Surgery – Diagnostic testing – Cardiovascular
Reexamination Certificate
1998-12-11
2001-07-10
Layno, Carl H. (Department: 3762)
Surgery
Diagnostic testing
Cardiovascular
C600S520000, C600S523000, C128S903000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06259944
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a fully computerized telemetry system for monitoring the activity level and the physiological status of an individual, or a group of individuals performing various exercises.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
There are many methods known in the art for monitoring the activity of an individual during exercise of many kinds. Some of these are used for physiological purposes, e.g., so-called stress tests, while others are used to monitor individuals or groups during training sessions, such as bio-feedback for sports players.
In particular, measurement of heart rate has been used frequently as an indication of the amount of work performed by an individual during a given activity. A number of devices are known for monitoring heart rate and analyzing the data produced thereby. For example, there is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,566,461 to Lubell et al, a heart rate monitor device for use in monitoring aerobic exercise training, which automatically calculates a fitness parameter for the subject through an exercise stress test protocol.
There is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,958,645 to Cadell et al. a medical radio telemetry system having a plurality of telemeters, one located on each patient for collecting data such as temperature, heart rate, respiration rate, blood pressure level, etc. The patient telemeter works includes a patient locator and works in conjunction with a room locator for monitoring by a receiver.
There is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,157,604 to Axford et al. an apparatus for simultaneously monitoring the heart rate of each of a plurality of subjects including a main circuit for transmitting a predetermined signal to cause each of a plurality of remote subcircuits to transmit subcircuit identity data and heart rate data, a receiver for receiving these transmissions and producing an output representative of the heart rate, and a plurality of remote subcircuits, each having a pulse monitoring device for securing to a subject.
None of these devices permits real time monitoring of exercise programs individually tailored for each of a large group of individuals for use by a coach or physiologist and which permits analysis of past and present training sessions.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
According to the present invention, there is provided a system for simultaneous monitoring of a plurality of individuals including an individual physiological data logger (IPDL) for each individual for measuring and storing heart beat data, the IPDL including: an electro-cardiogram (ECG) measuring device for providing heart beat data, an extended memory for storing the measured heart beat data, a synchronization element, a micro-controller including a synchronization element controlling circuit, and RF transceiver apparatus; a central interface unit selectably couplable by radio telemetry communication to each IPDL for transmitting thereto a plurality of commands and for receiving therefrom the heart beat data; and a computer coupled to the central interface unit for providing commands for each IPDL, for performance of an individual bench test for deriving a conversion coefficient of heart beat cost per unit of mechanical work, and for monitoring and analyzing, in real time, the heart beat data of each of the plurality of individuals.
According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the computer further includes means for analyzing and storing data about each individual over time.
There is also provided in accordance with the present invention a method for monitoring the activity level and the physiological status of an individual, or a group of individuals, including the steps of measuring heart beat pulses in an IPDL worn adjacent the chest of an individual, calculating heart beat data in the IPDL, storing the heart beat data in the IPDL, transmitting a command via RF transceiver apparatus from a central interface unit (CIU) to the IPDL in response to a command to transmit the stored heart beat data, transmitting the stored heart beat data via RF transceiver apparatus from the IPDL to the CIU, transferring the heart beat data from the CIU to a computer, analyzing and processing the heart beat data in the computer in real time utilizing an individual coefficient of heart beats cost per unit of external work, and providing an output display, in real time, corresponding thereto.
According to a preferred embodiment, the method further includes the steps of providing a graphic presentation of the analyzed heart beat data.
According to one embodiment of the invention, the computer begins recording data of a session for a plurality of individuals upon an input command, and heart beat data for each individual is stored in association with session identification data.
According to another embodiment of the invention, the method further includes the steps of coupling an unused IPDL to a new individual, measuring and storing heart beat data for the new individual in the IPDL, starting a monitoring session for the new individual in the computer, and causing the computer to actuate the CIU to request transmission of the stored heart beat data from the IPDL, without interrupting other existing sessions.
According to a further embodiment of the invention, the method further includes the steps of removing an IPDL from one of the plurality of individuals, and ending the monitoring session for that individual in the computer, without interrupting other existing sessions, and closing, on a monitor screen, a client window associated with the individual.
According to an alternative embodiment of the invention, the IPDL provides heart beat data together with heart beat identification data, the computer scans the heart beat identification data during analysis and commands the CIU to request re-transmission of any missing heart beat data.
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Frank Alexander
Margulis Eliahu
Jones Day Reavis & Pogue
Layno Carl H.
Pylon, Inc
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