Vital sign trend intuitive display system

• US 3,894,533 A
• Filed: 11/02/1973
• Issued: 07/15/1975
• Est. Priority Date: 11/02/1973
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Warner-Lambert Company (Pfizer Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Robert L. Cannon
• Inventors: Cannon, Robert L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Gaudet, Richard A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Cohen, Lee S.
• Application Number:
  US05/412,361
• Time in Patent Office: 620 Days
• Field of Search: 128/2.5Q,2.5B,2R,2.6R,2.6G,2G,2H,2.07 346/33ME,62
• US Class Current: 600/484
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0255 Recording instruments specially adapted therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0803 Recording apparatus specially adapted therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/208 adapted to determine urine quantity, e.g. flow, volume

Abstract

A vital sign trend intuitive display system. A trend recorder for graphically displaying trends of vital signs of a patient is disclosed. The recorder displays these vital sign trends in a manner which is intuitively representative of the measurement process for each vital sign. Vital sign trends are recorded on cross-hatched chart paper which is advanced by the recorder in a stepped manner that is synchronized with application of recorder pens to chart paper to achieve the desired display.

Claims

1. A method for obtaining a graphical record of a plurality of electrical signals corresponding respectively to a plurality of vital signs of a patient, said record presenting said signals in graphical formats intuitively representative of typical analog measurements of said vital signs and depicting fluctuation trends of said vital signs, said method comprising the steps of:

a. taking a measurement of each of said vital signs and in response to each said measurement providing one of said plurality of electrical signals;

b. automatically selecting at least said one of said plurality of electrical signals during a prescribed time interval;

c. electronically processing said at least said one of said plurality of electrical signals to obtain an equal number of respectively processed signals;

d. operatively applying said processed signals to compatible chart paper recorder means;

e. automatically controlling said recorder means to obtain the record of said processed signals during at least said prescribed time interval in graphical formats that are each intvitively representative of only one of said typical analog measurements of said vital signs;

f. subjecting the remainder of said plurality of electrical signals to said selecting step, said processing step, said applying step and said controlling step seriatim and repeating said subjecting step until each of said signals is recorded; and

g. generating said fluctuation trends by repeating said method from steps a through f to obtain said fluctuation trends of said patient'"'"''"'"'s vital signs.

2. The method of claim 1 and wherein said selecting step comprises the further steps of:

h. digitally generating sequential command signals having a predetermined sequence;

i. operatively applying said plurality of electrical signals to a multiplexer;

j. extending at least one of said command signals to said multiplexer to enable said multiplexer to provide said at least one of said plurality of electrical signals.

3. The method of claim 2 and wherein said processing step comprises the further steps of:

k. generating a high frequency dither signal by operation of a dither generator;

l. controlling the operation of said dither generator by at least one of said command signals;

m. combining the output of said dither generator and said at least said one of said plurality of electrical signals to provide at least one combined signal; and

n. amplifying said at least one combined signal in at least one amplifier.

4. The method of claim 3 and wherein said controlling step comprises the further steps of:

o. energizing a motor for advancing said recording;

p. energizing a solenoid for inhibiTing said recording of said processed signals at least when said motor is energized; and

q. controlling said motor and said solenoid energization by at least one of said command signals.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein said at least said one of said plurality of electrical signals corresponds to temperature of said patient and wherein said intuitively representative graphical formats resemble thermometer-like temperature displays.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein said at least one of said plurality of electrical signals corresponds to blood pressure of said patient and wherein said intuitively representative graphical formats resemble mercury-manometer-like blood pressure displays.

7. The method of claim 4, wherein said at least said one of said plurality of electrical signals corresponds to urine accumulation of said patient and wherein said intuitively representative graphical formats resemble liquid-graduate-like urine accumulation displays.

8. The method of claim 4, wherein said at least said one of said plurality of electrical signals corresponds to heart rate, central venous pressure, breath rate, and partial pressure of oxygen of said patient and wherein said intuitively representative graphical formats resemble four fluctuating lines whose amplitudes represent respective amounts of each vital sign.

