JP2009056118A - Medical instrument monitor - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To permit even a single instrument to be easily inspected without arranging necessary medical instruments. <P>SOLUTION: The medical instrument monitor stores an alarm sound in a second storage section 7 as testing sound data. A testing control section 6 reproduces the sound data stored in the second storage section 7 by a reproduction section 9 and outputs it from a speaker 10. The monitor inputs the output testing sound by a microphone 1, converts it to a testing pulse signal by a conversion section 2 and judges whether it coincides with frequency data by a detection section 4. Thus, during testing, the monitor outputs sound data stored in the second storage section 7 from the speaker 10 as a testing sound, inputs it by the microphone 1, and compares it with frequency data stored in a first storage section 3. Consequently, the monitor can easily inspect even a single instrument without requiring much labor including the arrangement of necessary medical instruments. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2009,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a medical device monitoring apparatus that monitors a medical device by recognizing an alarm sound of a medical device used by a resident in a medical facility such as a hospital, a clinic, or a care facility.

  For example, in a hospital as a medical facility, an act of monitoring a patient's situation is performed using a medical device that measures biological information of a hospitalized patient or a medical device that detects a medical situation for a hospitalized patient. Yes. When using such a medical device, if the medical device goes into an abnormal state, it affects the life of the patient, so when the medical device goes into an abnormal state, it can be used by nurses and doctors. There are medical devices having a function of generating an alarm sound for notification.

  However, in order for a medical worker to grasp the alarm sound emitted by the medical device body, the medical worker must always be in the vicinity of the medical device, and to monitor all medical devices, many personnel are required. This necessitates a problem that the work efficiency of medical staff is significantly impaired. Further, if the medical device is neglected, there is a case where a medical worker does not notice the alarm sound generated by the medical device, which causes a medical accident.

  By the way, in order to notify that the medical device is generating an alarm sound, the nurse call device and the medical device are connected via an outlet provided on the wall surface of the hospital room, and the alarm sound from the medical device is transmitted. There is technology to communicate to. However, there are problems such as differences in the shape of the outlets used for nurse call devices and the interface of medical devices not supporting such technology, which could not be realized with many medical devices.

Therefore, by detecting the sound from the medical device and identifying whether it is a predetermined frequency or a sound in a frequency range exceeding the predetermined frequency, the detected sound is a specific sound. A medical device monitoring apparatus for determining whether or not there is known (for example, Patent Document 1). Accordingly, it is possible to issue a signal to the nurse call facility in response to only the alarm sound emitted by the medical device.
JP 2006-95263 A

  By the way, it is necessary to test whether the conventional medical device monitoring apparatus including the above-described Patent Document 1 reacts reliably to the alarm sound from the medical device. When using a medical device monitoring apparatus, it is possible to actually operate the medical device and sound an alarm sound to perform a test, but the medical device monitoring device alone cannot be tested. For this reason, when performing a test, a great amount of labor is required such as preparing necessary medical devices, which makes it difficult to inspect the medical device monitoring apparatus.

  The present invention has been made to solve such problems, so that it is possible to easily perform an inspection such as an operation test even with a single medical device monitoring device without preparing a necessary medical device. The purpose is to do.

  In order to solve the above-described problems, in the present invention, the width of each pulse of a pulse signal obtained by converting an alarm sound generated by a medical device is stored in advance in the first storage unit as frequency data. In this state, when the medical device emits an alarm sound, the audio input unit inputs an input sound including the alarm sound, and the conversion unit converts the input sound into an input sound signal, and the band of the alarm sound is converted from the input sound signal. Are extracted and converted to pulse signals. The detection unit determines whether the pulse width of the pulse signal converted by the conversion unit is similar to the pulse width of the frequency data read from the first storage unit, and determines the frequency data and the frequency data based on the number of similar pulses. The coincidence with the pulse signal is determined. On the other hand, the alarm sound is stored in the second storage unit as test voice data. When the test is performed in this state, the test control unit reproduces the test audio data stored in the second storage unit and outputs it from the sound emission unit. Then, the output test voice is input through the input unit, converted into a test pulse signal by the conversion unit, and the detection unit determines whether or not it matches the frequency data.

