Medical emergency response and locating system

• US 6,292,687 B1
• Filed: 09/11/2000
• Issued: 09/18/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 05/25/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Physio-Control Incorporated (Stryker Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Dewitt James Lowell, Rulon R. Dahl
• Inventors: Lowell, DeWitt James, Dahl, Rulon R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Getzow, Scott M.
• Application Number:
  US09/658,080
• Time in Patent Office: 372 Days
• Field of Search: 607/5, 607/6, 607/32, 600/515, 600/518
• US Class Current: 600/515
• 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: A61B 5/1112 Global tracking of patients, e.g. by using GPS
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6824 Arm or wrist
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3904 External heart defibrillators [EHD]

Abstract

An emergency response system for detecting, locating, and responding to a predetermined medical emergency, such as sudden cardiac arrest/sudden cardiac death, in a person being sensed for the predetermined emergency, and wherein the medical emergency can be treated with portable medical equipment, such as an AED machine for treating cardiac arrest/sudden cardiac death, includes a reader worn by the person being sensed for reading a dysfunction indicating the existence or imminent existence of the emergency condition and a sensor for determining when an emergency condition is read and producing an alarm signal. A processor activates a personal alarm at the location of the person suffering the emergency, now the victim, which indicates the emergency and the victim'"'"'s location to those in the victim'"'"'s immediate area. The processor also transmits an alarm signal to an alarm indicator on the portable medical equipment to alert anyone in the immediate area of the equipment, an emergency response person, that a victim is in immediate need of such equipment. Preferably, the alarm signal includes location signals which indicate the location of the victim to direct the emergency response person with the equipment to the victim. The processor preferably also transmits or causes transmission of an alarm signal to a remote emergency response center which receives the alarm and dispatches an emergency response person or emergency response team to the victim. Again, location information in or with the alarm signal directs the emergency response person to the location of the victim. The invention provides a closed loop system, i.e., victim emergency, transmission of alarm signal and location information to an emergency response person, and response by an emergency response person to the victim.

Claims

1. An emergency response system for detecting locating, and responding to a person in a cardiac arrest/sudden cardiac death condition, comprising:

a sensor to detect a cardiac arrest/sudden cardiac death condition in a person being sensed;

processor circuitry responsive to the sensor to produce an alarm signal;

a personal alarm responsive to the alarm signal to indicate to an emergency response person the cardiac arrest/sudden cardiac death condition in the person being sensed and to provide an indication at the location of the person being sensed to identify the person being sensed and that person'"'"'s location;

at least one automatic external defibrillator (AED) machine, wherein the at least one AED machine includes an AED alarm indicator associated with the at least one AED machine; and

a transmitter for transmitting the alarm signal from the processor circuitry to the AED alarm indicator to indicate to an emergency response person that a person is in need of the AED machine and that such emergency response person should take the AED machine and find the person being sensed in need of such machine.

2. An emergency response system according to claim 1, wherein the personal alarm produces an audio signal at the location of the person being sensed.

3. An emergency response system according to claim 2, wherein the audio signal includes spoken words relating to the person'"'"'s condition.

4. An emergency response system according to claim 1, wherein the personal alarm produces a visual signal at the location of the person being sensed.

5. An emergency response system according to claim 1, wherein the personal alarm is worn by the person being sensed.

6. An emergency response system according to claim 1, wherein the AED alarm indicator provides an audio alarm.

7. An emergency response system according to claim 1, wherein the processor circuitry obtains location indicating signals which indicate the location of the person being sensed and the transmitter transmits such location indicating signals with the alarm signals, and the AED alarm indicator includes location indicating means responsive to the transmitted location indicating signals to provide an indication of the sensed person'"'"'s location to the emergency response person taking the AED machine.

8. An emergency response system according to claim 7, wherein the location indicating signals are global positioning satellite (GPS) signals received by the processor circuitry at the location of the person being sensed, and the AED alarm indicator location indicating means provides location information obtained from the GPS signals to the emergency response person.

9. An emergency response system according to claim 8, wherein a receiver to receive transmitted alarm and location indicating signals from the transmitter is located at at least one emergency response center to alert the at least one emergency response center to send an emergency response person to the person being sensed.

