Portable system with telemetric data transmission for the measurement of metabolic parameters

• US 6,206,837 B1
• Filed: 12/17/1998
• Issued: 03/27/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 05/27/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Paolo Brugnoli
• Original Assignee: Paolo Brugnoli
• Inventors: Brugnoli, Paolo
• Primary Examiner(s): Hindenburg, Max
• Assistant Examiner(s): Natnithithadha, Navin
• Application Number:
  US09/202,528
• Time in Patent Office: 831 Days
• Field of Search: 600/529, 600/531, 600/532, 600/533, 600/538, 600/484, 600/301, 600/300, 600/508
• US Class Current: 600/529
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0002 Remote monitoring of patients using telemetry, e.g. transmission of vital signals via a communication network A61B5/07 takes precedence; transmission systems for measured values G08C; transmission H04B; transmission of digital information H04L; wireless communication networks H04W
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/02438 with portable devices, e.g. worn by the patient
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/083 Measuring rate of metabolism by using breath test, e.g. measuring rate of oxygen consumption
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/09 using an element rotated by the flow toys actuated by air current A63H33/40
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6803 Head-worn items, e.g. helmets, masks, headphones or goggles

Abstract

A portable system for the measurement of the metabolic parameters of an individual, athlete or patient, in real conditions of physical activity, using a “breath by breath” technique. The portable system includes a portable unit (1) that has a reduced weight and dimensions, and is fixed to the body of the individual by means of an anatomic harness (2) during the test, a turbine flowmeter (3-4-8) applied at the mouth of the individual through an anatomic face mask (6-7-8), a heart rate monitor belt (10), a rechargeable battery (11) for supplying the system, and a receiver unit (12) that is connected to a personal computer (14) by RS232 connection (13), allowing the receipt and display of the measurement in real time on the screen.

The portable unit includes a fast CO₂ analyzer, an intrinsically slow oxygen analyzer, whose output signal is elaborated in order to obtain a response time short enough to allow the accurate measurements on a “breath by breath” basis, a microprocessor, a memory for data storage, a UHF transmitter, an LCD display, and a keyboard.

The receiver unit includes a UHF receiver module and an interface for the connection to the personal computer.

The flowmeter is a bidirectional turbine (3) and an optoelectronic reader that, based on the infrared interruption technique, detects the rotations of a blade and consequently the volumes ventilated by the individual.

Claims

1. A portable system for breath-by-breath measurement of metabolic parameters of an individual, having telemetric data transmission and storage for later analysis, said portable system comprising:

a bidirectional turbine flowmeter comprising a turbine, an optoelectronic reader, and an aerodynamic cover,

a portable unit,

wherein said portable unit is transported by the individual during a test, is fixed to an anatomic harness, and is provided with an internal pump that samples continuously a fraction of expired breath through a sampling line connected near the mouth of the individual, bringing gas into an analyzer (O₂ and CO₂) to provide a measurement of oxygen and carbon dioxide concentrations, while electrical signals coming from said turbine flowmeter are elaborated to provide a measurement of the volumes of air ventilated by the individual;

a detector circuit which receives magnetic pulses transmitted by a heart monitor belt to provide a heart rate; and

wherein all acquired signals are elaborated by a microprocessor incorporated in the portable unit, transmitted to a receiver unit, and stored in an internal non-volatile memory for transference after the test to a personal computer for result analysis purposes;

wherein said flowmeter is manufactured so that the ventilated air passing through the turbine, the turbine having two elycoidal conveyors, causes the turbine to rotate, proportional for its intensity to the flow and for its spin to the direction of the breath (inspiration/expiration);

wherein a blade, free to rotate on an axis parallel to the flow and perpendicular to the conveyors, assumes a rotations whose spin and intensity are measurable through interruptions of rays transmitted by three infrared diode emitters, and received by as many receiving phototransistors;

wherein the pulsed signals coming from the optoelectronic reader are acquired by the portable unit and elaborated; and

wherein the aerodynamic cover, axed to the front side of the flowmeter, is intended to avoid that, when the individual is moving during the test, the measurement of the ventilation is affected by the air entering the floweter;

a face mask, connected to the flowmeter, manufactured with antiallergenic material, and having two inspiratory valves for reducing inspiratory resistance and for helping to eliminate sweat from the face of the individual, is fixed to the individual by means of an anatomic head cap;

a battery unit that supplies the portable unit, fixed to the rear side of the harness so that weights are balanced;

a heart monitor belt, having two electrodes to detect the electrical signals generated by the heart on the skin of the individual, and an electronic circuit that amplifies the signals and transforms the signals into magnetic pulses corresponding to each beat, wherein these pulses can be detected by the portable unit wireless; and

a receiver unit that receives the results of the measurements transmitted by the portable unit via telemetric communication, wherein this data, although transmitted, is stored in the non-volatile memory of the portable unit and can be transferred to the personal computer once the test is completed.

