Devices and methods for passive patient monitoring
First Claim
1. A system for passively monitoring multiple patients, the system comprising:
- a plurality of sensor devices, each sensor device comprising;
a surface for coupling with a patient; and
at least two piezoelectric sensors coupled with the surface for sensing at least one mechanical signal from the patient, each of the sensors comprising a piezoelectric film;
a plurality of processors, each processor coupled with one sensor device and being operative for converting the at least one mechanical signal into at least one digital signal and for analyzing the digital signals corresponding to each of the at least two piezoelectric sensors to select the sensors with the highest quality heart rate and respiration rate signals to use for deriving heart rate and respiration rate data pertaining to the patient; and
at least one connector coupled with each processor for connecting each processor with a common alarm system for providing an alarm based on heart rate and/or respiration rate criteria for each of the multiple patients to a user at a remote location.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Devices, systems and methods provide passive patient monitoring of such parameters as body motion, body position, respiratory rate and/or heart rate. Passive monitoring generally involves a sensor device having at least two piezoelectric sensors, provided on a surface, such as a bed, chair, operating table or the like, so that a patient may be coupled with the device by simply allowing the patient to lie, sit, lean, stand on or wear the surface. In one embodiment, multiple patients in a general care area of a hospital may be continuously monitored via multiple passive monitoring devices. If a patient fails to meet one or more predefined threshold criteria or has a negative physiological trend, the system may activate an alarm.
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Citations
82 Claims
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1. A system for passively monitoring multiple patients, the system comprising:
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a plurality of sensor devices, each sensor device comprising; a surface for coupling with a patient; and at least two piezoelectric sensors coupled with the surface for sensing at least one mechanical signal from the patient, each of the sensors comprising a piezoelectric film; a plurality of processors, each processor coupled with one sensor device and being operative for converting the at least one mechanical signal into at least one digital signal and for analyzing the digital signals corresponding to each of the at least two piezoelectric sensors to select the sensors with the highest quality heart rate and respiration rate signals to use for deriving heart rate and respiration rate data pertaining to the patient; and at least one connector coupled with each processor for connecting each processor with a common alarm system for providing an alarm based on heart rate and/or respiration rate criteria for each of the multiple patients to a user at a remote location. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A system for passively monitoring multiple patients, the system comprising:
a plurality of sensor devices, each sensor device comprising; a surface for coupling with the patient; and at least two piezoelectric sensors coupled with the surface for sensing at least one mechanical signal from a patient; a plurality of processors, each processor coupled with one sensor device for converting the at least one mechanical signal into at least one digital signal and for comparing digital signals corresponding to each of the at least two piezoelectric sensors to provide data pertaining to the patient; and at least one connector coupled with each processor for connecting each processor with a common apparatus for providing the patient data for the multiple patients to a user; wherein each sensor device further includes a sheath for containing at least a portion of the surface to provide a protective layer between the surface and the patient, the sheath including at least one sheath-surface connector mounted on the sheath for providing a detachable connection between the sheath and the surface, and wherein the surface must be connected with the sheath via the sheath-surface connector in order to monitor the at least one mechanical signal of the patient.
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21. Apparatus for passively monitoring multiple patients, comprising:
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a plurality of sensor devices, each sensor device being disposed on a patient support and having a surface for coupling with a patient on the support for sensing at least one mechanical signal from the patient; a plurality of processors, each processor coupled with one sensor device and being operative for converting the at least one mechanical signal into at least one digital signal and for analyzing the digital signal to extract vital signs and position data pertaining to the patient; a plurality of displays, each display coupled with one processor and being housed with the processor in a common unit adjacent the support for displaying the vital signs data; at least one connector coupled with each processor for connecting each processor with a common alarm system for providing an alarm for each of the multiple patients at a location remote from the patient; wherein the processors are configured to provide an alarm activation signal for activating an alarm based on vital signs or position criteria pertaining to the particular patient. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57)
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58. A system for passively monitoring multiple patients, the system comprising:
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a plurality of sensor devices, each sensor device being adapted to be disposed on a patient support and comprising at least two sensors for sensing at least one mechanical signal from the patient; a plurality of processors, each processor coupled with one sensor device and being operative for converting the at least one mechanical signal into at least one digital signal and for analyzing the digital signals to select the sensors with the highest quality heart rate and respiration rate signals to use for deriving heart rate and respiration rate data pertaining to the patient; and at least one connector coupled with each processor for connecting each processor with a common alarm system for providing an alarm based on heart rate and/or respiration rate criteria for each of the multiple patients to a user at a remote location. - View Dependent Claims (59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67, 68, 69)
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70. A system for passively monitoring multiple patients, the system comprising:
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a plurality of sensor devices, each sensor device being adapted to be disposed on a patient support and comprising at least two sensors for sensing at least one mechanical signal from the patient; a plurality of processors, each processor coupled with one sensor device and being operative for converting the at least one mechanical signal into at least one digital signal and for comparing digital signals corresponding to each of the at least two sensors to each other to derive data pertaining to the patient in the form of heart rate and respiration rate; and at least one connector coupled with each processor for connecting each processor with a common alarm system for providing an alarm based on heart rate and/or respiration rate criteria for each of the multiple patients to a user at a remote location. - View Dependent Claims (71, 72, 73, 74, 75, 76, 77, 78, 79, 80, 81, 82)
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Specification