PATCH SENSOR SYSTEM FOR MEASURING VITAL SIGNS

• US 20080051670A1
• Filed: 10/31/2007
• Published: 02/28/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 07/18/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Sotera Wireless Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Triage Wireless, Inc.
• Inventors: Banet, Matthew, Zhou, Zhou
• Application Number:
  US11/930,881
• Publication Number:
  US 20080051670A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/485
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2560/0412 Low-profile patch shaped housings
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2560/0462 Apparatus with built-in sensors
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/06 Arrangements of multiple sensors of different types
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/166 the sensor is mounted on a specially adapted printed circuit board
• 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 5/0205 Simultaneously evaluating both cardiovascular conditions and different types of body conditions, e.g. heart and respiratory condition
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/02125 of pulse wave propagation time
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/02438 with portable devices, e.g. worn by the patient
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1112 Global tracking of patients, e.g. by using GPS
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/14552 Details of sensors specially adapted therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/25 Bioelectric electrodes therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/257 using adhesive means, e.g. adhesive pads or tapes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/274 using snap or button fasteners
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/28 for electrocardiography [ECG]
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6814 Head
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6833 Adhesive patches

Abstract

The invention provides a system for measuring vital signs from a patient that includes: 1) a first adhesive patch featuring a first electrode that measures a first electrical signal from the patient; 2) a second adhesive patch featuring a second electrode that measures a second electrical signal from the patient; 3) a third adhesive patch, in electrical communication with the first and second adhesive patches, featuring an optical system that measures an optical waveform from the patient; and 4) a controller that receives and processes the first and second electrical signals and the optical waveform to determine the patient'"'"'s vital signs.

Claims

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

at least two adhesive electrodes, each comprising an electrode component configured to measure a unique electric signal from the patient, and an adhesive component configured to adhere to the patient,

a sensor unit comprising a substrate that supports an optical sensor, a first connector, a second connector, and a routing circuit, the first connector configured to connect through a first cable to the two adhesive electrodes to receive their electrical signals and transfer them and a signal from the optical sensor to the second connector,

a body-worn controller comprising a processor and a short-range wireless radio, the body-worn controller configured to connect through a second cable to the second connector on the sensor unit to receive optical and electrical signals, the processor configured to process the optical and electrical signals to generate a blood pressure value, and the short-range wireless radio configured to transmit the blood pressure value to an external receiver.

2. The system of claim 1, further comprising processing the optical and electrical signals to determine a time delay.

3. The system of claim 2, further comprising processing the time delay to determine the blood pressure value.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the processing further comprises an algorithm that processes the first and second electrical signals to generate an ECG waveform.

5. The system of claim 4, further comprising processing the ECG waveform to determine a heart rate of the patient.

6. The system of claim 1, further comprising transmitting the blood pressure value from the body-worn controller to a computer.

7. The system of claim 6, further comprising transmitting the blood pressure value of to an Internet-accessible website.

8. The system of claim 1, further comprising transmitting the blood pressure value from the body-worn controller to a conventional cellular telephone or wireless personal digital assistant.

9. The system of claim 1, further comprising a third adhesive electrode.

10. A method for monitoring vital signs from a patient, the method comprising:

attaching a body-worn sensor to a patient, the body-worn sensor comprising at least one single substrate that includes;

an optical system comprising a light-emitting diode that emits an optical wavelength, and a photodetector that detects reflected radiation from the light-emitting diodes to generate at least one radiation-induced photocurrent,

an electrode that generates an electrical signal from the patient, and

attaching a calibration source to a patient, the calibration source comprising;

a blood pressure cuff to measure an initial blood pressure value; and

processing the radiation-induced photocurrent to generate an optical waveform;

processing the electrical signal to generate an electrical waveform;

processing the optical waveform, electrical waveform, and the initial blood pressure value with a processing component to determine a patient'"'"'s blood pressure value; and

transmitting the blood pressure value through a short-range wireless transceiver to an external controller.