DE102011117288A1 - Method for receiving, evaluating, storing, processing and transmission or display of vital functional values of electrocardiogram sections by telemedical system, involves automatically receiving and evaluating vital functional values - Google Patents

Abstract

The method involves automatically receiving the vital functional values (7) by a sensor unit (2), and automatically evaluating the vital functional values to detect critical functional value deviations. The vital functional value, particularly a critical vital functional value is automatically transmitted from the sensor unit to a transmission unit (3) if the critical functional value deviation is detected by the sensor unit. The critical vital functional value is automatically transmitted from the transmission unit to a system control center (4). An independent claim is included for a telemedical system for receiving, evaluating, storing, processing and transmission or display of vital functional values, particularly of electrocardiogram sections.

Description

The invention relates to a method for recording, evaluating, storing, processing, transmitting and / or displaying vital function values, in particular of single- or multi-channel ECG sections, with a telemedical system, wherein the system comprises at least one sensor unit, at least one transmission unit, a system center and at least one receiving unit. In addition, the present invention relates to a system for recording, evaluating, storing, processing, transmitting and / or displaying vital function values, in particular of single- or multi-channel ECG sections, furthermore designed to carry out a method of the aforementioned type.

From the field of telemedicine, especially telecardiology, mobile ECG recorders are known, which are used for monitoring of mobile or immobile vulnerable patients. A mobile ECG recorder for cardiac monitoring of patients, for example, from the DE 10 2008 003 321 A1 known.

The known recorder are usually designed or have a corresponding functionalization that recorded an ECG with the mobile recorder, transmitted by phone to an evaluation center and evaluated there. The recording of the vital function values is patient-triggered or by manual control, after a fixed time regime or after detection of anomalies. The transmission of the vital function values is usually associated with a complicated or complicated handling of the recorder. There is a need for a high degree of readiness of the recorder to carry out telemedicine monitoring and a sound understanding and understanding of the monitoring methodology. Otherwise, the patient may experience limited use of the recorder and unsatisfactory telemedical monitoring of the patient. In the worst case, it can happen that the emergency chain is not guaranteed.

Depending on the evaluation of the transmitted vital function values, namely the assessment of the medical relevance of a deviation of measured vital function values or the course of measured functional values from a standard or reference value or from a standard or reference course, a decision must be made by the evaluation center as to whether it is necessary to inform a family doctor or emergency physician or directly to the patient about the result of the evaluation. In an emergency condition, immediate medical attention can be requested for the patient. The sole responsibility for initiating follow-up measures lies with the evaluation center, which entails a high risk and possibly legal consequences in the case of a misjudgment and requires a large personnel deployment of medically trained specialists. Incidentally, it is necessary for the evaluation center to be occupied at all times in order to be able to initiate appropriate follow-up measures. The operation of the evaluation center is therefore costly.

Object of the present invention is to provide a method and a system of the type mentioned above are available, in which the aforementioned disadvantages do not occur. In particular, the method and system according to the invention are intended to permit telemedical monitoring of a patient with low personnel costs and low costs as well as high acceptance of the patient. In addition, the disadvantages of largely manual handling within the individual system components should be reduced or prevented.

In order to achieve the above-mentioned objects, it is provided in a method of the type mentioned at the outset that the vital function values are automatically recorded by the sensor unit and, preferably, automatically evaluated in order to obtain critical function value deviations, ie. H. Deviations of the measured vital function value or of the course of measured functional values from a standard or reference value or from a standard or reference course can be detected. The vital signs values are preferably ECG signals, i. H. measured heart action potentials of the patient, wherein the ECG recording takes place over a predetermined period of time and ECG sections are recorded. Long-term recording of the ECG signals is also possible. For example, a critical functional deviation in cardiac monitoring of patients may be due to a cardiac arrhythmia or other cardiac anomaly. Further preferably, the recorded vital function values are automatically stored by the sensor unit and / or prepared for transmission to a transmission unit of the system.

Subsequently, at least one vital function value is automatically transmitted to the transmission unit, preferably immediately after a critical function value deviation detected by the sensor unit.

The method according to the invention further provides that at least one vital function value assigned to a detected functional value deviation is automatically transmitted by the transmission unit to the system center and preferably by the system center after further storage and / or a further evaluation and / or further processing automatically and wirelessly transmitted to the receiving unit. Alternatively it can be provided that a vital function value assigned to a detected functional value deviation is automatically transmitted by the transmission unit directly to the receiving unit, preferably wirelessly.

