Telemetering system for operating room and the like

• US 4,319,241 A
• Filed: 11/01/1978
• Issued: 03/09/1982
• Est. Priority Date: 11/01/1978
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Medimetric Company
• Original Assignee: Medimetric Company
• Inventors: Mount, Bruce E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Groody, James J.
• Application Number:
  US05/956,593
• Time in Patent Office: 1,224 Days
• Field of Search: 340/177 R, 340/177 VA, 340/177 VC, 340/188 R, 340/188 CH, 340/189 R, 340/203, 340/180, 128/903, 128/904, 128/672, 128/680, 324/62, 324/65 R, 179/15 BA, 179/2 A, 370/67, 370/84, 370/114
• US Class Current: 340/870.38
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0002 Remote monitoring of patients using telemetry, e.g. transmission of vital signals via a communication network A61B5/07 takes precedence; transmission systems for measured values G08C; transmission H04B; transmission of digital information H04L; wireless communication networks H04W
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/316 Modalities, i.e. specific diagnostic methods
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/63 for local operation
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/67 for remote operation
• CPC Class Codes: G16Z 99/00 Subject matter not provided for in other main groups of this subclass
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 128/903 Radio telemetry
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 128/904 Telephone telemetry

Abstract

A system for telemetering data from a patient to a monitor permitting direct connection of patient'"'"'s sensors and transducers to the monitor and permitting telemetering by radio or wire without requiring changes in transducer or monitor design or adjustment or calibration. A telemetering system which presents to the monitor variable resistances identical to the varying resistances produced by the transducers at the patient. A temperature transmission channel wherein a thermistor resistance is digitized for transmission, with the digital data being utilized to generate a resistance at the receiver corresponding to the thermistor resistance. A pressure transmission system providing for transmission of waveform and peak and trough values of the waveform, with the waveform being reconstituted at the receiver and converted to a varying resistance for connection to the monitor, simulating the original pressure transducer resistance.

Claims

1. A telemetering system for transmitting pressure information between a pressure transducer and a pressure monitor, said pressure information including a recurring waveform with a peak value and a trough value, including in combination:

a multisignal transmission link having transmitter and receiver;

amplifier means including means for connecting said transducer as an input and providing an output voltage varying as a function of said transducer output;

means for connecting said amplifier means output voltage as one signal of said transmission link and representing said recurring waveform;

first detector means including means for connecting said amplifier means output voltage as an input and providing two output voltages varying as the peak value and trough value, respectively, of the input thereto, and representing the peak and trough values, respectively, of said recurring waveform;

first analog-to-digital converter means for converting said detector means output voltages to two digital signals;

means for connecting said two digital signals as signals to said transmission link;

digital-to-analog converter means including means for connecting said two digital signals from said transmission link as inputs and providing two output voltages corresponding to said two digital signals;

second detector means including means for connecting said one signal from said transmission link as input and providing two output voltages varying as the peak value and trough value, respectively, of the input thereto;

pressure computer means including means for connecting as inputs, said one signal from said transmission link, said second detector means outputs, and said digital-to-analog converter means outputs, and providing an output voltage corresponding to said amplifier means output;

second analog-to-digital converter means for converting said pressure computer means output voltage to a digital signal; and

resistor means including means for connecting said second analog-to-digital converter means digital signal as input and providing resistance varying as a function of the input thereto, as output for connection as an input to said monitor.

2. A system as defined in claim 1 including switching means for sequentially connecting the two output voltages of said first detector means to said first analog-to-digital converter means whereby the signals representing the peak and trough values can be transmitted as one data signal on said transmission link.

3. A system as defined in claim 2 including second switching means for separating the output of said digital-to-analog converter means into two separate output voltages in sequence corresponding to said two digital signals.

4. A system as defined in claim 1 wherein said pressure computer means includes:

means for comparing peak and trough values of said second detector means outputs and peak and trough values of said digital-to-analog converter means outputs to obtain a ratio signal; and

means for varying the magnitude of peak and trough values of said one signal as a function of said ratio signal to provide a gain adjusted signal.

5. A system as defined in claim 4 wherein said pressure computer means further includes:

means for computing an offset error from said ratio signal, said second detector means outputs and said digital-to-analog converter means outputs to provide a correction signal; and

means for subtracting said correction signal from said gain adjusted signal.

