BODY-WORN VITAL SIGN MONITOR

• US 20110066045A1
• Filed: 09/15/2009
• Published: 03/17/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 09/15/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sotera Wireless Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Sotera Wireless Incorporated
• Inventors: MOON, Jim, HUNT, Robert, VISSER, Henk
• Granted Patent: US 10,806,351 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/485
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/0219 Inertial sensors, e.g. accelerometers, gyroscopes, tilt switches
• 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 5/021 Measuring pressure in heart or blood vessels A61B5/0205 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/02125 of pulse wave propagation time
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/08 Detecting, measuring or recording devices for evaluating the respiratory organs A61B5/0205 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/14551 for measuring blood gases
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/369 Electroencephalography [EEG] devices for psychotechnics A61B5/16

Abstract

The invention provides a body-worn monitor featuring a processing system that receives a digital data stream from an ECG system. A cable houses the ECG system at one terminal end, and plugs into the processing system, which is worn on the patient'"'"'s wrist like a conventional wristwatch. The ECG system features: i) a connecting portion connected to multiple electrodes worn by the patient; ii) a differential amplifier that receives electrical signals from each electrode and process them to generate an analog ECG waveform; iii) an analog-to-digital converter that converts the analog ECG waveform into a digital ECG waveform; and iv) a transceiver that transmits a digital data stream representing the digital ECG waveform (or information calculated from the waveform) through the cable and to the processing system. Different ECG systems, typically featuring three, five, or twelve electrodes, can be interchanged with one another.

Claims

1. A system for measuring vital sign information from a patient, comprising:

(a) a first sensor configured to generate a first time-dependent waveform indicative of one or more contractile properties of the patient'"'"'s heart;

(b) a second sensor configured to generate a second time-dependent waveform indicative of one or more contractile properties of the patient'"'"'s heart; and

(c) a processing component configured to be worn on the patient'"'"'s body and comprising a microprocessor, a system for detecting an identifying code from a medical professional, and an interface to both the first and second sensors, the processing component configured to;

(i) receive a first signal representing the first time-dependent waveform through a first interface;

(ii) receive a second signal representing the second time-dependent waveform through a second interface;

(iii) calculate at least one vital sign value from at least one of the first and second signals or versions thereof; and

(iv) display the vital sign value on a first graphical user interface rendered in response to detecting the identifying code.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the system for detecting an identifying code is a barcode scanner.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the processing component, barcode scanner, and interface to both first and second sensors are comprised by a housing.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the barcode scanner is positioned on an outer surface of the housing.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the system for detecting an identifying code is a wireless system.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the wireless system is configured to detect a radio frequency identification code.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the processing component comprises a second graphical user interface.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the identifying code is an alphanumeric password entered into the second graphical user interface.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the first graphical user interface is configured to render a vital sign value and at least one of the first and second time-dependent waveforms.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the first graphical user interface is configured to render an ECG waveform.

13. The system of claim 1, wherein the processing component comprises a button and is configured to render a third graphical user interface once the button is depressed.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the third graphical user interface comprises a button that, once depressed, causes the processing component to transmit a message to a medical professional.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the third graphical user interface is configured to display a time of day.

16. The system of claim 13, wherein the processing component is configured to render the first graphical user interface according to a first orientation, and the third graphical user interface according to a second orientation.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the both the first orientation and second orientation are determined by processing a motion signal.

18. The system of claim 1, wherein the processing component is configured to be worn on the patient'"'"'s wrist.

19. The system of claim 1, wherein the system further comprises a speaker.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein the processing component is configured to play audio messages with the speaker.

21. The system of claim 20, wherein the processing component comprises a computer memory configured to store pre-recorded audio messages.

2. A system for measuring blood pressure from a patient, comprising:

(a) a first sensor configured to generate a first time-dependent waveform indicative of one or more contractile properties of the patient'"'"'s heart;

(b) a second sensor configured to generate a second time-dependent waveform indicative of one or more contractile properties of the patient'"'"'s heart; and

(c) a processing component configured to be worn on the patient'"'"'s body and comprising a microprocessor, a system for detecting an identifying code from a medical professional, and an interface to both the first and second sensors, the processing component configured to;

(i) receive a first signal representing the first time-dependent waveform through a first interface;

(ii) receive a second signal representing the second time-dependent waveform through a second interface;

(iii) calculate a blood pressure value from a pulse transit time measured between the first and second signals or versions thereof; and

(iv) display the blood pressure value on a first interface rendered in response to detecting the identifying code.

3. A system for measuring vital sign information from a patient, comprising:

a sensor configured to generate vital sign information from the patient; and

a processing component configured to be worn on the patient'"'"'s body and comprising a microprocessor, a system for detecting an identifying code from a medical professional, and an interface to the sensor, the processing component configured to display the vital sign value on a first interface rendered after detecting the identifying code.