PROCESS FOR GENERATING AN ALARM, CONTROL DEVICE AND DEVICE FOR CARRYING OUT THE PROCESS

• US 20110068929A1
• Filed: 09/22/2010
• Published: 03/24/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 09/23/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Dragerwerk AG & Company KGaA (FPS Vermögensverwaltung GmbH)
• Original Assignee: Drager Medical AG & Co KG (Dragerwerk AG)
• Inventors: FRANZ, Frank, GÖPFERT, Matthias, IMHOFF, Michael
• Granted Patent: US 8,648,707 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/573.1
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2560/0276 Determining malfunction
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/02055 Simultaneously evaluating both cardiovascular condition and temperature
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/746 Alarms related to a physiological condition, e.g. details of setting alarm thresholds or avoiding false alarms alarms per se G08B
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/12 responsive to undesired emission of substances, e.g. pollution alarms
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/14 Toxic gas alarms G08B21/16 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 29/22 Provisions facilitating manual calibration, e.g. input or output provisions for testing; Holding of intermittent values to permit measurement
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/63 for local operation

Abstract

A process is provided for generating an alarm if at least one monitored parameter (13) deviates from at least one preset value or value range, with the detection or determination of parameter (13) in case of its deviation. The process takes into account a verification interval (25) of limited duration in time and with adaptation of the time limitation of the verification interval (25) as a function of the extent of deviation of parameter (13) from the preset value or value range. A control device, a device for generating an alarm, a treatment devices, a digital storage medium, a computer program product as well as to a computer program are provided.

Claims

1. A process for generating an alarm if at least one monitored parameter deviates from at least one preset value or value range, the process comprising the steps of:

detecting or determining a parameter deviation over a verification interval with a time limitation of limited duration in time; and

adapting, setting or determining a length of the time limitation of the verification interval as a function of the extent of the deviation of parameter from a preset value or value range.

2. A process in accordance with claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

setting a first upper or lower threshold value or a first threshold value range;

upon a parameter overshooting or undershooting the set first upper or lower threshold value or first threshold value range, the beginning of a verification interval with a first duration is defined;

setting a second upper or lower threshold value or a second threshold value range; and

upon overshooting or undershooting the set second upper or lower threshold value or second threshold value range, the beginning of a verification interval of a second duration is defined, wherein the second duration is different from the first duration.

3. A process in accordance with claim 1, wherein at least one threshold value or threshold value range is determined on the basis of data of a knowledge base known before the beginning of the monitoring process and/or set automatically on the basis of at least one value determined during the ongoing monitoring process.

4. A process in accordance with claim 1, wherein at least one threshold value or threshold value range is determined on the basis of data of a knowledge base known before the beginning of the monitoring process and/or set on the basis of at least one value determined during the ongoing monitoring process.

5. A process in accordance with of claim 1, wherein said at least one monitored parameter is a vital parameters of a patient.

6. A process in accordance with claim 1, further comprising:

decrementing a counter if a parameter drops to a value below a threshold value relevant for the counter for the length of a unit of time and the value of the counter is greater than zero.

7. A control device for generating an alarm if at least one monitored parameter deviates from at least one preset value or value range, the control device cooperating with a detecting means for detecting or determining a parameter and a memory or input providing preset parameter values or value ranges, the control device comprising:

a comparison means for comparing the detected parameter with preset values or value ranges;

a verification interval monitor for monitoring a verification interval with a time limitation of limited duration in time; and

a verification interval modifier for adapting, setting or determining a length of the time limitation of the verification interval as a function of the extent of the deviation of parameter from a preset value or value range.

8. A control device in accordance with claim 7, wherein the control device:

sets a first upper or lower threshold value or a first threshold value range;

defines the beginning of a verification interval with a first duration defined upon a parameter overshooting or undershooting the set first upper or lower threshold value or first threshold value range;

sets a second upper or lower threshold value or a second threshold value range; and

defines the beginning of a verification interval with a second duration defined upon overshooting or undershooting the set second upper or lower threshold value or second threshold value range, wherein the second duration is different from the first duration.