10. An emergency response system according to claim 9, wherein the location indicating signals include signals received by the processor circuitry from at least one local transmitter in the vicinity of the person being sensed transmitting location information, and the GPS signals supplement such location information obtained from the at least one local transmitter.

11. An emergency response system according to claim 10, additionally including a location processor unit responsive to the alarm signal transmitted by the transmitter to retransmit the alarm and location signals.

12. An emergency response system according to claim 11, wherein the retransmission of the alarm and location signals includes retransmission through an existing communication system.

13. An emergency response system according to claim 10, wherein the at least one local transmitter is a plurality of transmitters positioned in different locations within an area, each with a unique address indicating its individual position in the area, and wherein the location indicating signals include the unique address of one of the local transmitters.

14. An emergency response system according to claim 13, wherein respective local transmitters of the plurality of local transmitters are positioned in different rooms of a building.

15. An emergency response system according to claim 13, wherein the local transmitters transmit location signals in response to enquiry signals from the processor circuitry.

16. An emergency response system according to claim 7, wherein the location indicating signals are signals received by the processor circuitry from at least one local transmitter in the vicinity of the person being sensed transmitting location information.

17. An emergency response system according to claim 16, wherein the at least one local transmitter is a plurality of transmitters positioned in different locations within an area, each with a unique address indicating its individual position in the area, and wherein the location indicating signals include the unique address of one of the local transmitters.

18. An emergency response system according to claim 17, wherein respective local transmitters of the plurality of local transmitters are positioned in different rooms of a building.

19. An emergency response system according to claim 18, wherein the local transmitters transmit location signals in response to enquiry signals from the processor circuitry.

20. An emergency response system according to claim 18, additionally including a location processor unit responsive to the alarm signal transmitted by the transmitter to retransmit the alarm and location signals.

21. An emergency response system according to claim 20, wherein the retransmission of the alarm and location signals includes retransmission through an existing communication system.

22. An emergency response system according to claim 1, additionally including an alarm reset operable by the person being sensed to stop operation of the alarm.

23. An emergency response system according to claim 22, additionally including delay means for delaying operation of the transmitter for a period of time after operation of the personal alarm sufficient to allow operation of the reset means, if desired, before transmission of the alarm signal.

24. An emergency response system according to claim 1, additionally including a transmitter for transmitting the alarm signal to a remote location wherein the processor obtains location, indicating signals which indicate the location of the person being sensed and the transmitter transmits such location signals with the alarm signals, and wherein a receiver to receive transmitted alarm and location signals from the transmitter is located at at least one emergency response center to alert the at least one emergency response center to send an emergency response person to the person being sensed.

25. An emergency response system according to claim 24, wherein the location indicating signals are global positioning satellite (GPS) signals received by the processor circuitry at the location of the person being sensed, and the receiver at the emergency response center provides sensed person location information obtained from the GPS signals to the emergency response person.

26. An emergency response system according to claim 25, wherein location indicating signals include signals received by the processor circuitry from at least one local transmitter in the vicinity of the person being sensed transmitting location information and such location information supplements the location information obtained from the GPS signals.

27. An emergency response system according to claim 24, wherein the location indicating signals are signals received by the processor circuitry from at least one local transmitter in the vicinity of the person being sensed transmitting location information.

28. An emergency response system according to claim 1, additionally including means allowing access to the person being sensed upon activation of the alarm.

29. An emergency response system according to claim 28, wherein the means allowing access to the person being sensed unlatches any doors which may restrict access to the person being sensed.

30. An emergency response system according to claim 1, additionally including means to turn on lights at the location of the person beings sensed upon activation of the alarm.

31. An emergency response system according to claim 1, additionally including a second alarm responsive to the alarm signal to be carried by a selected emergency response person to immediately alert the selected emergency response person of the sensed cardiac arrest/sudden cardiac death condition in the person being sensed.

32. An emergency response system according to claim 1, wherein the person being sensed is an animal.

33. An emergency response system according to claim 1, wherein both the personal alarm and the AED alarm include audio alarms, wherein both the personal alarm and the AED alarm have first and second volume settings, the second volume setting of each being of lesser volume than the first volume setting of each, and additionally including means activating the personal alarm initially at its second volume setting and the AED alarm at its first volume setting, and, when the AED machine is taken by the emergency response person, the AED alarm switches to its second volume setting and the personal alarm switches to its first volume setting.

