BRIDGE CONNECTORS EMPLOYING FLEXIBLE PLANAR BODIES HAVING SIGNAL PATHWAYS COUPLING CONTROL DEVICES WITH BIOMETRIC SENSORS

• US 20170035314A1
• Filed: 08/05/2015
• Published: 02/09/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 08/05/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Boston Scientific Cardiac Diagnostic Technologies Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Preventice Technologies, Inc. (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Inventors: KRONSTEDT, Brian Walter, ARROYO, Andrew, BURRICHTER, Scott J.
• Granted Patent: US 10,398,335 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/164 the sensor is mounted in or on a conformable substrate or carrier
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/22 Arrangements of medical sensors with cables or leads; Connectors or couplings specifically adapted for medical sensors
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/227 Sensors with electrical connectors
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/274 using snap or button fasteners
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/282 Holders for multiple electrodes for introduction into the body A61B5/287

Abstract

Bridge connectors employing flexible planar bodies having signal pathways coupling control devices with biometric sensors are disclosed. Sensors are placed in contact with a patient to detect a health condition and generate an output signal based on the health condition. A control device is linked to the sensors to receive the output signal for collection, analysis, storage, display, and/or subsequent transfer. A bridge connector includes a planar body with predetermined flexibility and signal pathways extending between data ports. By removably coupling the bridge connector to the control device and the sensors secured to the patient, the control device may be physically supported by the patient with minimal discomfort and low-cost biometric sensors may be used. In this manner, sensor replacement costs are reduced and the useful lives of the sensors can be maximized as the designed flexibility of the bridge connector facilitates removable coupling with the biometric sensors.

Claims

1. A bridge connector for coupling a control device to at least one biometric sensor, comprising:

a flexible planar body including a first surface and a second surface opposite the first surface, wherein the first and second surfaces are separated by a thickness of the flexible planar body, and wherein the flexible planar body includes at least one signal pathway interconnecting data ports at the first and the second surfaces according to a predetermined relationship;

wherein the data ports at the first surface are configured to be removably coupled to the control device and the data ports at the second surface are configured to be removably coupled to the at least one biometric sensor, and the data ports are configured to exchange biometric data between the data ports through the at least one signal pathway and according to the predetermined relationship.

2. The bridge connector of claim 1, wherein the flexible planar body has a modulus of elasticity in a range from a half megapascal to eight (8) megapascals.

3. The bridge connector of claim 1, wherein the flexible planar body is configured to support the control device.

4. The bridge connector of claim 1, wherein the at last one biometric sensor comprises an electrocardiogram (ECG) electrode.

5. The bridge connector of claim 1, wherein the at last one signal pathway comprises a conductive material configured to exchange the biometric data in a form of an electrical signal.

6. The bridge connector of claim 1, wherein one of the data ports at the first surface comprises a mechanical fastener configured to removably interface with a plug of the control device.

7. The bridge connector of claim 1, wherein one of the data ports at the second surface comprises a second mechanical fastener configured to removably interface with a mechanical connector of one of the at least one biometric sensor.

8. The bridge connector of claim 1, wherein the thickness is in a range from one-hundred microns to five millimeters.

9. The bridge connector of claim 1, wherein the predetermined relationship being a one-to-one relationship connecting each of the data ports at the first surface with a respective one of the data ports at the second surface.

10. The bridge connector of claim 1, wherein a location pattern of the data ports on the first surface is different from a location pattern of the data ports on the second surface.

11. The bridge connector of claim 1, wherein two of the data ports on the second surface are separated by a distance from sixty (60) millimeters to one-hundred millimeters.

12. The bridge connector of claim 1, wherein the output signal including biometric data comprising an electrical potential of generated by a heart of the patient over time.

13. A method of receiving biometric data from a patient, comprising:

positioning at least one biometric sensor relative to a patient;

removably coupling data ports at a first surface of a flexible planar body of a bridge connector to device ports of a control device;

removably coupling data ports at a second surface of the flexible planar body of the bridge connector to the at least one biometric sensor, wherein the second surface is opposite the first surface, and the first and second surfaces are separated by a thickness of the flexible planar body;

generating, with the at least one biometric sensor, an output signal including biometric data measured by the at least one biometric sensor from the patient; and

receiving the output signal at the device ports of the control device through at least one signal pathway of the flexible planar body, wherein the at least one signal pathway interconnects the data ports at the first and the second surfaces according to a predetermined relationship.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprises deforming the flexible planar body to conform with a shape of the patient, wherein the flexible planar body has a modulus of elasticity in a range from a half megapascal to eight (8) megapascals.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein the positioning at least one biometric sensor includes positioning at least one electrocardiogram (ECG) pad.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein the removably coupling data ports at the first surface comprises removably coupling a mechanical fastener at a data port at the first surface with a plug of the control device.

17. The method of claim 13, wherein the removably coupling data ports at the second surface comprises removably coupling a second mechanical fastener at a data port at the second surface with a mechanical connector of the at least one biometric sensor.

18. The method of claim 13, wherein the receiving the output signal at the control device includes receiving the output signal according to the predetermined relationship, wherein the predetermined relationship being a one-to-one relationship connecting each of the data ports at the first surface with a respective one of the data ports at the second surface.

19. The method of claim 13, wherein the receiving the output signal includes receiving an electrical potential of a heart of the patient over time.

20. A medical device for receiving biometric data from a patient, comprising:

at least one biometric sensor for measuring biometric data of a patient and configured to generate an output signal including the biometric data;

a control device for receiving the output signal;

a bridge connector for coupling the control device to at least one biometric sensor, comprising;

a flexible planar body including a first surface and a second surface opposite the first surface, and the first and second surfaces are separated by a thickness of the flexible planar body, the flexible planar body including at least one signal pathway interconnecting data ports at the first and the second surfaces according to a predetermined relationship;

wherein the data ports at the first surface configured to be removably coupled to the control device, the data ports at the second surface are configured to be removably coupled to the at least one biometric sensor, and at least one signal pathway is configured to exchange biometric data between the data ports according to the predetermined relationship.