ADAPTIVE WIRELESS BODY NETWORKS

• US 20110213216A1
• Filed: 02/28/2010
• Published: 09/01/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 02/28/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Covidien LP (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: Nellcor Puritan Bennett LLC (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: McKenna, Edward M., Lisogurski, Daniel
• Granted Patent: US 10,206,570 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/301
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2560/0209 adapted for power saving
• 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: G06F 1/3203 Power management, i.e. event-based initiation of a power-saving mode
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/02 Power saving arrangements in wired systems H04L12/12; signaling of mobile application services, e.g. low battery notifications H04W4/20
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

Systems, methods, and devices for obtaining physiological measurements of a patient using an adaptive body network are provided. In one example, a wireless medical sensor may include physiological sensor circuitry, wireless transceiver circuitry, and control circuitry. The physiological sensor circuitry may be capable of obtaining a physiological measurement of a patient. The wireless transceiver circuitry may be capable of joining a wireless web that includes at least one other wireless medical sensor, through which the wireless transceiver circuitry may communicate the physiological measurement to an external device. The control circuitry may be capable of determining a data update rate at which to operate the physiological sensor or the wireless transceiver circuitry, or a combination thereof, based at least in part on a status of the patient.

Claims

1. A wireless medical sensor comprising:

physiological sensor circuitry capable of obtaining a physiological measurement of a patient;

wireless transceiver circuitry capable of joining a wireless web comprising at least one other wireless medical sensor and communicating the physiological measurement through the wireless web to an external device; and

control circuitry capable of determining a data update rate at which to operate the physiological sensor or the wireless transceiver circuitry, or a combination thereof, based at least in part on a status of the patient.

2. The wireless medical sensor of claim 1, wherein the physiological sensor circuitry comprises a photoplethysmographic sensor, a temperature sensor, a respiration band, a blood pressure sensor, an electrocardiogram (ECG) sensor, an electroencephalogram (EEG) sensor, or a pulse transit time sensor, or any combination thereof.

3. The wireless medical sensor of claim 1, wherein the wireless transceiver circuitry is capable of communicating using a protocol based on the IEEE 802.15.4 standard;

the IEEE 802.11.x standards;

the Bluetooth standard;

or an optical communication protocol;

or any combination thereof.

4. The wireless medical sensor of claim 1, wherein the control circuitry is capable of determining the data update rate based at least in part on a data update rate level factor associated with the status of patient, wherein the data update rate level factor comprises a value of the physiological measurement;

a historical stability of physiological measurements obtained by the physiological sensor circuitry;

a value of another physiological measurement obtained by another medical device;

a historical stability of other physiological measurements obtained by the other medical device;

an instruction from the external device;

a button press or switch setting on the wireless medical sensor;

a current location of the patient;

a current location of a clinician;

a movement of the patient;

an initialization status of the wireless medical sensor;

a data update rate determined by the at least one other wireless medical sensor;

or a remaining amount of power of the wireless medical sensor;

or any combination thereof.

5. The wireless medical sensor of claim 1, wherein the control circuitry is capable of sampling the physiological measurement to determine a sampled measurement and wherein the wireless transceiver circuitry is capable of communicating the sampled measurement through the wireless web to the external device.

6. The wireless medical sensor of claim 1, wherein the control circuitry is capable of determining whether the medical device is to serve as a main point of communication with the external device.

7. The wireless medical sensor of claim 6, wherein the control circuitry is capable of determining whether the medical device is to serve as the main point of communication based at least in part on a communication factor, wherein the communication factor comprises a proximity of the wireless medical sensor to the external device;

a button press or switch setting on the wireless medical sensor;

a remaining amount of power of the wireless medical sensor;

an instruction from the external device;

or a signal quality of the wireless transceiver circuitry;

or any combination thereof.

8. The wireless medical sensor of claim 1, comprising an energy harvesting charging device capable of providing power to the wireless medical sensor.

9. The wireless medical sensor of claim 8, wherein the energy harvesting charging device is capable of piezoelectric energy harvesting;

inductive energy harvesting;

or thermoelectric energy harvesting;

or any combination thereof.

