Modular patient monitor
A modular patient monitor provides a multipurpose, scalable solution for various patient monitoring applications. In an embodiment, a modular patient monitor utilizes multiple wavelength optical sensor and/or acoustic sensor technologies to provide blood constituent monitoring and acoustic respiration monitoring (ARM) at its core, including pulse oximetry parameters and additional blood parameter measurements such as carboxyhemoglobin (HbCO) and methemoglobin (HbMet). Expansion modules provide blood pressure BP, blood glucose, ECG, CO2, depth of sedation and cerebral oximetry to name a few. Aspects of the present disclosure also include a transport dock for providing enhanced portability and functionally to handheld monitors. In an embodiment, the transport dock provides one or more docking interfaces for placing monitoring components in communication with other monitoring components. In an embodiment, the transport dock attaches to the modular patient monitor.
1. A docking station for a modular patient monitoring system, the docking station comprising:
a plurality of docking ports for receiving monitoring components, the docking ports forming mechanical and electrical connections with the monitoring components, the plurality of docking ports interchangeably usable by different monitoring components; and
a housing comprising at least:
a first docking port of the plurality of docking ports; and
a second docking port of the plurality of docking ports,
wherein both the first and second docking ports are configured to simultaneously receive, within the housing, expansion modules sized at any of a plurality of sizes, the expansion modules forming mechanical and electrical connections with the docking station when docked via the first or second docking ports.
2. The docking station of claim 1 , wherein in a first configuration a first expansion module is attached to the first docking port and a second expansion module is attached to the second docking port, and wherein in a second configuration the first expansion module is attached to the second docking port and the second expansion module is attached to the first docking port.
3. The docking station of claim 2 , wherein housing comprises a module dock configured to house the first and second docking ports.
4. The docking station of claim 3 , wherein at least one of the first expansion module or the second expansion module provides monitoring of one or more additional parameters by a patient monitoring system attached to the docking station.
5. The docking station of claim 4 , wherein the one or more additional parameters comprises at least one of: EEG, BP, ECG, temperature, or cardiac output.
6. A method for displaying measurements of physiological parameters on a display, the method comprising:
receiving at least a first set of measurements of a first parameter from a first expansion module when the first expansion module is plugged into a docking station, wherein the docking station is in communication with a first display;
receiving at least a second set of measurements of a second parameter from a second expansion module when the second expansion module is plugged into the docking station; and
displaying measurements of at least the first and second sets of measurements on the first display,
wherein the docking station is configured to allow simultaneous plugging of a plurality of expansion modules, that are sized at any of a plurality of sizes, into any of a plurality of docking ports housed in a housing of the docking station.
7. The method according to claim 6 , wherein the plurality of expansion modules are differently sized.
8. The method according to claim 7 , wherein the first set or the second set of measurements comprises at least one of: a waveform or a numerical value.
9. The method according to claim 7 , wherein the first set or the second set of measurements comprises at least one of: EEG, BP, ECG, temperature, or cardiac output.
10. A method for displaying measurements of physiological parameters on a display, the method comprising:
receiving a first expansion module on a first docking port of a docking station, the first expansion module capable of measuring at least a first parameter, the docking station in communication with a first display;
determining, through the first expansion module, one or more first measurements for the first parameter;
displaying the first measurements on the first display;
receiving a second expansion module on a second docking port of the docking station, the second expansion module capable of measuring at least a second parameter;
determining, through the second expansion module, one or more second measurements for the second parameter; and
displaying the second measurements on the first display,
wherein the first and second docking ports are housed by a housing of the docking station, and wherein both the first and second docking ports are configured to allow simultaneous plugging of expansion modules that are sized at any of a plurality of sizes.
11. The method according to claim 10 , wherein at least one of the first measurements is different from the second measurements.
12. The method according to claim 11 , wherein the plurality of expansion modules are differently sized.
13. The method according to claim 12 , wherein the first or second measurements comprised at least one of: a waveform or a numerical value.
14. The method according to claim 12 , wherein the first or the second measurements comprised at least one of: EEG, BP, ECG, temperature, or cardiac output.