MULTI MODE PATIENT MONITOR

• US 20090131757A1
• Filed: 11/21/2007
• Published: 05/21/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 11/21/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: General Electric Company
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Jayaram, Raghavan
• Application Number:
  US11/944,044
• Publication Number:
  US 20090131757A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/300
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2560/0276 Determining malfunction
• 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 5/742 using visual displays A61B5/339 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2320/0626 for control of overall brightness
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2360/144 the light being ambient light
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 5/10 Intensity circuits
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/67 for remote operation

Abstract

A multimode patient monitor is disclosed herewith. The patient monitor comprises: a display, wherein the patient monitor operates in a normal mode wherein monitored patient status is displayed using normal display characteristics of the patient monitor and also operates in a night mode wherein monitored patient-status is displayed using modified display characteristics, the modified display characteristics of the patient monitor being modified based on at least available light level in a patient room. The patient monitor is further provided with an interface that allows configuration of the patient monitor either in the normal mode or in the night mode.

Claims

1. A patient monitor comprising:

a display, wherein the patient monitor is configured to operate in a normal mode wherein monitored patient status is displayed using normal display characteristics of the patient monitor, and is also configured to operate in a night mode wherein monitored patient status is displayed using modified display characteristics, the modified display characteristics of the patient monitor being modified based on at least available light level in a patient room; and

an interface that allows configuration of the patient monitor either in the normal mode or in the night mode.

2. A patient monitor as claimed in claim 1, wherein the patient monitor is configured to identify the mode of operation as the normal mode upon detection of the light level in the patient room above a threshold level and as the night mode upon detection of the light level in the patient room below the threshold level.

3. A patient monitor as claimed in claim 1, wherein the patient monitor is configured to select a set of display characteristics corresponding to the selected mode.

4. A patient monitor as claimed in claim 1, wherein the patient monitor is configured to wait for a preset time after detecting a change in the available light level and before changing the mode of operation.

5. A patient monitor as claimed in claim 4, wherein the patient monitor checks during the preset time for any user activity at the patient monitor or for any alarms generated based on the patient status or for any change in the light level.

6. A patient monitor as claimed in claim 1, wherein operating in the night mode includes modifying the display characteristics of the patient monitor by reducing volume of an audio indicator and reducing at least one of brightness, contrast or color of a visual indicator.

7. A patient monitor as claimed in claim 1, wherein the interface includes a switch operable by a user for changing the mode of operation of the patient monitor.

8. A patient monitor as claimed in claim 1, wherein the interface includes a light detector to detect the light level available in the patient room and to change the mode of indication automatically based on the available light level.

9. A patient monitor as claimed in claim 1, wherein the patient monitor is configured to switch to a subdued mode upon detection of any user activity at the patient monitor or generation of any alarm based on the patient status while the patient monitor is in the night mode.

10. A patient monitor comprising:

a detector for detecting patient status;

an indicator including visual indicator and audio indicator configured to indicate the patient status;

a light detector configured to detect a light level corresponding to available light in a patient room; and

a mode selector configured to select a mode of indication of the patient monitor with respect to the light level.

11. A patient monitor as claimed in claim 10, wherein the light detector is configured to identify a light level in the patient room as above or below a threshold level.

12. A patient monitor as claimed in claim 11, further comprising an interface, wherein the interface is configured to switch the mode of operation to a night mode upon detection of light level in the patient room as below the threshold value, and wherein the night mode operation includes decreasing volume level of the audio indicator and at least one of brightness, contrast or color of the visual indicator.

13. A patient monitor as claimed in claim 11, wherein the patient monitor is configured to wait for a preset time after detecting a change in the light level and before changing the mode of indication.

14. A patient monitor as claimed in claim 13, wherein the patient monitor is further configured to switch to a normal mode upon detecting the light level in the patient room as above the threshold value.

15. A patient monitor as claimed in claim 14, wherein the patient monitor is further configured to switch to a subdued mode from a night mode upon detection of any user activity at the patient monitor or any alarms generated based on the patient status.

16. A method of operating a patient monitor in a night mode comprising:

switching the patient monitor to the night mode based on at least availability of light level in a patient room; and

modifying at least one characteristic of a patient monitor display upon switching to the night mode, the characteristic including at least one of volume level and a display parameter.

17. A method as claimed in claim 16, wherein the step of switching the patient monitor to the night mode comprises:

detecting the light level in the room as below a threshold level.

18. A method as claimed in claim 17, wherein the step of switching the patient monitor to the night mode further comprises:

waiting for a preset time after determining the light level and before switching to the night mode.

19. A method as claimed in claim 18, further comprising:

checking for any user activity at the patient monitor or for any alarms generation based on a patient status, during the preset time or for any change in the light level.

20. A method as claimed in claim 18, wherein the step of modifying characteristics includes:

selecting a set of display characteristics corresponding to the selected mode, the selection including at least one of reducing volume level of a patient monitor display, and changing at least one of brightness, contrast or color of the patient monitor display.

21. A method of indicating patient status in a patient monitor, comprising:

identifying a mode of indication based on at least light availability in a patient room; and

indicating the patient status using the identified mode of display.

22. A method as claimed in claim 21, wherein the step of identifying a mode of indication includes identifying the mode of indication as normal mode or night mode, the night mode being configured to use lesser volume and dim light while indicating the patient status.

23. A method as claimed in claim 22, wherein the night mode includes a subdued mode representing a night mode with detected human intervention on monitor activity or an alarm generation based on the patient status.

24. A method of patient monitoring comprising:

providing a multi mode patient monitor for monitoring status of a patient;

checking at least light ambiance in a patient room;

selecting a mode of display based on the light ambiance; and

indicating the patient status using the selected mode.

25. A method as claimed in claim 24, wherein the step of providing the multi mode patient monitor comprises:

configuring the patient monitor to operate in a normal mode or in a night mode or in a subdued mode based on the light ambiance, the night mode and subdued mode modifies display parameters of patient monitor display.