Wireless physiological sensor patches and systems

Abstract

The present invention provides methods, devices, and systems for wireless physiological sensor patches and systems which incorporate these patches. The systems and methods utilize a structure where the processing is distributed asymmetrically on the two or more types of ASIC chips that are designed to work together. The invention also relates to systems comprising two or more ASIC chips designed for use in physiological sensing wherein the ASIC chips are designed to work together to achieve high wireless link reliability/security, low power dissipation, compactness, low cost and support a variety of sensors for sensing various physiological parameters.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An asymmetric system comprising: two or more ASIC chips wherein the chips are designed to work together to measure physiological signals, comprising:
 (a) a patch-ASIC chip adapted for incorporation into a physiological signal monitoring patch comprising a sensor interface, a processor coupled to the sensor interface, a memory element coupled to the processor, a radio coupled to the memory element that transmits data to a base-ASIC chip, and power management circuits that coordinate power usage on the chip; and   (b) the base-ASIC chip, comprising a processor that processes sensor data, a memory element coupled to the processor, a radio coupled to the memory element that communicates instructions to the patch-ASIC chip, power management circuits for coordinating power usage on the chip, and a host interface through which the base-ASIC chip communicates with a host device;   wherein the base-ASIC chip has more processing resources than the patch-ASIC chip.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the base-ASIC has a higher silicon area than the patch-ASIC chip. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 2  wherein the ratio of silicon area of the base-ASIC chip to the patch-ASIC chip is at least about 2:1. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 2  wherein the ratio of silicon area of the base-ASIC chip to the patch-ASIC chip is at least about 4:1. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the patch-ASIC chip comprises low-complexity transmitters and low complexity receivers, and the base-ASIC chip comprises high-complexity transmitters and high complexity receivers. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 5  wherein the patch-ASIC chip comprises a UWB transmitter and a narrowband receiver, and the base-ASIC chip comprises a narrow band transmitter and a UWB receiver. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the patch-ASIC chip comprises a turbo encoder, and the base-ASIC chip comprises a turbo-decoder. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the patch-ASIC chip communicates through a single antenna, and the base-ASIC chip communicates through multiple antennas. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 8  wherein the base-ASIC chip further comprises smart antenna processing. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the base-ASIC chip, comprises processors for analyzing the radio environment. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the system comprises a base-ASIC chip and multiple patch-ASIC chips. 
     
     
         12 . A method comprising: monitoring a physiological condition using two or more ASIC chips and a host device wherein the chips are designed to work together to measure physiological signals comprising:
 (a) receiving signals from a sensor at a patch-ASIC chip that is incorporated into a physiological signal monitoring patch, the patch-ASIC chip comprising a sensor interface coupled to the sensor, a processor coupled to the sensor interface, a memory element coupled to the processor, a radio coupled to the memory element;   (b) transmitting data signals from the radio on the patch-ASIC chip through an antenna incorporated into the patch;   (c) receiving the data signals at a base-ASIC chip comprising an antenna that sends the signals to a processor that processes data signals, a memory element coupled to the processor, a radio coupled to the memory element, and a host interface through which the base-ASIC chip communicates with a host device; and   (d) transmitting instructions wirelessly from the base-ASIC chip to the patch-ASIC chip;   wherein the base-ASIC chip consumes more power than the patch-ASIC chip.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12  wherein the ratio of power consumed by the base-ASIC chip to the power consumed by the patch-ASIC chip measured during continual data transmission is 2:1. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 12  wherein the ratio of power consumed by the base-ASIC chip to the power consumed by the patch-ASIC chip measured during continual data transmission is 4:1. 
     
