Ambulatory physiological monitor with removable disk cartridge and wireless modem

• US 5,678,562 A
• Filed: 11/09/1995
• Issued: 10/21/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 11/09/1995
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Burdick, Inc. (OSI Systems Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Burdick, Inc. (OSI Systems Incorporated)
• Inventors: Sellers, Craig S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Kamm, William E.
• Assistant Examiner(s): LAYNO, CARL HERNANDZ
• Application Number:
  US08/558,703
• Time in Patent Office: 712 Days
• Field of Search: 128/696, 128/702, 128/710, 128/711, 128/903, 128/904
• US Class Current: 600/523
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/336 Magnetic recording apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 10/60 for patient-specific data, e.g. for electronic patient records
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/40 for the management of medical equipment or devices, e.g. scheduling maintenance or upgrades
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/63 for local operation
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 50/20 for computer-aided diagnosis, e.g. based on medical expert systems
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 128/904 Telephone telemetry

Abstract

An ambulatory physiological monitor includes a high capacity, plug connectable magnetic disk cartridge for storing physiological data and analysis software. The disk cartridge is easily removable from the monitor and is connectable to a remote computer for analysis of the physiological data using the analysis software stored in the disk cartridge. The ambulatory physiological monitor may include a wireless data modem for communicating with a remote computer system as to the patient'"'"'s condition through a cellular telephone system. Selected portions of the physiological data or results of analysis of the physiological data may be transmitted to the remote computer system. The monitor may operate in a server mode in which it is controlled by the remote computer system. Updates to the analysis software and remote commands may be sent from the remote computer system to the monitor.

Claims

1. A method for recording and analyzing physiological data from a patient, comprising the steps of:

attaching an ambulatory physiological monitor containing a high capacity, miniaturized magnetic disk cartridge to an ambulatory patient;

acquiring physiological data from the patient while the patient is ambulatory using said ambulatory physiological monitor;

storing the physiological data acquired from the patient in said disk cartridge while the patient is ambulatory;

storing analysis software in said disk cartridge;

removing said disk cartridge from said ambulatory physiological monitor and attaching said disk cartridge to a computer;

transferring at least a portion of said analysis software from said disk cartridge to said computer when said disk cartridge is attached to said computer; and

analyzing the physiological data stored in said disk cartridge with said computer, wherein the step of analyzing the physiological data is performed with the analysis software transferred from said disk cartridge to said computer.

2. A method as defined in claim 1 further including the steps of identifying an alarm condition when the physiological data meets an alarm criteria and storing information representative of the alarm condition in said disk cartridge.

3. A method as defined in claim 1 wherein the step of acquiring physiological data includes the steps of converting a physiological signal to physiological data and storing the physiological data in a data buffer, and wherein the step of storing the physiological data includes transferring the physiological data from the data buffer to said disk cartridge.

4. A method as defined in claim 1 further including the steps of storing analysis software in said disk cartridge and analyzing at least a portion of the physiological data stored in said disk cartridge in said ambulatory physiological monitor.

5. An ambulatory physiological monitor for recording physiological data from a patient for subsequent medical diagnosis of the patient, comprising:

a housing;

a high capacity, miniaturized magnetic disk cartridge mounted in said housing for storing physiological data and analysis software; and

a circuit, located in said housing, for receiving a physiological signal representative of a physiological parameter of an ambulatory patient from a transducer attached to the ambulatory patient, for converting said physiological signal to said physiological data and for transferring said physiological data to said disk cartridge;

wherein said disk cartridge is plug connectable in said monitor and is easily removable from said monitor, said disk cartridge being connectable to a remote computer for transfer of said physiological data and at least a portion of said analysis software from said disk cartridge to the remote computer for analysis of said physiological data using the analysis software stored in said disk cartridge and transferred, at least in part, to the remote computer.

6. An ambulatory physiological monitor as defined in claim 5 wherein said circuit includes a data buffer, an acquisition processor for converting said physiological signal to said physiological data and for storing said physiological data in said data buffer, and a command processor for transferring said physiological data from said data buffer to said disk cartridge when said data buffer is nearly full.

7. An ambulatory physiological monitor as defined in claim 5 wherein said disk cartridge comprises a PC Card module.

8. An ambulatory physiological monitor as defined in claim 5 further including a wireless data modem for wireless communication with a remote computer system.

9. A method for recording and analyzing physiological data from a patient, comprising the steps of:

attaching an ambulatory physiological monitor containing a wireless data modem and a storage device to an ambulatory patient, said storage device having analysis software stored therein;

acquiring physiological data from the patient while the patient is ambulatory using said ambulatory physiological monitor;

storing the physiological data acquired from the patient in said storage device while the patient is ambulatory, said physiological data representing the patient'"'"'s condition; and

communicating with a remote computer system as to the patient'"'"'s condition through a cellular telephone system using said wireless data modem, the step of communicating with said remote computer system being performed using a cellular digital packet data modem for transmitting and receiving data packets.