9. A control device in accordance with claim 7, wherein at least one threshold value or threshold value range is determined on the basis of data of a knowledge base known before the beginning of the monitoring process and/or set automatically on the basis of at least one value determined during an ongoing monitoring process and/or set manually on the basis of at least one value determined during the ongoing monitoring process.

10. A control device in accordance with claim 7, further comprising:

decrementing a counter if a parameter drops to a value below a threshold value relevant for the counter for the length of a unit of time and the value of the counter is greater than zero.

11. A device for generating an alarm if at least one monitored parameter of a patient deviates from preset normal values or value ranges, the device comprising:

a detecting means for detecting or determining a parameter;

a control device comprising a comparison means for comparing the detected parameter with preset values or value ranges, a verification interval monitor for monitoring a verification interval with a time limitation of limited duration in time and a verification interval modifier for adapting, setting or determining a length of the time limitation of the verification interval as a function of the extent of the deviation of parameter from a preset value or value range; and

an alarm means for producing an optical or acoustic or a device function changing alarm upon the control device generating an alarm.

12. A device in accordance with claim 11, further comprising a memory means or memory/reading means for storing results.

13. A device in accordance with claim 11, further comprising an input means for inputting previously known values or value ranges.

14. A device in accordance with claim 11, further comprising at least one output means for outputting results of the control device.

15. A treatment device for monitoring a state of a patient, the treatment device comprising:

a data input for input of preset parameter values or value ranges;

a detecting means for detecting or determining a parameter;

a control device comprising a comparison means for comparing the detected parameter with preset values or value ranges, a verification interval monitor for monitoring a verification interval with a time limitation of limited duration in time and a verification interval modifier for adapting, setting or determining a length of the time limitation of the verification interval as a function of the extent of the deviation of parameter from a preset value or value range; and

an alarm means for producing an optical or acoustic or a device function changing alarm upon the control device generating an alarm.

16. A digital storage medium system including:

a digital storage medium comprising at least one of a diskette, CD, DVD or digital readable medium;

a programmable computer system providing an electrically readable control signal output based on data provided by the digital storage medium;

a detecting means for detecting or determining a parameter;

a control device comprising a comparison means for comparing the detected parameter with preset values or value ranges, a verification interval monitor for monitoring a verification interval with a time limitation of limited duration in time and a verification interval modifier for adapting, setting or determining a length of the time limitation of the verification interval as a function of the extent of the deviation of parameter from a preset value or value range; and

an alarm means for producing an optical or acoustic or a device function changing alarm upon the control device generating an alarm.

17. A computer program product with a program code stored on a machine-readable carrier or a computer program with program code for carrying out the process comprising the steps of generating an alarm if at least one monitored parameter deviates from at least one preset value or value range comprising:

detecting or determining a parameter deviation over a verification interval with a time limitation of limited duration in time; and

adapting, setting or determining a length of the time limitation of the verification interval as a function of the extent of the deviation of parameter from a preset value or value range.

18. A computer program in accordance with claim 17, further comprising the steps of:

setting a first upper or lower threshold value or a first threshold value range;

upon a parameter overshooting or undershooting the set first upper or lower threshold value or first threshold value range, the beginning of a verification interval with a first duration is defined;

setting a second upper or lower threshold value or a second threshold value range; and

upon overshooting or undershooting the set second upper or lower threshold value or second threshold value range, the beginning of a verification interval of a second duration is defined, wherein the second duration is different from the first duration.

19. A computer program in accordance with claim 17, wherein at least one threshold value or threshold value range is determined on the basis of data of a knowledge base known before the beginning of the monitoring process and/or set automatically on the basis of at least one value determined during the ongoing monitoring process.

20. A computer program in accordance with claim 17, wherein at least one threshold value or threshold value range is determined on the basis of data of a knowledge base known before the beginning of the monitoring process and/or set automatically on the basis of at least one value determined during an ongoing monitoring process and/or set manually on the basis of at least one value determined during the ongoing monitoring process.

21. A computer program in accordance with claim 17, further comprising:

decrementing a counter if a parameter drops to a value below a threshold value relevant for the counter for the length of a unit of time and the value of the counter is greater than zero.