Patent EP0212278A2 successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
EP0212278A2
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EP
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Apparatus for monitoring storing and transmitting detected physiological information
Assignee: POLICASTRO, CHARLES J.
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Filing: 1986-07-18
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2006-07-18
Abstract
Abstract A portable, self-contained, microprocessor controlled apparatus for monitoring, storing and transmitting detected physiological information, including means for sequentially receiving analog signals corresponding to heart activity for as many as twelve different cardiac sensors. Means are provided for receiving analog electrical signals corresponding to blood pressure from at least one sensor. Means are providing 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. Means are provided for recalling the stored digital pulses from the memory means and for receiving the recalled digital pulses and for transmitting them to a remote location over a communications system. In the preferred embodiment, means are provided 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.
Inventors
- 👤 Charles J. Policastro
- 👤 Edmond Dougherty
- 👤 Martin J. Dowling
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-05 17:17
CPC Classifications
A; A61; A61B; A61B5/00; A61B5/0002; A61B5/0015; A61B5/0022; A61B5/24; A61B5/316; A61B5/318; A61B5/333; A61B5/335; G; G16; G16H; G16H15/00; G16H40/00; G16H40/60; G16H40/67; A61B5/72; A61B5/7232; G16H10/00; G16H10/60; G16H40/40; G16H40/63
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 30
Claim 1
Independent Claim
118 words
A portable, self-contained, microprocessor controlled apparatus for monitoring, storing and transmitting detected physiological information, the apparatus comprising: means for sequentially receiving analog signals corresponding to heart activity from as many as twelve different cardiac sensors; means for receiving analog electrical signals corresponding to blood pressure from at least one sensor; 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; means for recalling the stored digital pulses from the memory means; and 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.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
118 words
A portable, self-contained, microprocessor controlled apparatus for monitoring, storing and transmitting detected physiological information, the apparatus comprising: means for sequentially receiving analog signals corresponding to heart activity from as many as twelve different cardiac sensors; means for receiving analog electrical signals corresponding to blood pressure from at least one sensor; 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; means for recalling the stored digital pulses from the memory means; and 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.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
24 words
The apparatus as recited in claim 1 wherein the means for receiving the analog electrical signals corresponding to heart activity includes signal conditioning means.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
29 words
The apparatus as recited in claim 2 wherein the signal conditioning means comprises a programmable amplifier for adjusting the amplitude of each received analog signal to a predetermined level.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
50 words
The apparatus as recited in claim 3 wherein the predetermined amplitude level is obtained by adjusting the gain of the amplifier upwardly from an initial level by a series of predetermined steps until the amplifier becomes saturated and then by adjusting the gain of the amplifier downwardly by one step.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
29 words
The apparatus as recited in claim 4 wherein each of the predetermined steps increases the gain of the amplifier to be two times the gain of the previous step.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
32 words
The apparatus as recited in claim 5 wherein the gain in each of the predetermined steps of the amplifier is doubled by decreasing the resistance of a gain resistor by about one-half.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
41 words
The apparatus as recited in claim 4 wherein the predetermined level for each received sensor is stored in a predetermined location and is recalled to set the gain of the programmable amplifier when the signals for the corresponding sensor are received.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
21 words
The apparatus as recited in claim 2 wherein the signal conditioning means comprises a programmable filter of the band pass type.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
21 words
The apparatus as recited in claim 8 wherein the programmable filter operates in the range of 0.05 Hz to 100 Hz.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
25 words
The apparatus as recited in claim 1 further including means for receiving signals corresponding to other cardiovascular or intracranial information from at least one sensor.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
15 words
The apparatus as recited in claim 10 wherein the sensor is of the ultrasound type.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
29 words
The apparatus as recited in claim 1 further including means for receiving the analog signals for corresponding to heart activity and for detecting the presence of a pacer signal.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
38 words
The apparatus as recited in claim 12 wherein the pacer detecting means further includes means for generating digital pulses upon the occurrence of a pacer signal, the generated digital pulses being received and stored in the memory means.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
33 words
The apparatus as recited in claim 1 further including printer means for receiving the recalled digital pulses from the memory means and for providing a printed output waveform representative of the physiological information.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
31 words
The apparatus as recited in claim 1 further including means for receiving signals from a remote location over a communications system and means for converting the received signals to digital pulses.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
43 words
The apparatus as recited in claim 1 further including means for sequentially receiving analog signals corresponding to brain activity from a plurality of sensors, the brain activity signals being supplied to the means for converting the signals to a series of digital pulses.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
43 words
The apparatus as recited in claim 1 further including means for receiving the recalled digital pulses from the memory means, for converting the digital pulses to analog form and for displaying the analog signals to provide a graphic representation of the physiological information.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
25 words
The apparatus as recited in claim 17 wherein the means for receiving, converting and displaying includes a dot matrix type liquid crystal graphic display device.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
39 words
The apparatus as recited in claim 1 further including means for receiving the digital pulses from the means for converting and for transmitting the received digital pulses to a remote location over a communications system substantially at real time.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
48 words
The apparatus as recited in claim 1 wherein the memory means is of the circular type and is of a predetermined size, when the memory is filled, further digital pulses which are received are stored in the memory by deleting previously stored pulses on a first-in, first-out basis.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
20 words
The apparatus as recited in claim 20 further including means for preventing the deletion of pulses from the circular memory.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
27 words
The apparatus as recited in claim 21 wherein the circular memory has the capability of Scoring digital pulses equivalent to at least three minutes of physiological activity.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
53 words
The apparatus as recited in claim 22 wherein upon the happening of an event the apparatus retains the stored digital pulses corresponding to a preceding period of physiological activity, continues to store digital pulses corresponding to the next period of physiological activity, and thereafter retains at least three minutes of stored digital pulses.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
27 words
The apparatus as recited in claim 1 further including encoding means for encoding the digital pulses prior to storage of the digital pulses in the memory means.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
20 words
The apparatus as recited in claim 24 wherein the encoding means utilizes a Huffman code for encoding the digital pulses.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
106 words
A portable, self-contained, microprocessor controlled apparatus for monitoring, storing, and transmitting detected physiological information, the apparatus comprising: 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; means for recalling the stored digital pulses from the memory means; and printer means for receiving the controlled, digital pulses, for transmitting the pulses into analog form, and for providing a printed output waveform representative of the brain wave activity of the patient.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
106 words
A portable, self-contained, microprocessor controlled apparatus for monitoring, storing, and transmitting detected physiological information, the apparatus comprising: 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; means for recalling the stored digital pulses from the memory means; and printer means for receiving the controlled, digital pulses, for transmitting the pulses into analog form, and for providing a printed output waveform representative of the brain wave activity of the patient.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
189 words
A portable, self-contained, microprocessor controlled apparatus for monitoring and recording physiological activity of a patient, the apparatus comprising: 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 initial physiologic activity; second memory means for receiving and storing digital pulses representative of the patient's current physiological activity; 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; and means for receiving the recalled digital pulses from the second memory means and for transmitting them to a remote location over a communications system.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
189 words
A portable, self-contained, microprocessor controlled apparatus for monitoring and recording physiological activity of a patient, the apparatus comprising: 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 initial physiologic activity; second memory means for receiving and storing digital pulses representative of the patient's current physiological activity; 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; and means for receiving the recalled digital pulses from the second memory means and for transmitting them to a remote location over a communications system.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
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