AU780418B2

AU780418B2 - Paediatric electronic device for measuring length

Info

Publication number: AU780418B2
Application number: AU18767/01A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Maurice Kelvin Naidoo
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1999-12-20
Filing date: 2000-12-15
Publication date: 2005-03-17
Anticipated expiration: 2020-12-15
Also published as: DE60033579T2; DE60033579D1; ATE354778T1; AU1876701A

Description

14-12-2001 IB000188( I1 "PAEDIATRIC ELECTRONIC DEVICE FOR MEASURING LENGTH This invention relates to a paediatric electronic device. More particularly, this invention relates to a paediatric electronic device whereby a person is provided with information relating to a young child. The person may be a doctor or parent and the information may relate to physical measurements, suitable drugs, dosages, medical procedures, equipment, milestones and clothing.

In this specification the term "young child" includes a baby.

Patent Abstracts of Japan vol. 018, no 135 (P-1705) JP 010 322501 A (MITSUTOYO CORP) relates to an electronic tape measure to determine the volume and weight of a rectangular article.

EP-A-0 220 860 (BROSELOW James B) discloses a measuring tape which has indicia thereon for measuring a patient, the indicia representing i increments of a physical treatment or phsysiologicalvalue based upon a correlation between the length of a patient and that value.

US-A-4 718 507 (HOWLETT Clyde W et al) discloses an electronic scale and length measurement apparatus.

0 According to the invention there is provided a paediatric electronic device which includes a housing; a length'measuring means for measuring the length of a young child; a memory means for storing data in regard to various weight dependent parameters; and a displa means for displaying the values of the parameters, characterised therein that the parameters are grouped in various groups; and the device further includes a group selecting means for selecting a desired group of parameters and a processing means for determining the value of various parameters in the selected group in accordance with the length of the young child

I

AMENDED SHEET EmPfaiO iaL I I *u L* 19. t J 14-12-2001 IB000188( 2 as measured by the length measuring means.

The parameter groups may be selected from physical measurements,--- normal values of clinical parameters, settings for ventilatory equipment, drug infusion quantities, normal biochemistry values, normal Values related to x-rays and electrocardiograms, infusion equipment sizes, airway equipment sizes, and resuscitation cdrug quantities.

The particular values of the various parameters for each length may be stored in a data base or may be computed in accordance with a formula, stored S in the memoryi means.

The memory means may store a length of a young child that has been measured, until reset.

The measuring means may include a length of tape housed in the housing and extractable therefrom, with an electronically operable monitoring means for monitoring the extent to which the tape has been extracted from the housing. A retraction means may also be provided to automatically retract the tape into the housing. Preferably a locking means is provided to lock the measuring tape when it has been extracted to a desired extent.

The memory means may be reset when the measuring tape is Sextracted from the housing after having been retracted into the housing.

The monitoring means may include an optical sensor responsive to AMENDED SHEET Em fO O O WO 01/46642 PCT/IB00/01880 3 formations on the tape, the number of formations passing past the sensor being counted. The formations may be openings at spaced intervals in the tape.

The group selecting means may include a plurality of buttons which are selectively depressed by the person using the device to select which group of parameters is to be displayed.

The device may include a power supply and a back-up power supply.

The device may further have a "sleep" function whereby power consumption is reduced if the device is not operated for a specified time period. Further, a low voltage monitor may be included together with a low voltage warning annunciator.

The display means may include a back-lit LCD display matrix with suitable drivers.

The invention is now described, by way of an example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:- Figure 1 shows a schematic front perspective view of a paediatric electronic device in accordance with the invention; Figure 2 shows a bottom view of the device; Figure 3 shows a perspective view of a holder for the device; Figure 4 shows a circuit diagram of a monitoring circuit for monitoring the WO 01/46642 pCT/IB00/01880 4 extent to which a tape of the device is extracted; and Figure 5 shows a schematic block diagram of electronic componentry of the device.

Referring now to Figure 1 of the drawings, a paediatric electronic device in accordance with the invention is designated generally by reference numeral 10. The device 10 has a housing 12 in which are housed a flexible metal measuring tape 14 and electronic componentry 16. The electronic componentry will be described hereinbelow with reference to Figure 5. The housing 12 is rectangular and is of a similar size to pagers, such that it can be held in the hand of a user and control buttons operated, and can be carried in a holder, such as the holder 18 shown in Figure 3, on the belt of a user or in a coat pocket.

The housing 12 has mounted therein a back-lit LCD display 20 on which the values of various parameters are displayed, depending on the extent to which the tape 14 is extracted, as will also be described more fully below.