  According to the present invention configured as described above, an alarm sound equivalent to the alarm sound emitted by the medical device is stored as sound data in the second storage unit, and the sound data is used as a test sound during the test. Since it is output from the sound emitting unit, input by the voice input unit, and compared with the frequency data stored in the first storage unit in the same manner as the actual processing, the necessary medical equipment is prepared, etc. An inspection such as an operation test can be easily performed even with a single medical device monitoring device without much effort.

  Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration example of the medical device monitoring apparatus according to the present embodiment. In this embodiment, a case where an alarm sound of a medical device used by a patient near a hospital bed in a hospital room is set as a detection target will be described as an example of a medical device used in a hospital. As shown in FIG. 1, the medical device monitoring apparatus according to the present embodiment includes a microphone (corresponding to a voice input unit in claims) 1, a conversion unit 2, a first storage unit 3, a detection unit 4, and an interface 5. , Test control unit 6, second storage unit 7, test operation unit 8, reproduction unit (corresponding to the test audio data reproduction unit in claims) 9, speaker (in the sound emission unit in the claims) (Applicable) 10 is provided. Further, as shown in FIG. 2, the detection unit 4 includes an address counter 4a, a control circuit 4b, a pulse width measurement circuit 4c, a pulse width comparison circuit 4d, a pulse width similarity counter 4e, and a coincidence detection circuit 4f. Yes.

  The microphone 1 is used in the vicinity of a medical device. Moreover, the microphone 1 inputs a sound including an alarm sound emitted from a medical device as an input sound. The converter 2 converts the input sound input to the microphone 1 into an input sound signal that is an analog electric signal. Moreover, the conversion part 2 takes out the sound signal of the zone | band currently used for the alarm sound of a medical device from the converted input sound signal. Here, the conversion unit 2 uses a comparator or the like to select whether the extracted sound signal is from a medical device installed in the vicinity of the microphone 1. For this reason, a threshold of a predetermined level is set in advance in the comparator. This threshold value is set to a level at which a sound signal corresponding to the sound of the minimum volume output from the medical device is detected. Thus, when the sound signal exceeds the threshold value, the comparator sends an enable signal indicating that the sound signal is effective as a recognition process target to the detection unit 4. Further, when the sound signal is equal to or lower than the threshold value, the comparator sends a disable signal indicating that the sound signal is ignored to the detection unit 4.

  The conversion unit 2 converts the extracted analog sound signal into a digital sound signal, in other words, a pulse signal. The alarm sound from the medical device is usually different for each medical device, and is basically a simple sinusoidal repetitive sound. As a result, the pulse signal becomes a pulse train that is different for each medical device and is simply repeated. Conversion from an analog sound signal to a pulse signal is performed using a known technique.

  The 1st memory | storage part 3 has memorize | stored beforehand each pulse width of the pulse signal corresponding to the alarm sound which the medical device of a detection target emits as frequency data. In storing, first, the level of an alarm sound emitted by the medical device is detected. When the sound has a volume higher than a certain level, the conversion unit 2 converts the analog sound signal into a pulse signal. Then, each pulse width of the pulse signal is counted and measured by a counter (not shown), and the first storage unit 3 sequentially stores each counter value as frequency data.

  The detection unit 4 is configured by a programmable LSI or the like, and forms the configuration of FIG. 2 by programming. With this configuration, the detection unit 4 performs recognition processing on the pulse signal from the conversion unit 2. That is, when the detection unit 4 receives a pulse of the pulse signal from the conversion unit 2, the detection unit 4 measures the width of the pulse. Further, the detection unit 4 reads out a pulse of frequency data from the first storage unit 3. Thereafter, the detection unit 4 compares the pulse width of the read frequency data with the pulse width of the pulse signal, performs coincidence detection by counting the number of similar detections and the number of pulse widths, and the input sound of the microphone 1 is detected. It is determined whether or not the alarm sound included in can be regarded as the same as the alarm sound corresponding to the frequency data.

  The interface 5 is for connecting the medical device monitoring apparatus according to the present embodiment and the nurse call device, and the detection unit 4 notifies the determination result to the nurse call device via the interface 5.