34. An emergency response system for detecting, locating, and responding to a person in a cardiac arrest/sudden cardiac death condition, comprising:

a sensor to detect a cardiac arrest/sudden cardiac death condition in a person being sensed;

processor circuitry responsive to the sensor to produce an alarm signal;

a personal alarm responsive to the alarm signal to indicate to an emergency response person the cardiac arrest/sudden cardiac death condition in the person being sensed and to provide an indication at the location of the person being sensed to identify the person being sensed and that person'"'"'s location;

a plurality of local transmitters positioned in different locations within an area in the vicinity of the person being sensed, each with a unique address indicating its individual position in the area and each transmitting such address information;

a transmitter for transmitting the alarm signal to a remote location along with a location indicating signal which indicates the location of the person being sensed, and wherein the location indicating signals include the unique address of one of the local transmitters and global positioning satellite (GPS) signals received by the processor circuitry at the location of the person being sensed; and

a receiver to receive transmitted alarm and location signals from the transmitter located at at least one emergency response center to alert the at least one emergency response center to send an emergency response person to the person being sensed, said receiver providing sensed person location information obtained from the local transmitter unique address and from GPS signals to the emergency response person.

35. An emergency response system according to claim 34, wherein respective local transmitters of the plurality of local transmitters are positioned in different rooms of a building.

36. An emergency response system according to claim 34, wherein the local transmitters transmit location signals in response to enquiry signals from the processor circuitry.

37. An emergency response system according to claim 34, additionally including a location processor unit responsive to the alarm signal transmitted by the transmitter to retransmit the alarm and location signals.

38. An emergency response system according to claim 37, wherein the retransmission of the alarm and location signals includes retransmission through an existing communication system.

39. An emergency response system according to claim 34, additionally including an alarm reset operable by the person being sensed to stop operation of the alarm.

40. An emergency response system according to claim 34, wherein the unique address of one of the local transmitters included in the location indicating signal is received from the local transmitter by the processor circuitry.

41. An emergency response system for detecting, locating, and responding to a person in a cardiac arrest/sudden cardiac death condition, comprising:

a sensor to detect a cardiac arrest/sudden cardiac death condition in a person being sensed;

processor circuitry responsive to the sensor to produce an alarm signal;

a personal alarm responsive to the alarm signal to indicate to an emergency response person the cardiac arrest/sudden cardiac death condition in the person being sensed and to provide an indication at the location of the person being sensed to identify the person being sensed and that person'"'"'s location;

a plurality of local transmitters positioned in different locations within an area in the vicinity of the person being sensed, each with a unique address indicating its individual position in the area and each transmitting such address information;

a transmitter for transmitting the alarm signal to a remote location along with a location indicating signal which indicates the location of the person being sensed, and wherein the location indicating signals include the unique address of one of the local transmitters; and

a receiver to receive transmitted alarm and location signals from the transmitter located at at least one emergency response center to alert the at least one emergency response center to send an emergency response person to the person being sensed.

42. An emergency response system according to claim 41, wherein respective local transmitters of the plurality of local transmitters are positioned in different rooms of a building.

43. An emergency response system according to claim 41, wherein the local transmitters transmit location signals in response to enquiry signals from the processor circuitry.

44. An emergency response system according to claim 41, additionally including an alarm reset operable by the person being sensed to stop operation of the alarm.

45. An emergency response system according to claim 44, additionally including delay means for delaying operation of the transmitter for a period of time after operation of the personal alarm sufficient to allow operation of the reset means, if desired, before transmission of the alarm signal.

46. An emergency response system according to claim 41, wherein the unique address of one of the local transmitters included in the location indicating signal is received from the local transmitter by the processor circuitry.

47. An emergency response system according to claim 41, additionally including a location processor unit responsive to the alarm signal transmitted by the transmitter to retransmit the alarm and location signals.

48. An emergency response system according to claim 47, wherein the retransmission of the alarm and location signals includes retransmission through an existing communication system.