Patient Monitoring System and Method

• US 20080208063A1
• Filed: 06/01/2006
• Published: 08/28/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 06/07/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Koninklijke Philips N.V.
• Original Assignee: Koninklijke Philips N.V.
• Inventors: Muehlsteff, Jens, Brauers, Andreas, Such, Olaf, Reiter, Harald
• Granted Patent: US 9,788,791 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/481
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/046 in a matrix array
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/182 Electrical shielding, e.g. using a Faraday cage
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/113 occurring during breathing
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/282 Holders for multiple electrodes for introduction into the body A61B5/287
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6892 Mats

Abstract

The present invention relates to a patient monitoring system for monitoring cardio pulmonary performance or the like by means of capacitive measurement. Further the invention relates to a method for monitoring cardio pulmonary performance or the like by means of a capacitive measurement. In order to provide a reliable technique for monitoring cardio pulmonary performance or the like, which technique is particularly suitable for home use, a patient monitoring system (1) for monitoring cardio pulmonary performance or the like by means of capacitive measurement is suggested, said system (1) comprising a number of electrodes (2) arranged in the form of a matrix (3), said electrodes (2) being adapted to be integrated with a bed (4) or the like, each electrode (2) being individually selectable, means (5) for determining a number of electrodes (2) depending on the position of the patient on the bed (4) or the like, said means (5) being adapted to determine the number of electrodes (2) by determining the capacitance of a number of electrodes (2), and means (5) for selecting a number of said determined electrodes (2) for carrying out a capacitive measurement.

Claims

1. A patient monitoring system for monitoring cardio pulmonary performance or the like by means of capacitive measurement, said system comprising:

a number of electrodes arranged in the form of a matrix, said electrodes being adapted to be integrated with a bed or the like, each electrode being individually selectable,

means for determining a number of electrodes depending on the position of the patient on the bed or the like, said means being adapted to determine the number of electrodes by determining the capacitance of a number of electrodes, and

means for selecting a number of said determined electrodes for carrying out a capacitive measurement.

2. The patient monitoring system as claimed in claim 1, comprising:

a dielectric, said dielectric being of elastic constitution,

a number of electrode pairs, at which each electrode pair is formed by a counter electrode positioned on the side of the dielectric that farces the patient, and a sensing electrode, which sensing electrode is positioned on the opposite side of the dielectric, and which dielectric is arranged in a way that it is stressed by the patient if the patient is situated on the bed or the like, and

means for determining the capacitance of a number of electrode pairs.

3. The patient monitoring system as claimed in claim 1, comprising

a dielectric positioned adjacent to the number of electrodes in a way that it faces the patient if the patient is situated on the bed or the like, which dielectric is of elastic constitution, which dielectric is arranged in a way that it is stressed by the patient if the patient is situated on the bed or the like, and

means for determining the capacitance of a number of said electrodes.

4. The patient monitoring system as claimed in claim 1, comprising

means for supplying a voltage signal to a number of first electrodes, and

means for determining an induced charge at a number of second electrodes.

5. The patient monitoring system as claimed in claim 1, comprising a shielding between the patient and the number of electrodes or between the patient and a dielectric.

6. A method for monitoring cardio pulmonary performance or the like by means of a capacitive measurement, said method comprising the steps of:

arranging a number of electrodes in the form of a matrix, said electrodes being adapted to be integrated with a bed or the like, each electrode being individually selectable,

determining a number of electrodes depending on the position of the patient on the bed or the like, which determining of electrodes is performed by determining the capacitance of a number of electrodes, and

selecting a number of said determined electrodes for carrying out the capacitive measurement.

7. A patient monitoring system comprising:

a plurality of electrodes arranged for form a matrix;

an analyzing unit that determines a position of a patient by determining a capacitance of a number of electrodes; and

a control unit that selects electrodes for measurement of a patient parameter based on the determined position of the patient.

8. The patient monitoring system of claim 7, wherein the plurality of electrodes are integrated as part of a bed.

9. The patient monitoring system of claim 7 further comprising:

a dielectric; and

a number of electrode pairs formed on either side of the dielectric.

10. The patient monitoring system of claim 9, wherein the dielectric is arranged such that it is stressed upon pressure applied by the patient.

11. The patient monitoring system of claim 7 further comprising a dielectric positioned proximate to a patient contact surface, wherein the dielectric is stressed upon contact between the patient and the patient contact surface.

12. The patient monitoring system of claim 7 further comprising:

a voltage supply that supplies a voltage to a number of first electrodes; and

wherein the analyzing unit determines an induced charge at a number of second electrodes.

13. The patient monitoring system of claim 7 further comprising a shielding located between the patient and a portion of the plurality of electrodes.

14. The patient monitoring system of claim 7 further comprising a shielding located between the patient and a dielectric.