Body-worn vital sign monitor
Inventors
Moon, Jim • VISSER, II, Henk • Hunt, Robert Kenneth • McCOMBIE, Devin • Dhillon, Marshal Singh • Banet, Matthew J.
Assignees
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Publication Number
US-12156743-B2
Publication Date
2024-12-03
Expiration Date
Abstract
The invention provides a body-worn vital sign monitor that measures a patient's vital signs (e.g. blood pressure, SpO2, heart rate, respiratory rate, and temperature) while simultaneously characterizing their activity state (e.g. resting, walking, convulsing, falling) and posture (upright, supine). The monitor processes this information to minimize corruption of the vital signs and associated alarms/alerts by motion-related artifacts. It also features a graphical user interface (GUI) rendered on a touchpanel display that facilitates a number of features to simplify and improve patient monitoring and safety in both the hospital and home.
Core Innovation
The disclosed system provides a body-worn wearable vital-sign monitor that simultaneously measures time-dependent ECG and impedance pneumonography (ECG/IP) waveforms on the patient’s chest, time-dependent photoplethysmogram (PPG) waveforms on a digit of the patient’s hand, and multiple time-dependent motion waveforms using accelerometers worn on the patient’s wrist, chest sensor, and upper arm. The system includes a wrist-worn monitor with a microprocessor, a wireless transmitter, a first accelerometer for a first motion waveform, and a first control area network (CAN) transceiver.
ECG/IP sensing is performed by an ECG/IP sensor operably connected to at least three electrodes and configured to be worn on the patient’s chest, where the ECG/IP sensor measures time-dependent ECG and IP waveforms and includes a second accelerometer for a second motion waveform and a second CAN transceiver. The upper arm accelerometer includes a third accelerometer for a third time-dependent motion waveform and a third CAN transceiver. The monitor communicates with the ECG/IP sensor and accelerometer components via CAN transceivers to receive digital waveform data.
To support accurate alignment of the measured signals, the monitor transmits a timing synchronizing packet that is received and used by the ECG/IP sensor and the second accelerometer sensor to time-synchronize the ECG and IP waveforms, the second time-dependent motion waveform, and the third time-dependent motion waveform, where the synchrony between the ECG and IP waveforms and the motion waveforms has a maximum 40-microsecond timing error. The system transmits the ECG and IP waveforms, the second time-dependent motion waveform, and the third time-dependent motion waveform to a remote computer via the wireless transmitter.
Claims Coverage
The claim coverage centers on one independent claim with ten inventive features, directed to a wrist-worn multi-sensor vital-sign measurement system with CAN-based waveform collection, a timing synchronizing packet for time-synchrony bounded by a maximum 40-microsecond timing error, and wireless transmission of waveform data to a remote computer. Dependent claims further specify sensor placement, derived measurements, interconnections, and GUI partitioning.
Wrist-worn monitor with CAN and accelerometer motion waveform measurement
A monitor configured to be worn on the patient’s wrist and comprising a microprocessor, a wireless transmitter, a first accelerometer configured to measure a first time-dependent motion waveform, and a first CAN transceiver.
Chest ECG/IP sensor with electrodes, ECG and IP waveform measurement, and second CAN with accelerometer
An ECG/IP sensor operably connected to at least three electrodes and configured to be worn on the patient’s chest, configured to measure time-dependent ECG and IP waveforms and to include a second accelerometer configured to measure a second time-dependent motion waveform, and a second CAN transceiver.
Digit optical PPG sensor waveform measurement
An optical sensor configured to be worn on a digit of a hand of the patient and configured to measure a time-dependent photoplethysmogram (PPG) waveform.
Upper arm accelerometer with third time-dependent motion waveform and third CAN
An accelerometer sensor configured to be worn on an upper arm of the patient, comprising a third accelerometer configured to measure a third time-dependent motion waveform, and a third CAN transceiver.
CAN-based digital reception of ECG/IP and motion waveforms and wireless transmission to remote computer
The monitor is configured to communicate with the second CAN transceiver to receive the time-dependent ECG and IP waveforms and the second time-dependent motion waveform as digital data via the first CAN transceiver, communicate with the third CAN transceiver to receive the third time-dependent motion waveform as digital data via the first CAN transceiver, communicate with the optical sensor to receive the time-dependent photoplethysmogram waveform, and transmit the ECG and IP waveforms, the second time-dependent motion waveform, and the third time-dependent motion waveform to a remote computer via the wireless transmitter.
Timing synchronizing packet for time-synchrony with bounded maximum timing error
The monitor transmits a timing synchronizing packet that is received and used by the ECG/IP sensor and the second accelerometer sensor to time-synchronize the ECG and IP waveforms, the second time-dependent motion waveform, and the third time-dependent motion waveform such that there is a maximum 40-microsecond timing error in the synchrony between the ECG and IP waveforms and the motion waveforms.
Optical sensor placement on the patient’s thumb
The optical sensor is configured to be worn around the patient’s thumb.
Pulse transit time and respiration rate computation from specific waveform features
The monitor calculates pulse transit time from the time difference between a QRS complex in the ECG waveform and a foot of the PPG waveform, and calculates respiration rate from the IP waveform.
SpO2 computation from the PPG waveform
The monitor is configured to calculate an oxygen saturation (SpO2) value from the PPG waveform.
Single shared cable interconnecting the second and third CAN transceivers
The second and third CAN transceivers connect to the monitor through a single shared cable.
Two-GUI display partitioning between medical content and non-medical content
The monitor displays at least two GUIs, with a first GUI showing medical content and a second GUI showing only non-medical content.
The claim coverage centers on synchronized multi-sensor acquisition of ECG/IP, PPG, and multiple motion waveforms using wrist, chest, and upper-arm placements, CAN-based digital data collection, transmission of a timing synchronizing packet to bound timing synchrony error, and wireless transmission of waveform data to a remote computer, with dependent claims further specifying thumb-based optical sensing, derived pulse transit time, respiration rate, SpO2, shared-cable CAN interconnection, and medical/non-medical GUI partitioning.
Stated Advantages
Documented Applications
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