Outpatient health emergency warning system

• US 10,238,885 B2
• Filed: 04/15/2013
• Issued: 03/26/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 04/13/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Health Alert, LLC
• Original Assignee: Health Alert, LLC
• Inventors: Langer, Alois Antonin, Seale, Walter Louis
• Primary Examiner(s): Patel, Niketa
• Assistant Examiner(s): Kong, Qingjun
• Application Number:
  US13/862,947
• Publication Number:
  US 20130274565A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,171 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/0219 Inertial sensors, e.g. accelerometers, gyroscopes, tilt switches
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/06 Arrangements of multiple sensors of different types
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0004 characterised by the type of physiological signal transmitted
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0205 Simultaneously evaluating both cardiovascular conditions and different types of body conditions, e.g. heart and respiratory condition
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/02438 with portable devices, e.g. worn by the patient
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/02455 provided with high/low alarm devices
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1118 Determining activity level
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/318 Heart-related electrical modalities, e.g. electrocardiography [ECG]
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/33 specially adapted for cooperation with other devices
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/681 Wristwatch-type devices
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6823 Trunk, e.g., chest, back, abdomen, hip
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6824 Arm or wrist
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/746 Alarms related to a physiological condition, e.g. details of setting alarm thresholds or avoiding false alarms alarms per se G08B
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3925 Monitoring; Protecting
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3993 User interfaces for automatic external defibrillators
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/63 for local operation
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/67 for remote operation
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 50/20 for computer-aided diagnosis, e.g. based on medical expert systems

Abstract

A medical system for sensing a physiological state requiring defibrillation in a patient. The system comprising: a low power sensor, a physiological parameter measuring device, and a processor. The low power sensor generating a baseline signal relating to a physiological status of said patient. The physiological parameter measuring device comprising at least one higher power sensor configured to output at least one physiological parameter signal indicative of at least one physiological parameter of said patient. The processor assessing the baseline signal and determining if the physiological status is outside predetermined threshold boundaries.

Claims

1. A medical system for sensing a physiological state requiring defibrillation in a patient, the system comprising:

a baseline signal sensor to generate a baseline signal relating to an activity level of a patient over time, the activity level determined based on one or more of motion of the patient or electrical activity of a heart of the patient;

a physiological parameter measuring device comprising at least one parameter sensor having a higher power consumption than the baseline signal sensor, the at least one parameter sensor having a low power state during which the physiological parameter measuring device sleeps and a higher power state during which the at least one parameter sensor outputs at least one physiological parameter signal indicative of at least one physiological parameter of the patient; and

a processor configured to;

control the at least one parameter sensor to enter the higher power state to output the physiological parameter signal responsive to a trigger event determined from the baseline signal, the trigger event comprising one or more of reduction of the motion of the patient or reduction of the electrical activity of the heart of the patient below predetermined threshold boundaries over time; and

assess the at least one physiological parameter signal to determine whether a physiological state requiring defibrillation in a patient is present.

2. The medical system of claim 1, wherein the baseline signal sensor comprises a motion sensor.

3. The medical system of claim 1, whereupon determining that a physiological state requiring defibrillation in a patient is present, the processor outputs an alarm signal to an alarm module, alarm module for generating an alarm.

4. The medical system of claim 3, further comprising an external, free-standing defibrillator for use by a third party in response to said alarm.

5. The medical system of claim 3, wherein said alarm signal is an audible alarm indicating to a third party that the patient is experiencing emergency level physiological parameters and an external free-standing defibrillator needs to be utilized on said patient.

6. The medical system of claim 3, wherein said alarm module further comprises a communication device for communicating at least one of said signals to a central receiving station;

said central receiving station receiving said signal(s), said central receiving station comprising an emergency level verification system for verifying said signal(s) to determine if emergency level physiological parameters are present, said central receiving station further comprising a confirmation signal generator for generating a confirmation signal upon the verification of the presence of emergency level physiological parameters; and

a notification device configured to receive said confirmation signal, said notification device also configured for automatically providing notice of the detection of an emergency-level physiological parameter to a third party that the individual is experiencing emergency level physiological parameters and the external free-standing defibrillator needs to be utilized on said individual.

7. The medical system of claim 1, wherein said baseline signal sensor comprises an ECG sensor.

8. The medical system of claim 1, wherein said parameter sensor is selected from the group consisting of an ECG sensor, a blood oxygen sensor, a heart pulse sensor, and a pulse oximeter.

9. The medical system of claim 1, wherein at least part of the physiological parameter measuring device is disposed in a housing worn on at least one of the patient'"'"'s wrists, or in a housing attached to a chest strap worn by the patient.

10. The medical system of claim 1, further comprising a battery for supplying power.

11. A medical system for sensing a physiological state requiring defibrillation in a patient, the system comprising:

a low power sensor including control logic configured to generate an interrupt signal upon determining that a physiological status of a patient, as measured by the low power sensor, is outside predetermined threshold boundaries;

a physiological parameter measuring device comprising at least one parameter sensor, the at least one parameter sensor having a higher power consumption than the low power sensor, the at least one parameter sensor having a low power state during which the physiological parameter measuring device sleeps and a higher power state during which the at least one parameter sensor outputs at least one physiological parameter signal indicative of at least one physiological parameter of the patient; and

a master control system configured to;

control the at least one parameter sensor to enter the higher power state to output the physiological parameter signal responsive to the interrupt signal generated by the low power sensor; and

assess the at least one physiological parameter signal to determine whether a physiological state that requires defibrillation in the patient is present;

wherein;

the master control system has an active mode and a sleep mode; and

the interrupt signal is configured to trigger the master control system to enter into the active mode.