Medical diagnostic device with multiple sensors on a flexible substrate and associated methodology

• US 6,409,684 B1
• Filed: 04/19/2000
• Issued: 06/25/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 04/19/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Peter J. Wilk
• Original Assignee: Peter J. Wilk
• Inventors: Wilk, Peter J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Shaver, Kevin
• Assistant Examiner(s): MARMOR II, CHARLES ALAN
• Application Number:
  US09/552,102
• Time in Patent Office: 797 Days
• Field of Search: 600/437, 600/449, 600/453, 600/454, 600/455, 600/456, 600/457, 600/458, 600/459, 600/481-484, 600/500, 600/528, 600/529, 600/538, 600/544, 600/546, 600/549, 600/552, 600/553, 600/586, 600/587, 600/597, 737/87, 738/18
• US Class Current: 600/586
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 7/00 Instruments for auscultation

Abstract

A medical diagnostic device comprises a substrate or carrier, a plurality of acoustoelectric transducers or sensors attached to the substrate or carrier in a pre-established array, a signal processor operatively coupled to the transducers for determining locations of points of origin of acoustic pressure waves generated by internal tissue structures of a patient on whom the substrate or carrier is placed, and a diagnosis computer operatively coupled to the transducers for automatically analyzing signals from the transducers to determine an internal condition of the patient. The device optionally includes a plurality of mechanical probes movably mounted to the substrate or carrier and actuators operatively connected to the probes for inducing movement of the probes, in a direction perpendicular to the substrate or carrier, from nascent or retracted positions to extended positions. The computer is operatively connected to the actuators for varying extension rate of the probes and for inducing a predetermined sequence of actuation of the probes. A plurality of additional sensors may be mounted to the substrate or carrier for measuring a preselected physiological parameter at different locations along a patient'"'"'s skin surface. The computer is operatively connected to the sensors for analyzing readings from the sensors in accordance with values of the parameter stored in a memory. The additional sensors are preferably, but not exclusively, taken from the group consisting of temperature sensors, electrical skin resistance detectors, Doppler blood flow sensors, electronic blood pressure gauges, muscle tone measurement devices, EEG electrodes, EKG electrodes.

Claims

1. A medical diagnostic device comprising:

a substrate or carrier;

a plurality of acoustoelectric transducers attached to said substrate or carrier in a pre-established array; and

diagnosis means operatively coupled to said transducers for automatically analyzing signals from said tranducers to automatically determine an internal condition of a patient, further comprising;

a plurality of mechanical probes movably mounted to said substrate or carrier; and

actuators operatively connected to said probes for inducing movement of said probes, in a direction substantially perpindicular to said substrate or carrier, from nascent or retracted positions to extended positions.

2. The device defined in claim 1 wherein said diagnosis means is a digital computer.

3. The device defined in claim 2 wherein said transducers detect sounds or audible-range pressure waves produced by internal tissues of the patient and generate electrical signals encoding the detected sounds, said computer including:

a memory storing a multiplicity of digitally encoded sample sounds produced by preselected internal tissues in abnormal conditions; and

a comparator operatively connected to said memory and said transducers for comparing electrical signals from said transducers with sample sounds stored in said memory.

4. The device defined in claim 2 wherein said memory includes sample sounds produced by internal tissues in response to percussive movements made by said probes.

5. The device defined in claim 3 wherein said sample sounds are characterized by respective patterns, said comparator being a pattern comparator.

6. The device defined in claim 4 wherein said computer is operatively connected to said actuators for controlling operation thereof.

7. The device defined in claim 4, further comprising a plurality of additional sensors mounted to said substrate or carrier for measuring a preselected physiological parameter at different locations along a patient'"'"'s skin surface, said memory additionally storing patterns of values of said parameter associated with different diagnostic conditions, said computer being operatively connected to said sensors for analyzing readings from said sensors in accordance with values of said parameter stored in said memory.

8. The device defined in claim 6 wherein said computer includes programming for varying extension rate of said probes.

9. The device defined in claim 6 wherein said computer includes programming for inducing a predetermined sequence of actuation of said probes.

10. The device defined in claim 7 wherein said additional sensors are taken from the group consisting of temperature sensors, electrical skin resistance detectors, Doppler blood flow sensors, electronic blood pressure gauges, muscle tone measurement devices, EEG electrodes, and EKG electrodes.

11. The device defined in claim 1 wherein said substrate or carrier includes at least one flexible portion so that a first part of said substrate or carrier is disposable at an angle with respect to a second part of said substrate or carrier.

12. The device defined in claim 11 wherein said substrate or carrier is flexible at multiple locations so that said substrate or carrier is substantially conformable to a skin surface of a patient.

13. The device defined in claim 1 wherein said diagnosis means includes a memory storing sample sounds produced by internal tissues in response to percussive movements made by said probes, said diagnosis means being operatively connected to said actuators for controlling operation thereof.

14. The device defined in claim 13 wherein said diagnosis means includes programming for varying extension rate of said probes.

15. The device defined in claim 13 wherein said diagnosis means includes programming for inducing a predetermined sequence of actuation of said probes.