In principle, the method and system according to the invention make it possible to monitor a patient without operator actions of the patient or of the personnel assigned to the system center. In particular, the method and system according to the invention enables the fully automatic measurement of vital function values of a patient and their transmission to a doctor (receiving unit) without the intervention of the patient. The recording, evaluation, storage, processing, transmission and / or presentation of the vital function values can be carried out completely without operating action of the patient, with the patient merely having to put on the sensor unit and bring it into operational readiness. Everything else is then preferably automatically without his intervention. For example, a physician can automatically obtain the required information about the patient's state of health without the intervention of the patient. By extensive automation of the telemedical monitoring of a patient, the disadvantages are prevented or at least reduced, which occur in a manually controlled or effected recording, storage, evaluation and transmission of vital function values. Due to the extensive automation, operator errors during the recording and transmission of vital function values can be avoided. The automatic transmission of vital signs values from the central office to the receiving unit leads to a reduction in personnel and thus costs in the area of the central office and avoids misallocation of vital signs values. The automation leads overall to a time saving in the recording of vital signs and their transmission, for example, to a doctor or clinic.

Accordingly, the system according to the invention has at least one wearable sensor unit or recorder for automatic recording and, preferably, automatic transmission of vital function values to at least one transmission unit of the system assigned to the sensor unit. In addition, the recorder is preferably designed for automatic evaluation, storage and / or preparation of vital function values for transmission to the transmission unit. The transmission unit is preferably also wearable on the body and designed for the automatic transmission of the vital function values via a communication network to a system center of the system. In principle, the transmission unit can additionally or alternatively be designed for the sensor unit also for the automatic evaluation, storage and / or preparation of the vital function values for a transmission to the system control center.

The system center is designed to receive and automatically transmit the vital function values to at least one receiving unit of the system, in particular a receiving unit of a physician or a hospital. In addition, the system control center can be designed for automatic (further) evaluation and / or automatic storage and / or for automatic (further) processing of the vital function values.

With the system according to the invention it can be achieved that, as a rule, automatically recorded vital function values are transmitted without operator actions to the system center and from there automatically and promptly, for example, to a doctor or to a clinic. In addition, a remote configuration of the sensor unit via the system control center is possible in a simple manner, as will be discussed below.

The vital signs values may be continuously read by the sensor unit, i. H. continuously or over a given period of time, or discontinuously recorded, wherein the time points or the duration of the value recording can be manually or optionally also adjustable via the system center and / or the receiving unit. In order to further increase the acceptance of a patient compared to telemedical monitoring, in addition to the automated recording or recording of vital function values, it is also possible to provide a recording of vital function values effected manually by an operator action of the patient.

The storage of the vital function values can preferably take place on a data memory of the sensor unit or possibly also on a data memory of the transmission unit. The storage of the recorded vital function values can be continued, d. H. continuously over a predetermined period of time, or discontinuously, wherein the times or the duration of the storage can be manually or optionally also adjustable via the system center and / or the receiving unit.

The measured or recorded vital function values are preferably evaluated or evaluated directly by the sensor unit with regard to the possible presence of a medically relevant deviation of measured vital function values of predefined and / or adjustable ones Standard values or with regard to a possible anomaly. The evaluation of the recorded vital function values can preferably take place continuously after the measurement in order to be able to recognize as soon as possible a malfunction of a vital function of the patient. For example, in the cardiac monitoring of patients cardiac arrhythmias can be detected automatically and promptly by continuous measurement and evaluation of ECG signals, wherein after detection of a disorder, automatic storage and / or automatic transmission of the affected ECG signals to the transmission unit can take place.

The evaluation of the vital function values effected by the sensor unit or optionally also by the transmission unit preferably relates only to the (automatic) evaluation as to whether measured function values or the value course deviate from predetermined standard values or a standard course and a function value deviation or anomaly critical in the context of the invention and / or or a pathological course change is present, which makes it advisable to forward the affected values to the system headquarters from a medical point of view.

