Apparatus for signal detection, processing and communication

• US 20090054742A1
• Filed: 08/22/2007
• Published: 02/26/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 08/22/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Heart Force Medical, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Heart Force Medical, Inc.
• Inventors: Kaminska, Bozena, Chuo, Yindar
• Granted Patent: US 8,764,653 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/301
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2560/0412 Low-profile patch shaped housings
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2560/0462 Apparatus with built-in sensors
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2560/0468 Built-in electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/164 the sensor is mounted in or on a conformable substrate or carrier
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0002 Remote monitoring of patients using telemetry, e.g. transmission of vital signals via a communication network A61B5/07 takes precedence; transmission systems for measured values G08C; transmission H04B; transmission of digital information H04L; wireless communication networks H04W
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/259 using conductive adhesive means, e.g. gels
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/28 for electrocardiography [ECG]
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6833 Adhesive patches
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7203 for noise prevention, reduction or removal
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/726 using Wavelet transforms
• CPC Class Codes: B33Y 80/00 Products made by additive manufacturing
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/63 for local operation

Abstract

An apparatus for monitoring one or more than one biological parameter is provided. The apparatus comprises two or more than two layers, each layer comprising a flexible substrate, the two or more than two layers comprising two or more than two sensors for sensing the one or more than one biological parameter; a signal conditioning module in communication with one or more than one of the two or more than two sensors; a signal processor in communication with the signal conditioning module and producing a processed signal; a communication module in communication with the signal processor and transmitting the processed signal to a storage module, a display device, a host processing system, or a combination thereof; and a power module to provide power to the two or more than two sensors, the signal conditioning module, the signal processor, and the communication module.

Claims

1. An apparatus for monitoring one or more than one biological parameter, the apparatus comprising:

two or more than two layers, each layer comprising a flexible substrate, the two or more than two layers comprising;

(a) two or more than two sensors for sensing the one or more than one biological parameter;

(b) a signal conditioning module in communication with one or more than one of the two or more than two sensors;

(c) a signal processor in communication with the signal conditioning module and producing a processed signal;

(d) a communication module in communication with the signal processor and transmitting the processed signal to a storage module, a display device, a host processing system, or a combination thereof; and

(e) a power module to provide power to the two or more than two sensors, the signal conditioning module, the signal processor, and the communication module.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the signal processor comprises the signal conditioning module.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising an adhesive layer.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the one or more than one biological parameters are independently selected from the group comprising:

movement, heart rate, temperature, biopotential, respiration, skin moisture, skin conductivity, hemoglobin oxygen saturation, sound, light absorption or reflection, glucose level, protein level, amino acid level, lipid level, fatty acid level and a combination thereof.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein one of the two or more than two sensors is an accelerometer.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein one of the two or more than two sensors is a biopotential sensor.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein one of the two or more than two sensors is an spectrometer.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein a first of one of the two or more than two sensors is an accelerometer for monitoring movement, and a second of the two or more than two sensors comprises electrodes for obtaining an electrocardiogram.

9. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the flexible substrate comprises polyimide.

10. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the power module comprises a battery, a radiofrequency power source, a piezoelectric crystal, a thermocouple, or a combination thereof.

11. The apparatus of claim 1, comprising three sensors.

12. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the two or more than two sensors are independently selected from the group consisting of:

accelerometer, electrode, thermometer, thermal diode, galvanometer, LED, photodiode, microphone, vibration sensor, optical diode, glucometer, spectrometer, pH meter, spectrophotometer, and a combination thereof.

13. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein one of the two or more than two sensors is an acoustic sensor.

14. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein one of the two or more than two sensors is a biopotential sensor.

15. A method for monitoring one or more than one biological parameter, the method comprising:

(i) positioning an apparatus for monitoring at least one biological parameter, on a subject, the apparatus comprising two or more than two layers, each layer comprising a flexible substrate, the layers comprising;

(a) two or more than two sensors for sensing the one or more than one biological parameter;

(b) a signal conditioning module in communication with one or more than one of the two or more than two sensors;

(c) a signal processor in communication with the signal conditioning module and producing a processed signal;

(d) a communication module in communication with the signal processor and transmitting the processed signal to a storage module, a display device, a host processing system, or a combination thereof; and

(e) a power module to provide power to the two or more than two sensors, the signal conditioning module, the signal processor, and the communication module;

(ii) thereby monitoring the processed signal for an alteration in a biological parameter.