Network formatting for remote location oximetry applications

• US 6,985,762 B2
• Filed: 07/02/2002
• Issued: 01/10/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 09/26/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Cipherlaw, Fisher Rainey Hudson, Datex-Ohmeda Incorporated (General Electric Company)
• Original Assignee: Datex-Ohmeda Incorporated (General Electric Company)
• Inventors: Galbiati, James, Van Hoy, Gilbert, Brashears, Michael K., Newcomb, David L., Dessel, Tricia, Gonzales, Charles
• Primary Examiner(s): WINAKUR, ERIC FRANK
• Application Number:
  US10/190,888
• Publication Number:
  US 20040102687A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,288 Days
• Field of Search: 600/300, 600/301, 600/310, 600/322, 600/323, 600/324, 600/333, 128/903, 128/904, 358/400, 358/403, 358/434, 715/522
• US Class Current: 600/323
• 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 5/14551 for measuring blood gases
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/14552 Details of sensors specially adapted therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/742 using visual displays A61B5/339 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/67 for remote operation
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 128/904 Telephone telemetry

Abstract

The present invention provides an apparatus and method for formatting data from a pulse oximetry monitoring device to include display layout information for use by a remotely located display unit. In this regard, the remotely located display unit is in data communication with the pulse oximetry through a communications network. The data communications network may be an analog network such as a telephony network or a digital network such as the internet. In any case, upon receiving the pulse oximetry data, a remote display device may utilize the display layout information to provide an output of the monitored data. This output may be a visual display or a hard copy output.

Claims

1. An apparatus for outputting patient data for receipt by a remote host, comprising:

a photoplethysmographic sensor which monitors a patient and generates analog data corresponding to a plurality of illumination signals detected by said sensor;

an analog-to-digital converter which converts at least a portion of said analog data received from said sensor;

a memory for storing digital data received from said analog-to-digital converter;

a blood oxygen content generator for generating at least a first set of medical parameters related at least in part to blood oxygen saturation values from said digital data received from said analog-to-digital converter;

a processor in communication with said memory and said blood oxygen generator being operative to format said set of medical parameters into formatted data for transfer to a remote host, wherein said formatted data defines, in addition to said set of medical parameters, at least one display layout of said set of medical parameters for at least a first output at said remote host;

a network interface for transmission of said formatted data across a communication network to said remote host.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said processor formats said set of medical parameters into an ASCII data format type for transfer to said remote host.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said network interface provides access to a telephony communications network for transmission of said formatted data.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein said network interface further includes:

a digital-to-analog converter for converting said formatted data into an analog signal for transmission to a remote host via said telephony communications network, wherein said set of medical parameters in said formatted data are output according to said display layout of said formatted data.

5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein said formatted data defines a display layout for a printed output at said remote host.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein said formatted data defines a display layout for use with a facsimile machine.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said set of medical parameters includes at least one of:

a blood oxygen concentration, a perfusion index, a pulse rate, blood carbon dioxide concentration, and methemoglobin concentration.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said formatted data further includes at least one of a patient'"'"'s name, hospital name, doctor'"'"'s name, date, time of test, lowest blood analyte level, highest blood analyte level, lowest pulse rate, highest pulse rate, high pulse rate duration, low pulse rate duration, recording duration, low blood analyte level duration, sensor off alarm, no sensor alarm, pulsatility value, blood analyte concentration value, blood analyte concentration by range, blood analyte concentration histogram, blood analyte concentration event chart, and average blood analyte concentration.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

a user input operatively associated with said processor for inputting selections regarding said set of medical parameters to be formatted.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said at least one display layout defined for said set of medical parameters includes layout information for at least one of graphical information associated with at least one parameter of said set of medical parameters and textual information associated with at least one parameter of said medical parameters.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein said layout information for each said parameter includes at least one of display location, display size, display color, and display font for said at least one output.

12. An apparatus for receiving monitored patient data via a communications network, comprising:

a network interface for receiving formatted photoplethysmographic data across a communication network, wherein said formatted photoplethysmographic data contains at least a first set of medical parameters formatted with at least one set of display layout information for use in providing an output of said set of medical parameters;

a processor associated with said network interface operative to receive said formatted data and separate said medical parameters from said display layout information; and

an output device in communication with said processor, wherein said output device produces a display output of at least one of said set of medical parameters according to said display layout information.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein said network interface comprises a modem selectively attachable to a telephony communications network.

14. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein said formatted data comprises data formatted according to an ASCII data format.

15. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein said output device comprises a facsimile operable to print at least one of said set of medical parameters according to said display layout information.