Programmable wireless electrode system for medical monitoring

• US 20030040305A1
• Filed: 10/22/2002
• Published: 02/27/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 04/18/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LifeSync Corporation
• Original Assignee: Motorola, Inc. (Motorola Solutions, Inc.)
• Inventors: Olson, William L., Lopez, Salvador, Ng, Richard, Khair, Mohammad, Ghaem, Sanjar
• Granted Patent: US 6,987,965 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/419
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2560/0412 Low-profile patch shaped housings
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0006 ECG or EEG signals
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/282 Holders for multiple electrodes for introduction into the body A61B5/287
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6833 Adhesive patches
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/05 for implantation or insertion into the body, e.g. heart electrode A61N1/06 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/125 involving control of end-device applications over a network
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/14 using intermediate storage
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 60/00 Affiliation to network, e.g. registration; Terminating affiliation with the network, e.g. de-registration
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/02 Selection of wireless resources by user or terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/02 Terminal devices

Abstract

A wireless, programmable system for bio-potential signal acquisition (e.g., electrocardiogram (ECG) data) includes a base unit and a plurality of individual wireless, remotely programmable transceivers that connect to patch electrodes. The base unit manages the transceivers by issuing registration, configuration, data acquisition, and transmission commands using wireless techniques. Bio-potential signals from the wireless transceivers are demultiplexed and supplied via a standard interface to a conventional monitor for display.

Claims

1. A wireless bio-potential signal acquisition system, comprising:

a) a plurality of individual, remotely programmable wireless transceivers, each of said transceivers associated with a patch electrode for use in medical monitoring, and

b) a base unit comprising a wireless transceiver for sending and receiving messages to said plurality of individual, remotely programmable wireless transceivers, said messages including configuration commands for said plurality of individual, programmable wireless transceivers;

said base unit transmitting a global time base signal to said plurality of individual, remotely programmable wireless transceivers, said global time base signal for synchronizing the timing of transmission of signals acquired by said plurality of individual, programmable wireless transceivers to said base unit in discrete time slots in a single frequency channel,

said base unit further comprising an interface to a monitor, whereby said acquired signals may be sent from said base unit to said monitor for display.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein said base unit transmits a data acquisition control message(s) to said plurality of individual, remotely programmable wireless transceivers.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein said base unit transmits a frequency selection command message(s) to said plurality of individual, remotely programmable wireless transceivers, said plurality of individual, remotely programmable wireless transceivers responsively selecting a common frequency channel for transmission of said acquired signals to said base unit in said discrete time slots.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein said individual, remotely programmable wireless transceivers store a list of available, predetermined frequency channels for transmission of said acquired signals to said base unit and wherein said frequency selection command message(s) commands said plurality of individual, remotely programmable wireless transceivers to transmit said acquired signals to said base unit on one of said predetermined frequency channels.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein said plurality of individual, remotely programmable wireless transceivers are generic with respect to particular placement locations on the surface of a patient'"'"'s body, and wherein said base unit transmits programming commands to said individual, remotely programmable wireless transceivers, said programming commands including electrode position location data associated with a unique placement position for said individual, remotely programmable wireless transceivers and electrode identification data.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein said base unit further comprises a display, and wherein said unique placement position for said individual, remotely programmable wireless transceivers is displayed on said display to a user.

7. The system of claim 5, wherein said individual, remotely programmable wireless transceivers transmit response message(s) to said base unit in response to said programming commands.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein said system is used to acquire ECG signals.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein said system is used to acquire electroencephalogram signals.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein said system is used to acquire electromyography signals.

19. The system of claim 1, wherein said system is used to acquire electroencephalogram signals.

20. The system of claim 1, wherein said system is used to acquire electromyography signals.

11. A dynamically programmable, wireless bio-potential signal acquisition system, comprising:

a) a plurality of individual, remotely programmable wireless transceivers, each of said transceivers associated with a patch electrode for use in medical monitoring, and

b) a base unit comprising a wireless transceiver for sending and receiving messages to said plurality of individual, remotely programmable wireless transceivers,

c) wherein said base unit and said plurality of individual, programmable wireless transceivers implement a wireless programming protocol by which said messages are exchanged between said base unit and said plurality of individual, remotely programmable wireless transceivers whereby registration, configuration, data acquisition control, and data transmission control properties of said plurality of individual, remotely programmable wireless transceivers may be managed by said base unit.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein said base unit transmits a global time base signal to said plurality of individual, remotely programmable wireless transceivers, said global time base signal for synchronizing the timing of transmission of signals acquired by said plurality of individual, programmable wireless transceivers to said base unit in discrete time slots in a single frequency channel.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein said base unit further comprises an interface to conventional monitoring and display equipment, whereby said acquired signals may be sent from said base unit to said monitoring and display equipment for display.

