Abstract:
A sensor device is positioned to monitor a desired parameter and transmit a corresponding signal representative of such parameter, to a remote apparatus via a wireless communication link. The remote apparatus converts the received signal to a form appropriate for display on a display device, such as an oscilloscope. The desired parameter monitoring and display are in real time. A plurality of sensor devices is contemplated with each sensor device having a unique identification code. When the remote apparatus issues command and control data to a selected sensor device, it does so in association with the identification code of such selected sensor device.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS  
       [0001]     This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 60/661,803 filed Mar. 14, 2005. 
     
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     An aspect of the instant invention generally relates to a wireless monitor probe and more particularly to a system having a sensor device for monitoring a desired parameter and a remote apparatus in wireless communication with the remote device to command and control the device and convert data received from the sensor device related to the desired parameter into a form for display on a display device. 
     
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0003]      FIG. 1  is simplified block diagram of system of an embodiment of the present invention comprising a sensor device, a remote apparatus, and a display.  
         [0004]      FIG. 2  is a front view of the sensor device shown in  FIG. 1 .  
         [0005]      FIG. 3  is a block diagram of the sensor device and remote apparatus of the system shown in  FIG. 1 .  
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
       [0006]     Referring to  FIG. 1  there is shown an illustration of system  10  for providing remote monitoring of a desired parameter. More specifically, the system  10  includes a sensor device  12 , a remote apparatus  14 , and a display  16 . The remote apparatus is positioned at a location remote from sensor device  12 , where the sensor device is to monitor a desired parameter. The sensor device  12  is an extra corporeal device, and although it may be adapted for implant, the sensor device is typically not for use for implant in an mammalian body, but rather for use in parameter monitoring applications outside of a body, or at best, on the outer surface of a body. The sensor device  12  may be configured to be adapted for implant in a mammalian body by one skilled in the art. The remote apparatus  14  provides command, interrogation requests and status information to the sensor device  12  by means of a wireless communication link. In operation, the wireless communication link comprises a modulated magnetic signal, an ultrasonic signal, or a radio frequency (RF) signal. The signal strength requirements are sufficient to provide a wireless link over at least a 10 meter range.  
         [0007]     In an embodiment of the invention, wireless communication between the remote apparatus  14  and the sensor device  12  is accomplished in part by the use of antenna  18 . Wireless communication can be implemented by the use of telemetry signals or signals in an RF range. To be discussed below, the RF signal may be detected and demodulated by receiver circuitry contained within sensor device  12 .  
         [0008]     In an alternate embodiment, an alternating magnetic field may be amplitude modulated and transmitted by remote apparatus  14  by means of transmission/receiver coil  19 . The receiver circuitry is configured to demodulate the magnetic field signal in a manner to produce data and command information consistent with further processing by the sensor device  12 .  
         [0009]     In yet another alternate embodiment, an ultrasonic signal can be used to deliver data and command signals to the sensor device  12 . In this embodiment, an ultrasonic transmitter  21  coupled to remote apparatus  14  transmits data and command information to the sensor device  12 . The sensor device receiver circuitry is coupled to an ultrasonic transducer whose output is demodulated and processed in a manner similar to that in reference to the RF signal. The remote apparatus is coupled to display  16  by means of signal wires  20  and  22 .  
         [0010]     The display  16  may be any one of a number of display devices, such as for example but not limited to, a monitor screen, an oscilloscope, digital read out monitor or television screen. The display of choice is dependant, in part, on the nature of the signal to be monitored by the sensor device  12 . For example, if the desired parameter is a rapidly time variable signal, then a cathode ray tube (CRT) oscilloscope is a suitable display. On the other hand, if a non-variant or slowly varying parameter is monitored, then a direct current type meter may be suitable. The sensor device  12  may comprise a microstimulator device similar to that described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,185,452 incorporated herein in its entirety by reference. Additionally, the apparatus and method utilized in the transfer and communication of data, status, power and command information and signals between the sensor device  12  and remote apparatus  14  is similar to that described in the &#39;452 patent.  
         [0011]     The sensor device  12  includes two electrodes  24  and  26  capable of detecting electrical signals appearing across the electrodes. In those instances where it is desirable to monitor signals not accessible directly by immediate contact with electrodes  24  and  26 , a pair of leads  28  and  30  may be attached to electrodes  24  and  26  respectively. The distal ends of leads  28  and  30  may include attachment devices  32  and  34  respectively. The attachment devices  32  and  34  may, for example, be in the form of “alligator clips” and the like appropriate to attach the sensor device  12 , for example, to discrete electrical components in an electrical circuit to be probed at desired locations. In other applications, the attachment device may be any suitable probe capable of making direct contact with the area to be probed. Furthermore, the leads  28  and  29  may be configured to transmit processed detected electrical signals appearing across the electrodes  24  and  26 .  