     
         15 . A system comprising two or more ASIC chips wherein the chips are designed to work together to measure physiological signals, comprising:
 (a) a patch-ASIC chip adapted for incorporation into a physiological signal monitoring patch comprising a sensor interface, a processor coupled to the sensor interface, a memory element coupled to the processor, a radio coupled to the memory element that transmits data to a base-ASIC chip, and power management circuits that coordinate power on the chip; and   (b) the base-ASIC chip comprising a processor that processes sensor data, a memory element coupled to the processor, a radio coupled to the memory element that that transmits instructions to the patch-ASIC chip, power management circuits for coordinating power on the chip, and a host interface through which the base-ASIC chip communicates with a host device.   
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 15  wherein the base-ASIC chip is incorporated into a μ-Base and the patch-ASIC chip is incorporated into a μ-Patch, wherein each of the μ-Base and the μ-Patch comprise a printed circuit board and an antenna attached to the printed circuit board for transmitting radio signals. 
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 15  wherein the base-ASIC chip acts as a master device to coordinate a function of the μ-Patch. 
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 17  wherein a function coordinated by the base-ASIC chip is initialization and link set up, power management, data packet routing, type of transmission radio, radio transmit-power, radio receive-sensitivity, patch operational integrity, audio tone generation, display activation, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 17  wherein the base-ASIC chip can coordinate the bias of the RF circuitry on the patch-ASIC chip to coordinate energy usage on the patch. 
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 15  wherein the base-ASIC chip is incorporated into the host device; wherein the host device comprises a stationary, portable, or mobile device or a stationary, portable, or mobile medical instrument. 
     
     
         21 . The system of  claim 15  wherein the base-ASIC chip is incorporated into an adapter which plugs into the host device; wherein the host device comprises a stationary, portable or mobile device or a stationary, portable, or mobile medical instrument. 
     
     
         22 . The system of  claim 21  wherein the adapter comprising the base-ASIC chip plugs into a medical instrument through a serial interface connection. 
     
     
         23 . The system of  claim 21  wherein the adapter provides physiological information from wireless sensors to a stationary, portable, or mobile medical instrument that was designed for receiving physiological information from wired sensors, wherein the adapter allows the medical instrument to receive substantially equivalent information from the wireless sensors. 
     
     
         24 . The system of  claim 21  wherein the adapter allows a medical instrument which is designed to be connected to sensors by wires to be compatible with sensors that transmit wirelessly. 
     
     
         25 . The system of  claim 16  wherein the base-ASIC chip is incorporated into a cell phone. 
     
     
         26 . The system of  claim 15  wherein the patch-ASIC chip and the base-ASIC chip are each part of an ASIC superset chip, wherein the functionality of both the patch-ASIC chip and the base-ASIC chip are contained on the ASIC superset chip, and wherein un-used portions of the superset chip are turned off on the patch-ASIC chip or the base-ASIC chip. 
     
     
         27 . The system of  claim 15  wherein the two or more ASIC chips can send and/or receive both ultrawide band (UWB) radio and narrowband radio signals. 
     
     
         28 . The system of  claim 17  wherein the base-ASIC chip can switch the transmission mode of the patch-ASIC chip between UWB and narrowband radio. 
     
     
         29 . The system of  claim 16  wherein the patch-ASIC chip comprises an encoding scheme for encoding data transmission and the base-ASIC chip comprises a decoding scheme for decoding data transmission from the μ-Patch. 
     
     
         30 . The system of  claim 15  wherein the system provides security by an encryption scheme using shared keys, wherein the device comprising the base-ASIC chip wirelessly exchanges the shared keys with the patch. 
     
     
         31 . The system of  claim 16  wherein the ASIC chips can avoid or minimize interference by pseudo-random hopping of carrier frequencies, or by data modulation with pseudo-random code sequences. 
     
     
         32 . The system of  claim 16  wherein the system provides reliability by forward-error correction, packet-retransmission by automatic repeat request (ARQ), and/or smart antenna techniques. 
     
     
         33 . The system of  claim 16  wherein the μ-Patch comprises one antenna and the μ-Base comprises  2  or more antennas. 
     
     
         34 . The system of  claim 16  wherein the μ-Patch performs compression of the radio signal and the μ-Base performs decompression of the radio signal. 
     
