US 5,012,411 AGranted

Apparatus for monitoring, storing and transmitting detected physiological information

AssigneeCharles J. Policastro

InventorsCharles J. Policastro, Edmond J. Dougherty, Martin J. Dowling

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Abstract

A portable, self-contained, microprocessor controlled apparatus for monitoring, storing and transmitting detected physiological information, including an input section for sequentially receiving analog signals corresponding to heart activity for as many as twelve different cardiac sensors. An input section is provided for receiving analog electrical signals corresponding to blood pressure from at least one sensor. An analog to digital converter is provided for converting the received analog signals to a series of digital pulses at a predetermined sampling rate and for receiving and storing the digital pulses in predetermined memory locations. A control section is provided for recalling the stored digital pulses from the memory and for receiving the recalled digital pulses and for transmitting them to a remote location over a communications system. In the preferred embodiment, the input section is for receiving analog signals corresponding to cardiac conductivity, brainwave activity, blood pressure, blood flow and other ultrasonic cardiovascular and intracranial data. The latter signals are also converted to digital form for storage and later recall and transmission to a remote location.

Claims19

Dependent claims

A portable, completely self-contained, battery-powered, microprocessor controlled, diagnostic quality apparatus small in size so as to be carried or worn by a patient or other user for monitoring, storing and transmitting detected physiological information of a person being monitored, the apparatus comprising:

means for sequentially receiving analog signals corresponding to heart activity from at least five different cardiac sensors attached at different locations on the body of the person being monitored to provide diagnostic quality cardiac information;
means for receiving analog electrical signals corresponding to blood pressure of the person being monitored from at least one sensor;
means for converting the received analog signals corresponding to heart activity and to blood pressure to a series of digital pulses at a predetermined sampling rate;
memory means for receiving and storing the digital pulses in predetermined memory locations, the memory means being of the circular type and of a predetermined size capable of storing digital pulses equivalent to at least three minutes of diagnostic quality physiological activity so that when the memory means is filled with stored digital pulses, further digital pulses which are received are stored in the memory means by deleting previously stored digital pulses on a first-in, first-out basis, the memory means including means for preventing the deletion of at least a portion of the stored digital pulses corresponding to a period of physiological activity preceding the happening of an event, the memory means continuing to store digital pulses corresponding to physiological activity subsequent to the happening of the event until the memory means is filled, whereupon no further digital pulses are stored;
means for recalling the stored digital pulses from the memory means;
means for receiving the recalled digital pulses from the memory means, for converting the digital pulses to analog signals and for displaying the analog signals to provide a graphic representation of the physiological information;
means for receiving the recalled digital pulses from the memory means and for transmitting the digital pulses to a remote location over a communications system;
and
means for receiving control signals from the remote location over the communications system and for converting the control signals into digital control pulses, the digital control pulses controlling operation of the apparatus and transferring data to the apparatus.

6 more elements

means for sequentially receiving analog signals corresponding to brain activity from a plurality of sensors;
means for converting the received analog signals to a series of digital pulses at a predetermined sampling rate;
memory means for receiving and storing the digital pulses in predetermined memory locations, the memory means being of the circular type and of a predetermined size capable of storing digital pulses equivalent to at least three minutes of diagnostic quality physiological activity so that when the memory means is filled with stored digital pulses, further digital pulses which are received are stored in the memory means by deleting previously stored digital pulses on a first-in, first-out basis, the memory means including means for preventing the deletion of at least a portion of the stored digital pulses corresponding to a period of physiological activity preceding the happening of an event, the memory means continuing to store digital pulses corresponding to physiological activity subsequent to the happening of the event until the memory means is filled, whereupon no further digital pulses are stored;
means for recalling the stored digital pulses from the memory means;
means for receiving the recalled digital pulses from the memory means, for converting the digital pulses to analog signals and for displaying the analog signals to provide a graphic representation of the physiological information;
printer means for receiving the recalled digital pulses, for converting the recalled digital pulses into analog form, and for providing a print output waveform representative of the brain wave activity of the patient;
and
means for receiving control signals from the remote location over the communications system and for converting the control signals into digital control pulses, the digital control pulses controlling operation of the apparatus and transferring data to the apparatus.

5 more elements

means for receiving analog electrical signals corresponding to the patient's physiological activity from at least one sensor secured to the patient;
means for converting the received analog signals to a series of digital pulses at a predetermined sampling rate;
first memory means for initially receiving and storing digital pulses representative of the patient's physiological activity during an initial time period;
second memory means for receiving and storing digital pulses representative of the patient's physiological activity during a current time period;
comparison means for continuously comparing the pulses stored in the first memory means with the pulses stored in the second memory means for determining whether the pulses stored in the second memory means deviate from the pulses stored in the first memory means by more than a predetermined threshold amount;
indicator means for indicating when the deviation exceeds the predetermined threshold amount;
means for recalling the stored digital pulses from the second memory means;
means for receiving the recalled digital pulses from the memory means, for converting the digital pulses to analog signals and for displaying the analog signals to provide a graphic representation of the physiological information;
means for receiving the recalled digital pulses from the second memory means and for transmitting them to a remote location over a communications system;
and
means for receiving control signals from the remote location over the communications system and for converting the control signals into digital control pulses, the digital control pulses controlling operation of the apparatus and transferring data to the apparatus.

8 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.