BODY-WORN SENSOR FOR CHARACTERIZING PATIENTS WITH HEART FAILURE

• US 20140187974A1
• Filed: 12/31/2013
• Published: 07/03/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 12/31/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Baxter Healthcare SA (Baxter International Inc.), Baxter International Inc.
• Original Assignee: Perminova Inc. (Baxter International Inc.)
• Inventors: Banet, Matt, Pede, Susan, Dhillon, Marshal, Hunt, Robert
• Granted Patent: US 9,974,444 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/483
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0006 ECG or EEG signals
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0205 Simultaneously evaluating both cardiovascular conditions and different types of body conditions, e.g. heart and respiratory condition
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0531 Measuring skin impedance
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1117 Fall detection
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1118 Determining activity level
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/25 Bioelectric electrodes therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/282 Holders for multiple electrodes for introduction into the body A61B5/287
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6822 Neck
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6823 Trunk, e.g., chest, back, abdomen, hip
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7225 Details of analog processing, e.g. isolation amplifier, gain or sensitivity adjustment, filtering, baseline or drift compensation A61B5/30, A61B5/316 take precedence; transformers for specific applications H01F38/00; amplifiers H03F
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/743 Displaying an image simultaneously with additional graphical information, e.g. symbols, charts, function plots

Abstract

The invention provides a sensor for measuring both impedance and ECG waveforms that is configured to be worn around a patient'"'"'s neck. The sensor features 1) an ECG system that includes an analog ECG circuit, in electrical contact with at least two ECG electrodes, that generates an analog ECG waveform; and 2) an impedance system that includes an analog impedance circuit, in electrical contact with at least two (and typically four) impedance electrodes, that generates an analog impedance waveform. Also included in the neck-worn system are a digital processing system featuring a microprocessor, and an analog-to-digital converter. During a measurement, the digital processing system receives and processes the analog ECG and impedance waveforms to measure physiological information from the patient. Finally, a cable that drapes around the patient'"'"'s neck connects the ECG system, impedance system, and digital processing system.

Claims

1. A system for measuring physiological signals from a patient, comprising:

a continuous, flexible, loop-shaped member configured to drape around the patient'"'"'s neck;

an impedance-measuring system integrated within the loop-shaped member, the impedance-measuring system configured to receive a first set of electrical signals from near the patient'"'"'s neck and process them to determine an impedance signal;

an ECG-measuring system integrated within the loop-shaped member, the ECG-measuring system configured to receive a second set of electrical signals from near the patient'"'"'s neck and process them to determine an ECG signal;

a motion-measuring system integrated within the loop-shaped member, the motion-measuring system configured to generate a set of motion signals in response to the patient'"'"'s movements;

a data-processing system integrated within the loop-shaped member and in electrical contact with the impedance-measuring system, the ECG-measuring system, and the motion-measuring system, the data-processing system operating a set of computer algorithms configured to process the impedance signal, the ECG signal, and the motion signal;

a wireless transmitter integrated within the loop-shaped member and in electrical contact with the data-processing system, the wireless transmitter configured to transmit processed values of the impedance signal, the ECG signal, and the motion signal; and

a battery system in electrical contact with and configured to power the impedance-measuring system, the ECG-measuring system, the motion-measuring system, the data-processing system, and the wireless transmitter.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the continuous, flexible, loop-shaped member comprises at least one rigid circuit board electrically connected to a flexible electrical system.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the flexible electrical system is a flexible circuit.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the flexible circuit comprises a Kapton substrate.

5. The system of claim 2, wherein the flexible electrical system is a flexible wire harness.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein a circumference of the flexible, loop-shaped member is at least 40 cm.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein a width of the flexible, loop-shaped member is at least 3 CM.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the flexible, loop-shaped member comprises at least two rigid circuit boards connected by a flexible electrical system.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the flexible electrical system is a flexible circuit.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the flexible circuit comprises a Kapton substrate.

11. The system of claim 8, wherein the flexible electrical system is a flexible wire harness.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein the loop-shaped member further comprises a flexible housing that completely encases the impedance-measuring system, the ECG-measuring system, the motion-measuring system, the data-processing system, and the wireless transmitter.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the flexible housing is composed of silicone rubber.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the loop-shaped member is terminated at a first end with a first connector, and terminated at a second end with a second connector, the first and second connectors configured to connect to mated connectors comprised by the battery system.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the first and second connectors further comprise a first magnet.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the battery system further comprises a second magnet having an opposing pole to the magnet comprised by either the first or second connector.

17. A system for measuring physiological signals from a patient, comprising:

a continuous, flexible, loop-shaped member configured to drape around the patient'"'"'s neck;

an impedance-measuring system integrated within the loop-shaped member, the impedance-measuring system configured to receive a first set of electrical signals from near the patient'"'"'s neck and process them to determine an impedance signal;

an ECG-measuring system integrated within the loop-shaped member, the ECG-measuring system configured to receive a second set of electrical signals from near the patient'"'"'s neck and process them to determine an ECG signal;

a motion-measuring system integrated within the loop-shaped member, the motion-measuring system configured to generate a set of motion signals in response to the patient'"'"'s movements; and

,

a data-processing system integrated within the loop-shaped member and in electrical contact with the impedance-measuring system, the ECG-measuring system, and the motion-measuring system, the data-processing system operating a set of computer algorithms configured to process the impedance signal, the ECG signal, and the motion signal.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the continuous, flexible, loop-shaped member comprises at least one rigid circuit board electrically connected to a flexible electrical system.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the flexible electrical system is a flexible circuit.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein the flexible circuit comprises a Kapton substrate.

21. The system of claim 18, wherein the flexible electrical system is a wire harness.

22. A system for measuring physiological signals from a patient, comprising:

a continuous, flexible, loop-shaped member configured to drape around the patient'"'"'s neck;

an impedance-measuring system integrated within the loop-shaped member, the impedance-measuring system configured to receive a first set of electrical signals from near the patient'"'"'s neck and process them to determine an impedance signal;

an ECG-measuring system integrated within the loop-shaped member, the ECG-measuring system configured to receive a second set of electrical signals from near the patient'"'"'s neck and process them to determine an ECG signal;

a motion-measuring system integrated within the loop-shaped member, the motion-measuring system configured to generate a set of motion signals in response to the patient'"'"'s movements;

a location-measuring system integrated within the loop-shaped member, the location-measuring system configured to wirelessly receive signals and, in response, determine a set of location coordinates describing the patient'"'"'s geographic location;

a data-processing system integrated within the loop-shaped member and in electrical contact with the impedance-measuring system, the ECG-measuring system, the motion-measuring system, and the location-measuring system, the data-processing system operating a set of computer algorithms configured to process the impedance signal, the ECG signal, the set of location coordinates, and the motion signal;

a wireless transmitter integrated within the loop-shaped member and in electrical contact with the data-processing system, the wireless transmitter configured to transmit processed values of the impedance signal, the ECG signal, the set of location coordinates, and the motion signal; and

a battery system in electrical contact with and configured to power the impedance-measuring system, the ECG-measuring system, the motion-measuring system, the data-processing system, and the wireless transmitter.