Medical Device Automatic Start-up Upon Contact to Patient Tissue
First Claim
1. A device for at least one of monitoring or treating a patient, the patient having a tissue, the device comprising:
- a battery;
circuitry to at least one of monitor or treat the patient;
at least two electrodes configured to couple to the tissue of the patient; and
at least one switch coupled to the at least two electrodes, the battery and the circuitry, the at least one switch configured to detect tissue coupling to the at least two electrodes and connect the battery to the circuitry in response to tissue coupling to the at least two electrodes.
11 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Methods and devices for monitoring and/or treating patients comprise a switch to automatically start-up the device when the device contacts tissue. By automatically starting up the device, the device may be installed without the clinician and/or user turning on the device, such that the device can be easy to use. In many embodiments, the device comprises startup circuitry with very low current and/or power consumption, for example less than 100 pA. The startup circuitry can detect tissue contact and turn on circuitry that is used to monitor or treat the patient.
520 Citations
61 Claims
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1. A device for at least one of monitoring or treating a patient, the patient having a tissue, the device comprising:
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a battery; circuitry to at least one of monitor or treat the patient; at least two electrodes configured to couple to the tissue of the patient; and at least one switch coupled to the at least two electrodes, the battery and the circuitry, the at least one switch configured to detect tissue coupling to the at least two electrodes and connect the battery to the circuitry in response to tissue coupling to the at least two electrodes. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 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)
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47. A device for monitoring and/or treating a patient, the patient having a tissue, the device comprising:
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a battery; sensor circuitry configured to measure and/or treat the patient; processor circuitry coupled to the sensor circuitry and configured to at least one of monitor or treat the patient; at least two electrodes configured to couple to the tissue of the patient; start-up circuitry comprising at least one switch coupled to the at least two electrodes, the battery, the sensor circuitry and the processor circuitry, the at least one switch configured to detect tissue contact with the at least two electrodes and connect the battery to the sensor circuitry and the processor circuitry in response to tissue contact with the at least two electrodes; and sustain circuitry comprising at least one switch to connect the battery to the processor circuitry and the sensor circuitry in response to a signal from the processor. - View Dependent Claims (48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53)
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54. A method of monitoring and/or treating a patient having a tissue, the method comprising:
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providing a device comprising circuitry to at least one of monitor or treat the patient, the device comprising a battery and electrodes; and contacting the electrodes with the tissue to deliver power from the battery to the circuitry. - View Dependent Claims (55, 56, 57, 58)
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59. A method of manufacturing a device to at least one of monitor or treat a patient, the patient having a tissue, the method comprising:
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manufacturing sensor circuitry, start-up circuitry and electrodes, the electrodes coupled to the start-up circuitry and sensor circuitry, the start-up circuitry comprising at least one switch configured to detect tissue contact with the electrodes; installing batteries in the device; and shipping the device with the batteries installed and the device configured such that the start-up circuitry is capable of turning on the device when electrodes of the device contact the tissue of the patient. - View Dependent Claims (60)
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61. A method of monitoring a patient, the method comprising:
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providing a device comprising a support, batteries, sensor circuitry, start-up circuitry, at least two electrodes and at least two gel pads in contact with the at least two electrodes, the batteries coupled to the startup circuitry, the electrodes coupled to the start-up circuitry and sensor circuitry, the start-up circuitry comprising at least one switch and configured to detect tissue coupling to the at least two electrodes, wherein the support comprises an adhesive and is configured to support the batteries, the sensor circuitry, the at least two electrodes and the at least two gel pads with the skin of the patient and wherein the removable liner covers the adhesive and the at least two gel pads; separating a removable liner from the adhesive and the at least two gel pads to expose the adhesive and the at least two gel pads; and placing the adhesive and the at least two gel pads against the skin of the patient to adhere the device to the patient and couple the electrodes to the skin, wherein the start up circuitry closes an electrical switch to start the sensor circuitry with power from the battery when the at least two gel pads contact the skin of the patient.
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Specification