Automated external defibrillator (AED) with context-sensitive help

Abstract

A defibrillator system is disclosed including an operational state input, a user-operated information request input, and a user guidance output. The defibrillator system can be implemented as an AED, a manual defibrillator, or as a defibrillator trainer. The defibrillator system further utilizes the state and request inputs to determine a context-sensitive rescue information which is provided to the output.

1 . An automated external defibrillator comprising; 
 An information request input;    a state input indicative of an operational state of the defibrillator;    an output; and    a controller which provides context-sensitive rescue information to the output in response to the nformation request input and the operational state of the defibrillator.    
   
   
       2 . The automated external defibrillator of  claim 1  further comprising a second state input indicating the defibrillator electrode status, wherein said controller further provides said context-sensitive rescue information based on said second input.  
   
   
       3 . The automated external defibrillator of  claim 2 , wherein said defibrillator electrode status comprises a rescue electrode status, training electrode status or electrode not installed status.  
   
   
       4 . The automated external defibrillator of  claim 3  wherein said rescue electrode status further comprises an adult electrode status or pediatric electrode status.  
   
   
       5 . The automated external defibrillator of  claim 1  wherein said state input comprises an impedance between electrodes which is indicative of said operational condition of the defibrillator.  
   
   
       6 . The automated external defibrillator of  claim 1  wherein said context-sensitive rescue information comprises a CPR instruction.  
   
   
       7 . The automated external defibrillator of  claim 1  wherein said output is a speaker.  
   
   
       8 . The automated external defibrillator of  claim 1  wherein the information request input is a button.  
   
   
       9 . The automated external defibrillator of  claim 1 , wherein said button is selectively activated by said state input, and wherein said activation is indicated by the automated external defibrillator. The automated external defibrillator of  claim 1 , wherein said rescue information further comprises defibrillator condition, defibrillation procedure guidance, user reassurance comments, enhanced CPR guidance, and defibrillator administrative guidance.  
   
   
       10 . A method for providing context-sensitive rescue information to the user of an automated external defibrillator, the method comprising the steps of: 
 requesting help through a information request input;    determining an operational state of the defibrillator; and    conveying through an output rescue information based on said requesting step and determining step.    
   
   
       11 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising the step of detecting a defibrillator electrode status, and wherein said rescue information is further based on said detecting step.  
   
   
       12 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein said defibrillator electrode status comprises a rescue electrode status, training electrode status or electrode not installed status.  
   
   
       13 . The method of  claim 13  wherein said rescue electrode status further comprises an adult electrode status or pediatric electrode status.  
   
   
       14 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising the step of measuring an impedance between electrodes, and wherein said output rescue information is further based on said measuring step.  
   
   
       15 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein said rescue information comprises a CPR instruction.  
   
   
       16 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein said output is a speaker.  
   
   
       17 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein said information request input is a button.  
   
   
       18 . The method of  claim 18 , further comprising the steps of; 
 selectively activating said button based on said operational state; and    illuminating said button in response to said activating step.    
   
   
       19 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein said rescue information comprises defibrillator condition, defibrillation procedure guidance, user reassurance comments, enhanced CPR guidance, and defibrillator administrative guidance.