Apparatus and method for monitoring a system and displaying the status of the system

• US 6,174,283 B1
• Filed: 10/21/1996
• Issued: 01/16/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 05/09/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Albert Einstein Healthcare Network (Main Line Health System)
• Original Assignee: Albert Einstein Healthcare Network (Main Line Health System)
• Inventors: Newman, Mark, Salah, Maher, Nevo, Igal, Dagalur, Srinivas S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Nasser, Robert L.
• Application Number:
  US08/734,332
• Time in Patent Office: 1,548 Days
• Field of Search: 600/481, 600/483, 600/484, 600/513, 600/529, 600/531, 600/544, 600/545, 600/301
• US Class Current: 600/301
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0205 Simultaneously evaluating both cardiovascular conditions and different types of body conditions, e.g. heart and respiratory condition
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/63 for local operation
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 50/30 for calculating health indices; for individual health risk assessment

Abstract

An apparatus and method for monitoring a system or patient to provide information regarding the status of the system. The apparatus comprises a means of transforming measured values of more than one parameter of the system using a function dependent on at least baseline and critical values of the parameters. The apparatus further includes mapping means for mapping the function to a sequence of reference values and generating a deviation indicator for each parameter. The deviation indicators are analyzed by an analyzer to generate information concerning the status of the system or patient.

Claims

1. An apparatus for monitoring a system comprising:

a. transformation means for transforming each value of a plurality of parameters associated with the system using a function dependent on at least baseline and critical values of the parameter;

b. mapping means for mapping the function to a sequence of reference values and generating a deviation indicator for each parameter;

c. analysis means for analyzing all of the deviation indicators and generating a single system status indicator; and

d. a display means for displaying the system status indicator.

2. The apparatus as recited in claim 1 wherein the transformation means employs a function which exhibits a minimum sensitivity for deviations close to the baseline value of the parameter.

3. The apparatus as recited in claim 1 wherein the transformation means employs a sigmoid function.

4. The apparatus as recited in claim 1 wherein the display means comprises a pictorial representation of the system showing a structure associated with one of the parameters and a label identifying the structure, the label indicating a status of the parameter.

5. A method for monitoring a system comprising:

a. a transformation step for transforming each value of a plurality of parameters associated with the system using a function dependent on at least baseline and critical values of the parameter, the function exhibiting a minimum sensitivity for deviations close to the baseline value of the parameter;

b. a mapping step for mapping the function to a sequence of reference values and generating a deviation indicator for each parameter; and

c. a display step for displaying the deviation indicator for at least one of the parameters.

6. The method as recited in claim 5 wherein the display step comprises a step of displaying a pictorial representation of the system showing a structure associated with one of the parameters and a label identifying the structure, the label indicating a status of the parameter.

7. A method for monitoring a system comprising:

a. a transformation step for transforming each value of a plurality of parameters associated with the system using a function dependent on at least baseline and critical values of the parameter;

b. a mapping step for mapping the function to a sequence of reference values and generating a deviation indicator for each parameter;

c. an analysis step for analyzing all of the deviation indicators and generating a single system status indicator; and

d. a display step for displaying the systems status indicator.

8. The method as recited in claim 7 wherein the transformation step employs a function which exhibits a minimum sensitivity for deviations close to the baseline value of the parameter.

9. The method as recited in claim 7 wherein the transformation step employs a sigmoid function.

10. The method as recited in claim 7 wherein the display step comprises a step of displaying a pictorial representation of the system showing a structure associated with one of the parameters and a label identifying the structure, the label indicating a status of the parameter.

11. The method as recited in claim 7 wherein the analysis step comprises the steps of:

a. defining at least one subsystem; and

b. generating a single average deviation indicator for each subsystem.

12. The method as recited in claim 11 further comprising a second display step for displaying the average deviation indicator for each subsystem.

13. The method as recited in claim 12 wherein the second display step comprises a step of displaying a pictorial representation of the system showing a structure associated with one of the subsystems and a label identifying the structure, the label indicating a status of the subsystem.

14. A method for monitoring a system comprising:

a. a transformation step for transforming each value of a sensor associated with the system using a function dependent on at least baseline and critical values of the sensor;

b. a mapping step for mapping the function to a sequence of reference values and generating a deviation indicator for each sensor;

c. an analysis step for analyzing all of the deviation indicators and generating a single system status indicator; and

d. a display step for displaying the system status indicator.

15. The method as recited in claim 14 wherein the analysis step comprises the steps of:

a. defining at least one sensor; and

b. generating a single average deviation indicator for each sensor.

16. The method as recited in claim 15 further comprising a second display step for displaying the average deviation indicator for each sensor.

