Title of Invention

A DUAL MODE ELECTROCARDIOGRAM

Abstract

The subject invention provides methods for Acquiring, transmitting in real time on-line mode utilizing various communication technologies for viewing, and processing of vital signs or biosignals like ECG, Heart Rate, SP02, NIBP, IBP. Et C02, Temperature and respiration, BEG, Pulmonary Function Test, Heart, Lung and Bowel sounds acquired from Digital / Electronic Stethoscopes along with on-line Electronic Case sheet etc., from a remote location to a stand alone computer (or) Server for monitoring, review, interpretation and follow-up action. The subject invention also provides for store and forward of various images like 2 D echo, Ultra sound, X-Ray, CT, MRI, Angiogram, digital images of any organ/any part of the body.

Full Text

Provisional Specification r BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION: Telemedicine Is a term used to describe a type of medica! service involving monitoring of a patient's condition by a healthcare worker located at a healthcare facility, vjhich is remote wijh respect to the location of the patient. Telemedicine is capable of providing enormous benefits to society by bridging the gap between the availability of the medical service by competent medical personnel as we!! as the acute need for the medical service in rural and remote areas. India with majority of the population living in rural and remote areas do not have proper access to medical facilities and interpretation of biosignals acquired during medical processes by competent medical personnel. A timely intervention by medical personnel in the process could be very helpful in delivering appropriate medical care saving lives in many cases. in the event of non-availability of competent medical services in the remote, rural and semi-urban areas, the needy are required -to travel long distances, spend valuable time and money in getting access to proper medical services. The situation could assume very difficult propositions when there are medical emergencies which need to be attended to immediately. The current telemedicine models being employed in the country do not provide relief to the needy by analyzing and Interpreting their biosignals and providing follow-up action wherever needed. Hence, the current technology platform is Invented which takes into account the available telecommunication infrastructure in the country and readily available information technology products and medical devices for processing of biosignals on-line and real time mode. Even in many semi-urban areas there are not adequate medical personnel to take care of medical emergencies and there is no available technology currently to take care of monitoring of biosignals or vital signs on-line, real time within easily available telecommunication Infrastructure. Technology gaps do exist within the country for monitoring of patients vital signs while they are mobile and also for monitoring of biosignals and vital signs when the medical personnel are mobile. BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION : The present invention provides methods of acquiring, transmitting, receiving, viewing, fonwarding, reporting, storing and retrieving all types of biosignals and vital signs in on-line and real time mode. These can be acquired and transmitted either in a stationery status or in a mobile status for further processing and follow-up action. The signals are acquired either on a Desktop computer. Laptop computer etc., and, they are either sent in their native form or compressed and transmitted either to a stand-alone device or a central server. The biosignals and vital signs are sent either through a plain telephone line, GSM Mobile, GPRS Mobile, ISDN, Leased Line, VSAT and using WWW. Using the technology platform provided in the present invention, the biosignals and vital signs are sent from one remote location to another remote location (or) from one to many (or) from many to one (or) many to many modes for interpretation and follow-up action. The technology plaform is interactive in nature and provides for the remote interpreters to monitor the biosignals either locally from a server or from a remote site themselves; transmit the same on to www and to discuss the same interactively with many interpreters. The platform also provides for interpreter defined monitoring of vital signs or biosignals, provides for interactive video, text chat, voice and data in the form of essential medical data to aid the interpreters in their analysis of biosignals as well as follow-up action. Detailed description of figures : Figure (1) illustrates the devices (1) connected to various remote centers (2), Vifbicb in turn communicate through the communication net-worl Figure (2) illustrates the details of an individual Remote Center which is connected to various Bio Signal devices (1), Still video and audio (2) and Text / data (3) which are connected to the Computer (4) at the remote center for transmitting / receiving using communication network (5). Figure (3) illustrates the way the biosignals and accompanying data, images, audio is received through communication network (1) at the server (2) which can be accessed through LAN (4) by local interpreters (5) or through communication network (1) to interpreters (5) as well as through WWW (3). The interpreters could futher send the biosignals and data to Experts using WWW (3) or Communication network (1). FIELD OF INVENTION: The present invention relates to the field of medical technology and more particularly relates to the Electro Cardiogram monitoring. