DIAGNOSTIC PATIENT MONITOR

• US 3,618,592 A
• Filed: 08/11/1969
• Issued: 11/09/1971
• Est. Priority Date: 08/09/1968
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: John Stewart Simpson Stewart
• Original Assignee: John Stewart Simpson Stewart
• Inventors: Stewart, John Stewart Simpson
• Primary Examiner(s): Gaudet, Richard A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Howell, Kyle L.
• Application Number:
  US04/848,930
• Time in Patent Office: 820 Days
• Field of Search: 128/2.06,2.1,2.5T,2.5P,2.5S,2
• US Class Current: 600/484
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/00 Measuring for diagnostic purposes radiation diagnosis A61B6/00; diagnosis by ultrasonic, sonic or infrasonic waves A61B8/00; Identification of persons
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0205 Simultaneously evaluating both cardiovascular conditions and different types of body conditions, e.g. heart and respiratory condition
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/276 Protection against electrode failure
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/412 Detecting or monitoring sepsis

Abstract

A diagnostic patient monitor is provided which monitors the condition of a patient by means of a sensor system to provide output signals, not less than six in number, indicative of normal, above normal or below normal sensed conditions from at least two sensors. The signals are used to directly indicate each condition and are combined so that specific combinations of abnormal signals provide an indication of the condition of the patient resulting in the abnormal signals. Two abnormal signals occurring simultaneously result in the activation of an alarm.

Claims

1. An apparatus for monitoring the condition of a patient and making a diagnosis which includes at least three sensing means for continuously sensing different physical conditions of said patient, each such sensing means operating in response to sensed deviation from a normal condition to provide one of two abnormal signals, one such abnormal signal being indicative of an above normal condition and the remaining abnormal signal being indicative of a below normal condition, a plurality of condition indicating means, each such indicating means being operative to indicate a physical condition resulting in a specific combination of said abnormal signals, diagnostic logic circuit means connected to receive abnormal signals from said sensing means, said diagnostic logic circuit means operating upon the simultaneous occurrence of a combination of abnormal signals from at least two of said sensing means to provide an activating signal to a specific condition indicating means for indicating the physical condition giving rise to such combination of abnormal signals.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 which includes alarm logic means connected to receive said abnormal signals, said alarm logic means operating upon receipt of at least two simultaneously occurring abnormal signals to provide an output alarm signal.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said sensing means operates to provide a normal sigNal in response to a sensed normal condition, and sensor monitoring means connected to each such sensing means, said sensor monitoring means operating to provide a monitor output signal in the absence of a normal or abnormal signal from an associated sensing means, monitor logic means connected to receive monitor output signals from said sensor monitoring means, said monitor logic means operating to provide a monitor alarm signal in response to the simultaneous occurrence of two monitor output signals.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 which includes warning logic means connected to receive said abnormal signals from said sensing means and said monitor output signals from said sensor monitoring means, said warning logic means operating to provide a warning alarm signal upon the simultaneous occurrence of an abnormal signal and monitor output signal.

5. The apparatus of claim 4 which includes alarm means connected to operate upon receipt thereby of either said monitor alarm signal or said warning alarm signal.

6. The apparatus of claim 5 which includes alarm logic means connected to receive said abnormal signals, said alarm logic means operating upon receipt of at least two simultaneously occurring abnormal signals to provide an output alarm signal to operate said alarm means.

7. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein said warning logic means operates to provide a warning signal upon the occurrence of either an abnormal signal or a monitor output signal and warning indicator means connected to provide a warning indication upon receipt thereby of said warning signal.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said sensing means are individually responsive to heart action, circulation and respiration.

9. The apparatus of claim 3 which includes a normal indicator means for each of said sensing means connected to provide an indication upon receipt thereby of a normal signal from an associated sensing means, an above normal indicator means for each of said sensing means connected to provide an indication upon receipt thereby of an above normal signal from an associated sensing means and a below normal indicating means for each of said sensing means connected to provide an indication upon receipt thereby of a below normal signal from an associated sensing means.