HANDHELD PHYSIOLOGICAL SENSOR
First Claim
1. A biometric sensor configured to measure a blood pressure value from a patient, comprising:
- an arm-receiving portion comprising a first opening configured to receive a distal portion of one of the patient'"'"'s arm and a first electrode configured and arranged to contact the distal portion of the patient'"'"'s arm when it is inserted in the first opening, the first electrode comprising a conductive material disposed on an inflatable bladder;
a pressure-control system comprising a pump, a valve, and a pressure sensor connected to the inflatable bladder, the pressure-control system being configured to inflate and deflate the bladder in response to computer commands;
a finger-receiving portion comprising a second opening, configured and arranged to receive a finger of said one of the patient'"'"'s arms while the distal portion thereof is received by the arm-receiving portion, and an optical system, the optical system comprising a first light source configured to irradiate the finger and a photodetector configured to receive radiation after it irradiates the finger;
a body-contacting portion comprising an exterior-facing surface and a second electrode configured and arranged to contact a body location that is one of the patient'"'"'s torso, legs, opposing arm, and neck when the body-contacting portion is pressed against the second body location while the patient'"'"'s arm inserted in the first opening;
a first analog system configured to receive biometric signals from the first electrode and the second electrode and to process them to generate an ECG waveform;
a second analog system configured to receive signals from the pressure sensor and to process them to generate a pressure signal;
a third analog system configured to receive signals from the photodetector and to process them to generate a photoplethysmogram waveform comprising pulsatile signals; and
a processing system configured to issue computer commands to the pressure-control system to inflate and deflate the bladder while the third analog system generates the photoplethysmogram waveform, and further configured to analyze modulations in a digital versions of the photoplethysmogram waveform and a digital version of the pressure signal to estimate the blood pressure value.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A handheld device measures all vital signs and some hemodynamic parameters from the human body and transmits measured information wirelessly to a web-based system, where the information can be analyzed by a clinician to help diagnose a patient. The system utilizes our discovery that bio-impedance signals used to determine vital signs and hemodynamic parameters can be measured over a conduction pathway extending from the patient'"'"'s wrist to a location on their thoracic cavity, e.g. their chest or navel. The device'"'"'s form factor can include re-usable electrode materials to reduce costs. Measurements made by the handheld device, which use the belly button as a ‘fiducial’ marker, facilitate consistent, daily measurements, thereby reducing positioning errors that reduce accuracy of standard impedance measurements. In this and other ways, the handheld device provides an effective tool for characterizing patients with chronic diseases, such as heart failure, renal disease, and hypertension.
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Citations
32 Claims
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1. A biometric sensor configured to measure a blood pressure value from a patient, comprising:
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an arm-receiving portion comprising a first opening configured to receive a distal portion of one of the patient'"'"'s arm and a first electrode configured and arranged to contact the distal portion of the patient'"'"'s arm when it is inserted in the first opening, the first electrode comprising a conductive material disposed on an inflatable bladder; a pressure-control system comprising a pump, a valve, and a pressure sensor connected to the inflatable bladder, the pressure-control system being configured to inflate and deflate the bladder in response to computer commands; a finger-receiving portion comprising a second opening, configured and arranged to receive a finger of said one of the patient'"'"'s arms while the distal portion thereof is received by the arm-receiving portion, and an optical system, the optical system comprising a first light source configured to irradiate the finger and a photodetector configured to receive radiation after it irradiates the finger; a body-contacting portion comprising an exterior-facing surface and a second electrode configured and arranged to contact a body location that is one of the patient'"'"'s torso, legs, opposing arm, and neck when the body-contacting portion is pressed against the second body location while the patient'"'"'s arm inserted in the first opening; a first analog system configured to receive biometric signals from the first electrode and the second electrode and to process them to generate an ECG waveform; a second analog system configured to receive signals from the pressure sensor and to process them to generate a pressure signal; a third analog system configured to receive signals from the photodetector and to process them to generate a photoplethysmogram waveform comprising pulsatile signals; and a processing system configured to issue computer commands to the pressure-control system to inflate and deflate the bladder while the third analog system generates the photoplethysmogram waveform, and further configured to analyze modulations in a digital versions of the photoplethysmogram waveform and a digital version of the pressure signal to estimate the blood pressure value. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32)
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Specification