PATIENT MONITORING SYSTEM WITH GATEKEEPER SIGNAL
First Claim
1. A disposable patient-monitoring device configured to be attached to tubing in fluid communication with a patient'"'"'s blood vessel, and configured to be attached in electrical communication with a computer processor, the patient-monitoring device comprising:
- at least one pressure sensor configured to be in fluid communication with a patient'"'"'s blood vessel through a fluid-receiving region in the pressure sensor and configured to be in electrical communication with a computer processor, the pressure sensor being configured to sense a pressure wave in the patient'"'"'s vasculature and being configured to transmit at least one patient-information electrical signal to the computer processor that indicates a physiological parameter of a patient;
a signal generator that is configured to send a gatekeeper electrical signal to the computer processor that indicates or simulates an ambient temperature at the disposable patient-monitoring device, outside of the fluid region, to enable the computer processor to confirm that the cardiac-monitoring device is attached in electrical communication with the computer processor, the gatekeeper electrical signal not including diagnostic or physiological information about the patient;
wherein the information conveyed by the patient-information electrical signal is not required to be calibrated or modified by the gatekeeper electrical signal.
4 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A gatekeeper electronic signal can be generated by a patient sensor and/or in an intermediate device, such as an electrical cable, that is separate from a patient'"'"'s physiological information electronic signal. The gatekeeper signal can be generated to indicate to a computer monitor that the sensor and/or cable is of the type that is compatible with, and/or usable with, such computer monitor, and/or that the sensor and/or cable is properly attached to the computer monitor. The gatekeeper signal can be created by an ambient temperature sensor on, or in electrical communication with, the patient monitor, and/or the gatekeeper signal can be created by a gatekeeper electronic signal generator to simulate an ambient temperature value. The gatekeeper signal can be separate from an electronic signal or plurality of signals that include patient physiological information, and the gatekeeper signal may not include any patient physiological information.
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Citations
15 Claims
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1. A disposable patient-monitoring device configured to be attached to tubing in fluid communication with a patient'"'"'s blood vessel, and configured to be attached in electrical communication with a computer processor, the patient-monitoring device comprising:
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at least one pressure sensor configured to be in fluid communication with a patient'"'"'s blood vessel through a fluid-receiving region in the pressure sensor and configured to be in electrical communication with a computer processor, the pressure sensor being configured to sense a pressure wave in the patient'"'"'s vasculature and being configured to transmit at least one patient-information electrical signal to the computer processor that indicates a physiological parameter of a patient; a signal generator that is configured to send a gatekeeper electrical signal to the computer processor that indicates or simulates an ambient temperature at the disposable patient-monitoring device, outside of the fluid region, to enable the computer processor to confirm that the cardiac-monitoring device is attached in electrical communication with the computer processor, the gatekeeper electrical signal not including diagnostic or physiological information about the patient; wherein the information conveyed by the patient-information electrical signal is not required to be calibrated or modified by the gatekeeper electrical signal. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A method of enabling cardiac monitoring comprising:
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providing to a user a disposable cardiac-monitoring device comprising at least one pressure sensor configured to be in fluid communication with a patient'"'"'s blood vessel to sense a pressure wave in the patient'"'"'s blood vessel, and configured to be in electrical communication with a computer processor to transmit at least one physiologically derived electrical signal to the computer processor that indicates a cardiac parameter of a patient, and configured to generate a verification signal that indicates or simulates an ambient temperature at the disposable cardiac-monitoring device outside of the fluid region, the verification signal not being required to calibrate or otherwise modify the physiologically derived electrical signal; instructing a user to attach the disposable cardiac-monitoring device so as to be in fluid communication with the patient'"'"'s blood vessel; and instructing a user to attach the disposable cardiac-monitoring device so as to be in electrical communication with the computer processor.
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10. A method of enabling cardiac monitoring of a patient comprising:
obtaining a disposable cardiac-monitoring device;
attaching the cardiac-monitoring device so as to be in fluid communication with a patient'"'"'s vasculature; and
attaching the cardiac-monitoring device so as to be in electrical communication with a computer processor, thereby permitting the cardiac-monitoring device to sense a pressure wave in the patient'"'"'s vasculature and transmit a pressure-wave signal to the computer processor and permitting the cardiac-monitoring device to create a second signal that indicates or simulates a temperature at the cardiac monitoring device outside of a region of the cardiac-monitoring device that contains fluid.
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11. A gatekeeper signal-generating device configured to be attachable so as to be in electrical communication with a medical computer processor and a disposable patient pressure sensor having a liquid-receiving region configured to receive liquid during use, the gatekeeper signal-generating device comprising:
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a signal generator configured to send a gatekeeper electrical signal to the medical computer processor that indicates or simulates an ambient temperature, outside of the liquid-receiving region, the gatekeeper electrical signal being isolated from and not configured to be used to modify or calibrate any patient-information signal; a first electrical connector configured to attach the gatekeeper signal-generating device to the medical computer processor; and a second electrical connector configured to attach the gatekeeper signal-generating device to the disposable patient pressure sensor. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15)
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Specification