16. The device defined in claim 1, further comprising a plurality of additional sensors mounted to said substrate or carrier for measuring a preselected physiological parameter at different locations along a patient'"'"'s skin surface, said diagnosis means including a memory storing patterns of values of said parameter associated with different diagnostic conditions, said diagnosis means being operatively connected to said sensors for analyzing readings from said sensors in accordance with values of said parameter stored in said memory.

17. The device defined in claim 16 wherein said additional sensors are taken from the group consisting of temperature sensors, electrical skin resistance detectors, Doppler blood flow sensors, electronic blood pressure gauges, muscle tone measurement devices, EEG electrodes, and EKG electrodes.

18. The device defined in claim 1 wherein said transducers detect sounds or audible-range pressure waves produced by internal tissues of the patient and generate electrical signals encoding the detected sounds, said diagnosis means including:

a memory storing a multiplicity of sample sounds produced by preselected internal tissues in abnormal conditions; and

a comparator operatively connected to said memory and said transducers for comparing electrical signals from said transducers with sample sounds stored in said memory.

19. The device defined in claim 1, further comprising signal processing means operatively coupled to said transducers for determining locations of points of origin of acoustic or audible-range pressure waves generated by internal tissue structures of a patient on whom said substrate or carrier is placed.

20. A medical diagnostic device comprising:

a substrate or carrier;

a plurality of mechanical probes movably mounted to said substrate or carrier;

actuators operatively connected to said probes for inducing movement of said probes, in a direction perpendicular to said substrate or carrier, from nascent or retracted positions to extended positions;

sensors attached to said substrate or carrier for detecting a response of internal tissues of a patient to action of said probes after placement of said substrate or carrier in operative contact with the patient and movement of at least one of said probes by said actuators; and

diagnosis means operatively coupled to said sensors for automatically analyzing signals from said sensors to determine an internal condition of the patient.

21. The device defined in claim 20 wherein said diagnosis means is a digital computer.

22. The device defined in claim 21 wherein said sensors detect sounds or audible-range pressure waves produced by internal tissues of the patient and generate electrical signals encoding the detected sounds, said computer including:

a memory storing a multiplicity of digitally encoded sample sounds produced by preselected internal tissues in abnormal conditions; and

a comparator operatively connected to said memory and said sensors for comparing electrical signals from said sensors with sample sounds stored in said memory.

23. The device defined in claim 22 wherein said computer is operatively connected to said actuators for controlling operation thereof.

24. The device defined in claim 23 wherein said computer includes programming for varying extension rate of said probes.

25. The device defined in claim 23 wherein said computer includes programming for inducing a predetermined sequence of actuation of said probes.

26. The device defined in claim 20, further comprising a plurality of additional sensors mounted to said substrate or carrier for measuring a preselected physiological parameter at different locations along a patient'"'"'s skin surface, said memory additionally storing patterns of values of said parameter associated with different diagnostic conditions, said computer being operatively connected to said sensors for analyzing readings from said sensors in accordance with values of said parameter stored in said memory.

27. The device defined in claim 26 wherein said additional sensors are taken from the group consisting of temperature sensors, electrical skin resistance detectors, Doppler blood flow sensors, electronic blood pressure gauges, muscle tone measurement devices, EEG electrodes, and EKG electrodes.

28. The device defined in claim 20 wherein said substrate or carrier includes at least one flexible portion so that a first part of said substrate or carrier is disposable at an angle with respect to a second part of said substrate or carrier.

29. The device defined in claim 28 wherein said substrate or carrier is flexible at multiple locations so that said substrate or carrier is substantially conformable to a skin surface of a patient.

30. A medical diagnostic method comprising:

placing a multiplicity of acoustoelectric transducers in effective pressure-wave-transmitting contact with a patient; and

automatically analyzing electrical signals from said transducers to automatically determine an internal condition of the patient,

wherein the automatic analysis of said electrical signals includes operating a digital computer and wherein said transducers detect sounds or audible-range pressure waves produced by internal tissues of the patient and generate electrical signals encoding the detected sounds, the operating of said computer including processing said electrical signals and comparing the processed signals with sample sounds stored in a memory, further comprising;

placing a plurality of probes adjacent to the patient and operating actuators to move selected ones of said probes from nascent or retracted positions to extended positions pushing against the patient; and

operating said computer to compare sample sounds in said memory with sounds produced by internal tissues in response to the movements made by said probes.

31. A medical diagnostic method comprising:

disposing a plurality of movable mechanical probes adjacent to a patient;

selectively activating actuators operatively connected to said probes for inducing movement of selected ones of said probes from nascent or retracted positions to extended positions pushing against the patient;

automatically detecting a response of internal tissues of a patient to action of said probes; and

automatically analyzing the response of said internal tissues to determine an internal condition of the patient.

32. The method defined in claim 31 wherein the automatic analyzing of the response of said internal tissues includes operating a digital computer.

33. The method defined in claim 32 wherein the response of said internal tissues includes sounds or audible-range pressure waves produced by said internal tissues, the operating of said computer including:

storing a multiplicity of digitally encoded sample sounds produced by preselected internal tissues in abnormal conditions; and

comparing electrical signals encoding the response of said internal tissues with stored sample sounds.

34. The method defined in claim 33, further comprising operating said computer to control operation of said actuators.