Disposable electro-cardiogram transmitter device and electrode node placement facilitator

• US 6,567,680 B2
• Filed: 02/02/2001
• Issued: 05/20/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 02/02/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Medical Data Electronics, Inc. (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Original Assignee: Medical Data Electronics (Thermo Fisher Scientific Incorporated)
• Inventors: Carr, Roy Seizo, Swetlik, Donald Edward, Costello, Bibiano Patao, Dilworth, Michael Carl
• Primary Examiner(s): COHEN, LEE S
• Application Number:
  US09/776,324
• Publication Number:
  US 20020107435A1
• Time in Patent Office: 837 Days
• Field of Search: 600/382, 600/386, 600/350-353, 600/509, 128/903
• US Class Current: 600/382
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2560/0412 Low-profile patch shaped housings
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0006 ECG or EEG signals
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/282 Holders for multiple electrodes for introduction into the body A61B5/287
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 128/903 Radio telemetry

Abstract

Disposable electro-cardiogram (ECG) transmitter device and a facilitator for proper placement of electro-cardiogram electrode nodes on a body, such as a human body. The device includes a substrate, integral non-replaceable battery and encapsulated waterproof electronics, and at least one data relay conduit integrally disposed on the substrate and capable of operative contact with a human body. Another embodiment includes a human-shaped or other anatomically shaped substrate and at least one data relay conduit integrally disposed on the human-shaped substrate and capable of operative contact with said human body. In this way, data relay conduits may be more easily and properly placed on the human body by placing the conduits at locations corresponding to their human-shaped substrate locations.

Claims

1. An electro-cardiogram transmitter device to facilitate proper placement of at least one electro-cardiogram electrode node on a human body, said device comprising:

a human-shaped substrate; and

at least one data relay conduit integrally disposed on said human-shaped substrate and capable of operative contact with said human body.

2. The device of claim 1, said substrate further comprising:

a head portion, a left-arm portion, a right-arm portion, a left-leg portion, a right-leg portion and a torso portion wherein said head, left-arm, right-arm, left-leg and right-leg portions are integrally disposed on said torso portion in the substantial shape and configuration of a human body.

3. The device of claim 2, wherein said at least one data relay conduit is integrally disposed on at least one predetermined location on at least one of said portions and wherein said data relay conduit collects and transmits data corresponding to bodily functions of said human body.

4. The device of claim 3 wherein said data relay conduit having at least one contact-pad integrally disposed on said conduit for operative contact with said human body.

5. The device of claim 4 wherein said predetermined location corresponds to a substantially proximate corresponding location on said human body for attachment of said contact pad.

6. The device of claim 5, said contact-pad having a self-adhesive engaging mechanism for engaging said human body.

7. The device of claim 6, wherein said self-adhesive engaging mechanism having a removable protective outer covering wherein said covering is removed prior to engaging said human-body.

8. The device of claim 3, wherein data relay conduit is an electrode lead wire.

9. The device of claim 4 further comprising:

at least one antenna unit and at least one predetermined transmission frequency, said antenna unit configured for transmission of data relayed by said data relay conduit to at least one remote receiving source at said transmission frequency.

10. The device of claim 9, wherein said remote receiving source is an electro-cardiogram machine.

11. The device of claim 9 further comprising:

at least one removable frequency selection key having said predetermined transmission frequency stored therein wherein said antenna unit to retrieve said stored frequency and perform said transmission at said frequency.

12. The device of claim 11 wherein said frequency selection key is a programmable frequency selection key.

13. The device of claim 9 wherein said predetermined transmission frequency is determined at the manufacturing time of said device.

14. The device of claim 9 further comprising:

at least one communication interface unit to relay said predetermined transmission frequency from a remote source to said device wherein said antenna unit to perform said transmission at said frequency.

15. The device of claim 14 wherein said communication interface unit is an infrared communication unit.

16. The device of claim 9 further comprising:

at least one of an expansion port and recording button disposed on said human-shaped substrate, said expansion port capable of receiving an external module having operation instruction for said device, and said recording button to effectuate recording of said relayed data.

17. The device of claim 4 further comprising:

at least one non-replaceable, non-rechargeable power unit to supply operating power for a predetermined time to said device wherein said power unit is attached to said substrate.

18. The device of claim 17 wherein said power unit is a battery.

19. The device of claim 4 further comprising:

at least one remote power unit to supply operating power to said device wherein said power unit is remotely connected to said substrate.

20. The device of claim 4 further comprising:

at least one indicator device to indicate at least one of a heart beat of said human body and operating condition of said device.

21. The device of claim 20, wherein said indicator device is a light-emitting diode.

22. A method for facilitating proper placement of at least one electro-cardiogram electrode node on a human body, said method comprising:

fastening to said human body a human-shaped substrate having at least one node integrally disposed on the human-shaped substrate at an anatomical location, said node capable of operative contact with said human body at one end; and

positioning said end of said node at a predetermined location on said human body wherein said predetermined location substantially corresponds to said anatomical location on said substrate.

23. The method of claim 22 wherein said substrate is substantially flexible.

24. The method of claim 23, said fastening further comprising:

flexing said flexible substrate to substantially conform to a contour of said anatomical location on said human body.

