US6364834B1 — Method and system for remotely monitoring multipl…

Claim 1

Independent Claim 212 words

A method for monitoring a plurality of physiological parameters of a patient, comprising the steps of: providing at least one central monitoring system for monitoring a plurality of physiological parameters, wherein each central monitoring system includes a first transceiver and a memory component; coupling a patient monitor having a second transceiver and a memory component to said patient to monitor at least one said physiological parameter; continually transmitting a first data signal corresponding to said physiological parameters from said patient monitor to the central monitoring system; storing physiological data in the memory component of the central monitoring system; transmitting a second data signal from the central monitoring system to said patient monitor to remotely select at least one of the plurality of physiological parameters to be monitored; displaying a continuous representation of at least one physiological parameter on a display coupled to the central monitoring system; providing a bi-directional communications link between the central monitoring system and at least one remote access device to allow bi-directional communication between the remote access device and the central monitoring system from a location remote from the central monitoring system, the remote access device including a transceiver and a memory component; and selectively transmitting physiological data from the central monitoring system to the remote access device.

Claim 2

Independent Claim 212 words

A method for monitoring a plurality of physiological parameters of a patient, comprising the steps of: providing at least one central monitoring system for monitoring a plurality of physiological parameters, wherein each central monitoring system includes a first transceiver and a memory component; coupling a patient monitor having a second transceiver and a memory component to said patient to monitor at least one said physiological parameter; continually transmitting a first data signal corresponding to said physiological parameters from said patient monitor to the central monitoring system; storing physiological data in the memory component of the central monitoring system; transmitting a second data signal from the central monitoring system to said patient monitor to remotely select at least one of the plurality of physiological parameters to be monitored; displaying a continuous representation of at least one physiological parameter on a display coupled to the central monitoring system; providing a bi-directional communications link between the central monitoring system and at least one remote access device to allow bi-directional communication between the remote access device and the central monitoring system from a location remote from the central monitoring system, the remote access device including a transceiver and a memory component; and selectively transmitting physiological data from the central monitoring system to the remote access device.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 53 words

The method as defined in claim 1 , further including the steps of remotely selecting from among a plurality of ECG lead views transmitted by the patient monitor at the central monitoring system, and automatically switching between the plurality of ECG lead views to obtain an optimal view at the central monitoring system.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 22 words

The method as defined in claim 1 , further including the step of displaying a representation of physiological parameters versus patient activity.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 73 words

The method as defined in claim 1 , further including the steps of providing a second central monitoring system, transferring the patient, automatically switching monitoring control from the first-mentioned central monitoring system to the second central monitoring system as the patient is transferred, and transmitting physiological data related to the patient from a memory storage component of the first central monitoring system to the memory storage component of the second central monitoring system.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 106 words

The method as defined in claim 1 , further including the steps of providing a second central monitoring system, transferring the patient, switching monitoring control from the first-mentioned central monitoring system to the patient monitor when the patient is in transit, storing physiological data in the memory component of the patient monitor while the patient is in transit, switching monitoring control to the second central monitoring system when the patient reaches a new stationary location, and transmitting stored physiological data relating to the patient from the first central monitoring system to the second central monitoring system and from the patient monitor to the second monitoring system.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 88 words

The method as defined in claim 1 , further including the steps of providing a plurality of remote access devices, selecting at least one primary recipient and at least one secondary recipient from the plurality of remote access devices, transmitting at least one message from the central monitoring system to the primary recipient, waiting for a response from the primary recipient, and transmitting the message from the primary recipient to the secondary recipient when the response from the primary recipient is not received within a preselected time period.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 60 words

The method as defined in claim 6 , wherein the transmitted message includes at least one of: a patient identification data item, a patient location data item, a medical alert data item, a textual patient data message, a numerical patient data message, a static signal waveform, a dynamic signal waveform, a time and date stamp, or a free-format text message.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 44 words

The method as defined in claim 6 , wherein each response to a transmitted message includes at least one of: a message received signal; a message opened for reading signal; a message forwarded to another remote access device signal; or a reply transmitted signal.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 35 words

The method as defined in claim 1 , wherein the central monitoring system transmits clinical data to at least one auxiliary system, and wherein the central monitoring system receives clinical data from the auxiliary system.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 56 words

The method as described in claim 1 , further comprising the steps of periodically accessing a memory component of the remote access device, determining a date and a level of importance of data stored in the memory component of the remote access device, and deleting selected data from the memory component of the remote access device.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 36 words

The method as defined in claim 1 , further comprising the steps of analyzing physiological data at the central monitor for a medical alert situation and transmitting physiological data when a medical alert situation is found.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 49 words

The method as defined in claim 1 , further comprising the steps of transmitting a data request signal from the remote access device to the central monitoring system and transmitting physiological data from the central monitoring system to the remote access device when the data request signal is received.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 32 words

The method as defined in claim 1 , wherein the physiological data selectively transmitted from the central monitoring system to the remote access device comprises a dynamic waveform of a physiological parameter.

