Electrocardiographic telemetry and telephone transmission link system
First Claim
1. A system for transmitting an EKG signal from an ambulatory patient to a remote monitor comprising a portable patient-borne unit carried by said patient for detecting said EKG signal and transmitting a radio-frequency signal representative thereof, a telemetry receiver within range of said patient-borne unit for detecting said radio-frequency signal and for converting it to an audio-frequency electrical signal representative of said EKG signal, a telephone link for extending said audio-frequency electrical signal to said remote monitor, said telephone link including a first telephone, a second telephone, a communication channel therebetween, a pair of electrical-acoustical transducers, each of said transducers including a housing with a speaker contained therein, a first of said transducer housings being placed over the mouthpiece of said first telephone with the telemetry receiver audio-frequency electrical signal being electrically coupled to the respective transducer, the second of said transducer housings being placed over the earpiece of said second telephone with the respective transducer being electrically coupled to said remote monitor, and wherein the transducer attached to the mouthpiece of said first telephone includes an electrical switch which when operated breaks the electrical connection of the transducer, said patient-borne unit further including electrode leads for connection to said patient for detecting an EKG signal, and means for applying the radiofrequency signal to said leads so that said leads further function as an anTenna for transmitting said signal.
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Accused Products
Abstract
There is disclosed a combined telemetry and telephone transmission link system for monitoring a physiological signal. A convalescing patient, after leaving the intensive care unit of a hospital, carries with him a portable, battery-powered ECG signal detector and transmitter. The signal is frequency modulated and transmitted to a telemetry receiver, typically in the same room. The signal is demodulated and then coupled over a telephone link (for example, the hospital private branch exchange system) to monitoring equipment at another location. Hookups to the two ends of the telephone link are accomplished with the use of snap-on telephone attachments.
76 Citations
6 Claims
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1. A system for transmitting an EKG signal from an ambulatory patient to a remote monitor comprising a portable patient-borne unit carried by said patient for detecting said EKG signal and transmitting a radio-frequency signal representative thereof, a telemetry receiver within range of said patient-borne unit for detecting said radio-frequency signal and for converting it to an audio-frequency electrical signal representative of said EKG signal, a telephone link for extending said audio-frequency electrical signal to said remote monitor, said telephone link including a first telephone, a second telephone, a communication channel therebetween, a pair of electrical-acoustical transducers, each of said transducers including a housing with a speaker contained therein, a first of said transducer housings being placed over the mouthpiece of said first telephone with the telemetry receiver audio-frequency electrical signal being electrically coupled to the respective transducer, the second of said transducer housings being placed over the earpiece of said second telephone with the respective transducer being electrically coupled to said remote monitor, and wherein the transducer attached to the mouthpiece of said first telephone includes an electrical switch which when operated breaks the electrical connection of the transducer, said patient-borne unit further including electrode leads for connection to said patient for detecting an EKG signal, and means for applying the radiofrequency signal to said leads so that said leads further function as an anTenna for transmitting said signal.
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2. A system in accordance with claim 1 wherein said patient-borne unit includes means for frequency-modulating said radio-frequency signal in accordance with said EKG signal and said telemetry receiver includes means for demodulating the detected radio-frequency signal for deriving therefrom said audio-frequency electrical signal.
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3. A system in accordance with claim 1 wherein said patient-borne unit includes means for frequency modulating a sub-carrier in accordance with the amplitude of said EKG signal and means for frequency modulating a radio-frequency carrier in accordance with said frequency modulated sub-carrier, and said telemetry receiver includes means for demodulating the detected radio-frequency signal for deriving therefrom a frequency-modulated audio electrical signal for transmission over said telephone link.
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4. A system in accordance with claim 3 wherein the frequency of said sub-carrier is in the audio range.
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5. A system in accordance with claim 4 wherein said remote monitor includes means for demodulating the frequency-modulated signal transmitted over said telephone link to derive therefrom said EKG signal.
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6. A system in accordance with claim 5 wherein each of said attachments fits over and covers the mouthpiece or the earpiece of a telephone and includes a plurality of through-holes in its housing for permitting acoustical communication between the exterior of the housing and the covered mouthpiece or earpiece.
Specification