6. A system as defined in claim 5 wherein said resistor means includes:

a plurality of resistors; and

resistor switching means for selectively connecting said resistors as the output of said resistor means;

with said means for connecting said second analog-to-digital converter means digital signal output to said resistor means connecting said digital signal to said switching means of said resistor means to connect selected resistors as the output thereof.

7. A system as defined in claim 5 wherein said resistor means includes:

a resistor bridge with two excitation terminals and two output terminals;

first resistor switching means in one arm of said bridge for selectively connecting resistances in said one arm; and

second resistor switching means in another arm of said bridge for selectively connecting resistances in said other arm;

with said means for connecting said second analog-to-digital converter means digital signal output to said resistor means connecting said digital signal to said first and second switching means of said resistor means whereby selected resistances are connected in said bridge.

8. A system as defined in claim 1 wherein said resistor means includes:

a resistor bridge with two excitation terminals and two output terminals;

first resistor switching means in one arm of said bridge for selectively connecting resistances in said one arm; and

second resistor switching means in another arm of said bridge for selectively connecting resistances in said other arm;

with said means for connecting said second analog-to-digital converter means digital signal output to said resistor means connecting said digital signal to said first and second switching means of said resistor means whereby selected resistances are connected in said bridge such that the parallel resistance of one arm of the bridge is caused to change its value dynamically in equal and opposite fashion to that of the opposing arm of the bridge to maintain close linearity of bridge output resistance changes vs pressure transducer bridge resistance changes.

9. A telemetering system for transmitting pressure information between first and second pressure transducers and a pressure monitor, said pressure information of each transducer including a recurring waveform with a peak value and a trough value, including in combination:

a multisignal transmission link having transmitter and receiver;

first amplifier means including means for connecting said first transducer as an input and providing a first output voltage varying as a function of said first transducer output;

second amplifier means including means for connecting said transducer as an input and providing a second output voltage varying as a function of said second transducer output;

means for connecting said first amplifier means output voltage as a first signal of said transmission link and representing said recurring waveform of said first transducer;

means for connecting said second amplifier means output voltage as a second signal of said transmission link and representing said recurring waveform of said second transducer;

first detector means including means for connecting said first amplifier means output voltage as an input and providing two output voltages varying as the peak value and trough value, respectively, of the input thereto, and representing the peak and trough values, respectively, of said first transducer recurring waveform;

second detector means including means for connecting said second amplifier means output voltage as an input and providing two output voltages varying as the peak value and trough value, respectively, of the input thereto, and representing the peak and trough values, respectively, of said second transducer recurring waveform;

first analog-to-digital converter means for converting said first and second detector means output voltages to digital signals;

switching means for sequentially connecting the four output voltages of said first and second detector means to said first analog-to-digital converter means whereby the signals representing the peak and trough values can be transmitted as one data signal on said transmission link;

means for connecting said digital signals as a third signal to said transmission link;

digital-to-analog converter means including means for connecting said third signal from said transmission link as input and providing output voltages corresponding to said digital signals;

third detector means including means for connecting said first signal from said transmission link as input and providing two output voltages varying as the peak value and trough value, respectively, of the input thereto;

fourth detector means including means for connecting said second signal from said transmission link as input and providing two output voltages varying as the peak value and trough value, respectively, of the input thereto;

first pressure computer means including means for connecting as inputs, said first signal from said transmission link, said third detector means outputs, and said digital-to-analog converter means outputs, and providing an output voltage corresponding to said first amplifier means output;

second pressure computer means including means for connecting as inputs, said second signal from said transmission link, said fourth detector means outputs, and said digital-to-analog converter means outputs, and providing an output voltage corresponding to said second amplifier means output;

second analog-to-digital converter means for converting the outputs of said first and second pressure computer means to digital signals;

first resistor means including means for connecting digital signals of said first transducer from said second analog-to-digital converter means as input and providing resistance varying as a function of the input thereto, as a first output for connection as an input to said monitor; and

second resistor means including means for connecting digital signals of said second transducer from said second analog-to-digital converter means as input and providing resistance varying as a function of the input thereto, as a second output for connection as an input to said monitor.

