Devices and methods for passive patient monitoring

A method of passively monitoring physiology of multiple patients, the method comprising:

• providing multiple sensor devices on multiple surfaces, each sensor device having at least two piezoelectric sensors;
• coupling each of the patients with at least a portion of one of the sensor devices by allowing each patient to lie, sit, lean, stand on or wear one of the surfaces;
• sensing at least one mechanical signal with at least two of the piezoelectric sensors on each sensor device;
• converting sensed mechanical signals into digital signals;
• comparing digital signals corresponding to at least two of the piezoelectric sensors for each patient;
• and
• providing patient data corresponding to the multiple patients to a user at a central location, based on the comparison of the digital signals.

Apparatus for passively monitoring a patient, the apparatus comprising:

• a surface for coupling with the patient;
• at least two piezoelectric sensors coupled with the surface for sensing at least one mechanical signal from the patient;
• a processor coupled with the piezoelectric sensors for converting the at least one mechanical signal into at least one digital signal and for comparing digital signals corresponding to the at least two piezoelectric sensors to provide data pertaining to the patient;
• at least a first connector for coupling the piezoelectric sensors with the processor;
• and
• at least a second connector for coupling the processor with apparatus for providing the patient data to a user.

A system for passively monitoring multiple patients, the system comprising:

• a plurality of sensor devices, each sensor device comprising:
• a surface for coupling with the patient;
• and
• at least two piezoelectric sensors coupled with the surface for sensing at least one mechanical signal from a patient;
• a plurality of processors, each processor coupled with one sensor device for converting the at least one mechanical signal into at least one digital signal and for comparing digital signals corresponding to each of the at least two piezoelectric sensors to provide data pertaining to the patient;
• and
• at least one connector coupled with each processor for connecting each processor with a common apparatus for providing the patient data for the multiple patients to a user.