MONITORING APPARATUS AND OTHER DEVICES

• US 20180289268A1
• Filed: 04/27/2018
• Published: 10/11/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 04/23/2003
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Bonutti Research Incorporated (Bonutti IP LLC)
• Original Assignee: Bonutti Research Incorporated (Bonutti IP LLC)
• Inventors: Bonutti, Peter M., Beyers, Justin E.
• Application Number:
  US15/965,468
• Publication Number:
  US 20180289268A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• 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 5/0205 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 5/024 Detecting, measuring or recording pulse rate or heart rate A61B5/0205, A61B5/021 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/681 Wristwatch-type devices
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/742 using visual displays A61B5/339 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 5/0102 specially adapted for correcting deformities of the limbs or for supporting them; Ortheses, e.g. with articulations
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 1/0277 Elbow
• 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: Y10S 601/19 including biological sensor
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 601/23 including biological sensors

Abstract

A monitoring system for monitoring a patient using a device, such as all orthosis system is provided. The system includes a monitor that can be incorporated or otherwise coupled to the device. The monitor can have a position sensor, a temperature sensor, and a device type sensor for monitoring the patient'"'"'s implementation of a protocol. The data obtained from the monitor can be remotely analyzed by a healthcare professional and the protocol can be adjusted accordingly.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a wearable article configured to be removably donned on a limb of a wearer, the wearable article including at least one mechanical connector to fasten the wearable article to the limb of the wearer;

a temperature sensor embedded into the wearable article;

a microprocessor electrically coupled to the temperature sensor via an analog electrical connector, the microprocessor configured to receive the voltage outputted by the temperature sensor via the analog electrical connector and convert the received voltage to digital temperature data;

a clock configured to provide time;

a storage device electrically coupled to the microprocessor, the storage device configured to store the digital temperature data and record the time provided by the clock when storing the digital temperature data; and

a data transfer component electrically coupled to the storage device, the data transfer component configured to transfer the digital temperature data and the recorded time to a computing device at one or more set intervals for determining;

one or more times during which the wearable article was fastened to the limb of the wearer based on the digital temperature data being substantially equal to an expected value, and

one or more times during which the wearable article was detached from the limb of the wearer based on the digital temperature data being substantially above or substantially below the expected value.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the wearable article is configured to be removably donned on the limb of the wearer for a predetermined time period, and wherein the one or more times during which the wearable article is determined as fastened to the limb of the wearer and the one or more times during which the wearable article is determined as detached from the limb of the wearer comprise the predetermined time period.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the microprocessor is further configured to delete the stored digital temperature data and recorded time from the storage device after the data transfer component transfers the digital temperature data and the recorded time to the computing device at the set intervals.

4. The system of claim 1, further comprising an electric power source electrically coupled to the microprocessor and the storage device via one or more terminals, wherein the microprocessor is further configured to control the electric power source to change the system from at least one of a powered non-sleep state and a low power sleep state.

5. The system of claim 1, further comprising a position sensor embedded into the wearable article, wherein the position sensor is configured to sense movement of the wearer when the wearable article is fastened to the limb of the wearer, wherein the position sensor is configured to output analog position data representative of the sensed movement of the wearer.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the microprocessor is electrically coupled to the position sensor via another analog electrical connector, the microprocessor further configured to receive the analog position data outputted by the position sensor via the another analog electrical connector and convert the received analog position data to digital position data, the storage device further configured to store the digital position data and record the time provided by the clock when storing the digital position data to link the provided time to the digital position data.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the data transfer component is further configured to transfer the digital position data and the recorded time to the computing device at the one or more set intervals for determining the sensed movement of the wearer based on the time linked thereto.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the transferred digital temperature data and time is selectively accessible to one or more remote users of the computing device, wherein the one or more remote users are authorized by the wearer to access the digital temperature data and time on the computing device.

9. A system comprising:

a temperature sensor configured to output a voltage indicative of a temperature sensed thereby, wherein the outputted voltage increases per each degree increase in sensed temperature;

a microprocessor electrically coupled to the temperature sensor via an analog electrical connection pin, the microprocessor configured to receive the voltage outputted by the temperature sensor via the analog electrical connection pin and convert the received voltage to digital temperature data;

a clock configured to provide time;

a storage device electrically coupled to the microprocessor and the clock, the storage device configured to store the digital temperature data and record the time provided by the clock when storing the digital temperature data; and

a data transfer component electrically coupled to the storage device, the data transfer component configured to transfer the digital temperature data and the recorded time to a computing device at one or more set intervals for determining compliance with a protocol.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein at least the temperature sensor is coupled to an article configured to be conformed to a body part.

11. The system of claim 9, wherein the microprocessor is further configured to delete the stored digital temperature data and recorded time from the storage device after the data transfer component transfers the digital temperature data and the recorded time to the computing device at the set intervals.

