Medical monitoring system

• US 5,579,378 A
• Filed: 09/25/1995
• Issued: 11/26/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 08/25/1993
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Frank H. Arlinghaus Jr
• Original Assignee: Frank H. Arlinghaus Jr
• Inventors: Arlinghaus, Frank H. Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Chan, Wing F.
• Application Number:
  US08/533,167
• Time in Patent Office: 428 Days
• Field of Search: 379/38, 379/45, 379/49, 379/42, 379/52, 379/106, 379/107, 379/102, 379/104, 379/93, 379/97-99, 128/670, 128/904, 395/500, 364/413.02
• US Class Current: 379/106.02
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/002 Monitoring the patient using a local or closed circuit, e.g. in a room or building A61B5/0017 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0022 Monitoring a patient using a global network, e.g. telephone networks, internet
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/67 for remote operation
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/00 Network arrangements, protocols or services for addressing or naming
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/00 Network arrangements or protocols for supporting network services or applications user-to-user messaging H04L51/00; network arrangements, protocols or services for supporting real-time applications in data packet communications networks H04L65/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 11/002 with telemetering systems telemetering in general G08C
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 128/904 Telephone telemetry

Abstract

A medical monitoring system which includes at least one patient medical monitoring apparatus for monitoring at least one aspect of a patient'"'"'s physical condition and generating at least one variable signal in response to the monitoring. The system includes at least one station distributor electrically connected to the at least one patient medical monitoring apparatus and to a first end of a telephone line. A system distributor is electrically connected to a second end of a telephone line and to at least one system monitoring apparatus. The at least one station distributor receives each of the at least one variable signals and generates an information signal therefrom. The information signal is transmitted to the system distributor where monitoring information contained within the information signal is retrieved and distributed to the at least one system monitoring apparatus without interrupting normal telephone operation.

Claims

1. A medical monitoring system, comprising:

at least one patient medical monitoring apparatus for monitoring at least one aspect of a patient'"'"'s physical condition and generating at least one real-time variable signal in response thereto;

at least one station distributing means electrically connected to said at least one patient medical monitoring apparatus, the station distributing means being electrically coupled to a first end of a telephone line;

a system distributing means electrically connected to a second end of said telephone line; and

at least one system monitoring apparatus electrically connected to said system distributing means;

wherein said at least one station distributing means receives each of said at least one variable signal, and generates an information signal therefrom, the station distributing means including means for encoding the information signal to include routing information therein and means for modulating the encoded information signal to a frequency outside an audio base-band, wherein said station distributing means transmits the encoded information signal over said telephone line to said system distributing means, wherein the system distributing means includes a means for sorting, prioritizing and directing the information signal based upon the routing information contained therein, the system distributing means directing the information contained therein to said at least one system monitoring apparatus, whereby transmission of said information signal does not affect normal telephone operation.

2. A medical monitoring system as defined by claim 1, wherein said variable signal is a continuous variable signal.

3. A medical monitoring system as defined by claim 1, wherein said at least one station distributing means includes means for modulating said at least one variable signal to form said information signal, and wherein said system distributing means includes means to demodulate said information signal into separate signal components.

4. A medical monitoring system as defined by claim 1, further comprising at least one telephone electrically connected to said at least one station distributing means for normal telephone communication.

5. A medical monitoring system as defined by claim 1, wherein the sorting, prioritizing and directing means comprises a programmed data card further comprising at least one telephone electrically connected to the system distributing means for normal telephone communication.

6. A medical monitoring system as defined by claim 1, wherein said encoding means comprises a keyboard or the like.

7. A medical monitoring system as defined by claim 1, wherein said system monitoring apparatus includes one of a data display, a microcomputer with display, a facsimile device, a modem and a memory device.

8. A medical monitoring system as defined by claim 1, wherein the information signal includes a plurality of components, and further wherein the system distributing means can selectively direct each of the components of the information signal to any of a plurality of system monitoring apparatus.

9. A method of monitoring a patient'"'"'s condition, comprising the steps of:

applying at least one medical monitoring device to the patient;

generating a monitoring signal from the at least one medical monitoring device;

generating a routing signal from a user input device;

combining the monitoring signal and routing signal in a station distributing means to form a mixed information signal;

modulating the mixed information signal to a frequency outside the audio baseband;

transmitting the mixed information signal over an existing telephone line to a system distribution means;

receiving the mixed information signal by the system distributing means;

sorting, prioritizing and directing the mixed information signal based upon the routing information contained therein to at least one system monitoring apparatus; and

displaying the mixed information signal at the at least one system monitoring apparatus to provide real-time monitoring information to a remote location, and wherein normal telephone operation is not interrupted during transmission of the mixed information signal at the frequency outside the audio baseband.

10. A method as defined by claim 9, further comprising the steps of:

converting the mixed information signal received by the system distributing means into an in audio baseband signal; and

transmitting the audio in baseband mixed information signal via a telephone network to a remote system monitoring apparatus.

11. A method as defined by claim 9, wherein the step of sorting, prioritizing and directing includes selectively directing any number of monitoring signals to any of a plurality of system monitoring apparatus.

12. A medical monitoring system for use within a hospital setting, comprising:

at least one patient medical monitoring apparatus for monitoring at least one aspect of a patient'"'"'s physical condition and generating at least one real-time variable signal in response thereto;

at least one station distributing means having an input electrically connected to said at least one patient medical monitoring apparatus, the station distributing means having an output being electrically coupled to a first end of a telephone line;

a system distributing means having an input electrically connected to a second end of said telephone line; and

at least one system monitoring apparatus electrically connected to an output of said system distributing means;

wherein said at least one station distributing means receives each of said at least one variable signals and generates an information signal therefrom, the station distributing means including means for modulating the information signal to a frequency outside an audio baseband, wherein said station distributing means transmits the modulated information signal over said telephone line to said system distributing means, wherein the system distributing means includes a means for detecting and demodulating the information signal, the system distributing means further including preprogrammed directing means for directing the information contained therein to said at least one system monitoring apparatus, whereby transmission of said information signal does not affect normal telephone operation.

13. A medical monitoring system as defined by claim 12, wherein a plurality of medical monitoring apparatus each form a component of the information signal and wherein the preprogrammed directing means of the system distributing means is capable of selectively directing each component of the information signal to any of a plurality of system monitoring apparatus.

14. A medical monitoring system as defined by claim 13, wherein the preprogrammed directing means of the system distributing means is a data card.

15. A medical monitoring system as defined by claim 12, wherein the station distributing means further comprises a means for encoding the information signal to include routing information for directing the information signal to any of the at least one system monitoring apparatus.

16. A medical monitoring system as defined by claim 15, wherein the routing information is in the form of one of a four digit, seven digit and ten digit code.

17. A medical monitoring system as defined by claim 16, wherein the four digit code directs the information signal to a system monitoring apparatus within the hospital;

and wherein the seven and ten digit codes direct the information signal to a telephone switching system for transmission to a system monitoring device either locally outside or a long distance from the hospital, respectively.

18. A medical monitoring system as defined by claim 12, further comprising at least one telephone electrically connected to said at least one station distributing means for normal telephone communication.

19. A medical monitoring system as defined by claim 12, wherein the system monitoring apparatus includes one of a data display, a microcomputer with a display, a facsimile device, a modem and a memory device.

20. A medical monitoring system as defined by claim 12, wherein the detecting means recognizes only out of audio baseband signals and is transparent to normal telephone communication signals.