Pressure wire detection and communication protocol for use with medical measurement systems

Abstract

One aspect of the present disclosure involves a method. The method includes retrieving, from a diagnostic medical device, identification information that identifies a feature of the diagnostic medical device. A proprietary signal is generated in response to the identification information. The proprietary signal is sent to a medical measurement system to facilitate an unlocking of one or more programs to be executed on the medical measurement system. Another aspect of the present disclosure involves a method. The method includes detecting, through an electronic interface device, a coupling of a remote diagnostic medical device. Thereafter, a proprietary signal is received from the electronic interface device. An identity feature of the remote diagnostic medical device is ascertained based on the proprietary signal. One or more programs are unlocked for execution if the identity feature of the remote diagnostic medical device matches a predetermined identity feature.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of authorizing a medical device for use, the method comprising:
 retrieving, from a diagnostic medical device, identification information that identifies a feature of the diagnostic medical device;   generating a proprietary signal in response to the identification information; and   sending the proprietary signal to a medical measurement system to facilitate an unlocking of one or more programs to be executed on the medical measurement system.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the diagnostic medical device includes a pressure guide wire;   the medical measurement system includes a hemodynamic system; and   the retrieving, the generating, and the sending are performed at least in part by an electronic interface device between the pressure guide wire and the hemodynamic system.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the feature includes manufacturing information of the diagnostic medical device. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the manufacturing information includes a type of the diagnostic medical device, an identity of the manufacturer of the diagnostic medical device, a manufacture site of the diagnostic medical device, expiration data of the diagnostic medical device, and date of past use of the diagnostic medical device. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 receiving sensed measurements from the diagnostic medical device; and   sending signals to the medical measurement system to be analyzed by the one or more unlocked programs, the signals corresponding to the sensed measurements.   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the sensed measurements include blood pressure measurements. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the one or more unlocked programs include a fractional flow reserve (FFR) calculation or an instantaneous wave-free ratio (iFR) calculation based on the blood pressure measurements. 
     
     
         8 . A system, comprising:
 a diagnostic medical device configured to contain identification information that identifies a feature of the diagnostic medical device; and   an electronic interface device configured to serve as an interface between the diagnostic medical device and a medical measurement system;   wherein the electronic interface device is configured to generate, in response to the identification information, a proprietary signal that facilitates an unlocking of one or more programs for execution on the medical measurement system.   
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein the one or more programs is unlocked if the feature of the remote diagnostic medical device matches a predetermined feature. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein the feature includes manufacturing information of the diagnostic medical device. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein the manufacturing information includes a type of the diagnostic medical device or an identity of the manufacturer of the diagnostic medical device. 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein:
 the diagnostic medical device includes a pressure guide wire; and   the medical measurement system includes a hemodynamic system.   
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein:
 the diagnostic medical device is configured to obtain sensed measurements on a patient; and   the electronic interface device is configured to send signals to the medical measurement system to be analyzed by the one or more unlocked programs, the signals corresponding to the sensed measurements.   
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein the sensed measurements include blood pressure measurements. 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein the one or more programs include a fractional flow reserve (FFR) calculation or an instantaneous wave-free ratio (iFR) calculation based on the blood pressure measurements. 
     
     
         16 . A method, comprising:
 detecting an attempted execution of a program;   querying one of: an electronic interface device or a remote diagnostic medical device regarding identification information of the diagnostic medical device;   determining whether the identification information of the diagnostic medical device matches predefined identification information; and   unlocking the program for execution if the identification information of the diagnostic medical device matches the predefined identification information.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the detecting, the querying, the determining, and the unlocking are performed at least in part by a medical measurement system coupled to the diagnostic medical device through the electronic interface device. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the querying is performed using a wired connection. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the querying is performed wirelessly. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the diagnostic medical device contains a radio-frequency identification (RFID) chip, and wherein the querying is performed through the RFID chip. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein:
 the diagnostic medical device includes a pressure guide wire; and   the medical measurement system includes a hemodynamic system.   
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the identification information includes a type of the diagnostic medical device, an identity of the manufacturer of the diagnostic medical device, a manufacture site of the diagnostic medical device, expiration data of the diagnostic medical device, and date of past use of the diagnostic medical device. 
     
     
         23 . The system of  claim 16 , wherein the program includes a fractional flow reserve (FFR) calculation or an instantaneous wave-free ratio (iFR) calculation.