System and method for saving battery power in a patient monitoring system

A vital-signs monitor for a patient monitoring system, comprising:

• a transceiver configured to transmit and receive wireless signals to a healthcare network;
• a sensor interface;
• a patient sensor coupled to the sensor interface, the patient sensor configured to measure a property of the patient;
• an energy storage device;
• a monitor processor connected to the transceiver, the energy storage device, and the sensor interface, wherein:
• the monitor processor comprises first and second sections and a timer that is configured to time out after a specified time period and cause to turn on power from the energy storage device to the first section of the monitor processor, the sensor interface, and the transceiver that have been turned off, and start a new timing period;
• the monitor processor is configured to, upon receipt of a command to upload a stored measurement data, transmit the stored measurement data in a pre-selected time slot assigned to the vital-signs monitor in a frame of a data stream of a bridge device, wherein the timer is synchronized among a plurality of vital-signs monitors in communication with the bridge device so that the pre-selected time slot is one among a plurality of time slots in the frame of the data stream assigned to the plurality of vital-signs monitors by the bridge device;
• and
• the monitor processor is configured to, upon receipt of a sleep signal, turn off power from the energy storage device to the first section of the monitor processor and turn off power from the energy storage device to the sensor interface and the transceiver, wherein the monitor processor is configured to receive the sleep signal transmitted from the bridge device during the pre-selected time slot,
• wherein the transceiver, the sensor interface, the energy storage device, the patient sensor, and the monitor processor are each affixed within or on a housing formed of at least a first layer attached to a second layer by a moisture and particulate resistant seal,
• wherein the energy storage device is suitable for mobile use on a user-worn device based on power management by the monitor processor,
• wherein the data stream comprises a frame sequence of a plurality of frames, each frame having the same internal structure with the same pre-selected time slot for transmitting a signal to the vital-signs monitor, and
• wherein an interrupt signal sent by the timer remains synchronized with the frame sequence independent of how long the vital-signs monitor remains awake in each pre-selected time slot.