Health-monitor patch

• US 9,854,986 B2
• Filed: 06/02/2017
• Issued: 01/02/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 12/02/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lumiradx UK Ltd
• Original Assignee: Lumiradx UK Ltd
• Inventors: Quinlan, Thomas J., Gaudet, Paul J., Ohlenbusch, Norbert, Zhang, Jianwei, Oliver, Steven R., Blackadar, Thomas P., Monahan, David P.
• Primary Examiner(s): Cohen, Lee S
• Application Number:
  US15/612,113
• Publication Number:
  US 20170265770A1
• Time in Patent Office: 214 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2560/0412 Low-profile patch shaped housings
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/0219 Inertial sensors, e.g. accelerometers, gyroscopes, tilt switches
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1118 Determining activity level
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/259 using conductive adhesive means, e.g. gels
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/28 for electrocardiography [ECG]
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7214 using signal cancellation, e.g. based on input of two identical physiological sensors spaced apart, or based on two signals derived from the same sensor, for different optical wavelengths
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 22/006 Pedometers
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 10/60 for patient-specific data, e.g. for electronic patient records
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/40 relating to mechanical, radiation or invasive therapies, e.g. surgery, laser therapy, dialysis or acupuncture
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/67 for remote operation
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 50/20 for computer-aided diagnosis, e.g. based on medical expert systems

Abstract

A health-monitor patch comprising at least one physiological sensor and digital processor is configured to be adhered to the skin of a subject. A health-monitor patch may further include an accelerometer and may detect cardiac waveforms, activity performed by the subject, and a body orientation of the subject. A health-monitor patch may be disposable, in some embodiments, and used fox outpatient monitoring. Aspects of noise cancellation and reel-to-reel manufacturing are also described.

Claims

1. A method for detecting a cardiac waveform with a wearable health-monitor patch, the method comprising:

receiving two electrical signals at two respective monitor electrodes of the health-monitor patch, wherein the two monitor electrodes contact the skin of a subject and are separated by a distance;

conducting the two electrical signals from the two monitor electrodes over two respective conductive paths to two respective signal inputs of electronic circuitry mounted within the health-monitor patch;

receiving an electrical signal from a noise electrode that contacts the skin of the subject at a location separate from the two monitor electrodes;

conducting the electrical signal from the noise electrode to a conductive shield that extends over at least portions of the two conductive paths; and

powering the electronic circuitry with a battery having a terminal to which the conductive shield and the noise electrode are connected.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the noise electrode contacts the skin of the subject at a location between the two monitor electrodes.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the two conductive paths are formed, at least in part, from conductive adhesive tape.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the health-monitor patch comprises a plurality of flexible and flexible adhesive levels that are adhered together, and wherein the two monitor electrodes and the noise electrode comprise hydrogel electrodes.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein conducting the two electrical signals from the two monitor electrodes comprises conducting the electrical signals in part through conductive infused silicone.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising coupling a signal from the conductive shield to each of the two conductive paths.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising receiving the two electrical signals from the two monitor electrodes at respective inputs of a differential amplifier included in the electronic circuitry.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising processing a signal from an output of the differential amplifier by a processor included in the electronic circuitry to determine heart rate variability.

9. The method of claim 7, further comprising processing a signal from an output of the differential amplifier by a processor included in the electronic circuitry to determine respiratory rate.

10. The method of claim 7, further comprising processing, by a processor included in the electronic circuitry, at least one signal received from an accelerometer mounted within the health-monitor patch to determine a body orientation of the subject.

11. The method of claim 7, further comprising processing, by a processor included in the electronic circuitry, at least one signal received from an accelerometer mounted within the health-monitor patch to determine a type of activity being performed by the subject.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the electronic circuitry comprises a processor disposed on a printed circuit board (PCB) assembly and the conductive shield comprises an electrostatic discharge (ESD) shield that extends over the PCB assembly.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the health-monitor patch is formed as a flexible strip and the ESD shield comprises a conductive polymer film.

14. The health-monitor patch of claim 1, wherein the conductive shield extends over the terminal of the battery and the noise electrode.

15. The health-monitor patch of claim 1, wherein the conductive shield extends over all conductors that connect the conductive shield to the terminal of the battery and the noise electrode.

16. The health-monitor patch of claim 1, wherein the conductive shield is less than about two millimeters from the portions of the two conductive paths.