Medical Monitoring System With Open Device Architecture

• US 20100249540A1
• Filed: 03/17/2010
• Published: 09/30/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 03/31/2009
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Covidien LP (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: Nellcor Puritan Bennett LLC (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: Lisogurski, Daniel
• Application Number:
  US12/725,957
• Publication Number:
  US 20100249540A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/301
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2560/0431 Portable apparatus, e.g. comprising a handle or case
• 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 5/02055 Simultaneously evaluating both cardiovascular condition and temperature
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/20 for the management or administration of healthcare resources or facilities, e.g. managing hospital staff or surgery rooms
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/63 for local operation

Abstract

According to embodiments, systems and methods for monitoring multiple physiological parameters made available by multiple sensors positioned on a patient are provided. The system may include a plurality of sensors, a multi-parameter monitor and a plurality of displays. The monitor may include a plurality of sensor interfaces, a multi-parameter processor and an output interface. The sensors connect to the sensor interfaces and generate physiological signals that are transmitted to the processor for processing. The processed signals are transmitted to at least one display for viewing by medical personnel. The sensor interfaces are of like kind and provide easy connection and disconnection for exchange of sensor types, such as ECG, oximetry, body temperature and NIBP. The monitor may communicate with the plurality of displays. When a patient is transported from one location to another, the monitor can be transported with the patient and operatively link to displays in the new location thus eliminating the need to transport multiple devices or machines from one location to another.

Claims

1. A system for monitoring physiological data of a patient, the system comprising:

a monitor, said monitor comprising at least one processor interface and a sensor processor for receiving and processing data from said processor interface; and

at least one sensor, said sensor being operable to sense a parameter of interest related to the patient;

wherein said at least one sensor operatively links to said monitor by said processor interface, whereby data is transmitted from said sensor to said sensor processor;

said data is processed by said processor and the processed data is transmitted to an at least one display and user interface by the processor interface.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein said at least one of said at least one processor interface is operable to link to at least one wireless sensor.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein said at least one display and user interface is a wireless device and said at least one wireless processor interface is operable to link to said display and user interface.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein said display and user interface comprises a screen and a user input mechanism, said user input mechanism being functional for sending user inputs to said sensor processor.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the user inputs include at least viewing preferences, display identification data and parameter selection information relating to sensor data processed by said monitor.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the monitor provides outputs via the processor interface to at least one of the at least one display.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein at least one of the at least one display and user interface sends a signal receivable by a monitor within a predetermined proximity, said signal indentifying the at least one display and user interface with an identification parameter and providing initial setting preferences to the monitor.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the at least one display disconnects from the monitor when the monitor exceeds the predetermined proximity in relation to the at least one display and user interface.

9. An apparatus for monitoring physiological data generated by an at least one sensor located on or in a patient, the apparatus comprising:

at least one processor interface, said at least one processor interface being operatively connectable to said at least one sensor; and

a sensor processor, said processor being able to process data received from the at least one sensor via the at least one processor interface;

wherein said apparatus is portable and connects via the at least one interface to an at least one display and user interface.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein said at least one of said at least one processor interface is operable to link to at least one wireless sensor.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein said at least one wireless processor is operable to link to at least one wireless display and user interface.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein said apparatus further comprises at least one display and user interface.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein said apparatus can be attached to a transportation device.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein said monitor connects in a generally continuous manner to a portable display during transport from one location of a healthcare facility to another location

15. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the sensor processor is downloadable with software and drivers, said software and drivers providing connectivity with said at least one sensor, wherein the software and drivers are downloadable to said sensor processor via a plug-in module which resides on a sensor.

16. A method of monitoring multiple physiological parameters of a patient from signals generated from a plurality of sensors disposed on or in the patient, said method comprising;

connecting said sensors to a processor interface;

processing the signals received via the interface with a multi-parameter processor to obtain processed physiological data; and

transmitting the processed physiological data via an output interface to at least one display and user interface;

wherein the display and user interface will provide a combined viewer display of a set of the processed physiological data according to a predetermined preference.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising the step of transmitting the processed physiological data via an output interface to a secondary plurality of display and user interfaces.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein said processor interface is operable to connect to wired and wireless devices.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising the step of transmitting of the processed physiological data to a particular display and user interface ceases and transmitting of the processed physiological data to a different display and user interface initiates when the patient is transported from one location of a healthcare facility to another.