Wireless patient monitoring using streaming of medical data with body-coupled communication

• US 8,535,223 B2
• Filed: 02/19/2009
• Issued: 09/17/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 02/28/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Koninklijke Philips N.V.
• Original Assignee: Koninklijke Philips N.V.
• Inventors: Corroy, Steven, Klabunde, Karin, Baldus, Heribert
• Primary Examiner(s): Thomson, Bill
• Assistant Examiner(s): SORIANO, BOBBY GILES
• Application Number:
  US12/918,840
• Publication Number:
  US 20110004073A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,671 Days
• Field of Search: 600300-301, 600/534, 34053912-53914, 340/286.1, 705 2- 5, 343/718, 455/41.1, 375/343
• US Class Current: 600/300
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0006 ECG or EEG signals
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1455 using optical sensors, e.g. spectral photometrical oximeters
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/369 Electroencephalography [EEG] devices for psychotechnics A61B5/16
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 13/005 Transmission systems in which the medium consists of the human body

Abstract

The invention relates to a system and method for wirelessly monitoring a patient (4), the system comprising a medical sensor (1) for collecting medical data and a coupling interface (2) for coupling with a monitor (3). The medical sensor (1) is attached to the patient'"'"'s (4) body, and the medical data collected by the medical sensor (1) is transmitted to the coupling interface (2) via body-coupled communication (5). Preferably, the collected medical data is streamed to the coupling interface (2) via body-coupled communication (5). This way, a secure and reliable system and method for wireless patient monitoring are achieved which only require little power.

Claims

1. A system for wirelessly monitoring a patient, the system comprising:

at least one medical sensor which collects medical data from the patient and wirelessly streams the medical data over a patient body using body-coupled communication with a streaming protocol including at least one of real time transport protocol (RTP) and user datagram protocol (UDP), the medical sensor including at least one of;

an electrocardiogram (ECG);

a photoplethysmograph (PPG);

a pulse oximetry (SpO₂); and

an electroencephalography (EEG);

a coupling interface which receives the streamed medical data which is streamed over the patient body via the body-coupled communication; and

a monitor which receives the streamed medical data from the coupling interface and displays the received streamed medical data.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein the medical data is collected by multiple medical sensors and the coupling interface acts as a gateway for collecting the medical data streamed from the multiple medical sensors and retransmitting the medical data to the monitor.

3. The system according to claim 1, wherein the monitor is coupled with the coupling interface via an ohmic contact and an existing conductive facility of one of a bed, a wheelchair and a walker.

4. The system according to claim 1, wherein the monitor is coupled with the coupling interface via a wireless connection.

5. The system according to claim 1, wherein the monitor includes a mobile device.

6. The system according to claim 1, wherein

the coupling interface includes a conductive plate or sheet in body-coupled communication with the patient and the at least one medical sensor;

and

the monitor receives the streamed medical data via the conductive plate or sheet.

7. The system according to claim 6, further including:

a RF fallback system including an alternative communication path which transmits the streamed medical data from the at least one medical sensor to the monitor when the body-coupled communication between the medical sensor and the conductive plate or sheet of the coupling interface breaks down.

14. The system according to claim 6, wherein the conductive plate or sheet is connected by a wire with an electrically conductive element of a patient supporting structure.

15. The system according to claim 6, wherein the conductive plate or sheet is disposed on a bed and separated from the patient'"'"'s body by a sheet.

8. A method for wirelessly monitoring a patient, the method comprising:

streaming collected medical data which includes at least one of;

electrocardiogram (ECG) data, photoplethysmograph (PPG) data, pulse oximetry (SpO₂) data, and electroencephalography (EEG) data over a patient'"'"'s body to a coupling interface via body-coupled communication using a streaming protocol including at least one of real time transport protocol (RTP) and user datagram protocol (UDP); and

displaying the streaming medical data on a monitor which receives the streaming medical data from the coupling interface.

9. The method according to claim 8, wherein the data is further streamed to the monitor in real-time.

10. The method according to claim 8, further including:

establishing a bidirectional body-coupled communication between the medical sensor and the coupling interface.

11. The method according to claim 10, further including:

requesting the medical sensor to start collecting the medical data and stream the medical data via the coupling interface by body-coupled communication.

12. The method according to claim 8, wherein the coupling interface includes a conductive surface disposed under the patient and electrically connected to the monitor and further including:

streaming the collected medical data to the monitor using body-coupled communications between the conductive surface and the patient'"'"'s body.

13. The method according to claim 8, further including:

streaming the medical data in an alternative communication path which includes RF transmission to the monitor when the body coupled communication is broken.