Monitoring Antepartum Conditions Using a Smart Phone

• US 20150265203A1
• Filed: 03/20/2014
• Published: 09/24/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 03/20/2014
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Medical Mobile LLC
• Original Assignee: Medical Mobile LLC
• Inventors: McConkie, Mark, Jenkins, Cesare
• Application Number:
  US14/220,848
• Publication Number:
  US 20150265203A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0011 Foetal or obstetric data
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4356 Assessing uterine contractions A61B5/033 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6898 Portable consumer electronic devices, e.g. music players, telephones, tablet computers
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/742 using visual displays A61B5/339 takes precedence

Abstract

Antepartum conditions can be monitored using a smart phone or other portable user device. By providing a way to monitor antepartum conditions using a smart phone, the present invention allows virtually any user to monitor such conditions in any location without needing to visit a hospital or other health care facility. The ability to monitor antepartum conditions via a smart phone can therefore minimize false alarm trips to the hospital and can provide peace of mind to expectant mothers as they await active labor.

Claims

1. A system for monitoring one or more antepartum conditions of an expectant mother, the system comprising:

communications circuitry configured to receive a signal, from a sensor, that represents one or more antepartum conditions of an expectant mother, and to process the signal into a formatted signal that is transmittable to a smart phone; and

an application, executable on a smart phone, that is configured to receive the formatted signal and display one or more representations of the one or more antepartum conditions on the smart phone.

2. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a sensor that contains the communications circuitry.

3. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a communications device that contains the circuitry.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the communications device is configured to attach directly to a port of the smart phone.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the port is one of:

an audio port, or a port that provides digital input to the smart phone.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the communications circuitry is connected to the smart phone via a wired or a wireless connection.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the communications circuitry is connected to the smart phone via a wired connection, the communications circuitry receiving power over the wired connection.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the communications circuitry is configured to provide power to the sensor.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the signal is an analog signal.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the formatted signal comprises digital values generated from the analog signal, the digital values having timestamps.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the signal comprises pressure data received from a tocodynamometer transducer, and wherein the one or more representations displayed on the smart phone comprise a representation of one or more of a frequency or a duration of contractions.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein the application is further configured to transmit at least a portion of the formatted signal to a computing system at a health care facility.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the at least a portion of the formatted signal is transmitted in response to either:

determining that the one or more antepartum conditions indicate that active labor has commenced;

or

receiving user input that requests that the at least a portion of the formatted signal be transmitted.

14. The system of claim 1, wherein the signal comprises data received from a fetal Doppler sensor or from an intrauterine pressure catheter.

15. A system for monitoring contractions experienced by an expectant mother, the system comprising:

communications circuitry configured to receive a signal, from a tocodynamometer transducer, that represents pressure sensed by the tocodynamometer transducer when attached to the abdomen of an expectant mother, the communications circuitry being further configured to process the signal into a formatted signal that is transmittable to a smart phone; and

an application, executable on a smart phone, that is configured to receive the formatted signal and display, on the smart phone, one or more representations of the pressure sensed by the tocodynamometer transducer.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the communications circuitry is contained within a communications device that connects to the smart phone via a wired or wireless connection.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the wired connection comprises a direct connection of the communications device to a port of the smart phone.

18. The system of claim 15, wherein the communications circuitry is configured to provide power to the tocodynamometer transducer.

19. A tocodynamometer comprising:

a smart phone having a touch screen, the touch screen configured to detect variations in pressure when the touch screen is placed on a woman'"'"'s abdomen, and to output a representation of the variations.

20. The tocodynamometer of claim 19, wherein the touch screen is one of a pressure sensitive touch screen or a capacitive touch screen.