     
         35 . The system of  claim 16  wherein the μ-Base further comprise a power amplifier external to the base-ASIC chip for amplifying sensor data signal. 
     
     
         36 . The system of  claim 16  wherein the μ-Base can transmit at  5  times higher power than the μ-Patch. 
     
     
         37 . The system of  claim 15  comprising one base-ASIC chip and multiple patch-ASIC chips. 
     
     
         38 . The system of  claim 16  wherein the μ-Patch uses on average less than about 6 mW of power. 
     
     
         39 . The system of  claim 38 , wherein the patch-ASIC chip can transmit more than about 1 KB of data per day to the base-ASIC chip. 
     
     
         40 . The system of  claim 38 , wherein the patch-ASIC chip can transmit more than about 1 KB of data per day at a range of up to 30 m to the base-ASIC chip. 
     
     
         41 . A system comprising three or more ASIC chips wherein the chips are designed to work together to measure physiological signals, comprising:
 (a) a patch-ASIC chip adapted for incorporation into a physiological signal monitoring patch comprising a sensor interface, a processor coupled to the sensor interface, a memory element coupled to the processor, a radio coupled to the memory element that transmits sensor data to a base-ASIC chip and/or a gate-ASIC chip, and power management circuits that coordinate power on the chip;   (b) the gate-ASIC chip comprising a processor that processes sensor data, a memory element coupled to the processor, a radio coupled to the processor that communicates with the patch-ASIC chip and the base-ASIC chip, and power management circuits that coordinate power on the chip; and   (c) the base-ASIC chip comprising a processor that processes sensor data, a memory element coupled to the processor, a radio coupled to the memory element that that transmits instructions to the patch-ASIC chip and/or the gate-ASIC chip, power management circuits that coordinate power on the chip, and a host interface through which the base-ASIC chip communicates with a host device.   
     
     
         42 . The system of  claim 41  wherein the base-ASIC chip is incorporated into a μ-Base, the patch-ASIC chip is incorporated into a μ-Patch, and the gate-ASIC chip is incorporated into a μ-Gate; wherein each of the μ-Base, μ-Patch, and μ-Gate comprise a printed circuit board and an antenna attached to the printed circuit board for transmitting radio signals. 
     
     
         43 . The system of  claim 41  wherein the gate-ASIC chip further comprises a sensor interface for receiving signals from sensors, wherein the μ-Gate is incorporated into a patch. 
     
     
         44 . The system of  claim 41  wherein the μ-Patch only transmits UWB, and the μ-Gate has both a UWB and a narrowband radio. 
     
     
         45 . The system of  claim 41  wherein the base-ASIC chip acts as a master device to coordinate a function of the μ-Patch or the μ-Gate or both the μ-Patch and the μ-Gate. 
     
     
         46 . The system of  claim 42  wherein the base-ASIC chip can switch the transmission mode of the μ-Patch and/or the μ-Gate between UWB and narrowband radio. 
     
     
         47 . The system of  claim 41  wherein the base-ASIC chip is incorporated into the host device; wherein the host device comprises a stationary, portable, or mobile device or a stationary, portable, or mobile medical instrument. 
     
     
         48 . The system of  claim 41  wherein the base-ASIC chip is incorporated into an adapter which plugs into the host device; wherein the host device comprises a stationary, portable or mobile device or a stationary, portable, or mobile medical instrument. 
     
     
         49 . The system of  claim 41 , wherein the gate-ASIC chip communicates wirelessly with both the patch-ASIC chip and the base-ASIC chip. 
     
     
         50 . The system of  claim 44  wherein the patch-ASIC chip and the gate-ASIC chip are each members of an ASIC superset; and wherein the unused portions on the patch-ASIC chip and/or the base-ASIC are turned off. 
     