25. The method of claim 22, wherein said node collecting and transmitting data corresponding to bodily functions of said human body.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein said node is an electrode lead wire.

27. A disposable electro-cardiogram transmitter device comprising:

a substrate;

at least one data relay conduit integrally disposed on said substrate and capable of operative contact with a human body; and

at least one antenna unit integrally disposed on said data relay conduit and at least one predetermined transmission frequency, said antenna unit configured for transmission of data relayed by said data relay conduit to at least one remote receiving source at said transmission frequency.

28. The device of claim 27, wherein said substrate is substantially flexible.

29. The device of claim 27, wherein said data relay conduit collects and transmits data corresponding to bodily functions of said human body.

30. The device of claim 27, wherein said data relay conduit comprises at least one contact-pad integrally disposed on said conduit for operative contact with said human body.

31. The device of claim 30, said contact-pad having a self-adhesive engaging mechanism for engaging said human body.

32. The device of claim 31, wherein said self-adhesive engaging mechanism having a removable protective outer covering wherein said covering is removed prior to engaging said human-body.

33. The device of claim 27, wherein said data relay conduit is an electrode lead wire.

34. The device of claim 27, wherein said remote receiving source is an electro-cardiogram machine.

35. The device of claim 27, further comprising:

at least one non-replaceable, non-rechargeable power unit to supply operating power to said device wherein said power unit is attached to said substrate.

36. The device of claim 27, further comprising:

at least one remote power unit to supply operating power to said device wherein said power unit is remotely connected to said substrate.

37. The device of claim 35 wherein said power unit is a battery.

38. The device of claim 27, further comprising:

at least one securing mechanism to secure said substrate to at least one of said human body and a clothing gown worn by said human body.

39. The device of claim 38 wherein said securing mechanism is an adhesive connection mechanism.

40. The device of claim 38 wherein said securing mechanism is a fastener mechanism having a fastener loop for securing said device.

41. The device of claim 27, further comprising:

at least one indicator device to indicate at least one of a heart beat of said human body and operating condition of said device.

42. The device of claim 41 wherein said indicator device is a light-emitting diode.

43. The device of claim 27, further comprising:

at least one removable frequency selection key having said predetermined transmission frequency stored therein wherein said antenna unit to retrieve said stored frequency and perform said transmission at said frequency.

44. The device of claim 43 wherein said frequency selection key is a programmable frequency selection key.

45. The device of claim 27, wherein said predetermined transmission frequency is determined at the manufacturing time of said device.

46. The device of claim 27, further comprising:

at least one communication interface unit to relay said predetermined transmission frequency from a remote source to said device wherein said antenna unit to perform said transmission at said frequency.

47. The device of claim 46 wherein said communication interface unit is an infrared communication unit.

48. The device of claim 27, further comprising:

at least one of an expansion port and recording button disposed on said substrate, said expansion port is capable of receiving an external module having operation instruction for said device, and said recording button to effectuate remote recording of said relayed data.

49. The device of claim 27, further comprising:

encapsulated electronics and power source disposed on said substrate for purposes of waterproofing.

50. An electro-cardiogram transmitter device to facilitate proper placement of at least one electro-cardiogram electrode node on a human body, said device comprising:

a human-shaped substrate comprising a head portion, a left-arm portion, a right-arm portion, a left-leg portion, a right-leg portion and a torso portion wherein said head, left-arm, right-arm, left-leg and right-leg portions are integrally disposed on said torso portion in the substantial shape and configuration of a human body;

at least one data relay conduit integrally disposed on said human-shaped substrate and capable of operative contact with said human body, said at least one data relay conduit integrally disposed on at least one predetermined location on at least one of said portions and wherein said data relay conduit collects and transmits data corresponding to bodily functions of said human body, said data relay conduit having at least one contact-pad integrally disposed on said conduit for operative contact with said human body; and

at least one antenna unit integrally disposed on said data relay conduit and at least one predetermined transmission frequency, said antenna unit configured for transmission of data relayed by said data relay conduit to at least one remote receiving source at said transmission frequency.

51. An electro-cardiogram transmitter device to facilitate proper placement of at least one electro-cardiogram electrode node on a human body, said device comprising:

a human-shaped substrate comprising a head portion, a left-arm portion, a right-arm portion, a left-leg portion, a right-leg portion and a torso portion wherein said head, left-arm, right-arm, left-leg and right-leg portions are integrally disposed on said torso portion in the substantial shape and configuration of a human body;

at least one data relay conduit integrally disposed on said human-shaped substrate and capable of operative contact with said human body, said at least one data relay conduit integrally disposed on at least one predetermined location on at least one of said portions and wherein said data relay conduit collects and transmits data corresponding to bodily functions of said human body, said data relay conduit having at least one contact-pad integrally disposed on said conduit for operative contact with said human body; and

at least one securing mechanism to secure said substrate to at least one of said human body and a clothing gown worn by said human body.

52. The device of claim 51, wherein said securing mechanism is an adhesive connection mechanism.

53. The device of claim 51, wherein said securing mechanism is a fastener mechanism having a fastener loop for securing said device.