9. A graphical recorder for obtaining a record of a plurality of electrical signals corresponding respectively to a plurality of vital signs of a patient, said record said signals in graphical formats intuitively representative of typical analog measurements of said vital signs and depicting fluctuation trends of said vital signs, said recorder comprising first means for taking a measurement of each of said vital signs and in response to each said measurement providing one of said plurality of electrical signals;

second means for automatically selecting at least said one of said plurality of electrical signals during a prescribed time interval;

third means for electronically processing said at least said one of said plurality of electrical signals to obtain an equal number of respectively processed signals;

chart paper recorder means;

fourth means for operatively applying said processed signals to said chart paper recorder means;

fifth means for automatically controlling said recorder means to obtain the recording of said processed signals during at least said prescribed time interval in graphical formats that are each intvitively representative of only one of said typical analog measurements of said vital signs;

sixth means for repetitively subjecting said plurality of electrical signals to said selecting means, said processing means, said applying means and said controlling means seriatim until each of said signals is recorded; and

seventh means for generating said fluctuation trends by repetitive operation of said first means, second means, third means, fourth means, fifth means and sixth means.

10. A graphical recorder as recited in claim 9 wherein one of said vital signs is temperature of said patient and wherein said fifth means includes means for providing a thermometer-like temperature representation.

11. A graphical recorder as recited in claim 9 wherein one of said vital signs is blood pressure of said patient and wherein said fifth means includes means for providing a mercury-manometer-like blood pressure representation.

12. A graphical recorder as recited in claim 9 wherein one of said vital signs is urine accumulation of said patient and wherein said fifth means includes means for providing a liquid-graduate-like urine accumulation representation.

13. A graphical recorder as recited in claim 9 wherein a portion of said vital signs are heart rate, central venous pressure, breath rate, and partial pressure of oxygen and wherein said fifth means includes means for representing said portion of said vital signs as four independently fluctuating lines whose amplitudes represent respective amounts of each vital sIgn of said portion.

14. A trend recorder for displaying trends of vital signs of a patient, said recorder comprising means for obtaining electrical signals corresponding to said vital signs, circuit means operating upon said signals for providing processed signals, and graphical chart paper recorder means responsive to operation of said circuit means for recording the values of said processed signals in a predetermined graphical sequence that is intuitively representative of typical analog measurements of each of said vital signs, said sequence thereby depicting each of said trends in a manner that is intuitively representative of only one of said vital signs.

15. A trend recorder as recited in claim 10 wherein one of said vital signs is temperature of said patient and wherein said recording means includes means for providing a thermometer-like temperature representation.

16. A trend recorder as recited in claim 10 wherein one of said vital signs is blood pressure of said patient and wherein said recording means includes means for providing a mercury-manometer-like blood pressure representation.

17. A trend recorder as recited in claim 10 wherein one of said vital signs is urine accumulation of said patient and wherein said reducing means includes means for providing a liquid-graduate-like urine accumulation representation. amplitudes

18. A trend recorder as recited in claim 10 wherein a portion of said vital signs are heart rate, central venous pressure, breath rate, and partial pressure of oxygen and wherein said recording means includes means for representing said portion of said vital signs as four independently fluctuating lines whose ampliatudes represent respective amounts of each vital sign of said portion.

19. A trend recorder as recited in claim 14 wherein a first of said representing signs is temperature of said patient and said recording means includes first means for providing a thermometer-like temperature representation, a second of said vital signs is blood pressure of said patient and said recording means includes second means for providing a mercury-manometer-like blood pressure representation, a third of said vital signs is urine accumulation of said patient and said recording means includes third means for providing a liquid-graduate-like urine accumulation representation, and another portion of said vital signs are heart rate, central venous pressure, breath rate, and partial pressure of oxygen wherein said recording means includes another means for representating said portion of said vital signs as four independently fluctuating lines whose amplitudes represent respective amounts of each vital sign of said portion.