Personal status physiologic monitor system and architecture and related monitoring methods

• US 7,515,043 B2
• Filed: 06/19/2006
• Issued: 04/07/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 03/21/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Welch Allyn Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Welch Allyn Incorporated
• Inventors: Sampath, Anand, Welch, James P., Williams, Daniel L., Baker, Steven D., Guilak, Farzin G.
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen; Hung T.
• Application Number:
  US11/455,329
• Publication Number:
  US 20070069887A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,023 Days
• Field of Search: 340/539.12, 340/539.1, 340/539.11, 340/539.13, 340/539.19, 340/539.26, 340/573.1, 340/825.36, 340/825.49, 340/825.69, 600/300, 600/301, 128/903, 128/920
• US Class Current: 340/539.12
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2505/01 Emergency care
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2560/0209 adapted for power saving
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/0219 Inertial sensors, e.g. accelerometers, gyroscopes, tilt switches
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/002 Monitoring the patient using a local or closed circuit, e.g. in a room or building A61B5/0017 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0024 for multiple sensor units attached to the patient, e.g. using a body or personal area network
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/01 Measuring temperature of body parts ; Diagnostic temperature sensing, e.g. for malignant or inflamed tissue clinical contact thermometers G01K13/20
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1113 Local tracking of patients, e.g. in a hospital or private home
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/113 occurring during breathing
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/145 Measuring characteristics of blood in vivo, e.g. gas concentration, pH value; Measuring characteristics of body fluids or tissues, e.g. interstitial fluid, cerebral tissuemeasuring of blood pressure or blood flow A61B5/02; non-radiation detecting or locating of foreign bodies in blood A61B5/06
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1455 using optical sensors, e.g. spectral photometrical oximeters
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/318 Heart-related electrical modalities, e.g. electrocardiography [ECG]
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/332 Portable devices specially adapted therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7232 involving compression of the physiological signal, e.g. to extend the signal recording period
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/04 responsive to non-activity, e.g. of elderly persons G08B21/06 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/0446 worn on the body to detect changes of posture, e.g. a fall, inclination, acceleration, gait
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/0453 worn on the body to detect health condition by physiological monitoring, e.g. electrocardiogram, temperature, breathing detecting, measuring or recording for diagnostic purposes A61B5/00
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 10/65 stored on portable record carriers, e.g. on smartcards, RFID tags or CD
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/63 for local operation
• 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

Abstract

A method for communicating data using at least one network linking at least one respondent device with at least one monitoring device, said method comprising the steps of: continuously measuring at least one physiologic parameter for purposes of detecting a predetermined event using said at least one monitoring device; operating said network in an off state in which said network is off except for the periodic transmission of patient status data while said network is in a first operative state wherein said predetermined event has not occurred and transmitting said measured data along said at least one said network in a second state when said predetermined event has occurred.

Claims

1. A method for communicating data over a network linking at least one respondent device with at least one battery-powered patient monitoring device, said method comprising the steps of:

continuously measuring at least one physiologic parameter for purposes of detecting a predetermined event using said at least one monitoring device;

storing continuously measured physiological parameter data into memory of said monitoring device;

operating said network in a quiet state in which said patient monitoring device transmits a periodic wireless beacon in order to continually maintain connectivity state with said at least one respondent device in which said predetermined event has not occurred; and

transmitting said measured and stored data over said network in an active state only after said predetermined event has occurred, thereby saving battery power of said patient monitoring device.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein connectivity is established over said network between an intermediary device and said patient monitoring device and between said intermediary device and said at least one respondent device, respectively.

3. A method according to claim 2, including the step of linking said intermediary device and said patient monitoring device over a first network and said intermediary device and said at least one respondent device over a second network.

4. A method according to claim 2, wherein said intermediary device transmits a periodic wireless beacon to establish connectivity with said at least one respondent device.

5. A method according to claim 4, wherein the period of said wireless beacon between said intermediary device and said at least one respondent device is not identical to the period of said wireless beacon function of said patient monitoring device.

6. A method according to claim 2, wherein said intermediary device is body-worn.

7. A method according to claim 2, including the additional step of processing said sensor data at said patient monitoring device prior to transmission to determine if said predetermined event has occurred.

8. A method according to claim 7, including the additional step of further processing received data from said patient monitoring device at said intermediary device prior to transmission to said at least one respondent device to verify said predetermined event has occurred.

9. A method according to claim 8, wherein said intermediary device transmits said data to said at least one respondent device only if predetermined event has been verified during said additional processing step.

10. A method according to claim 8, including a server that receives data transmitted from said intermediary device prior to said at least one respondent device, said method including the additional step of further processing data received from said intermediary device prior to transmitting said data to said at least one respondent device to verify said predetermined event has occurred.

11. A method according to claim 8, including the step of providing a first level of signal processing at said patient monitoring device and a higher level of signal processing at said intermediary device.

12. A method according to claim 1, wherein said predetermined event includes a threshold of at least one physiologic parameter.

13. A method according to claim 1, wherein said patient monitoring device is body worn.

14. A method according to claim 1, wherein a portion of said continuously measured data is included in said periodic beacon.