Method and apparatus for monitoring dynamic systems using n-dimensional representations of critical functions

• US 7,603,631 B2
• Filed: 05/07/2004
• Issued: 10/13/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 12/07/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: University of Utah Research Foundation (State of Utah)
• Original Assignee: University of Utah Research Foundation (State of Utah)
• Inventors: Gondeck-Becker, Debra, Bermudez, Julio C., Westenskow, Dwayne R., Foresti, Stefano, Agutter, James
• Primary Examiner(s): KE, PENG
• Application Number:
  US10/840,835
• Publication Number:
  US 20040210850A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,985 Days
• Field of Search: 715848-852, 715/700, 715/764, 715/771, 715/772, 715/961, 715/970, 600/485, 434262-275, 345/419
• US Class Current: 715/848
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/00 Measuring for diagnostic purposes radiation diagnosis A61B6/00; diagnosis by ultrasonic, sonic or infrasonic waves A61B8/00; Identification of persons
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0205 Simultaneously evaluating both cardiovascular conditions and different types of body conditions, e.g. heart and respiratory condition
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 50/20 for computer-aided diagnosis, e.g. based on medical expert systems
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 50/50 for simulation or modelling of medical disorders
• CPC Class Codes: G16Z 99/00 Subject matter not provided for in other main groups of this subclass

Abstract

A method, system and apparatus for the monitoring, diagnosis and evaluation of the state of a dynamic system is disclosed. This method and system provides the processing means for receiving sensed and/or simulated data, converting such data into a displayable object format and displaying such objects in a manner such that the interrelationships between the respective variables can be correlated and identified by a user. This invention provides for the rapid cognitive grasp of the overall state of a critical function with respect to a dynamic system. The system provides for displayed objects which change in real-time to show the changes of the functions of the system. It is a highly flexible system which works with a wide variety of applications, including biological systems, environmental systems, engineering systems, economic systems, mechanical systems, chemical systems and the like.

Claims

1. A medical diagnostic display method for providing an integrated and three-dimensional representation of a patient'"'"'s physiological data for diagnostic purposes and display to a user, comprising:

displaying a plurality of cardiac objects configured to depict to the user a patient'"'"'s cardiac status as compared to time;

displaying a respiration object configured to depict to the user a patient'"'"'s respiration status as compared to time, the respiration object being displayed in combination with the plurality of cardiac objects to exhibit interaction between respiration and cardiovascular states of the patient.

2. A medical diagnostic display method as in claim 1, further comprising displaying a normalization gridframe which represents expected normal values for cardiac output and heart rate, the normalization gridframe being overlaid by the plurality of cardiac objects.

3. A medical diagnostic display method as in claim 2, wherein displaying the normalization gridframe further comprises displaying upper blood pressure limit and lower blood pressure limit as a reference for the plurality of cardiac objects.

4. A medical diagnostic display method as in claim 1, wherein displaying the plurality of cardiac objects includes displaying an object height that is proportional to a heart'"'"'s volume output and displaying an object width proportional to heart rate.

5. A medical diagnostic display method as in claim 1, wherein the respiration object includes a height proportional to tidal volume and a width proportional to respiratory rate.

6. A medical diagnostic display method as in claim 1, wherein displaying the respiration object includes displaying colors in the respiration object representing pre-defined concentrations of respiratory gases.

7. A medical diagnostic display method as in claim 1, wherein the plurality of cardiac objects include an object elevation representing mean blood pressure.

8. A medical diagnostic display method as in claim 1, further comprising displaying a time scale arranged from right to left with current conditions layered at a front right edge of the time scale.

9. A medical diagnostic display method as in claim 1, wherein the plurality of cardiac objects and respiration object display a plurality of health states over time.

10. A medical diagnostic display method as in claim 1, wherein displaying the plurality of cardiac objects further comprises displaying at least two bars penetrating the plurality of cardiac objects, the at least two bars each having a length representing systolic pressure or diastolic pressure.

11. A medical diagnostic display method for providing an integrated, three-dimensional view of patient physiological data for diagnostic purposes and display to a user, comprising:

displaying a respiration curtain configured to depict to the user a patient'"'"'s respiration status over a pre-determined time period;

displaying a plurality of cardiac objects configured to depict to the user a patient'"'"'s cardiac status over a pre-determined time period, wherein the cardiac objects are layered over the respiration curtain to depict to the user a relationship between a patient'"'"'s respiration and cardiovascular status; and

displaying a normalization gridframe that depicts to the user expected normal values for cardiac stroke volume and heart rate and is overlaid by the plurality of cardiac objects.

12. A medical diagnostic display method as in claim 11, further comprising displaying a plurality of colors in the respiration curtain configured to represent concentrations of respiratory gases.

13. A medical diagnostic display method as in claim 11, further comprising applying a plurality of colors to the plurality of cardiac objects, wherein the plurality of colors is configured to represent gas concentrations in blood.

14. A method for organizing a plurality of diagnostic patient physiological data in a three-dimensional display for display to a user via a computer display, comprising the steps of:

providing at least one cardiac object that grows and shrinks with each heartbeat;

displaying the cardiac object with a volume proportional to a heart'"'"'s stroke volume and a width proportional to a heart rate;

displaying a gridframe with expected normal values for stroke volume and heart rate and the at least one cardiac object'"'"'s position with respect to the gridframe is proportional to a patient'"'"'s blood pressure;

displaying a respiration curtain behind the at least one cardiac object, the respiration curtain having colors representing concentrations of respiratory gases to the user; and

depicting a patient'"'"'s respiratory tidal volume to the user with a height of the respiration curtain.

15. A medical diagnostic display method for providing an integrated representation of a patient'"'"'s physiological data for diagnostic purposes and display to a user, comprising:

displaying a plurality of cardiac objects configured to change in volume and height to depict to the user a patient'"'"'s cardiac state over time;

displaying a respiration curtain configured to change in height and color, the respiration curtain being displayed in combination with the plurality of cardiac objects to exhibit to the user interactions between the patient'"'"'s respiration and cardiovascular state; and

displaying a normalization gridframe configured to depict to the user the expected normal values for cardiac stroke volume, the normalization gridframe being overlaid by the plurality of cardiac objects.

16. A medical diagnostic display method for providing an integrated, three-dimensional view of patient physiological data for diagnostic purposes and display to a user, comprising:

displaying a normalization gridframe configured to depict to the user expected normal values for cardiac stroke volume and heart rate;

displaying a plurality of cardiac objects configured to depict to the user a patient'"'"'s cardiac status over a pre-determined time period, wherein the cardiac objects are layered over the normalization gridframe; and

displaying at least two physiological cardiac sensor measurements with the plurality of cardiac objects using geometric dimensions and spatial positioning of the plurality cardiac objects.

17. A medical diagnostic display method for providing an integrated, three-dimensional view of patient physiological data for diagnostic purposes and display to a user, comprising:

displaying a respiration curtain configured to depict to the user a patient'"'"'s respiration status over a pre-determined time period;

displaying at least two physiological respiration sensor measurements with the respiration curtain using geometric dimensions and spatial positioning of the respiration curtain; and

displaying a normalization gridframe that depicts to the user expected normal values for respiration and provides the user with a reference for the respiration curtain.