Signal converting cradle for medical condition monitoring and management system

• US 8,085,151 B2
• Filed: 06/26/2008
• Issued: 12/27/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 06/28/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Abbott Diabetes Care Incorporated (Abbott Laboratories Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Abbott Diabetes Care Incorporated (Abbott Laboratories Incorporated)
• Inventors: Jennewine, R. Curtis
• Primary Examiner(s): Bugg, George
• Assistant Examiner(s): MCNALLY, KERRI L
• Application Number:
  US12/147,467
• Publication Number:
  US 20090002179A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,279 Days
• Field of Search: 340/573.1
• US Class Current: 340/573.1
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2560/0276 Determining malfunction
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2560/0456 Apparatus provided with a docking unit
• 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 5/002 Monitoring the patient using a local or closed circuit, e.g. in a room or building A61B5/0017 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/14532 for measuring glucose, e.g. by tissue impedance measurement
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4839 combined with drug delivery
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/0453 worn on the body to detect health condition by physiological monitoring, e.g. electrocardiogram, temperature, breathing detecting, measuring or recording for diagnostic purposes A61B5/00
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 3/10 using electric transmission; using electromagnetic transmission
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 31/00 Predictive alarm systems characterised by extrapolation or other computation using updated historic data

Abstract

A monitoring apparatus is disclosed which includes a receiver unit for receiving data and outputting a first alert signal based on the received data; and a docking unit comprising a converter unit which converts the first alert signal when the receiver unit is connected to the docking unit.

Claims

1. A monitoring apparatus, comprising:

a receiver unit comprising a processor, a memory and an alarm system having stored alarm settings, the memory storing instructions which, when executed by the processor, causes the receiver to receive a first medical data of a patient and a second medical data of a patient, causes the alarm system to output a first alert signal corresponding to a first medical condition based on the first medical data and the stored alarm settings, causes the alarm system to output a second alert signal corresponding to a second medical condition based on the second medical data and the stored alarm settings, wherein the first alert signal comprises a first tone and a unique identifier associated with the patient and the second alert signal comprises a second tone and the unique identifier associated with the patient, and allows an authorized user to modify the stored alarm settings, the loudness of the first alert signal and the second alert signal, and the tone of the first alert signal and the second alert signal; and

a docking unit comprising an amplifier for amplifying the first alert signal and the second alert signal when the receiver unit is connected to the docking unit, and a docking unit speaker for outputting the first tone of the first alert signal and the second tone of the second alert signal.

2. The monitoring apparatus of claim 1, wherein one or more of the received first or second medical data is data corresponding to an analyte level of a patient.

3. The monitoring apparatus of claim 2, wherein the receiver unit outputs the first alert signal if the analyte level of the patient reaches a predetermined threshold level.

4. The monitoring apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a recording medium for recording a sound to be used as the second alert signal.

5. The monitoring apparatus of claim 1, wherein the docking unit further comprises a charging unit for charging a power supply of the receiver unit when the receiver unit is connected to the docking unit.

6. The monitoring apparatus of claim 1, wherein the memory storing instructions which, when executed by the processor, allows an authorized user to modify the stored alarm settings such that the first alert signal is generated when the first medical data indicates a first glucose level and the second alert signal is generated when the second medical data indicates a second glucose level.

7. The monitoring apparatus of claim 1, wherein the receiver unit further comprises a receiver unit speaker for outputting the first tone of the first alert signal and the second tone of the second alert signal, wherein the loudness of the receiver unit speaker is less than the loudness of the docking unit speaker.

8. The monitoring apparatus of claim 7, wherein the docking unit speaker outputs a modified first tone and a modified second tone, wherein the first tone and the modified first tone clash when outputted simultaneously, and wherein the second tone and the modified second tone clash when outputted simultaneously.

9. The monitoring apparatus of claim 1, wherein the docking unit further comprises a light control unit which regulates an external light source based on the first alert signal, wherein the external light source is separately positioned from the receiver unit and the docking unit.

10. A monitoring apparatus, comprising:

a sensor for monitoring an analyte level of a patient;

a receiver unit comprising a processor, a memory and an alarm system having stored alarm settings, the memory storing instructions which, when executed by the processor, causes the receiver to receive data from the sensor that indicates the level of the analyte, causes the receiver unit to output a first alert signal based on the stored alarm settings if the analyte level reaches a first predetermined threshold level, causes the receiver unit to output a second alert signal based on the stored alarm settings if the analyte level reaches a second predetermined threshold level, wherein the first alert signal comprises a first tone and a unique identifier associated with the patient and the second alert signal comprises a second tone and the unique identifier associated with the patient, and allows an authorized user to modify the stored alarm settings, the loudness of the first alert signal and the second alert signal, and the tone of the first alert signal and the second alert signal; and

a docking unit comprising an amplifier for amplifying the first alert signal and the second alert signal when the receiver unit is connected to the docking unit, and a docking unit speaker for outputting the first tone of the first alert signal and the second tone of the second alert signal.

11. The monitoring apparatus of claim 10, further comprising a recording medium for recording a sound to be used as the second alert signal.

12. The monitoring apparatus of claim 10, wherein the docking unit further comprises a charging unit for charging a power supply of the receiver unit when the receiver unit is connected to the docking unit.

13. The monitoring apparatus of claim 10, wherein the sensor for monitoring the analyte level of the patient is attached to the patient.

14. The monitoring apparatus of claim 10, wherein the memory storing instructions which, when executed by the processor, allows an authorized user to modify the stored alarm settings such that the first alert signal is generated when the first medical data indicates a first glucose level and the second alert signal is generated when the second medical data indicates a second glucose level.

