Integrated patient diagnostic and identification system

• US 7,423,526 B2
• Filed: 06/16/2005
• Issued: 09/09/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 01/29/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: George J. Despotis
• Original Assignee: George J. Despotis
• Inventors: Despotis, George J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Bugg; George A
• Assistant Examiner(s): Tang; Son M
• Application Number:
  US11/153,941
• Publication Number:
  US 20080030346A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,181 Days
• Field of Search: 340/539.11, 340/539.12, 340/539.23, 340/572.9, 340/573.4, 340/517, 600300-306, 600/323, 600/382, 600/500, 600/504
• US Class Current: 340/539.12
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/2434 Tag housing and attachment details
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/02 Alarms for ensuring the safety of persons

Abstract

A small integrated diagnostic and identification system is disclosed that solves several problems associated with current sensory systems. The diagnostic and identification system comprises a bracelet with an identification mechanism that is difficult to remove and has a lock. Further, the diagnostic and identification bracelet comprises a microprocessor which communicates with various physiologic sensors wherein said physiological sensors are substantially within said bracelet. Alternatively some of the sensors may be mounted outside the bracelet and means are provided for communicating data from the outside mounted sensors to the bracelet. The physiologic sensors either routinely, automatically monitor an individual'"'"'s physiology or monitor the physiology based on a user request. The resulting physiology data from each sensor is combined via a single output and displayed on a display device. The present invention may be integrated with a record management system to share and store an individual'"'"'s records.

Claims

1. A diagnostic and identification bracelet comprising, in combination,

a substantially toroidal band;

a re-useable lock which joins two ends of said band;

an identification mechanism on a face of said band;

a plurality of physiologic sensors connected to said band;

said identification bracelet being difficult to remove without selectively unlocking said lock wherein said selectively unlocking the lock comprises automatically unlocking the lock based on pre-determined physiologic sensor data, wherein said data is related to a swollen appendage.

2. A diagnostic and identification bracelet as in claim 1, wherein said identification mechanism comprises a name tag.

3. A diagnostic and identification bracelet as in claim 1, wherein said identification mechanism comprises a bar code.

4. A diagnostic and identification bracelet as in claim 1, wherein each one of said physiologic sensors operates independently of the other physiologic sensors.

5. A diagnostic and identification bracelet as in claim 1, wherein at least one of said physiologic sensors comprises a heart rate monitor.

6. A diagnostic and identification bracelet as in claim 1, wherein at least one of said physiologic sensors comprises a pulse oximeter.

7. A diagnostic and identification bracelet as in claim 1, wherein at least one of said physiologic sensors comprises a temperature monitor.

8. A diagnostic and identification bracelet as in claim 1, wherein at least one of said physiologic sensors comprises a proximity sensor to measure the proximity of said diagnostic and identification bracelet to an extremity of a patient.

9. A diagnostic and identification bracelet as in claim 1, wherein said physiologic sensors monitor physiology based on a user prompt.

10. A diagnostic and identification bracelet as in claim 1, wherein said physiologic sensors automatically monitor physiology at a pre-defined interval.

11. A diagnostic and identification bracelet as in claim 1, wherein said selectively unlocking the lock comprises using a key.

12. A diagnostic and identification bracelet as in claim 1, wherein each of said physiologic sensors comprises an individual display.

13. A diagnostic and identification bracelet as in claim 1 further comprising a microprocessor.

14. A diagnostic and identification bracelet as in claim 1, wherein said physiologic sensors can operate in conjunction with at least one other sensor.

15. A diagnostic and identification bracelet as in claim 12, wherein said physiologic sensors comprise a single output.

16. A diagnostic and identification bracelet as in claim 1 further comprising a memory.

17. A diagnostic and identification system comprising, in combination,

a substantially circular band;

a re-useable lock which is formed by the combination of two ends of said band;

an identification mechanism attached to a face of said band;

a plurality of physiologic sensors on said band;

a microprocessor within said band coupled to said physiologic sensors and further coupled to a memory within said band;

a display device independent from said band to view the output of said physiologic sensors;

said band being difficult to remove without selectively unlocking said lock wherein said selectively unlocking the lock comprises automatically unlocking the lock based on pre-determined physiologic sensor data, wherein said data is related to a swollen appendage.

18. A diagnostic and identification system as in claim 17, wherein said identification mechanism comprises a name tag.

19. A diagnostic and identification system as in claim 17, wherein said identification mechanism comprises a bar code.

20. A diagnostic and identification system as in claim 17, wherein at least one of said physiologic sensors comprises a heart rate monitor.

21. A diagnostic and identification system as in claim 17, wherein at least one of said physiologic sensors comprises a pulse oximeter.

22. A diagnostic and identification system as in claim 17, wherein at least one of said physiologic sensors comprises a temperature monitor.

23. A diagnostic and identification system as in claim 17, wherein at least one of said physiologic sensors comprises a proximity sensor to measure the proximity of said diagnostic and identification bracelet to an extremity of a patient.

24. A diagnostic and identification system as in claim 17, wherein said physiologic sensors monitor physiology based on a user indication.

25. A diagnostic and identification system as in claim 17, wherein said physiologic sensors automatically monitor physiology at a pre-defined interval.

26. A diagnostic and identification system as in claim 17, wherein said selectively unlocking the lock comprises using a key.

27. A diagnostic and identification system as in claim 17, further comprising a record management system.

28. A diagnostic and identification system as in claim 27, wherein said diagnostic and identification bracelet routinely, automatically communicates with said record management system.

29. A diagnostic and identification system as in claim 27, wherein said diagnostic and identification bracelet communicates with said record management system based on a user indication.

30. A diagnostic and identification system as in claim 29, wherein said diagnostic and identification bracelet is capable of retrieving data from said record management system.