Circulatory monitoring systems and methods

• US 20090287191A1
• Filed: 05/14/2008
• Published: 11/19/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 12/18/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Gearbox LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: Searete LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Inventors: Ishikawa, Muriel Y., Ferren, Bran, Wood, Lowell L. JR., Rivet, Dennis J., Hyde, Roderick A., Wood, Victoria Y.H., Leuthardt, Eric C., Hagen, Jeffrey John
• Application Number:
  US12/152,669
• Publication Number:
  US 20090287191A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 604/891.100
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/02 Details of sensors specially adapted for in-vivo measurements
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/0233 Special features of optical sensors or probes classified in A61B5/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/0247 Pressure sensors
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/046 in a matrix array
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0031 Implanted circuitry
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/015 By temperature mapping of body part
• 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 5/02055 Simultaneously evaluating both cardiovascular condition and temperature
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/026 Measuring blood flow A61B3/1233, A61B3/1241 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/412 Detecting or monitoring sepsis
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/415 the glands, e.g. tonsils, adenoids or thymus
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/418 lymph vessels, ducts or nodes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6804 Garments; Clothes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6807 Footwear
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6833 Adhesive patches
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6843 Monitoring or controlling sensor contact pressure
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6848 Needles
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6862 Stents
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6876 Blood vessel
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6887 mounted on external non-worn devices, e.g. non-medical devices
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/06 : Measuring blood flow measuring volume flow in general G01F, e.g. G01F1/66, G01F1/72; measuring speed of fluids in general G01P5/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/4472 : Wireless probes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/4483 : characterised by features of the ultrasound transducer
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2250/0002 : for data transfer
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2005/1726 : the body parameters being measured at, or proximate to, the infusion site
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2025/1052 : for temporarily occluding a vessel for isolating a sector
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3507 : with implanted devices, e.g. external control
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/14276 : specially adapted for implantation
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/16831 : Monitoring, detecting, signalling or eliminating infusion flow anomalies low-level float-valves causing cut-off A61M5/40; indicating or recording presence, absence or direction of flow in general G01P13/0066
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/1723 : using feedback of body parameters, e.g. blood-sugar, pressure measurement of body parameters A61B5/00
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/63 : for local operation

Abstract

Systems and methods are described for obtaining and acting upon information indicative of circulatory health and related phenomena in human beings or other subjects.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

means for deciding whether to transmit one or more blood clot indications; and

a liquid-containing medium configured at least to facilitate acoustic energy passing between a subject and the means for deciding whether to transmit the one or more blood clot indications.

3. The system of claim 1, in which the means for deciding whether to transmit one or more blood clot indications comprises:

means for deciding whether to transmit a dispensation indication.

4. The system of claim 1, in which the means for deciding whether to transmit one or more blood clot indications comprises:

means for deciding whether to transmit an audible indication of one or more apparent blood clots.

5. The system of claim 1, in which the means for deciding whether to transmit one or more blood clot indications comprises:

means for deciding whether to transmit a human-perceivable warning.

7. The system of claim 1, in which the means for deciding whether to transmit one or more blood clot indications comprises:

means for comparing one or more measurements.

10. The system of claim 1, in which the means for deciding whether to transmit one or more blood clot indications comprises:

means for causing a programmatic injection of a lytic material.

2. (canceled)

6. (canceled)

8-9. -9. (canceled)

11-44. -44. (canceled)

45. A system comprising:

circuitry for deciding whether to transmit one or more blood clot indications; and

a liquid-containing medium configured at least to facilitate acoustic energy passing between a subject and the circuitry for deciding whether to transmit the one or more blood clot indications.

46. The system of claim 45, in which the circuitry for deciding whether to transmit one or more blood clot indications comprises:

circuitry for signaling a care provider.

47. The system of claim 45, in which the circuitry for deciding whether to transmit one or more blood clot indications comprises:

circuitry for deciding whether to transmit a dispensation indication.

48. The system of claim 45, in which the circuitry for deciding whether to transmit one or more blood clot indications comprises:

circuitry for deciding whether to transmit an audible indication of one or more apparent blood clots.

49. The system of claim 45, in which the circuitry for deciding whether to transmit one or more blood clot indications comprises:

circuitry for deciding whether to transmit a human-perceivable warning.

50. The system of claim 45, in which the circuitry for deciding whether to transmit one or more blood clot indications comprises:

a pattern recognition module.

51. The system of claim 45, in which the circuitry for deciding whether to transmit one or more blood clot indications comprises:

circuitry for comparing one or more measurements.

52. The system of claim 45, in which the circuitry for deciding whether to transmit one or more blood clot indications comprises:

circuitry for providing a notification containing at least a selected one of the one or more blood clot indications.

53. The system of claim 45, in which the circuitry for deciding whether to transmit one or more blood clot indications comprises:

circuitry for indicating a treatment.

54. The system of claim 45, in which the circuitry for deciding whether to transmit one or more blood clot indications comprises:

circuitry for causing a programmatic injection of a lytic material.

55. The system of claim 45, in which the circuitry for deciding whether to transmit one or more blood clot indications comprises:

an interface configured to receive at least one of the one or more blood clot indications from an interaction with the subject.

56. The system of claim 45, in which the circuitry for deciding whether to transmit one or more blood clot indications comprises:

circuitry for detecting one or more attributes of a leg of the subject.

57. The system of claim 45, in which the circuitry for deciding whether to transmit one or more blood clot indications comprises:

circuitry for deciding whether to transmit a notification at least partly in response to one or more attributes of a limb of the subject.

58. The system of claim 45, in which the circuitry for deciding whether to transmit one or more blood clot indications comprises:

circuitry for deciding whether to transmit a notification at least partly in response to one or more stress indications.

59. The system of claim 45, in which the circuitry for deciding whether to transmit one or more blood clot indications comprises:

circuitry for deciding whether to transmit a notification at least partly in response to one or more shape indications.

60. The system of claim 45, in which the circuitry for deciding whether to transmit one or more blood clot indications comprises:

circuitry for deciding whether to transmit a notification at least partly in response to one or more thermal indications.

61. The system of claim 45, in which the circuitry for deciding whether to transmit one or more blood clot indications comprises:

one or more infrared sensors.

62. The system of claim 45, in which the circuitry for deciding whether to transmit one or more blood clot indications comprises:

one or more sensors external to the subject.

63. The system of claim 45, further comprising:

one or more tensile elements configured to exert force upon one or more sensors toward the subject.

64. The system of claim 45, further comprising:

circuitry for controlling a dispenser containing the liquid-containing medium.

65. The system of claim 45, further comprising:

a seat in a vicinity of one or more sensors operable to provide blood-clot-indicative data to the circuitry for deciding whether to transmit the one or more blood clot indications.

66. The system of claim 45, further comprising:

a vehicle supporting at least some of the circuitry for deciding whether to transmit the one or more blood clot indications.

67. The system of claim 45, in which the liquid-containing medium comprises:

an adhesive.

68. The system of claim 67, in which the circuitry for deciding whether to transmit one or more blood clot indications comprises:

one or more infrared sensors external to the subject;

circuitry for deciding whether to transmit one or more of a dispensation indication or a human-perceivable warning; and

circuitry for deciding whether to transmit an audible indication of one or more apparent blood clots.