Patient monitoring system with gatekeeper signal

Inventors

Hughes, Timothy John • Derderian, Lina

Assignees

ICU Medical Inc

Abstract

A gatekeeper electronic signal can be generated by a patient sensor and/or in an intermediate device, such as an electrical cable, that is separate from a patient's physiological information electronic signal. The gatekeeper signal can be generated to indicate to a computer monitor that the sensor and/or cable is of the type that is compatible with, and/or usable with, such computer monitor, and/or that the sensor and/or cable is properly attached to the computer monitor. The gatekeeper signal can be created by an ambient temperature sensor on, or in electrical communication with, the patient monitor, and/or the gatekeeper signal can be created by a gatekeeper electronic signal generator to simulate an ambient temperature value. The gatekeeper signal can be separate from an electronic signal or plurality of signals that include patient physiological information, and the gatekeeper signal may not include any patient physiological information.

Core Innovation

The invention describes a cardiac-monitoring device with a pressure sensor that communicates with a patient's blood vessel and sends a patient-information electrical signal to a medical device over a first wire. A signal generator sends a separate temperature signal over a second wire. The temperature signal is within a range recognized by the medical device as indicative of a temperature and enables confirmation that the devices are electrically connected.

The medical device receives both signals and determines cardiac performance information for display, with receipt of the temperature signal required for the device to function or display patient information. The temperature signal does not include diagnostic or physiological information about the patient and does not modify the physiological parameter conveyed by the patient-information signal. The supplied content does not include the background section; the problem being solved is not explicitly described in patent.

Claims Coverage

The supplied relevant claims identify one independent claim and four inventive features. The independent claim is claim 1, directed to a method of enabling monitoring of cardiac performance.

Claim 1 combines pressure-based patient information with a separate temperature-range signal that verifies electrical communication and is required for device function or display. It also specifies that the temperature signal does not convey or alter patient physiological information.

Stated Advantages

Documented Applications