10. A telemetering system for transmitting pressure information between a pressure transducer and a pressure monitor, said pressure information including a recurring waveform with a peak value and a trough value, including in combination:

a multisignal transmission link having transmitter and receiver;

first means including means for connecting said transducer as an input and providing an output voltage varying as a function of said transducer output;

second means for connecting said first means output voltage as one signal of said transmission link and representing said recurring waveform;

third means including means for connecting said first means output voltage as an input and providing two output signals varying as the peak value and trough value, respectively, of the input thereto, and representing the peak and trough values, respectively, of said recurring waveform;

fourth means for connecting said third means output signals as signals to said transmission link;

fifth means including means for connecting said one signal from said transmission link as input and providing two output signals varying as the peak value and trough value, respectively, of the input thereto;

sixth means including means for connecting as inputs, said one signal and said third means output signals from said transmission link and said fifth means outputs, and providing an output signal corresponding to said first means output voltage; and

seventh means including means for connecting said sixth means output signal as input and providing resistance varying as a function of the input thereto, as output for connection as input to said monitor.

11. A system for transmitting resistance values between a transducer and a monitor, said transducer including resistor means for providing a varying resistance value as an output, said varying resistance value including a peak value and a trough value, including in combination:

a transmission link having transmitter and receiver;

amplifier means including means for connecting said transducer as an input and providing an output voltage varying as a function of said transducer output;

means for connecting said amplifier means output voltage as one signal of said transmission link;

first detector means including means for connecting said amplifier means output voltage as an input and providing two output voltages varying as the peak value and trough value, respectively, of the input thereto, and representing the peak and trough values, respectively, of said varying resistance value;

first analog-to-digital converter means for converting said detector means output voltages to two digital signals;

means for connecting said two digital signals as signals to said transmission link;

digital-to-analog converter means including means for connecting said two digital signals from said transmission link as inputs and providing two output voltages corresponding to said two digital signals;

second detector means including means for connecting said one signal from said transmission link as input and providing two output voltages varying as the peak value and trough value, respectively, of the input thereto;

computer means including means for connecting as inputs, said one signal from said transmission link, said second detector means outputs, and said digital-to-analog converter means outputs, and providing an output voltage corresponding to said amplifier means output;

second analog-to-digital converter means for converting said computer means output voltage to a digital signal; and

resistor means including means for connecting said second analog-to-digital converter means digital signal as input and providing resistance varying as a function of the input thereto, as output for connection as an input to said monitor.

12. A method of transmitting pressure information between a pressure transducer and a pressure monitor, said pressure information including a recurring waveform with a peak value and a trough value, including the steps of:

changing the transducer output into a first voltage varying as a function of said transducer output;

detecting the peak value and trough value, respectively, of said first voltage and providing second and third voltages representing the peak and trough values, respectively, of said recurring waveform;

converting said second and third voltages to digital signals;

transmitting said first voltage and said digital signals from a transducer station to a monitor station;

converting said transmitted digital signals to fourth and fifth voltages corresponding to said second and third voltages, respectively;

detecting the peak and trough values, respectively, of said transmitted first voltage and providing sixth and seventh voltages corresponding thereto;

generating an output voltage corresponding to said first voltage from said fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh and transmitted first voltages; and

varying a resistance as a function of said output voltage for connection as an input to said monitor.

13. The method as defined in claim 12 including varying the peak and trough values of said generated output voltage as a function of the differences between said fourth and sixth voltages and between said fifth and seventh voltages, respectively.

14. A method of transmitting resistance values between a transducer and a monitor, said transducer including resistor means providing a varying resistance value as an output, said varying resistance value including a peak value and a trough value, including the steps of:

changing the transducer output into a first voltage varying as a function of said transducer resistance;

detecting the peak value and trough value, respectively, of said first voltage and providing second and third voltages representing the peak and trough values, respectively;

transmitting signals representing said first, second and third voltages from a transducer station to a monitor station;

converting said transmitted signals to fourth, fifth and sixth voltages corresponding to said first, second and third voltages respectively;

detecting the peak and trough values, respectively, of said fourth voltage and providing seventh and eighth voltages corresponding thereto;

generating an output voltage corresponding to said first voltage from said fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh and eighth voltages; and

varying a resistance as a function of said output voltage for connection as an input to said monitor.

15. The method as defined in claim 14 including varying the peak and trough values of said generated output voltage as a function of the differences between said fifth and seventh voltages and between said sixth and eighth voltages, respectively.