12. The system of claim 9, further comprising an electric power source electrically coupled to the microprocessor and the storage device via one or more terminals, wherein the microprocessor is further configured to control the electric power source to change the system from at least one of a powered non-sleep state and a low power sleep state.

13. The system of claim 9, further comprising a position sensor, wherein the position sensor is configured to sense movement.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the microprocessor is electrically coupled to the position sensor via another analog electrical connection pin, the microprocessor further configured to receive the analog position data outputted by the position sensor via the another analog electrical connection pin and convert the received analog position data to digital position data, the storage device further configured to store the digital position data and record the time provided by the clock when storing the digital position data to link the provided time to the digital position data.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the data transfer component is further configured to transfer the digital position data and the recorded time to the computing device at the one or more set intervals for determining the compliance with the protocol based on the sensed movement and the time linked thereto.

16. The system of claim 9, wherein the transferred digital temperature data and time is selectively accessible to a remote user of the computing device based on an identity of the remote user.

17. A system comprising:

a wearable article configured to be secured to a body;

a physiological sensor coupled to the wearable article, the physiological sensor configured to sense at least one physiological parameter of the body when the wearable article is secured thereto during a first mode of operation of the system, and the physiological sensor configured to output analog physiological parameter data representative of the sensed at least one physiological parameter of the body during the first mode of operation;

a microprocessor electrically coupled to the physiological sensor via an analog electrical connection, the microprocessor configured to receive the analog physiological parameter data outputted by the physiological sensor via the analog electrical connection and convert the received analog physiological parameter data to digital physiological parameter data during the first mode of operation;

a storage device electrically coupled to the microprocessor, the storage device configured to store the digital physiological parameter data; and

a data transfer component electrically coupled to the storage device, the data transfer component configured to transfer the digital physiological parameter data to a data storage unit during a second mode of operation of the system, wherein the transferred digital physiological parameter data is selectively accessible to a remote user of the data storage unit based on an identity of the remote user.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the remote user is authorized by at least one of a patient and a health care professional to access the digital physiological parameter data on the data storage unit.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the remote user comprises at least one user selected from a physician, an extended care practitioner, a nurse practitioner, a nurse, an insurance carrier, and combinations thereof.

20. The system of claim 17, wherein the data transfer component is further configured to transfer an identifier to the data storage unit during the second mode of operation, wherein the identifier identifies at least one of the physiological sensor and the microprocessor.

21. The system of claim 20, wherein the digital physiological parameter data transferred to the data storage unit is configured to have computations performed thereon relative to a known minimum data value and a known maximum data value, wherein the known minimum and maximum data values are based on the identifier.

22. The system of claim 17, the wearable article including at least one mechanical connector to fasten the wearable article to the body.

23. The system of claim 17, wherein the data transfer component is configured to transfer the digital physiological parameter data to the data storage unit during the second mode of operation via at least one connection selected from a cable, a fiber optic link, a phone line, a cellular phone link, a radio frequency (RF) link, and combinations thereof.

24. A monitoring system for use in a therapeutic device associated with a device identifier, the system comprising:

one or more sensors configured to sense at least one parameter during use of the therapeutic device by a user;

a storage device configured to store the at least one sensed parameter;

a controller configured to;

identify the therapeutic device from a plurality of other therapeutic devices based on the device identifier associated therewith, and

transfer the at least one sensed parameter from the storage device to a data storage unit, wherein the transferred parameter is accessible to a remote user of the data storage unit for assuring the remote user that the user is using the identified therapeutic device based on the device identifier.

25. The system of claim 24, wherein the remote user is authorized by the user to access the transferred parameter on the data storage unit.

26. The system of claim 25, wherein the remote user comprises at least one user selected from a physician, an extended care practitioner, a nurse practitioner, a nurse, an insurance carrier, and combinations thereof.

27. The system of claim 24, wherein the one or more sensors are configured to sense the at least one parameter during a first mode of operation of the monitoring system, wherein the storage device is configured to store the at least one sensed parameter during the first mode of operation, wherein the controller is configured to identify the therapeutic device during the first mode of operation, and wherein the controller is configured to transfer the at least one sensed parameter during a second mode of operation of the monitoring system.

28. The system of claim 27, wherein the controller is configured to transfer the at least one sensed parameter to the data storage unit during the second mode of operation via at least one connection selected from a cable, a fiber optic link, a phone line, a cellular phone link, a radio frequency (RF) link, and combinations thereof.

29. The system of claim 24, wherein the at least one parameter transferred to the data storage unit is configured to have computations performed thereon relative to a known minimum data value and a known maximum data value, wherein the known minimum and maximum data values are based on the device identifier.

30. The system of claim 24, wherein the one or more sensors are coupled to a wearable article configured to be secured to a body part of the user during use of the therapeutic device.