17. The method as recited in claim 16 wherein the second display step comprises a step of displaying a pictorial representation of the system showing a structure associated with one of the sensors and a label identifying the structure, the label indicating a status of the sensor.

18. An apparatus for monitoring a system comprising:

a. transformation means for transforming each value of a plurality of parameters associated with the system using a function dependent on at least baseline and critical values of the parameter;

b. mapping means for mapping the function to a sequence of reference values and generating a deviation indicator for each parameter; and

c. analysis means for analyzing all of the deviation indicators and generating a single average deviation indicator.

19. The apparatus as recited in claim 18 wherein the transformation means employs a function which exhibits a minimum sensitivity for deviations close to the baseline value of the parameter.

20. The apparatus as recited in claim 18 further comprising a plurality of sensors operative to measure the values of the parameters.

21. The apparatus as recited in claim 18 further comprising a display means for displaying the average deviation indicator.

22. An apparatus for monitoring a system comprising:

a. transformation means for transforming each value of a plurality of parameters associated with the system using a function dependent on at least baseline and critical values of the parameter;

b. mapping means for mapping the function to a sequence of reference values and generating a deviation indicator for each parameter; and

c. analysis means for analyzing all of the deviation indicators and generating a single system criticality indicator.

23. The apparatus as recited in claim 22 wherein the transformation means employs a function which exhibits a minimum sensitivity for deviations close to the baseline value of the parameter.

24. The apparatus as recited in claim 22 further comprising a plurality of sensors operative to measure the values of the parameters.

25. The apparatus as recited in claim 22 further comprising a display means for displaying the system criticality indicator.

26. An apparatus for monitoring a patient comprising:

a. transformation means for transforming each value of a plurality of medical parameters associated with the patient using a function dependent on at least baseline and critical values of the medical parameter;

b. mapping means for mapping the function to a sequence of reference values and generating a deviation indicator for each medical parameter; and

c. analysis means for analyzing all of the deviation indicators and generating a single average deviation indicator.

27. An apparatus for monitoring a patient comprising:

a. transformation means for transforming each value of a plurality of medical parameters associated with the patient using a function dependent on at least baseline and critical values of the medical parameter;

b. mapping means for mapping the function to a sequence of reference values and generating a deviation indicator for each medical parameter; and

c. analysis means for analyzing all of the deviation indicators and generating a single patient criticality indicator.

28. A method for monitoring a system comprising:

a. a transformation step for transforming each value of a plurality of parameters associated with the system using a function dependent on at least baseline and critical values of the parameter;

b. a mapping step for mapping the function to a sequence of reference values and generating a deviation indicator for each parameter; and

c. an analysis step for analyzing all of the deviation indicators and generating a single average deviation indicator.

29. The method as recited in claim 28 wherein the transformation step employs a function which exhibits a minimum sensitivity for deviations close to the baseline value of the parameter.

30. The method as recited in claim 28 further comprising a step of displaying the average deviation indicator.

31. The method as recited in claim 28 wherein the analysis step comprises the steps of:

a. defining at least one subsystem; and

b. generating an average deviation indicator for each subsystem.

32. A method for monitoring a system comprising:

a. a transformation step for transforming each value of a plurality of parameters associated with the system using a function dependent on at least baseline and critical values of the parameter;

b. a mapping step for mapping the function to a sequence of reference values and generating a deviation indicator for each parameter; and

c. an analysis step for analyzing all of the deviation indicators and generating a single criticality indicator.

33. The method as recited in claim 32 wherein the transformation step employs a function which exhibits a minimum sensitivity for deviations close to the baseline value of the parameter.

34. The method as recited in claim 32 wherein the transformation step employs a sigmoid function.

35. The method as recited in claim 32 further comprising a step of displaying the system criticality indicator.

36. The method as recited in claim 32 wherein the analysis step comprises the steps of:

a. defining at least one subsystem; and

b. generating a criticality indicator for each subsystem.

37. A method for monitoring a patient comprising:

a. a transformation step for transforming each value of a plurality of medical parameters associated with the patient using a function dependent on at least baseline and critical values of the medical parameter, the function exhibiting a minimum sensitivity for deviations close to the baseline value of the parameter;

b. a mapping step for mapping the function to a sequence of reference values and generating a deviation indicator for each medical parameter; and

c. an analysis step for analyzing all of the deviation indicators and generating a single average deviation indicator.

38. A method for monitoring a patient comprising:

a. a transformation step for transforming each value of a plurality of medical parameters associated with the patient using a function dependent on at least baseline and critical values of the medical parameter;

b. a mapping step for mapping the function to a sequence of reference values and generating a deviation indicator for each medical parameter; and

c. an analysis step for analyzing all of the deviation indicators and generating a single patient criticality indicator.