Systems, devices, and methods for monitoring medical devices

Abstract

Systems, devices, and methods are provided that allow the monitoring of analyte levels within analyte monitoring systems. The analyte monitoring systems can be in vivo systems and can include a sensor control device with a sensor and accompanying circuitry, as well as a relay device for communicating with the sensor control device and a reader device.

1 - 45 . (canceled) 
     
     
         46 . A method of communicating data for an in vivo analyte monitoring system, comprising:
 wirelessly transmitting, according to a near field communication (NFC) protocol, a request for data indicative of an analyte level sensed within a human body, wherein the request is transmitted from a first device directly to a sensor control device on the human body during an idle time of the sensor control device; and   wirelessly receiving, according to the NFC protocol, the data indicative of the sensed analyte level by the first device, wherein the data indicative of the sensed analyte level is received directly from the sensor control device on the human body.   
     
     
         47 . The method of  claim 46 , wherein the first device is a handheld relay device, the method further comprising:
 wirelessly transmitting the data indicative of the sensed analyte level directly from the handheld relay device to a handheld reader device according to a Bluetooth or Bluetooth Low Energy protocol.   
     
     
         48 . The method of  claim 47 , further comprising converting, by processing circuitry of the handheld reader device, the data indicative of the sensed analyte level into a user readable analyte level. 
     
     
         49 . The method of  claim 48 , further comprising displaying the user readable analyte level on the handheld reader device. 
     
     
         50 . The method of  claim 47 , further comprising transferring, by processing circuitry of the handheld relay device, the received data indicative of the sensed analyte level from first wireless communication circuitry to second wireless communication circuitry,
 wherein the first wireless communication circuitry is adapted to communicate according to the NFC protocol and the second wireless communication circuitry is adapted to communicate according to the Bluetooth or Bluetooth Low Energy protocol.   
     
     
         51 . The method of  claim 50 , wherein the data indicative of the sensed analyte level is transferred without modification to the analyte level information conveyed by the data indicative of the sensed analyte level. 
     
     
         52 . The method of  claim 46 , wherein the first device is adapted to operate without a graphical display. 
     
     
         53 . The method of  claim 46 , wherein the idle time of the sensor control device is a time during which an analog to digital converter of the sensor control device is not converting sensed analog analyte data to digital form. 
     
     
         54 . The method of  claim 46 , further comprising determining, by processing circuitry of the first device, a time to transmit the request for analyte data that is during the idle time of the sensor control device. 
     
     
         55 . The method of  claim 46 , further comprising:
 reading, by processing circuitry of the first device, a timing indication received from the sensor control device; and   determining, by processing circuitry of the first device, a time at which transmission of the request for analyte data to the sensor control device will be during an idle time of the sensor control device, wherein the determination is made at least in part based on the timing indication.   
     
     
         56 . The method of  claim 55 , wherein the timing indication is a phase of a clock of the sensor control device. 
     
     
         57 . The method of  claim 46 , further comprising flagging measurement data collected from an analyte sensor if the request for analyte data was received from the first device during an active time of the sensor control device, wherein the flagging is performed by processing circuitry of the sensor control device. 
     
     
         58 . The method of  claim 57 , wherein the active time is a time during which the measurement data was collected by the analyte sensor or a time during which the measurement data collected by the analyte sensor was converted from analog to digital form. 
     
     
         59 . The method of  claim 57 , further comprising wirelessly transmitting the data indicative of the sensed analyte level including flagged measurement data from the sensor control device directly to the first device. 
     
     
         60 . The method of  claim 59 , wherein the first device is a handheld relay device, the method further comprising:
 wirelessly transmitting the data indicative of the sensed analyte level directly from the handheld relay device to a handheld reader device; and   converting, by processing circuitry of the handheld reader device, data indicative of the sensed analyte level into a user readable form while ignoring flagged measurement data.   
     
     
         61 . The method of  claim 47 , wherein the handheld reader device is a smartphone. 
     
     
         62 . The method of  claim 47 , wherein the handheld relay device is positioned on the human body with a relay device holder. 
     
     
         63 . The method of  claim 47 , further comprising generating an alarm by the handheld reader device upon the detection of an analyte level excursion after receiving the data indicative of the sensed analyte level directly from the handheld relay device.