The tape 14 is coiled within the housing 12 on a spool that is spring loaded by means of a coil spring 22 so that the tape 14 may be extracted a desired extent and is automatically retracted. A lock, which is operated frictionally by a slide 24, locks the tape 14 in a desired extracted extent.

The tape 14 has gradations 26 thereon and a number of central WO 01/46642 PCT/B00/01880 spaced apertures 28. The electronic componentry has an optical sensor 29 which senses the passage of the apertures 28, thereby to monitor the extent to which the 100 tape 14 has been extracted.

On the front of the housing 12, below the display 20, there are three control buttons 30, 32 and 34. These control the parameters displayed, as will be described below.

105 Four differently coloured LED's 36, 38, 40 and 42 are mounted on the right side of the housing 12. The tape 14 is divided into seven sectors and the appropriate LED is energised, depending on the extent to which the tape 14 has been extended, to indicate a range. An "on/off" switch button 44 is also located 110 on the right side of the housing 12.

A battery (not shown) is also housed in the housing 12 to provide power for the electronic componentry. A back-up battery (also not shown) is also provided.

115 Referring now to Figure 4,.the optical sensor 29 is shown. The sensor 29 comprises an LED 46 and phototransistor 48, which drives an op-amp 50. The op-amp 50 is connected to an inverted Schmitt trigger 52 which drives an inverter 54. The LED 46 is positioned on one side of the tape 14 and the phototransistor 120 48 on the other side, so that when an aperture 28 is aligned therewith, the light WO 01/46642 PCT/IB00OO/01880 from the LED 46 is detected by the phototransistor and the Schmitt trigger 52 operated. The inverter 54 thus provides a series of signals to a processor (described below) as the tape 14 is moved past the sensor 29.

125 The electronic componentry is now described with reference to Figure The componentry includes a processor 56 which is supplied with power from the battery 58. A low voltage monitor 60 monitors the condition of the battery 58 and the processor 56 responds to a low voltage condition by displaying a suitable 130 message on the display 20, or an LED (not shown). The sensor 29 is connected to the processor 56 and provides it with tape extension signals as described above.

A reset signal is supplied from a reset switch 62. The processor 56 is also connected to the range indicating LED's 36, 38, 40 and 42, as are the control buttons 30, 32 and 34. A further press-button switch 64 operates back-lighting 135 of the display 20. Finally, the componentry also includes a memory module 66.

The memory module 66 stores any program required for the processor as well as the relevant data required by the processor to display the values of the desired parameters on the display 20 in accordance with the extent to which the tape has been extracted.

140 The various parameters that are displayed, and illustrative values are now described by listing the various screen displays that are provided in the exemplary device. It is to be noted that the bottom line of each display is for WO 01/46642 PCT/IB00/01880 145 control purposes and the expressions therein are associated with the appropriate control button 30, 32 or 34 aligned therewith.

FIRST SCREEN: 150 AGE 8 YRS WEIGHT: 24 KG SELECT OPTION? 155

NVALU/EQUIP/DRUG

160 SECOND SCREEN:

NVALU

RR

PR

BP

T° OR

AX-

PHYSICAL

15 26 b/m 60 140/60 97 112/57 -71 35.6 37.6 dc 35.2 37.2 dc WO 01/46642 WO 0146642PCT/IBOO/01880 8 170 RE 35.7 -37.8Bdc BIOC/XR EGG/MAIN THIRD SCREEN: 175 EQUIP VENT SET 02 100% TV 240 360 mI/kg IT 2 0.6 SEC PIP 20 30 180 VR 15 -20 b/rn PEEP 3 5 cmH2O IV ETC/AIR/MAIN FOURTH SCREEN 185 DRUG INFUSIONS EPI 1.4 mg in 100 NOR mI@ 5 -25 ml/hr DOP 144 mginl100 190 DOB ml@ 5 -20 mI/hr LID 288 mg in 100 MI@ 10 -25 mI/hr WO 01/46642 WOOI/6642PCT/IBOO/01880 9 RESUSi IRE 52/MAIN 195 FIFTH SCREEN: NVALU BIOCHEM PH 7.35 -7.45 200 PaC02 32 48 mmHg Pa02 80 105 mmHg Hb 13.5 g/dI UREA/Cr 27 62 pmol/I 205 PHYS/XR EGG/MAIN SIXTH SCREEN: NVALU XR ECG 210 PR 0. 1 sec QRS DURATION 0.07 s QRS/P AXIS 60/0 CSP ODO SPA 3 mm PRE VER 5 215 GOR DIA t13 mm

BIOCHM/PHYS/MAIN

WO 01/46642 WO 0146642PCTIBOO/01880 SEVENTH SCREEN: 220 EQUIP HIV ETC JELCO B/FLY N G T U CAT I C D 18 20 G 21 22 G 14 -18 F 12 F 28 32 F 225

VENT/AIRWAY/MAIN

EIGHTH SCREEN:.

