Programmable wireless electrode system for medical monitoring

• US 6,987,965 B2
• Filed: 10/22/2002
• Issued: 01/17/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 04/18/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: LifeSync Corporation
• Original Assignee: Motorola, Inc. (Motorola Solutions, Inc.)
• Inventors: Olson, William L., Lopez, Salvador, Ng, Richard, Khair, Mohammad, Ghaem, Sanjar
• Primary Examiner(s): Tran, Cong Van
• Application Number:
  US10/277,284
• Publication Number:
  US 20030040305A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,183 Days
• Field of Search: 455/418, 455/419, 455/502, 455/426, 455/456, 455/9, 455/12.1, 455/13, 455/426.1, 455/427, 455/73, 375/219, 375/220, 340/870.16, 340/870.11, 600508-509
• US Class Current: 455/419
• 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: A61B 5/6833 Adhesive patches
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/05 for implantation or insertion into the body, e.g. heart electrode A61N1/06 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/125 involving control of end-device applications over a network
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/14 using intermediate storage
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 60/00 Affiliation to network, e.g. registration; Terminating affiliation with the network, e.g. de-registration
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/02 Selection of wireless resources by user or terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/02 Terminal devices

Abstract

A wireless, programmable system for bio-potential signal acquisition (e.g., electrocardiogram (ECG) data) includes a base unit and a plurality of individual wireless, remotely programmable transceivers that connect to patch electrodes. The base unit manages the transceivers by issuing registration, configuration, data acquisition, and transmission commands using wireless techniques. Bio-potential signals from the wireless transceivers are demultiplexed and supplied via a standard interface to a conventional monitor for display.

Claims

1. A base unit for a plurality of wireless, programmable transceivers each adapted to attach to a patch electrode for placement on the surface of a patient'"'"'s body, comprising:

a transceiver module including an antenna for wireless communication in transmit and receive directions between said base unit and said wireless, programmable transceivers, said wireless communication from said plurality of wireless, programmable transceivers to said base unit occurring in a plurality of discrete time slots in a single frequency channel;

an encoder/decoder coupled to said antenna;

a computing platform and a memory, said computing platform performing error correction, processing information in control messages and data in digitized signals from said encoder/decoder;

a demultiplexer demultiplexing received data from said plurality of wireless, programmable transceivers assemblies in said plurality of discrete time slots;

a digital to analog converter for converting received, demultiplexed digital signals from said plurality of wireless, programmable transceivers assemblies into analog signals; and

an interface supplying said analog signals to a monitor for display.

2. The base unit of claim 1, wherein said base unit transmits a global time base signal to said plurality of wireless programmable transceivers, said global time base signal for synchronizing the timing of transmission of data acquired by said wireless programmable transceivers to said base unit in said discrete time slots in said single frequency channel.

3. The base unit of claim 1, wherein said base unit transmits a frequency selection command message to said wireless programmable transceivers, said wireless programmable transceivers responsively selecting a common frequency channel for transmission of acquired data to said base unit in said discrete time slots in said selected common frequency channel.

4. The base unit of claim 1, wherein said base unit executes an initialization program comprising:

scanning a receive channel list and selecting an unused frequency if transmissions are not detected or selecting a first frequency if transmissions are detected;

transmitting registration data on a default programming channel and instructing the wireless programmable transceivers to transmit on predetermined channel and time slots;

indicating to a user any wireless programmable transceivers which are not registered; and

instructing the wireless programmable transceivers to receive commands on a different programming channel.

5. The base unit of claim 1, wherein said base unit transmits programming data to said wireless programmable transceivers, said programming data comprising an electrode identifier and an electrode position identifier associated with a position in which said wireless programmable transceivers is to be located on a patient.

6. The base unit of claim 5, further comprising a display displaying position information programmed to said plurality of wireless programmable transceivers.

7. The base unit of claim 1, wherein said base unit implements an initialization routine comprising:

sending a programming command to a first one of the wireless programmable transceivers on a default channel and repeating the sending if no response is received or transmitting programming data to the first one of the wireless programmable transceivers if a response is received;

instructing the first one of the wireless programmable transceivers to wait;

displaying position information for the first one of the wireless programmable transceivers; and

repeating sending, instructing and displaying for a second one of the wireless programmable transceivers.

8. The base unit of claim 1, further comprising a programming initialization interface for contacting said wireless programmable transceivers for transmission of programming commands to said wireless programmable transceivers.

9. The base unit of claim 1, wherein said wireless transceivers communicate with said base unit in a Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) communication format.