Wireless physiology monitor

摘要

The present invention provides a new non-invasive technique for organ, e.g., heart and lung, monitoring. In at least one embodiment of the invention, a subject is radiated with a non-harmful and relatively low power electromagnetic source diagnostic signal normally associated with a communications protocol such as, but not limited to a version of the IEEE 802.11(x) family of protocols in the 2.4, 3.6, or 5 GHz spectrum bands. After passing through the patient, a return signal is acquired from the patient and compared to the original source signal. The differences between the source and modified signals are then analyzed to monitor the heart, e.g., measure heart rate and detect defects within the heart, and the lung. For example, using Doppler Effect principles, heart rate and motion can be measured from the differences in frequency, phase, and/or wavelength between the source signal and the modified signal reflected back from the heart moving within the patient.

主权项

1. A method for non-invasive physiology monitoring of a living subject, the method implemented on a physiology monitoring device and comprising the steps of:
acquiring, at the physiology monitoring device, a first modulated signal associated with an IEEE 802.11(x) orthogonal frequency-division multiplexing (OFDM) communications protocol, wherein the first modulated signal is generated by a source other than the physiology monitoring device and has passed through tissue of the living subject, combining, at the physiology monitoring device, the first modulated signal with itself to form a combined signal, and processing, at the physiology monitoring device, the combined signal to monitor a physiological function of an organ of the living subject.