2. A portable system according to claim 1, wherein the expired gas of the individual is sampled by the line connected at the output of the flowmeter, while a miniaturized pump provides for necessary depression to let the gas samples pass through the oxygen and carbon dioxide analyzers in series, in the pneumatic circuit, which continuously detect concentrations of O₂ and CO₂, while the output signals are converted in numeric format and elaborated by the microprocessor.

3. A portable system according to claim 1, wherein the pulses coming from the flowmeter are counted in order to obtain the measurement of the volume, and the width of the pulses is measured for flow calculation.

4. A portable system according to claim 1, wherein a detector probe, consisting of a coil and a conditioning circuit, detects the magnetic pulses transmitted by the heart rate belt, and provides electrical pulses which, counted by the microprocessor, allow calculation of the heart rate.

5. A portable system according to claim 1, wherein all the operating procedures carried out during normal use of the system including calibration, configuration, and test execution, are managed by at least one or two mode with the first including means for activating keys of a keyboard and controlling messages prompted by an LCD display and the second including means for sending comments by a personal computer.

6. A portable system according to claim 1, wherein the results of the measurements of the test are stored in a non-volatile memory (flash memory), and transmitted through an on board transmitter to the receiver unit, connected to a personal computer to allow an operator to control in real time the metabolic response of the individual under test.

7. A portable system according to claim 1, wherein the elaboration of the oxygen concentration signal, coming from a slow response time analyzer, speeds up dynamic response so as to obtain a response time lower than 130 msec.

8. A portable system for breath-by-breath measurement of metabolic parameters of an individual, having telemetric data transmission and storage for later analysis, said portable system comprising:

a bidirectional turbine flowmeter comprising a turbine, an optoelectronic reader, and an aerodynamic cover,

a portable unit,

wherein said portable unit, by way of an anatomic support, is transported by the individual during a test, and is provided with an internal pump that samples continuously a fraction of expired breath through a sampling line connected near the mouth of the individual, bringing gas into an analyzer to provide a measurement of oxygen and carbon dioxide concentrations, while electrical signals coming from said turbine flowmeter are elaborated to provide a measurement of the volumes of air ventilated by the individual,

a heart rate detector circuit for monitoring a heart rate and generating a heart rate signal for use in an analysis of the metabolism parameters of the individual; and

wherein all acquired signals are elaborated by a microprocessor incorporated in the portable unit for telemetric data transmission and storage for a later analysis option;

wherein said flowmeter is manufactured so that the ventilated air passing through the turbine cause the turbine to rotate proportional for its intensity to the flow and for its spin to the direction of the breath (inspiration/expiration);

wherein rotation characteristics of a rotating component of said turbine are measured by said optoelectronic reader, and pulsed signals coming from the optoelectronic reader are acquired by the portable unit and elaborated;

wherein the aerodynamic cover is positioned to avoid that, when the individual is moving during the test, the measurement of the ventilation is affected by the air entering said flowmeter;

a face mask for directing expired breath to said flowmeter;

a battery unit for powering the portable unit; and

a receiver unit that receives the results of the measurements transmitted by the portable unit via telemetric communication, wherein this data, although transmitted, is also stored in a non-volatile memory of the portable unit and can be transferred to a personal computer once the test is completed.

9. A portable system according to claim 8, wherein the expired gas of the individual is sampled by the line connected at the output of the flowmeter, while a miniaturized pump provides for necessary depression to let the gas samples pass through the oxygen and carbon dioxide analyzers in series, in the pneumatic circuit, which continuously detect concentrations of O₂ and CO₂, while the output signals are converted into a format for elaboration by the microprocessor.

10. A portable system according to claim 8, wherein pulses coming from the flowmeter are counted in order to obtain the measurement of the volume, and a width of the pulses is measured for flow calculation.

11. A portable system according to claim 8, further comprising a heart monitor belt and wherein a detector probe, consisting of a coil and a conditioning circuit, detects the magnetic pulses transmitted by the heart rate belt of said, and provides electrical pulses which, counted by the microprocessor, allow calculation of the heart rate.

12. A portable system according to claim 8, wherein the results of the measurements of the test are stored in a non-volatile memory (flash memory), and transmitted through an on board transmitter to the receiver unit, connected to a personal computer to allow an operator to control in real time the metabolic response of the individual under test.

13. A portable system according to claim 8, wherein the elaboration of the oxygen concentration signal, coming from a slow response time analyzer, speeds up dynamic response so as to obtain a response time to a level that provides for breath by breath measurement.

14. A portable system according to claim 13 wherein the response time is lower than 130 msec.