CABLES FOR PATIENT MONITORING AND RELATED SYSTEMS AND METHODS

• US 20100276195A1
• Filed: 04/29/2009
• Published: 11/04/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 04/29/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Shenzhen Mindray Bio-Medical Electronics Co., Ltd. (Excelsior Union Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Mindray DS USA Incorporated (Excelsior Union Ltd.)
• Inventors: Balji, Jack, Petruzzelli, Joe, Eaton, Scott, Rajagopalan, Cadathur
• Granted Patent: US 8,115,101 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 174/75C
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/222 Electrical cables or leads therefor, e.g. coaxial cables or ribbon cables
• 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: G16H 40/63 for local operation
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/641 by indicating incorrect coupling; by indicating correct or full engagement
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 2201/12 for medicine and surgery

Abstract

Patient monitoring systems can include a cable for transmitting information from a patient parameter sensor to a monitor. The cable can include an electrical circuit that can store information regarding the cable and can communicate information to the monitor.

Claims

1. A patient monitoring system comprising:

a patient monitor comprising a first port, wherein the patient monitor is configured to process information received via the first port in any of two or more operational modes; and

a cable comprising;

a connector configured to couple with the first port;

an electrical interface configured to communicate with a patient parameter sensor; and

a circuit configured to provide information regarding at least one operational state of the cable, wherein the at least one operational state of the cable corresponds with at least one operational mode of the patient monitor,

wherein the circuit is configured to communicate an operational state of the cable to the patient monitor, and wherein the patient monitor is configured to automatically process said information received via the first port in an operational mode that corresponds with the communicated operational state of the cable.

2. The patient monitoring system of claim 1, wherein the circuit is configured to transition among two or more operational states, wherein each of said operational states corresponds with an operational mode of the patient monitor.

3. The patient monitoring system of claim 2, wherein the cable further comprises an actuator electrically coupled with the circuit, wherein the actuator is configured to transition the circuit among the two or more operational states.

4. The patient monitoring system of claim 2, wherein the cable further comprises a display configured to provide a visually perceivable representation of a current operational state of the circuit.

5. The patient monitoring system of claim 2, wherein the patient monitor further comprises a second port and the connector is configured to separately couple with either the first port or the second port, wherein the monitor is configured to process information received via the second port in any of two or more operational modes, and wherein the monitor is configured to automatically process information received via the second port in an operational mode that corresponds with an operational state of the cable as communicated by the circuit.

6. The patient monitoring system of claim 1, wherein the cable comprises a communication lead coupled with the connector and the circuit, and wherein the circuit is configured to communicate an operational state of the cable to the patient monitor via the communication lead.

7. The patient monitoring system of claim 1, wherein the circuit comprises a wireless communicator, and wherein the circuit is configured to communicate an operational state of the cable to the patient monitor via the wireless communicator.

8. The patient monitoring system of claim 1, wherein the patient monitor comprises two or more data processing modules, and wherein one of the data processing modules is automatically selected for processing the information received from the cable based on the operational state of the cable.

9. The patient monitoring system of claim 1, further comprising a sensor connected to the electrical interface of the cable.

10. A cable comprising:

a first connector configured to electrically couple with a patient monitor;

an electrical interface configured to communicate with a patient parameter sensor;

a cable body extending between the first connector and the electrical interface, the cable body comprising one or more leads that electrically couple the first connector with the electrical interface;

a circuit configured to transition among a plurality of operational states, wherein each operational state corresponds to a different sensor configuration; and

a first actuator electrically coupled with the circuit, wherein the first actuator is configured to be actuated so as to transition the circuit among the operational states.

11. The cable of claim 10, further comprising a display electrically coupled with the circuit.

12. The cable of claim 11, wherein the display is configured to provide a visually perceivable representation of a current operational state of the circuit.

13. The cable of claim 11, wherein the display is attached to the cable body at a position that is closer to the electrical interface than it is to the first connector.

14. The cable of claim 10, further comprising a power lead extending between the first connector and the circuit, wherein the power lead is configured to deliver electrical power to the circuit when the first connector is coupled with a monitor.

15. The cable of claim 10, further comprising a communication lead extending between the first connector and the circuit, wherein the circuit is configured to communicate with a monitor via the communication lead when the first connector is connected to the monitor.

16. The cable of claim 10, wherein the circuit comprises a wireless communicator configured to transmit information regarding the operational state of the circuit.