The method according to the invention can relate in particular to the automatic detection or detection of selected cardiac arrhythmias, i. H. without active participation of the patient. The selected cardiac arrhythmias may be, in particular, bradycardia, tachycardia, atrial fibrillation, pauses and asystole. In the case of the invention, an evaluation function can be provided in order to automatically determine the cardiac rhythm of the patient from the measured ECG signal or from a recorded ECG section in order to automatically define, ie. H. to detect pre-determined selected cardiac arrhythmias. This simplifies the handling of the ECG recorder and, moreover, ensures a high degree of monitoring security for the patient, whereby the automatic detection of cardiac arrhythmias eliminates the need for active involvement of the patient in the detection. Since not every cardiac arrhythmia is accompanied by symptoms, so also arrhythmias are detected, which would otherwise go undetected. By means of multichannel ECG storage, in addition to the evaluation of cardiac arrhythmias, ischemic signs, which facilitate the indication of a heart attack during cardiac arrest monitoring, can be automatically detected.

In the system center, a further clinical evaluation of the received vital function values can then be provided. In telekardiological monitoring, for example, a more extensive clinical evaluation of ECG sections can be provided in the system center, for example in order to automatically determine further cardiac arrhythmias or also the heart rate course in a differential diagnosis.

The term "ECG signal" is understood to mean the measured cardiac action potential of the patient, the continuous measurement leading to an ECG section over a predetermined period of time. The term "ECG section" describes the part of a heart potential curve acquired over a certain period of time, which results from the measured ECG signal. The system according to the invention can be designed to accommodate single or multi-channel ECG sections and have a corresponding number of ECG removal electrodes. The removed ECG signal may be partially sectioned as an ECG section, i. H. as part of a heart potential curve, stored, analyzed and transmitted.

The processing of the vital function values in the sensor unit or possibly also in the transmission unit can include, for example, a signal amplification, an analog-to-digital conversion, a digital filtering and / or a data compression. The data compression in the sensor unit or, if appropriate, in the transmission unit can be lossy by means of a combined method of wavelet transformation and zero-tree encoding, whereby such compressed vital function values can be decompressed in the system center and wherein the compression losses lead to no restriction of the evaluability. However, lossless data compression may also be provided. Preferably, the vital function values may be compressed prior to storage and / or transmission to reduce memory requirements and transmission time and increase transmission security. In addition, it is preferably provided that required for the transmission in the sensor unit stored or stored communication or address parameters, such as a stored or stored phone number or an IP address of the transmission unit and / or the system center and / or the receiving station, can be changed manually by an operator action on the sensor unit and / or via a remote access from the system center and / or the receiving unit. However, the change of communication or address parameters by an operator action on the sensor unit is preferably not provided due to the risk of unwanted or incorrect changes of the stored parameters. The same applies correspondingly to communication parameters stored in the transmission unit via remote access from the system center and / or the receiving unit. If necessary, communication parameters stored in the receiving unit can be changed remotely from the system center.

Preferably, a transmission from the sensor unit to the transmission unit and / or from the transmission unit to the system center takes place only after the detection of an anomaly, that is to say when vital function values that deviate to a certain extent from predetermined standard values occur. In the case of an existing communication network, the transmission unit preferably transmits the values received from the sensor unit wirelessly and automatically to the system control center. The invention allows the recording, evaluation, processing, storage and transmission of vital function values to take place simultaneously. Here, in principle, a transmission of vital function values to the system control center can also be provided continuously in real time immediately after the values have been recorded.

The transmission of the vital function values from the sensor unit to the transmission unit and / or from the transmission unit to the system control center preferably takes place independently by the sensor unit or the transmission unit without intervention or control by the system center. The transmission can take place continuously or discontinuously in certain intervals which can preferably be defined by an operator action or a control action of the system center. An automatic transmission of the vital function values can also be initiated or effected by a request or a control signal of the system control center and / or the receiving unit.

With methods known per se from the prior art, transmission errors in disturbed (radio) networks can be detected (automatically), with the method according to the invention allowing automatic error correction at this point.

The transmission unit may in the simplest case be a mobile telephone. By integration of the memory and evaluation function in the transmission unit, the size of the sensor unit can be reduced accordingly, which increases the wearing comfort of the sensor unit. In a particularly preferred embodiment, however, the sensor unit and the transmission unit are integrated in one device.

The automated reception system in the system center registers the reception of the data and can automatically cause their further storage and / or further evaluation and / or further processing. Certain (prepared) vital function values, for example ECG, can be transmitted automatically to the receiving unit. In particular, those vital vital function values that are to be assigned to an emergency are transmitted. In principle, however, all received vital function values can also be transmitted to the receiving unit.

