BODY-WORN VITAL SIGN MONITOR

• US 20110224506A1
• Filed: 04/19/2010
• Published: 09/15/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 03/10/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sotera Wireless Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Sotera Wireless Incorporated
• Inventors: MOON, Jim, TROMMER, Gunnar, DiBATTISTA, Caroline
• Granted Patent: US 10,213,159 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/301
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/00 Measuring for diagnostic purposes radiation diagnosis A61B6/00; diagnosis by ultrasonic, sonic or infrasonic waves A61B8/00; Identification of persons
• 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 5/411 Detecting or monitoring allergy or intolerance reactions to an allergenic agent or substance
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6824 Arm or wrist
• 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: A61B 5/7465 Arrangements for interactive communication between patient and care services, e.g. by using a telephone network telemetry of measured physiological signal A61B5/0002
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services

Abstract

The invention provides a body-worn vital sign monitor that measures a patient'"'"'s vital signs (e.g. blood pressure, SpO2, heart rate, respiratory rate, and temperature) while simultaneously characterizing their activity state (e.g. resting, walking, convulsing, falling) and posture (upright, supine). The monitor processes this information to minimize corruption of the vital signs and associated alarms/alerts by motion-related artifacts. It also features a graphical user interface (GUI) rendered on a touchpanel display that facilitates a number of features to simplify and improve patient monitoring and safety in both the hospital and home.

Claims

1. A method for monitoring a patient, comprising the following steps:

(a) associating a first set of vital sign information with the patient, the first set of vital sign information measured from the patient with a first monitor comprising a first motion sensor;

(b) storing the first set of vital sign information associated with the patient in a computer memory;

(c) contacting the first monitor with a second monitor comprising a second motion sensor, the contacting causing the first motion sensor to generate a first motion signal, and the second motion sensor to generate a second motion signal;

(d) processing the first and second motion signals to determine that the first monitor is to be replaced by the second monitor; and

(e) associating a second set of vital sign information with the patient, the second set of vital sign information measured from the patient with the second monitor.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the first motion sensor comprises a first accelerometer, and the second motion sensor comprises a second accelerometer.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the first motion signal is a first time-dependent waveform, and the second motion signal is a second time-dependent waveform.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the first time-dependent waveform comprises a first pulse, and the second time-dependent waveform comprises a second pulse.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the processing step further comprises collectively processing both the first and second pulses.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the processing step further comprises determining that the first pulse and the second pulse are generated during a common period of time.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the processing step further comprises determining that a first amplitude of the first pulse and a second amplitude of the second pulse both exceed a pre-determined threshold value.

13. The method of claim 1, further comprising a step of wirelessly transmitting both the first and second motion signals to a remote server.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the processing step further comprises processing the first and second motion signals on the remote server to determine that the first monitor is to be replaced by the second monitor.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising the step of wirelessly transmitting instruction information from the remote server to at least one of the first monitor and the second monitor indicating that the first monitor is to be replaced by the second monitor.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein both the first and second sets of vital sign information are stored in a computer memory on the remote computer.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the computer memory on the remote computer is a database.

18. The method of claim 1, wherein both the first and second sets of vital sign information comprise values for at least one of the following properties:

blood pressure, heart rate, respiratory rate, SpO2, temperature.

19. The method of claim 1, wherein both the first and second sets of vital sign information comprise at least one of the following time-dependent waveforms:

PPG, ECG, OSC, IP.

20. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of associating patient demographic information describing the patient with both the first and second sets of vital sign information.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the patient demographic information comprises at least one of the following parameters:

name, gender, weight, height, date of birth.

2. A method for monitoring a patient, comprising the following steps:

(a) measuring at least one set of vital sign information from the patient with a first monitor comprising a first motion sensor, the at least one set of vital sign information associated with the first monitor;

(b) storing the at least one set of vital sign information in a computer memory;

(c) contacting the first monitor with a second monitor comprising a second motion sensor, the contacting causing the first motion sensor to generate a first motion signal, and the second motion sensor to generate a second motion signal;

(d) processing the first and second motion signals to determine that the first monitor is to be replaced by the second monitor; and

(e) associating the at least one set of vital sign information with the second monitor.

3. A method for monitoring a patient, comprising the following steps:

(a) associating at least one set of patient information from the patient with a first monitor comprising a first motion sensor;

(b) storing the at least one set of patient information associated with the first monitor in a computer memory;

(c) contacting the first monitor with a second monitor comprising a second motion sensor, the contacting causing the first motion sensor to generate a first motion signal, and the second motion sensor to generate a second motion signal;

(d) processing the first and second motion signals to determine that the first monitor is to be replaced by the second monitor; and

(e) associating the set of patient information with the second monitor.

4. A method of monitoring a patient with a first patient monitor and a second patient monitor, comprising:

contacting the first patient monitor comprising a first motion sensor with a second patient monitor comprising a second motion sensor, the contacting causing the first motion sensor to generate a first motion signal and the second motion sensor to generate a second motion signal;

analyzing the first and second motion signals to determine that the first patient monitor is to be replaced by the second patient monitor; and

measuring a second set information from the patient with the second patient monitor, the second set of information grouped with a first set of information measured from the patient with the first patient monitor.

5. A method of replacing a first patient monitor with a second patient monitor, comprising:

contacting the first patient monitor comprising a first motion sensor with a second patient monitor comprising a second motion sensor, the contacting causing the first motion sensor to generate a first motion signal and the second motion sensor to generate a second motion signal;

analyzing the first and second motion signals to determine that the first patient monitor is to be replaced by the second patient monitor; and

grouping any new information measured with the second patient monitor with any old information measured with the first patient monitor.

6. A system for measuring a patient, comprising:

a first patient monitor comprising a first motion sensor and a first wireless transmitter;

a second patient monitor comprising a second motion sensor and a second wireless transmitter;

a remote server connected to the first patient monitor through the first wireless transmitter, and to the second patient monitor through the second wireless transmitter, the remote server configured to receive a first motion signal generated with the first motion sensor and a second motion signal generated with the second motion sensor after the first and second patient monitors contact each other; and

an algorithm operating on the remote server configured to associate a single patient with a first set of information measured with the first patient monitor and a second set of information measured with the second patient monitor.