Patient monitoring system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10548476-B2
Application number	US-201715679570-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 17, 2017
Priority date	Aug 17, 2017
Publication date	Feb 4, 2020
Grant date	Feb 4, 2020

Abstract

A subject monitoring system operates to detect a current status of a subject in a subject arrangement area, such as on a bed, and predict an upcoming status of the subject. The system includes a subject status detection device that may use a radar signal. A radar signal is transmitted toward the subject and is used to detect a subject status, such as a subject position, a subject incontinence condition, and a physiological condition of the subject. One example of the radar signal includes a millimeter wave.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A system for monitoring a subject status, the system comprising:
a subject arrangement area for arranging a subject thereon;
a signal transmitter configured to transmit a radar signal toward the subject arranged on the subject arrangement area;
a signal receiver configured to receive the radar signal; and
a signal analysis device configured to detect a temporal variation of the radar signal and determine a subject status based on the temporal variation, wherein the subject status includes a subject position, and wherein the signal analysis device is further configured to predict an upcoming position of the subject based on the temporal variation.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the signal analysis device is configured to identify at least one body portion of the subject based on the received radar signal.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the signal analysis device is further configured to generate an outline of the subject using the received radar signal.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the subject status includes a subject incontinence condition.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the subject status includes a physiological condition of the subject.

6. The system of claim 1 , further comprising:
a reflector associated with the subject and configured to reflect the radar signal from the signal transmitter.

7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the radar signal has a band of spectrum between 30 GHz and 300 GHz.

8. The system of claim 1 , wherein the radar signal has a wavelength ranging between 10 mm to 1 mm.

9. The system of claim 1 , wherein the subject arrangement area includes a patient bed.

10. The system of claim 1 , wherein the signal transmitter and the signal receiver are integrally configured as a signal transceiver.

11. The system of claim 1 , wherein the signal analysis device is configured to generate a notification of the subject status to a healthcare practitioner.

12. The system of claim 1 , wherein the subject position is determined by detecting a first set of body points at a first time, the first set of body points detected from reflected radar signals received from different directions.

13. The system of claim 12 , wherein the signal analysis device is further configured to determine a motion of the subject by detecting a second set of body points at a second time, and tracking changes between the first set of body points and the second set of body points.

14. A method for monitoring a subject status, the method comprising:
arranging a subject in a subject arrangement area;
transmitting a radar signal toward the subject;
receiving the radar signal;
monitoring a temporal variation of the radar signal; and
determining a subject status based on the temporal variation, wherein the subject status includes a subject position, and determining the subject status includes predicting an upcoming status of the subject based on the temporal variation.

15. The method of claim 14 , further comprising:
identifying at least one body portion of the subject based on the received radar signal.

16. The method of claim 14 , wherein the subject status includes a subject incontinence condition.

17. The method of claim 16 , wherein determining a subject status includes:
determining a moisture in the subject arrangement area.

18. A system for monitoring a subject status, the system comprising:
a processing device configured to control operation of the system;
a signal transmitter configured to transmit a radar signal having a band of spectrum between 30 GHz and 300 GHz;
a signal receiver configured to receive the radar signal; and
a computer readable storage medium storing software instructions that, when executed by the processing device, cause the system to:
transmit the radar signal toward a subject using the signal transmitter;
receive the radar signal using the signal receiver;
identify at least one body portion of the subject based on the received radar signal;
monitor a temporal variation of the radar signal;
predict an upcoming status of the subject based on the temporal variation, wherein the upcoming status includes a subject position; and
determine a wet spot around the subject based on the temporal variation.

Assignees

• Welch Allyn Inc

Inventors

• Lane John A
• Baker Steven D
• Williamson Rachel

Classifications

• G16H10/60

  for patient-specific data, e.g. for electronic patient records · CPC title

• A61B5/0507

  using microwaves or terahertz waves · CPC title

• G16H50/20

  for computer-aided diagnosis, e.g. based on medical expert systems · CPC title

• A61B5/6891 Primary

  Furniture · CPC title

• A61G7/05

  Parts, details or accessories of beds (devices for prevention against falling out A47C21/08, A47D7/00 {; mattresses A47C27/00}) · CPC title