Personal physiological monitor
First Claim
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1. Apparatus for physiological monitoring of a subject comprising:
- temperature sensing means for generating a temperature signal indicative of the temperature therof, said temperature sensing means including a thermistor having a predetermined temperature coefficient;
means for disposing said temperature sensitive means in thermal contact with said subject;
reference means, responsive to control signals applied thereto, for selectively generating a temperature reference signal indicative of a threshold temperature, said reference means including;
storage means for controllably storing indicia of the instantaneous temperature, as a stored reference temperature, said threshold temperature being in predetermined relation with said stored reference temperature, andaccumulator means, responsive to enable control signals and clock signals applied thereto, for selectively accumulating a count when enabled and controllably storing said count;
digital to analog converter means, responsive to said count, for providing a current to said thermistor to develop a temperature voltage across said thermistor indicative of the instantaneous temperature, the magnitude of said current varying in accordance with said count;
temperature comparison means, responsive to said temperature signal and said temperature reference signal, for generating a temperature comparison signal indicative of a comparison between said temperature and reference signals;
means, responsive to control signals applied thereto, for alternatively generating at least an accumulation reference voltage and a threshold reference voltage to said comparison means, said threshold reference voltage differing from said accumulation reference voltage in accordance with said predetermined relation between said threshold temperature and said stored reference temperature;
gating means, responsive to said comparison signal, for selectively applying said clock signals to said accumulator means;
alarm means, responsive to said temperature comparison signal, for selectively generating alarm indicia; and
control means for generating said control signals to said reference means to effect storage of said temperature indicia;
wherein said control means generates control signals to effect generation of said accumulation reference voltage during periods when said accumulator means is enabled such that said count is accumulated until the instantaneous temperature voltage is approximately equal to said accumulation reference voltage, said accumulation voltage thereby being equated to said stored reference temperature and said threshold reference voltage being equated to said threshold temperature, said control means also generating control signals to effect generation of said threshold reference voltage during periods when said count is stored.
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Abstract
An improved personal physiologic monitor continuously monitors changes in galvanic skin resistance, temperature or both in order to detect for example the onset of a hypoglycemic state in a diabetic. Measurements are enacted over brief periodic intervals to conserve power. A temperature reference is automatically established and periodically corrected to accommodate slowly changing non-symptomatic skin temperature variations, whereas an alarm indicia is generated if the peripheral skin temperature drops a predetermined amount below the reference value.
641 Citations
26 Claims
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1. Apparatus for physiological monitoring of a subject comprising:
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temperature sensing means for generating a temperature signal indicative of the temperature therof, said temperature sensing means including a thermistor having a predetermined temperature coefficient; means for disposing said temperature sensitive means in thermal contact with said subject; reference means, responsive to control signals applied thereto, for selectively generating a temperature reference signal indicative of a threshold temperature, said reference means including; storage means for controllably storing indicia of the instantaneous temperature, as a stored reference temperature, said threshold temperature being in predetermined relation with said stored reference temperature, and accumulator means, responsive to enable control signals and clock signals applied thereto, for selectively accumulating a count when enabled and controllably storing said count; digital to analog converter means, responsive to said count, for providing a current to said thermistor to develop a temperature voltage across said thermistor indicative of the instantaneous temperature, the magnitude of said current varying in accordance with said count; temperature comparison means, responsive to said temperature signal and said temperature reference signal, for generating a temperature comparison signal indicative of a comparison between said temperature and reference signals; means, responsive to control signals applied thereto, for alternatively generating at least an accumulation reference voltage and a threshold reference voltage to said comparison means, said threshold reference voltage differing from said accumulation reference voltage in accordance with said predetermined relation between said threshold temperature and said stored reference temperature; gating means, responsive to said comparison signal, for selectively applying said clock signals to said accumulator means; alarm means, responsive to said temperature comparison signal, for selectively generating alarm indicia; and control means for generating said control signals to said reference means to effect storage of said temperature indicia; wherein said control means generates control signals to effect generation of said accumulation reference voltage during periods when said accumulator means is enabled such that said count is accumulated until the instantaneous temperature voltage is approximately equal to said accumulation reference voltage, said accumulation voltage thereby being equated to said stored reference temperature and said threshold reference voltage being equated to said threshold temperature, said control means also generating control signals to effect generation of said threshold reference voltage during periods when said count is stored. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 10)
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5. Apparatus for physiological monitoring of a subject comprising:
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temperature sensing means for generating a temperature signal indicative of the temperature thereof, said temperature sensing means comprising a thermistor; means for disposing said temperature sensitive means in thermal contact with said subject; reference means, responsive to control signals applied thereto, for selectively generating a temperature reference signal indicative of a threshold temperature, said reference means including storage means for controllably storing indicia of the instantaneous temperature, as a stored reference temperature, said threshold temperature being in predetermined relation with said stored reference temperature; temperature comparison means, responsive to said temperature signal and said temperature reference signal, for generating a temperature comparison signal indicative of a comparison between said temperature and reference signals; alarm means, response to said temperature comparison signal, for selectively generating alarm indicia; and control means for generating said control signals to said reference means to effect storage of said temperature indicia, wherein said reference means comprises; a counter, responsive to enable control signals of predetermined duration and clock signals applied thereto, for controllably accumulating a count when enabled and controllably maintaining said count; variable resistance means, serially connected with said thermistor, for presenting a resistance corresponding to said count; variable voltage divider means, responsive to said enable signal, for providing said temperature reference voltage in accordance with a first ratio of resistances in response to said enable signal, and in accordance with a second ratio of resistances in the absence of said enable signal; and gating means, responsive to said comparison signal, for controllably applying clock signals to said counter in accordance with said comparison such that a count corresponding to said first ratio of resistances to the instantaneous temperature of said thermistor is accumulated and controllably maintained. - View Dependent Claims (6, 7)