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 84 words

The method as defined in claim 1 , further including the steps of providing a plurality of remote access devices, selecting at least one primary recipient and at least one secondary recipient from the plurality of remote access devices, transmitting at least one message from the central monitoring system to the primary recipient, waiting for a response from the primary recipient, and transmitting the message from the primary recipient to the secondary recipient if the primary recipient fails to acknowledge receipt of the message.

Claim 16

Dependent Claim 173 words

A medical monitoring system comprising: at least one patient monitor including a plurality of sensors for collecting information representing the physiological condition of a patient and a transmitter for transmitting at least one signal representing the physiological condition of a patient, the patient monitor further including a receiver and a display; at least one central monitoring system, said central monitoring system including a transmitter, a receiver, and a display, the central monitoring system remotely controlling at least one physiological monitoring parameter of at least said one patient monitor; at least one remote access device, other than a patient monitor, providing bi-directional access to the central monitoring system from a location remote from the central monitoring system, said remote access device including a transmitter and a receiver, the remote access device receiving physiological data from the central monitoring system and transmitting a response to the central monitoring system indicating that the data has been received; and a communications network providing communications between the central monitoring system, the patient monitor, and the remote access device.

Claim 17

Dependent Claim 173 words

A medical monitoring system comprising: at least one patient monitor including a plurality of sensors for collecting information representing the physiological condition of a patient and a transmitter for transmitting at least one signal representing the physiological condition of a patient, the patient monitor further including a receiver and a display; at least one central monitoring system, said central monitoring system including a transmitter, a receiver, and a display, the central monitoring system remotely controlling at least one physiological monitoring parameter of at least said one patient monitor; at least one remote access device, other than a patient monitor, providing bi-directional access to the central monitoring system from a location remote from the central monitoring system, said remote access device including a transmitter and a receiver, the remote access device receiving physiological data from the central monitoring system and transmitting a response to the central monitoring system indicating that the data has been received; and a communications network providing communications between the central monitoring system, the patient monitor, and the remote access device.

Claim 18

Dependent Claim 35 words

The medical monitoring system as defined in claim 15 , further comprising an auxiliary system which is linked to the central monitoring system, the patient monitor, and the remote access device through the communications network.

Claim 19

Dependent Claim 19 words

The medical monitoring system as defined in claim 16 , wherein the auxiliary system is a clinical information system.

Claim 20

Dependent Claim 25 words

The medical monitoring system as defined in claim 15 , wherein the central monitoring system provides a medical alert signal to the remote access device.

Claim 21

Dependent Claim 31 words

The medical monitoring system as defined claim 15 , wherein the remote access device is selected from the group consisting of a pager, a portable computer, and a personal data assistant.

Claim 22

Dependent Claim 25 words

The medical monitoring system as defined in claim 15 , wherein the communications network comprises an RF spread spectrum communications link in the ISM band.

Claim 23

Independent Claim 131 words

A method for providing an integrated patient monitor and medical alert system, comprising the steps of: linking at least one patient monitor, at least one central monitoring system, and at least one remote access device through a communications network; periodically evaluating a message memory component of the remote access device to determine an amount of free memory; selectively deleting messages from the memory message component to increase the amount of free memory; coupling the patient monitor to a patient; collecting physiological data from the patient; analyzing the physiological data of the patient for at least one of a plurality of medical alert situations; and transmitting a medical alert message to the remote access device when the amount of free memory in the remote access device is sufficient to store the message.