     
         51 . The system of  claim 41  wherein the patch-ASIC chip, the gate-ASIC chip and the base-ASIC chip are each part of an ASIC superset chip, wherein the functionality of two or more of the patch-ASIC chip, the gate-ASIC chip and the base-ASIC chip are contained on the ASIC superset chip, and wherein un-used portions of the superset chip are turned off on the patch-ASIC chip, the gate-ASIC chip, or the base-ASIC chip. 
     
     
         52 . The system of  claim 48  wherein the adapter comprising the base-ASIC chip plugs into a medical instrument through a serial interface connection. 
     
     
         53 . The system of  claim 48  wherein the adapter provides physiological information from wireless sensors to a stationary, portable, or mobile medical instrument that was designed for receiving physiological information from wired sensors, wherein the adapter allows the medical instrument to receive substantially equivalent information from the wireless sensors. 
     
     
         54 . The system of  claim 48  wherein the adapter allows a medical instrument which is designed to be connected to sensors by wires to be compatible with sensors that transmit wirelessly. 
     
     
         55 . A patch for measuring a physiological state comprising a battery and an antenna each coupled to an integrated circuit comprising a sensor interface that receives physiological signals from a sensor, a processor coupled to the sensor interface, a memory element coupled to the processor, a radio coupled to the memory element, and power management circuits that coordinate power dissipation on the chip;
 wherein the area of the patch multiplied by the thickness of the patch is less than about 30 cm 3 ; and wherein the patch can wirelessly transmit physiological data for at least about 2 days while monitoring a physiological signal from the patient without changing or recharging the battery.   
     
     
         56 . The patch of  claim 55  wherein the monitoring of the physiological signal is sampled substantially continuously. 
     
     
         57 . The patch of  claim 55  wherein the signal is sampled substantially continuously at greater than 200 Hz. 
     
     
         58 . The patch of  claim 55 , wherein the patch can wirelessly transmit physiological data for at least about 4 days. 
     
     
         59 . The patch of  claim 55 , wherein the battery provides a charge of about 250 mA-hours or less. 
     
     
         60 . The patch of  claim 55 , wherein the patch buffers data obtained from monitoring a physiological signal then transmits the data in bursts. 
     
     
         61 . The patch of  claim 55 , wherein the patch uses on average less than about 10 mW of power. 
     
     
         62 . The patch of  claim 55 , wherein the patch can transmit more than about 1 KB of sensor data per day at a range of up to 30 m. 
     
     
         63 . The patch of  claim 55 , wherein the power management circuits coordinate duty cycle with clock-gating with protocol-level sleep modes. 
     
     
         64 . The patch of  claim 55 , wherein the patch can measure signals in continuous, episodic, and/or periodic modes. 
     
     
         65 . The patch of  claim 55  wherein the patch also comprises a sensor. 
     
     
         66 . The patch of  claim 65  wherein the sensor comprises electrodes and senses electrical signals. 
     
     
         67 . The patch of  claim 66  wherein the sensor measures EEG, EMG, or ECG signals or combinations thereof. 
     
     
         68 . The patch of  claim 55  wherein the ASIC chip can send and/or receive both ultra-wideband (UWB) and narrowband radio signals. 
     
     
         69 . The patch of  claim 55  wherein the patch comprises disposable and reusable parts. 
     
     
         70 . The patch of  claim 69  wherein a sensor and/or the battery are disposable, and substantially all of the electronics are reusable. 
     
     
         71 . The patch of  claim 55  wherein the patch is disposable. 
     
     
         72 . The patch of  claim 55  wherein the sensor is separate from the patch and electrically connected to the patch. 
     
     
         73 . The patch of  claim 55  wherein the sensor measures ECG, EEG, EMG, SpO 2 , tissue impedance, heart rate, accelerometer, blood glucose, PT-INR, respiration rate and airflow volume, body tissue state, bone state, pressure, physical movement, body fluid density, patient physical location, or audible body sounds, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         74 . The patch of  claim 55  wherein the patch can generate stimulus signals that are detected by sensors connected to or incorporated into the patch or connected to or incorporated into another patch. 
     
