Physiological signal monitoring apparatus and method
First Claim
1. An electroencephalographic patient monitoring system for monitoring electrical physiological signals from the brain of a patient and for communication with a host computer, the electroencephalographic patent monitoring system comprising:
- a host computer interface;
an amplifier having a communications port for transmitting electroencephalographic signals to the host computer; and
a portable operations device coupled to the amplifier, the portable operations device having a memory; and
a controller responsive to disconnection of communication between the communications port and the host computer by transmitting electroencephalographic signals to the memory.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Preferred embodiments of the invention employ a portable and wearable EEG monitoring device having a patient-worn amplifier releasably coupled to a host computer for transmitting EEG signals. When patient disconnection from the host computer is desired, a portable operations device (POD) can be connected to the amplifier. Preferably upon detecting disconnection, a controller causes new EEG signals to be routed to a removable memory or transmitter peripheral card, enabling seamless data acquisition. Upon detecting reconnection between the amplifier and the host computer, the controller causes new EEG signals to be routed to the host computer. The controller also preferably transmits EEG signals stored on the peripheral memory card (if used) to the host computer. Preferred embodiments include a handheld display apparatus for viewing EEG signals and electrode information. Also, preferred embodiments reduce patient tethers by connecting multiple amplifiers in a daisy-chain format (most preferably on a PAN bus).
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Citations
151 Claims
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1. An electroencephalographic patient monitoring system for monitoring electrical physiological signals from the brain of a patient and for communication with a host computer, the electroencephalographic patent monitoring system comprising:
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a host computer interface;
an amplifier having a communications port for transmitting electroencephalographic signals to the host computer; and
a portable operations device coupled to the amplifier, the portable operations device having a memory; and
a controller responsive to disconnection of communication between the communications port and the host computer by transmitting electroencephalographic signals to the memory. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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22. A method of monitoring electroencephalographic signals from a patient'"'"'s brain, comprising:
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amplifying electroencephalographic signals from the patient'"'"'s brain;
transmitting amplified electroencephalographic signals to a host computer;
detecting loss of communication with the host computer;
transmitting amplified electroencephalographic signals to a portable memory device on the patient in response to detecting loss of communication with the host computer;
storing the amplified electroencephalographic signals as data in the portable memory device while communication with the host computer is lost;
detecting re-establishment of communication with the host computer; and
transmitting new amplified electroencephalographic signals to the host computer. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38)
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39. A portable electroencephalographic operations device for receiving and directing patient electroencephalographic signals in a system having an amplifier and a host computer, the portable electroencephalographic operations device comprising:
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an input adapted to receive electroencephalographic signals from the amplifier;
an output adapted to transmit electroencephalographic signals to the host computer;
a memory in communication with the input and output; and
a controller coupled to the input, output and memory and operable to transmit electroencephalographic signals to the memory responsive to loss of communication between the amplifier and the host computer and to transmit electroencephalographic signals stored in the memory to the host computer upon re-establishment of communication between the amplifier and the host computer. - View Dependent Claims (40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52)
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53. A method of controlling patient electroencephalographic signal transmission, comprising:
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transmitting patient electroencephalographic signals through an amplifier to a host computer;
coupling a portable operations device to the amplifier;
disconnecting the amplifier from the host computer;
transferring transmission of patient electroencephalographic signals from the amplifier to the portable operations device;
reconnecting the amplifier to the host computer; and
transferring transmission of patient electroencephalographic signals from the amplifier to the host computer after reconnection of the amplifier to the host computer. - View Dependent Claims (54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67, 68, 69, 70, 71, 72)
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73. A modular and portable electroencephalographic monitoring apparatus for use in conjunction with a host computer, the apparatus comprising:
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a jackbox; and
an amplifier coupled to the jackbox, the amplifier having an input communications port operable to receive electroencephalographic signals from the patient;
an expansion communications port operable to receive additional electroencephalographic signals from the patient, the amplifier releasably connectable to at least one additional amplifier and capable of receiving additional electroencephalographic signals from the at least one additional amplifier via the expansion communications port; and
an output communications port operable to transmit electroencephalographic signals from the amplifier and the at least one additional amplifier to the host computer. - View Dependent Claims (74, 75, 76)
