# US 10,368,747 B2 · System and method of workflow management

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- Number: US 10,368,747 B2
- Document ID: US10368747B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 15/871,530
- Filed: 2018-01-15
- Published: 2018-05-17
- Granted: 2019-08-06
- Earliest claimed: 2013-10-29
- Assignees: General Electric Company
- Applicants: General Electric Company
- Inventors: Matthew George Grubis
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10368747B2

## CPC

- A61B 5/0015: {characterised by features of the telemetry system}
- A61B 5/0002: {Remote monitoring of patients using telemetry, e.g. transmission of vital signals via a communication network (endoradiosondes A61B5/07)}
- A61B 5/0024: {for multiple sensor units attached to the patient, e.g. using a body or personal area network}
- A61B 5/01: Measuring temperature of body parts {; Diagnostic temperature sensing, e.g. for malignant or inflamed tissue} (clinical contact thermometers G01K13/20)
- A61B 5/0205: Simultaneously evaluating both cardiovascular conditions and different types of body conditions, e.g. heart and respiratory condition
- A61B 5/021: Measuring pressure in heart or blood vessels
- A61B 5/024: Measuring pulse rate or heart rate
- A61B 5/08: Measuring devices for evaluating the respiratory organs
- A61B 5/11: Measuring movement of the entire body or parts thereof, e.g. head or hand tremor or mobility of a limb {(A61B5/1038 takes precedence; motion detection to correct for motion artifacts in physiological signals A61B5/721)}
- A61B 5/14542: {for measuring blood gases (A61B5/14551 takes precedence)}
- A61B 5/318: Heart-related electrical modalities, e.g. electrocardiography [ECG]
- A61B 5/384: Recording apparatus or displays specially adapted therefor
- A61B 5/389: Electromyography [EMG]
- A61B 5/7221: {Determining signal validity, reliability or quality (preventing, reducing or removing noise induced by motion artefacts A61B5/7207; noise originating from a therapeutic or surgical apparatus A61B5/7217)}
- A61B 5/74: {Details of notification to user or communication with user or patient; User input means}
- A61M 5/1723: {using feedback of body parameters, e.g. blood sugar or pressure}
- A61M 16/0003: {Accessories therefor, e.g. sensors, vibrators, negative pressure}
- A61M 16/0057: {Pumps therefor}
- A61N 1/3987: {characterised by the timing or triggering of the shock}
- G16H 20/10: relating to drugs or medications, e.g. for ensuring correct administration to patients
- G16H 40/63: for local operation
- G16H 50/20: for computer-aided diagnosis, e.g. based on medical expert systems
- G16H 50/30: for calculating health indices; for individual health risk assessment
- H04W 4/027: {using movement velocity, acceleration information}
- H04W 4/38: for collecting sensor information
- H04W 4/80: Services using short range communication, e.g. near-field communication [NFC], radio-frequency identification [RFID] or low energy communication
- A61B 5/02055: {Simultaneously evaluating both cardiovascular condition and temperature}
- A61B 5/0816: {Measuring devices for examining respiratory frequency (measuring frequency of electric signals G01R23/00)}
- A61B 5/742: {using visual displays (displays for heart-related electrical signals, e.g. ECG, A61B5/339)}
- A61B 5/746: {Alarms related to a physiological condition, e.g. details of setting alarm thresholds or avoiding false alarms}
- A61M 2205/18: with alarm
- A61M 2205/3327: Measuring
- A61M 2230/005: Parameter used as control input for the apparatus
- A61B: DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION (usefulness limited to only animals A61D)
- A61M: DEVICES FOR INTRODUCING MEDIA INTO, OR ONTO, THE BODY (introducing media into or onto the bodies of animals A61D7/00; means for inserting tampons A61F13/26; devices for administering food or medicines orally A61J; containers for collecting, storing or administering blood or medical fluids A61J1/05); DEVICES FOR TRANSDUCING BODY MEDIA OR FOR TAKING MEDIA FROM THE BODY (surgery A61B; chemical aspects of surgical articles A61L); DEVICES FOR PRODUCING OR ENDING SLEEP OR STUPOR {(Electrotherapy, e.g. producing anaesthesia by the use of alternating or intermittent currents A61N1/36021)}
- A61N: ELECTROTHERAPY; MAGNETOTHERAPY; RADIATION THERAPY; ULTRASOUND THERAPY (measurement of bioelectric currents A61B; surgical instruments, devices or methods for transferring non-mechanical forms of energy to or from the body A61B18/00; anaesthetic apparatus in general A61M; incandescent lamps H01K; infrared radiators for heating H05B)
- G16H: HEALTHCARE INFORMATICS, i.e. INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY [ICT] SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR THE HANDLING OR PROCESSING OF MEDICAL OR HEALTHCARE DATA
- H04W: WIRELESS COMMUNICATION NETWORKS (broadcast communication H04H; communication systems using wireless links for non-selective communication, e.g. wireless extensions H04M1/72)

