Apparatus and method for remote monitoring of physiological parameters

• US 5,549,113 A
• Filed: 01/30/1995
• Issued: 08/27/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 11/09/1992
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: iLIFE Solutions, Inc.
• Original Assignee: I Am Fine, Inc.
• Inventors: Halleck, Michael D., Halleck, Michael E., James, Donald N.
• Primary Examiner(s): Sykes, Angela D.
• Assistant Examiner(s): YARNELL, BRYAN KEITH
• Application Number:
  US08/380,259
• Time in Patent Office: 575 Days
• Field of Search: 128/633, 128/664, 128/670-1, 128/700, 128/716, 128/719, 128/721-3, 128/903, 128/904, 340/539
• US Class Current: 600/484
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0022 Monitoring a patient using a global network, e.g. telephone networks, internet
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/0453 worn on the body to detect health condition by physiological monitoring, e.g. electrocardiogram, temperature, breathing detecting, measuring or recording for diagnostic purposes A61B5/00
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/67 for remote operation
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 128/903 Radio telemetry

Abstract

Apparatus and method are disclosed for monitoring selected physiological parameters of a subject, such as respiration and/or ECG information, and alerting a care giver at a remote location when an irregularity is recognized. The apparatus includes a sensor or sensors, a dual frequency, asynchronous transmitter unit for transmitting plural signals indicative of the sensed information, a local receiver/transmitter unit, and a remote receiver. The physiological parameters being monitored are sensed and processed to provide signals which are provided to a pair of transmitters. Transmission is selectively enabled at each transmitter, the first transmitting at a first frequency a signal indicative of real time monitored events and the second, under normal circumstances, transmitting, periodically, at a second frequency a signal indicative of monitored event count and updated subject status. When received at the local receiver, both signals are processed and retransmitted to the remote receiver where, if irregularity is indicated, the care giver is alerted.

Claims

1. Used in association with sensing means for sensing a selected physiological parameter of a subject, an apparatus for enabling remote monitoring at a receiving unit of the selected physiological parameter comprising:

processing means for receiving information indicative of the selected physiological parameter from the sensing means and processing said information to provide output indicative of said information;

first transmitter means for receiving said output from said processing means and providing a first radio frequency transmission for receipt by the receiving unit indicative thereof; and

second transmitter means operable asynchronously and at a different frequency from said first transmitter means for receiving said output from said processing means and providing a second radio frequency transmission for receipt by the receiving unit indicative thereof.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said output of said processing means is a data signal including sensed physiological event count data conveying a number of sensed physiological events occurring during a predetermined period, and wherein said first transmitter means provides said first transmission after sensing of each physiological event and wherein said second transmitter means provides said second transmission after each said predetermined period.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein said data signal includes subject status data and signal identification data.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein said selected physiological parameter is respiration, said physiological event is a breath, and said subject status data is one of the occurrence and nonoccurrence of apnea.

5. An apparatus for remote monitoring of respiration of a subject comprising:

a respiration sensor associable with the subject to provide an output indicative of respiration of the subject;

processing means for receiving said output from said sensor and processing said output to provide a first signal indicative of said output, and for selectively providing second and third signals;

first transmitter means for receiving said first and second signals from said processing means and providing a first transmission indicative of said first signal as an output therefrom when enabled by receipt of said second signal;

second transmitter means for receiving said first and third signals from said processing means and providing a second transmission indicative of said first signal as an output therefrom when enabled by receipt of said third signal; and

receiver means for receiving said transmissions from said first and second transmitter means and utilizing said transmissions to provide an indication of respiration of the subject.

6. The apparatus of claim 5 wherein said second transmitter means is operated at a different frequency from said first transmitter means.

7. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein said receiver means includes first and second receiving units each for receiving a different one of said first and second transmissions and processing means for processing said received transmissions to provide said indication of respiration of the subject.

8. The apparatus of claim 5 wherein said receiver means includes transmitting means and wherein said indication of respiration of the subject is a third transmission provided from said transmitting means.

9. The apparatus of claim 5 wherein said receiver means includes first and second transmitting means and wherein said indication of respiration of the subject is a third transmission from said first transmitting means indicative of said first signal and a fourth transmission from said second transmitting means indicative of said first signal.

10. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein said output of said respiration sensor is an indication of each breath taken by the subject, wherein said first signal from said processing means is a data signal including sensed breath count data conveying a number of sensed breaths occurring during predetermined periods, wherein said first transmitter means provides said first transmission after sensing of each breath and said first transmitting means of said receiver means provides said third transmission after receipt of said first transmission, and wherein said second transmitter means provides said second transmission after each said predetermined period and said second transmitting means of said receiver means provides said fourth transmission after receipt of said second transmission.

11. The apparatus of claim 5 wherein said first signal from said processing means includes signal identification data, and wherein said receiver means includes validating means for validating said transmissions based on recognition of said signal identification data.

