Biopotential sensor electrode system

• US 6,438,413 B1
• Filed: 03/21/2000
• Issued: 08/20/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 01/31/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Integrated Biosensing Technologies
• Original Assignee: Integrated Biosensing Technologies
• Inventors: Taheri, Babak A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Shaver, Kevin
• Assistant Examiner(s): MARMOR II, CHARLES ALAN
• Application Number:
  US09/532,323
• Time in Patent Office: 882 Days
• Field of Search: 600/547, 600/502, 600/372, 600/391, 600/392, 600/395, 600/396, 607/149, 128/903
• US Class Current: 600/547
• 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 5/25 Bioelectric electrodes therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/304 Switching circuits
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 128/903 Radio telemetry

Abstract

A method and apparatus for biopotential sensing and stimulation are provided including a sensory component, a biopotential sensor electrode, and a biopotential sensory electrode system. The sensory component includes a first layer of electrically conductive material coupled among a biopotential signal source and a dielectric layer. A second layer of electrically conductive material is coupled among the dielectric layer, resistive elements, a charge balancing current source and sink, and circuits of the associated biopotential electrode. The biopotential sensor electrode includes the sensory component, conditioning components, an interface, and a power source. Stimulation components may also be included to provide stimulation signals to the biopotential signal source. The interface transfers signals to external instrumentation using wireless or wired connections. The power source includes batteries, solar cells, and telemetry power sources. The biopotential sensory electrode system includes electrode arrays and a receiver section that transfers biopotential signals among the biopotential signal source and external instrumentation and equipment. A reference link among the sensor electrodes of an array is provided by a coupling that includes current injection to a surface of the biopotential signal source, or a common wire to all electrodes.

Claims

1. A biopotential sensor electrode system for use with external instrumentation to measure a biopotential of a patient, comprising:

at least one biopotential sensor electrode coupled to at least one telemetry component, the at least one biopotential sensor electrode including at least one sensory component adapted to engage the skin of the patient and sense biopotential signals, the at least one sensory component having first and second layers of electrically conductive material and a dielectric layer disposed between the first and second layers of electrically conductive material; and

at least one receiver section comprising at least one receiver, the at least one receiver section receiving biopotential signals from the at least one telemetry component for transfer to the external instrumentation.

2. The biopotential sensor electrode system of claim 1, wherein the at least one biopotential sensor electrode further comprises:

at least one conditioning component coupled to the at least one sensory component;

at least one interface coupled to the at least one conditioning component; and

at least one power source coupled among the at least one sensory component, the at least one conditioning component, and the at least one interface.

3. The biopotential sensor electrode system of claim 1, wherein the second layer of electrically conductive material is coupled, to the at least one conditioning component using at least one component selected from a group consisting of high voltage protection circuitry, at least one bond, at least one metal layer, at least one resistive element, charge balancing circuitry, and a feedback amplifier.

4. The biopotential sensor electrode system of claim 3, wherein the at least one bond is selected from a group consisting of a permanent metallic bond and a snap connector.

5. The biopotential sensor electrode system of claim 1, wherein the first layer of electrically conductive material is coupled to the dielectric layer through a third layer of electrically conductive material and a first bond, wherein the second layer of electrically conductive material is coupled to the dielectric layer through a fourth layer of electrically conductive material and a second bond.

6. The biopotential sensor electrode system of claim 5, wherein the first bond and the second bond are selected from a group consisting of a permanent metallic bond and a snap connector.

7. The biopotential sensor electrode system of claim 6, wherein the second layer of electrically conductive material is coupled to the at least one conditioning component using at least one component selected from a group consisting of charge balancing circuitry and at least one bond.

8. The biopotential sensor electrode system of claim 7, wherein the at least one bond is selected from a group consisting of a permanent metallic bond and a snap connector.

9. The biopotential sensor electrode system of claim 2, further comprising at least one stimulation component coupled among the at least one interface and the at least one sensory component, wherein the at least one stimulation component provides stimulation signals to the skin of the patient and includes at least one component selected from a group consisting of at least one programmable current source, at least one programmable voltage source, at least one programmable generator, at least one current-to-voltage converter, and at least one transresistance amplifier.

10. The biopotential sensor electrode system of claim 2, wherein the at least one power source comprises at least one power source selected from a group consisting of at least one battery, at least one solar cell, and a telemetry power component, wherein the telemetry power component generates power in response to telemetry signals received from the external instrumentation.

11. The biopotential sensor electrode system of claim 2, further comprising at least one bidirectional multiplexer coupled to the at least one interface to transfer signals to the external instrumentation.

12. The biopotential sensor electrode system of claim 2, wherein the at least one interface is selected from a group consisting of an analog interface and a digital interface.

13. The biopotential sensor electrode system of claim 1, wherein the at least one biopotential sensor electrode includes a plurality of biopotential sensor electrodes arranged in at least one electrode array.

14. The biopotential sensor electrode system of claim 13, further comprising at least one power source coupled among the at least one biopotential sensor electrodes of the at least one electrode array.

15. The biopotential sensor electrode system of claim 13, further comprising at least one power source for each biopotential sensor electrode of the at least one electrode array.

16. The biopotential sensor electrode system of claim 3, wherein the plurality of biopotential sensor electrodes are on a single substrate.

17. The biopotential sensor electrode system of claim 3, further comprising a network coupled to the at least one electrode array and the external instrumentation, wherein the network comprises at least one network coupling selected from a group consisting of wired, wireless, and a combination of wired and wireless.

18. The biopotential sensor electrode system of claim 1, wherein the at least one telemetry component includes a telemetry receiver for receiving power from the external instrumentation.

