HANDHELD DEVICE FOR FETAL HEALTH MONITORING AND METHOD THEREOF

• US 20130158366A1
• Filed: 12/20/2012
• Published: 06/20/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 12/20/2011
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: General Electric Company
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Desai, Nasir Ahmed, Neethimanickam, Antony Kalugumalai, Bogineni, Kiran, Demirbilek, Fatma Nazan
• Application Number:
  US13/721,543
• Publication Number:
  US 20130158366A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/301
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2560/0295 adapted for recording user messages or annotations
• 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 5/0004 characterised by the type of physiological signal transmitted
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0022 Monitoring a patient using a global network, e.g. telephone networks, internet
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/01 Measuring temperature of body parts ; Diagnostic temperature sensing, e.g. for malignant or inflamed tissue clinical contact thermometers G01K13/20
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/11 Measuring movement of the entire body or parts thereof, e.g. head or hand tremor, mobility of a limb for measuring pulse A61B5/02 ;A61B5/1038 takes precedence; motion detection to correct for motion artifacts in physiological signals A61B5/721
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1118 Determining activity level
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4362 Assessing foetal parameters
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7246 using correlation, e.g. template matching or determination of similarity
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/74 Details of notification to user or communication with user or patient indicating measured values G01D7/00; user input means input or output arrangements for computers G06F3/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/742 using visual displays A61B5/339 takes precedence
• 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 5/7475 User input or interface means, e.g. keyboard, pointing device, joystick
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/749 Voice-controlled interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/02 Measuring pulse or heart rate
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/0866 involving foetal diagnosis; pre-natal or peri-natal diagnosis of the baby

Abstract

A handheld device for fetal health monitoring is provided. The device comprises at least one sensor configured to detect fetal movement, and an ultrasound transducer unit configured to record a heartbeat sound of the fetus. The device further comprises a storage unit connectable to the at least one sensor and the ultrasound transducer unit and configured to store the detected fetal movement along with a timestamp and the heartbeat sound of the fetus in the form of digital information.

Claims

1. A handheld device for fetal health monitoring, the device comprising:

at least one sensor configured to detect fetal movement;

an ultrasound transducer unit configured to record a heartbeat sound of the fetus; and

a storage unit connectable to the at least one sensor and to the ultrasound transducer unit, and configured to store the detected fetal movement along with a timestamp and the heartbeat sound of the fetus in the form of digital information.

2. The handheld device of claim 1, wherein the ultrasound transducer unit is configured to interface with a timer set by a user to control the ultrasound transducer.

3. The handheld device of claim 1, wherein the ultrasound transducer unit further comprises an audio member operable as a speaker to generate the heartbeat sound.

4. The handheld device of claim 1, further comprising a temperature sensor configured to measure the temperature of a pregnant woman.

5. The handheld device of claim 1, further comprising an alert system actuatable by a user, the alert system being configured to send an emergency message to at least one of a hospital management system and a mobile device of a care giver.

6. The handheld device of claim 1, further comprising at least one of an audio recorder and a user interface having at least one of soft buttons and hard keys for recording health conditions of a user, wherein the audio recorder and user interface are interfaced with the storage unit.

7. The handheld device of claim 1, further comprising a display interface for displaying information related to at least one of pregnancy, diet tips, a doctor'"'"'s contact information, due date and count down, and customized tips from a doctor stored in a knowledge database for educating the user.

8. The handheld device of claim 1, further comprising a communication media interface configured to transmit data stored in the storage unit to an Electronic Fetal Monitor associated with a service provider.

9. A method of monitoring fetal health, the method comprising:

detecting fetal movement using at least one sensor;

recording a heartbeat sound of the fetus using an ultrasound transducer unit; and

storing the detected fetal movement along with a timestamp and the heartbeat sound of the fetus in the form of digital information in a storage unit.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising comparing the stored fetal movements with a preset value of fetal movements;

and

notifying a user about fetal health based on the comparison.

11. The method of claim 9, further comprising transmitting, using a communication media interface, data stored in the storage unit to an Electronic Fetal Monitor associated with a service provider.

12. The method of claim 9, further comprising measuring the temperature of a pregnant woman using a temperature sensor.

13. The method of claim 9, further comprising displaying, using a display interface, information related to at least one of pregnancy, diet tips, a doctor'"'"'s contact information, due date and count down, and customized tips from a doctor stored in a knowledge database.

14. The method of claim 9, further comprising sending an emergency message to at least one of a hospital management system and a mobile device of a care giver upon actuation of an alert system by a user.

15. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

recording the health conditions of a user using at least one of an audio recorder and a user interface having at least one of soft buttons and hard keys; and

storing the recorded health conditions in the storage unit.