Apparatus and method for remotely controlling an ambulatory medical device

An electronic device for remotely controlling a medical device having a first display device and a plurality of user keys, the electronic device comprising:

• a plurality of user buttons,
• a second display device,
• a wireless communication circuit configured to wirelessly communicate with the medical device, and
• a processor including a memory having instructions stored therein that are executable by the processor to emulate at least some of the plurality of user keys with selected ones of the plurality of user buttons, to remotely control operation of the medical device via the wireless communication circuit based on user selection of at least one of the plurality of buttons, and to disregard user selections of any of the plurality of user buttons until acknowledgment is received from the medical device via the wireless communication circuit that the user selection of the single one of the plurality of user buttons was received and acted upon by the medical device.

A medical device comprising:

• a display device,
• a plurality of user keys,
• a wireless communication circuit configured to transmit wireless signals and to receive wireless and remotely generated signals, and
• a processor including a memory having instructions stored therein that are executable by the processor to generate screen data for display on the display device, to transmit the screen data via the wireless communication circuit, to control the display device to display a predefined screen that is different from the screen data, and to implement remotely generated and wirelessly received medical device commands, in response to a remotely generated and wirelessly received command to be remotely controlled.

A medical system comprising:

• a medical device including
• a first display device,
• a first wireless communication circuit configured to transmit wireless signals and to receive wireless and remotely generated signals, and
• a first processor including a first memory having instructions stored therein that are executable by the processor generate screen data for display on the display device, to transmit the screen data via the wireless communication circuit, and to control the first display device to display a predefined screen that is different from the screen data, and
• a remote electronic device including
• a second display device,
• a second wireless communication circuit configured to transmit wireless signals and to receive wireless and remotely generated signals, and
• a second processor including a second memory having instructions stored therein that are executable by the processor to receive the screen data from the medical device via the second wireless communication circuit and to control the second display device to display the screen data generated by the first processor.

A medical system comprising:

• a medical device configured to be remotely controlled in a remote terminal operating mode, the medical device including
• a first wireless communication circuit configured to transmit wireless signals and to receive wireless and remotely generated signals, and
• a first processor including a first memory having instructions stored therein that are executable by the first processor reset an alive timer each time the first processor transmits a message via the first wireless communication circuit and to transmit an alive message via the first wireless communication circuit if the alive timer times out between transmission of messages via the first wireless communication circuit, and
• a remote electronic device configured to remotely control the medical device in the remote terminal operating mode, the remote electronic device including
• a second wireless communication circuit configured to transmit wireless signals and to receive wireless and remotely generated signals, and
• a second processor including a second memory having instructions stored therein that are executable by the second processor reset an alive message timer each time the second processor receives via the second wireless communication circuit a message transmitted by the first processor via the first wireless communication circuit, and to exit the remote terminal operating mode if the alive message timer times out between receiving via the second wireless communication circuit messages transmitted by the first processor via the first wireless communication circuit.

A medical system comprising:

• a medical device configured to be remotely controlled in a remote terminal operating mode and a remote electronic device configured to remotely control the medical device in the remote control operating mode, the remote electronic device including a first wireless communication circuit configured to transmit wireless signals and to receive wireless and remotely generated signals, and a first processor including a first memory having instructions stored therein that are executable by the first processor reset an alive timer each time the first processor transmits a message via the first wireless communication circuit and to transmit an alive message via the first wireless communication circuit if the alive timer times out between transmission of messages via the first wireless communication circuit, and
• the medical device including a second wireless communication circuit configured to transmit wireless signals and to receive wireless and remotely generated signals, and
• a second processor including a second memory having instructions stored therein that are executable by the second processor reset an alive message timer each time the second processor receives via the second wireless communication circuit a message transmitted by the first processor via the first wireless communication circuit, and to exit the remote terminal operating mode if the alive message timer times out between receiving via the second wireless communication circuit messages transmitted by the first processor via the first wireless communication circuit.