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION: An Electro Cardiogram Machine is used for recording the Electro Cardiogram signals of a patient during resting phase using a resting Electro Cardiogram and during activity phase using a stress Electro Cardiogram machine. These tests are conducted with specific time duration only. However, during emergencies when patients are admitted, they are monitored using an Electro Cardiogram Monitor which continuously monitors the Electro Cardiogram signals of the patient with alarms being provided to have timely medical intervention when the patient's physiological signs breach the limits set by the attending physicians. In emergency cases the usual practice is to take a 12 lead Electro Cardiogram first for diagnosing the problem and then the patient is connected to cardiac monitor. And also it is necessary to take periodic resting Electro Cardiograms of the patients in addition to doing the monitoring of his Electro Cardiogram signals. Normally, 2 different equipment are used for this purpose - one for the resting Electro Cardiogram (a complete 12 lead Electro Cardiogram taken on a patient during resting phase for a specific time duration) and the other for Electro Cardiogram Monitoring (The Eiectro Cardiogram is displayed and read on a continuous basis and will capture the signals as the patient is connected to the machine). An integrated Resting Electro Cardiogram-cum-Electro Cardiogram Monitor would be of great importance in "saving the time to treatment during critical moments" as both the applications will be available in the same system. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION: The present invention provides a unique 2-in-1 Resting Electro Cardiogram Machine and an Electro Cardiogram Monitor in the same medical device that allows switching between a Resting Electro Cardiogram machine and an Electro Cardiogram monitor by a software switch. The medical devices are connected to the computer in which the Resting Electro Cardiogram, Electro Cardiogram Monitor software operate in Windows environment. Cardiac monitors produced in India do not have the in built case sheet that can be transmitted to a remote location for specialist review & opinion. The monitors do not have the capability of transmitting to a remote location using low bandwidth technology like plain telephone line. But, it would also be highly desirable to have the electronic case sheet of the patient integrated with the Electro Cardiogram signals for display on the monitor for review by the attending doctor. There will be enormous value addition to the system if the Electro Cardiogram signals as weil as the Electronic case sheet of the patient along with resting Electro Cardiogram could be transmitted on-line in real-time using available low bandwidth telephone technology to a specialist doctor for further reference. This would give the advantage of remote monitoring of the patient condition for enabling appropriate treatment under the guidance of the specialist doctor anywhere anytime, especially whenever such specialist facility is not available locally. This gives the much-needed real-time telemedicine application for a country like India where majority of the population lives in the rural areas. Dual use Electro Cardiogram with its transmitting capability is a type of real-time telemedicine application providing enormous benefits to society by bridging the gap between the availability of the medical service by competent medical personnel as well as the acute need for the medical service in rural and remote areas. Appropriate treatment for emergency case patients will be available anywhere, anytime & can be affordable with the above invention. OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION: Accordingly, it is the object of the invention to provide an improved system of Electro Cardiogram monitoring. It is an additional object of the invention to provide a unique 2-jn-1 Resting Electro Cardiogram Machine and an Electro Cardiogram Monitor in the same medical device DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES: Figure 1 illustrates various modules of the device according to the invention. Figure 2 shows the various steps involved in the end-to-end process concerned with the usage of the preser^t equipment. Figure 3 shows block diagram demonstrating the easy upgradability feature of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION: Figure (1) illustrates the complete system of the present invention in which the Dual Use Electro Cardiogram device (1) is connected to the patient and in-turn connected to the computer which communicates with the communication network (2) to the remote monitoring station (3) for review and monitoring by the specialist Doctors. The communication networK (2) could be Plain Telephone line (POTS), ISDN line, Leased Line or World Wide Web for communicating with specialist doctor. Figure (2) describes in detail the various steps involved in the end-to-end process concerned with the usage of the present invention from connection to the patient upto the review by the consulting doctor. "he patient at a remote end, which is the local end, is connected using the medical device (1) and the medical device starts acquiring the Electro Cardiogram data and sends to the computer using serial port or USB port (2). Usually, resting Electro Cardiogram is obtained followed by on-line Electro Cardiogram for monitoring. The details for electronic case sheet, Emergency patient info (3) are entered in the system. The telemedicine software system takes over for transmitting the data (4). The data transmission is done using Plain Telephone line (POTS), ISDN, IP etc. (5). The Data is received on-line, real time at the monitoring end through the telecommunication medium (6). The received data along with the clinical signs is reviewed by the Specialist Doctors at the monitoring end (7) and the specialist doctor conducts the review of the patient condition. Figure (3) gives the Block diagram demonstrating the easy upgradability feature of the present invention, where-in Dual use Electro Cardiogram Device (1), SP02 device (2) and Non-Invasive Blood Pressure Device (3) are connected to a medical device interface (4). These devices have the capability to either work independently or in any combination as needed by the user. These devices communicate with the Computer where the vital signs are monitored (6) and the electronic case sheet (5) along with the vital signs is transmitted using the te'emedicine system (7) to the remote end (8) for monitoring by a specialist doctor. The present invention provides methods of acquiring, transmitting, receiving, viewing, fonwarding, reporting, storing and retrieving Electro Cardiogram Signals in on-line and real time mode as well as in resting mode for diagnostic and monitoring purposes utilizing the same device. These can be acquired and transmitted either in a stationery status or in a mobile status for further processing and follow-up action. The signals are acquired either on a Desktop computer, Laptop computer