Message integrity for secure communication of wireless medical devices

US7777622B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• KONINKLIJKE PHILIPS ELECTRONICS NV · NL

Inventors

• Heribert Baldus · Eindhoven, NL
• David Sanchez Sanchez · Aachen, DE

Key dates

• Filing date: Nov 4, 2005
• Grant date: Aug 17, 2010
• Expiry date: Jan 1, 2027

Classification

• Technology area (CPC Y): Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
• CPC primary: Y10S128/904
• WIPO field: Medical technology
• WIPO sector: Instruments

Abstract

A system for securely synchronizing medical devices and providing message integrity with timeliness and uniqueness (10) includes a plurality of medical wireless devices (121, 122, . . . , 12n). The medical devices (121, 122, . . . , 12n) communicate wirelessly with one another. Each message (M) includes a data portion and a timestamp. Each medical device (121, 122, . . . , 12n) includes a sensor (14) which is attached to a patient to monitor a common vital sign. The medical devices (121, 122, . . . , 12n) are synchronized when the sensor (16) of each medical device detects a peak of the vital sign function. At this moment, internal clocks of each medical device (121, 122, . . . , 12n) are zeroed and each internal timer starts counting time. Thus, the medical devices are loosely synchronized at approximately the same time. Each generated message (M) is timestamped with a send time (TSEND) generated by a time count. The generated timestamp (TSEND) of the message (M) is validated against a receive time (TRECEIVE) of the receiving medical device internal clock count. If the message (M) arrives out of the prespecified acceptance window, the message (M) is rejected by the receiving medic…