A further processing in the system control center can relate, for example, to a specific presentation or visualization of the vital function values, the definition of a specific file type or file format of a file containing the vital function values and intended for transmission to the receiving unit, the definition of a specific transmission path, for example by e-mail. Mail, fax or web service, and / or the definition of (further) transmission data to be transmitted together with the vital signs values to the receiving unit. The automated e-mail transmission of an ECG section, preferably in pdf format, to one or more receivers, in particular to a mobile phone (smartphone), may be possible without proprietary software. Thus, the inventive method allows ECG acceptance not only in a "mobile" patients, the ECG reception at the doctor can also be done "mobile".

The receiving unit can also be a mobile phone in the simplest case. The transmission of the vital signs values from the system center may, for example, be made to a mobile phone of a family doctor of the patient, which increases the willingness of the patient to participate in telemedical monitoring. This ensures that a doctor who is already familiar with the health status or course of the disease of the patient is informed of measured vital signs values.

To document the course of a body dysfunction over a period of time including the time before entry and the time after the onset of the critical function deviation, the vital function values are continuously stored in a preferred embodiment of the invention and at least one critical vital function value in the event of a recognized critical function deviation automatically transmitted together with vital function values stored temporally before the critical functional value deviation and together with further vital function values stored temporally after the critical functional value deviation. For example, in the field of telecardiology it may be provided that in the case of a recognized cardiac arrhythmia, the ECG section concerning the interference and an additional ECG section, which adjoins the cardiac arrhythmia in time, are transmitted together.

The sensor unit and / or the transmission unit can have a short-term memory and a long-term memory, wherein all vital function values are automatically stored continuously in both memories. This provides an easy way to long-term storage of vital signs. The values stored in the temporary memory are continuously overwritten in the ring buffer procedure. Here it can be provided that at least one critical vital function value is transferred together with vital function values stored before the critical function value deviation and / or together with further vital function values stored after the critical function value deviation from the short-term memory into another separate memory.

The sensor unit and the transmission unit can preferably be connected to one another via a wireless communication interface, so that it is possible to carry the sensor unit on the body, while the transmission unit, for example designed as a mobile telephone, can be positioned away from the body. This further simplifies the method and system according to the invention. In principle, however, a stationary computer device may also be provided as a transmission unit at the location of a mobile telephone, with which the sensor unit communicates.

In order to promptly and directly inform the patient or even personnel in the system control center of the occurrence of an anomaly, a warning signal can be displayed optically and / or acoustically on the occurrence of a critical functional value deviation on a display device of the sensor unit and / or the transmission unit and / or the system control center. The same applies to faults in the device functions and / or the communication connection.

As already mentioned, different critical functional value deviations or anomalies and their associated standard deviations, in the occurrence of which an automatic storage and / or automatic transmission of vital function values should take place, can be manually selected and defined. In the field of telecardiology, for example, different cardiac arrhythmias may be selectable, in particular patient-dependent, in whose occurrence the vital function values belonging to the functional value deviation are automatically stored and / or transmitted automatically together with previously recorded and subsequently recorded vital function values. As a result, the method and system according to the invention can be set or configured individually for the vital function disorders that are possible for a specific patient.

The device setting or configuration of the sensor unit and / or the transmission unit can be changed by the system control center wirelessly via the communication network. A remote configuration makes it easy to change a device setting in a patient-friendly way. A new configuration can be transmitted via the communication connection as a text message (SMS) to the sensor unit and / or the transmission unit, for example. In this connection, starting from the sensor unit and / or the transmission unit, a change of the device setting controlled by the system center with respect to the system center can be confirmed wirelessly via the communication network by a corresponding acknowledgment signal.

In addition, the system can provide that vital function values stored by means of the receiving unit on the sensor unit and / or the system control center can be called up directly and preferably selectively, in particular from a long-term storage. As a result, access to stored vital function values is possible as needed and promptly.

The vital signs values can be stored and / or transmitted in a platform-independent file format. It can be provided to transmit vital function values in an image format, in particular in pdf format, for example via an e-mail to the system control center and / or the receiving unit.

The vital signs values transmitted to the central office can be automatically classified by the central office after reception and then automatically transmitted to different receiving stations and / or with different priority depending on the classification. Certain recipients, for example emergency physicians, can be informed as needed and with priority as a function of the medical relevance or the severity of an occurring vital function disorder. A prioritization of the transmission is particularly advantageous if the vital function values of several patients are to be transmitted to a same receiving unit. As a result, targeted emergency measures can be initiated very soon.

