Systems and methods for providing sensor fusion

Abstract

The present invention comprises a system that incorporates the natural relationships of patient parameters into a medical monitoring system in order to increase monitoring specificity by reducing false positive alarms resulting from spurious data and inconclusive data. The invention also comprises a system that incorporates the natural relationships of patient parameters in order to use the data obtained from those parameters to non-invasively monitor a patient parameter that typically precludes direct monitoring.

1 . A patient monitoring system, comprising:
 a first patient health monitor device adapted so as to be coupled to a patient and so as to generate a first signal reflecting a first parameter of a physiological condition of the patient;   a second patient health monitor device adapted so as to be coupled to the patient and so as to generate a second signal reflecting a second parameter of a physiological condition of the patient, wherein said first parameter and said second parameter are related;   an electronic controller interconnected with said first and second patient health monitors, said electronic controller having a data set reflecting parameters of the first and second physiological conditions, wherein the electronic controller compares said first and second parameters with said data set so as to initiate a response upon detection of undesirable signals from both of said first and second patient health monitor devices.   
     
     
         2 . The patient monitoring system of  claim 1 , wherein said first and second patient health monitoring devices are each independently selected from the group consisting of non-invasive blood pressure monitors, pulse oximeters, capnometers, ECGs, patient consciousness assessment systems, ventilatory flow monitors, ventilatory pressure monitors, impedance plethysmographs (IPGs), gas analyzers, ventilatory temperature monitors, ventilatory humidity monitors, and acoustical monitors. 
     
     
         3 . The patient monitoring system of  claim 1 , wherein said response comprises at least one of alarming, decreasing drug levels, delivering oxygen, changing drugs, requesting the system to gather more data, testing patient responsiveness, and delivering positive airway pressure. 
     
     
         4 . The patient monitoring system of  claim 1 , wherein said data set further reflects parameters of a third physiological condition and wherein said electronic controller uses the monitored data for the first patient parameter and the second patient parameter to calculate a third patient parameter that is compared against said data set. 
     
     
         5 . A method for employing sensor fusion in a patient monitoring system, comprising the following steps:
 providing at least one patient monitor corresponding to a first patient parameter and at least one patient monitor corresponding to a second patient parameter, wherein said parameters are interrelated and each of said monitors provide data;   monitoring at least two of said interrelated patient parameters,   ascertaining whether any of said data is indicative of a negative patient episode;   if any of said data is indicative of a negative patient episode, determining whether there is agreement between each monitor; and   initiating a suitable procedure in response to said data indicative of a negative patient episode.   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein said step of ascertaining further comprises comparing said data from each of the monitors against a set of safety parameters. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein said suitable procedure comprises at least one of alarming, decreasing drug levels, delivering oxygen, changing said drugs supplied to the patient, requesting the system to gather more data, testing patient responsiveness, and delivering positive airway pressure. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein said step of determining whether there is agreement between each monitor comprises comparing data from each of said monitors with a respective set of safety parameters. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein said step of determining whether there is agreement between each monitor further comprises evaluating the relationship between said data for said monitored parameters that fall within said set of safety parameters. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 5 , further comprising continuing to gather data from the monitors for a predetermined period of time before said suitable procedure is initiated. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein said first patient parameter comprises electrical heart activity and said second patient parameter comprises pulse oximetry. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 5 , further comprising after said monitoring step, the step of using the monitored data for the first patient parameter and the second patient parameter to calculate a third patient parameter. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein said step of ascertaining further comprises comparing said third patient parameter against a set of safety parameters. 
     
     
         14 . A method for employing sensor fusion in a patient monitoring system, comprising the following steps:
 providing at least one patient monitor corresponding to a first patient parameter and at least one patient monitor corresponding to a second patient parameter, wherein said parameters are interrelated and each of said monitors provide data;   monitoring at least two of said interrelated patient parameters,   ascertaining whether the data from any of said monitors is conclusive of a potentially critical condition;   if data is inconclusive, analyzing the data from said first and second patient parameters to determine whether one monitor can confirm the potentially critical condition indicated by at least one other monitor; and   initiating a suitable procedure to alert clinicians to the detected data.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein said data is processed by a controller. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , further comprising the step of ascertaining whether the clarified data is indicative of a negative patient condition based on a set of safety parameters programmed into the controller. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein said suitable procedure comprises at least one of alarming, decreasing drug levels, delivering oxygen, changing said drugs supplied to the patient, requesting the system to gather more data, testing patient responsiveness, and delivering positive airway pressure. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein said alarming procedure comprising providing different alarm modes that vary depending on whether the data inconclusively or conclusively indicates the potentially critical condition. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein said first patient parameter comprises capnometry and said second patient parameter comprises ventilatory pressure. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 14 , further comprising after said monitoring step, the step of using the monitored data for the first patient parameter and the second patient parameter to calculate a third patient parameter. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein said step of ascertaining further comprises comparing said third patient parameter against a set of safety parameters. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 20 , comprising integrating blood pressure data with pulse oximetry data, where such an interrelation may provide monitoring of the systemic vascular resistance.