230 EQUIP AIR WAY ETT UNCU T-T cm

L/SCOPE

235 6.0 mm CUFFED 17 18 cm 2 3 STR OR CURVE 14 F 10 F

STYLET

SUCTION CAT VENT/IV ETC/MAI~ 240 NINTH SCREEN: WO 0146642PCT/IBOO/01880 WO 01/46642 245 DRUG RESUSi EPI 1:10000 EPI 1:1000 ATR 0.01% BIG 24 ml mEQ LID 2%

DFIB

INFU/RESUS2/MAIN 2.4 ml 4.8 ml 4.8 ml 24 ml 1 2 ml 48 J/96 J 250 TENTH SCREEN: 255 260 DRUG RESUS2 CALCI 1%

FUROS

DIAZE

PHENO

D2SW 25%

LORAZ

INFU/RESUS1 /MAIN 4.8 ml 20 mg 2.4 7.2 mg 360 480 mg 48 ml 2.4 mg The abbreviated expressions in the screen displays have the following meanings:- WO 01/46642 PCT/IB00/01880 12 265 AGE Age AIR Airway AIRWAY Airway ATR Atropine 270 B/FLY Butterfly BIC Bicarbonate BIOC Biochemistry BIOCHM Biochemistry BP Blood pressure 275 COR DIA Cord diameter CDO SPA Odontoid space CXR Chest x-ray DFIB Defibrillation DIAZE Diazepam 280 DOP Dopamine DRUG Drug (or medication) DRUG INFUSIONS Drug infusions D2SW 25% dextrose water EPI Epinephrine 285 EQUIP AIR WAY Equipment airway EQUIP IV ETC Equipment intravenous, et cetera EQUIP VENT SET Equipment ventilatory settings ETT Endotracheal tube WO 01/46642 PCT/IB00/01880 13 290 FUROS Furosemide CALCI Calcium Hb Haemoglobin I C D Intercostal drain INFU Infusions 295 IT Inspiratory time IV ETC Intravenous et cetera JELCO Jelco LID Lidocaine LORAZ Lorazepam 300 MAIN Main menu mEQ Milli equivalents N G T Nasogastric tube NOR ml@ ml/h Norepinephrine(in millilitres) at x millilitres per hour NVALU BIOCHEM Normal values of biochemistry 305 NVALU PHYSICAL Normal values of clinical parameters NVALU XR ECG Normal values related to x-ray and electrocardiogram 02 Oxygen PaCO2 Partial pressure of carbon dioxide in arterial blood PaO2 Partial pressure of oxygen in arterial blood 310 PH Unit for measurement of acidity of alkalinity PHENO Phenobarbitone PHYS Physical WO 01/46642 14 PEEP Peak end expiratory pressure 315 PIP Peak inspiratory pressure PR Interval between P and R waves on ECG PRE VER Prevertebral soft tissue shadow ORS ORS complex on ECG RES2 Resuscitation 2 320 RESUS1 Resuscitation 1 RESUS2 Resuscitation 2 RE Rectal temperature RR Respiratory rate STYLET Stylet 325 SUCTION CAT Suction catheter T° OR Oral temperature AX- Axillary temperature T-T Trachea to teeth distance TV Tidal volume 330 U CAT Urinary catheter UNCU Uncuffed UREA/Cr Urea creatinine VENT Ventilation XR ECG X-ray, electrocardiogram 335 VR Ventilation rate PCT/IB00/01880 WO 01/46642 PCT/B00/01880 The manner in which a user navigates between the screens will now be described:- 340 If the first screen is displayed and button 30 is pressed,then the second screen is displayed; if button 32 is pressed then the third screen is displayed; and if button 34 is pressed then the fourth screen is displayed.

If the second screen is displayed and button 30 is pressed, then the fifth screen is displayed; if button 32 is pressed then the sixth screen is displayed; and 345 if button 34 is pressed then the first screen is displayed.

If the third screen is displayed and button 30 is pressed, then the seventh screen is displayed; if button 32 is pressed then the eighth screen is displayed; and if button 34 is pressed then the first screen is displayed.

If the fourth screen is displayed and button 30 is pressed, then the ninth 350 screen is displayed; if button 32 is pressed then the tenth screen is displayed; and if button 34 is pressed then the first screen is displayed.