     
         75 . The patch of  claim 74  wherein the stimulus signals are electrical, ultrasound, or radio wave signals. 
     
     
         76 . The patch of  claim 75  wherein the electrical signals are used to measure skin or body impedance. 
     
     
         77 . The patch of  claim 55  wherein the patch comprises an alert which is an audio signal generator or a visual display. 
     
     
         78 . The patch of  claim 55  wherein the battery can be re-charged via electromagnetic induction. 
     
     
         79 . A patch for measuring a physiological state comprising a battery and an antenna each coupled to an integrated circuit comprising a sensor interface that receives physiological signals from a sensor, a processor coupled to the sensor interface, a memory element coupled to the processor, a radio coupled to the memory element, and power management circuits that coordinate power dissipation on the chip; wherein the patch is a cardiac patch that can measure all of ECG, SpO 2 , tissue impedance, accelerometer, and PT-INR signals. 
     
     
         80 . A patch for measuring a physiological state comprising a battery and an antenna each coupled to an integrated circuit comprising a sensor interface that receives physiological signals from a sensor, a processor coupled to the sensor interface, a memory element coupled to the processor, a radio coupled to the memory element, and power management circuits that coordinate power dissipation on the chip; wherein the patch is a neurological patch for measuring sleep apnea that can measure all of EEG, EMG, SpO 2 , heart rate, respiration rate and airflow volume, and pressure signals. 
     
     
         81 . A patch for measuring a physiological state comprising a battery and an antenna each coupled to an integrated circuit comprising a sensor interface that receives physiological signals from a sensor, a processor coupled to the sensor interface, a memory element coupled to the processor, a radio coupled to the memory element, and power management circuits that coordinate power dissipation on the chip; wherein the patch is an endocrinological patch for measuring diabetes or wounds that can measure all of ECG, blood glucose, and UWB radar signals. 
     
     
         82 . A patch for measuring a physiological state comprising a battery and an antenna each coupled to an integrated circuit comprising a sensor interface that receives physiological signals from a sensor, a processor coupled to the sensor interface, a memory element coupled to the processor, a radio coupled to the memory element, and power management circuits that coordinate power dissipation on the chip; wherein the patch is fitness and wellness patch that can measure all of ECG, heart rate, accelerometer, and pressure signals. 
     
     
         83 . A method comprising monitoring a physiological condition using two or more ASIC chips and a host device wherein the chips are designed to work together to measure physiological signals comprising:
 (a) receiving signals from a sensor at a patch-ASIC chip that is incorporated into a physiological signal monitoring patch, the patch-ASIC chip comprising a sensor interface coupled to the sensor, a processor coupled to the sensor interface, a memory element coupled to the processor, a radio coupled to the memory element;   (b) managing the power dissipation on the patch-ASIC chip with power management circuits on the patch-ASIC chip;   (c) transmitting data signals from the radio on the patch-ASIC chip through an antenna incorporated into the patch;   (d) receiving the data signals at a base-ASIC chip comprising a processor that processes data signals, a memory element coupled to the processor, a radio coupled to the memory element, power management circuits that coordinate power dissipation on the base-ASIC chip, and a host interface through which the base-ASIC chip communicates with a host device; and   (e) sending instructions wirelessly from the base-ASIC chip to the patch-ASIC chip such that the base-ASIC chip coordinates a function of the physiological signal monitoring patch.   
     
     
         84 . The method of  claim 83  wherein a function coordinated by the base-ASIC chip is initialization and link set up, power management, data packet routing, type of transmission radio, radio transmit-power, radio receive-sensitivity, patch operational integrity, audio signal generation, display activation, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         85 . The method of  claim 83  wherein the ASIC chips function on a packet-data protocol and the base-ASIC chip coordinates data packet routing. 
     
     
         86 . The method of  claim 83  wherein the base-ASIC chip keeps track of the quality of the wireless links between ASIC chips and sends commands to the patch-ASIC chip and/or gate-ASIC chips to instruct the chips to switch between UWB and narrowband radio or to raise or lower transmit power in order to lower power consumption or to enhance communication quality. 
     
