Electronic patient monitor with automatically configured alarm parameters

• US 6,544,200 B1
• Filed: 08/31/2001
• Issued: 04/08/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 08/31/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bed-Check Corporation (Stanley Black & Decker, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Bed-Check Corporation (Stanley Black & Decker, Inc.)
• Inventors: Smith, Toby E., Cooper, Craig L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Winakur, Eric F.
• Assistant Examiner(s): McCrosky, David J.
• Application Number:
  US09/944,622
• Time in Patent Office: 585 Days
• Field of Search: 600/300, 600/301, 600/587, 600/595, 340/573.1, 340/573.4, 340/573.5, 340/286.06, 340/286.07, 340/666, 340/667, 340/310.01, 340/310.06, 340/310.07, 340/552
• US Class Current: 600/595
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2560/0242 adapted to measure environmental factors, e.g. temperature, pollution
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1117 Fall detection
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6887 mounted on external non-worn devices, e.g. non-medical devices
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6892 Mats
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/0446 worn on the body to detect changes of posture, e.g. a fall, inclination, acceleration, gait
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/0461 integrated or attached to an item closely associated with the person but not worn by the person, e.g. chair, walking stick, bed sensor

Abstract

There is provided herein an electronic patient monitor that is suitable for use with a variety of different sensors and which automatically configures itself depending on the sensor that is used and/or the environment in which the electronic monitor is placed. In a first preferred embodiment, the electronic monitor determines whether it is being used on a bed or a chair by sensing whether or not a nurse call connector is present. If such a connector is plugged into the monitor, the unit will assume that it is being used with a sensor that has been placed on a bed and will configure its internal parameters appropriately. Such configuration would include changing a delay time to provide for longer delays before sounding an alarm than would be used with a chair monitor.

Claims

1. An electronic patient monitor for detecting a state of a patient and for generating an alarm in response to a change in the state of the patient, wherein said generated alarm has at least one modifiable operating parameter associated therewith, comprising:

(a) a patient sensor, said patient sensor positionable to be placed proximate to the patient and responsive to the state of the patient;

(b) an environmental sensor, said environmental sensor at least for sensing at least one value of an environmental quantity;

(c) program memory, said program memory at least containing a plurality of computer instructions stored therein;

(d) a speaker at least for sounding said generated alarm in response to the change in the state of said patient; and

,

(e) a microprocessor in electronic communication with said patient sensor, with said environmental sensor, with said speaker, and with said program memory, said microprocessor for executing said plurality of computer instructions and for responding to said patient sensor and said environmental sensor at least according to said computer instructions, wherein said plurality of computer instructions at least include

(d1) a first plurality of computer instructions for obtaining from said environmental sensor a value representative of said at least one environmental quantity,

(d2) a second plurality of computer instructions for automatically modifying said at least one modifiable alarm operating parameter according to said obtained value representative of said at least one environmental quantity,

(d3) a third plurality of computer instructions for monitoring said patient sensor to detect said change in the state of the patient, and,

(d4) a fourth plurality of computer instructions for initiating said alarm at least according to said modifiable alarm operating parameter through said speaker upon the detection of said change in the state of the patient.

2. An electronic patient monitor according to claim 1, wherein said environmental sensor is integral to said patient sensor.

3. An electronic patient monitor according to claim 1, wherein said patient sensor is a pressure sensitive mat.

4. An electronic patient monitor according to claim 3,

wherein said environmental sensor is for determining whether said electronic patient monitor is in electrical communication with a nurses station, and

wherein said environmental quantity is representative of whether said electronic patient monitor is in electrical communication with the nurses station.

5. An electronic patient monitor according to claim 4, wherein at least one of said at least one modifiable operating parameters is an exit delay time and wherein said plurality of computer instructions at least include instructions that change said exit delay time depending on whether said electronic patient monitor is in electrical communication with the nurses station.

6. An electric patient monitor according to claim 5, wherein said second plurality of computer instructions at least include instructions that automatically increase said exit delay time depending on whether said electronic patient monitor is in electrical communication with the nurses station.

7. An electronic patient monitor according to claim 1, wherein said environmental quantity is representative of ambient light near the patient and wherein said environmental sensor is selected from a group consisting of a photovoltaic circuit, a photodiode, a phototransistor, a photo resistor, a CCD camera and a digital camera.

8. An electronic patient monitor according to claim 1, wherein at least one of said at least one modifiable operating parameters is an alarm volume and wherein said computer instructions at least include instructions that change said alarm volume depending on said value of said environmental quantity.

9. An electronic patient monitor according to claim 1, wherein said environmental sensor is chosen from a group consisting of a clock circuit, a real-time clock, and a date/time chip.

10. A method of monitoring a state of a patient, wherein is provided the apparatus of claim 1, comprising the steps of:

(a) determining from said patient sensor an initial state of the patient;

(b) determining from said environmental sensor an environmental value representative of a state of the patient environment;

(c) automatically determining a value of at least one of said at least one modifiable alarm operating parameters based at least on least said value representative of the state of the patient environment;

(d) determining a current state of the patient from said patient sensor;

(e) repeating step (d) until said current state of the patient is different from said initial state of the patient;

(f) determining whether to signal an alarm depending at least on said current state of the patient; and

,

(g) signaling an alarm condition using at least said speaker if it is so determined in step (f), wherein said signaled alarm condition is according to the determined value of said modifiable alarm operating parameter.