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8. Apparatus for physiological monitoring of a subject comprising:
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temperature sensing means for generating a temperature signal indicative of the temperature thereof; means for disposing said temperature sensitive means in thermal contact with said subject; reference means, responsive to control signals applied thereto, for selectively generating a temperature reference signal indicative of a threshold temperature, said reference means including storage means for controllably storing indicia of the instantaneous temperature, as a stored reference temperature, said threshold temperature being in predetermined relation with said stored reference temperature; temperature comparison means, responsive to said temperature signal and said temperature reference signal, for generating a temperature comparison signal indicative of a comparison between said temperature and reference signals; alarm means, responsive to said temperature comparison signal, for selectively generating alarm indicia; control means for generating said control signals to said reference means to effect storage of said temperature indicia; and a resilient thermally insulative element including at least one electrically conductive portion for effecting electrical connections between said temperature sensing means and at least one of said reference means and said temperature comparison means. - View Dependent Claims (9)
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11. Apparatus for physiological monitoring of a subject comprising:
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a thermistor having a predetermined temperature characteristic; means for disposing said thermistor in thermal contact with said subject; a counter, responsive to enable control signals of predetermined duration and clock signals applied thereto, for controllably accumulating a count when enabled and controllably maintaining said count; variable current generator means, serially connected with said thermistor, for presenting a current to said thermistor having a magnitude corresponding to said count; variable voltage divider means, responsive to said enable signal, for providing a reference voltage in accordance with a first ratio of resistances in response to said enable signal, and in accordance with a second ratio of resistances in the absence of said enable signal; comparison signal in accordance with a comparison between said thermistor voltage drop and said reference voltage; gating means, responsive to said comparison signal, for controllably applying clock signal to said counter in accordance with said comparison such that a count corresponding said first ratio of resistances to the instantaneous temperature of said thermistor is accumulated and controllably maintained; alarm means, responsive to said comparison signal, for selectively generating alarm indicia; and control means for selectively generating said enable signals. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. Apparatus for physiological monitoring of a subject comprising:
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a case, including an electrically conductive underside adapted for electrical contact with said subject;
said underside including an aperture therein;temperature sensing means, including a temperature sensitive element and disposed within said case, for generating a temperature signal indicative of temperature; an electrically and thermally conductive cap;
adapted to receive said temperature sensitive element in electrical and thermal contact with the interior thereof;retainer means for securing said cap in said underside aperture, to dispose said cap for electrical and thermal contact with said subject, electrically and thermally isolated from said underside; means for providing electrical connections to said temperature sensitive element and said cap; resistance sensing means, electrically connected to said underside and said cap, for generating a resistance signal indicative of the galvanic skin resistance of said subject; and alarm means, responsive to said temperature signal and said resistance signal for generating alarm indicia in response to predetermined physiological conditions of said subject. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25)
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26. Apparatus for physiological monitoring of a subject comprising:
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temperature sensing means for generating a temperature signal indicative of the temperature thereof, said temperature sensitive means comprising a thermistor; means for disposing said temperature sensitive means in thermal contact with said subject; reference means, responsive to control signals applied thereto, for selectively generating a temperature reference signal indicative of a thresold temperature, said reference means including storage means for controllably storing indicia of the instantaneous temperature, as a stored reference temperature, said threshold temperature being in predetermined relation with said stored reference temperature; temperature comparison means, responsive to said temperature signal and said temperature reference signal, for generating a temperature comparison signal indicative of a comparison between said temperature and reference signals; alarm means, responsive to said temperature comparison signal, for selectively generating alarm indicia; and control means for generating said control signals to said reference means to effect storage of said temperature indicia, wherein said reference means comprises; a counter, responsive to enable control signals of predetermined duration and clock signals applied thereto, for controllably accumulating a count when enabled and controllably maintaining said count; variable current generator means for applying a current to said thermistor having a magnitude in accordance with said count; variable voltage divider means, responsive to said enable signal, for providing said temperature reference voltage in accordance with a first ratio of resistances in response to said enable signal, and in accordance with a second ratio of resistances in the absence of said enable signal; and gating means, responsive to said comparison signal, for controllably applying clock signal to said counter in accordance with said comparison such that a count corresponding to said first ratio of resistances to the instantaneous temperature of said thermistor is accumulated and controllably maintained.
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Specification