Patient positioning monitoring apparatus and method of use thereof

• US 6,753,783 B2
• Filed: 04/01/2002
• Issued: 06/22/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 03/30/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Augmentech Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Augmentech Incorporated
• Inventors: Friedman, Mark B., Casciola, Randall W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hofsass, Jeffery
• Assistant Examiner(s): Lai, Anne V.
• Application Number:
  US10/113,422
• Publication Number:
  US 20020145526A1
• Time in Patent Office: 813 Days
• Field of Search: 340/573.7, 340/572.4, 340/572.5, 340/572.1, 340/573.1, 340/825.49, 600/595, 324/207-1-2
• US Class Current: 340/573.7
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2560/0285 Apparatus for single use
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0002 Remote monitoring of patients using telemetry, e.g. transmission of vital signals via a communication network A61B5/07 takes precedence; transmission systems for measured values G08C; transmission H04B; transmission of digital information H04L; wireless communication networks H04W
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1113 Local tracking of patients, e.g. in a hospital or private home
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/202 Assessing bladder functions, e.g. incontinence assessment
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/447 specially adapted for aiding the prevention of ulcer or pressure sore development, i.e. before the ulcer or sore has developed
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6804 Garments; Clothes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6808 Diapers
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 13/42 with wetness indicator or alarm

Abstract

A patient position monitoring apparatus and method includes an article configured to be worn by a patient. The article includes a plurality of resonators with each resonator responsive to a wireless excitation signal for causing the unique change in the excitation signal or for outputting a unique wireless response signal. The resonators are stimulated with a first wireless excitation signal when the article is being worn by a patient. The unique change in the excitation signal and /or the unique response signal of each resonator responding to the first excitation signal is determined. From the thus detected response, a signal strength of the unique change in the excitation signal and/or the unique response signal for each responding resonator is determined. From the thus determined signal strengths, the relative locations of the responding resonators with respect to each other can be determined.

Claims

1. A patient position monitoring system comprising:

a plurality of RF tags, each RF tag responsive to at least one wireless excitation signal for at least one of causing a unique change in the excitation signal and outputting a unique wireless response signal;

an article configured to be worn by a patient, the article having the plurality of RF tags received at predetermined locations thereon, the article configured to avoid movement of each RF tag relative to a body of the patient when it is being worn; and

a transceiver for (i) supplying a first excitation signal, for detecting for each RF tag responding to the first excitation signal at least one of a strength of the unique change in the first excitation signal and a strength of the unique response signal and for determining therefrom a first relative position of each responding RF tag with respect to each other, and for (ii) supplying a second excitation signal, for detecting for each RF tag responding to the second excitation signal at least one of a strength of the unique change in the second excitation signal and a strength of the unique response signal and for determining therefrom a second relative position of each responding RF tag with respect to each other.

2. The system as set forth in claim 1, further including a detector responsive to at least one of:

a change in the first and second relative positions of one or more responding RF tags for generating an indication related to a change in position of the patient between the first and second excitation signals; and

a lack of change in the first and second relative positions of one or more responding RF tags for generating an indication related to an absence of a change in position of the patient between the first and second excitation signals.

3. The system as set forth in claim 1, wherein the transceiver includes at least one antenna positioned adjacent a patient receiving surface for transmitting excitation signals and the system further includes a detector responsive to interaction between the at least one antenna and each RF tag responding to each excitation signal for detecting the strength of the unique change in the excitation signal caused by each RF tag.

4. The system as set forth in claim 3, wherein the patient receiving surface is one of a surface of mattress and a surface of a chair.

5. The system as set forth in claim 1, wherein the transceiver includes at least one antenna positioned adjacent a patient receiving surface for transmitting excitation signals and for receiving after each excitation signal is terminated the unique response signal output by each RF tag responding thereto, and the system further includes a detector coupled to the a least one antenna for detecting the strength of each unique response signal received thereby.

