Vital signs monitor using an optical ear-based module

• US 7,658,716 B2
• Filed: 12/07/2004
• Issued: 02/09/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 12/07/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Triage Wireless, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Triage Wireless, Inc.
• Inventors: Morris, Brett George, Visser, Henk, Banet, Matthew John
• Primary Examiner(s): Nasser; Robert L
• Application Number:
  US10/904,971
• Publication Number:
  US 20060122517A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,890 Days
• Field of Search: 600485-503, 600/480
• US Class Current: 600/485
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/021 Measuring pressure in heart or blood vessels A61B5/0205 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/14552 Details of sensors specially adapted therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1495 Calibrating or testing of in-vivo probes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6814 Head
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6816 Ear lobe

Abstract

The invention provides a system for measuring blood pressure from a patient that includes: 1) an optical module configured to be worn on the patient'"'"'s ear and comprising at least one optical source and a photodetector; 2) a calibration source configured to make a blood pressure measurement; and, 3) a processing module configured to: i) receive a first signal from the optical module; ii) receive a second signal from the calibration source; iii) process the first and second signals to generate a calibration table; and iv) receive a third signal from the optical module and compare it to the calibration table to determine the patient'"'"'s blood pressure.

Claims

1. A system for measuring blood pressure from a patient, comprising:

an optical module comprising at least one optical source and a photodetector configured to measure a measurement signal;

a processing module configured to receive the measurement signal and periodically determine a blood pressure according to a first pre-determined time period by fitting the measurement signal to a mathematical model and, in response, iteratively varying parameters of the mathematical model until it best matches the measurement signal, said processing module further configured to determine a blood pressure calibration signal according to a second pre-determined time period; and

a wireless transmitter in electrical communication with the processing module and configured to periodically transmit the blood pressure to a host computer for display and the calibration signal to the host computer for display.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the system further comprises an ear-worn clip that includes the optical module.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the ear-worn clip comprises a first LED that emits red radiation, a second LED that emits infrared radiation, and the photodetector.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the calibration source is a cuff-based blood pressure module that includes a cuff and a pump.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the cuff is configured to be worn around the patient'"'"'s arm.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the wireless transmitter operates on a protocol based on 802.11, 802.15.4, part-15, or a derivative thereof.

7. The system of claim 1, further comprising a host computer comprising a wireless receiver configured to wirelessly receive the blood pressure and the blood pressure calibration signal from the processing module.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the host computer is configured to cause the blood pressure and the blood pressure calibration signal to be displayed.

9. A system for monitoring a patient'"'"'s blood pressure values, the system comprising:

an optical module comprising at least one optical source, a photodetector and a transmitter for transmitting a measurement signal from the photodetector;

a calibration source comprising a cuff-based blood pressure monitor, a first circuit for receiving the signal from the optical module, a second circuit for controlling the cuff-based blood pressure monitor and a wireless transmitter for periodically transmitting a cuffless-based signal from the first circuit and for periodically transmitting a cuff-based signal from the second circuit, the first circuit having a microprocessor programmed to control the second circuit and process the measurement signal from the optical module to periodically determine according to a first, pre-programmed time period a cuffless-based blood pressure value for the patient and to periodically determine according to a second pre-programmed time period a blood pressure calibration signal, the microprocessor programmed to determine the cuffless-based blood pressure value by fitting the measurement signal to a mathematical model and, in response, iteratively varying parameters of the mathematical model until it best matches the measurement signal; and

a computer-based system for receiving the cuffless-based signal and the cuff-based signal from the wireless transmitter of the calibration source, the computer-based system comprising an interface configured to display the cuffless-based blood pressure values and cuff-based blood pressure values for the patient.

10. The system of claim 9 wherein the transmitter for the optical module is a short-range wireless transmitter that operates on a protocol based on 802.11, 802.15.4, part-15, or a derivative thereof.

11. The system of claim 9 wherein the transmitter for the optical module is a cable connected to the optical module and the calibration source.

12. The system according to claim 9 wherein the microprocessor of the first circuit of the calibration source comprises means for generating a calibration table from a cuff-based blood pressure value from the cuff-based blood pressure monitor and a plethysmograph generated from a signal from the optical module.

13. A system for measuring blood pressure from a patient, said system comprising:

a cuff-based blood pressure monitor configured to periodically make a cuff-based blood pressure measurement according a pre-programmed first time period and generate a first signal representing the cuff-based blood pressure measurement comprising systolic and diastolic values;

a cuffless blood pressure monitor comprising a light source configured to emit optical radiation, a light detector configured to receive the optical radiation after it is emitted from the light source and irradiates the patient'"'"'s body, and a processor configured to receive a second signal from the light detector and the first signal from the cuff-based blood pressure monitor and process these with a mathematical algorithm to make a cuffless blood pressure measurement according to a pre-programmed second time period, the processor configured to determine a blood pressure by fitting the second signal to a mathematical model and, in response, iteratively varying parameters of the mathematical model until it best matches the second signal;

a wireless transmitter in communication with the processor and configured to periodically receive and wirelessly transmit a first set of information, the first set of information describing a measurement from the cuff-based blood pressure monitor, and to periodically receive and wirelessly transmit a second set of information, the second set of information describing a measurement from the cuffless blood pressure monitor;

a computer-based system configured to receive the wirelessly transmitted information describing cuff-based blood pressure measurements and the wirelessly transmitted information describing cuffless blood pressure measurements and

to display the information describing both the cuffless and cuff-based blood pressure measurements in a time-dependent format.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the computer-based system is configured to display a time-dependent plot of blood pressure that comprises the first set of information describing the measurements from the cuff-based blood pressure monitor, and the second set of information describing the measurement from the cuffless blood pressure monitor.

15. The system of claim 13, wherein the computer-based system is further configured to display a first portion that displays systolic blood pressure measurements, and a second portion that displays diastolic blood pressure measurements.

16. The system of claim 13, wherein the computer-based system in an Internet-based system.

17. The system of claim 13, wherein the wireless transmitter is comprised by a first module, and the processor is comprised by a second module.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the wireless transmitter operates on a wireless network, and the first module further comprises a first short-range wireless transmitter.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein second module further comprises a second short range wireless transmitter that communicates with the first short-range wireless transmitter comprised by the first module.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein the second short-range wireless transmitter operates on a protocol based on 802.11, 802.15.4, part-15, or a derivative thereof.

21. The system of claim 18, wherein the wireless transmitter further comprises a transmitter operating on a CDMA, GSM, or 802.11-based network.

22. The system of claim 21, wherein the first short-range wireless transmitter operates on a protocol based on 02.11, 802.15.4, part-15, or a derivative thereof.