If the fifth screen is displayed and button 30 is pressed, then the second screen is displayed; if button 32 is pressed then the sixth screen is displayed; and if button 34 is pressed then the first screen is displayed.

355 If the sixth screen is displayed and button 30 is pressed, then the fifth screen is displayed; if button 32 is pressed then the second screen is displayed; and if button 34 is pressed then the first screen is displayed.

SIf the seventh screen is displayed and button 30 is pressed, then the third screen is displayed; if button 32 is pressed then the eighth screen is displayed; and 360 if button 34 is pressed then the first screen is displayed.

WO 01/46642 PCT/IBO01880 16 If the eighth screen is displayed and button 30 is pressed, then the third screen is displayed; if button 32 is pressed then the seventh screen is displayed; and if button 34 is pressed then the first screen is displayed.

365 If the ninth screen is displayed and button 30 is pressed, then the fourth screen is displayed; if button 32 is pressed then the tenth screen is displayed; and if button 34 is pressed then the first screen is displayed.

If the tenth screen is displayed and button 30 is pressed, then the fourth screen is displayed; if button 32 is pressed then the ninth screen is displayed; and 370 if button 34 is pressed then the first screen is displayed.

Claims

1. A paediatric electronic device (10) which includes a housing (12); a length measuring means (14, 29) for measuring the length of a young child; a memory means (66) for storing data in regard to various weight dependent parameters; and a display means (20) for displaying the values of the parameters, characterised therein that the parameters are grouped in various groups; and the device further includes a group selecting means (30, 32, 34) for selecting a d6sired group of parameters and a processing means (56) for determining tbh value of various parameters in the selected group in accordance with the lengtI of the young child as measured by the length measuring means.

2. The paediatric electronic device as claimed in Claim 1, characterised therein that the parameter groups are selected from physical measurements, normal values S of clinical parameters, settings for ventilatory equipment, drug infusion quantities, normal biochemistry values, normal values related to x-rays and electrocardiogriams, infusion equipment sizes, airway equipment sizes, and resuscitation drug quantities.

3. The paediatric electronic device as claimed in Claim 1 or 2, characterised therein that at least some of the particular values of the various parameters for each length are stored in a data base. AMENDED SHEET EmP Gllo ,I t, f-.UVo IT I -e-uu, 1B0001 8 18

4. The paediatric electronic device as claimed in Claim 1 or 2, characterised therein that the particular values of some of the various parameters for each length are computed in accordance with a formula, stored in the memory means.

5. The paediatric electronic device as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, characterised therein that the memory means stores a length of a young child that has been measured, until reset.

6. The paedlatric electronic device as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, characterised therein that the measuring means includes a length of tape (14) housed in the housing and extractable therefrom, with an electronically operable monitoring means (29) for monitoring the extent to which the tape has been extracted from the housing.

7. The paediatric electronic device as claimed in Claim 6, characterised therein that it includes a retraction means (22) to automatically retract the tape into the housing.

8. The paediatric electronic device as claimed in Claim 6 or 7, characterised therein that it includes a locking means (24) to lock the measuring tape when it has been extracted to a desired extent.

9. The paediatric electronic device as claimed in any one of Claims 6 to 8, characterised therein that the memory means is reset when the measuring tape is AMENDED SHEET EmPfdll6S Ui L 1 L L -4 J I

14-12-2001 1B000188, 19 extracted from the housing after having been retracted into the housing. The paediatric electronic device as claimed in any one of Claims 6 to 9, characterised therein that the monitoring means includes an optical sensor (29) responsive to formations on the tape, the number of formations passing past the sensor being counted. S 11. The paediatric electronic device as claimed in Claim 10, in which the formations are, openings (28) at spaced intervals in the tape. 12. The paediatric electronic device as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, in which the group selecting means includes a plurality of buttons (30, 32, 34) which are selectively depressed by the person using the device to select which group of parameters is to be displayed. 13. The paediatric electronic device as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, characterised therein that it includes a power supply (58) and a back-up power supply. 14. The paediatric electronic device as claimed in Claim 13, characterised therein that it has a "sleep" function whereby the power consumption is reduced if the device is not operated for a specified time period. The paediatric electronic device as claimed in Claim 13 or 14, characterised AMENDED SHEET Cmnfnno j t 1 A 1 1 S ._14-12-2UU1 IB000188 therein that it includes a low voltage monitor (60) together with a low voltage warning annunciator

16. The paediatric electronic device as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, characterised therein that the display means includes a back-lit LCD display matrix with suitable drivers

17. A paediatric electronic device substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings. AMENDED SHEET Cm.nfn no;t l A alo7 1 A 7