Systems and methods for processing measurement data

• US 20080223941A1
• Filed: 02/28/2008
• Published: 09/18/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 12/27/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Zbigniew Roger Mrowiec
• Original Assignee: Zbigniew Roger Mrowiec
• Inventors: Mrowiec, Zbigniew Roger
• Application Number:
  US12/073,051
• Publication Number:
  US 20080223941A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 235/494
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/00 Measuring for diagnostic purposes radiation diagnosis A61B6/00; diagnosis by ultrasonic, sonic or infrasonic waves A61B8/00; Identification of persons
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7445 Display arrangements, e.g. multiple display units
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/06028 using bar codes
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 10/40 for data related to laboratory analysis, e.g. patient specimen analysis
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/63 for local operation
• CPC Class Codes: G16Z 99/00 Subject matter not provided for in other main groups of this subclass

Abstract

Disclosed are systems and methods for collecting, processing and displaying medical measurement data in human-readable and machine-readable formats. The system may collect medical measurement data using one or more sensors. The system may then analyze the collected measurement data as well as various characteristics of the available display device. Based on these characteristics, the system may select an optimum barcode format for displaying the measurement data. The system may then convert the measurement data into the selected barcode format and display the measurement data in the selected barcode format and an alphanumeric format on the display device. The barcoded measurement data may then be scanned by a scanning device and transmitted to a computer system for storage and further analysis.

Claims

1. A measuring apparatus comprising:

a sensor operable to take a measurement reading;

means for generating measurement data from the sensor reading;

processing means for converting the measurement data into one or more barcode formats;

means for maintaining the displayed measurement until subsequently changed by a later measurement; and

an electronic display operable to display the measurement data in an alphanumeric format and at least one changeable barcode.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the processing means of the measuring apparatus are operable to select a barcode format for displaying the measurement data.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the barcode format is a linear barcode formats, two-dimensional barcode formats, or a composite barcode formats.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the measuring apparatus further comprises an interface for receiving user input indicating the format in which to display the measurement data.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein a sensor comprises an optical, acoustic, piezoelectric, magnetic, electromagnetic, thermal, chemical sensors or their combination.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the measurement data is indicative of a vital sign of a living organism.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the measurement data is indicative of a chemical composition of a bodily fluid or a tissue specimen.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, whereby the means for maintaining the displayed measurement until subsequently changed is a latching circuitry or an instruction set.

9. A system for processing measurement data, the system comprising the apparatus of claim 1;

a barcode scanner operable to scan the changeable barcode-formatted measurement data from the electronic display of the measuring apparatus; and

a computer system comprising a memory and a processor, the computer system is operable to;

(i) receive the measurement data from the barcode scanner; and

(ii) store the measurement data in the memory.

10. The system of claim 9, further operable to display the time of at least one received sensor reading in the alphanumeric format and at least one changeable barcode format.

11. A method for processing measurement data collected by the measuring apparatus of claim 1, the method comprising:

determining one or more characteristics of the display device;

determining one or more characteristics of the measurement data;

selecting a changeable barcode format for displaying measurement data based on the characteristics of the display device and the characteristics of the measurement data;

converting the measurement data into the selected changeable barcode format; and

electronically displaying the converted measurement data in an alphanumeric format and the selected changeable barcode format, whereby the selected barcode display changes simultaneously with the measurement.

12. The method of claim 11, whereby a characteristic of the display device comprises one or more of size, resolution, and dot pitch of the display device.

13. The method of claim 11, whereby a characteristic of the measurement data comprises one or more of the number of characters and significant digits in the measurement data.

14. The method of claim 11, whereby a characteristic of the measurement data comprises a displayed barcode that is capable of changing simultaneously with the measurement.

15. The method of claim 11, further comprising the steps of scanning the barcode with a barcode scanner operable to scan the changeable barcode-formatted measurement data from the electronic display of the measuring apparatus.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising the step of receiving the measurement data from the barcode scanner;

and storing the measurement data in a computer readable format.