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77. A method of monitoring electroencephalographic signals of a patient, comprising:
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transmitting a first plurality of electroencephalographic signals from the patient to a first amplifier;
amplifying the first plurality of electroencephalographic signals by the first amplifier;
transmitting the first plurality of electroencephalographic signals to an output of the first amplifier;
coupling at least one other amplifier to an input of the first amplifier;
transmitting additional electroencephalographic signals from the patient to the at least one other amplifier;
amplifying the additional electroencephalographic signals by the at least one other amplifier;
transmitting the additional electroencephalographic signals to the input of the first amplifier via respective outputs of the at least one other amplifier; and
transmitting the additional electroencephalographic signals to the output of the second amplifier. - View Dependent Claims (78, 79, 80)
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81. A portable and wearable apparatus for monitoring electroencephalographic signals of a patient, comprising:
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at least one electrode operable to detect electroencephalographic signals of the patient;
an amplifier wearable upon the patient, coupled to the at least one electrode, and adapted to receive electroencephalographic signals detected by the at least one electrode;
a housing wearable upon a patient;
a bay in the housing, in electrical communication with the amplifier to receive amplified electroencephalographic signals therefrom, and adapted to removably receive at least one peripheral card; and
at least one peripheral card removably received in the bay and to which amplified electroencephalographic signals can be transmitted from the bay. - View Dependent Claims (82, 83, 84, 85, 86)
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87. A method of monitoring electroencephalographic signals of a patient, comprising:
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transmitting electroencephalographic signals from the patient to an amplifier worn on the patient;
amplifying the electroencephalographic signals by the amplifier on the patient;
transmitting the electroencephalographic signals from the amplifier to a communications bay worn on the patient;
transmitting the electroencephalographic signals from the communications bay on the patient to a removable peripheral card in the bay;
removing the peripheral card from the bay following transmission of the electroencephalographic signals to the peripheral card; and
installing another peripheral card in the bay. - View Dependent Claims (88, 89, 90, 91, 92, 93, 94, 95, 96, 97, 98, 99, 100, 101, 102)
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103. An electroencephalographic signal display apparatus, comprising:
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a handheld portable housing;
an input operable to receive electroencephalographic signals of a patient;
a display coupled to the input and operable to display data representative of the electroencephalographic signals;
a controller in the housing and coupled to the input and display, the controller adapted to selectively display at least one of the electroencephalographic signals received from the input; and
at least one user-manipulatable control on the housing, coupled to the controller, and operable to change the electroencephalographic signals displayed by the controller upon the display. - View Dependent Claims (104, 105, 106, 107, 108, 109, 110, 111, 112, 113)
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114. A method of displaying electroencephalographic signals, comprising:
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transmitting electroencephalographic signals from a patient to an input of a handheld display device;
transmitting the electroencephalographic signals from the input to a controller in the handheld display device;
displaying electroencephalographic signal information regarding the electroencephalographic signals upon a display on the handheld display device via the controller;
receiving at least one display command from a user;
transmitting the at least one display command to the controller; and
changing the electroencephalographic signal information being displayed upon the display in response to transmitting the at least one display command to the controller. - View Dependent Claims (115, 116, 117, 118, 119, 120, 121, 122, 123, 124, 125)
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126. A wearable electroencephalographic monitoring apparatus for use in conjunction with a host computer, comprising:
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at least one electrode operable to receive electroencephalographic signals from a patient;
a jackbox coupled to at least one electrode;
an amplifier releasably coupled to the jackbox and to the host computer;
a communications device having a housing;
an input coupled to the amplifier;
an output coupled to the host computer; and
a controller operable to selectively route electroencephalographic signals received from the amplifier to the output of the communications device; and
a battery coupled to the communications device;
wherein the amplifier, communications device, and battery are arranged as a single physically integrated unit wearable by the patient. - View Dependent Claims (127, 128, 129, 130, 131, 132, 133, 134, 135, 136, 137)
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138. A method of monitoring electroencephalographic signals of a patient, comprising:
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providing an amplifier operable to receive electroencephalographic signals from the patient;
mounting the amplifier upon a housing within which is located a controller;
coupling a battery to the housing;
wearing the amplifier, housing, and battery upon the patient as a single physically integrated unit;
transmitting electroencephalographic signals from the patient to the amplifier;
transmitting electroencephalographic signals from the amplifier to the controller; and
transmitting electroencephalographic signals from the controller to a host computer. - View Dependent Claims (139, 140, 141, 142, 143, 144, 145, 146, 147, 148, 149, 150, 151)
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Specification