# US 2010/0168531 A1 · Rapidly deployable sensor design for enhanced noninvasive vital sign monitoring > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2010/0168531 A1 - Document ID: US20100168531A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 12/604,043 - Filed: 2009-10-22 - Published: 2010-07-01 - Earliest claimed: 2008-10-22 - Assignees: Dr. Phillip Andrew Shaltis; Dr. Andrew Tomas Reisner - Inventors: Phillip Andrew Shaltis; Andrew Tomas Reisner - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20100168531A1 ## CPC - A61B 5/02241: {of small dimensions, e.g. adapted to fingers} - A61B 5/6826: {Finger} - A61B 5/6838: {Clamps or clips} - A61B 5/02422: {within occluders} - A61B 5/02438: {with portable devices, e.g. worn by the patient} - A61B 5/02455: {provided with high/low alarm devices} - A61B 5/025: within occluders, e.g. responsive to Korotkoff sounds - A61B 5/0816: {Measuring devices for examining respiratory frequency (measuring frequency of electric signals G01R23/00)} - A61B 5/14552: {Details of sensors specially adapted therefor} - A61B: DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION (usefulness limited to only animals A61D) ## Abstract A new clip-type ring design for a rapidly-deployable triage sensor is described. The triage sensor is capable of measuring one or more parameters related to a patient's current health state. The device consists of two contoured halves which are designed to wrap around a finger like a ring. At least one of the halves is at least spring-loaded or motorized and is capable of opening or closing to allow for quick attachment to a wide range of finger shapes and sizes. The spring-loaded halves serve as both a means of securing the device to the patient as well as make it possible to measure patient health parameters such as systolic blood pressure, that are standard inputs to conventional triage methodologies. As data are acquired, the ring is able to transmit pertinent information wirelessly to medical responders for evaluation and decision making purposes. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A rapidly-deployable system for monitoring the health status of a patient, the monitoring system consisting of the following: a plurality of rigid bodies that are pivotably attached by hinges and are disposed to surround a segment of a patient's extremity; at least one protrusion that provides a mechanism for adjusting the size of the open space between the rigid bodies; a sensing apparatus that is able to detect pulsations from a circulatory metric from a majority of orientations about the patient's extremity segment; a mechanical means for applying a loading to the segment of extremity sandwiched between the rigid bodies; a sensing apparatus for measuring the loading applied by the rigid bodies to the instrumented segment of extremity; and a processor for conditioning the circulatory metrics and determining the loading above which there is the loss of pulsations in the instrumented segment of extremity. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) A monitoring system according to claim 1, wherein there is a system for transmitting patient information to a remote processing station. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) A monitoring system according to claim 2, wherein the transmission to a remote processing station is performed wirelessly. ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) A monitoring system according to claim 2, wherein there is at least one additional health status metric based on at least one of pulse rate, respiratory rate, skin temperature, extremity motion, arm height, and blood constituent concentration. ### Claim 5 (depends on 2) A monitoring system according to claim 2, wherein the instrumented segment of extremity is the base of a finger. ### Claim 6 (depends on 2) A monitoring system according to claim 2, wherein one sensor is a plethysmographic sensor consisting of light emitting and detecting elements. ### Claim 7 (depends on 2) A monitoring system according to claim 2, wherein the mechanical means to apply a loading to the segment of extremity sandwiched between the rigid bodies is a spring. ### Claim 8 (depends on 2) A monitoring system according to claim 2, wherein the mechanical means to apply a loading to the segment of extremity sandwiched between the rigid bodies is a small motor. ### Claim 9 (depends on 2) A monitoring system according to claim 2, in which blood pressure is determined to be a function of the loading above which there are no measurable pulsations in the instrumented segment of the extremity. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) A monitoring system according to claim 9, wherein the blood pressure is systolic blood pressure. ### Claim 11 (depends on 2) A monitoring system according to claim 2, wherein at least one part of the monitoring system serves as a housing for electronics. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) A monitoring system according to claim 1, wherein the inner surface may have smooth irregularities to prevent a build-up of sweat. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) A monitoring system according to claim 1, wherein the inner surface may contain additional material for softening the monitoring system's contact with the wearer's skin. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) A monitoring system according to claim 1, wherein the curvature of the rigid bodies can be mechanically adjusted to accommodate different diameters of extremity segments. ### Claim 15 (depends on 2) A monitoring system according to claim 2, wherein the system provides a visual indication as to whether or not the ring is attached. ### Claim 16 (depends on 3) A monitoring system as in claim 3, in which the sensor measurement is a load sensor within the interior of the ring. ### Claim 17 (depends on 3) A monitoring system as in claim 3, in which the sensor measurement is a temperature sensor. ### Claim 18 (depends on 16) A monitoring system as in claim 16, in which an algorithm uses a plurality of sensor measurements to identify the likelihood that the sensor is attached to a finger. ### Claim 20 (depends on 2) A monitoring system according to claim 2, wherein the sensor and software system provide the caregiver with a signal quality metric from improved vital sign monitoring.