Adherent Emergency Patient Monitor

• US 20090076397A1
• Filed: 09/12/2008
• Published: 03/19/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 09/14/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Medtronic Monitoring, Inc. (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: Corventis
• Inventors: Bly, Mark J., Manicka, Yatheendhar D., Libbus, Imad, Mazar, Scott T., James, Kristofer J., Amurthur, Badri, Wang, Jerry S.
• Application Number:
  US12/209,259
• Publication Number:
  US 20090076397A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/484
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/257 using adhesive means, e.g. adhesive pads or tapes
• 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

Abstract

An adherent device comprises an adhesive patch to adhere to a skin of the patient. At least two electrodes are connected to the patch and capable of electrically coupling to the patient. Electrocardiogram circuitry can be coupled to at the least two electrodes to measure an electrocardiogram signal of the patient. An accelerometer can be mechanically coupled to the adhesive patch to generate an accelerometer signal in response to at least one of an activity or a position of the patient. A processor comprising a tangible medium can be configured to communicate with the electrocardiogram circuitry and the accelerometer to generate an alarm signal in response to the electrocardiogram signal and the accelerometer signal.

Claims

1. An adherent device to monitor a person, the device comprising:

an adhesive patch to adhere to a skin of the person;

at least two electrodes connected to the patch and capable of electrically coupling to the person;

electrocardiogram circuitry coupled to at the least two electrodes to measure an electrocardiogram signal of the person;

an accelerometer mechanically coupled to the adhesive patch to generate an accelerometer signal in response to at least one of an activity or a position of the person; and

a processor comprising a tangible medium and configured to communicate with the electrocardiogram circuitry and the accelerometer to generate an alarm signal in response to the electrocardiogram signal and the accelerometer signal.

2. The adherent device of claim 1 wherein the processor is configured to transmit at least one of the electrocardiogram signal or the accelerometer signal in real time to the remote center and/or a remote care giver in response to the alarm.

3. The adherent device of claim 1 wherein the processor is configured to generate the alarm signal in response to at least one of a cardiac rhythm disorder, a fall, a temperature or a respiratory distress of the person.

4. The adherent device of claim 1 wherein the processor is configured to generate the alarm signal in response to a detected person fall from the accelerometer signal

5. The adherent device of claim 1 wherein the processor is configured to generate the alarm signal in response to an increased heart rate from the electrocardiogram signal and a decreased person activity from the accelerometer signal.

6. The adherent device of claim 1 further comprising respiration circuitry to measure a respiration signal of the person and wherein the processor is configured to generate the alarm signal in response to a respiratory distress from the respiration signal.

7. The adherent device of claim 6 wherein the processor is configured to combine the electrocardiogram signal, the accelerometer signal and respiration signal to generate the alarm signal.

8. The adherent device of claim 7 wherein combining comprises using the at least two of the electrocardiogram signal, the accelerometer signal, or the respiration signal to look up a value in a previously existing array.

9. The adherent device of claim 7 wherein combining comprises at least one of adding, subtracting, multiplying, scaling or dividing the at least two of the electrocardiogram signal, the accelerometer signal, or the respiration signal.

10. The adherent device of claim 7 wherein the at least two of the electrocardiogram signal, the accelerometer signal, or the respiration signal are combined with at least one of a weighted combination, a tiered combination or a logic gated combination, a time weighted combination or a rate of change.

11. The adherent device of claim 6 wherein the processor is configured to generate the alarm signal in response to an abnormal respiratory rate from the respiration signal and a decreased person activity from the accelerometer signal.

12. The adherent device of claim 6 wherein the processor is configured to generate the alarm signal in response to an abnormal heart rate from the electrocardiogram signal, an abnormal respiratory rate from the respiration signal, and a decreased activity measured from the accelerometer signal.

13. The adherent device of claim 6 wherein the respiration circuitry comprises at least one of an impedance circuitry or a strain gauge.

14. The adherent device of claim 6 wherein the adhesive patch is mechanically coupled to the at two electrodes, the electrocardiogram circuitry, the accelerometer, the respiration circuitry and the processor, such that the patch is capable of supporting the at least two electrodes, the electrocardiogram circuitry, the respiration circuitry, the accelerometer and the processor when the adherent patch is adhered to the skin of the person.

