IP Library Granted Patent US 11,375,936
Granted Patent B2
US 11,375,936 · App. 16/774,611 · Granted Jul 5, 2022

Wearable medical system to monitor a patient parameter

Inventors: Fred W. Chapman (Renton, WA); Gregory T. Kavounas (Bellevue, WA)
Assignee: West Affum Holdings Corp.
A61B5/25A61B5/6831A61B5/6843A61N1/3904A61N1/3918A61N1/3993A61B5/0205A61B7/00
View Patent ↗
Loading inventors, assignments & file history…
Monitor This Case
Get email alerts when status or documents change.
Order Certified Copies
Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.
Order via The Patent Place →
Pre-filled with this patent's details
Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,375,936
App. No.
16/774,611
Granted
Jul 5, 2022
Kind
B2
Abstract

A wearable medical system configured to be worn by a person, comprising a support structure configured to be worn by the person, a monitoring device configured to monitor at least one physiological parameter of the person, wherein the at least one physiological parameter includes an electrocardiogram (ECG) reading of the person, an electrode coupled to the support structure, an energy storage device configured to store an electric charge for use in delivering a shock to the person through the electrode, and a biasing mechanism comprising at least one of an inflatable device, a hydraulic device, an electromagnetic device, and/or a screw gun device, the biasing mechanism configured to transition from the unbiased state to the biased state responsive to a value of the at least one physiological parameter reaching a threshold. The electrode is more movable with respect to the person's body in the unbiased state than the biased state.

Claims (33)

1. A wearable medical system configured to be worn by a person, comprising:

a support structure configured to be worn by the person;

a monitoring device configured to monitor at least one physiological parameter of the person, wherein the at least one physiological parameter includes an electrocardiogram (ECG) reading of the person;

an electrode coupled to the support structure;

an energy storage device configured to store an electric charge for use in delivering a shock to the person through the electrode; and

a biasing mechanism comprising at least one of an inflatable device, a hydraulic device, an electromagnetic device, and/or a screw gun device, the biasing mechanism configured to transition from the unbiased state to the biased state responsive to a value of the at least one physiological parameter reaching a threshold;

wherein in the unbiased state the electrode is more movable with respect to a body of the person and in the biased state the electrode is less movable with respect to the body of the person.

2. The wearable medical system of claim 1 , wherein the electrode further comprises an adhesive material configured to adhere to the person in response to the biasing mechanism transitioning to the biased state.

3. The wearable medical system of claim 2 , wherein the electric charge is to be delivered as one or more defibrillation shocks.

4. The wearable medical system of claim 2 , wherein the electric charge is to be delivered as one or more pacing pulses.

5. The wearable medical system of claim 2 , wherein the electric charge is delivered to the person when the biasing mechanism is in the biased state.

6. The wearable medical system of claim 1 , wherein the energy storage device comprises a capacitor to be charged to a selected energy level in response to the electrode transitioning to the biased state in preparation for a sudden discharge of the electric charge.

7. The wearable medical system of claim 6 , wherein the capacitor is charged to a lower energy level to avoid wasting energy.

8. The wearable medical system of claim 6 , wherein the capacitor is charged to a right amount of energy to avoid wasting energy.

9. The wearable medical system of claim 2 , wherein the adhesive material is deployed right before the biasing mechanism transitions to the biased state.

10. The wearable medical system of claim 1 , wherein the biasing mechanism is configured to transition from the unbiased state to the biased state responsive to the ECG reading indicating a shockable event.

11. A wearable medical system, comprising:

a support structure configured to be worn by the person;

a monitoring device configured to monitor a plurality of physiological parameters of the person, wherein the plurality of physiological parameters include an electrocardiogram (ECG) reading of the person and a pulse reading of the person;

an electrode coupled to the support structure;

an energy storage device configured to store an electric charge, and to deliver the electric charge to the person through the electrode in response to a shockable event based at least in part on the plurality of physiological parameters indicating the shockable event.

12. The wearable medical system of claim 11 , further comprising a biasing mechanism to change from an unbiased state to a biased state in response to a value of the at least one physiological parameter, the biasing mechanism comprising at least one of an inflatable device, a hydraulic device, and electromagnetic device, and/or a screw gun device.

13. The wearable medical system of claim 12 , wherein the electrode is in loose contact with a body of the person in the unbiased state.

14. The wearable medical system of claim 12 , wherein the electrode makes electrical contact with a body of the person in the biased state.

15. The wearable medical system of claim 11 , wherein the plurality of physiological parameters further comprises a heart sound of the person in addition to the ECG reading and the pulse reading.

16. The wearable medical system of claim 11 , wherein the energy storage device includes a capacitor that is charged to a lower energy level to avoid wasting energy in response to at least one of the plurality of physiological parameters meeting a defibrillation advised threshold.

17. A method to operate a wearable medical system, comprising:

monitoring at least one physiological parameter of a person wearing the wearable medical system, wherein the at least one physiological parameter includes an electrocardiogram (ECG) reading of the person;

in response to the at least one physiological parameter meeting a threshold value, causing a biasing mechanism to transition from an unbiased state to a biased state, wherein an electrode of the wearable medical system is in loose contact with a body of the person when the biasing mechanism is in the unbiased state, and the electrode is in electrical contact with the body of the person when the biasing mechanism is in the biased state; and

charging a capacitor of the wearable medical system to a lower energy level in response to biasing the electrode to the biased state in preparation for a sudden discharge of an electric charge to the person through the electrode.

18. The method of claim 17 , wherein biasing the electrode occurs in response to the ECG reading meeting a threshold.

19. The method of claim 17 , wherein the ECG reading is obtained in response to the least one physiological parameter meeting an ECG-check threshold.

20. The method of claim 17 , further comprising discharging the electric charge through the electrode to the person as one or more pacing pulses.

Assignments (7)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Mar 28, 2025
From: PHYSIO- CONTROL DEVELOPMENT CO., LLC
To: WEST AFFUM HOLDINGS CORP.
Reel/Frame 070660/0371 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Mar 28, 2025
From: CHAPMAN, FRED W., DR.; KAVOUNAS, GREGORY T.
To: PHYSIO-CONTROL, INC.
Reel/Frame 070660/0609 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Mar 28, 2025
From: PHYSIO-CONTROL, INC.; PHYSIO-CONTROL MANUFACTURING, INC.
To: WEST AFFUM HOLDINGS CORP.
Reel/Frame 070660/0231 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Oct 4, 2023
From: WEST AFFUM HOLDINGS DESIGNATED ACTIVITY COMPANY
To: PERCEPTIVE CREDIT HOLDINGS IV, LP
Reel/Frame 065116/0049 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Oct 3, 2023
From: KENNEDY LEWIS MANAGEMENT LP.
To: WEST AFFUM HOLDINGS CORP.
Reel/Frame 065107/0149 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jun 15, 2022
From: WEST AFFUM HOLDINGS CORP.
To: WEST AFFUM HOLDINGS DAC
Reel/Frame 060389/0694 →
INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Sep 28, 2020
From: WEST AFFUM HOLDINGS CORP.
To: KENNEDY LEWIS MANAGEMENT LP, AS AGENT
Reel/Frame 053910/0783 →
Continuity (5)
Continuation 16011794 · Jun 19, 2018
Continuation 15707896 · Sep 18, 2017
Continuation 13906327 · May 30, 2013
Provisional Application 61807453 · Apr 2, 2013
Related Publication 20200155861A1 · May 21, 2020