     
         87 . The method of  claim 83  wherein the patch-ASIC chip is authenticated by bringing the physiological monitoring patch in proximity of the device comprising the base-ASIC chip. 
     
     
         88 . The system of  claim 87  wherein the authentication is provided by an encryption scheme using shared keys, wherein the device comprising the base-ASIC chip wirelessly exchanges the shared keys with the patch. 
     
     
         89 . The system of  claim 88  wherein the encryption scheme is an Advanced Encryption Standard (AES) scheme. 
     
     
         90 . The method of  claim 83  wherein a user is alerted with an audio and/or a visual signal. 
     
     
         91 . The method of  claim 90  wherein the audio and/or visual signal is generated on the patch. 
     
     
         92 . The method of  claim 90  wherein the audio and/or visual signal is generated on a device to which the base-ASIC chip is connected. 
     
     
         93 . The method of  claim 83  wherein the method is used to manage a patient disease. 
     
     
         94 . The method of  claim 93  wherein the patient disease is arrhythmia, heart failure, coronary heart disease, diabetes, sleep apnea, seizures, asthma, COPD, pregnancy complications, and wound state or combinations thereof. 
     
     
         95 . The method of  claim 83  wherein the method is used to manage a condition related to the state of wellness and fitness of a person. 
     
     
         96 . The method of  claim 95  wherein the condition being managed is weight loss, obesity, heart rate, cardiac performance, dehydration rate, blood glucose, physical activity or calorie intake, or combinations thereof. 
     
     
         97 . A method comprising monitoring a physiological condition using three or more ASIC chips wherein the chips are designed to work together to measure physiological signals, comprising:
 (a) receiving physiological signals from sensors at a patch-ASIC chip incorporated into a physiological signal monitoring patch, the patch-ASIC chip comprising a sensor interface, a processor coupled to the sensor interface, a memory element coupled to the processor, a radio coupled to the memory element;   (b) managing power dissipation on the patch-ASIC chip with power management circuits on the patch-ASIC chip;   (c) transmitting data to a base-ASIC and/or a gate-ASIC chip through an antenna in the patch;   (d) receiving the data sent from the patch-ASIC chip at the gate-ASIC chip, the gate-ASIC chip comprising a processor that processes sensor data, a memory element coupled to the processor, a radio coupled to the processor that communicates with the patch-ASIC chip and the base-ASIC chip, and power management circuits for coordinating power dissipation on the gate-ASIC chip;   (e) coordinating a function on the patch-ASIC chip and/or gate-ASIC chip by sending instructions from a base-ASIC chip to the patch-ASIC chip and/or the gate-ASIC chip, wherein the base-ASIC chip comprises a processor that processes sensor data, a memory element coupled to the processor, a radio coupled to the memory element, power management circuits for coordinating power dissipation on the base-ASIC chip; and   (f) sending data from the base-ASIC chip to a host device through a host interface.   
     
     
         98 . The method of  claim 97  wherein the base-ASIC chip is incorporated into a μ-Base, the patch-ASIC chip is incorporated into a μ-Patch, and the gate-ASIC chip is incorporated into a μ-Gate; wherein each of the μ-Base, μ-Patch, and μ-Gate comprise a printed circuit board and an antenna attached to the printed circuit board for transmitting and receiving radio signals. 
     
     
         99 . The method of  claim 97  wherein the gate-ASIC chip further comprises a sensor interface for receiving signals from sensors, wherein the gate-ASIC is incorporated into a patch. 
     
     
         100 . The method of  claim 98  wherein the μ-Patch only transmits UWB, and the μ-Gate comprises both UWB and narrowband radios. 
     
     
         101 . The method of  claim 98  wherein the base-ASIC chip acts as a master device to coordinate a function of the μ-Patch or the μ-Gate or both the μ-Patch and the μ-Gate. 
     