## Abstract

Wireless systems and methods include a plurality of peripheral electronic devices each having a wireless communication system. A processor is configured to establish an association confidence level indicative of a likelihood that a peripheral electronic device is associated to a monitored subject for each peripheral electronic device based on association criteria. Indicators are configured to communicate the association the association confidence level.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A wireless patient monitoring system, comprising:
a plurality of peripheral electronic devices each having a wireless communication system and a sensor, each of the plurality of peripheral electronic devices adapted to be secured to a monitored patient, the sensors of each of the plurality of electronic devices acquire physiological data from the monitored patient, the physiological data acquired from the monitored patient being transmitted by the wireless communication device of a respective peripheral electronic device;
a processor that registers each of the plurality of peripheral electronic devices to the monitored patient, the processor receives the physiological data from the respective peripheral electronic devices, the processor establishes an association confidence level for each peripheral electronic device based upon at least the received physiological data from each of the peripheral electronic devices, the association confidence level indicative of a likelihood that the physiological data acquired by the peripheral electronic device is from the monitored patient, the processor compares each of the association confidence levels established for each peripheral device to a predetermined threshold and if an association confidence level is below the predetermined threshold, the processor disassociates that peripheral electronic device from the monitored patient; and
an indicator on each of the plurality of peripheral electronic devices, wherein the indicator produces a first indication if the association confidence level is less than the predetermined threshold and produces a second indication if the association confidence level is above the predetermined threshold.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The wireless patient monitoring system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of peripheral electronic devices is a first plurality of peripheral electronic devices and the monitored patient is a first monitored patient, the system further comprising:
a second plurality of peripheral electronic devices registered by the processor to a second monitored patient, wherein the processor further receives physiological data from the second plurality of peripheral electronic devices, establishes an association confidence level for each of the peripheral electronic devices of the second plurality of peripheral electronic devices, and uses the established association confidence levels to separate physiological data acquired from the first monitored patient from physiological data acquired from the second monitored patient.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The wireless patient monitoring system of claim 2, wherein the processor monitors system data of the plurality of peripheral electronic devices and the processor uses the system data to register the plurality of peripheral electronic devices between the first plurality of peripheral electronic devices and the second plurality of peripheral electronic devices.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The wireless patient monitoring system of claim 1, wherein the predetermined threshold is a second threshold and further comprising:
a first threshold defining an association confidence level greater than the second threshold;
wherein the indicator is a light emitting indicator and the on each of the plurality of peripheral electronic devices, and wherein the indicator produces the second indication if the association confidence level is below the first threshold and produces a third indication if the association confidence level is greater than the first threshold.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The wireless patient monitoring system of claim 1, further comprising:
a hub having a wireless communication system, the hub in wireless communication with the peripheral electronic devices and communicatively connected to the processor, the hub receives the physiological data broadcast by the respective peripheral electronic devices and provides the physiological data to the processor.

### Claim 6

A wireless patient monitoring system, comprising:
a plurality of peripheral electronic devices each having a wireless communication system and a sensor, each of the plurality of peripheral electronic devices adapted to be secured to a monitored patient, the sensors of each of the plurality of electronic devices acquire physiological data from the monitored patient, the physiological data acquired from the monitored patient being transmitted by the wireless communication device of a respective peripheral electronic device;
a processor that registers each of the plurality of peripheral electronic devices to the monitored patient, the processor receives the physiological data from the respective peripheral electronic devices, the processor establishes an association confidence level for each peripheral electronic device based upon at least the received physiological data from each of the peripheral electronic devices, the association confidence level indicative of a likelihood that the physiological data acquired by the peripheral electronic device is from the monitored patient; and
a plurality of indicators, each indicator of the plurality configured to communicate the association confidence level for an associated peripheral electronic device of the plurality of peripheral electronic devices, wherein an indicator of the plurality of indicators is located on each of the peripheral electronic devices and the processor is in communicative connection with the wireless communication device of each of the peripheral electronic devices, wherein the processor transmits a signal indicative of the association confidence level for a peripheral electronic device to that peripheral electronic device, and each peripheral electronic device operates the indicator of that peripheral electronic device to present the received association confidence level.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The wireless patient monitoring system of claim 6, wherein the plurality of peripheral electronic devices is a first plurality of peripheral electronic devices and the monitored patient is a first monitored patient, the system further comprising:
a second plurality of peripheral electronic devices registered by the processor to a second monitored patient, wherein the processor further receives physiological data from the second plurality of peripheral electronic devices, establishes an association confidence level for each of the peripheral electronic devices of the second plurality of peripheral electronic devices, and uses the established association confidence levels to separate physiological data acquired from the first monitored patient from physiological data acquired from the second monitored patient.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The wireless patient monitoring system of claim 7, wherein the processor monitors system data of the plurality of peripheral electronic devices and the processor uses the system data to register the plurality of peripheral electronic devices between the first plurality of peripheral electronic devices and the second plurality of peripheral electronic devices.

