US4494553A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Vital signs monitor
Assignee: CARR F WILLIAM
•
Filing: 1981-04-01
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Granted: 1985-01-22
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Expires: 2001-04-01
Abstract
Abstract Provision is made to monitor for vital signs, such as respiratory activity and cardiac activity. The monitoring equipment is mounted by a belt to a person being monitored. Multiple Inductance coils carried by the belt move relative to each other in response to breathing, and the associated mutual inductance changes provide sensory signals to reflect the breathing. Electrical signals indicative of such vital signs are transmitted by radio wave to a central monitor which can monitor the activity of numerous persons. A plurality of such patient units including vital signs sensors and transmitters in combination with a single central monitor may be used to monitor multiple patients. The present invention is useful in monitoring to attempt to prevent sudden infant death syndrome, or crib death, and in intensive care units or cardiac units of hospitals and the like.
Inventors
- 👤 Michael J. Sciarra
- 👤 Victor L. Cestaro
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-23 02:07
CPC Classifications
A; A61; A61B; A61B5/00; A61B5/103; A61B5/11; A61B5/113; A61B5/1135; A61B5/0002; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S128/00; Y10S128/903
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 29
Claim 1
Independent Claim
146 words
Apparatus for monitoring vital signs in patients, comprising: (a) transducer means for detecting vital signs of such a patient, said transducer means comprising first and second inductive coil means wherein each coil means comprises a coil whose core area remains constant in size; (b) means for mounting said transducer means relative to the patient's thorax whereby said first and second coil means are mounted spaced from each other so that, as the patient's thorax moves on breathing, said first and second coil means move with respect to each other to change the mutual inductance of said first and second coil means in response thereto; and (c) transmitter means for forming a radio signal which changes according to changes in the mutual inductance of said first and second coil means due to relative movement of said first and second coil means reflecting changes in the patient's breathing.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
146 words
Apparatus for monitoring vital signs in patients, comprising: (a) transducer means for detecting vital signs of such a patient, said transducer means comprising first and second inductive coil means wherein each coil means comprises a coil whose core area remains constant in size; (b) means for mounting said transducer means relative to the patient's thorax whereby said first and second coil means are mounted spaced from each other so that, as the patient's thorax moves on breathing, said first and second coil means move with respect to each other to change the mutual inductance of said first and second coil means in response thereto; and (c) transmitter means for forming a radio signal which changes according to changes in the mutual inductance of said first and second coil means due to relative movement of said first and second coil means reflecting changes in the patient's breathing.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
22 words
The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said transmitter means comprises encoder means forming a burst frequency modulated signal on detection of breathing.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
16 words
The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said transmitter means is mounted in said means for mounting.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
28 words
The apparatus of claim 1, further including power supply means mounted in said means for mounting for providing operating power to said transducer means and said transmitter means.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
21 words
The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said means for mounting comprises a belt adapted to be mounted about the patient's thorax.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
27 words
The apparatus of claim 1, further including oscillator means forming an output signal whose frequency changes based on changes in mutual inductance of said inductive coil means.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
30 words
The apparatus of claim 6, further including phase-locked loop means forming a signal whose output changes according to changes in the frequency of the output signal of said oscillator means.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
22 words
The apparatus of claim 7, further including detector means for detecting level changes in the signal formed in said phase-locked loop means.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
26 words
The apparatus of claim 8, wherein said transmitter means forms a different radio signal in response to detection of a level change by said detector means.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
23 words
The apparatus of claim 1, further including cardiac monitor means mounted in said means for mounting for monitoring cardiac activity of the patient.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
23 words
The apparatus of claim 10, wherein said transmitter means further comprises means for transmitting a radio signal indicating cardiac activity of the patient.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
22 words
The apparatus of claim 10, wherein said cardiac monitor means comprises acoustic transducer means forming pulses in response to the patient's heartbeats.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
22 words
The apparatus of claim 12, wherein said transmitter means comprises encoder means forming a frequency shift keyed signal on detection of breathing.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
29 words
The apparatus of claim 13, further including mixer means for mixing the pulses formed in said acoustic transducer means with the frequency shift keyed signal of said encoder means.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
111 words
The apparatus of claim 1 as part of a system for monitoring vital signs in one or more patients comprising: (a) a plurality of patient unit means, each said patient unit means being provided for one such patient and comprising such transducer means, mounting means and transmitter means for providing a radio signal which reflects changes in the patient's breathing; and (b) central unit means for monitoring the vital signs of the patients, said central unit means comprising: (1) receiver means for receiving the radio signal formed in said transmitter means; (2) display means for displaying the patient's vital signs as indicated by the radio signals received in said receiver means.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
28 words
The apparatus of claim 15, wherein each patient unit means further comprises cardiac monitor means mounted in said means for mounting for monitoring cardiac activity of the patient.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
24 words
The apparatus of claim 16, wherein each said transmitter means further comprises means for transmitting a radio signal indicating cardiac activity of the patient.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
24 words
The apparatus of claim 16, wherein each said cardiac monitor means comprises acoustic transducer means forming pulses in response to the patient's heart beats.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
22 words
The apparatus of claim 18, wherein each said transmitter means comprises encoder means forming a burst modulated signal on detection of breathing.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
33 words
The apparatus of claim 19, wherein each patient unit means further comprises mixer means for mixing the pulses formed in said acoustic transducer means with the burst modulated signal of said encoder means.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
47 words
The apparatus of claim 15, wherein said plurality of patient unit means are each associated with a different patient and form radio signals according to the patient's vital signs and said receiver means of said central unit means receives signals from said plurality of said transmitter means.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
50 words
The apparatus of claim 15, wherein said receiver means comprises: filter means for filtering signals representing the patient's vital signs from the received radio signals; decoder means for decoding each patient's vital signs from the filtered signals; processor means for processing the decoded signals to determine the patient's vital signs.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
19 words
The apparatus of claim 22, further including limit set means for establishing acceptable limits of each patient's vital signs.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
30 words
The apparatus of claim 23, wherein said processor means comprises means for detecting when a patient's vital signs are not within the acceptable limits established by said limit set means.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
107 words
The apparatus of claim 22, wherein each patient unit means further comprises (a) cardiac monitor means mounted in said means for mounting for monitoring cardiac activity of the patient; (b) said transmitter means further comprising means for transmitting a radio signal indicating cardiac activity of the patient; (c) said cardiac monitor means comprising acoustic transducer means forming pulses in response to the patient's heart beats; (d) said transmitter means also comprising encoder means forming a frequency shift keyed signal on detection of breathing; and (e) mixer means for mixing the pulses formed in said acoustic transducer means with the frequency shift keyed signal of said encoder means.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
44 words
The apparatus of claim 25, wherein said filter means comprises: (a) filter means for filtering respiration signals representing the patient's respiration from the received radio signals; and (b) filter means for filtering cardiac signals representing the patient's cardiac activity from the received radio signals.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
27 words
The apparatus of claim 26, wherein said decoder means comprises: (a) means for decoding the filtered respiration signals; and (b) means for decoding the filtered cardiac signals.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
27 words
The apparatus of claim 27, wherein said processor means comprises: (a) means for processing the decoded respiration signals; and (b) means for processing the decoded cardiac signals.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1988-01-22 | 1988-07-23 | 1989-01-22 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1992-01-22 | 1992-07-23 | 1993-01-22 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1996-01-22 | 1996-07-23 | 1997-01-22 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |