Wearable cardiac defibrillator system emitting CPR prompts for bystander

• US 10,426,964 B2
• Filed: 12/12/2017
• Issued: 10/01/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 03/19/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: West Affum Holdings DAC
• Original Assignee: West Affum Holdings Corp
• Inventors: Sullivan, Joseph L., Finch, David Peter, Foshee, Jr., Phillip Dewey, Banville, Isabelle, Nova, Richard C., Szul, Krystyna, Finney, Daniel, Gustavson, Laura Marie, Kavounas, Gregory T.
• Primary Examiner(s): Wehrheim, Lindsey G
• Application Number:
  US15/838,747
• Publication Number:
  US 20180110995A1
• Time in Patent Office: 658 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2560/0242 adapted to measure environmental factors, e.g. temperature, pollution
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/02405 Determining heart rate variability
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/053 Measuring electrical impedance or conductance of a portion of the body
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/11 Measuring movement of the entire body or parts thereof, e.g. head or hand tremor, mobility of a limb for measuring pulse A61B5/02 ;A61B5/1038 takes precedence; motion detection to correct for motion artifacts in physiological signals A61B5/721
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4836 Diagnosis combined with treatment in closed-loop systems or methods A61B5/0036 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6801 specially adapted to be attached to or worn on the body surface
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/74 Details of notification to user or communication with user or patient indicating measured values G01D7/00; user input means input or output arrangements for computers G06F3/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7405 using sound
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/742 using visual displays A61B5/339 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/37254 Pacemaker or defibrillator security, e.g. to prevent or inhibit programming alterations by hackers or unauthorised individuals
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/39 Heart defibrillators
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3904 External heart defibrillators [EHD]
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/39044 in combination with cardiopulmonary resuscitation [CPR] therapy
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/39046 User protection from shock
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3925 Monitoring; Protecting
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3968 Constructional arrangements, e.g. casings A61N1/375 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3975 Power supply A61N1/378 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3987 characterised by the timing or triggering of the shock
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3993 User interfaces for automatic external defibrillators

Abstract

A wearable cardiac defibrillator (“WCD”) system may include a support structure that a patient can wear, an energy storage module that can store an electrical charge, and a discharge circuit that can discharge the electrical charge through the patient so as to shock him or her, while the patient is wearing the support structure. Embodiments may actively take into account bystanders, both to protect them from an inadvertent shock, and also to enlist their help. In some embodiments the WCD system includes a speaker system that transmits a sound designed to assist a bystander to perform CPR. Optionally CPR chest compressions received by the patient can be further detected, and feedback can be given. In embodiments, a WCD system may include a user interface that can be controlled to output CPR prompts tailored to a skill level of the bystander.

Claims

1. A wearable cardiac defibrillator (WCD) system, comprising:

a support structure configured to be worn by a patient;

an energy storage module configured to store an electrical charge;

a discharge circuit configured to be coupled to the energy storage module and configured to discharge the stored electrical charge through the patient;

one or more motion detectors coupled to the support structure, at least one of the motion detectors being coupled to the support structure at such a point as to be near a back of the patient while the support structure is worn by the patient; and

a speaker system coupled to the support structure and configured to output a transmitted sound having substantially periodic contents designed to assist a bystander to perform CPR chest compressions on the patient while the support structure is worn by the patient, and

in which the performed CPR chest compressions are detected by the one or more motion detectors and

the transmitted sound further communicates feedback regarding the detected CPR chest compressions.

2. The WCD system of claim 1, in which

the transmitted sound further communicates a request to not remove the support structure from the patient.

3. The WCD system of claim 1, in which

the feedback refers to a depth or to a rate of the detected CPR chest compressions.

4. The WCD system of claim 1, further comprising:

a screen, and

in which the feedback is given also by visual representations on the screen.

5. The WCD system of claim 1, in which

at least one of the motion detectors is coupled to the support structure at such a point as to be near a sternum of the patient, while the support structure is worn by the patient.

6. The WCD system of claim 1, further comprising:

an impedance sensing module, and

in which the performed CPR chest compressions are detected by the impedance sensing module.

7. The WCD system of claim 1, in which

the transmitted sound further communicates a request for the bystander to no longer touch the patient.

8. The WCD system of claim 7, in which

the request to no longer touch the patient is communicated after at least two minutes of detecting the chest compressions.

9. The WCD system of claim 7, in which

the request to no longer touch the patient is communicated after less than two minutes of detecting the chest compressions.

10. A wearable cardiac defibrillator (WCD) system, comprising:

a support structure configured to be worn by a patient;

an energy storage module configured to store an electrical charge;

a discharge circuit configured to be coupled to the energy storage module and configured to discharge the stored electrical charge through the patient while the support structure is worn by the patient; and

a user interface configured to be coupled to the support structure and to receive a usage input from a bystander, the user interface including a speaker system configured to output a transmitted sound having substantially periodic contents designed to assist a bystander to perform CPR chest compressions on the patient, an aspect of the contents being different responsive to a received usage input.

11. The WCD system of claim 10, in which

the usage input relates to a skill of the bystander.

12. The WCD system of claim 10, in which

the transmitted sound includes a request for the usage input.

13. The WCD system of claim 10, in which

the aspect is different if a usage input is received than if not received.

14. The WCD system of claim 10, in which

the aspect is different depending on a content of a received usage input.

15. The WCD system of claim 10, in which

the aspect is a total number of tones before the next discharge.

16. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing one or more programs which, when executed by at least one processor of a wearable cardiac defibrillator (WCD) system, the WCD system including a support structure configured to be worn by a patient, an energy storage module configured to store an electrical charge, a discharge circuit configured to be coupled to the energy storage module and configured to discharge the stored electrical charge through the patient and a user interface that includes a speaker system, they result in operations comprising:

receiving, in the user interface, a usage input; and

outputting, via the speaker system, a transmitted sound having substantially periodic contents designed to assist a bystander to perform CPR chest compressions on the patient, an aspect of the contents being different responsive to the received usage input; and

controlling the discharge circuit to discharge the stored electrical charge through the patient while the support structure is worn by the patient.

17. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 16, in which

the usage input relates to a skill of the bystander.

18. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 16, in which

the transmitted sound includes a request for the usage input.

19. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 16, in which

the aspect is different if a usage input is received than if not received.

20. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 16, in which

the aspect is different depending on a content of a received usage input.

21. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 16, in which

the aspect is a total number of tones before the next discharge.

22. A method for a wearable cardiac defibrillator (WCD) system, the WCD system including a support structure configured to be worn by a patient, an energy storage module configured to store an electrical charge, a discharge circuit configured to be coupled to the energy storage module and configured to discharge the stored electrical charge through the patient and a user interface that includes a speaker system, the method comprising:

receiving, in the user interface, a usage input; and

outputting, via the speaker system, a transmitted sound having substantially periodic contents designed to assist a bystander to perform CPR chest compressions on the patient, an aspect of the contents being different responsive to the received usage input; and

controlling the discharge circuit to discharge the stored electrical charge through the patient while the support structure is worn by the patient.

23. The method of claim 22, in which

the usage input relates to a skill of the bystander.

24. The method of claim 22, in which

the transmitted sound includes a request for the usage input.

25. The method of claim 22, in which

the aspect is different depending on a content of a received usage input.

26. The method of claim 22, in which

the aspect is a total number of tones before the next discharge.

27. A wearable cardiac defibrillator (WCD) system, comprising:

a support structure configured to be worn by a patient;

an energy storage module configured to store an electrical charge;

a discharge circuit configured to be coupled to the energy storage module and configured to discharge the stored electrical charge through the patient; and

a speaker system coupled to the support structure and configured to output a transmitted sound having substantially periodic contents designed to assist a bystander to perform CPR chest compressions on the patient while the support structure is worn by the patient, in which

the transmitted sound further communicates a request to not remove the support structure from the patient.

28. The WCD system of claim 27, further comprising:

one or more motion detectors coupled to the support structure, and

in which the performed CPR chest compressions are detected by the one or more motion detectors, and

the transmitted sound further communicates feedback regarding the detected CPR chest compressions.

29. The WCD system of claim 28, in which

the feedback refers to a depth or to a rate of the detected CPR chest compressions.

30. The WCD system of claim 28, further comprising:

a screen, and

in which the feedback is also given by visual representations on the screen.

31. The WCD system of claim 28, in which

at least one of the motion detectors is coupled to the support structure at such a point as to be near a sternum of the patient, while the support structure is worn by the patient.

32. The WCD system of claim 28, in which

at least one of the motion detectors is coupled to the support structure at such a point as to be near a back of the patient, while the support structure is worn by the patient.

33. The WCD system of claim 28, further comprising:

an impedance sensing module, and

in which the performed CPR chest compressions are detected by the impedance sensing module.

34. The WCD system of claim 28, in which

the transmitted sound further communicates a request for the bystander to no longer touch the patient.

35. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing one or more programs which, when executed by at least one processor of a wearable cardiac defibrillator (WCD) system, the WCD system including a support structure configured to be worn by a patient, an energy storage module configured to store an electrical charge, a discharge circuit configured to be coupled to the energy storage module and configured to discharge the stored electrical charge through the patient and a speaker system coupled to the support structure, they result in operations comprising:

outputting, by the speaker system, a transmitted sound having substantially periodic contents designed to assist a bystander to perform CPR chest compressions on the patient while the support structure is worn by the patient, in which the transmitted sound further communicates a request to not remove the support structure from the patient; and

controlling the discharge circuit to discharge the stored electrical charge through the patient while the support structure is worn by the patient.

36. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 35, in which

the WCD system further includes one or more motion detectors coupled to the support structure,

the CPR chest compressions that are performed on the patient are detected by the one or more motion detectors, and

the transmitted sound further communicates feedback regarding the detected CPR chest compressions.

37. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 36, in which

the feedback refers to a depth or to a rate of the detected CPR chest compressions.

38. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 36, in which

the WCD system further includes a screen, and

in which the feedback is also given by visual representations on the screen.

39. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 36, in which

the transmitted sound further communicates a request for the bystander to no longer touch the patient.

40. A method for a wearable cardiac defibrillator (WCD) system, the WCD system including a support structure configured to be worn by a patient, an energy storage module configured to store an electrical charge, a discharge circuit configured to be coupled to the energy storage module and configured to discharge the stored electrical charge through the patient and a speaker system coupled to the support structure, the method comprising:

outputting, by the speaker system, a transmitted sound having substantially periodic contents designed to assist a bystander to perform CPR chest compressions on the patient while the support structure is worn by the patient, in which the transmitted sound further communicates a request to not remove the support structure from the patient; and

controlling the discharge circuit to discharge the stored electrical charge through the patient while the support structure is worn by the patient.

41. The method of claim 40, in which

the WCD system further includes one or more motion detectors coupled to the support structure and a screen

the CPR chest compressions that are performed on the patient are detected by the one or more motion detectors, and

feedback regarding the detected CPR chest compressions is given by visual representations on the screen.

42. The method of claim 41, in which

the feedback refers to a depth or to a rate of the detected CPR chest compressions.

43. The method of claim 41, in which

the transmitted sound further communicates a request for the bystander to no longer touch the patient.