     
         102 . The method of  claim 98  wherein the base-ASIC chip keeps track of the quality of the wireless links between ASIC chips and sends commands to the patch-ASIC chip and/or gate-ASIC chips to instruct the chips to switch between UWB and narrowband radio or to raise or lower transmit power in order to lower power consumption or to enhance communication quality. 
     
     
         103 . The method of  claim 98  wherein the base-ASIC chip is incorporated into the host device; wherein the host device comprises a stationary, portable, or mobile device or a stationary, portable, or mobile medical instrument. 
     
     
         104 . The method of  claim 98  wherein the base-ASIC chip is incorporated into an adapter which plugs into the host device; wherein the host device comprises a stationary, portable or mobile device or a stationary, portable, or mobile medical instrument. 
     
     
         105 . The method of  claim 97 , wherein the gate-ASIC chip communicates wirelessly with both the patch-ASIC chip and the base-ASIC chip. 
     
     
         106 . The method of  claim 100  wherein the patch-ASIC chip and the gate-ASIC chip are each members of an ASIC superset; and wherein an unused function on the patch-ASIC chip is turned off. 
     
     
         107 . The method of  claim 97  wherein the patch-ASIC chip, the gate-ASIC chip and the base-ASIC chip are each part of an ASIC superset chip, wherein the functionality of two or more of the patch-ASIC chip, the gate-ASIC chip and the base-ASIC chip are contained on the ASIC superset chip, and wherein un-used portions of the superset chip are turned off on the patch-ASIC chip, the gate-ASIC chip, or the base-ASIC chip. 
     
     
         108 . The method of  claim 104  wherein the adapter comprising the base-ASIC chip plugs into a medical instrument through a serial interface connection. 
     
     
         109 . The method of  claim 104  wherein the adapter provides physiological information from wireless sensors to a stationary, portable, or mobile medical instrument that was designed for receiving physiological information from wired sensors, wherein the adapter allows the medical instrument to receive substantially equivalent information from the wireless sensors. 
     
     
         110 . The method of  claim 104  wherein the adapter allows a medical instrument which is designed to be connected to sensors by wires to be compatible with sensors that transmit wirelessly. 
     
     
         111 . A method comprising receiving physiological signals from sensors at a patch wherein the patch comprises a battery and an antenna each coupled to an integrated circuit comprising a sensor interface that receives the physiological signals from the sensor, a processor coupled to the sensor interface that receives signals from the sensor interface and processes the signals, a memory element coupled to the processor that receives and stores signals, and a radio coupled to the memory element that sends signals received from the memory element to an antenna, wherein power management circuits coordinate power dissipation on the chip;
 wherein the area of the patch multiplied by the thickness of the patch is less than about 30 cm 3 ; and wherein the patch can wirelessly transmit physiological data for at least about 2 days while monitoring a physiological signal from the patient without changing or recharging the battery.   
     
     
         112 . The method of  claim 111  wherein the monitoring of the physiological signal is sampled substantially continuously. 
     
     
         113 . The method of  claim 111  wherein the signal is sampled substantially continuously at greater than 200 Hz. 
     
     
         114 . The method of  claim 111 , wherein the method can wirelessly transmit physiological data for at least about 4 days. 
     
     
         115 . The method of  claim 111 , wherein the battery provides a charge of about 250 mA-hours or less. 
     
     
         116 . The method of  claim 111 , wherein the patch buffers data obtained from monitoring a physiological signal then transmits the data in bursts. 
     
     
         117 . The method of  claim 111 , wherein the patch uses on average less than about 10 mW of power. 
     
     
         118 . The method of  claim 111 , wherein the patch can transmit more than about 1 KB of sensor data per day at a range of up to 30 m. 
     
     
         119 . The method of  claim 111 , wherein the power management circuits coordinate duty cycle with clock-gating with protocol-level sleep modes. 
     
