Architecture for TDMA medical telemetry system
US5944659A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Jul 2, 1996 |
| Grant date | Aug 31, 1999 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jul 2, 2016 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
- CPC primaryY10S128/904
- WIPO fieldMedical technology
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
A medical telemetry system is provided for collecting the real-time physiologic data of patients (including ambulatory patients) of a medical facility, and for transferring the data via RF to a real-time data distribution network for monitoring and display. The system includes battery-powered remote telemeters which attach to respective patients, and which collect and transmit (in data packets) the physiologic data of the patients. The remote telemeters communicate bi-directionally with a number of ceiling-mounted RF transceivers, referred to as "VCELLs," using a wireless TDMA protocol. The VCELLs, which are hardwire-connected to a LAN, forward the data packets received from the telemeters to patient monitoring stations on the LAN. The VCELLs are distributed throughout the medical facility such that different VCELLs provide coverage for different patient areas. As part of the wireless TDMA protocol, the remote telemeters continuously assess the quality of the RF links offered by different nearby VCELLs (by scanning the frequencies on which different VCELLs operate), and connect to those VCELLs which offer the best link conditions. To provide a high degree of protection against mult…
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.