Vital signs monitoring system with wireless pupilometer interface

• US 7,614,743 B2
• Filed: 10/28/2004
• Issued: 11/10/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 07/20/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Medtronic Incorporated (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: Medtronic Incorporated (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: Geiger, Mark A.
• Primary Examiner(s): MARTINEZ, JOSEPH P
• Application Number:
  US10/976,338
• Publication Number:
  US 20060030760A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,839 Days
• Field of Search: 351/205, 351/206, 351/209, 356/214, 128/903, 340/870.07
• US Class Current: 351/206
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 3/112 for measuring diameter of pupils
• 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

Abstract

A vital signs monitoring system and method for storing and accessing data obtained by a pupilometer make use of a pupilometer with a wireless telemetry interface to the vital signs monitor. The wireless telemetry interface permits transmission of information obtained by the pupilometer to a wireless telemetry module in a vital signs monitor. In this manner, the valuable information obtained by the pupilometer can be readily integrated with other information obtained by a vital signs monitor, and can be readily stored and retrieved by care-givers.

Claims

1. A vital signs monitoring system comprising:

a pupilometer to obtain pupilometer information from a patient, the pupilometer including a first wireless telemetry module to transmit the information; and

a vital signs monitor that is associated with the patent and not associated with any other patients having a second wireless telemetry module to receive the transmitted information.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein each of the wireless telemetry modules includes an infrared telemetry module.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the infrared telemetry module operates according to an IrDA protocol.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein each of the wireless telemetry modules includes a radio frequency (RF) telemetry module;

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the RF telemetry module operates according to one of the IEEE 802.11 protocols and a Bluetooth protocol.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the pupilometer information includes pupil dynamic information.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the pupilometer information includes patient identification, date and time.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the first telemetry module includes a transmitter to transmit the pupilometer information and a receiver to receive information from the vital signs monitor.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the pupilometer is a handheld, battery-powered device.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the pupilometer includes a display and a user input device to select one or more patient records containing the pupilometer information for transmission to the vital signs monitor.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the vital signs monitor includes a display and a processor to drive the display to present the pupilometer information with other vital signs information.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein the vital signs monitor includes multiple vital signs modules to receive vital signs information.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the vital signs information includes blood pressure information, pulse oximetry information, and electrocardiogram information.

14. The system of claim 1, wherein the vital signs monitor is a portable vital signs monitor.

15. The system of claim 1, wherein the vital signs monitor is selected from a group consisting of:

a bedside monitor; and

a portable monitor.

16. A method for monitoring vital signs of a patient, the method comprising:

obtaining pupilometer information from the patient at a pupilometer;

transmitting the pupilometer information from the pupilometer to a vital signs monitor that is associated with the patent and not associated with any other patients via a wireless telemetry module; and

presenting the pupilometer information via a display associated with the vital signs monitor.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising transmitting the pupilometer information via an infrared telemetry module.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the infrared telemetry module operates according to an IrDA protocol.

19. The method of claim 16, further comprising transmitting the pupilometer information via a radio frequency (RF) telemetry module.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the RF telemetry module operates according to one of the IEEE 802.11 protocols and a Bluetooth protocol.

21. The method of claim 16, wherein the pupilometer information includes pupil dynamic information.

22. The method of claim 16, wherein the pupilometer information includes patient identification, date and time.

23. The method of claim 16, further comprising receiving information at the pupilometer from the vital signs monitor via the wireless telemetry module.

24. The method of claim 16, further comprising selecting one or more patient records containing the pupilometer information for transmission to the vital signs monitor in response to user input.

25. The method of claim 16, further comprising driving a display associated with the vital signs monitor to present the pupilometer information with other vital signs information.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein the other vital signs information includes blood pressure information, pulse oximetry information, and electrocardiogram information.

27. A pupilometer comprising:

an illumination unit to stimulate a pupil of a patient;

a camera to obtain one or more images indicating a reaction of the pupil;

a processor to process the images and generate pupilometer information; and

a wireless telemetry module to transmit the pupilometer information to a vital signs monitor that is associated with the patent and not associated with any other patients via a wireless telemetry module.

28. The pupilometer of claim 27, wherein the wireless telemetry module includes an infrared telemetry module.

29. The pupilometer of claim 27, wherein the infrared telemetry module operates according to an IrDA protocol.

30. The pupilometer of claim 27, wherein the wireless telemetry module includes a radio frequency (RF) telemetry module.

31. The pupilometer of claim 30, wherein the RF telemetry module operates according to one of the IEEE 802.11 protocols and a Bluetooth protocol.

32. The pupilometer of claim 27, wherein the pupilometer information includes pupil dynamic information and patient identification, date and time.

33. The pupilometer of claim 27, wherein the telemetry module includes a transmitter to transmit the pupilometer information and a receiver to receive information from the vital signs monitor.

34. The pupilometer of claim 27, wherein the pupilometer is a handheld, battery-powered device.

35. The pupilometer of claim 27, wherein the pupilometer includes a display and a user input device to select one or more patient records containing the pupilometer information for transmission to the vital signs monitor.