In an alternative embodiment of the invention, it is provided in a method of the type mentioned above that a patient fall is automatically determined by the speed change of the sensor unit occurring during a patient fall and that in the event of a fall, at least the vital function values assigned to the fall time are automatically transmitted to the system control center become. Arrhythmia For example, they can lead to circulatory problems or strokes, which can lead to a fall of the patient. The recording of ECG signals or sections at the time of a fall allows it to easily recognize cardiac arrhythmias as the cause of the fall and then treat them to prevent further falls, but also strokes.

The foregoing aspects and features of the present invention, as well as the aspects and features of the present invention described below, may be implemented independently of one another, but also in any combination, although not specifically described.

Further advantages, features, characteristics and aspects of the present invention will become apparent from the following description of a preferred embodiment with reference to the drawing. In the only figure of the drawing is a telemedicine system 1 for the recording, storage, evaluation, transmission and visualization of ECG signals as vital function values of a patient shown schematically.

The telemedicine system 1 is designed for telekardiological monitoring of patients and has at least one sensor unit 2 , at least one transmission unit 3 , a system center 4 and at least one receiving unit 5 for recording, storage, evaluation and transmission as well as, preferably, presentation of vital function values 7 on. At the vital signs values 7 For example, these are ECG signals which, taken over a specific period of time, form an ECG section or the section of a cardiac potential curve. Vital function values 7 If necessary, including the measured respiration, the measured pulse and the measured blood pressure, there may be indications of medically relevant physiological changes in a patient or anomalies.

The sensor unit 2 has an amplifier 6 to enhance a vital signs value recorded in a patient 7 on. Subsequently, a data or signal processing takes place. The recorded or measured vital function value 7 For example, for analog-to-digital conversion is an A / D converter 8th fed. Subsequently, the sensor unit comprises 2 a filter 9 for digital filtering and a compression unit 10 for data compression. Compression reduces the amount of data used to save disk space and to reduce the transfer time of the data between subsequent units.

The vital function value 7 becomes a microcontroller 11 fed. Here is a first evaluation or evaluation of the recorded vital function value 7 to a critical functional value deviation of the vital signs value 7 to determine from given standard values. It is understood that also a recorded course of vital signs values 7 can be compared with a standard curve to determine a critical value deviation. For example, a critical function deviation may be a deviation of the vital function value 7 or a value history of a normal or a standard course, which occurs in a cardiac arrhythmia. Other anomalies can also be detected.

All measured or recorded vital function values 7 be in the temporary memory 12 automatically stored continuously over a period of time. The short-term memory 12 is preferably designed as a ring memory. After a predetermined period of time in the short-term memory 12 stored vital function values 7 overwrites again from the beginning to the storage space for new vital signs values 7 release again.

From the short-term memory 12 At least one critical vital function value assigned to a critical, that is medically relevant, functional value deviation is determined 7 together with temporally preceding and temporally subsequent further vital function values 7 in a separate memory 13 transferred, with the separate memory 13 preferably a memory area of the short-term memory 12 is.

For a permanent documentation of the vital signs values 7 In addition, all patients can receive all recorded vital signs values 7 in another separate long-term storage 14 stored on at least one channel. This allows the documentation of long-term ECGs. The vital signs values 7 can from the short-term memory 12 or directly from the microcontroller 11 to the long-term storage 14 be transmitted.

In parallel or simultaneously to the storage of the vital function values 7 in the temporary memory 12 , In the storage room 13 and in long-term storage 14 The microcontroller is running process 11 a tax action that is a communication interface 15 instructs certain vital signs values 7 to the transmission unit 3 to send. Preferably, when a critical function value deviation occurs, at least one critical vital function value assigned to the critical function value deviation becomes 7 together with temporally preceding and temporal subsequent further Vital sign values 7 automatically to the transmission unit 3 transfer. In this specific case, ECG sections are transmitted that include the time of an anomaly and a period before occurrence and after the occurrence of the anomaly.

The transmission of vital signs values 7 to the transmission unit 3 via the communication interface 15 preferably takes place wirelessly via a communication network 16 or conducted in the case of physical integration of the transmission unit 3 in the sensor unit 2 ,

The communication network 16 In the case of wireless transmission is a wireless wide area network, which allows in particular the transmission over a very large geographical area, in particular a mobile network, but also a local wireless network (Wireless Local Area Network), may be provided. In the case of wired or wireline transmission over the communication network 16 there is provided a wireline wide area network, which may be the public switched telephone network and / or the cable television network and / or a worldwide network of many internet services such as the World Wide Web (www).

