Tri-mode medical telemetry antenna system

• US 20020095271A1
• Filed: 11/14/2001
• Published: 07/18/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 12/29/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GE Medical Systems Information Technologies Incorporated (GE Healthcare Technologies, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: GE Medical Systems Information Technologies Incorporated (GE Healthcare Technologies, Inc.)
• Inventors: Brinsfield, James W.
• Granted Patent: US 6,853,310 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 702/189
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0006 ECG or EEG signals
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/406 with more than one transmission mode, e.g. analog and digital modes

Abstract

A tri-mode telemetry system useful for monitoring patients in a care unit of a health care facility. The system includes an antenna system with a first antenna tuned to receive a signal in a first communication band, a second antenna tuned to receive a signal in a second communication band, a third antenna tuned to receive data signals, a down converter for producing a frequency translation signal, and a mixer coupled to the second antenna. The mixer combines the signal received by the second antenna with the frequency translation signal to produce a signal having a frequency in the first communication band. A combiner coupled to the mixer and the first antenna combines the signal generated by the mixer with the signal received by the first antenna. The combined signals and data signals are delivered to a wiring system.

Claims

1. A tri-mode telemetry system comprising:

a first antenna tuned to receive a signal having a frequency in a first communication band;

a second antenna tuned to receive a signal having a frequency in a second communication band;

a down converter for producing a frequency translation signal;

a mixer coupled to the second antenna and to the down converter such that the mixer uses the signal received by the second antenna and the frequency translation signal to produce a signal having a frequency in the first communication band;

a combiner for combining the signal having a frequency in the first communication band with the signal received by the first antenna and operable to produce an output signal;

a third antenna designed to receive a signal in a third communication band;

a wireless access device coupled to the third antenna and operable to produce an output signal; and

a shield between the third and the first and second antennas.

2. A tri-mode telemetry system as set forth in claim 1, wherein the shield is a predefined area of space.

3. A tri-mode telemetry system as set forth in claim 1, wherein the shield is a metal plate.

4. A tri-mode telemetry system as set forth in claim 1, wherein the first communication band is the UHF band and the second communication band is the L-band.

5. A tri-mode telemetry system as set forth in claim 1, further comprising a cable bundle adapter coupled to the combiner and the wireless access device, the adapter operable to accept a cable bundle having a first conductor operable to transmit data in the first communication band and a second conductor operable to transmit data in the third communication band.

6. A tri-mode telemetry system as set forth in claim 1, further comprising a mixed signal processor coupled to the combiner and the wireless access device, the mixed signal processor operable to mix the output signal of the combiner with the output signal of the wireless access device.

7. A tri-mode telemetry system as set forth in claim 1, wherein the wireless access device is a card device.

8. A tri-mode telemetry system as set forth in claim 1, wherein the down converter further comprises:

an oscillator;

a synthesizer; and

a filter, the oscillator, the synthesizer, and the filter coupled in a series loop, the synthesizer coupled to a temperature controlled oscillator and a processor having an input.

9. A tri-mode telemetry system set forth in claim 1, further comprising:

a first band pass filter coupled between the first antenna and the combiner and for blocking signals having frequencies outside a predetermined channel in the first RF band;

a second band pass filter coupled between the second antenna and the mixer and for blocking signals having frequencies outside the second RF band; and

a third band pass filter coupled between the mixer and the combiner and for blocking signals outside the first RF band.

10. A tri-mode telemetry system as set forth in claim 4, further comprising:

an amplifier coupled to the combiner; and

a low-pass filter coupled to the amplifier.

11. A tri-mode telemetry system comprising:

a first telemetry transmitter for acquiring patient data and transmitting the patient data in a first signal having a frequency in a first RF band;

a second telemetry transmitter for acquiring patient data and transmitting the patient data in a second signal having a frequency in a second RF band;

a communication device that generates a third signal in a communication band;

an antenna array for receiving the first and second signals from the first and second telemetry transmitters and the third signal, the antenna array including

a first antenna tuned to receive the first signal,

a second antenna tuned to receive the second signal,

a down converter for producing a frequency translation signal,

a mixer coupled to the second antenna and to the down converter, the mixer for using the signal received by the second antenna and the frequency translation signal to produce a signal having a frequency in the first RF band; and

a combiner for combining the signal having a frequency in the first RF band with the signal received by the first antenna;

a third antenna tuned to receive the third signal,

a wireless access device coupled to the third antenna and operable to produce an output signal;

a shield positioned between the third antenna and wireless access device and the first and second antennas;

a receiver subsystem coupled to the combiner; and

a central station coupled to the receiver subsystem and for receiving the patient data.

12. A tri-mode telemetry system as set forth in claim 11, wherein the shield is a predefined area of space.

13. A tri-mode telemetry system as set forth in claim 11, wherein the shield is a conductor.

14. A tri-mode telemetry system as set forth in claim 11, wherein the first RF band is the UHF band and the second RF band is the L-band.

15. A tri-mode telemetry system as set forth in claim 11, further comprising a cable bundle adapter coupled to the combiner and the wireless access device, the adapter operable to accept a cable bundle having a first conductor operable to transmit data in the first communication band and a second conductor operable to transmit data in the third communication band.

16. A tri-mode telemetry system as set forth in claim 11, further comprising a mixed signal processor coupled to the combiner and the wireless access device, the mixed signal processor operable to modulate the output signal of the combiner and mix the modulated signal with the output signal of the wireless access device.

