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Patient monitoring apparatus and method for orthosis and other devicesRelated Patent Categories: Surgery: Kinesitherapy, Kinesitherapy, Means For Passive Movement Of Disabled Extremity To Return Natural Range Of MotionPatient monitoring apparatus and method for orthosis and other devices description/claimsThe Patent Description & Claims data below is from USPTO Patent Application 20070135738, Patient monitoring apparatus and method for orthosis and other devices. Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION [0001] The present application is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No. 10/421,965 for PATIENT MONITORING APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR ORTHOSIS AND OTHER DEVICES, filed on Apr. 23, 2003, the content of which is incorporated by reference in its entirety. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0002] 1. Field of the Invention [0003] The present invention relates to a patient monitoring system and method that can be used, for example, with an orthosis for physical therapy. [0004] 2. Description of Related Art [0005] In the field of medicine, rehabilitation after surgery or other major medical procedures has been an important issue for researchers. As shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,395,303; 5,285,773; 5,213,094; 5,167,612; 6,502,577; 6,113,562 and 5,848,979, continuous passive motion has been used to treat conditions such as the glenohumeral joint adhesive capsulitis. These patents teach using stretching principles in order to treat one of the major problems patients are referred to physical therapists for: lack of a full range of motion in their joints. The orthosis devices of these patents simulate manual therapy techniques used in clinical settings, combining the principles of stress relaxation and progressive stretch to achieve permanent elongation of soft tissue. [0006] Once a patient has been prescribed treatment with one of the rehabilitation orthosis devices, a major concern is patient education and compliance. To maximize improvement in range of motion the patient must comply with the prescribed protocol and the patient improvement must be tracked. The exercise protocol for these orthosis devices is well established, and should be followed closely to ensure the best treatment possible. First, the patient fits the orthosis as specified by the device specific instructions. Then the patient rotates the knob of the orthosis device until a slight stretch is felt. This stretch should not be painful. Now the patient holds this position for a predetermined time period (e.g., five minutes), and then this procedure is repeated for a predetermined number of stretches (e.g., 6 stretches). During the first week of the patient's treatment, typically one session a day is performed. During the second week, typically two sessions per day are performed. During the third and following weeks, typically three sessions per day are performed. [0007] The above described orthosis devices allow the patient to do these sessions outside of the confines of the doctor's or physical therapist's office. Due to the fact that there are no medically trained personnel to oversee this treatment, the opportunity to stray from the protocol is introduced. In addition, the patient is responsible for the tracking of his or her own progress until reporting back to the physical therapist or doctor. Both of these conditions have the possibility of introducing a high margin of error. Most recently, physicians have expressed an interest in keeping better records of an individual patient's progress during the rehabilitation process. Unfortunately, in many cases, since the rehabilitation process occurs mostly within the confines of the patient's home, it is difficult for a physician to keep an accurate record of the patient's progress. [0008] There are other areas in which patient education and compliance outside the immediate supervision of a health care professional remain problematic. For example, electrical stimulation of bone growth for treatment of fractures requires a regime of therapy that demands patient adherence in order to optimize the stimulatory effects. [0009] Thus, there exists a need for an improved patient monitoring system and method. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION [0010] The present invention provides a monitor for use with a device, such as an orthosis device, that detects the type of orthosis device to which the monitor is attached, so that the monitor may access the correct parameters and/or firmware appropriate for the attached orthosis device without the need for such parameters and/or firmware being downloaded to the monitor. [0011] The present invention also provides a monitor for use with an orthosis device that provides assurances the patient is actually wearing the orthosis device during his/her exercise period and is not falsifying usage, such assurances being provided by taking temperature measurements showing that the orthosis device is being properly used. [0012] The present invention also provides a monitor used with an orthosis device having first and second carriage members for rehabilitative stretching by a patient during physical therapy. The monitor takes position measurements of the carriage members to determine if a stretch is being held in accordance with a stretching protocol. [0013] In another embodiment, the monitoring system notifies the patient that the time period for holding a stretch has terminated in accordance with a stretching protocol. [0014] Consistent with the title of this section, the above summary is not intended to be an exhaustive discussion of all the features or embodiments of the present invention. A more complete, although not necessarily exhaustive, description of the features and embodiments of the invention are found in the section entitled "Detailed Description Of The Preferred Embodiments". BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS [0015] A more complete appreciation of the present invention and many of the attendant advantages thereof will be readily obtained as the same becomes better understood by reference to the following detailed description when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein: [0016] FIG. 1 is a view of an illustrative orthosis device used with the monitor in accordance with the present invention. [0017] FIG. 2 is an enlarged sectional view of tower of FIG. 1 including the drive mechanism. [0018] FIG. 3 is a block diagram of the monitoring system in accordance with the present invention. [0019] FIG. 4 is a block diagram of the hardware used in the monitor of the present invention when in the treatment mode of operation. [0020] FIG. 5 is a block diagram of the hardware used in the monitor of the present invention when in the data transfer mode of operation. 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