Rechargeable hard disk drive medical monitor

• US 20050288561A1
• Filed: 06/29/2004
• Published: 12/29/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 06/29/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Western Digital Technologies Incorporated (Western Digital Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Hitachi Global Storage Technologies Netherlands BV (Western Digital Corporation)
• Inventors: Gillis, Donald Ray, Pit, Remmelt, Khrushudov, Andrei, Feliss, Norbert
• Granted Patent: US 7,201,719 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/300
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2560/0214 of power generation or supply
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2560/0219 of externally powered implanted units
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2560/0276 Determining malfunction
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0022 Monitoring a patient using a global network, e.g. telephone networks, internet
• 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 5/0031 Implanted circuitry
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0205 Simultaneously evaluating both cardiovascular conditions and different types of body conditions, e.g. heart and respiratory condition
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0215 by means inserted into the body catheters A61M25/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/02438 with portable devices, e.g. worn by the patient
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/02455 provided with high/low alarm devices
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0255 Recording instruments specially adapted therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1112 Global tracking of patients, e.g. by using GPS
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/14532 for measuring glucose, e.g. by tissue impedance measurement
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/413 Monitoring transplanted tissue or organ, e.g. for possible rejection reactions after a transplant
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7455 characterised by tactile indication, e.g. vibration or electrical stimulation
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/67 for remote operation
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 128/92 Computer assisted medical diagnostics

Abstract

A medical monitor is disclosed for implantation in a human body for monitoring biological activity and states as detected by implanted sensors. The medical monitor includes an enclosure surrounding at least one hard disk drive, and also includes a transmitter and a receiver for producing and transmitting signals in the radio frequency range. The medical monitor is in communication with the sensors, by which information on biological activity and states is stored on the one or more hard disk drives. It also includes a recharging system including at least one rechargeable battery and an induction electronics interface.

Claims

1. A medical monitor for implantation in the user'"'"'s body for monitoring data on biological activity and states gathered from sensors implanted in the user'"'"'s body, said medical monitor comprising:

an enclosure surrounding at least one hard disk drive, said medical monitor including a transmitter and receiver for producing and transmitting signals in the radio frequency range;

said medical monitor being in communication with said sensors, by which information on biological activity and states is stored on said at least one hard disk drive; and

a recharging system including at least one rechargeable battery and an induction electronics interface.

2. The medical monitor of claim 1, wherein:

said induction electronics interface includes an external charger having an external power coil; and

a subcutaneous power coil implanted in the user'"'"'s body and electronically connected to said at least one rechargeable battery, whereby power is inductive transferred to recharge said rechargeable batteries.

3. The medical monitor of claim 2, wherein:

said external charger includes a sensor for locating said subcutaneous power coil.

4. The medical monitor of claim 2, wherein:

said subcutaneous power coil is located within said enclosure of said medical monitor.

5. The medical monitor of claim 2, wherein:

said subcutaneous power coil in located outside said enclosure of said medical monitor.

6. The medical monitor of claim 1, wherein:

said at least one hard disk drive includes a sleep-mode and drive performance software module to minimize power expenditure.

7. The medical monitor of claim 1, wherein:

said at least one hard disk drive includes a CPU which performs periodic checks of the power level of said at least one rechargeable battery, and which can initiate an alert if said level is found to be low.

8. The medical monitor of claim 7, wherein:

said alert initiated by said CPU is sent by said radio frequency transmitter to medical personnel.

9. The medical monitor of claim 8, wherein:

said transmitter includes a GPS transmitter and said alert is sent by GPS transmission.

10. The medical monitor of claim 7, wherein:

said alert initiated by said CPU is sent by an alert mechanism.

11. The medical monitor of claim 10, wherein:

said alert mechanism includes a buzzer.

12. The medical monitor of claim 10, wherein:

said alert mechanism includes a vibration motor.

13. The medical monitor of claim 10, wherein:

said alert mechanism includes a piezo micro-speaker.

14. The medical monitor of claim 13, wherein:

said at least one hard disk drive includes a text to speech algorithm and said alert mechanism transmits voice messages through said piezo micro-speaker.

15. The medical monitor of claim 10, wherein:

said alert mechanism is a local alert located within said enclosure of said medical monitor.

16. The medical monitor of claim 10, wherein:

said alert mechanism is a remote alert which is located outside of said enclosure of said medical monitor, but within the body of the user.

17. A system for monitoring biological activity and states in the body of a user, comprising:

a medical HDD monitor, including at least one hard disk drive, and transmitter and receiver for producing and transmitting signals in the radio frequency range;

at least one sensor for communicating data from at least one site in said body of said user to said medical HDD monitor;

an external programming interface which communicates with said medical HDD monitor by radio frequency transmission, in order to set performance parameters of said medical HDD monitor.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein:

said at least one sensor communicates with said medical HDD monitor by radio frequency transmissions.

19. The system of claim 17, wherein:

said at least one sensor communicates with said medical HDD monitor by micro-cables.

20. The system of claim 17, wherein:

said medical HDD monitor includes a recharging system including at least one rechargeable battery and an induction electronics interface.

21. The system claim 17, further comprising:

an external programming device which is in radio frequency communication with said medical HDD monitor.

22. The medical monitor of claim 21, wherein:

said external programming device is chosen from a group consisting of hand-held computers and laptop computers.

23. The medical monitor of claim 21, wherein:

said external programming device communicates with said medical HDD monitor through encrypted communications.

24. The medical monitor of claim 17, wherein:

said at least one hard disk drive includes two disk drives which are in communication with each other, to provide disk drive data redundancy and data backup; and

said disk drive data redundancy and data backup is accomplished by an operating configuration chosen from the group consisting of RAID 0, RAID 1, or RAID 0+1 techniques, depending on the Medical team'"'"'s recommendation for the best performance available and acceptable to the patient or user.