11. A method of monitoring a state of a patient according to claim 10, wherein step (e) comprises:

(e1) repeating steps (b) and (d) until either said current state of the patient is different from said initial state of the patient or until said state of the patient environment changes, and,

wherein step (f) comprises;

(f1) determining whether to signal an alarm depending at least on said current state of the patient and said environmental value representative of the state of the patient environment.

12. A method of monitoring a state of a patient according to claim 11, wherein is provided a user defined set point associated with said environmental quantity, step (f) comprises:

(f1) determining whether to signal an alarm depending on at least said current state of the patient, said environmental value representative of the state of the patient environment, and said set point.

13. An electronic patient monitor according to claim 1, wherein said modifiable operating parameters are selected from a group consisting of an exit delay time, an alarm volume, and an alarm type.

14. A method of monitoring a state of a patient using an electronic patient monitor, comprising the steps of:

(a) determining from a patient sensor an initial state of the patient;

(b) determining from an environmental sensor a state of the patient environment;

(c) automatically setting an alarm parameter value based at least on said patient environment state;

(d) determining a current state of the patient from said patient sensor;

(e) repeating step (d) until said current state of the patient is different from said initial state of the patient;

(f) determining whether to signal an alarm depending at least on said current state of the patient; and

,

(g) signaling an alarm according to said alarm parameter value if it is so determined in step (f).

15. A method of monitoring a state of a patient using an electronic patient monitor according to claim 14, wherein said environmental sensor of step (b) is an electrical circuit for determining whether said electronic patient monitor is in electrical communication with a nurses station.

16. A method of monitoring a state of a patient using an electronic patient monitor according to claim 15, wherein step (c) comprises the step of:

(c1) determining an exit delay time based at least on whether said electronic patient monitor is in electrical communication with the nurses station, and,

wherein step (f) comprises the steps of;

(f1) determining a length of time since said current state of the patient differed from said initial state of the patient, and,

(f2) sounding an alarm if said determined length of time is greater than said exit delay time.

17. A method of monitoring a state of a patient according to claim 14, wherein step (e) comprises:

(e1) repeating steps (b) and (d) until either said current state of the patient is different from said initial state of the patient or until said state of the patient environment changes.

18. A method of continuously monitoring a state of a patient, comprising the steps of:

(a) providing a patient sensor proximate to the patient, said patient sensor being responsive to the state of the patient;

(b) providing an electronic patient monitor in electrical communication with said patient sensor;

(c) determining an initial state of the patient using said electronic patient monitor and said patient sensor;

(d) providing an environmental sensor proximate to the patient, said environmental sensor measuring an environmental quantity different from the state of the patient and said environmental sensor being in electrical communication with said electronic patient monitor;

(e) using said electronic patient monitor and said environmental sensor to determine a state of the patient environment;

(f) automatically setting at least one alarm response parameter value based on at least said state of the patient environment;

(g) determining a current state of the patient from said patient sensor;

(h) repeating step (g) until said current state of the patient is different from said initial state of the patient; and

,

(i) automatically sounding an alarm, depending at least on any alarm response parameter values so set, if said current state of the patient is different from said initial state of the patient.

19. A method according to claim 18, wherein said environmental sensor measures a plurality of environmental quantities different from the state of the patient.

20. A method according to claim 18,

wherein said environmental sensor is for determining whether said electronic patient monitor is in electrical communication with an AC power source, and,

wherein exit delay time is a response parameter, and

wherein step (f) comprises the steps of:

(f1) choosing a value for said exit delay time depending on whether said electronic patient monitor is in electrical communication with an AC power source.

21. A method according to claim 20, wherein said exit delay time value is set to a value approximately equal to zero if said electronic patient monitor is not in electrical communication with an AC power source.

22. An electronic patient monitor, comprising:

(a) a patient sensor, said patient sensor positionable to be placed proximate to the patient and responsive to a state of the patient;

(b) an electronic sensor, said sensor at least for determining whether said monitor is in electrical communication with a nurses station or with an AC power source;

(c) program memory, said program memory containing a plurality of computer instructions stored therein, wherein

(c1) said computer instructions define at least a portion of said alarm response of said electronic patient monitor to the state of the patient,

(c2) said computer instructions include at least one modifiable alarm parameter value which defines at least a portion of said patient monitor alarm response to the state of the patient, and,

(c3) at least a portion of said instructions are for automatically modifying at least one of said at least one modifiable alarm parameter values according to whether said patient monitor is in electrical communication with the nurses station or with the AC power source;

(d) a microprocessor in electronic communication with said patient sensor, with said environmental sensor, and with said program memory, said microprocessor at least for executing said computer instructions and for responding to said patient sensor at least according to said computer instructions and said value of said at least one modifiable alarm parameter values; and

,

(e) a speaker in electronic communication with said microprocessor and responsive thereto, said speaker at least for signaling a change in the state of said patient.

23. An apparatus according to claim 22, wherein said patient sensor is selected from a group consisting of a pressure sensitive bed mat, a pressure sensitive chair mat, a wetness sensor, an incontinence sensor, and a proximity switch.

24. An apparatus according to claim 22, wherein at least one of said at least one modifiable parameter values is an exit delay time.

25. An apparatus according to claim 22, wherein at least one of said at least one modifiable parameter values is an alarm siren type.

26. An apparatus according to claim 22, wherein at least one of said at least one modifiable parameters values is an alarm volume.