  Specifically, the address counter 4a of the detection unit 4 counts the number of pulses of the pulse signal output from the conversion unit 2, generates a memory address corresponding to the count value, and outputs the memory address to the control circuit 4b. The control circuit 4 b controls reading of frequency data from the first storage unit 3. That is, when receiving the memory address from the address counter 4a, the control circuit 4b reads out the pulse width stored in the memory address from the first storage unit 3 and sends it to the pulse width comparison circuit 4d. As a result, the control circuit 4b sequentially reads from the leading pulse width of the frequency data and sends it to the pulse width comparison circuit 4d.

  On the other hand, the pulse width measurement circuit 4c of the detection unit 4 sequentially measures the width of the pulse signal received from the conversion unit 2, and sends the pulse width as the measurement result to the pulse width comparison circuit 4d. The pulse width comparison circuit 4d compares the pulse width of the pulse signal received from the pulse width measurement circuit 4c with the pulse width of the frequency data received from the control circuit 4b. When the pulse width of the pulse signal received by the pulse width measurement circuit 4c is within a predetermined range of the pulse width of the frequency data received from the control circuit 4b (for example, 98% to 102%), the pulse width comparison circuit 4d The determination result that both are similar is sent to the pulse width similarity counter 4e. Then, the pulse width similarity counter 4e counts the number of similar pulses. If the number of pulses counted by the pulse width similarity counter 4e is equal to or greater than a predetermined number, the coincidence detection circuit 4f corresponds to the frequency data stored in the first storage unit 3 with the pulse signal received from the conversion unit 2. Performs coincidence detection that is considered to coincide with the pulse signal.

  For example, if the numerical value is equal to or greater than a certain ratio (for example, 25% or more) of the number N (for example, 512) of pulse widths stored in the first storage unit 3, coincidence detection is performed. When the coincidence detection circuit 4f determines that the two pulse signals coincide with each other, the coincidence detection circuit 4f notifies the nurse call device that the medical device is in an abnormal state via the interface 5. Here, the coincidence detection circuit 4f performs coincidence detection only while receiving the enable signal from the comparator of the conversion unit 2, and pauses coincidence detection while receiving the disable signal from the comparator of the conversion unit 2.

  The test control unit 6 controls the second storage unit 7, the test operation unit 8, and the playback unit 9 as described later. The second storage unit 7 stores the alarm sound generated by the medical device to be detected as test sound data. Here, the test audio data stored in the second storage unit 7 may be stored in any form as long as it can be reproduced by the reproduction unit 9 described later. When storing test voice data, first, an alarm sound generated by a medical device to be recognized is recorded in advance. That is, when the microphone 1 is installed in the vicinity of the medical device, and a recording start operation unit (not shown) is operated to sound an alarm sound of the medical device, the test control unit 6 stores an alarm sound in the second storage unit 7. Is stored as a test voice. When the medical device monitoring apparatus according to the present embodiment is used for a plurality of medical devices, each alarm sound is stored in the second storage unit 7 so as to be identifiable.

  The test operation unit 8 is operated when performing a test operation of the medical device monitoring apparatus according to the present embodiment. The reproduction unit 9 reads out and reproduces the test audio data stored in the second storage unit 7, and depends on the form of the test audio data stored in the second storage unit 7. The configuration is different. The reproduction process of the reproduction unit 9 can be realized using a known technique. The speaker 10 outputs test audio data reproduced by the reproducing unit 9 as test audio, and is preferably arranged with an appropriate distance from the microphone 1.

  When the test operation unit 8 is operated, the test control unit 6 operates the reproduction unit 9 and the speaker 10. The reproduction unit 9 reads test audio data from the second storage unit 7 and performs reproduction processing. The speaker 10 outputs test audio data reproduced by the reproduction unit 9 as test audio. In this state, the test control unit 6 operates the microphone 1, the conversion unit 2, the first storage unit 3, the detection unit 4, and the interface 5. The microphone 1 inputs a test sound emitted from the speaker 10 as an input sound. The converter 2 converts the input sound input to the microphone 1 into an input sound signal that is an analog electric signal. Moreover, the conversion part 2 takes out the sound signal of the zone | band currently used for the alarm sound of a medical device from the converted input sound signal. The conversion unit 2 converts the extracted analog sound signal into a digital sound signal, in other words, a pulse signal.

