System and method for storing and forwarding data from a vital-signs monitor

• US 8,814,792 B2
• Filed: 07/27/2010
• Issued: 08/26/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 07/27/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Carefusion 303 Incorporated (Becton, Dickinson & Co)
• Original Assignee: Carefusion 303 Incorporated (Becton, Dickinson & Co)
• Inventors: Raptis, Mark, Jafri, Amir, Kathiresan, Ganesh, Burdett, Alison
• Primary Examiner(s): Jackson, Gary
• Assistant Examiner(s): Archer, Marie
• Application Number:
  US12/844,780
• Publication Number:
  US 20120029311A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,491 Days
• Field of Search: 340/539.11, 340/539.12, 36523001-23009, 365/231, 365/232, 365/233.1, 36523311-23319, 365/233.5, 365234-238, 365/238.5, 365239-2435, 365/244, 370912-913, 370/911, 370/310, 370/337, 370/338, 370/346, 600300-301, 705 2- 3
• US Class Current: 600/301
• 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 5/0015 characterised by features of the telemetry system
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/002 Monitoring the patient using a local or closed circuit, e.g. in a room or building A61B5/0017 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0024 for multiple sensor units attached to the patient, e.g. using a body or personal area network
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/01 Measuring temperature of body parts ; Diagnostic temperature sensing, e.g. for malignant or inflamed tissue clinical contact thermometers G01K13/20
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/021 Measuring pressure in heart or blood vessels A61B5/0205 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/024 Detecting, measuring or recording pulse rate or heart rate A61B5/0205, A61B5/021 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0816 Measuring devices for examining respiratory frequency measuring frequency of electric signals G01R23/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6801 specially adapted to be attached to or worn on the body surface
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6833 Adhesive patches
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/746 Alarms related to a physiological condition, e.g. details of setting alarm thresholds or avoiding false alarms alarms per se G08B
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 13/1668 Details of memory controller
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 13/1673 using buffers
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 10/60 for patient-specific data, e.g. for electronic patient records
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/63 for local operation
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/67 for remote operation
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/0078 Avoidance of errors by organising the transmitted data in a format specifically designed to deal with errors, e.g. location forward error control, e.g. FEC, CRC H04L1/004; adaptive formatting H04L1/0006; mappings H04L27/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/0083 Formatting with frames or packets; Protocol or part of protocol for error control
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/009 arrangements specific to transmitters
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/0091 arrangements specific to receivers, e.g. format detection detection of data rate H04L25/0262; detection of coding rate H04L1/0046
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/1803 : Stop-and-wait protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/1874 : Buffer management
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/125 : involving control of end-device applications over a network
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 56/00 : Synchronisation arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/20 : Control channels or signalling for resource management
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/29 : between an access point and the access point controlling device
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 370/911 : Bridge, e.g. brouter, bus extender
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 370/912 : Packet communications
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 370/913 : Wireless or radio

Abstract

A vital-signs patch for a patient monitoring system that includes a housing containing a sensor that makes physiological measurements of a patient, a transmitter, a receiver, a memory, and a processor. The processor periodically takes a measurement from the sensor, converts the measurement to a data record, and stores the data record in the memory. Upon receipt of a signal from another device, the processor retrieves at least a portion of the data record, converts the retrieved portion of the data record to a vital-sign signal, and causes the transmitter to transmit the vital-sign signal to the other device.

Claims

1. A bridge in a patient monitoring system, the bridge comprising:

a first receiver configured to receive signals from a first device;

a first transmitter configured to transmit signals to the first device;

a second receiver configured to receive signals from a second device;

a second transmitter configured to transmit signals to the second device;

a memory configured to store executable instructions and data records; and

a processor operably connected to the receivers, transmitters, and memory and configured to execute the instructions;

wherein the processor is configured to periodically cause the first transmitter to transmit a signal to the first device that will cause the first device to transmit a vital-sign signal, receive the vital-sign signal from the first device via the first receiver, convert the vital-sign signal to a data record, and store the data record in the memory; and

wherein the processor is further configured to receive upload signals from the second device via the second receiver and in response to the receipt of upload signals from the second device;

retrieve at least a portion of the data record from the memory, the retrieval based on a sequence number, wherein the sequence number is stored at a time corresponding to a peak value in the vital-sign signal,

configure the retrieved portion of the data record into a data signal, and

cause the second transmitter to transmit the data signal.