10. The wireless medical sensor of claim 1, comprising a battery capable of providing power to the wireless medical sensor.

11. A method comprising:

activating a wireless medical sensor following a period of inactivity, the wireless medical sensor being attached to a patient and in communication with a wireless web comprising at least one other wireless medical sensor in communication with an external device, wherein the period of inactivity depends upon a status of the patient;

obtaining a physiological measurement of the patient using the wireless medical sensor;

communicating the physiological measurement to the external device via the wireless web; and

deactivating the wireless medical sensor for the period of inactivity.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the obtained physiological measurement comprises a photoplethysmographic measurement;

a temperature measurement;

a respiration measurement;

a blood pressure measurement;

an electrocardiogram measurement;

an electroencephalogram measurement;

or a pulse transit time measurement;

or any combination thereof.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein communicating the physiological measurement to the external device via the wireless web comprises communicating with one of the at least one other wireless medical sensors using a protocol based on the IEEE 802.15.4 standard;

the IEEE 802.11.x standards;

or the Bluetooth standard;

or any combination thereof.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the protocol comprises ZigBee;

WirelessHART;

or MiWi;

or any combination thereof.

15. A patient monitor comprising:

a wireless transceiver capable of receiving physiological measurements of a patient from a wireless web of medical sensors and transmitting to the wireless web of medical sensors instructions to the wireless web of medical sensors to operate at a data update rate level; and

data processing circuitry capable of determining the data update rate level based at least in part on a status of the patient.

16. The patient monitor of claim 15, wherein the wireless transceiver is capable of communicating using a protocol based on the IEEE 802.15.4 standard;

the IEEE 802.11.x standards;

the Bluetooth standard;

or any combination thereof.

17. The patient monitor of claim 15, wherein the data processing circuitry is capable of determining the data update rate level based at least in part on a data update rate level factor associated with the status of patient, wherein the data update rate level factor comprises a value of one of the physiological measurements;

a historical stability of the physiological measurements;

a button press or switch setting on one of the medical sensors of the wireless web of medical sensors;

a button press or switch setting on the patient monitor;

a current location of the patient;

a current location of a clinician;

a movement of the patient;

an initialization status of the wireless web of medical sensors;

a data update rate level determined by one of the medical sensors of the wireless web of medical sensors;

or a remaining amount of power of one of the medical sensors of the wireless web of medical sensors;

or any combination thereof.

18. A system comprising:

two or more medical sensors capable of obtaining a physiological measurement of a patient and forming a wireless web, wherein the two or more medical sensors are configured to operate at a data update rate level based at least in part on a status of the patient; and

a patient monitor capable of communicating with the wireless web formed by the two or more medical sensors.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the patient monitor is capable of communicating with the wireless web by communicating wirelessly with a main communication medical sensor of the two or more medical sensors.

20. The system of claim 18, comprising a local transceiver capable of facilitating communication between the patient monitor and the wireless web by communicating wirelessly with the wireless web and by communicating by wire with the patient monitor.

21. The system of claim 18, comprising a wired medical sensor capable of facilitating communication between the patient monitor and the wireless web by communicating wirelessly with the wireless web and by communicating by wire with the patient monitor.

22. The system of claim 18, comprising a personal server capable of facilitating communication between the patient monitor and the wireless web by communicating wirelessly with the wireless web and the patient monitor.

23. The system of claim 22, wherein the personal server is capable of communicating wirelessly with the wireless web using a first protocol and communicating wirelessly with the patient monitor using a second protocol.

24. The system of claim 18, wherein at least one of the two or more medical sensors is capable of communicating with a portable phone.

25. The system of claim 18, wherein the two or more medical sensors or the patient monitor, or a combination thereof, are capable of determining the data update rate level based at least in part on the status of the patient.

26. A method comprising:

providing a first wireless medical sensor capable of forming a wireless web with a second wireless medical sensor, wherein the first wireless medical sensor is configured to operate at a data update rate level based at least in part on a status of a patient; and

providing the second wireless medical sensor, wherein the second wireless medical sensor is capable of forming the wireless web with the first wireless medical sensors and wherein the second wireless medical sensor is configured to operate at the data update rate level.