MEDICAL CHARACTERIZATION SYSTEM

• US 20120209082A1
• Filed: 02/13/2012
• Published: 08/16/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 02/13/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Masimo Corporation
• Original Assignee: Masimo Corporation
• Inventors: Al-Ali, Ammar
• Granted Patent: US 10,332,630 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/300
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/02055 Simultaneously evaluating both cardiovascular condition and temperature
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/022 by applying pressure to close blood vessels, e.g. against the skin; Ophthalmodynamometers
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/087 Measuring breath flow
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/14551 for measuring blood gases
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/333 Recording apparatus specially adapted therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7275 Determining trends in physiological measurement data; Predicting development of a medical condition based on physiological measurements, e.g. determining a risk factor
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 50/20 for computer-aided diagnosis, e.g. based on medical expert systems
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 50/30 for calculating health indices; for individual health risk assessment

Abstract

A medical characterization system is configured to input medical-related continuous parameters and discrete data so as to calculate a characterization timeline indicative of a physiological condition of a living being. A data source is in sensor communications with a patient so as to generate a continuous parameter. The data source also provides test data responsive to the patient at a test time. The test data is available to a characterization processor at a result time. The characterization processor is also responsive to the continuous parameter so as to generate a medical characterization as a function of time. A characterization analyzer enables the characterization processor to update the medical characterization in view of the test data as of the test time.

Claims

1. A medical characterization system is configured to input medical-related continuous parameters and discrete data so as to calculate a characterization timeline indicative of a physiological condition of a living being, the medical characterization system comprising:

a parameter generator in sensor communications with a living being so as to generate a continuous parameter;

a characterization processor responsive to the continuous parameter so as to generate a medical characterization of the living being as a function of time;

a discrete data source that provides a datum responsive to the living being at a first time and that is available to the characterization processor at a second time; and

a characterization analyzer that enables the characterization processor to update the medical characterization in view of the datum as of the first time.

2. The medical characterization system according to claim 1 further comprising an analyzer model in communications with the characterization analyzer so as to determine the effect of the medical characterization update over time.

3. The medical characterization system according to claim 2 wherein the analyzer model comprises a selectable one of an upward shift, a downward aging and an upward ramp.

4. The medical characterization system according to claim 3 further comprising a data storage in communications with the data source and the characterization processor so that the characterization analyzer can selectively update past portions of the medical characterization with later data.

5. The medical characterization system according to claim 4 further comprising an input/output interface that allows a person to selectively control the medical characterization updates.

6. The medical characterization system according to claim 5 wherein the input/output interface comprises a display navigation tool that displays a selectable test epoch at the first time and a corresponding result epoch at the second time.

7. The medical characterization system according to claim 6 wherein the analyzer model is responsive to one of a therapy time epoch and a test time epoch in view of a result epoch.

8. A medical characterization method comprising:

generating a plurality of parameters responsive to sensors in communication with a person;

calculating a medical characterization from the parameters that is generally indicative of the physiological condition of the person;

performing a medical test on the person at a test time;

receiving the medical test result at a later result time; and

updating the medical characterization according to the medical test result as of the test time.

9. The medical characterization method according to claim 8 further comprising modeling the behavior of the medical characterization over time in response to the medical test as a test model.

10. The medical characterization method according to claim 9 further comprising:

displaying the medical characterization as a function of time;

indicating the test time on the display as a test epoch; and

indicating the result time on the display as a result epoch.

11. The medical characterization method according to claim 10 further comprising selecting at least one of the test epoch and the result epoch so as to initiate the updating.

12. The medical characterization method according to claim 11 further comprising applying the test model to the medical characterization as of the test time in response to the selecting.

13. The medical characterization method according to claim 11 further comprising indicating a therapy time on the display as a therapy epoch.

14. The medical characterization method according to claim 13 further comprising:

modeling the behavior of the medical characterization over time in response to a therapy as a therapy effectiveness model;

indicating a therapy time on the display as a therapy epoch;

selecting the therapy epoch; and

applying the therapy effectiveness model to the medical characterization as of the therapy time in response to selecting the therapy epoch.

15. A medical characterization apparatus comprising:

a data source that provides both a continuous parameter timeline and a discrete test result responsive to the medical state of a living being at a test time;

a characterization processor in communications with the data source so as to calculate a medical characterization of the living being according to each of the continuous parameter and the discrete test result; and

a characterization analyzer that updates the continuous parameter timeline according to the discrete test result as of the test time.

16. The medical characterization apparatus according to claim 15 wherein the characterization processor comprises:

an input selector that allows a user to select a current data input or a sync data input as a medical data output;

a processor engine that inputs the medical data and generates a medical characterization; and

a processor model that determines how the medical characterization is calculated based upon the medical data.

17. The medical characterization apparatus according to claim 16 wherein the characterization analyzer comprises an analyzer engine that combines current medical data and recalled medical data to generate sync data according to an analyzer model.

18. The medical characterization apparatus according to claim 17 further comprising:

a graphics generator that outputs the medical characterization to a display; and

a marker generator that indicates test and result epochs on the display in conjunction with the medical characterization.

19. The medical characterization apparatus according to claim 18 further comprising an analyzer model that determines the effect of a test result on the medical characterization.

20. The medical characterization apparatus according to claim 19 wherein the analyzer model further indicates the effectiveness of an earlier therapy based upon the test result.