Wireless sleep monitoring

• US 6,945,935 B1
• Filed: 03/03/2000
• Issued: 09/20/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 03/04/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Off The Dot Pty., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Anthony Corry Sasse, Jeffrey Edmond Hales, Stephen Garth Ratten
• Inventors: Sasse, Anthony Corry, Hales, Jeffrey Edmond, Ratten, Stephen Garth
• Primary Examiner(s): Hindenburg, Max F.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Astorino, Michael C
• Application Number:
  US09/914,564
• Time in Patent Office: 2,027 Days
• Field of Search: 600300-301, 600/484, 600/529, 600/534, 600/587, 600/595, 600/513, 128/204.23, 128/903, 128/904, 128/920, 340/573, 340/573.1, 340/573.4
• US Class Current: 600/300
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0022 Monitoring a patient using a global network, e.g. telephone networks, internet
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/67 for remote operation
• CPC Class Codes: G16Z 99/00 Subject matter not provided for in other main groups of this subclass
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 128/903 Radio telemetry

Abstract

The present invention provides a method and apparatus for physiological monitoring of a remote subject, the apparatus including: a base station having a transmission means for transmitting a reference signal; and a physiological monitoring probe connectable to the subject, the physiological monitoring probe having: receiver means for receiving the reference signal; monitoring means for monitoring the subject and generating a condition signal containing information related to a condition of the subject; modulation means for modulating the reference signal to produce a modulated reference signal containing the information contained in the condition signal; and passive retransmission means for passively retransmitting the modulated reference signal to the base station; wherein the base station has means for receiving the modulated reference signal, and means for demodulating the modulated reference signal to obtain the information related to a condition of the subject so that a condition of the subject can be monitored at the base station.

Claims

1. Apparatus for physiological monitoring of a remote subject including:

a base station having a transmission means for transmitting a reference signal; and

at least one physiological monitoring probe connectable to said subject, said physiological monitoring probe or probes having;

receiver means for receiving said reference signal;

monitoring means for monitoring said subject and generating a condition signal containing information related to a condition or conditions of said subject;

intermediate signal means for generating an intermediate signal derived by combining said condition signal with a fixed or varying frequency sub-carrier signal before modulating said reference signal;

modulation means for modulating said reference signal with said intermediate signal to produce a modulated reference signal containing said information contained in said condition signal; and

passive retransmission means for passively retransmitting said modulated reference signal to said base station;

wherein said base station has means for receiving said modulated reference signal, and means for demodulating said modulated reference signal to obtain said information related to one or more conditions of said subject so that at least one condition of said subject is available to be monitored at said base station, and said base station includes means for varying the frequency or phase of the reference signal so that said reference signal is a spread spectrum reference signal.

2. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said receiving means and passive retransmission means are a passive radio transponder.

3. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said monitoring means includes a physical parameter transducer.

4. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said monitoring means includes a biological electrode.

5. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said intermediate signal means is operable to convert analog and/or digital signals from the monitoring means to an intermediate signal which is used to modulate a radio frequency signal received by a passive radio transponder, so that the transponder automatically retransmits a modulated signal which contains information relating to the condition of the subject.

6. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said passive radio transponder uses a plurality of intermediate signals to modulate a radio frequency reference signal.

7. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said base station includes analog and/or digital outputs for outputting data.

8. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said base station is connectable to a computer network, and operable to receive input and output data via said computer network.

9. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1, including encryption means so that said apparatus can transmit and/or receive data in encrypted form.

10. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said condition signal includes a synchronous or an asynchronous data signal.

11. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said base station is operable to vary the frequency or phase of the reference signal by a continuously varying signal having an instantaneous value that determines the respective instantaneous frequency or phase.

12. Apparatus as claimed in claim 11 in which the continuously varying signal is derived from a Pseudo-Random Binary Sequence.

22. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said base stations is also operable to use a fixed frequency reference signal.

13. A method of physiological monitoring of a remote subject including:

transmitting a reference signal from a base station to at least one remote physiological monitoring probe connected to a subject;

varying the frequency or phase of said reference signal so that said reference signal is a spread spectrum reference signal;

monitoring said subject and generating a condition signal containing information related to a condition or conditions of a said subject;

generating an intermediate signal derived by combining said condition signal with a fixed or varying frequency sub-carrier signal;

modulating said reference signal with said intermediate signal to produce a modulated reference signal containing said information contained in said condition signal;

passively retransmitting said modulated reference signal from said biological monitoring probe to said base station; and

demodulating said modulated reference signal to obtain said information related to the condition or conditions of said subject so that the condition or conditions of said subject can be monitored at said base station.

14. A method as claimed in claim 13, wherein said intermediate signal is one of a plurality of intermediate signals, and said fixed or varying frequency sub-carrier signal is one of a plurality of sub-carrier signals, each corresponding to a respective one of said plurality of intermediate signals.

15. A method as claimed in claim 13 further including converting analog and/or digital signals from a subject monitoring means to the intermediate signal which is then used to modulate a radio frequency signal received by a passive radio transponder, whereby the transponder automatically retransmits a modulated signal containing information relating to the condition of the subject.

16. A method as claimed in claim 13, including transmitting data from said base station over a computer network, and/or inputting data over a computer network.

17. A method as claimed in claim 13, including encrypting data to be output by said base station, and/or encrypting said modulated reference signal.

18. A method as claimed in claim 13, including transmitting said condition signal as a synchronous or an asynchronous data signal.

19. A method as claimed in claim 13, including varying the frequency or phase of the reference signal by a continuously varying signal having an instantaneous value that determines the respective instantaneous frequency or phase.

20. A method as claimed in claim 19 in which the continuously varying signal is derived from a Pseudo-Random Binary Sequence.

21. A method as claimed in claim 13, wherein said method is used to monitor sleep apnoea.