Collection and Analysis of Vital Signs

• US 20120078128A1
• Filed: 08/06/2011
• Published: 03/29/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 08/06/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: US Department of The Army (Government of the United States of America)
• Original Assignee: US Department of The Army (Government of the United States of America)
• Inventors: Reifman, Jaques, Khitrov, Maxim, Reisner, Andrew, Chen, Liangyou, McKenna, Thomas
• Granted Patent: US 8,694,085 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/508
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2560/029 adapted for auto-initiation
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/02416 using photoplethysmograph signals, e.g. generated by infrared radiation A61B5/14552 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/02438 with portable devices, e.g. worn by the patient
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0255 Recording instruments specially adapted therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/14542 for measuring blood gases A61B5/14551 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7221 Determining signal validity, reliability or quality A61B5/7207 and A61B5/7217 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/67 for remote operation
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 50/20 for computer-aided diagnosis, e.g. based on medical expert systems

Abstract

A system is disclosed having a storage, a communications module for interacting with a medical measurement device, an analysis controller, and a test module that allows for the testing and evaluating of decision-support algorithms. A method for testing decision-support algorithms is disclosed having the steps of receiving into storage of a ruggedized, compact computer at least one decision-support algorithm; detecting with a communications module the initiation of a vital-sign monitoring session; receiving and storing vital-sign information into storage by the communications module; pushing the stored vital-sign information by an analysis controller to a test module running the stored at least one decision-support algorithm; and providing at least one output from the decision-support algorithm to at least one of a database and a display.

Claims

1. A system for receiving an output from an external source comprising:

a storage;

a communications module for receiving vital-sign data from an external source and storing the received data in said storage;

an analysis controller in communication with said storage, said analysis controller monitors said storage; and

a test module in communication with said analysis controller and said storage, said test module receives information from said storage through said analysis controller and stores any output in said storage, and

said test module includes running means for running at least one algorithm loaded into said storage where said at least one algorithm processes at least a portion of the information provided by said analysis controller.

2. The system according to claim 1, further comprising a ruggedized, compact housing enclosing said storage, said communications module, said analysis controller, and said test module.

3. The system according to claim 2, further comprising a connector passing through a wall of said housing and in communication with said communications module.

4. The system according to claim 1, wherein said running means provides an output in substantially real time from receipt of vital-sign data by said communications module.

5. The system according to claim 1, further comprising a display in communication with said test module for displaying at least one output produced by said test module.

6. The system according to claim 1, wherein said storage includes at least one database.

7. The system according to claim 1, wherein said storage includes at least one database configured to store the received vital-sign data and at least one database configured to store the output of said test module.

8. A system for receiving vital-sign information from a vital-sign monitor, said system comprising:

a storage having at least one database;

a communications module for receiving vital-sign data from an external source and storing the received data in said database of said storage;

an analysis controller in communication with said storage, said analysis controller monitors said storage;

a test module in communication with said analysis controller and said storage, said test module receives information from said storage through said analysis controller, and

said test module includes running means for running at least one algorithm loaded into said storage where said at least one algorithm processes at least a portion of the information provided by said analysis controller, said running means provides an output in substantially real time from receipt of vital-sign data by said communications module;

a ruggedized, compact housing enclosing said storage, said communications module, said analysis controller, and said test module.

9. The system according to claim 8, further comprising a connector passing through a wall of said housing and in communication with said communications module.

10. The system according to claim 8, further comprising a display in communication with said test module for displaying at least one output produced by said test module.

11. The system according to claim 8, wherein said storage includes at least one database configured to store the received vital-sign data and at least one database configured to store the output of said test module.

12. The system according to claim 8, wherein said test module stores in said storage at least one output produced by the at least one algorithm.

13. A method for testing decision-support algorithms comprising:

receiving into storage of a ruggedized, compact computer at least one decision-support algorithm;

detecting with a communications module the initiation of a vital-sign monitoring session;

receiving and storing vital-sign information into storage by the communications module;

pushing the stored vital-sign information by an analysis controller to a test module running the stored at least one decision-support algorithm; and

providing at least one output from the decision-support algorithm to at least one of a database and a display.

14. The method according to claim 13, further comprising loading the decision-support algorithm into the test module.

15. The method according to claim 13, wherein the method is performed in substantially real time.

16. The method according to claim 13, wherein pushing includes

retrieving the vital-sign information from storage;

and

converting the vital-sign information into multiple constant-frequency row vectors.

17. The method according to claim 16, wherein converting includes shifting data to leave gaps representing missing data.

18. The method according to claim 13, wherein the storage includes capacity for storing a plurality of decision-support algorithms, and

the storage allows for quick exchange of stored decision-support algorithms.

19. The method according to claim 13, further comprising detecting when the vital-sign monitoring session terminates based on the received heart beats per minute being less than 10 heart beats per minute for a predetermined time threshold, and

wherein detecting the initiation of the vital-sign monitoring includes detecting a heart beat per minute in excess of 10 heart beats per minute.

20. The method according to claim 13, further comprising determining when the vital-sign monitoring session has ended based on at least one of a vital-sign being less than a predetermined vital-sign threshold and a signal representing an end of the vital-sign monitoring session received from a source of the vital-sign information, and

wherein detecting the initiation of the vital-sign monitoring is based on at least one of a vital-sign being above the predetermined vital-sign threshold and a signal representing a start of the vital-sign monitoring session received from the source of the vital-sign information