HAND-HELD VITAL SIGNS MONITOR

• US 20140235964A1
• Filed: 04/23/2014
• Published: 08/21/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 09/07/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sotera Wireless Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Sotera Wireless Incorporated
• Inventors: Dhillon, Marshal Singh, Terry, Andrew Stanley, Thompson, Michael James, Zhou, Zhou, Visser, Henk II, Fleming, Adam Michael, Banet, Matthew J.
• Granted Patent: US 10,136,827 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/301
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/063 in a linear array
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/166 the sensor is mounted on a specially adapted printed circuit board
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0006 ECG or EEG signals
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/002 Monitoring the patient using a local or closed circuit, e.g. in a room or building A61B5/0017 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0022 Monitoring a patient using a global network, e.g. telephone networks, internet
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0082 adapted for particular medical purposes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/02007 Evaluating blood vessel condition, e.g. elasticity, compliance
• 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 5/021 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 5/029 Measuring or recording blood output from the heart, e.g. minute volume A61B8/065 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/08 Detecting, measuring or recording devices for evaluating the respiratory organs A61B5/0205 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1112 Global tracking of patients, e.g. by using GPS
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/14551 for measuring blood gases
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/14552 Details of sensors specially adapted therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/259 using conductive adhesive means, e.g. gels
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/282 Holders for multiple electrodes for introduction into the body A61B5/287
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/316 Modalities, i.e. specific diagnostic methods
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/327 Generation of artificial ECG signals based on measured signals, e.g. to compensate for missing leads
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/332 : Portable devices specially adapted therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/339 : Displays specially adapted therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6823 : Trunk, e.g., chest, back, abdomen, hip
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6832 : using adhesives A61B5/259 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7435 : Displaying user selection data, e.g. icons in a graphical user interface
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7475 : User input or interface means, e.g. keyboard, pointing device, joystick
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 7/04 : Electric stethoscopes microphones, acoustic transducers therefor H04R
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/67 : for remote operation

Abstract

The invention features a vital sign monitor that includes: 1) a hardware control component featuring a microprocessor that operates as interactive, icon-driven GUI on an LCD; and, 2) a sensor component that connects to the control component through a shielded coaxial cable. The sensor features: 1) an optical component that generates a first signal; 2) a plurality electrical components (e.g. electrodes) that generate a second signal; and, 3) an acoustic component that generates a third signal. The microprocessor runs compiled computer code that operates: 1) the touch panel LCD; 2) a graphical user interface that includes multiple icons corresponding to different software operations; 3) a file-management system for storing and retrieving vital sign information; and 4) USB and short-range wireless systems for transferring data to and from the device to a PC.

Claims

1. A hand-held vital signs system, comprising:

a housing comprising a microprocessor that is operably connected to a touch screen display on a surface of the housing to provide operation controls for the vital signs system on an icon-driven graphical user interface;

at least two electrodes operably connected to the microprocessor configured to measure an electrical signal which is processed by the microprocessor to provide an ECG waveform; and

a first sensor operably connected to the microprocessor configured to measure a low-frequency waveform comprising frequency components of between 40 Hz and 500 Hz indicative of heart valve operation;

a second sensor operably connected to the microprocessor configured to measure an optical waveform,

wherein the microprocessor is configured to collectively process the low-frequency waveform and the ECG waveform to determine a pre-ejection period, to collectively process the optical waveform, the ECG waveform and the pre-ejection period to determine a vascular transit time, and to determine a blood pressure value using the vascular transit time.

2. A hand-held vital signs system according to claim 1, wherein the system further comprises a wireless communications system configured for wireless transfer of information from the microprocessor to an external device.

3. A hand-held vital signs system according to claim 2, wherein the wireless communications system communicates with the external device by one or more of a Bluetooth protocol, a WiFi protocol, a CDMA protocol, a GSM protocol, and an IDEN protocol.

4. A hand-held vital signs system according to claim 1, wherein the at least two electrodes and the second sensor are disposed on a surface of the housing.

5. A hand-held vital signs system according to claim 1, wherein calibration information is used by the microprocessor during determination of the blood pressure value to account for arterial properties of a user of the vital signs system.

6. A hand-held vital signs system according to claim 1, wherein the first sensor is a piezoelectric sensor.