Claim 24

Independent Claim 131 words

A method for providing an integrated patient monitor and medical alert system, comprising the steps of: linking at least one patient monitor, at least one central monitoring system, and at least one remote access device through a communications network; periodically evaluating a message memory component of the remote access device to determine an amount of free memory; selectively deleting messages from the memory message component to increase the amount of free memory; coupling the patient monitor to a patient; collecting physiological data from the patient; analyzing the physiological data of the patient for at least one of a plurality of medical alert situations; and transmitting a medical alert message to the remote access device when the amount of free memory in the remote access device is sufficient to store the message.

Claim 25

Dependent Claim 73 words

The method as defined in claim 21 , further comprising the steps of reviewing the memory component in the remote access device to determine a time and date when each of a plurality of messages stored in the remote access device was received at the remote access device, determining a priority level for each of the messages stored in the remote access device, and determining which of the plurality of messages to delete.

Claim 26

Dependent Claim 70 words

The method as defined in claim 22 , further comprising the steps of periodically transmitting a signal to a plurality of remote access devices, waiting for a response from each remote access device to determine whether the respective remote access device is active, and transmitting the medical alert to a secondary remote access device when a primary remote access device is inactive and the secondary remote access device is active.

Claim 27

Dependent Claim 37 words

The method as defined in claim 21 , further comprising the steps of determining when a message has been received at the remote access device and when a message has been opened at the remote access device.

Claim 28

Dependent Claim 59 words

The method as defined in claim 24 , further comprising the steps of linking a plurality of other remote access devices to the communications network, assigning a primary recipient for the message to a first one of the remote access devices and at least one secondary recipient for the message to a second one of the remote access devices.

Claim 29

Dependent Claim 46 words

The method as defined in claim 21 , further comprising the steps of waiting for a response from the remote access device for a predetermined period of time, and forwarding the message to a second remote access device when the predetermined period of time has elapsed.

Claim 30

Dependent Claim 65 words

The method as defined in claim 21 , wherein the message transmitted to the remote access device comprises at least one of: a patient identification data item, a patient location data item, a medical alert data item, a textual patient data message, a numerical patient data message, a static signal waveform, a dynamic signal waveform, a time and date stamp, or a free-format text message.

Claim 31

Dependent Claim 56 words

The method as defined in claim 21 further comprising the steps of periodically transmitting a signal to the remote access device, waiting for a response from the remote access device to determine whether the remote access device is active, and transmitting the medical alert to the remote access device when the remote access device is active.

Claim 32

Dependent Claim 17 words

The method as defined in claim 21 wherein the physiological data is analyzed by the patient monitor.

Claim 33

Dependent Claim 18 words

The method as defined in claim 21 wherein the physiological data is analyzed by the central monitoring system.

Claim 34

Dependent Claim 153 words

A medical monitoring system comprising: at least one patient monitor, said patient monitor including a transmitter, a receiver, a display, and a plurality of sensors for collecting and transmitting at least one signal representing the physiological condition of a patient; at least one central monitoring system, said central monitoring system including a transmitter, a receiver, and a display, said central monitoring system remotely controlling at least one physiological monitoring parameter of at least one patient monitor; at least one remote access device including a transmitter for communicating with the central monitoring system to request specific data for review, and a receiver for receiving the data requested from the central monitoring system; and a communications network providing communications between the central monitoring system, the patient monitor, and the remote access device, wherein at least one of the patient monitor, the central monitoring system, and the remote access device includes an electronic data entry device.

Claim 35

Dependent Claim 153 words

A medical monitoring system comprising: at least one patient monitor, said patient monitor including a transmitter, a receiver, a display, and a plurality of sensors for collecting and transmitting at least one signal representing the physiological condition of a patient; at least one central monitoring system, said central monitoring system including a transmitter, a receiver, and a display, said central monitoring system remotely controlling at least one physiological monitoring parameter of at least one patient monitor; at least one remote access device including a transmitter for communicating with the central monitoring system to request specific data for review, and a receiver for receiving the data requested from the central monitoring system; and a communications network providing communications between the central monitoring system, the patient monitor, and the remote access device, wherein at least one of the patient monitor, the central monitoring system, and the remote access device includes an electronic data entry device.

Claim 36

Dependent Claim 20 words

The medical monitoring system as defined in claim 31 , wherein the electronic data entry device comprises a barcode scanner.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	2005-04-01	2005-10-01	2006-04-02	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	2009-04-01	2009-10-01	2010-04-02	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	2013-04-01	2013-10-01	2014-04-02	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Method and system for remotely monitoring multiple medical parameters in an integrated medical monitoring system

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