In addition, controls are 17 or a keyboard provided, via which the recording of vital signs values 7 trigger manually. Incidentally, the controls make it possible 17 , the transmission mode or the communication parameters with the other system units, such as a telephone number or an IP address of the transmission unit 3 , the system central 4 and / or the receiving unit 5 to adjust. In addition, the controls make it possible 17 , Device settings, and other auxiliary settings, such as pairing. About the controls 17 Standard values or limit values can be set which are above or below a critical value deviation.

The display of operator actions, status information, such as changed device settings and / or changed communication parameters, is shown on a display 18 possible. Possible errors in the recording, storage, processing, evaluation and transmission of the vital signs values 7 will be on display 18 additionally shown. In addition to the visual display of error conditions on the display 18 At the same time, an acoustic error status message is output via one next to the display 18 arranged not shown speakers.

The transmission of vital signs values 7 preferably takes place via a standardized wireless communication interface 15 , which is in particular for the data transmission over short distances by radio technology, preferably via a Bluetooth protocol architecture or for data transmission according to the ZigBee wireless network standard for short distances (10 to 100 m) or for data transmission according to the ANT network protocol is formed ,

Complementary to the communication interface 15 the sensor unit 2 indicates the transmission unit 3 an unillustrated standardized wireless communication interface which receives the vital function values 7 according to the previously mentioned radio standards.

For further processing, the vital function values 7 from the transmission unit 3 over the communication network 16 to a receiving device 19 the system center 4 wirelessly transmitted. The transmission unit 3 transmits in particular the critical vital function value 7 together with the vital function values stored before the critical function deviation 7 and together with further vital function values stored after the critical functional value deviation 7 to the receiving device 19 , Incidentally, it is not shown that the vital signs 7 , which are to be used preferably for a long-term ECG, from the long-term memory 14 via the transmission device 3 as well to the receiving device 19 the system center 4 can be transmitted.

For remote access or remote access from the system center 4 on the transmission unit 3 and / or on the sensor unit 2 is the receiving device 19 configured to also provide wireless access to the transmission unit 3 and / or the sensor unit 2 over the communication network 16 allows. This remote access makes it possible in particular to make configuration changes to the sensor unit 2 and / or the transmission unit 3 how to change the device setting and / or the communication parameters are possible. The configuration change of the sensor unit takes place here 2 and / or the transmission unit 3 preferably in real time or in discontinuous form, by one in the system center 4 changed configuration via the communication network 16 from the system center 4 to the transmission unit 3 and / or the sensor unit 2 is transmitted. Subsequently, it is provided in particular that the sensor unit 2 and / or the transmission unit 3 a confirmation signal, preferably as SMS, to the system center 4 transfers.

In addition to wireless transmission of vital signs 7 from the long-term storage 14 It is also possible, vital signs values 7 from the Long-term memory 14 via a wired communication interface 20 and a local cache 21 to the receiving device 19 the system center 4 transferred to. Preferably, the vital function values become 7 automatically via the wired communication interface 20 about the cache 21 , which is in particular a personal computer, via a wired computer network to the system center 4 transfer. Alternatively and / or additionally, the possibility may be provided here of transmitting data with an external mass storage, for example in the form of a USB stick.

The to the receiving device 19 the system center 4 transmitted vital function values 7 are then in a database 22 the system center 4 deposited. Preferably located in the system center 4 an automatic further processing of the received vital function values 7 instead of, for example, compressed vital signs values 7 for further evaluation in the system center 4 be decompressed again. Further evaluation can be the visualization of vital signs values 7 and / or their preferably automatic evaluation for the derivation of therapy or emergency measures.

The vital signs values 7 can during evaluation in the system center 4 automatically classified with suitable software and then automatically sent to different receiving units depending on the classification 5 and / or with different priority, possibly also after recompression in the system center 4 , A new compression in the system center 4 however, sets a subsequent decompression in the receiving unit 5 For example, on a mobile phone of a physician, ahead, which is associated with additional work and therefore preferably not provided. A class assignment of vital signs values 7 may, for example, depending on the degree of deviation of a vital function value 7 from a standard value. Here, an emergency class can be provided, with the assignment of a vital function value 7 for the emergency class, the immediate transmission of the vital function value 7 to an emergency receiving station may result. In the system center 4 can also current vital function values 7 certain historical and in the database 22 stored vital function values 7 automatically assigned to the same patient.