17. A tri-mode telemetry system as set forth in claim 11, wherein the wireless access device is a computer card.

18. A tri-mode telemetry system as set forth in claim 11, wherein the down converter further comprises:

an oscillator;

a synthesizer; and

a filter, the oscillator, the synthesizer, and the filter coupled in a series loop, the synthesizer coupled to a temperature controlled oscillator and a processor having an input.

19. A tri-mode telemetry system set forth in claim 11, further comprising:

a first band pass filter coupled between the first antenna and the combiner and for blocking signals having frequencies outside a predetermined channel in the first RF band;

a second band pass filter coupled between the second antenna and the mixer and for blocking signals having frequencies outside the second RF band; and

a third band pass filter coupled between the mixer and the combiner and for blocking signals outside the first RF band.

20. A tri-mode telemetry system as set forth in claim 11, further comprising

an amplifier coupled to the combiner;

and

a low-pass filter coupled to the amplifier.

21. A tri-mode telemetry system comprising:

a first antenna tuned to receive a signal having a frequency in a first communication band;

a combiner coupled to the first antenna;

a second antenna tuned to receive a signal having a frequency in a second communication band;

a mixer coupled to the second antenna and the combiner;

an oscillator coupled to the mixer and having an output, and wherein the mixer is configured to mix signals received from the second antenna with the output of the oscillator to produce a signal within the first frequency band;

a third antenna operable to receive signals in a third communication band;

a wireless access device coupled to the third antenna and operable to produce and output; and

a shield positioned between the third antenna and wireless access device and the first and second antennas, combiner, mixer, and oscillator.

22. A tri-mode telemetry system as set forth in claim 21, wherein the shield is a predefined area of space.

23. tri-mode telemetry system as set forth in claim 21, wherein the shield is a metal plate.

24. A tri-mode telemetry system as set forth in claim 21, wherein the first antenna is tuned to receive a signal in a first channel within the first communication band, the second antenna is tuned to receive a signal in a first channel within the second communication band, and the mixer is operable to produce a signal in a second channel within the first communication band.

25. A tri-mode telemetry system as set forth in claim 21, wherein the first communication band is the UHF band and the second communication band is the L-band.

26. A tri-mode telemetry system as set forth in claim 21, further comprising:

a first telemetry transmitter for acquiring patient data and transmitting the patient data in a first signal having a frequency in the first communication band;

a second telemetry transmitter for acquiring patient data and transmitting the patient data in a second signal having a frequency in the second communication band;

a receiver subsystem coupled to the combiner; and

a central station coupled to the receiver subsystem and for receiving the patient data,

wherein the first antenna is tuned to receive the first signal from the first transmitter and the second antenna is tuned to receive the second signal from the second transmitter.

27. A tri-mode telemetry system as set forth in claim 26, further comprising:

a synthesizer; and

a filter, such that the oscillator, the synthesizer, and the filter are coupled in a series loop.

28. A tri-mode telemetry system as set forth in claim 27, further comprising:

a processor coupled to the synthesizer and having an input; and

a temperature controlled oscillator coupled to the synthesizer.

29. A tri-mode telemetry system as set forth in claim 21, further comprising an adapter coupled to the combiner and the wireless access device, the adapter operable to accept a cable bundle having a first conductor operable to transmit data in the first communication band and a second conductor operable to transmit data in the third communication band.

30. A tri-mode telemetry system as set forth in claim 21, further comprising a mixed signal processor coupled to the combiner and the wireless access device, the mixed signal processor operable to modulate the output signal of the combiner and mix the modulated signal with the output signal of the wireless access device.

31. A method of monitoring patients in a care unit, the method comprising:

acquiring a patient data signal from a first transmitter that operates in a first communication band;

acquiring a patient data signal from a second transmitter that operates in a second communication band;

converting the patient data signal from the second transmitter to a third signal in the first communication band;

combining the first and third signals;

acquiring a data signal from a first data device that operates in a third communication band; and

delivering the combined first and second signals and the data signal to a wiring system.

32. A method as set forth in claim 31, wherein the act of acquiring a patient data signal from a first transmitter is accomplished using a first antenna tuned to receive a signal in a first channel within the first communication band, and the act of acquiring a patient data signal from a second transmitter is accomplished using a second antenna tuned to receive a signal in a first channel within the second communication band.

33. A method as set forth in claim 31, wherein the act of converting the patient data signal from the second transmitter to a third signal includes mixing the patient data signal from the second transmitter with a frequency translation signal from a local oscillator.

34. A method as set forth in claim 31, further comprising filtering the combined first and third signals prior to delivering the combined first and third signals to a receiver.

35. A method as set forth in claim 31, further comprising filtering the patient data signal from a first transmitter to remove frequencies outside a first channel in the first communication band.

36. A method as set forth in claim 31, further comprising filtering the patient data signal from a second transmitter to remove frequencies outside a first channel in the second communication band.

37. A method as set forth in claim 31, further comprising filtering the third signal to remove frequencies outside of the first communication band.

38. A method as set forth in claim 31, further comprising processing the first and third signals at a central station.

39. A method as set forth in claim 31, further comprising delivering the combined first and second signals and the data signal to an adapter.

40. A method as set forth in claim 31, further comprising delivering the combined first and second signals and the data signal to a mixed signal processor and modulating the combined first and second signal in the mixed signal processor.