Cardiorespiratory alert system

An apparatus for monitoring the physiological condition of a patient in which information is transmitted from the patient to a caregiver, the apparatus comprising

• a first plurality of sensor means for sensing and providing information about at least a first physiological parameter of the patient, wherein said sensor means are positioned on and cushioned by a torso band which provides resilient tension to maintain the sensor means in proper physical orientation at different locations on the patient's body;
• processing means positioned on and supported by the torso band for acquiring and evaluating the information from the first plurality of sensor means and for transmitting and receiving information to and from the caregiver, the processing means including
• means for screening the information received from each of the plurality of sensor means using a first predetermined criteria, which received information relates to the first physiological parameter, and for rejecting received information from a particular sensor means when such received information differs from corresponding received information from others of the sensor means by a predetermined degree;
• and
• means for evaluating the received information which survives the screening performed by the screening means and for issuing an alert to the caregiver when an out-of-limits condition is detected in the screened information;
• and
• means adapted to be associated with the caregiver for receiving the alert from the evaluating means.

A system for monitoring a physiological condition of a patient, comprising

• a plurality of sensor means adapted to be positioned on the patient for providing information which corresponds to a selected physiological parameter of the patient;
• on-patient means adapted to be positioned on the patient for acquiring the information from the plurality of sensor means and for transmitting and receiving information to and from an off-patient unit;
• and
• means positioned in the on-patient means for rejecting information received from particular ones of the sensor means which differs from the information received from the others of the sensors means, and for evaluating the remaining information from the sensor means for physiological out-of-limits conditions.

A system for communicating voice, data, and control information comprising

• an off-patient unit including
• first radio modem means for receiving and transmitting voice, data and control information;
• first control means for controlling the operation of the first radio modem means so that data and control information are transmitted at a predetermined duty cycle, and so that when voice data is to be transmitted, the voice data is interleaved with the data and control information, and transmitted at a duty cycle higher than the predetermined duty cycle, and the data and control information are transmitted at a duty cycle lower than the predetermined duty cycle;
• first audio means communicating with the first control means for converting voice data into voice sounds and for converting voice sounds into voice data;
• and
• a plurality of patient units each positioned apart from the off-patient unit and each including
• sensor means for monitoring a physiological parameter of a different patient for providing data representative of the physiological parameter;
• second audio means for converting voice data into voice sounds and for converting voice sounds into voice data;
• second radio modem means for exchanging voice, data, and control information with the first radio modem means;
• and
• second control means for controlling the operation of the second radio modem means so that the physiological parameter data and control information are transmitted to or received from the off-patient unit at a predetermined duty cycle, and so that when voice data is to be transmitted to or received from the off-patient unit, the voice data is interleaved with the data and control information, and transmitted or received at a duty cycle higher than the predetermined duty cycle, and the data and control information are transmitted or received at a duty cycle lower than the predetermined duty cycle;
• and wherein the second control means further include means for evaluating the physiological parameter data and for issuing an alert to the off-patient unit when an out-of-limits condition is detected therein and wherein the second control means include means for regulating the power level at which the second radio modem means transmits information to the off-patient unit so that a low power level is used for a synchronizing handshake transmission, a moderate power level is used for data and control information exchange, and a high power is used when an alert is transmitted and a voice link is established and means for transmitting data and control information at a duty cycle higher than the predetermined duty cycle when an alert is issued to the off-patient unit.