Apparatus and method for determining physiological parameters of an infant in-utero
OwnerJames Robert Balmaninventor
Life of this patent
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Abstract
In one aspect, an apparatus for monitoring a physiological condition of a patient is disclosed. The apparatus includes a body having an attachment portion configured to be inserted into the skin of a patient to affix the body to the patient. The apparatus includes a sensor coupled to the body that is configured to generate sensor data corresponding to a physiological condition of the patient when the body is secured to the skin of the patient. The apparatus further includes a reference sensor that is remote from the sensor coupled to the body and is configured to engage an outer surface of skin to generate reference data against which the sensor data is compared.
Claims23
An apparatus for monitoring a physiological condition of a fetus in utero comprising:
- a body having an attachment portion, the attachment portion configured to be inserted into skin of the fetus to affix the body to the fetus;
- an ion-sensitive field-effect transistor (ISFET) sensor configured to generate sensor data corresponding to the physiological condition of the fetus and mounted to a portion of the attachment portion which is inserted into the skin of the fetus to affix the body to the fetus;
- and
- a reference sensor configured to generate reference data against the sensor data generated by the ISFET sensor, the reference sensor being positioned externally from the body and configured to engage an outer surface of a portion of the skin of the fetus.
A method for monitoring a condition of a fetus comprising:
- rotating an attachment portion of a sensor unit to secure the sensor unit to skin of the fetus and to bring a sensor of the sensor unit into engagement with the fetus, the sensor configured to generate sensor data pertaining to the condition of the fetus and communicate the sensor data to a processor;
- engaging a reference sensor with an outer surface of a portion of the skin of the fetus, the reference sensor being configured to generate reference data against which the sensor data generated by the sensor is compared;
- and
- determining, by the processor, the condition of the fetus based at least in part on the sensor data and the reference data.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.