Common display unit for a plurality of cableless medical sensors

Abstract

A wireless patient monitor comprises a generic activator module having a universal connection port that connects with any one of multiple sensor devices, a battery, and a radio transmitter wirelessly connected to a host device. The generic activator module connects to any one of multiple sensor devices via the universal connection port to provide power from the battery to the sensor device and to receive digital physiological data from the sensor device. The radio transmitter transmits the digital physiological data received from the sensor device to a host device.

1 .- 20 . (canceled) 
     
     
         21 . A wireless patient monitor comprising:
 a generic activator module having
 a universal connection port that connects with any one of multiple different sensor devices; 
 a battery; and 
 a radio transmitter wirelessly connected to a host device; 
   wherein the generic activator module connects to the any one of the multiple different sensor devices, exclusively one at a time, via the universal connection port to provide power from the battery to the sensor device and to receive digital physiological data from the sensor device; and   wherein the radio transmitter transmits the digital physiological data received from the sensor device to the host device.   
     
     
         22 . The wireless patient monitor of  claim 21 , wherein the generic activator module further comprises a computing device that processes the digital physiological data from the any one of multiple sensor devices to create processed physiological data;
 wherein the radio transmitter transmits the processed physiological data to the host device.   
     
     
         23 . The wireless patient monitor of  claim 21 , wherein the generic activator module is configured to connect to the any one of multiple different sensor devices, including to interchangeably connect between a pulse oximeter sensor device and an electrocardiograph (ECG) sensor device. 
     
     
         24 . The wireless patient monitor of  claim 23 , wherein the generic activator module is configured to process the digital physiological data from each of the pulse oximeter sensor device and the ECG, exclusively one at a time, to create processed physiological data and then to transmit, via the radio transmitter, the processed physiological data to the host device. 
     
     
         25 . The wireless patient monitor of  claim 24 , wherein the any one of multiple sensor devices further includes at least one of a temperature sensor device, a blood pressure sensor device, an impedance respiration sensor device, and an electroencephalograph (EEG) sensor device, and wherein the generic activator module is configured to process the digital physiological data from the temperature sensor device, the blood pressure sensor device, the impedance respiration sensor device, and/or the EEG sensor device and to transmit the processed physiological data to the host device. 
     
     
         26 . The wireless patient monitor of  claim 21 , wherein the radio transmitter is configured to wirelessly connect to the host device using a medical body area network (MBAN) frequency such that the host device and the connected generic activator module and sensor device form part of a short range data communication network. 
     
     
         27 . The wireless patient monitor of  claim 21 , wherein the generic activator module includes an activator module housing configured to connect to a sensor device housing of the any one of the multiple different sensor devices. 
     
     
         28 . The wireless patient monitor of  claim 27 , wherein the universal connection port is on the activator module housing and configured to contact a connector on the sensor device housing of the any one of the multiple different sensor devices when the activator module housing is fully connected to the sensor device housing. 
     
     
         29 . The wireless patient monitor of  claim 21 , wherein any one of the multiple sensor devices may measure one or more physiological parameters. 
     
     
         30 . A wireless patient monitor comprising:
 a first sensor device configured to collect a first physiological information from a patient and produce a first digital physiological data, the first sensor device including a first connector;   a second sensor device configured to collect a second physiological information from the patient and produce a second digital physiological data, the second sensor device including a second connector;   a generic activator module configured to connect with both the first sensor device and the second sensor device, exclusively one at a time, the generic activator module including:
 a universal connection port on configured to mate with both the first connector and the second connector, one at a time; 
 a battery; and 
 a radio transmitter wirelessly connected to a host device; 
   wherein the generic activator module provides power from the battery to the connected one of either the first sensor device or the second sensor device and receives digital physiological data from the connected one of either the first sensor device or the second sensor device via connection between the universal connection port and the mated one of either the first connector or the second connector; and   wherein the radio transmitter transmits the digital physiological data received from the connected sensor device to the host device.   
     
     
         31 . The wireless patient monitor of  claim 30 , wherein the generic activator module is configured to processes the digital physiological data from the first sensor device and the second sensor device, exclusively one at a time, to create processed physiological data;
 wherein the radio transmitter transmits the processed physiological data to the host device.   
     
     
         32 . The wireless patient monitor of  claim 30 , wherein the activator module further comprises a display that displays a charge status of the battery and a wireless connection status between the radio transmitter and the host device. 
     
     
         33 . The wireless patient monitor of  claim 30 , wherein the first sensor device and the second sensor device include any two of a pulse oximeter sensor device, a temperature sensor device, a blood pressure sensor device, an electrocardiograph (ECG) sensor device, an impedance respiration sensor device, and an electroencephalograph (EEG) sensor device. 
     
     
         34 . The wireless patient monitor of  claim 33 , wherein the activator module further detects whether the sensor device is the blood pressure sensor device, the ECG sensor device, or the EEG sensor device and operates a processor accordingly to process data from the detected sensor device. 
     
     
         35 . The wireless patient monitor of  claim 30 , wherein the first sensor device further includes a first sensor device housing and wherein the first connector is on the first sensor device housing;
 wherein the second sensor device includes a second sensor device housing and wherein the second connector is on the second sensor device housing.   
     
     
         36 . The wireless patient monitor of  claim 35 , wherein the generic activator module includes an activator module housing configured to connect to the first sensor device housing and the second sensor device housing, exclusively one at a time. 
     
     
         37 . The wireless patient monitor of  claim 36 , wherein the universal connection port is on the activator module housing. 
     
     
         38 . The wireless patient monitor of  claim 37 , wherein the universal connection port is configured to contact the first connector when the activator module housing is fully connected to the first sensor device housing and to contact the second connector when the activator module housing is fully connected to the second sensor device housing. 
     
     
         39 . The wireless patient monitor of  claim 30 , wherein the radio transmitter is configured to wirelessly connect to the host device using a medical body area network (MBAN) frequency such that the host device and the connected sensor device form part of a short range data communication network. 
     
     
         40 . The wireless patient monitor of  claim 30 , further comprising a second generic activator module including:
 a second universal connection port on configured to mate with both the first connector and the second connector, one at a time;   a second battery; and   a second radio transmitter wirelessly connected to a host device;   wherein the second generic activator module provides power from the second battery to the connected one of either the first sensor device or the second sensor device and receives digital physiological data from the connected one of either the first sensor device or the second sensor device via connection between the second universal connection port and the mated one of either the first connector or the second connector; and   wherein the second radio transmitter transmits the digital physiological data received from the respective connected sensor device to the host device.   
     
     
         41 . The wireless patient monitor of  claim 40 , wherein the second generic activator module is configured to be interchangeable with the generic activator module. 
     
     
         42 . The wireless patient monitor of  claim 40 , wherein the generic activator module is connected to the first senor device and the second generic activator module is connected to the second sensor device; and
 wherein the radio transmitter and the second radio transmitter are each configured to wirelessly connect to the host device using a medical body area network (MBAN) frequency such that the host device and the first sensor device and the second sensor device form a short range data communication network.