MONITOR FOR MEASURING VITAL SIGNS AND RENDERING VIDEO IMAGES

• US 20130116515A1
• Filed: 12/21/2012
• Published: 05/09/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 03/05/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Sotera Wireless Incorporated (Foxconn Technology Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Sotera Wireless Incorporated (Foxconn Technology Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Banet, Matthew John, Zhou, Zhou, Hunt, Kenneth Robert, Dhillon, Marshal Singh, Visser, Henk II, Terry, Andrew Stanley, Fleming, Adam Michael
• Application Number:
  US13/725,659
• Publication Number:
  US 20130116515A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/301
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/002 Monitoring the patient using a local or closed circuit, e.g. in a room or building A61B5/0017 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0022 Monitoring a patient using a global network, e.g. telephone networks, internet
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/021 Measuring pressure in heart or blood vessels A61B5/0205 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/02125 of pulse wave propagation time
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/02141 Details of apparatus construction, e.g. pump units or housings therefor, cuff pressurising systems, arrangements of fluid conduits or circuits A61B5/02233, A61B5/0235 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0261 using optical means, e.g. infrared light
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/67 for remote operation
• CPC Class Codes: G16Z 99/00 Subject matter not provided for in other main groups of this subclass

Abstract

The invention features a vital sign monitor that includes: 1) a sensor component that attaches to the patient and features an optical sensor and an electrical sensor that measure, respectively a first and second signal: and 2) a control component. The control component features: 1) an analog-to-digital converter configured to convert the first signal and second signal into, respectively, a first digital signal and a second digital signal; 2) a CPU configured to operate an algorithm that generates a blood pressure value by processing with an algorithm the first digital signal and second digital signal; 3) a display element; 4) a graphical user interface generated by computer code operating on the CPU and configured to render on the display element the blood pressure value; and 5) a software component that renders video images on the display element. To capture video and audio information, the device further includes both a digital camera and a microphone.

Claims

1. A device for monitoring a patient'"'"'s blood pressure value, comprising:

a first sensor component comprising at least one optical sensor configured to attach near to the patient'"'"'s bicep and measure a first plethysmogram waveform by measuring reflected optical radiation which varies in intensity in response to blood flow in capillaries near a brachial artery;

a second sensor comprising a pulse oximeter configured to attach to one of the patient'"'"'s fingers and measure a second plethysmogram waveform from tissue near the finger;

a third sensor connected to the first sensor and comprising at least one electrode configured to attach near the patient'"'"'s torso and measure an ECG waveform; and

a control component comprising;

a circuit board that receives the first plethysmogram waveform from the first sensor, the second plethysmogram waveform from the second sensor, and the ECG waveform from the third sensor; and

a CPU configured to operate an algorithm that generates a blood pressure value by processing the ECG waveform and either the first plethysmogram waveform or the second plethysmogram waveform to determine a transit time, and then combining the transit time with a correction factor determined from at least one of the plethysmogram waveforms to determine the blood pressure value.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the control component further comprises a digital camera.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein the control component further comprises a microphone.

4. The device of claim 1, wherein the control component further comprises a touch panel display element.

5. The device of claim 4, wherein the control component further comprises a touch panel controller in electrical communication with the CPU and the touch panel display element.

6. The device of claim 4, further comprising a graphical user interface comprising a plurality of icons, each corresponding to a different operation on the device.

7. The device of claim 6, wherein the CPU comprises compiled computer code configured to render video images when an icon is addressed through the touch panel.

8. The device of claim 1, wherein the compiled computer code further comprises a video driver.

9. The device of claim 6, wherein the CPU comprises compiled computer code configured to play audio information when an icon is addressed through the touch panel display element.

10. The device of claim 9, wherein the compiled computer code further comprises an audio driver.

11. The device of claim 1, wherein the control component further comprises a wireless modem.

12. The device of claim 11, wherein the wireless modem is in electrical communication with the CPU and configured to receive video information over a wireless interface and provide the video information to the CPU.

13. The device of claim 11, wherein the wireless modem is further configured to operate on a wide-area wireless network.

14. The device of claim 13, wherein the wireless modem is further configured to operate on a CDMA, GSM, or IDEN wireless network.

15. The device of claim 11, wherein the wireless modem is further configured to operate on a local-area wireless network.

16. The device of claim 1, wherein the correction factor is related to the patient'"'"'s arterial properties.

17. The device of claim 16, wherein the correction factor is related to the patient'"'"'s arterial stiffness.

18. The device of claim 16, wherein the correction factor is related to a size of the patient'"'"'s artery.

19. The device of claim 1, wherein the correction factor is a vascular index.

20. The device of claim 1, wherein the correction factor is determined through analysis of a shape of the plethysmogram waveform.

21. The device of claim 20, wherein the correction factor is determined through analysis of the shape of the plethysmogram waveform measured from the brachial artery.

22. The device of claim 20, wherein the correction factor is determined through analysis of the shape of the plethysmogram waveform measured from arteries in the finger.

23. The device of claim 1, wherein the correction factor is determined from a derivative of the plethysmogram waveform.

24. The device of claim 23, wherein the correction factor is determined from a derivative of the plethysmogram measured at the brachial artery.

25. The device of claim 23, wherein the correction factor is determined from a second derivative of the plethysmogram waveform.

26. The device of claim 1, wherein the correction factor is determined through analysis of a vascular transit time (VTT).

27. The device of claim 26, wherein the VTT is determined as a time difference between the first plethysmogram waveform and the second plethysmogram waveform.

28. The device of claim 1, wherein the CPU operates an algorithm that additionally processes the patient'"'"'s biological age to determine the correction factor.