WEARABLE SYSTEM FOR MONITORING PHYSIOLOGICAL SIGNALS

• US 20100198094A1
• Filed: 02/04/2010
• Published: 08/05/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 02/04/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
• Original Assignee: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
• Inventors: Mandal, Soumyajit, Sarpeshkar, Rahul, Turicchia, Lorenzo
• Granted Patent: US 8,708,923 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/528
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 7/045 Detection of Korotkoff sounds A61B5/0225 takes precedence; measuring blood pressure A61B5/021

Abstract

A wearable system for monitoring a plurality of physiological signals is provided. The wearable system includes at least one sensor producing the physiological signals associated with a patient. A processor unit receives the physiological signals from the at least one sensor. The processor unit analyzes the physiological signals to determine the occurrence of a triggered event and produces at least one output signal identifying the triggered event. A transmission unit receives the at least one output signal and prepares for transmission of the at least one output signal.

Claims

1. A wearable system for monitoring a plurality of physiological signals associated with a patient, comprising:

at least one sensor for producing said physiological signals;

a processor unit for receiving said physiological signals from said at least one sensor, said processor unit analyzing the physiological signals to determine the occurrence of a triggered event and producing at least one output signal identifying the triggered event, the processor unit operable for harvesting RF energy to provide power to the wearable system or only said at least one sensor; and

a transmission unit for receiving the at least one output signal and preparing for transmission of the at least one output signal.

2. The wearable system of claim 1, wherein the at least one sensor comprises a plurality of microphones.

3. The wearable system of claim 1, wherein the at least one sensor comprises a plurality of transducers.

4. The wearable system of claim 2, wherein one of the microphones monitors environmental sounds.

5. The wearable system of claim 1, wherein the physiological signals comprise a heartbeat.

6. The wearable system of claim 4, wherein the environmental sounds indicate whether the patient is wearing the wearable system.

7. The wearable system of claim 1, wherein the processor unit comprises an arrangement having a trigger module and digital processor.

8. A wearable system for monitoring a patient comprising:

a first microphone for detecting environmental sounds and outputting a first signal;

a second microphone for detecting the patient'"'"'s physiological status or environmental sounds and producing a second signal;

a processor unit for receiving said first and second signal, said processor unit analyzing the first signal and the second signal to determine the occurrence of a triggered event, and producing at least one output signal identifying the triggered event; and

a transmission unit for receiving the at least one output signal and preparing for transmission of the at least one output signal.

9. The wearable system of claim 8, wherein said physiological signs comprise heartbeats.

10. The wearable system of claim 8, wherein said processor unit produces a patient disconnect signal when said first microphone and the second microphone detect environmental sounds.

11. The wearable system of claim 8, wherein said processor unit produces a patient alarm signal when the first microphone detects environmental sounds and the second microphone detects no physiological sign.

12. The wearable system of claim 8, wherein said processor unit produces a malfunction signal when the first microphone and the second microphone detect no environmental sounds.

13. The wearable system of claim 8, wherein the transmission unit comprises an antenna.

14. A method for remotely monitoring a plurality of physiological signals using a wearable system comprising:

providing at least one sensor producing said physiological signals associated with a patient;

receiving said physiological signals from said at least one sensor using a processor unit, said processor unit analyzing the physiological signals to determine the occurrence of a triggered event and producing at least one output signal identifying the triggered even, the processor unit harvests RF energy for powering the wearable system or only said at least one sensor; and

sending the at least one output signal to a transmission unit for transmission.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the at least one sensor comprises a plurality of microphones.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein the at least one sensor comprises a plurality of transducers.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein one of the microphones monitors environmental sounds.

18. The method of claim 14, wherein the physiological signal comprise a heartbeat.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein the environmental sounds indicate whether the patient is wearing the wearable system.

20. The method of claim 14, wherein the processor unit comprises an arrangement having a trigger module and digital processor.