         [0012]     The sensor device  12  may be contained in a hermetically sealed housing, as for example, as described in the &#39;452 patent or in one of many other housings, such as plastic or metal, where hermeticity may not be a requisite. Furthermore, although an embodiment of the invention includes a sensor device  12  having a lateral dimension of no greater than about 6 mm and an axial dimension of no greater than about 60 mm, alternate embodiments of the sensor device  12  may be of greater dimension, both in the lateral and axial sense. Moreover, a power source for the sensor device  12  may be made to have a power capacity of at least one-microwatt hour. A lithium iodide (LI-I) battery suitable for such use has an energy density of about 240 mw-hr/cm 3 . The battery typically has a voltage of about 3.6 volts, which is adequate for operating CMOS circuits. Where greater energy capacity is desirable standard hearing aid or photo camera batteries, as well as AAA to D batteries including rechargeable batteries may also be suitable. The larger capacity batteries may be adequate to support operation of a sensor device  12  for a much longer period of time than the lower capacity one micro watt/hour LI-I battery.  
         [0013]      FIG. 3  shows a system comprising a sensor device  12  and the remote apparatus  14  in detail to sense a desired parameter. The sensor device  12  comprises a (1) power supply  40  as previously discussed, (2) a signal transmitter [Tx]  42  (when transmitting sense parameter values by means of leads  28  and  30 ), (3) a signal receiver [Rx]  44  for receiving command signals from remote apparatus  14 , (4) a controller or state machine  46  responsive to receive signals from the apparatus  14  for controlling the time for monitoring the desired parameter and transmitting signals related to the desired parameter back to the apparatus  14 , and (5) a sensor  48  coupled to leads  28  and  30  that is configured to convert signals appearing across leads  28  and  30  in a form appropriate for processing by controller  46 . In those instances when environmental conditions, such as temperature are to be monitored, the sensor  48  may be a temperature monitor such as a thermistor whose output provides a signal related to the monitored temperature provided to the controller  46  for processing and transmission to remote apparatus  14 .  
         [0014]     The remote apparatus  14  comprises (1) a signal transmitter [Tx}  50  for transmitting command signals to sensor device  12 , (2) a signal receiver [Rx]  52  for receiving status and desired parameter information from sensor device  12 , (3) a programmable controller  54  responsive to received status signals for providing command signals for transmission by the transmitter  50 , (4) a power supply  56  to provide power for operation of the remote apparatus  14 , (5) a clock  58  to provide an accurate signal frequency source for data processing, clocking, and setting the rate at which command instructions are executed, and (6) the control functions block  60  which provides a user control panel for providing system operational commands by the user, such as “commence parameter monitoring”, and (7) a data processor for display  62  configured to provide monitored desired parameter information in a form appropriate for the particular display device to be used. As previously discussed, if the desired parameter is a time varying signal, then the data processor  62  would provide a signal appropriate for a display device such as an oscilloscope capable of displaying a time varying signal.  
         [0015]     The sensor device  12  is remotely controlled to sense parameter information in a manner as described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,164,284 assigned to the same assignee as this application and incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. Although the foregoing discussion involves only one remote sensor  12 , it is to be understood that multiple sensor devices  12  may be distributed in a zone in which communication with the remote apparatus  14 , and an individual sensor device  12 , is achievable. In order to distinguish each sensor device  12  over the communication channel, each sensor device  12  is implemented with an identification code specified either in controller  46  or a conventional storage location, i.e., address storage circuitry, easily implemented by one skilled in the art in a manner for communicating between the remote apparatus  16  and a plurality of remote devices  12 . Such technique is described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,472,991 assigned to the same assignee as this application, and incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.  
         [0016]     Accordingly, the remote apparatus  14  through control functions  60  provides capability to selectively monitor the outputs of such selected sensor devices. By transmitting an interrogation command, including the identification code, the remote apparatus can access directly the desired sensor device for desired parameter monitoring and observation. The programmable controller  54  contains circuitry for sequentially accessing a plurality of sensor devices  12  in a rapid multiplexing mode so as to provide real time monitoring of multiple parameters for multiple display on a display device typically an oscilloscope. Such circuitry causes the remote apparatus to issue monitor commands with associated identification number in rapid succession so as to provide a capability of simultaneous multi-trace multiple desired parameter display on the display device. A typical but by no means exclusive application for an embodiment of the present invention contemplates the use of one or more sensor devices used as temporary or permanent probes in an electrical circuit to monitor various electrical signals of interest. In this manner circuit response to various inputs and conditions can be monitored and measured in real time. In this manner, the necessity of having electrical conductors extending distances, whether short or long, between sensors and monitoring equipment with all the inherent problems normally accompanying such an arrangement is obviated.  
         [0017]     With all the forgoing described embodiments of the invention, it is evident that the parameter monitoring capability, so described, obviates a necessity for multiply conductor wires and leads between sensors, remote apparatus (controllers), and display devices. Accordingly, undesirable interference signals, live noise, ground loops, stray electric and magnetic fields are significantly, if not totally, eliminated as to their effect on desired parameter value integrity. Moreover, access to monitor points is facilitated due to the absence of monitor leads and wires.