SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR AUTOMATICALLY DETERMINING PATIENT SWALLOW FREQUENCY

• US 20130245499A1
• Filed: 11/16/2011
• Published: 09/19/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 11/17/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: University of Florida Research Foundation, Incorporated (State University System of Florida)
• Original Assignee: University of Florida Research Foundation, Incorporated (State University System of Florida)
• Inventors: Crary, Michael Allen, Carnaby-Mann, Giselle D.
• Granted Patent: US 10,143,404 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/586
• 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 5/1107 Measuring contraction of parts of the body, e.g. organ, muscle apparatus for measuring work or force in general G01L
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4205 Evaluating swallowing
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 7/00 Instruments for auscultation
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 7/04 Electric stethoscopes microphones, acoustic transducers therefor H04R
• CPC Class Codes: G16Z 99/00 Subject matter not provided for in other main groups of this subclass

Abstract

Patient swallow frequency is automatically determined by collecting patient data, analyzing the patient data to automatically identify swallow events, and automatically calculating the swallow frequency based upon the identified swallow events. In some cases, the patient data is collected by a patient interface that wirelessly transmits the data to a computing device for analysis.

Claims

1. A system for automatically determining patient swallow frequency, the system comprising:

a patient interface comprising a sensor configured to sense data indicative of the patient swallowing; and

a computing device comprising a processor and memory that stores a data analyzer, the data analyzer being configured to receive the data sensed by the patient interface and to, without human assistance, automatically analyze the data to identify swallow events and automatically calculate the swallow frequency, wherein the swallow event identification is performed without data collected by other sensors.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the sensor is an accelerometer that is configured to sense accelerations associated with movement of patient tissue when the patient swallows.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the sensor is a microphone that senses sounds associated with the patient swallowing.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the patient interface further comprises its own power source such that a separate power source is not needed to operate the interface.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the patient interface further comprises a component configured to wirelessly transmit the sensed data to the computing device.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the patient interface comprises a layer of adhesive that enables the interface to adhere to the patient'"'"'s neck.

7. A patient interface for use in automatically determining patient swallow frequency, the interface comprising:

a sensor configured to sense data indicative of the patient swallowing;

a control device configured to control operation of the interface and to transmit the data sensed by the sensor to another device for analysis; and

a power source configured to power the sensor and the control device.

8. The patient interface of claim 7, wherein the sensor is an accelerometer that is configured to sense accelerations associated with movement of patient tissue when the patient swallows.

9. The patient interface of claim 7, wherein the sensor is a microphone that senses sounds associated with the patient swallowing.

10. The patient interface of claim 7, wherein the patient interface comprises a layer of adhesive that enables the interface to adhere to the patient'"'"'s neck.

11. The patient interface of claim 10, wherein the interface is configured as a one-time-use patch that is applied to the patient'"'"'s skin.

12. A method for determining patient swallow frequency, the method comprising:

collecting patient data with a patient interface having a single sensor that is configured to sense data indicative of the patient swallowing;

transmitting the collected patient data to a computing device;

analyzing the patient data on the computing device to automatically identify swallow events; and

automatically calculating the swallow frequency on the computing device based upon the identified swallow events;

wherein the swallow events and swallow frequency are determined without human assistance.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein collecting patient data comprises collecting the patient data with a patient interface that adheres to the patient'"'"'s neck.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein transmitting the collected patient data comprises wirelessly transmitting the patient data from the patient interface to the computing device.

15. The method of claim 12, further comprising the computing device outputting the swallow frequency.

16. The method of claim 12, further comprising the computing device making a patient diagnosis based upon the swallow frequency and outputting that diagnosis.

17. A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising:

a data analyzer including a swallow identification algorithm configured to automatically identify patient swallow events from patient data collected by a patient interface, and a swallow counter configured to automatically count the number of identified swallow events in a predetermined period of time and calculate the swallow frequency, wherein the swallow identification algorithm identifies swallow events based solely on the data collected by a single sensor.