The detection unit 4 performs recognition processing on the pulse signal from the conversion unit 2. That is, when the detection unit 4 receives a pulse of the pulse signal from the conversion unit 2, the detection unit 4 measures the width of the pulse. Further, the detection unit 4 reads out a pulse of frequency data from the first storage unit 3. Thereafter, the detection unit 4 compares the pulse width of the read frequency data with the pulse width of the pulse signal, performs coincidence detection by counting the number of similar detections and the number of pulse widths, and the input sound of the microphone 1 is detected. It is determined whether or not the alarm sound included in can be regarded as the same as the alarm sound corresponding to the frequency data. The test control unit 6 inputs data indicating the determination result from the detection unit 4, and in the case of a determination result that they match, the test control unit 6 notifies the notifying unit (not shown) that the medical device monitoring apparatus is normal. On the other hand, in the case of a determination result that they do not match, the notification unit notifies that the medical device monitoring apparatus is in an abnormal state.
And the sound signal is sent to the comparator 4 and the conversion circuit 5.

  As described above in detail, according to the present embodiment, the width of each pulse of the pulse signal obtained by converting the alarm sound generated by the medical device is stored in advance in the first storage unit 3 as frequency data. In this state, when the medical device emits an alarm sound, the microphone 1 inputs an input sound including the alarm sound, and the conversion unit 2 converts the input sound into an input sound signal, and the band of the alarm sound from the input sound signal. Are extracted and converted to pulse signals. The detection unit 4 determines whether the pulse width of the pulse signal converted by the conversion unit 2 is similar to the pulse width of the frequency data read from the first storage unit 3, and the number of similar pulses is determined. A match between the frequency data and the pulse signal is determined. On the other hand, the alarm sound is stored in the second storage unit 7 as test sound data. When the test operation unit 8 is operated in this state, the test control unit 6 reproduces the test audio data stored in the second storage unit 7 by the reproduction unit 9 and outputs the test audio from the speaker 10. Output as. The output test sound is input by the microphone 1 and converted to a test pulse signal by the conversion unit 2, and the detection unit 4 determines whether or not it matches the frequency data.

  As a result, an alarm sound equivalent to the alarm sound emitted by the medical device is stored in the second storage unit 7 as sound data. During the test, the sound data is output from the speaker 10 as test sound, and the microphone 1 Since the comparison with the frequency data stored in the first storage unit 3 is performed in the same manner as in the actual processing, medical care can be performed without much effort such as preparing necessary medical equipment. Inspections such as operation tests can be easily performed even with a single device monitoring device.

  In addition, the said embodiment is only what showed the example of actualization in implementing this invention, and, as a result, the technical scope of this invention should not be interpreted limitedly. In other words, the present invention can be implemented in various forms without departing from the spirit or main features thereof.

It is a block diagram which shows the structural example of the medical device monitoring apparatus by this embodiment. It is a block diagram which shows the structural example of the detection part of the medical device monitoring apparatus by this embodiment.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Microphone 2 Conversion part 3 1st memory | storage part 4 Detection part 5 Interface 6 Test control part 7 2nd memory | storage part 8 Test operation part 9 Playback | regeneration part 10 Speaker

Claims (1)

A first storage unit that stores, as frequency data, the width of each pulse of a pulse signal obtained by digitally converting an alarm sound generated by a medical device;
A voice input unit for inputting external voice including the alarm sound;
A converter that converts the sound input to the sound input unit into an input sound signal, extracts a signal in the band of the alarm sound from the input sound signal, and converts the signal into a pulse signal;
It is determined whether the width of each pulse of the pulse signal converted by the conversion unit is similar to the width of each pulse of the frequency data read from the first storage unit, and the number of similar pulses is equal to or greater than a predetermined value. A detector that determines that the frequency data and the pulse signal coincide with each other;
A second storage unit for storing the alarm sound as test voice data;
A test audio data reproducing unit for reading out and reproducing the test audio data from the second storage unit;
A sound emitting unit for outputting the test audio data reproduced by the test audio data reproducing unit as test audio;
During the test, the test sound data reproducing unit and the sound emitting unit are operated, the test sound output from the sound emitting unit is input by the input unit, and the test unit generates a test pulse signal by the converting unit. A test control unit that converts and determines whether or not the frequency data matches the detection unit;
A medical device monitoring apparatus comprising:

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