12. An apparatus for remote monitoring of respiration and at least one additional physiological parameter of a subject comprising;

sensing means for sensing respiration and at least one additional physiological parameter of the subject and providing an output indicative thereof;

processing means for receiving said output from said sensing means and providing a signal indicative of said output;

first and second transmitter means providing, asynchronously, first and second transmissions indicative of said signal from said processing means, said first and second transmissions being effective within a first distance;

receiving and retransmitting means for receiving said transmissions from said first and second transmitter means and providing a third transmission indicative of said signal from said processing means, said third transmission being effective within a second distance greater than said first distance; and

alerting means for receiving said third transmission and providing an indication to a care giver of subject status.

13. The apparatus of claim 12 wherein said first and second transmissions from said first and second transmitter means are at different frequencies, and wherein said receiving and retransmitting means includes first and second receiving units each configured to receive a different one of said first and second transmissions.

14. The apparatus of claim 12 wherein said receiving and retransmitting means includes first and second transmitters, said first transmitter providing said third transmission and said second transmitter being operable asynchronously and at a different frequency from said first transmitter to provide a fourth transmission indicative of said signal from said processing means, said fourth transmission being received by said alerting means.

15. The apparatus of claim 14 wherein said alerting means includes first and second receivers each configured to receive a different one of said third and fourth transmissions.

16. The apparatus of claim 12 wherein said receiving and retransmitting means includes a processor having memory for processing said transmissions for retransmission and for storage of data indicated therein in memory.

17. The apparatus of claim 12 wherein said alerting means includes visible and audible indicators.

18. The apparatus of claim 12 wherein said signal from said processing means includes breath count data conveying the number of sensed breaths occurring during predetermined periods, and wherein said first transmitter means is enabled by said processing means to provide said first transmission after each sensed breath of the subject, and wherein said second transmitter means is enabled after each said predetermined period by said processing means to provide said second transmission.

19. A method for remote monitoring of a selected physiological parameter of a subject comprising the steps of:

sensing the selected physiological parameter;

processing said sensed physiological parameter to provide a signal indicative of said sensed physiological parameter;

providing a first radio frequency transmission from a first transmission source indicative of said signal at a first frequency;

providing a second radio frequency transmission from a second transmission source indicative of said signal asynchronously and at a different frequency from said first transmission; and

receiving said transmissions remotely from the subject at a receiving unit.

20. The method of claim 19 wherein the selected physiological parameter is respiration, wherein said signal is a data signal including sensed breath count data conveying a number of sensed breaths occurring during predetermined periods, wherein said first transmission is provided after each sensed breath, and wherein said second transmission is provided after each said predetermined period.

21. The method of claim 19 further comprising the step of processing said sensed physiological parameter to provide a status signal indicative of subject status with respect to said selected physiological parameter, and wherein said second transmission is also indicative of said status signal.

22. The method of claim 19 further comprising the step of providing an identification signal identifying at least one of validity and source of said transmissions, and wherein said first and second transmissions are also indicative of said identification signal.

23. The method of claim 19 wherein the step of receiving said transmissions includes separately receiving said transmissions, the method further comprising the steps of separately processing said received transmissions and utilizing said processed received transmissions to provide an indication of subject status with respect to the selected physiological parameter.

24. A method for remote monitoring of respiration of a subject comprising the steps of;

sensing each breath, of the subject;

providing a signal indicative of each said sensed breath;

utilizing said signals to provide a count of sensed breaths during selected time periods;

emitting a radio frequency transmission indicative of each said signal;

emitting a radio frequency transmission indicative of said count after each said time period;

receiving said transmissions remotely from the subject; and

processing said received transmissions to provide an alert if respiration irregularity is indicated.

25. The method of claim 24 wherein said selected time periods are of a length gauged to identify apnea and wherein said transmission indicative of said count is also indicative of subject status with respect to the occurrence of apnea.

26. The method of claim 24 wherein said transmission indicative of said count is emitted at a frequency different from said transmission indicative of each said signal.

27. The method of claim 26 further comprising the steps of determining if no breaths are sensed during a selected time interval and, if no breaths are sensed during said interval, providing an apnea status indication, and wherein the steps of emitting said transmissions include transmitting said apnea status indication with both of said transmissions.

28. The method of claim 24 wherein the step of receiving said transmissions includes separately receiving said transmissions, and wherein the step of processing said received transmissions includes separately processing said received transmissions.

29. The method of claim 24 further comprising the steps of retransmitting said received transmissions to a more remote receiver.

30. The method of claim 24 including the steps of sensing heart beats of the subject, providing a signal indicative of each said heart beat, and utilizing said signals to provide a count of said heart beats during preselected time periods.

31. The method of claim 30 further comprising the steps of utilizing said count of said heart beats to determine subject status with respect to heart rate, and one of transmitting said status when emitting a transmission indicative of said count of sensed breaths and transmitting said signals indicative of each said heart beat after a said selected time period when no breaths are sensed.