Wearable vital sign monitoring system

• US 6,102,856 A
• Filed: 02/12/1998
• Issued: 08/15/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 02/12/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Biowatch Medical, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Clarence P. Groff, Paul L. Mulvaney
• Inventors: Mulvaney, Paul L, Groff, Clarence P
• Primary Examiner(s): O'Connor, Cary
• Assistant Examiner(s): Natnithithadha, Navin
• Application Number:
  US09/022,422
• Time in Patent Office: 915 Days
• Field of Search: 600/300, 600/301, 340/573, 128/920, 128/903, 128/904
• US Class Current: 600/301
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0022 Monitoring a patient using a global network, e.g. telephone networks, internet
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/02055 Simultaneously evaluating both cardiovascular condition and temperature
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1112 Global tracking of patients, e.g. by using GPS
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/113 occurring during breathing
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1455 using optical sensors, e.g. spectral photometrical oximeters
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/332 Portable devices specially adapted therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6831 Straps, bands or harnesses
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/67 for remote operation
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 128/903 Radio telemetry

Abstract

The present invention is a wearable vital sign monitor. The device is worn preferably about the chest just below the pectoral muscles and monitors at least the following: ECG data, respiration rate, oxygen uptake, pulse rate, and body temperature. These data are collected and analyzed to determine if there is a deviation from the wearer'"'"'s normal condition, which the device learns. If there is, the device sends a signal to a remote central facility to be received by an attendant who is capable of ascertaining whether the abnormal condition is in fact a warning sign of an adverse health condition. If necessary, the attendant can communicate by voice with the wearer. Optionally, the attendant can locate the wearer, assuming that the wearer is unable to speak, using a ground positioning satellite (GPS) locating system. Finally, the device is capable of producing periodic reports of the recorded data.

Claims

1. A vital sign monitoring system, comprising:

a skin-engaging unit carrying

vital sign sensor means for acquiring vital sign data about a user\said vital sign sensor means having an output, and

means responsive to said output of said vital sign sensor means for collecting and storing said vital sign data,

means in operative connection with said collecting and storing means for analyzing said vital sign data to detect anomalous vital sign conditions, wherein said analyzing means detects normal vital sign conditions from statistical analysis of vital sign data,

means for transmitting signals from said unit when anomalous vital sign conditions are detected by said analyzing means, and

means for receiving voice signals transmitted to said unit.

2. The vital sign monitoring system as recited in claim 1, further comprising means for locating the ground position of said unit, said transmitting means transmitting said ground position from said unit.

3. The vital sign monitoring system as recited in claim 1, wherein said transmitting means can transmit in voice and data mode from said unit.

4. The vital sign monitoring system as recited in claim 1, wherein said skin engaging unit is adapted to encircle the chest of a user.

5. The vital sign monitoring system as recited in claim 1, wherein said vital sign sensor means is selected from the group consisting of an electrocardiogram sensor, a respiratory sensor, an oxymetry sensor, and combinations thereof.

6. The vital sign monitoring system as recited in claim 1, wherein said transmitting means transmits data summaries of vital sign data from said unit.

7. A vital sign monitoring system, comprising:

a central facility having a receiver and a transmitter; and

a skin-engaging unit remote from said central facility and carrying

vital sign sensor means for acquiring vital sign data from a user said vital sign sensor means producing an output, and

means responsive to said output of said vital sign sensor means for collecting and storing said vital sign data,

means in operative connection with said collecting and storing means for analyzing said vital sign data to detect anomalous vital sign conditions and normal vital sign conditions, wherein said analyzing means determines normal and anomalous vital sign conditions from statistical analysis of vital sign data,

transmitter for transmitting signals from said unit to said receiver of said central facility, said transmitter transmitting said signals when anomalous vital sign conditions are detected by said analyzing means; and

receiver for receiving voice signals transmitted to said unit from said transmitter of said central facility.

8. The vital sign monitoring system as recited in claim 7, further comprising means for locating the ground position of said unit.

9. The vital sign monitoring system as recited in claim 7, wherein said transmitting means can transmit in voice and data mode.

10. The vital sign monitoring system as recited in claim 7, wherein said anomalous vital sign conditions are vital sign data that exceed by at least one standard deviation vital sign data of normal vital sign conditions.

11. The vital sign monitoring system as recited in claim 7, wherein said skin engaging unit is adapted to encircle the chest of a user.

12. The vital sign monitoring system as recited in claim 7, wherein said vital sign sensor means is selected from the group consisting of a temperature sensor, an electrocardiogram sensor, a respiratory sensor, an oxymetry sensor, and combinations thereof.

13. The vital sign monitoring system as recited in claim 7, wherein said transmitter of said unit transmits data summaries from said unit to said receiver at said central facility.

14. The vital sign monitoring system as recited in claim 7, wherein said receiver and transmitter of said unit are a cellular telephone having voice mode so that said user can talk to said central facility.

15. The vital sign monitoring system as recited in claim 7, wherein said receiver and transmitter of said unit are a cellular telephone having voice mode and data mode so that said user can talk to said central facility and said unit can transmit vital sign data.

16. A method for monitoring vital signs, said method comprising the steps of:

sensing vital sign data of an individual;

collecting and storing said vital sign data;

analyzing said collected and stored data to detect nominal an anomalous vital sign conditions;

transmitting a signal to a remote central facility in the event an anomalous vital sign condition is detected; and

enabling voice communication between said user and said central facility.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising the step of transmitting ground position information to said central facility.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein said vital signs are selected from the group consisting of body temperature, respiration, oxymetry data, electrocardiogram data, and combinations thereof.

19. The method of claim 16, wherein said sensing step further comprises placing a sensor in engagement with the skin of the chest of the user just below the pectoral muscles.