     
         120 . The method of  claim 111 , wherein the patch can measure signals in continuous, episodic, and/or periodic modes. 
     
     
         121 . The method of  claim 111  wherein the patch also comprises the sensor. 
     
     
         122 . The method of  claim 121  wherein the sensor comprises electrodes and senses electrical signals. 
     
     
         123 . The method of  claim 122  wherein the sensor measures EEG, EMG and ECG signals or combinations thereof. 
     
     
         124 . The method of  claim 111  wherein the ASIC chip can send and/or receive both ultra-wideband (UWB) and narrowband radio signals. 
     
     
         125 . The method of  claim 111  wherein the patch comprises disposable and reusable parts. 
     
     
         126 . The method of  claim 125  wherein a sensor and/or the battery are disposable, and substantially all of the electronics are reusable. 
     
     
         127 . The method of  claim 111  wherein the patch is disposable. 
     
     
         128 . The method of  claim 111  wherein the sensor is separate from the patch and electrically connected to the patch. 
     
     
         129 . The method of  claim 111  wherein the sensor measures ECG, EEG, EMG, SpO 2 , tissue impedance, heart rate, accelerometer, blood glucose, PT-INR, respiration rate and airflow volume, body state, bone state, pressure, physical movement, body fluid density, patient physical location, or audible body sounds, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         130 . The method of  claim 111  wherein the method can generate stimulus signals that are detected by sensors connected to or incorporated into the patch or connected to or incorporated into another patch. 
     
     
         131 . The method of  claim 130  wherein the stimulus signals are electrical, ultrasound, or radio wave signals. 
     
     
         132 . The method of  claim 131  wherein the electrical signals are used to measure skin or body impedance. 
     
     
         133 . The method of  claim 111  wherein the patch comprises an alert which is an audio signal generator or a visual display. 
     
     
         134 . The method of  claim 111  wherein the battery can be re-charged magnetically. 
     
     
         135 . The method of  claim 111  wherein the patch is a cardiac patch that can measure all of ECG, SpO 2 , tissue impedance, accelerometer, and PT-INR signals. 
     
     
         136 . The method of  claim 111  wherein the patch is a neurological patch for measuring sleep apnea that can measure all of EEG, EMG, SpO 2 , heart rate, respiration rate and airflow volume, and pressure signals. 
     
     
         137 . The method of  claim 111  wherein the patch is an endocrinological patch for measuring diabetes or wounds that can measure all of ECG, blood glucose, and UWB radar signals. 
     
     
         138 . The method of  claim 111  wherein the patch is fitness and wellness patch that can measure all of ECG, heart rate, accelerometer, and pressure signals. 
     
     
         139 . A method for unsupervised placement of a physiological patch comprising:
 (a) placing the patch that can receive wireless signals from a base device, wherein the patch comprises a visual marker to help the user orient the patch on the patient's body;   (b) initializing the patch with a base device by automatic verification of proper placement of the patch; and   (c) indicating the proper or improper placement of the patch to the user with an audio or visual indication.   
     
     
         140 . A business method comprising:
 (a) manufacturing both a patch-ASIC chip and a base-ASIC chip designed to work together to wirelessly communicate physiological data, wherein each chip each comprises a processor, memory storage, a wireless radio, and circuits for power management, wherein the chips are designed to be used with a plurality sensor types; and   (b) selling and/or licensing the patch-ASIC chip and base-ASIC chip to multiple customers for incorporation into physiological sensing systems.   
     
     
         141 . The business method of  claim 140  wherein the plurality of sensor types include sensors that measure all of ECG, EEG, EMG, SpO 2 , tissue impedance, heart rate, and accelerometer signals. 
     
     
         142 . The business method of  claim 140  further comprising a gate-ASIC chip designed to work together with the patch-ASIC chip and the base-ASIC chip, to wirelessly communicate physiological data, wherein each chip each comprises a processor, memory storage, a wireless radio, and circuits for power management, wherein the chips are designed to be used with a plurality sensor types.