MONITORING APPARATUS AND OTHER DEVICES

• US 20180310833A1
• Filed: 04/27/2018
• Published: 11/01/2018
• 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:
  US15/965,430
• Publication Number:
  US 20180310833A1
• 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 a strap configured to extend around the limb of the wearer to secure the wearable article thereto;

a physiological sensor coupled to the wearable article, the physiological sensor configured to sense at least one physiological parameter of the wearer when the wearable article is secured to the limb of the wearer, and the physiological sensor configured to output physiological parameter data representative of the sensed at least one physiological parameter of the wearer;

a monitoring component including;

a processor;

a storage device;

a data transfer component;

at least one sensor connection pin; and

the monitoring component electrically coupled to the physiological sensor via the at least one sensor connection pin, the processor configured to record and store the physiological parameter data in the storage device during a first mode of operation of the monitoring component, and the monitoring component configured to transfer, via the data transfer component and a radio frequency link, the stored physiological parameter data to a computing device during a second mode of operation of the monitoring component; and

a digital display device coupled to the wearable article and communicatively coupled to the monitoring component, the digital display device configured to display the physiological parameter data for the wearer to monitor the sensed at least one physiological parameter when the wearable article is secured to the limb of the wearer.

2. The system of claim 1, the monitoring component further including a clock configured to provide a time, wherein the digital display device is further configured to display the time during the first mode of operation of the monitoring component.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the monitoring component is further configured to link the provided time to the digital physiological parameter data, and wherein the digital display device is further configured to display the digital physiological parameter data based on the time linked thereto.

4. The system of claim 2,

wherein the at least one physiological sensor comprises a temperature sensor, and

wherein the digital physiological parameter data comprises digital temperature data, wherein the monitoring component is further configured to link the provided time to the digital temperature data for determining:

one or more times during which the wearable article was secured to the limb of the wearer based on the digital temperature data at the linked time 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 at the linked time being substantially above or substantially below the expected value.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the physiological sensor comprises at least one sensor selected from a temperature sensor, a blood pressure sensor, a blood profile sensor, a heart rate sensor, and combinations thereof.

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

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the one or more remote users comprises at least one user selected from a physician, an extended care practitioner, a nurse practitioner, a nurse, an insurance carrier, and combinations thereof.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one physiological parameter comprises a physiological response of the wearer to a drug.

9. The system of 1, wherein the monitoring component is further configured to transfer, via the data transfer component and the radio frequency link, an identifier to the computing device during the second mode of operation of the monitoring component, wherein the identifier identifies the physiological sensor and the monitoring component.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the computing device is configured to perform computations on the transferred digital physiological parameter data 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.

11. The system of claim 9, wherein the processor is further configured to delete the stored digital physiological parameter data from the storage device after transferring the identifier.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein the digital display device is configured to display the digital physiological parameter data in a graphical element comprised of one or more geometric shapes.

13. The system of claim 1, the monitoring component further including an audio signaling device electrically coupled to the processor via an audio output connection pin, wherein the audio signaling device is configured to generate an audio signal for the wearer.

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

15. The system of claim 1, wherein the radio frequency link comprises a cellular link.

16. The system of claim 1, wherein the computing device is at least one of a laptop, a smartphone, a cellular device, and a personal digital assistant (PDA).

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

18. The system of claim 17, the monitoring component further including an analog position sensor connection pin, the monitoring component electrically coupled to the position sensor via the analog position sensor connection pin, wherein the processor is further configured to convert the analog position data into digital position data during the first mode of operation of the monitoring component and record and store the digital position data in the storage device during the first mode of operation of the monitoring component, and wherein the monitoring component is further configured to transfer, via the data transfer component and the radio frequency link, the stored digital position data to the computing device during the second mode of operation of the monitoring component.

19. The system of claim 17, further comprising an electric power source electrically coupled to the monitoring component via one or more terminals, wherein the processor is further configured to control the electric power source to change the monitoring component from at least one of a powered non-sleep state and a low power sleep state based on the analog position data representative of the sensed movement of the limb of the wearer.

20. The system of claim 1, the monitoring component further including a plurality of display connection pins comprising a display interface, wherein the physiological sensor is configured to output the physiological parameter data as analog physiological parameter data, wherein the at least one sensor connection pin comprises an analog connection pin, wherein the processor is further configured to convert the analog physiological parameter data into digital physiological parameter data during the first mode of operation of the monitoring component, and wherein the digital display device is communicatively coupled to the monitoring component via the plurality of display connection pins comprising the display interface.

21. A system for monitoring a wearer, the system comprising:

a wearable article configured to be firmly attached to at least one body part of a wearer;

at least one sensor embedded within the wearable article, the at least one sensor configured to measure at least one parameter of the wearer when the wearable article is firmly attached to the at least one body part thereof; and

at least one monitor, the monitor comprising;

a data acquisition system comprising a microprocessor and memory, the microprocessor and the memory electrically coupled to the at least one sensor, and the memory configured to store digital data representative of the at least one measured parameter;

an electric power source electrically coupled to the data acquisition unit via one or more terminals, wherein the microprocessor is configured to control the electric power source to change the monitor from at least one of a powered non-sleep state and low power sleep state; and

a radio frequency (RF) transmitter and receiver configured to transfer the digital data from the memory to a portable communications device, wherein the transfer occurs at least one of instantaneously and at set intervals, and wherein the RF transmitter and receiver is configured to transmit an identifier to enable a software application executing on the portable communications device to access at least one of connection parameters and firmware stored on the portable communications device to communicate with the RF transmitter and receiver without downloading the parameters or firmware.

22. The system of claim 21, wherein the sensor comprises a blood pressure sensor and the at least one parameter comprises a blood pressure of the wearer.

23. The system of claim 21, wherein the sensor comprises a temperature sensor and the at least one parameter comprises a temperature of the wearer.

24. The system of claim 21, wherein the sensor comprises a blood profile sensor and the at least one parameter comprises a blood profile of the wearer.

25. The system of claim 21, wherein the sensor comprises a heart rate sensor and the at least one parameter comprises a heart rate of the wearer.

26. A system for monitoring a user, the system comprising:

a first sensor configured to be positioned adjacent to at least one body part of the user, the first sensor configured to measure at least one parameter of the user when positioned adjacent to the at least one body part thereof;

a second sensor configured to provide an identifier;

a data acquisition unit electrically coupled to the first and second sensors via one or more analog electrical connections, the data acquisition unit configured to receive the measured at least one parameter from the first sensor and receive the identifier provided by the second sensor, and the data acquisition unit configured to wirelessly transfer the received at least one parameter and the received identifier to a mobile communications device; and

the mobile communications device, comprising;

a radio frequency (RF) transmitter and receiver configured to receive the at least one parameter and the identifier wirelessly transferred by the data acquisition unit, wherein the reception occurs at least one of instantaneously and at set intervals, wherein the identifier enables a software application executing on the mobile communications device to access at least one of connection parameters and firmware stored on the mobile communications device to communicate with the data acquisition unit without downloading the parameters or firmware.

27. The system of claim 26, wherein the first sensor comprises a blood pressure sensor and the at least one parameter comprises a blood pressure of the user.

28. The system of claim 26, wherein the first sensor comprises a temperature sensor and the at least one parameter comprises a temperature of the user.

29. The system of claim 26, wherein the first sensor comprises a blood profile sensor and the at least one parameter comprises a blood profile of the user.

30. The system of claim 26, wherein the first sensor comprises a heart rate sensor and the at least one parameter comprises a heart rate of the user.