Patent US6947780B2 successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US6947780B2
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Auditory alarms for physiological data monitoring
Assignee: Dolphin Medical Inc
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Filing: 2003-03-31
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Granted: 2005-09-20
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Expires: 2023-03-31
Abstract
Abstract The present invention provides methods and devices for monitoring physiological data such that a health care provider is able to effectively monitor a patient's health status, including, for example, blood flow characteristics, without having to maintain constant visual contact. In one embodiment of the present invention, a physiological data monitoring system measures at least one physiological characteristic wherein the physiological data monitoring system comprises a sensor unit and a monitoring unit in data communication with the sensor unit. The monitoring unit has a sonification module that comprises one programmable sound generator module to produce a plurality of signals indicative of a physiological parameter and a memory module for storing a plurality of control parameters for managing the programmable sound generator module, wherein the plurality of signals produced have a plurality of frequencies modified in accordance with at least one physiological data value. More specifically, the present invention provides a pulse oximetry sonification system that generates fixed frequency singular and/or combined amplitude-adjusted dual audio tones corresponding to predetermined transition and/or intermediate points over a range of SpO 2 measurements.
Inventors
- 👤 Tom D. Scharf
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-09 11:04
CPC Classifications
A; A61; A61B; A61B5/00; A61B5/145; A61B5/1455; A61B5/14551; A61B5/74; A61B5/7405; A61B5/7415; A61B5/746
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 12
Claim 1
Independent Claim
136 words
A physiological data monitoring system for measuring at least one physiological characteristic, comprising: a sensor unit; and a monitoring unit in data communication with the sensor unit having a sonification module, said sonification module comprising at least one programmable sound generator module to produce a plurality of signals indicative of a physiological parameter and said sonification module being capable of storing a plurality of control parameters for managing the at least one programmable sound generator module wherein the signals produced have a plurality of frequencies, amplitudes, or frequencies in combination with amplitudes modified in accordance with at least one physiological data value, wherein the sonification module generates frequency tones, at a plurality of predetermined transition points, corresponding to a measured physiological parameter and wherein the transition points represent an appreciable change in the measured physiological parameter.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
136 words
A physiological data monitoring system for measuring at least one physiological characteristic, comprising: a sensor unit; and a monitoring unit in data communication with the sensor unit having a sonification module, said sonification module comprising at least one programmable sound generator module to produce a plurality of signals indicative of a physiological parameter and said sonification module being capable of storing a plurality of control parameters for managing the at least one programmable sound generator module wherein the signals produced have a plurality of frequencies, amplitudes, or frequencies in combination with amplitudes modified in accordance with at least one physiological data value, wherein the sonification module generates frequency tones, at a plurality of predetermined transition points, corresponding to a measured physiological parameter and wherein the transition points represent an appreciable change in the measured physiological parameter.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
21 words
The physiological data monitoring system of claim 1 wherein the appreciable change has a value that is programmable by a user.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
131 words
A pulse oximeter monitoring unit for measuring at least one blood flow characteristic through the application of at least one sensor having a plurality of light sources and at least one photodetector, comprising: a processor in data communication with the sensor wherein the processor transmits control signals to the light sources; a data acquisition module in data communication with said processor and said sensor unit wherein the data acquisition module receives input signals from the photodetectors; a memory module in data communication with said data acquisition module; and a sonification module in data communication with the memory module wherein the sonification module generates tones, at a plurality of predetermined transition points, corresponding to a measured SpO 2 level, wherein the transition points represent an appreciable change in the measured SpO2 level.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
131 words
A pulse oximeter monitoring unit for measuring at least one blood flow characteristic through the application of at least one sensor having a plurality of light sources and at least one photodetector, comprising: a processor in data communication with the sensor wherein the processor transmits control signals to the light sources; a data acquisition module in data communication with said processor and said sensor unit wherein the data acquisition module receives input signals from the photodetectors; a memory module in data communication with said data acquisition module; and a sonification module in data communication with the memory module wherein the sonification module generates tones, at a plurality of predetermined transition points, corresponding to a measured SpO 2 level, wherein the transition points represent an appreciable change in the measured SpO2 level.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
21 words
The pulse oximeter monitoring unit of claim 3 wherein the appreciable change has a value that is programmable by a user.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
20 words
The pulse oximeter monitoring unit of claim 3 wherein the appreciable change is in the range of 2% to 5%.
Claim 8
Independent Claim
179 words
A method of monitoring a patient's physiological status using a monitoring system that measures at least one physiological characteristic, comprising the steps of: sensing a value for a physiological characteristic; transmitting the value to a sonification module; receiving in the sonification module the transmitted value; comparing the value to a plurality of predetermined transition points; if the value matches one of said transition points, selecting a corresponding stored frequency value; based on the frequency value selected, generating signal waveforms having a frequency corresponding to the stored frequency value; transmitting the waveforms to a digital to analog converter; amplifying the converted waveforms; if the value does not match one of said transition points, identifying at least two transition points that approximate the value; selecting at least two frequency values corresponding to the at least two transition points; based on the at least two frequency values, generating at least two signal waveforms having frequencies corresponding to the at least two transition points; modifying amplitudes of the at least two signal waveforms; and mixing the at least two amplitude adjusted signal waveforms.
Claim 9
Independent Claim
179 words
A method of monitoring a patient's physiological status using a monitoring system that measures at least one physiological characteristic, comprising the steps of: sensing a value for a physiological characteristic; transmitting the value to a sonification module; receiving in the sonification module the transmitted value; comparing the value to a plurality of predetermined transition points; if the value matches one of said transition points, selecting a corresponding stored frequency value; based on the frequency value selected, generating signal waveforms having a frequency corresponding to the stored frequency value; transmitting the waveforms to a digital to analog converter; amplifying the converted waveforms; if the value does not match one of said transition points, identifying at least two transition points that approximate the value; selecting at least two frequency values corresponding to the at least two transition points; based on the at least two frequency values, generating at least two signal waveforms having frequencies corresponding to the at least two transition points; modifying amplitudes of the at least two signal waveforms; and mixing the at least two amplitude adjusted signal waveforms.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
26 words
The method of claim 6 further comprising the step of: shaping the signal waveforms by mixing the said signal waveforms with a plurality of additional signals.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
14 words
The method of claim 7 wherein the plurality of additional signals comprise plethysmographic signals.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
25 words
The method of claim 6 further comprising the step of: mixing the signal waveforms with a plurality of frequency signals to generate a digital waveform.
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| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2008-09-19 | 2009-03-21 | 2009-09-20 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
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