10. A method as defined in claim 9 further including the step of analyzing the physiological data stored in the storage device, using said analysis software, to provide physiological information and wherein the step of communicating with said remote computer system includes transmitting said physiological information to said remote computer system.

11. A method as defined in claim 10 wherein the step of transmitting said physiological information to said remote computer system is executed in response to a predetermined event in said physiological data.

12. A method as defined in claim 10 wherein the step of communicating with said remote computer system includes downloading new analysis software from said remote computer system to said ambulatory physiological monitor through said cellular telephone system using said wireless data modem, said new analysis software being used to replace, modify or supplement the analysis software in said storage device.

13. A method as defined in claim 9 further including the step of selecting a portion of said physiological data based on a predetermined criteria and wherein the step of communicating with said remote computer system includes transmitting the selected physiological data to said remote computer system through said cellular telephone system using said wireless data modem.

14. A method as defined in claim 9 wherein the step of communicating with said remote computer system includes transmitting at least a portion of said analysis software to said remote computer system through said cellular telephone system using said wireless data modem.

15. A method as defined in claim 9 further including the step of placing said ambulatory physiological monitor in a server mode and wherein the step of communicating with said remote computer system includes said ambulatory physiological monitor receiving commands from said remote computer system and executing said commands.

16. An ambulatory physiological monitor for recording physiological data from a patient for subsequent medical diagnosis of the patient, comprising:

a housing;

a storage device mounted in said housing for storing physiological data and analysis software;

a circuit, mounted in said housing and coupled to said storage device, for receiving a physiological signal representative of a physiological parameter of an ambulatory patient from a transducer attached to the ambulatory patient, for converting said physiological signal to said physiological data and for transferring said physiological data to said storage device, said physiological data representing the patient'"'"'s condition; and

a wireless data modem, mounted in said housing and coupled to said storage device, for communicating with a remote computer system as to the patient'"'"'s condition by transferring said physiological data from said storage device to the remote computer system through a cellular telephone system, said wireless data modem comprising a cellular digital packet data modem for transmitting and receiving data packets.

17. An ambulatory physiological monitor as defined in claim 16 wherein said circuit includes means responsive to a predetermined event in said physiological data for initiating transmission of said physiological information to said remote computer system by said wireless data modem.

18. An ambulatory physiological monitor as defined in claim 16 wherein said storage device comprises a high capacity, miniaturized magnetic disk cartridge.

19. An ambulatory physiological monitor as defined in claim 16 wherein said circuit comprises a data buffer, an acquisition processor for converting said physiological signal to said physiological data and for storing said physiological data in said data buffer, and a command processor for transferring said physiological data from said data buffer to said storage device.

20. An ambulatory physiological monitor as defined in claim 19 wherein said command processor includes means for executing said analysis software for analyzing said physiological data.

21. An ambulatory physiological monitor as defined in claim 19 wherein said command processor includes means for controlling communication with said remote computer system with said wireless data modem.

22. An ambulatory physiological monitor as defined in claim 19 wherein said command processor includes means for responding to commands received from said remote computer system using said wireless data mode.

23. An ambulatory physiological monitor as defined in claim 19 wherein said command processor includes means for transmitting a selected portion of said physiological data to said remote computer system using said wireless data modem.

24. An ambulatory physiological monitor for recording physiological data from a patient for subsequent medical diagnosis of the patient, comprising:

a housing that is easily carried by a patient during normal activities for an extended period;

a high capacity, miniaturized magnetic disk cartridge mounted in said housing, said disk cartridge being plug connected in said monitor and being easily removable from said monitor;

an electronics module, located in said housing, for receiving a physiological signal representative of a physiological parameter of an ambulatory patient from a transducer attached to the ambulatory patient, for converting said physiological signal to physiological data and for transferring said physiological data to said disk cartridge, said physiological data representing the patient'"'"'s condition;

a wireless data modem, mounted in said housing, for communicating with a remote computer system as to the patient'"'"'s condition through a cellular telephone system, said wireless data modem comprising a cellular digital packet data modem for transmitting and receiving data packets; and

a battery module, mounted in said housing, for supplying electrical power for operation of said disk cartridge, said electronics module and said wireless data modem.

25. An ambulatory physiological monitor as defined in claim 24 wherein said electronics module comprises a data buffer, an acquisition processor for converting said physiological signal to said physiological data and for storing said physiological data in said data buffer, and a command processor for transferring said physiological data from said data buffer to said disk cartridge when said data buffer is nearly full.