The preparation of the vital signs values 7 in the database 22 the system center 4 can also store the vital signs values 7 in a platform-independent and permanently storable file format, in particular in pdf format, provide for a simple, in particular wireless, transmission over the communication network 16 to a receiving device 24 the receiving unit 5 , The transmission of vital signs values 7 in the platform-independent file is preferably by e-mail, fax or web service. The receiving unit 5 is preferably a mobile phone, but may also be a tablet PC or a portable computer with a mobile receiving unit, with proprietary software is not required.

The treatment may additionally or alternatively provide that the vital function values 7 stored in a standardized, machine-readable file format, preferably in XML format, for permanent archival storage, including a transmission of these vital function values stored in the machine-readable file format 7 to the receiving device 24 the receiving unit 5 can be provided.

After transmission of the vital signs values 7 to the receiving device 24 the receiving unit 5 become the vital signs values 7 on a display 25 displayed. Are the vital signs values 7 For example, as an ECG, this can be visualized in a platform-independent and audit-proof file format (C), (pdf). In this file format, an automatic determination of the heart rate of selected points of the ECG history can be possible.

In addition to the presentation or visualization of the vital signs values 7 by indication on the display 25 can provide the vital signs values available in a standardized, machine-readable file format 7 in a store 26 the receiving unit 5 be archived. An access to in memory 26 stored vital function values 7 is also possible in the event of a network failure without further notice at any time.

In particular, after a detected critical function deviation, if necessary, further vital function values 7 To receive a patient may be an access of the receiving unit 5 on the in the sensor unit 2 and / or in the system center 4 stored vital function values 7 be possible by remote inquiry. Also, it is possible and beneficial if the system center 4 on the in the sensor unit 2 stored data can access. In addition, the timing and duration of taking vital signs values 7 through remote access from the system center 4 and / or from the receiving unit 5 starting to be changed or specified, in particular after a detected critical value deviation. However, a remote configuration preferably does not take place via the receiving unit 5 but via the system center 4 , where only the system center 4 a (wireless) access to the transmission unit 3 may have.

Finally, in the sensor unit 2 an acceleration sensor 27 be provided, which is the spatial acceleration and / or deceleration of the sensor unit 2 by detecting an abrupt change in the speed of the sensor unit 2 automatically detected in the event of a patient fall. The acceleration sensor 27 is with the microcontroller 11 coupled to a control action of the microcontroller in case of a patient fall 11 bring about. Upon detection of a patient's fall, it may be provided to automatically provide critical vital signs values 7 and / or the vital signs values recorded prior to the occurrence of the patient's fall 7 and / or the vital function values recorded after the fall of the patient 7 via the transmission unit 3 to the system center 4 and / or directly to the receiving unit 5 for example, for immediate assessment by a physician. Together with the vital signs values 7 A warning may be transmitted to the lintel in the form of an SMS or the like.

The illustrated system 1 is not limited to the field of telecardiology and can in principle also for the recording, processing, evaluation, storage, transmission and / or preferably presentation of other vital function values 7 , as for example of blood sugar levels, be formed and used, even if this is not explicitly described in detail.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

1

system

2

sensor unit

3

transmission unit

4

Systemzentrale

5

receiver unit

6

amplifier

7

Vital function value

8th

A / D converter

9

filter

10

compression unit

11

microcontroller

12

Short-term memory

13

Storage

14

Long-term memory

15

Communication Interface

16

communication network

17

controls

18

display

19

receiver

20

Communication Interface

21

cache

22

Database

23

Router

24

receiver

25

display

26

Storage

27

accelerometer

QUOTES INCLUDE IN THE DESCRIPTION

This list of the documents listed by the applicant has been generated automatically and is included solely for the better information of the reader. The list is not part of the German patent or utility model application. The DPMA assumes no liability for any errors or omissions.

Cited patent literature

• DE 102008003321 A1 [0002]

Claims (10)