15. The adherent device of claim 1 further comprising a wireless communication circuitry coupled to the processor transmit at least one of the electrocardiogram signal, the respiration signal, or the accelerometer signal to a remote center with a communication protocol.

16. The adherent device of claim 15 wherein wireless communication circuitry is configured to transmit the at least one of the electrocardiogram signal, the respiration signal or the accelerometer signal to the remote center with a single wireless hop from the wireless communication circuitry to an intermediate device and a wireless hop from the intermediate device to the remote center.

17. A method of monitoring a frail person, the method comprising:

adhering an adhesive patch to a skin of the person, such that at least two electrodes connected to the patch are coupled to the skin of the person;

measuring an electrocardiogram signal of the person with electrocardiogram circuitry coupled to at the least two electrodes;

measuring an accelerometer signal in response to at least one of an activity or a position of the person with an accelerometer mechanically coupled to the adhesive patch; and

generating an alarm signal in response to the electrocardiogram signal and the accelerometer signal with a processor comprising a tangible medium and in communication with the electrocardiogram circuitry and the accelerometer.

18. The method of claim 17 further comprising transmitting at least one of the electrocardiogram signal or the accelerometer signal in real time to the remote center and/or a remote care giver in response to the alarm.

19. The method of claim 17 wherein the alarm signal is generated in response to at least one of a cardiac rhythm disorder, a fall or a respiratory distress of the person.

20. The method of claim 17 wherein the alarm signal is generated in response to a detected person fall from the accelerometer signal

21. The method of claim 17 wherein the alarm signal is generated in response to an increased heart rate measured with the electrocardiogram signal and a decreased person activity measured with the accelerometer signal.

22. The method of claim 17 wherein the alarm signal is generated in response to a decreased heart rate measured with the electrocardiogram signal and a decreased person activity measured with the accelerometer signal so as to indicate at least one of a syncope and/or fainting of the person.

23. The method of claim 17 further comprising measuring a respiration signal of the person with respiration circuitry and wherein the alarm signal is generated in response to a respiratory distress from the respiration signal.

24. The method of claim 23 wherein the electrocardiogram signal, the accelerometer signal and respiration signal are combined to generate the alarm signal.

25. The method of claim 24 wherein combining comprises using the at least two of the electrocardiogram signal, the accelerometer signal, or the respiration signal to look up a value in a previously existing array.

26. The method of claim 24 wherein combining comprises at least one of adding, subtracting, multiplying, scaling or dividing the at least two of the electrocardiogram signal, the accelerometer signal, or the respiration signal.

27. The method of claim 24 wherein the at least two of the electrocardiogram signal, the accelerometer signal, or the respiration signal are combined with at least one of a weighted combination, a tiered combination or a logic gated combination, a time weighted combination or a rate of change.

28. The method of claim 23 wherein the alarm signal is generated in response to an abnormal respiratory rate from the respiration signal and a decreased person activity from the accelerometer signal.

29. The method of claim 23 wherein the alarm signal is generated in response to an abnormal heart rate from the electrocardiogram signal, an abnormal respiratory rate from the respiration signal, and a decreased activity from the accelerometer signal.

30. The method of claim 23 wherein the adhesive patch is mechanically coupled to the at two electrodes, the electrocardiogram circuitry, the accelerometer, the respiration circuitry and the processor, such that the patch supports the at least two electrodes, the electrocardiogram circuitry, the respiration circuitry, the accelerometer and the processor when the adherent patch is adhered to the skin of the person.

31. The method of claim 17 further comprising transmitting wirelessly at least one of the electrocardiogram signal, the respiration signal, or the accelerometer signal to a remote center with a communication protocol.

32. The method of claim 31 wherein the at least one of the electrocardiogram signal, the respiration signal or the accelerometer signal is transmitted to the remote center with a single wireless hop from the wireless communication circuitry to an intermediate device and a wireless hop from the intermediate device to the remote center.