### Claim 9 (depends on 6)

The wireless patient monitoring system of claim 6, wherein the association confidence level for each of the peripheral electronic devices of the plurality of peripheral electronic devices is further based upon system data, wherein the system data comprises at least one of a length of time since registration of the peripheral device, an RF signal strength, an elapsed time that a peripheral electronic device is detached from the monitored patient, an activity type, a number of communication errors, a battery state, a location of the peripheral electronic device, an elapsed time the peripheral electronic device is secured to a patient, a movement of the peripheral electronic device.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The wireless patient monitoring system of claim 9, wherein the physiological data received from at least one of the peripheral devices comprises at least one of: electrocardiogram, electromyogram, electroencephalogram, temperature, respiration, blood oxygenation (SpO2), blood pressure, movement, heart rate, and pulse rate.

### Claim 11

A method of workflow management in a wireless patient monitoring system, the method comprising:
providing a plurality of peripheral electronic devices, each comprising a communication system and a sensor configured to acquire physiological data from a patient;
registering, at a processor, each of the plurality of peripheral electronic devices to a monitored patient;
receiving physiological data acquired by each of the peripheral electronic devices at the processor;
applying at least one association criteria to the physiological data to derive physiological association criteria values;
collecting system data from each of the peripheral electronic devices of the plurality of peripheral electronic devices;
applying a plurality of association criteria to the collected system data to produce system association criteria values;
determining an association confidence level for each of the peripheral electronic devices based at least in part upon the physiological association criteria values and the system association criteria values.

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

The method of claim 11, further comprising:
providing therapy to the patient with a therapeutic device controlled by the processor based at least in part upon the received physiological data.

### Claim 13 (depends on 11)

The method of claim 11, further comprising:
appending the association confidence levels established for each peripheral electronic device to the received physiological data acquired by that peripheral electronic device; and
storing the association confidence level with the received physiological data.

### Claim 14 (depends on 11)

The method of claim 11, further comprising:
operating a graphical display communicatively connected to the processor to present the association confidence level for each of the peripheral electronic devices.

### Claim 15

A method of workflow management in a wireless patient monitoring system, the method comprising:
providing a plurality of peripheral electronic devices, each comprising a communication system and a sensor configured to acquire physiological data from a patient;
registering, at a processor, each of the plurality of peripheral electronic devices to a monitored patient;
receiving physiological data acquired by each of the peripheral electronic devices at the processor;
applying at least one association criteria to the physiological data to derive association criteria values;
determining an association confidence level for each of the peripheral electronic devices based at least in part upon the association criteria values; and
operating an indicator on each of the peripheral electronic devices to present the association confidence level for that peripheral electronic device.

### Claim 16

A method of workflow management in a wireless patient monitoring system, the method comprising:
providing a plurality of peripheral electronic devices, each comprising a communication system and a sensor configured to acquire physiological data from a patient;
registering, at a processor, each of the plurality of peripheral electronic devices to a monitored patient;
broadcasting the acquired physiological data from the communication systems of each of the peripheral electronic devices;
receiving the broadcast acquired physiological data at a wireless communication system in communication with the communication systems of each of the peripheral electronic devices;
receiving physiological data acquired by each of the peripheral electronic devices at the processor from the wireless communication system;
applying at least one association criteria to the physiological data to derive association criteria values;
determining an association confidence level for each of the peripheral electronic devices based at least in part upon the association criteria values;
transmitting a signal indicative of the association confidence level for a peripheral electronic device of the plurality of peripheral electronic devices;
receiving the signal at the peripheral electronic device; and
operating an indicator of the peripheral electronic device to present the association confidence level at the peripheral electronic device.

### Claim 17

A method of workflow management in a wireless patient monitoring system, the method comprising:
providing a plurality of peripheral electronic devices secured to one of a first patient and a second patient, each peripheral electronic device comprising a communication system and a sensor configured to acquire physiological data from the first patient or the second patient;
registering, at a processor, each of the plurality of peripheral electronic devices to a monitored patient;
receiving at the processor physiological data from the first patient and the second patient acquired the peripheral electronic devices;
applying at least one association criteria to the physiological data to derive association criteria values wherein the at least one association criteria compares the physiological data received from each of the peripheral electronic devices to associate each of the peripheral electronic devices to the first patient or the second patient; and
determining an association confidence level for each of the peripheral electronic devices based at least in part upon the association criteria values and the peripheral electronic devices associated to the same patient of the first patient and the second patient.

### Claim 18 (depends on 17)

The method of claim 17, further comprising:
providing therapy to the patient with a therapeutic device controlled by the processor based at least in part upon the received physiological data.

### Claim 19 (depends on 17)

The method of claim 17, further comprising:
appending the association confidence levels established for each peripheral electronic device to the received physiological data acquired by that peripheral electronic device; and
storing the association confidence level with the received physiological data.

### Claim 20 (depends on 17)

The method of claim 17, further comprising:
operating a graphical display communicatively connected to the processor to present the association confidence level for each of the peripheral electronic devices.