BODY-WORN VITAL SIGN MONITOR

• US 20110066050A1
• Filed: 09/15/2009
• Published: 03/17/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 09/15/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sotera Wireless Incorporated (Foxconn Technology Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Sotera Wireless Incorporated (Foxconn Technology Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Hunt, Robert, Moon, Jim, Visser, Henk
• Granted Patent: US 8,321,004 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/509
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2560/0209 adapted for power saving
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/0219 Inertial sensors, e.g. accelerometers, gyroscopes, tilt switches
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/043 in a linear array
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0006 ECG or EEG signals
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0205 Simultaneously evaluating both cardiovascular conditions and different types of body conditions, e.g. heart and respiratory condition
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/02125 of pulse wave propagation time
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/02225 using the oscillometric method
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/02233 Occluders specially adapted therefor tourniquets A61B17/132
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0245 by using sensing means generating electric signals, i.e. ECG signals
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0809 by impedance pneumography
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1116 Determining posture transitions
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1118 Determining activity level
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/14551 for measuring blood gases
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/318 Heart-related electrical modalities, e.g. electrocardiography [ECG]
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/681 Wristwatch-type devices
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6823 Trunk, e.g., chest, back, abdomen, hip
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6824 Arm or wrist
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6826 Finger
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/721 using a separate sensor to detect motion or using motion information derived from signals other than the physiological signal to be measured

Abstract

The invention provides a body-worn monitor featuring a processing system that receives a digital data stream from an ECG system. A cable houses the ECG system at one terminal end, and plugs into the processing system, which is worn on the patient'"'"'s wrist like a conventional wristwatch. The ECG system features: i) a connecting portion connected to multiple electrodes worn by the patient; ii) a differential amplifier that receives electrical signals from each electrode and process them to generate an analog ECG waveform; iii) an analog-to-digital converter that converts the analog ECG waveform into a digital ECG waveform; and iv) a transceiver that transmits a digital data stream representing the digital ECG waveform (or information calculated from the waveform) through the cable and to the processing system. Different ECG systems, typically featuring three, five, or twelve electrodes, can be interchanged with one another.

Claims

1. A system for monitoring a patient, comprising:

a processing system configured to be worn on a patient'"'"'s body and comprising a processor in electrical communication with a first connector configured to receive a digital data stream from an ECG system; and

,

a cable comprising an ECG system and a second connector configured to removably connect to the first connector, the ECG system comprising;

i) a connecting portion configured to connect to a plurality of electrodes configured to be worn on the patient;

ii) a differential amplifier configured to receive electrical signals from each of the plurality of electrodes and process them to generate an analog ECG waveform;

iii) an analog-to-digital converter configured to convert the analog ECG waveform into a digital ECG waveform; and

iv) a transceiver component configured to transmit a digital data stream representing the digital ECG waveform or information calculated therefrom through the cable and to the processing system.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the ECG system is comprised by a terminal end of the ECG cable.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the cable comprises a housing at its terminal end that comprises at least a portion of the ECG system.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the housing further comprises a motion-detecting sensor.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the motion-detecting sensor is an accelerometer.

8. The system of claim 5, wherein the housing further comprises a temperature sensor.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the temperature sensor is a thermocouple.

10. The system of claim 6, wherein the motion-detecting sensor is further configured to generate a digital motion waveform comprising data indicative of motion of the body part to which the motion-detecting sensor is attached.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the cable comprises at least one conductor configured to transmit both a first digital data stream representing the digital ECG waveform or information calculated therefrom, and a second digital data stream representing the digital motion waveform or information calculated therefrom.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the first digital data stream comprises a first header portion and a first data portion, the first header portion indicating that the first data portion comprises ECG information.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the first data portion comprises information indicating one of an ECG waveform, heart rate, an error code, and a physiological state corresponding to the patient.

14. The system of claim 11, wherein the second digital data stream comprises a second header portion and a second data portion, the second header portion indicating that the second data portion comprises motion information.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the second data portion comprises information indicating one of an ACC waveform, degree of motion, posture, and an activity level.

16. The system of claim 1, wherein the transceiver component is a serial transceiver.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the serial transceiver is a CAN transceiver configured to transmit a digital data stream according to a CAN protocol.

18. The system of claim 1, wherein the ECG system further comprises a system for measuring respiratory rate from the patient.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein ECG information comprises respiratory rate calculated from the digital ECG waveform.

20. The system of claim 1, wherein the processing system further comprises a display configured to render ECG information.

21. The system of claim 20, wherein the display is further configured to render at least one of heart rate and an ECG waveform.

22. The system of claim 1, wherein the ECG system is a single integrated circuit.

23. The system of claim 1, wherein the ECG system connects to one of three, five, and twelve electrodes.

2. A system for monitoring a patient, comprising:

a processing system configured to be worn on a patient'"'"'s body comprising a processor configured to receive a digital data stream from an ECG system; and

,

a cable comprising the ECG system, the ECG system comprising;

i) a differential amplifier configured to receive electrical signals from each of a plurality of electrodes connected to the patient and process them to generate an analog ECG waveform;

ii) an analog-to-digital converter configured to convert the analog ECG waveform into a digital ECG waveform; and

iii) and a transceiver component configured to transmit a digital data stream representing the digital ECG waveform or information calculated therefrom through the cable and to the processing system.

3. A cable comprising an ECG system configured to transit ECG information to a processing system and to be worn on a patient'"'"'s body, the ECG system comprising:

i) a differential amplifier configured to receive electrical signals from each of a plurality of electrodes connected to the patient and process them to generate an analog ECG waveform;

ii) an analog-to-digital converter configured to convert the analog ECG waveform into a digital ECG waveform; and

iii) and a transceiver component configured to transmit ECG information representing the digital ECG waveform or information calculated therefrom through the cable and to the processing system.