19. The biopotential sensor electrode system of claim 1, further comprising at least one reference link coupled to the at least one biopotential sensor electrode that allows the at least one biopotential sensor electrode to be synchronized and referenced to a single potential, wherein the at least one reference link is provided by at least one coupling selected from a group consisting of a wired link, a telemetry link, and current injection to a skin surface.

20. A biopotential sensor electrode system for use with external instrumentation to measure a biopotential of a patient, comprising:

at least one biopotential sensor electrode having at least one signal transfer component and at least one sensory component coupled to the at least one signal transfer component and adapted to engage the skin of the patient and sense biopotential signals, wherein the at least one sensory component comprises,

a first layer of electrically conductive material coupled to a dielectric layer;

a second layer of electrically conductive material coupled among the dielectric layer, at least one resistive element, at least one charge balancing current source and sink, and at least one biopotential electrode circuit; and

at least one receiver section comprising at least one receiver, the at least one receiver section receiving biopotential signals from the signal;

transfer component for transfer to external instrumentation.

21. The biopotential sensor electrode system of claim 20, further comprising at least one reference link coupled to the at least one biopotential sensor electrode that allows the at least one biopotential sensor electrode to be synchronized and referenced to a single potential, wherein the at least one reference link is provided by at least one coupling selected from a group consisting of a wired link, a telemetry link, and current injection to a skin surface.

22. The biopotential sensor electrode system of claim 20, wherein the at least one biopotential sensor electrode includes a plurality of biopotential sensor electrodes arranged in at least one electrode array.

24. A biopotential sensor electrode system for use with external instrumentation to measure a biopotential of a patient, comprising:

at least one biopotential sensor electrode having at least one signal transfer component and at least one sensory component coupled to the at least one signal transfer component and adapted to engage the skin of the patient and sense biopotential signals, wherein the at least one sensory component comprises,

a first layer of electrically conductive material coupled to a dielectric layer and voltage protection circuitry;

a second layer of electrically conductive material coupled among the dielectric layer, at least one biopotential electrode circuit, and at least one charge balancing circuit; and

at least one receiver section comprising at least one receiver, the at least one receiver section receiving biopotential signals from the signal transfer component for transfer to the external instrumentation.

25. The biopotential sensor electrode system of claim 24, further comprising at least one reference link coupled to the at least one biopotential sensor electrode that allows the at least one biopotential sensor electrode to be synchronized and referenced to a single potential, wherein the at least one reference link is provided by at least one coupling selected from a group consisting of a wired link, a telemetry link, and current injection to a skin surface.

26. The biopotential sensor electrode system of claim 24, wherein the at least one biopotential sensor electrode includes a plurality of biopotential sensor electrodes arranged in at least one electrode array.

27. The biopotential sensor electrode system of claim 26, further comprising a network coupled to the at least one electrode array and the external instrumentation, wherein the network comprises at least one network coupling selected from a group consisting of wired, wireless, and a combination of wired and wireless.

28. A method for collecting biopotential signals from a patient, comprising:

transferring telemetry signals containing power signals from external instrumentation to at least one sensor electrode engaged with the skin of the patient;

generating power for the sensor electrode in response to the power signals;

receiving and conditioning biopotential signals from the skin with the sensor electrode to produce conditioned biopotential signals;

providing stimulation signals to the skin to measure the impedance of the skin; and

receiving telemetered conditioned biopotential signals at the external instrumentation.

29. The method of claim 28, where in the receiving and conditioning step includes the step of capacitively coupling the sensor electrode to the skin of the patient.

30. A computer readable medium containing executable instructions which, when executed in a processing system, causes the system to collect biopotential signals from a patient, the collection comprising:

transferring telemetry signals containing power signals from external instrumentation to at least one sensor electrode engaged with the skin of the patient;

generating power for the sensor electrode in response to the power signals;

receiving and conditioning biopotential signals from the skin with the sensor electrode to produce conditioned biopotential signals;

providing stimulation signals to the skin;

measuring the impedance of the skin; and

receiving telemetered conditioned biopotential signals at the external instrumentation.

23. The biopotential sensor electrode system of claim 30, further comprising a network coupled to the at least one electrode array and the external instrumentation, wherein the network comprises at least one network coupling selected from a group consisting of wired, wireless, and a combination of wired and wireless.

31. The computer readable medium of claim 30, wherein the collection comprises dynamically measuring the impedance of the skin.

32. An electromagnetic medium containing executable instructions which, when executed in a processing system, causes the system to collect biopotential signals from a patient, the collection comprising:

transferring telemetry signals containing power signals from external instrumentation to at least one sensor electrode engaged with the skin of the patient;

generating power for the sensor electrode in response to the power signals;

receiving and conditioning biopotential signals from the skin with the sensor electrode to produce conditioned biopotential signals;

providing stimulation signals to the skin surface to measure the impedance of the skin; and

receiving telemetered conditioned biopotential signals at the external instrumentation.

33. The electronic medium of claim 32, wherein the collection comprises providing stimulation signals to the skin surface to dynamically measure the impedance of the skin.

34. A biopotential sensor electrode system from a patient, comprising:

means for transferring telemetry signals containing power signals from external instrumentation to at least one sensor electrode engaged with the skin of the patient;

means for generating power for the sensor electrode in response to the power signals;

means for receiving and conditioning biopotential signals from the skin with the sensor electrode to produce conditioned biopotential signals;

means for providing stimulation signals to the skin surface to measure the impedance of the skin; and

means for receiving telemetered conditioned biopotential signals at the external instrumentation.

35. The biopotential electrode system of claim 34, wherein the means for providing stimulation to the skin includes means for providing stimulation signals to the skin surface to dynamically measure the impedance of the skin.