Method for recording, evaluating, storing, processing, transmitting and / or displaying vital function values ( 7 ), in particular ECG sections, with a telemedicine system ( 1 ), whereby the system ( 1 ) at least one sensor unit ( 2 ), at least one transmission unit ( 3 ), a system center ( 4 ) and at least one receiving unit ( 5 ), wherein the vital function values ( 7 ) from the sensor unit ( 2 ) are automatically recorded and, preferably, automatically evaluated in order to detect critical functional value deviations, and, more preferably, automatically stored and / or processed, wherein at least one vital function value ( 7 ), preferably at least one critical vital function value ( 7 ) in the case of one of the sensor unit ( 2 ) detected critical value deviation, automatically from the sensor unit ( 2 ) to the transmission unit ( 3 ), wherein at least one critical vital function value ( 7 ) automatically from the transmission unit ( 3 ) to the system center ( 4 ) and from the system center ( 4 ) preferably after further storage and / or further evaluation and / or further processing automatically wirelessly to the receiving unit ( 5 ) and / or wherein at least one critical vital function value ( 7 ) automatically from the transmission unit ( 3 ) directly wirelessly to the receiving unit ( 5 ) is transmitted. Method according to claim 1, characterized in that the vital function values ( 7 ) are stored continuously and in the case of a recognized critical function value deviation at least one critical vital function value ( 7 ) automatically together with vital function values stored before the critical function value deviation ( 7 ) and together with further vital function values stored after the critical functional value deviation ( 7 ) is transmitted. Method according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the sensor unit ( 2 ) and / or the transmission unit ( 3 ) a short term memory ( 12 ) and a long-term memory ( 14 ), all vital function values ( 7 ) automatically and continuously in the long-term memory ( 14 ) and in the temporary memory ( 12 ) and wherein, preferably, at least one critical vital function value ( 7 ) together with vital function values stored before the critical functional value deviation ( 7 ) and together with further vital function values stored after the critical functional value deviation ( 7 ) automatically from the temporary memory ( 12 ) into a third memory ( 13 ) are transferred. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the recorded vital function values ( 7 ) from the sensor unit ( 2 ) to the transmission unit ( 3 ) via a wireless communication interface ( 15 ) be transmitted. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that manually and / or by remote control by the system center ( 4 ) different critical function value deviations can be defined, in the occurrence of which an automatic storage and / or automatic transmission of vital function values ( 7 ) he follows. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that a device setting of the sensor unit ( 2 ) and / or the transmission unit ( 3 ) from the system center ( 4 ) wirelessly over the communications network ( 16 ), wherein, preferably, after a change in the device setting, a confirmation message from the sensor unit ( 2 ) and / or the transmission unit ( 3 ) to the system center ( 4 ) wirelessly over the communications network ( 16 ) is transmitted. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the transmission of stored vital function values ( 7 ) to the system center ( 4 ) from the system center ( 4 ) and / or from the receiving unit ( 5 ) wirelessly over the communications network ( 16 ) is controlled. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the to the system center ( 4 ) transmitted vital function values ( 7 ) automatically after receiving from the system center ( 4 ) and, depending on the classification, automatically to different receiving stations ( 5 ) and / or with different priority. Method for recording, evaluating, storing, processing, transmitting and / or displaying vital function values ( 7 ), in particular of ECG sections and / or in particular according to one of the preceding claims, with a telemedical system ( 1 ), whereby the system ( 1 ) at least one sensor unit ( 2 ), at least one transmission unit ( 3 ), a system center ( 4 ) and at least one receiving unit ( 5 ), wherein vital function values ( 7 ) from the sensor unit ( 2 ) and after being stored via the transmission unit ( 3 ) to the system center ( 4 ) and from the system center ( 4 ) to the receiving unit ( 5 ), wherein the spatial acceleration and / or deceleration of the sensor unit occurring during a patient fall ( 2 ) by at least one acceleration sensor ( 27 ) of the sensor unit ( 2 ) is detected and wherein at Detection of an abrupt change in the speed of the sensor unit ( 2 ) as a result of a patient's fall an automatic transmission of vital signs ( 7 ) he follows. System ( 1 ) for recording, evaluating, storing, processing, transmitting and / or displaying vital function values ( 7 ), in particular of ECG sections, in particular designed for carrying out a method according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the system comprises at least one sensor unit ( 2 ) designed for automatic recording and automatic transmission of vital function values ( 7 ) to at least one of the sensor units ( 2 ) associated transmission unit ( 3 ) of the system, and, preferably, for automatic evaluation, storage and / or preparation of vital function values ( 7 ) for transmission to the transmission unit ( 3 ), the transmission unit ( 3 ) is designed for the automatic transmission of the vital function values ( 7 ) via a communications network ( 16 ) to a system center ( 4 ) of the system and wherein the system center ( 4 ) is designed to receive and automatically transmit the vital function values ( 7 ) to at least one receiving unit ( 5 ) of the system, in particular of a doctor or a hospital, and, preferably, for the automatic further evaluation and / or for the automatic further preparation of the vital function values ( 7 ).

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