17. The cable of claim 10, wherein the circuit comprises a memory configured to store information regarding the cable.

18. The cable of claim 10, further comprising a second actuator electrically coupled with the circuit, wherein actuation of one of the first and second actuators or actuation of a combination of the first and second actuators is configured to effect a change other than a transition among the operational states of the circuit.

19. The cable of claim 18, wherein said change other than a transition among the operational states of the circuit comprises one or more of zeroing a patient parameter sensor that is coupled with the electrical interface, instigating a measurement of blood pressure via a noninvasive blood pressure sensor that is coupled with the electrical interface, instigating a diagnostic check of the cable, accessing information stored in a memory portion of the circuit, altering information stored in a memory portion of the circuit, erasing information stored in a memory portion of the circuit, and storing information in a memory portion of the circuit.

20. The cable of claim 10, further comprising means for inhibiting accidental actuation of the first actuator.

21. The cable of claim 10, wherein the electrical interface comprises a second connector configured to electrically couple with a patient parameter sensor.

22. The cable of claim 10, wherein the electrical interface comprises one or more ends of the one or more leads.

23. The cable of claim 10, further comprising a patient parameter sensor coupled with the electrical interface.

24. The cable of claim 23, wherein the patient parameter sensor comprises one of a pressure transducer, a temperature sensor, and an electrocardiogram electrode.

25. The cable of claim 10, wherein said sensor configuration corresponds with a position of a probing structure relative to a patient.

26. A method of monitoring a parameter of a patient, the method comprising:

providing a monitor configured to process information in any of two or more operational modes;

connecting a cable to the monitor, wherein the cable comprises a circuit configured to transition among two or more operational states, wherein each of said operational states corresponds with an operational mode of the monitor;

selecting an operational state of the circuit; and

automatically selecting, via the monitor, an operational mode of the monitor that corresponds with the operational state of the circuit.

27. The method of claim 26, wherein said selecting an operational state of the circuit comprises actuating an actuator coupled with the cable.

28. The method of claim 26, wherein said automatically selecting is substantially simultaneous with said connecting a cable to the monitor.

29. The method of claim 26, wherein the cable comprises an actuator and is connected to a sensor, the method further comprising zeroing the sensor via the actuator.

30. A cable comprising:

a connector configured to electrically couple with a patient monitor;

an electrical interface configured to communicate with a pressure transducer;

a cable body extending between the first connector and the electrical interface, the cable body comprising one or more leads that electrically couple the first connector with the electrical interface;

a circuit; and

an actuator electrically coupled with the circuit, wherein the actuator is attached to the cable body at a position that is closer to the electrical interface than it is to the connector, and wherein the circuit is configured to zero a patient monitor relative to a pressure transducer when the cable is connected with both the patient monitor and the pressure transducer and the actuator is actuated.

31. A cable comprising:

a connector configured to electrically couple with a patient monitor;

an electrical interface configured to communicate with a noninvasive blood pressure sensor;

a cable body extending between the first connector and the electrical interface, the cable body comprising one or more leads that electrically couple the first connector with the electrical interface;

a circuit; and

an actuator electrically coupled with the circuit, wherein the actuator is attached to the cable body at a position that is closer to the electrical interface than it is to the connector, and wherein the circuit is configured to instigate measurement of blood pressure via the noninvasive blood pressure sensor upon actuation of the actuator.

32. A cable comprising:

a connector configured to electrically couple with a patient monitor;

an electrical interface configured to communicate with a patient parameter sensor;

a cable body extending between the first connector and the electrical interface;

a circuit;

a screen electrically coupled with the circuit, wherein the screen is configured to provide a visually perceivable display based on information received from the circuit; and

an actuator coupled with the circuit, wherein actuation of the actuator is configured to change the visually perceivable display provided by the screen.

33. The cable of claim 32, wherein the circuit further comprises a memory, wherein the actuator is configured to cause information stored in the memory to be displayed via the screen.

34. The cable of claim 32, wherein said information comprises data regarding one or more of a manufacturer of the cable, a date of manufacture of the cable, a date of first operation of the cable, a most recent period of active usage of the cable, a cumulative total time of active usage of the cable, an expiration date of the cable, settings from previous uses of the cable, scale settings of a patient parameter monitored via the cable, alarm limits, and a patient with whom the cable is used.