Patient monitoring system with gatekeeper signal

Abstract

A gatekeeper electronic signal can be generated by a patient sensor and/or in an intermediate device, such as an electrical cable, that is separate from a patient's physiological information electronic signal. The gatekeeper signal can be generated to indicate to a computer monitor that the sensor and/or cable is of the type that is compatible with, and/or usable with, such computer monitor, and/or that the sensor and/or cable is properly attached to the computer monitor. The gatekeeper signal can be created by an ambient temperature sensor on, or in electrical communication with, the patient monitor, and/or the gatekeeper signal can be created by a gatekeeper electronic signal generator to simulate an ambient temperature value. The gatekeeper signal can be separate from an electronic signal or plurality of signals that include patient physiological information, and the gatekeeper signal may not include any patient physiological information.

1 . A method of enabling cardiac monitoring comprising:
 providing to a user a disposable cardiac-monitoring device comprising at least one pressure sensor configured to be in fluid communication with a patient's blood vessel to sense a pressure wave in the patient's blood vessel, and configured to be in electrical communication with a computer processor to transmit at least one physiologically derived electrical signal to the computer processor that indicates a cardiac parameter of a patient, and configured to generate a verification signal that indicates or simulates an ambient temperature at the disposable cardiac-monitoring device outside of the fluid region, the verification signal not being required to calibrate or otherwise modify the physiologically derived electrical signal;   instructing a user to attach the disposable cardiac-monitoring device so as to be in fluid communication with the patient's blood vessel; and   instructing a user to attach the disposable cardiac-monitoring device so as to be in electrical communication with the computer processor.   
     
     
         2 . A method of enabling cardiac monitoring of a patient comprising:
 obtaining a disposable cardiac-monitoring device; attaching the cardiac-monitoring device so as to be in fluid communication with a patient's vasculature; and attaching the cardiac-monitoring device so as to be in electrical communication with a computer processor, thereby permitting the cardiac-monitoring device to sense a pressure wave in the patient's vasculature and transmit a pressure-wave signal to the computer processor and permitting the cardiac-monitoring device to create a second signal that indicates or simulates a temperature at the cardiac monitoring device outside of a region of the cardiac-monitoring device that contains fluid.   
     
     
         3 . A gatekeeper signal-generating device configured to be attachable so as to be in electrical communication with a medical computer processor and a disposable patient pressure sensor having a liquid-receiving region configured to receive liquid during use, the gatekeeper signal-generating device comprising:
 a signal generator configured to send a gatekeeper electrical signal to the medical computer processor that indicates or simulates an ambient temperature, outside of the liquid-receiving region, the gatekeeper electrical signal being isolated from and not configured to be used to modify or calibrate any patient-information signal;   a first electrical connector configured to attach the gatekeeper signal-generating device to the medical computer processor; and   a second electrical connector configured to attach the gatekeeper signal-generating device to the disposable patient pressure sensor.   
     
     
         4 . The combination of the gatekeeper signal-generating device of  claim 3  and the medical computer processor. 
     
     
         5 . The combination of the gatekeeper signal-generating device of  claim 3  and the disposable patient pressure sensor. 
     
     
         6 . The gatekeeper signal-generating device of  claim 3  in electrical communication with an electrical cable. 
     
     
         7 . The gatekeeper signal-generating device of  claim 6  embedded in an electrical cable.