System and method for passive monitoring of blood pressure and pulse rate

• US 20060173363A1
• Filed: 03/26/2004
• Published: 08/03/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 04/03/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: University of Virginia Patent Foundation (University of Virginia)
• Original Assignee: University of Virginia Patent Foundation (University of Virginia)
• Inventors: Mack, David C., Kell, Steven W., Felder, Robin A., Alwan, Majd
• Granted Patent: US 7,691,068 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/485
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/168 Fluid filled sensor housings
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/022 by applying pressure to close blood vessels, e.g. against the skin; Ophthalmodynamometers
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/024 Detecting, measuring or recording pulse rate or heart rate A61B5/0205, A61B5/021 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0245 by using sensing means generating electric signals, i.e. ECG signals
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/113 occurring during breathing
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6829 Foot or ankle
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6843 Monitoring or controlling sensor contact pressure
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6887 mounted on external non-worn devices, e.g. non-medical devices

Abstract

System and method that can monitor pulse rate and passively produce a blood pressure measurement and automatically log the data for the user. Additionally, coupling to the Internet or Information Systems expands the options for the early detection of diseases, based on sudden detected changes and trend analyses, and the successful treatment of these patients while reducing the high costs associated with invasive procedures and in-hospital care.

Claims

1. A blood pressure and pulse rate system for deriving the blood pressure and pulse of a subject that is in communication with an interface member, said system comprising:

a sensor module in communication with the interface member, said sensor module for detecting a pulse wave form and pulse rate; and

a processor module that analyzes the pulse wave form and pulse rate signal for deriving variants of blood pressure.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein said variants of blood pressure includes at least on of pulse pressure, systolic pressure, diastolic pressure, pulse width, pulse time difference, double peak difference, and/or depth of dicrotic notch.

3. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

an output module for receiving said variants of blood pressure.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein said output module comprises at least one of display, alarm, memory storage, communication device, printer, buzzer, PDA, lap top computer, computer, audio or visual alarm, and/or light.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the subject is directly or indirectly coupled to the interface member.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein said sensor module is directly or indirectly coupled to the interface member.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein said sensor module and processor module are in wireless communication.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein said wireless communication comprises at least one of RF link, an infrared, cellular phone link, optical and/or electromagnetic.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein said sensor module and processor module are in a hard wired communication.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein said hard wired communication comprises at least one of electronic, integrated circuit, electromagnetic, wire, cable, fiber optics, a phone line, twisted pair, and/or coaxial.

11. The system of claim 1, further comprising archival storage module.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein said archival storage module stores at least one of longitudinal analysis and/or pattern recognition for diagnostic and other purposes.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein said processor module analyzes the longitudinal analysis and/or pattern recognition.

14. The system of claim 12, further comprising:

a second processor module, said second processor module analyzes the variants of blood pressure, longitudinal analysis, and/or pattern recognition.

15. The system of claim 1, wherein said subject is a human and/or animal.

16. The system of claim 1, wherein said subject is an animate or inanimate object.

17. The system of claim 1, where said interface member is at least one of platform, scale, chair, bath mat, mat, bed, shoe, slipper, door knob, handle, and/or sandal.

18. The system of claim 1, wherein said sensor module comprises at least one of piezoelectric device, fiber optic device, differential transformer, and/or pressure determining device providing sufficient resolution to transduce the naturally occurring changes in physiology related to the subject of interest cardiac event.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein said sensor module is directly or indirectly coupled to the subject.

20. The system of claim 1, further comprising a control module for controlling said sensor module and processor module.

21. The system of claim 1, wherein said sensor module is directly or indirectly coupled to the subject.

22. A method for deriving the blood pressure and pulse of a subject that is in communication with an interface member, said method comprising:

detecting a pulse wave form and pulse rate; and

analyzing the pulse wave form and pulse rate signal for deriving variants of blood pressure.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein said variants of blood pressure includes at least on of pulse pressure, systolic pressure, diastolic pressure, pulse width, pulse time difference, double peak difference, and/or depth of dicrotic notch.

24. The method of claim 22, further comprising:

outputting the variants of blood pressure.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein said outputting is provided by an output module.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein said output module comprises at least one of display, alarm, memory storage, communication device, printer, buzzer, PDA, lap top computer, computer, audio or visual alarm, and/or light.

27. The method of claim 22, further comprising:

storing archival information or data.

28. The method of claim 27, wherein the storing of archival information or data is provided by an archival storage module that stores at least one of longitudinal analysis and/or pattern recognition for diagnostic and other purposes.

29. The method of claim 28, further comprises:

analyzing the longitudinal analysis and/or pattern recognition.

30. The method of claim 22, wherein said subject is a human and/or animal.

31. The method of claim 22, wherein said subject is an animate or inanimate object.

32. A computer program product comprising computer usable medium having computer logic for enabling at lease one processor in a computer system to derive the blood pressure and pulse of a subject that is in communication with an interface member, said computer logic comprising:

detecting a pulse wave form and pulse rate; and

analyzing the pulse wave form and pulse rate signal for deriving variants of blood pressure.