2. The bridge of claim 1 wherein the first receiver comprises a wireless radio frequency receiver, the first transmitter comprises a wireless radio frequency transmitter, and wherein both the second transmitter and second receiver comprise an interface to a communication network wherein the second transmitter and second receiver communicate with the second device over an Ethernet network.

3. The bridge of claim 1 wherein the vital sign signal is received in the form of a data packet, wherein the data packet comprises a data packet identification value and a data integrity value, and wherein the processor is configured to use the data packet identification value to verify that the data packet is not a duplicate of a previously received packet, and wherein the processor is further configured to use the data integrity value to verify the integrity of the data packet.

4. The bridge of claim 1 wherein the processor is configured to store the data records from the successive vital-sign measurements as successive data records.

5. The bridge of claim 4 wherein the processor is configured to retain each data record in memory until a signal indicating a successful transmission of the data record is received from the second device, whereupon the processor is configured to erase the data record.

6. The bridge of claim 4 wherein the successive data records are stored in a circular buffer within the memory.

7. The bridge of claim 6 wherein when the circular buffer becomes full of data records and it is desired to store a new data record, the processor is configured to create a lost-data record that comprises information regarding the oldest data record, store the lost data record outside of the circular buffer, and then overwrite the oldest data record with the new data record.

8. A bridge in a patient monitoring system, the bridge comprising:

a first receiver configured to receive signals from a first device;

a first transmitter configured to transmit signals to the first device;

a second receiver configured to receive signals from a second device;

a second transmitter configured to transmit signals to the second device;

a memory configured to store executable instructions and data records; and

a processor operably connected to the receivers, transmitters, and memory and configured to execute the instructions;

wherein the processor is configured to periodically cause the first transmitter to transmit a signal to the first device that will cause the first device to transmit a vital-sign signal, receive the vital-sign signal from the first device via the first receiver, convert the vital-sign signal to a data record, and store the data record in the memory;

wherein the vital sign signal is received in the form of a data packet, wherein the data packet comprises a data packet identification value and a data integrity value, and wherein the processor is configured to use the data packet identification value to verify that the data packet is not a duplicate of a previously received packet, and wherein the processor is further configured to use the data integrity value to verify the integrity of the data packet; and

wherein the processor is further configured to receive upload signals from the second device via the second receiver and in response to the receipt of upload signals from the second device;

retrieve at least a portion of the data record from the memory, the retrieval based on a sequence number, wherein the sequence number is stored with the data record in the memory,

configure the retrieved portion of the data record into a data signal, and

cause the second transmitter to transmit the data signal.

9. A bridge in a patient monitoring system, the bridge comprising:

a first receiver configured to receive signals from a first device;

a first transmitter configured to transmit signals to the first device;

a second receiver configured to receive signals from a second device;

a second transmitter configured to transmit signals to the second device;

a memory configured to store executable instructions and data records; and

a processor operably connected to the receivers, transmitters, and memory and configured to execute the instructions;

wherein the processor is configured to periodically cause the first transmitter to transmit a signal to the first device that will cause the first device to transmit a vital-sign signal, receive the vital-sign signal from the first device via the first receiver, convert the vital-sign signal to a data record, and store the data record in the memory;

wherein the processor is configured to store the data records from the successive vital-sign measurements as successive data records;

wherein the processor is configured to retain each data record in memory until a signal indicating a successful transmission of the data record is received from the second device, whereupon the processor is configured to erase the data record; and

wherein the processor is further configured to receive upload signals from the second device via the second receiver and in response to the receipt of upload signals from the second device;

retrieve at least a portion of the data record from the memory, the retrieval based on a sequence number, wherein the sequence number is stored with the data record in the memory,

configure the retrieved portion of the data record into a data signal, and

cause the second transmitter to transmit the data signal.