6. The system as set forth in claim 1, wherein the transceiver includes at least one first antenna positioned adjacent a patient receiving surface for transmitting each excitation signal and the system further includes a detector responsive to interaction between a least one second antenna and each RF tag responding to each excitation signal during transmission thereof for detecting the strength of the unique change in the excitation signal caused by each RF tag.

7. The system as set forth in claim 1, wherein the transceiver includes a plurality of antennas each positioned at a unique location adjacent a patient receiving surface, with each antenna individually selectable for transmitting at least one excitation signal, and the system further includes a detector responsive to each antenna for detecting the unique change in the excitation signal caused by each RF tag responding to the excitation signal.

8. A patient position monitoring method comprising the steps of:

(a) providing an article configured to be worn by a patient, the article having affixed thereto a plurality of RF tags, each RE tag responsive to a wireless excitation signal for at least one of causing a unique change in the excitation signal and outputting a unique wireless response signal;

(b) stimulating the RF tags with a first wireless excitation signal when the article is being worn by a patient;

(c) detecting for each RF tag responding to the first excitation signal, at least one of the unique change in the excitation signal and the unique response signal;

(d) determining for each RF tag responding to the first excitation signal a signal strength of the at least one unique change in the excitation signal and the unique response signal; and

(e) determining from the signal strengths determined in step (d), relative locations of the RF tags responding to the first excitation signal with respect to each other.

9. The method as set forth in claim 8, further including the steps of:

(f) stimulating the RF tags with a second wireless excitation signal;

(g) detecting for each RF tag responding to the second excitation signal, at least one of the unique change in the excitation signal and the unique response signal;

(h) determining for each RF tag responding to the second excitation signal a signal strength of the at least one unique change in the excitation signal and the unique response signal; and

determining from the signal strengths determined in step (h), relative locations of the RF tags responding to the second excitation signal with respect to each other.

10. The method as set forth in claim 9, wherein:

the unique change in the excitation signal includes energy absorption in one or more frequencies of the excitation signal; and

the unique response signal of each RF tag includes a unique frequency.

11. A patient orientation monitoring system comprising:

an article configured to be worn by a patient;

a plurality of RF tags supported by the article, each RF tag responsive to a wireless excitation signal for at least one of causing a unique change in the excitation signal and outputting a unique wireless response signal; and

means for outputting a first wireless excitation signal when the article is being worn by the patient and for receiving from each RF tag responding to the first excitation signal at least one of the unique change in the excitation signal and the unique response signal and means for determining therefrom first relative positions of the responding RF tags with respect to each other.

12. The system as set forth in claim 11, wherein the determining means includes a detector programmed to determine from tile first relative positions of the responding RF tags with respect to each other all orientation of the patient.

13. The system as set forth in claim 11, wherein the means for outputting and receiving outputs a second wireless excitation signal and receives from each RF tag responding to the second excitation signal at least one of the unique change in the excitation signal and the unique response signal, and the determining means determines therefrom second relative positions of the responding RF tags with respect to each other.

14. The system as set forth in claim 13, wherein the determining means includes a detector programmed to determine from the first and second relative positions of the responding RF tags with respect to each other whether the patient has changed orientation.

15. The system as set forth in claim 11, wherein the means for outputting and receiving includes an antenna positioned adjacent a patient receiving surface for transmitting each excitation signal and for receiving from each RF tag responding to the excitation signal the at least one of unique change in the excitation signal and the unique response signal, and the determining means includes a detector responsive to the antenna for detecting for each RF tag responding to the excitation signal the at least one of the unique change in the excitation signal and the unique response signal.

16. The system as set forth in claim 15, wherein the patient receiving surface is one of a surface of mattress and a surface of a chair.

17. The system as set forth in claim 11, wherein the means for outputting and receiving include a plurality of antennas positioned at a different location adjacent a patient receiving surface, each antenna individually selectable for transmitting each excitation signal, and the determining means includes a detector response to each antenna for detecting for each RF tag responding to the excitation signal the at least one of the unique change in the excitation signal and the unique wireless response signal.