductive transmitter and the corresponding inductive receiver of the corresponding medical device module, the inductive backplane configured to inductively power the medical device module when the medical device module is affixed to a first mounting seat, the at least one test relating to at least one attribute of the dedicated inductive transmitter of the first mounting seat or the inductive receiver of the medical device module, the request identifying the medical device module to be tested and the at least one test to be conducted, the medical device system further comprising an induction bus connected to a single power source and to each of the dedicated inductive transmitters, and further comprising a communications bus connected to a single, first communications interface and to each of the dedicated optical communications ports, and wherein each mounting seat further has a proximity sensor that can detect the presence of the medical device module,
• wherein the medical device system further comprising a second communications interface independent of the communications bus, the second communications interface providing a connection to other additional devices;
• verifying that the medical device module is not currently being used to treat a patient;
• initiating, by the at least one processor, inductive powering of the medical device module via the dedicated inductive transmitter of the first mounting seat in response to the proximity sensor detecting the presence of the medical device module;
• transmitting a message representative of the request to the medical device system;
• receiving, by the at least one processor, authentication information from the party initiating the request, the authentication information including at least a role of the party wherein a role includes the party being authorized to repair the medical device module;
• receiving test data based on the one or more tests, the test data relating to the at least one attribute of the dedicated inductive transmitter of the first mounting seat or the at least one attribute of the inductive receiver of the medical device module, wherein the test data has a variation in detail based upon whether the party is authorized to repair the medical device module;
• and
• providing the test data.