Patch sensor for a medical device
AssigneeKoninklijke Philips N.V.
InventorsFranciscus Hendrikus Van Heesch, McKee Dunn Poland
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A patch sensor adapted to process echo information to generate a first type of medical data and/or a second, different type of medical data using a respective processing pathway. A communications module of the patch sensor is adapted to be switchable between a first mode, in which only the first type of medical data is transmitted to a medical device, and a second mode, in which at least the second type of medical data is transmitted to the 5 medical device. The first type of medical data occupies a smaller bandwidth (during transmittal) than the second type of medical data.
Claims20
A patch sensor adapted to transmit one or more signals to a medical device, the patch sensor comprising:
- a transducer array adapted to transmit ultrasound waves and receive echo information to thereby generate a received echo signal;
- a processing system defining:
- a first processing pathway adapted to process the received echo signal to generate a first signal carrying physiological data derived from the received echo signal;
- and
- a second processing pathway adapted to process the received echo signal to generate a second signal carrying ultrasound imaging data derived from the received echo signal, the second signal occupying a greater bandwidth than the first signal;
- and
- a communications module adapted to transmit one or more of the first and second signals to the medical device, the communications module being operable in:
- a first communication mode, in which the communications module transmits the first signal over a first communication channel, and does not transmit the second signal, to the medical device;
- and
- a second communication mode, in which the communications module transmits at least the second signal over a second communication channel to the medical device, wherein the second communication channel has a greater bandwidth than the first communication channel.
A method of controlling a patch sensor wearable by a subject and comprising a transducer array for transmitting ultrasound waves into the subject, a processing system for receiving and processing an echo signal responsive to the transmitted ultrasound waves, and a communications module for communicating with a medical device, the method comprising:
- generating a first signal carrying physiological data derived from the received echo signal in a first processing pathway;
- generating a second signal carrying ultrasound imaging data derived from the received echo signal in a second processing pathway, the second signal occupying a greater bandwidth than the first signal;
- identifying one or more available communication channels over which the communications module is able to communicate with the medical device;
- determining whether or not any of the identified communication channels have sufficient bandwidth to facilitate transport of the second signal to the medical device;
- placing the communications module in a second communication mode in response to determining that at least one of the identified communication channels has sufficient bandwidth to transmit the second signal to the medical device, and transmitting at least the second signal over the at least one of the identified communication channels to the medical device in the second communication mode;
- and
- placing the communications module in a first communication mode in response to determining that none of the identified communication channels has sufficient bandwidth to transmit the second signal to the medical device, and transmitting the first signal over another one of the identified communication channels to the medical device in the first communication mode, and not transmitting the second signal, wherein the another one of the identified communication channels has insufficient bandwidth to transmit the second signal.
A non-transitory computer readable medium storing code for controlling a patch sensor wearable by a subject and comprising a transducer array for transmitting ultrasound waves into the subject, a processing system receiving and processing an echo signal responsive to the transmitted ultrasound waves, and a communications module for communicating with a medical device, wherein when executed by one or more processors, the code causes the one or more processors to:
- generate a first signal carrying physiological data derived from the received echo signal in a first processing pathway;
- generate a second signal carrying ultrasound imaging data derived from the received echo signal in a second processing pathway, the second signal occupying a greater bandwidth than the first signal;
- identify one or more available communication channels over which the communications module is able to communicate with the medical device;
- determine when any of the identified communication channels have sufficient bandwidth to facilitate transport of the second signal to the medical device;
- place the communications module in a second communication mode in response to determining that at least one of the identified communication channels has sufficient bandwidth to transmit the second signal to the medical device, and causing at least the second signal to be transmitted over the at least one of the identified communication channels to the medical device in the second communication mode;
- and
- placing the communications module in a first communication mode in response to determining that none of the identified communication channels has sufficient bandwidth to transmit the second signal to the medical device, and causing the first signal to be transmitted over another one of the identified communication channels to the medical device, and not transmitting the second signal, in the first communication mode, wherein the another one of the identified communication channels has insufficient bandwidth to transmit the second signal.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.