Methods and systems for secure interoperability between medical devices

Abstract

An interface device is configured to provide one or more links to first-party medical devices, each of which communicates using a proprietary protocol. The interface device can translate between the proprietary protocol and a second protocol that is accessible via a second link to the interface device. Details of the second protocol can be provided to third parties for configuring third-party medical devices to connect to the interface device via the second link. Using the second link, one or more third-party medical devices can send information to and/or receive information from the first-party medical devices without the need for the third-party device (or devices) to have any information about the proprietary protocol(s) of the first-party medical device(s). The first-party medical devices can include surgical tools and related support equipment and the third-party medical device can include a control station used to monitor and control the tools and support equipment.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An apparatus for providing interoperability among a plurality of medical devices, the plurality of medical devices each having a corresponding data interface, the apparatus comprising:
 a plurality of ports, each port being operative to connect to the corresponding data interface of a respective medical device;   at least one memory; and   at least one processor operative to execute at least one computer program out of the at least one memory:
 to receive, from each of at least some of the plurality of medical devices, information pertaining to one or more of a data format, a syntax, and one or more settings employed by the respective medical device, wherein the information received from the respective medical device is indicative of one or more of (1) input data that the respective medical device is capable of receiving from at least another one of the plurality of medical devices, and (2) output data that the respective medical device is capable of providing to the other one of the plurality of medical devices; and 
 to establish, over the port connected to the corresponding data interface of the respective medical device, a communication link between the respective medical device and the other one of the plurality of medical devices using at least some of the information received from the respective medical device. 
   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the at least one processor is further operative to execute the at least one computer program out of the at least one memory to concurrently receive the output data from the respective medical device and at least the other one of the plurality of medical devices. 
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 2  wherein the at least one processor is further operative to execute the at least one computer program out of the at least one memory to store the output data received from the respective medical device and the other one of the plurality of medical devices in the at least one memory. 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 3  wherein the at least one processor is further operative to execute the at least one computer program out of the at least one memory to provide the output data received from the respective medical device as the input data to the other one of the plurality of medical devices. 
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 4  wherein the at least one processor is further operative to execute the at least one computer program out of the at least one memory to provide the output data received from the other one of the plurality of medical devices as the input data to the respective medical device. 
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 5  wherein one or more of concurrently receiving the output data, storing the output data, providing the output data received from the respective medical device, and providing the output data received from the other one of the plurality of medical devices are performed based on at least some of the information used to establish the communication link between the respective medical device and the other one of the plurality of medical devices. 
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 6  wherein the providing of the output data received from the respective medical device as the input data to the other one of the plurality of medical devices is further performed without the other one of the plurality of medical devices soliciting the output data from the respective medical device. 
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 6  wherein the providing of the output data received from the other one of the plurality of medical devices as the input data to the respective medical device is performed without the other one of the plurality of medical devices being solicited by the respective medical device to provide the output data. 
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the at least one processor is further operative to execute the at least one computer program out of the at least one memory to receive, from each of at least some of the plurality of medical devices, further information pertaining to one or more control messages that the respective medical device is capable of accepting from the other one of the plurality of medical devices. 
     
     
         10 . A method of providing interoperability among a plurality of medical devices, the plurality of medical devices each having a corresponding data interface, the method comprising:
 receiving, at an apparatus from each of at least some of the plurality of medical devices, information pertaining to one or more of a data format, a syntax, and one or more settings employed by the respective medical device, the information received from the respective medical device being indicative of one or more of (1) input data that the respective medical device is capable of receiving from at least another one of the plurality of medical devices, and (2) output data that the respective medical device is capable of providing to the other one of the plurality of medical devices, the apparatus including a plurality of ports, each port being operative to connect to the corresponding data interface of a respective medical device; and   establishing, over the port connected to the corresponding data interface of the respective medical device, a communication link between the respective medical device and the other one of the plurality of medical devices using at least some of the information received from the respective medical device.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10  further comprising:
 concurrently receiving the output data from the respective medical device and at least the other one of the plurality of medical devices. 
 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11  further comprising:
 storing the output data received from the respective medical device and the other one of the plurality of medical devices in the at least one memory. 
 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12  further comprising:
 providing the output data received from the respective medical device as the input data to the other one of the plurality of medical devices. 
 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13  further comprising:
 providing the output data received from the other one of the plurality of medical devices as the input data to the respective medical device. 
 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14  further comprising:
 performing one or more of the concurrently receiving of the output data, the storing of the output data, the providing of the output data received from the respective medical device, and the providing of the output data received from the other one of the plurality of medical devices based on at least some of the information used to establish the communication link between the respective medical device and the other one of the plurality of medical devices. 
 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15  further comprising:
 performing the providing of the output data received from the respective medical device as the input data to the other one of the plurality of medical devices without the other one of the plurality of medical devices soliciting the output data from the respective medical device. 
 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16  further comprising:
 performing the providing of the output data received from the other one of the plurality of medical devices as the input data to the respective medical device without the other one of the plurality of medical devices being solicited by the respective medical device to provide the output data. 
 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 10  further comprising:
 receiving, at the apparatus from each of at least some of the plurality of medical devices, further information pertaining to one or more control messages that the respective medical device is capable of accepting from the other one of the plurality of medical devices.