33. An adherent device to monitor a person in an emergency situation, the device comprising:

an adhesive patch to adhere to a skin of the person;

at least two electrodes connected to the patch and capable of electrically coupling to the person;

electrocardiogram circuitry coupled to at the least two electrodes to measure an electrocardiogram signal of the person;

temperature circuitry to measure a temperature signal from the patient;

respiration circuitry to measure a respiration signal of the person;

a processor comprising a tangible medium and configured to communicate with the electrocardiogram circuitry, the temperature circuitry and the respiration circuitry to generate an alarm signal in response to at least two of the electrocardiogram signal, the temperature signal or the respiration signal; and

wireless communication circuitry coupled to the processor and the electrocardiogram circuitry and the accelerometer to transmit the alarm signal to a remote center with a communication protocol.

34. The adherent device of claim 33 further comprising temperature circuitry to measure a temperature signal from the patient.

35. The adherent device of claim 33 wherein the processor is configured to transmit at least one of the electrocardiogram signal or the respiration signal in real time to the remote center and/or a remote care giver in response to the alarm.

36. The adherent device of claim 33 wherein the wireless communication circuitry is configured to transmit at least one of the electrocardiogram signal or the respiration signal in real time to the remote center in response to the alarm signal.

37. The adherent device of claim 33 wherein the respiration circuitry comprises at least one of an impedance circuitry or a strain gauge.

38. The adherent device of claim 33 wherein the processor is configured to generate the alarm signal in response to an abnormal heart rate from the electrocardiogram signal and an abnormal respiratory rate from the respiration signal.

39. The adherent device of claim 33 further comprising an accelerometer mechanically coupled to the adhesive patch to generate an accelerometer signal in response to at least one of an activity or a position of the person.

40. The adherent device of claim 39 wherein the processor is configured to combine the electrocardiogram signal, the accelerometer signal and respiration signal to generate the alarm signal.

41. The adherent device of claim 40 wherein the processor is configured to combine the at least two of the e electrocardiogram signal, the accelerometer signal, the temperature signal or the respiration signal to look up a value in a previously existing array.

42. The adherent device of claim 40 wherein the processor is configured to combine with at least one of adding, subtracting, multiplying, scaling or dividing the at least two of the electrocardiogram signal, the accelerometer signal, the temperature signal or the respiration signal.

43. The adherent device of claim 40 wherein the at least two of the electrocardiogram signal, the accelerometer signal, the temperature signal or the respiration signal are combined with at least one of a weighted combination, a tiered combination or a logic gated combination, a time weighted combination or a rate of change.

44. The adherent device of claim 39 wherein the adhesive patch is mechanically coupled to the at two electrodes, the electrocardiogram circuitry, the respiration circuitry, the accelerometer, the temperature circuitry and the processor, such that the patch is capable of supporting the at least two electrodes, the electrocardiogram circuitry, the respiration circuitry, the accelerometer, the temperature circuitry and the processor when the adherent patch is adhered to the skin of the person.

45. A method of monitoring a person in an emergency situation, the method comprising:

adhering an adhesive patch to a skin of the person, such that at least two electrodes connected to the patch are coupled to the skin of the person;

measuring an electrocardiogram signal of the person with electrocardiogram circuitry coupled to at the least two electrodes;

measuring a respiration signal of the person with respiration circuitry;

measuring a temperature signal from the person with temperature circuitry;

generating an alarm signal in response to the electrocardiogram signal and the respiration signal with a processor comprising a tangible medium in communication with the electrocardiogram circuitry and the respiration circuitry; and

transmitting the alarm signal to a remote center with a communication protocol and wireless communication circuitry.

49. The method of claim 49 wherein further comprising combing the electrocardiogram signal, the accelerometer signal, the temperature signal and respiration signal to generate the alarm signal with the processor.

46. The method of claim 49 wherein at least one of the electrocardiogram signal or the respiration signal are transmitted in real time to the remote center and/or a remote care giver in response to the alarm.

47. The method of claim 49 wherein the alarm signal is generated with the processor in response to an abnormal heart rate from the electrocardiogram signal and an abnormal respiratory rate from the respiration signal.

48. The method of claim 49 further comprising generating an accelerometer signal in response to at least one of an activity or a position of the person with an accelerometer mechanically coupled to the adhesive patch.

50. The method of claim 49 wherein the adhesive patch is mechanically coupled to the at two electrodes, the electrocardiogram circuitry, the respiration circuitry, the accelerometer and the processor, such that the patch supports the at least two electrodes, the electrocardiogram circuitry, the respiration circuitry, the accelerometer and the processor when the adherent patch is adhered to the skin of the person.