14. The system of claim 11, wherein said plurality of individual, remotely programmable wireless transceivers are generic with respect to particular placement locations on the surface of a patient'"'"'s body, and wherein said base unit transmits programming data to said individual, remotely programmable wireless transceivers, said programming data including electrode position location data associated with a unique placement position for said individual, remotely programmable wireless transceivers and electrode identifier data.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein said base unit further comprises a display, and wherein said unique placement position for said individual, remotely programmable wireless transceivers is displayed on said display to a user.

16. The system of claim 11, wherein said base unit transmits a frequency selection command message(s) to said plurality of individual, remotely programmable wireless transceivers, said plurality of individual, remotely programmable wireless transceivers responsively selecting a common frequency channel for transmission of acquired signals to said base unit in discrete time slots.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein said individual, remotely programmable wireless transceivers store a list of available, predetermined frequency channels for transmission of said acquired signals to said base unit and wherein said frequency selection command message(s) commands said plurality of individual, remotely programmable wireless transceivers to transmit said acquired signals to said base unit on one of said predetermined frequency channels.

18. The system of claim 11, wherein said system is used to acquire ECG signals.

35. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein said computing platform includes a digital signal processor.

36. The system of claim 11, wherein said wireless transceivers communicate with said base unit in a Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) communication format.

21. A wireless, programmable transceiver adapted to attach to a patch electrode for placement on the surface of a patient'"'"'s body, said transceiver transmitting signals acquired from said electrode to a base unit, comprising:

an amplifier receiving a signal from said electrode and generating an amplified analog signal;

an anti-aliasing filter removing undesirable frequencies;

an analog to digital converter converting said amplified, filtered analog signal into a digital signal;

a computing platform having a memory storing a set of instructions executable by said computing platform and performing signal processing of said digital signal;

a buffer storing said digital signal for transmission to said base unit;

a wireless transceiver module including an antenna for wireless transmission of said digital signal between said wireless programmable transceiver assembly and said base unit; and

a frequency generator responsive to said microcontroller for generating a frequency at which said wireless transmission is to occur;

wherein said computing platform is operative to select a frequency for said wireless transmission in response to control commands received from said base unit at said wireless transceiver module.

22. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein said memory stores an electrode identifier.

23. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein said memory stores position location data associated with a position said electrode is attached to said patient, and wherein said position location data is dynamically programmable from said base unit.

24. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein said transmitter transmits said digital signal to said base unit in a time slot assigned by said base unit.

25. The apparatus of claim 24, wherein said microcontroller executes an initialization routine wherein said wireless transceiver module scans a default receive channel for commands from said base unit, and if said commands are received transmits identification information in an assigned frequency and time slot in said frequency to said base unit.

34. The apparatus of claim 21 wherein said computing platform includes a microcontroller.

38. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein said wireless transceiver communciates with said base unit in a Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) communication format

26. A base unit for a plurality of wireless, programmable transceivers each adapted to attach to a patch electrode for placement on the surface of a patient'"'"'s body, comprising:

a transceiver module including an antenna for wireless communication in transmit and receive directions between said base unit and said wireless, programmable transceivers, said wireless communication from said plurality of wireless, programmable transceivers to said base unit occurring in a plurality of discrete time slots in a single frequency channel;

an encoder/decoder coupled to said antenna;

a computing platform and a memory, said computing platform performing error correction, processing information in control messages and data in digitized signals from said encoder/decoder;

a demultiplexer demultiplexing received data from said plurality of wireless, programmable transceiver assemblies in said plurality of discrete time slots;

a digital to analog converter for converting received, demultiplexed digital signals from said plurality of wireless, programmable transceiver assemblies into analog signals; and

an interface supplying said analog signals to a monitor for display.

27. The base unit of claim 26, wherein said base unit transmits a global time base signal to said plurality of wireless programmable transceivers, said global time base signal for synchronizing the timing of transmission of data acquired by said wireless programmable transceivers to said base unit in said discrete time slots in said single frequency channel.

28. The base unit of claim 26, wherein said base unit transmits a frequency selection command message to said wireless programmable transceivers, said wireless programmable transceivers responsively selecting a common frequency channel for transmission of acquired data to said base unit in said discrete time slots in said selected common frequency channel.

29. The base unit of claim 26, wherein said base unit executes an initialization program illustrated in FIG. 6.

30. The base unit of claim 26, wherein said base unit transmits programming data to said wireless programmable transceivers, said programming data comprising an electrode identifier and an electrode position identifier associated with a position in which said wireless programmable transceiver is to be located on a patient.

31. The base unit of claim 30, further comprising a display displaying position information programmed to said plurality of wireless programmable transceivers.

32. The base unit of claim 26, wherein said base unit implements an initialization routine illustrated in FIG. 8.

33. The base unit of claim 26, further comprising a programming initialization interface for contacting said wireless programmable transceivers for transmission of programming commands to said wireless programmable transceivers.

37. The base unit of claim 26, wherein said wireless transceivers communciate with said base unit in a Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) communication format.