Patient monitoring area network

• US 20020115914A1
• Filed: 02/13/2002
• Published: 08/22/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 02/14/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Dragerwerk AG & Company KGaA (FPS Vermögensverwaltung GmbH)
• Original Assignee: Draeger Medical Systems Incorporated (FPS Vermögensverwaltung GmbH)
• Inventors: Russ, Tomas
• Granted Patent: US 6,749,566 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/300
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0006 ECG or EEG signals
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0024 for multiple sensor units attached to the patient, e.g. using a body or personal area network
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/145 Measuring characteristics of blood in vivo, e.g. gas concentration, pH value; Measuring characteristics of body fluids or tissues, e.g. interstitial fluid, cerebral tissuemeasuring of blood pressure or blood flow A61B5/02; non-radiation detecting or locating of foreign bodies in blood A61B5/06
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 128/903 Radio telemetry
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 128/904 Telephone telemetry

Abstract

A system that allows patient monitoring data obtained by patient connected devices to be transferred by wireless signals to another device such as a patient monitoring processor. The same patient connected devices are used to transfer data to the patient monitor processor or a central station depending on the location of the patient. A single device is used for both a personal area network and a telemetry/transport application. The same wireless technology is used in both situations and eliminates the need to deploy more than one antenna/receiver system. Existing wireless transfer protocols such as Bluetooth are used, thereby reducing transmission power when the two communicating devices are in close proximity.

Claims

1. A patient area network, comprising:

(a) at least one patient connected device, comprising

a sensor adapted to detect and store at least one physiological parameter from a patient; and

a radio frequency transceiver adapted to communicate with a patient monitor processor

(b) a patient monitor processor adapted to receive wireless physiological data from the patient connected device and to transmit wireless instructions to the patient connected device, the patient monitor processor being configured to act as one of (i) a master station within a cell and (ii) a slave station within a cell.

2. The patient area network of claim 1 wherein the patient monitor processor is configured to:

display physiological data received from each patient connected device;

interpret physiological data received from each patient connected device; and

synchronize operation of each patient connected device with every other patient connected device;

3. The patient area network of claim 2 further comprising a central station adapted to send and receive data from each patient connected device.

4. The patient area network of claim 3 wherein the central station further comprises:

a radio frequency transceiver configured to communicate with each patient connected device.

5. The patient area network of claim 4 further comprising a wireless data transfer protocol adapted to reduce transmission power in response to close proximity of a patient connected device to any data receiving device within the cell.

6. The patient area network of claim 5 further comprising:

a master antenna; and

an extension cable interconnecting the master antenna and the patient monitor processor configured to decrease separation between the patient connected device and the patient monitor processor.

7. The patient area network of claim 6 wherein the patient monitor processor comprises a web browser.

8. The patient area network of claim 7 wherein the patient monitor processor is interconnected to a local area network.

9. The patient area network of claim 8 wherein the local area network comprises an internet connection.

10. A method of monitoring physiological signals from a patient, comprising the steps of:

attaching at least one physiological parameter sensor to a patient;

interconnecting the physiological parameter sensor to a first wireless transceiver;

transmitting a physiological data signal from the first wireless transceiver to a patient monitor processor;

interconnecting the patient monitor processor to a second wireless transceiver transmitting informational data from the second wireless transceiver to the first wireless transceiver; and

designating the patient monitor processor as one of (a) a master station in a wireless cell and (b) a slave station in a wireless cell.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising the steps of:

interconnecting an auxiliary processor to a central station;

transmitting data from the first wireless transceiver to the auxiliary processor; and

transmitting data from the auxiliary processor to the first wireless transceiver.

12. The method of claim 11 further comprising the step of communicating between the first wireless transceiver and the auxiliary processor by means of a wireless protocol that reduces transmission power as path length between the first wireless transceiver and the auxiliary processor decreases.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising the step of interconnecting an antenna to the second wireless transceiver by means of an extension cable so as to decrease the path length between the antenna and the first wireless transceiver.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising the step of configuring the patient monitor processor as a web browser.

15. The method of claim 14 further comprising the step of interconnecting the patient monitor processor to a local area network.

16. The method of claim 15 further comprising the step of linking the local area network to an internet connection.

18. The method of claim 17 further comprising the step of

adaptively selecting between said ambulatory patient mode and said non-ambulatory patient mode in response to user command.

19. The method of claim 17 wherein

said transmitting step uses a single transmitter for both said ambulatory patient mode and said non-ambulatory patient mode.

20. The method of claim 17 further comprising the steps of

attaching a plurality of physiological parameter sensors of different type to a patient;

interconnecting said physiological parameter sensors-to at least one wireless transceiver;

conditioning physiological data signals containing different types of physiological data for at least one of, (a) an ambulatory patient mode and (b) a non-ambulatory patient mode; and

transmitting said physiological data signals from said at least one wireless transceiver to a patient monitor processor.

21. The method of claim 20 including the step of

using a map for dynamically allocating said physiological data signals to corresponding ports on said at least one transceiver.

22. The method of claim 20 wherein

said different types of physiological data include at least two of, (a) EKG data, (b) ECG data, (c) EEG data, (d) blood pressure data, (e) respiratory data, (f) blood parameter data, (g) pulse rate data and (h) muscle activity associated data.

17. A method of monitoring physiological signals from a patient, comprising the steps of:

attaching at least one physiological parameter sensor to a patient;

interconnecting the physiological parameter sensor to a first wireless transceiver;

conditioning a physiological data signal for at least one of, (a) an ambulatory patient mode and (b) a non-ambulatory patient mode; and

transmitting said physiological data signal from the first wireless transceiver to a patient monitor processor.