etc., and, they are either sent in their native form or compressed and transmitted to a stand¬alone computer The present invention provides a unique 2-in-1 Resting Electro Cardiogram l\/lachine and an Electro Cardiogram Monitor in the same medical device that comprises a dedicated single or multiple printed circuit boards. Single or multiple circuit boards; the system can comprise of single or multiple circuit boards which can be the signal amplifiers, main boards etc., and also depending upon the other components that can be added on to the system, there could be different printed circuit boards for the pulse oxymtery module, non¬invasive blood pressure module, temperature module, respiration module etc, all the necessary modules could be mounted on a single main board vi/ith different printed circuits for different modules or some of the modules can be made into a single printed circuit board also. The present invention provides a unique 2-in-1 Resting Electro Cardiogram Machine and an Electro Cardiogram Monitor in the same medical device that allows switching between a Resting Electro cardiogram machine and an Electro Cardiogram monitor by a software switch. The medical devices are connected to the computer in which the Resting Electro Cardiogram, Electro Cardiogram Monitor software operates in Windows environment. Normally Electro Cardiogram monitor has 1,3, or 5 lead Electro Cardiogram display on the monitor. The present invention also provides for lead selectability of the chest leads and display of either 3, 5 or 12 leads in any other predetermined combination. The software also provides for selection of leads at the monitor end for display locally and transmission to remote end. The present invention also provides for an Electronic case sheet to be filled-in giving all relevant details that are present in a regular case sheet of a patient when he or she is admitted for treatment. This enables the treating doctor to have a view of the acquiring Electro Cardiogram Signals as well as details of complaints, symptoms, signs, diagnostic test results, vital charts, treatment given & other relevant details. The present invention also takes into account the "modular upgradation option" available with this device which can connect to a central communication junction box along with a pulse Oxymeter, NIBP Monitor, to make a complete vital signs monitor in which individual modules can work either individually or together with the other modules. Central communication box: the role of the central communication box would be to independently acquire biosignals from various modules Independently and together for further transmissions. The Electro Cardiogram signals are sent either through a plain telephone line, GSM Mobile, GPRS Mobile, ISDN, Leased Line, VSAT and World Wide Web. Using the technology platform provided in the present invention, Electro Cardiogram signals are sent from one remote location to another remote location (or) from one to many (or) from many to one (or) many to any for interpretation and follow-up action. Similarly resting Electro Cardiogram files are also sent using the same technology platform. The technology platform is interactive in nature and provides for the remote interpreters to monitor the Electro Cardiogram signals either locally from a server or from a remote site themselves; transmit the same on to www and to discuss the same interactively with many interpreters. The platform also provides for interpreter defined monitoring of Electro Cardiogram signals, provide for interactive text chat and Patient Medical records in the form of essential medical data to aid the interpreters in their analysis of Electro Cardiogram as well as follow-up-action. Similarly resting Electro Cardiogram files can also be acquired using the same device and transmitted to the monitoring end for the interpreters to view the same and give opinion on the same. We Claim, 1. A dual mode echo cardiogram intended to process both resting echo cardiogram and monitoring echo cardiogram comprising a dedicated single or multiple printed circuit boards and having a modular upgrade option intended to connect this equipment to central communication junction box with input from pulse oxymeter, NIBP monitor, temperature monitors, respiration monitors, invasive blood pressure monitor(IBP), to receive bio-signals there by monitoring echo cardiogram, pulse oxymeter, NIBP, temperature, respiration, invasive blood pressure(lBP), the said leads acquire bio-signals of patient and process the said signals and display on the PC connected to the equipment. 2. A dual mode echo cardiogram as claimed in claim 1, wherein it comprises a dedicated single or multiple printed circuit boards. 3. A dual mode echo cardiogram as claimed in claim 1, wherein there is option of modular upgradation Intended to connect this equipment to central communication junction box. 4. A dual mode echo cardiogram as claimed in claim 1, wherein there is option to switch between the chest lead selectivity by a simple software switch. 5. A dual mode echo cardiogram as claimed in claim 1, wherein means for enabling switch over to monitoring mode through a software switch after acquiring resting echo cardiogram and vice-versa is being provided. 6. A dual mode echo cardiogram as claimed in claim 1, wherein the means for acquiring a resting 12 lead echo cardiogram as and when required for any time duration needed is being provided. 7. A dual mode echo cardiogram as claimed in claim 1, wherein the means for enabling monitoring of 1-12 lead echocardiogram signals in real time, on line mode with optional lead selectivity is being provided. 8. A dual mode echo cardiogram as claimed in claim 1, wherein th^ means for transmission of the 12 lead resting EGG tal taking place is being provided. 9. A dual mode echo cardiogram as claimed in claim 1, wherein the means for enabling lead selectivity for echocardiogram signals at the acquiring and receiving end is being provided.

Documents:

0946-mas-2002 abstract.pdf

0946-mas-2002 claims.pdf

0946-mas-2002 correspondence-others.pdf

0946-mas-2002 correspondence-po.pdf

0946-mas-2002 description (complete).pdf

0946-mas-2002 drawings.pdf

0946-mas-2002 form-13.pdf

0946-mas-2002 form-19.pdf

0946-mas-2002 form-26.pdf

0946-mas-2002 form-3.pdf

0946-mas-2002 form-5.pdf

0946-mas-2002 form-6.pdf