SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR STORING AND FORWARDING DATA FROM A VITAL-SIGNS MONITOR

• US 20140350362A1
• Filed: 08/12/2014
• Published: 11/27/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 07/27/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Carefusion 303 Incorporated (Becton, Dickinson & Co)
• Original Assignee: Carefusion 303 Incorporated (Becton, Dickinson & Co)
• Inventors: RAPTIS, Mark, JAFRI, Amir, KATHIRESAN, Ganesh, BURDETT, Alison
• Granted Patent: US 11,311,239 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/301
• 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 5/0015 characterised by features of the telemetry system
• 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 5/0024 for multiple sensor units attached to the patient, e.g. using a body or personal area network
• 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 5/021 Measuring pressure in heart or blood vessels A61B5/0205 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/024 Detecting, measuring or recording pulse rate or heart rate A61B5/0205, A61B5/021 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0816 Measuring devices for examining respiratory frequency measuring frequency of electric signals G01R23/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6801 specially adapted to be attached to or worn on the body surface
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6833 Adhesive patches
• 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: G06F 13/1668 Details of memory controller
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 13/1673 using buffers
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 10/60 for patient-specific data, e.g. for electronic patient records
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/63 for local operation
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/67 for remote operation
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/0078 Avoidance of errors by organising the transmitted data in a format specifically designed to deal with errors, e.g. location forward error control, e.g. FEC, CRC H04L1/004; adaptive formatting H04L1/0006; mappings H04L27/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/0083 Formatting with frames or packets; Protocol or part of protocol for error control
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/009 arrangements specific to transmitters
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/0091 arrangements specific to receivers, e.g. format detection detection of data rate H04L25/0262; detection of coding rate H04L1/0046
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/1803 : Stop-and-wait protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/1874 : Buffer management
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/125 : involving control of end-device applications over a network
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 56/00 : Synchronisation arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/20 : Control channels or signalling for resource management
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/29 : between an access point and the access point controlling device
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 370/911 : Bridge, e.g. brouter, bus extender
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 370/912 : Packet communications
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 370/913 : Wireless or radio

Abstract

A vital-signs patch for a patient monitoring system that includes a housing containing a sensor that makes physiological measurements of a patient, a transmitter, a receiver, a memory, and a processor. The processor periodically takes a measurement from the sensor, converts the measurement to a data record, and stores the data record in the memory. Upon receipt of a signal from another device, the processor retrieves at least a portion of the data record, converts the retrieved portion of the data record to a vital-sign signal, and causes the transmitter to transmit the vital-sign signal to the other device.

Claims

1. A vital-signs patch for a patient monitoring system, the patch comprising:

a patch housing configured for wearing by a patient, the housing containing;

at least one sensor configured to make physiological measurements of a patient;

a transmitter configured to transmit signals to another device;

a receiver configured to receive signals from the other device;

a memory configured to store executable instructions and data records; and

a processor operably connected to the sensor, transmitter, receiver, and memory, and configured to execute the instructions;

wherein the processor is configured to periodically take at least one measurement from the sensor, convert the measurement to a data record, and store the data record in the memory; and

wherein the processor is further configured to receive signals from the other device via the receiver and in response to receipt of the signals;

retrieve at least a portion of the data record,

configure the retrieved portion of the data record into a vital-sign signal, and

cause the transmitter to transmit the vital-sign signal to the other device.

2. The vital-signs patch of claim 1 wherein the physiological measurements of a patient include measurements of at least one of the set of body temperature, cardiac pulse rate, respiration rate, and blood pressure.

3. The vital-signs patch of claim 2 wherein the sensor comprises one or more electrodes.

4. The vital-signs patch of claim 1 wherein the vital-sign signal is in the form of a data packet, wherein the data packet comprises a data packet identification value and a data integrity value.

5. The vital-signs patch of claim 1 wherein the processor is configured to store the data records from the successive vital-sign measurements as successive data records.

6. The vital-signs patch of claim 5 wherein the processor is configured to retain each data record in memory until a signal indicating a successful transmission of the data record is received from the other device, whereupon the processor is configured to erase the data record.

7. The vital-signs device of claim 5 wherein the successive data records are stored in a circular buffer within the memory.

8. The vital-signs device of claim 7 wherein when the circular buffer becomes full of data records and it is desired to store a new data record, the processor is configured to create a lost-data record that comprises information regarding the oldest data record, store the lost data record outside of the circular buffer, and then overwrite the oldest data record with the new data record.

9-20. -20. (canceled)