15. The monitoring apparatus of claim 10, wherein the receiver unit further comprises a receiver unit speaker for outputting the first tone of the first alert signal and the second tone of the second alert signal, wherein the loudness of the receiver unit speaker is less than the loudness of the docking unit speaker.

16. The monitoring apparatus of claim 15, wherein the docking unit speaker outputs a modified first tone and a modified second tone, wherein the first tone and the modified first tone clash when outputted simultaneously, and wherein the second tone and the modified second tone clash when outputted simultaneously.

17. The monitoring apparatus of claim 10, wherein the docking unit further comprises a light control unit which regulates an external light source based on the first alert signal, wherein the external light source is separately positioned from the receiver unit and the docking unit.

18. A monitoring apparatus, comprising:

a receiver unit comprising;

a processor;

an alarm system having stored alarm settings;

a memory storing instructions which, when executed by the processor, causes the receiver to receive a first medical data of a patient and a second medical data of a patient, causes the alarm system to output a first alert signal corresponding to a first medical condition based on the first medical data and the stored alarm settings, and causes the alarm system to output a second alert signal corresponding to a second medical condition based on the second medical data and the stored alarm settings, wherein the first alert signal comprises a first tone and a unique identifier associated with the patient and the second alert signal comprises a second tone and the unique identifier associated with the patient; and

a receiver unit speaker for outputting the first tone of the first alert signal and the second tone of the second alert signal, wherein the loudness of the receiver unit speaker is less than the loudness of a docking unit speaker; and

a docking unit comprising;

an amplifier for amplifying the first alert signal and the second alert signal when the receiver unit is connected to the docking unit; and

wherein the docking unit speaker for outputting the first tone of the first alert signal and the second tone of the second alert signal, wherein the docking unit speaker outputs a modified first tone and a modified second tone, wherein the first tone and the modified first tone clash when outputted simultaneously, and wherein the second tone and the modified second tone clash when outputted simultaneously.

19. The monitoring apparatus of claim 18, wherein one or more of the received first or second medical data is data corresponding to an analyte level of a patient.

20. The monitoring apparatus of claim 19, wherein the receiver unit outputs the first alert signal if the analyte level of the patient reaches a predetermined threshold level.

21. The monitoring apparatus of claim 18, further comprising a recording medium for recording a sound to be used as the second alert signal.

22. The monitoring apparatus of claim 18, wherein the docking unit further comprises a charging unit for charging a power supply of the receiver unit when the receiver unit is connected to the docking unit.

23. The monitoring apparatus of claim 18, wherein the memory storing instructions which, when executed by the processor, allows an authorized user to modify the stored alarm settings, the loudness of the first alert signal and the second alert signal, and the tone of the first alert signal and the second alert signal.

24. The monitoring apparatus of claim 18, wherein the memory storing instructions which, when executed by the processor, allows an authorized user to modify the stored alarm settings such that the first alert signal is generated when the first medical data indicates a first glucose level and the second alert signal is generated when the second medical data indicates a second glucose level.

25. The monitoring apparatus of claim 18, wherein the docking unit further comprises a light control unit which regulates an external light source based on the first alert signal, wherein the external light source is separately positioned from the receiver unit and the docking unit.

26. A monitoring apparatus, comprising:

a sensor for monitoring an analyte level of a patient;

a receiver unit comprising;

a processor;

an alarm system having stored alarm settings; and

a memory storing instructions which, when executed by the processor, causes the receiver to receive data from the sensor that indicates the level of the analyte, causes the receiver unit to output a first alert signal based on the stored alarm settings if the analyte level reaches a first predetermined threshold level, and causes the receiver unit to output a second alert signal based on the stored alarm settings if the analyte level reaches a second predetermined threshold level, wherein the first alert signal comprises a first tone and a unique identifier associated with the patient and the second alert signal comprises a second tone and the unique identifier associated with the patient; and

a receiver unit speaker for outputting the first tone of the first alert signal and the second tone of the second alert signal, wherein the loudness of the receiver unit speaker is less than the loudness of a docking unit speaker; and

a docking unit comprising;

an amplifier for amplifying the first alert signal and the second alert signal when the receiver unit is connected to the docking unit; and

wherein the docking unit speaker for outputting the first tone of the first alert signal and the second tone of the second alert signal, wherein the docking unit speaker outputs a modified first tone and a modified second tone, wherein the first tone and the modified first tone clash when outputted simultaneously, and wherein the second tone and the modified second tone clash when outputted simultaneously.

27. The monitoring apparatus of claim 26, further comprising a recording medium for recording a sound to be used as the second alert signal.

28. The monitoring apparatus of claim 26, wherein the docking unit further comprises a charging unit for charging a power supply of the receiver unit when the receiver unit is connected to the docking unit.

29. The monitoring apparatus of claim 26, wherein the sensor for monitoring the analyte level of the patient is attached to the patient.

30. The monitoring apparatus of claim 26, wherein the memory storing instructions which, when executed by the processor, allows an authorized user to modify the stored alarm settings, the loudness of the first alert signal and the second alert signal, and the tone of the first alert signal and the second alert signal.

31. The monitoring apparatus of claim 26, wherein the memory storing instructions which, when executed by the processor, allows an authorized user to modify the stored alarm settings such that the first alert signal is generated when a first medical data indicates a first glucose level and the second alert signal is generated when a second medical data indicates a second glucose level.

32. The monitoring apparatus of claim 26, wherein the docking unit further comprises a light control unit which regulates an external light source based on the first alert signal, wherein the external light source is separately positioned from the receiver unit and the docking unit.