26. An ambulatory physiological monitor as defined in claim 25 wherein said disk cartridge contains analysis software and wherein said command processor includes means for executing said analysis software for analyzing said physiological data.

27. An ambulatory physiological monitor as defined in claim 24 wherein said physiological data comprises ECG data.

28. A method for recording and analyzing physiological data from a patient, comprising the steps of:

attaching an ambulatory physiological monitor containing a wireless data modem and a storage device to an ambulatory patient, said storage device having analysis software stored therein;

acquiring physiological data from the patient while the patient is ambulatory using said ambulatory physiological monitor;

storing the physiological data acquired from the patient in said storage device while the patient is ambulatory, said physiological data representing the patient'"'"'s condition;

analyzing the physiological data stored in the storage device, using said analysis software, to provide physiological information; and

communicating with a remote computer system as to the patient'"'"'s condition through a cellular telephone system using said wireless data modem, wherein the step of communicating with said remote computer system includes transmitting said physiological information to said remote computer system, wherein the step of transmitting said physiological information to said remote computer system is executed at predetermined intervals.

29. A method for recording and analyzing physiological data from a patient, comprising the steps of:

attaching an ambulatory physiological monitor containing a wireless data modem and a storage device to an ambulatory patient, said storage device having analysis software stored therein;

acquiring physiological data from the patient while the patient is ambulatory using said ambulatory physiological monitor;

storing the physiological data acquired from the patient in said storage device while the patient is ambulatory, said physiological data representing the patient'"'"'s condition;

analyzing the physiological data stored in the storage device, using said analysis software, to provide physiological information; and

communicating with a remote computer system as to the patient'"'"'s condition through a cellular telephone system using said wireless data modem, wherein the step of communicating with said remote computer system includes transmitting said physiological information to said remote computer system, wherein the step of transmitting said physiological information to said remote computer system is executed in response to a request from said remote computer system.

30. An ambulatory physiological monitor for recording physiological data from a patient for a subsequent medical diagnosis of the patient, comprising:

a housing;

a storage device mounted in said housing for storing physiological data and analysis software;

a circuit, mounted in said housing and coupled to said storage device, for receiving a physiological signal representative of a physiological parameter of an ambulatory patient from a transducer attached to the ambulatory patient, for converting said physiological signal to said physiological data and for transferring said physiological data to said storage device, said physiological data representing the patient'"'"'s condition; and

a wireless data modem, mounted in said housing and coupled to said storage device, for communicating with a remote computer system as to the patient'"'"'s condition by transferring said physiological data from said storage device to the remote computer system through a cellular telephone system, wherein said circuit includes means responsive to a request by the remote computer system for initiating transmission of said physiological information to the remote computer system by said wireless data modem.

31. An ambulatory physiological monitor for recording physiological data from a patient for a subsequent medical diagnosis of the patient, comprising:

a housing;

a storage device mounted in said housing for storing physiological data and analysis software;

a circuit, mounted in said housing and coupled to said storage device, for receiving a physiological signal representative of a physiological parameter of an ambulatory patient from a transducer attached to the ambulatory patient, for converting said physiological signal to said physiological data and for transferring said physiological data to said storage device, said physiological data representing the patient'"'"'s condition; and

a wireless data modem, mounted in said housing and coupled to said storage device, for communicating with a remote computer system as to the patient'"'"'s condition by transferring said physiological data from said storage device to the remote computer system through a cellular telephone system, wherein said circuit includes means for initiating transmission of said physiological information to the remote computer system at predetermined intervals.

32. A method for recording and analyzing physiological data from a patient, comprising the steps of:

attaching an ambulatory physiological monitor containing a storage device to an ambulatory patient;

acquiring physiological data from the patient while the patient is ambulatory using said ambulatory physiological monitor;

storing the physiological data acquired from the patient in said storage device while the patient is ambulatory;

storing analysis software in said storage device;

removing said storage device from said ambulatory physiological monitor and attaching said storage device to a computer;

transferring at least a portion of said analysis software from said storage device to said computer when said storage device is attached to said computer; and

analyzing the physiological data stored in said storage device with said computer, wherein the step of analyzing the physiological data is performed with the analysis software transferred from said storage device to said computer.

33. A method for recording and analyzing physiological data from a patient, comprising the steps of:

attaching an ambulatory physiological monitor containing a wireless data modem and a storage device to an ambulatory patient;

acquiring physiological data from the patient while the patient is ambulatory using said ambulatory physiological monitor;

storing the physiological data acquired from the patient in said storage device while the patient is ambulatory;

storing analysis software in said storage device;

transferring said physiological data and at least a portion of said analysis software to a remote computer system through a cellular telephone system using said wireless data modem; and

analyzing the physiological data with the remote computer with the analysis software transferred from said ambulatory physiological monitor to the remote computer system.