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Claims  |
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What is claimed is:
1. An apparatus for effecting automatic repetitive detection of at least
one item of living-subject information selected from a plurality of items
of information on a living subject, and for automatically recording the
detected living-subject information in a predetermined two-dimensional
chart area provided on a recording medium, by means of recording
respective indicia representative of said living-subject information, at
respective recording positions in the chart area, which correspond to
times of detection of the living-subject information, comprising:
a sensing device for detecting said living-subject information;
a recording device including a support means for supporting said recording
medium so as to permit manual recording of auxiliary information other
than said living-subject information on the recording medium, and further
including recording means movable relative to said recording medium for
recording said indicia in said chart area; and
control means, responsive to said sensing device, for determining the
recording positions of said indicia based on the detected living-subject
information and said times of detection of said living-subject
information, and for controlling said recording device so as to record
said indicia at the determined recording positions in said chart area.
2. An apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a clock circuit
which generates time signals representative of said times of detection,
said control means determining said recording positions based on said
times signals and said living-subject information.
3. An apparatus according to claim 2, wherein each of said recording
positions on said indicia is determined along a first and a second chart
axis of said two-dimensional chart area, said times of detection and a
value of said detected living-subject information being taken along said
first and second chart axes, respectively, said control means including
alarm means for producing an alarm signal when the recording position
which has been determined last is located outside said chart area in a
direction along said first chart axis.
4. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said control means includes a
detector for producing a signal indicative of the presence or absence of
said recording medium on said support, and means for inhibiting the
recording of said indicia while said signal indicates the absence of said
recording medium, and permitting the recording of said indicia while said
signal indicates the presence of said recording medium.
5. An apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising input means for
specifying a location and a size of said two-dimensional chart area, by
means of tracing a periphery of said chart area, and memory means for
storing area data representative of said location and size of said chart
area entered through said input means, said control means determining the
location and size of said chart area based on said area data stored in
said memory means, and determining said recording positions of said
indicia in the determined chart area, based on said living-subject
information and said times of detection.
6. An apparatus according to claim 5, wherein said input means comprises
means for generating position signals indicative of operator-controlled
movements of said recording means among said periphery of said charge
area, said control means determining said area data based on said position
signals.
7. An apparatus according to claim 5, wherein said input means comprises
operator-controlled means for moving said recording means relative to said
recording medium along said periphery of said chart area, said area data
being stored into said memory means as said operator-controlled means is
operated to move said recording means along said periphery of said chart
area.
8. An apparatus according to claim 5, wherein each of said recording
positions of said indicia is determined along a first and a second chart
axis of said two-dimensional chart area, said times of detection and a
value of said detected living-subject information being taken along said
first and second chart axes, respectively, said input means comprising
operator-controlled means for specifying maximum values that are taken
along said first and second chart axes.
9. An apparatus according to claim 5, wherein said control means comprises
means for moving said recording means according to said area data stored
in said memory means, to permit verification of said location and size of
the specified chart area through movements of said recording means.
10. An apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising input means for
selecting one of a plurality of markings indicative of items of said
auxiliary information, and wherein said control means is responsive to
said input means, for activating said recording device to record the
selected marking in said chart area at a position corresponding to time of
recording of said selected marking, and to record said selected marking at
a corresponding position in an auxliary recording area provided on said
recording medium for recording said auxiliary information.
11. An apparatus according to claim 10, wherein said two dimensional chart
area includes a plurality of recording tracks provided along one of
adjacent two sides thereof, said control means judging whether or not a
marking has been already recorded at a position at which said selected
marking is to be recorded, in one of said plurality of recording tracks,
and recording the selected marking at said position if said judgement is
negative, but recording the selected marking at a position corresponding
to said time in another recording track of said plural recording tracks if
said judgement is affirmative.
12. An apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a display device
for indicating the living-subject information detected by said sensing
device, and operator-controlled means for inhibiting said recording device
from recording the indicia representative of the living-subject
information indicated on said display device, in said chart area.
13. An apparatus according to claim 12, further comprising another
operator-controlled means for activating said sensing device to re-detect
the selected item of living-subject information whose previous value has
been indicated on said display device, said another operator-controlled
means being operable after the operation of said recording device is
inhibited by activation of said operator-controlled means.
14. An apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising judging means for
checking if a value of the living-subject information detected by said
sensing device falls within a predetermined valid range, and inhibiting
means for inhibiting said recording device from recording the indicia
representative of the detected living-subject information if said judging
means judges that the detected value does not fall within said
predetermined valid range.
15. An apparatus according to claim 14, further comprising
operator-controlled means for activating said sensing device to re-detect
the selected item of living-subject information, said operator-controlled
means being operable after said inhibiting means is activated to inhibit
the operation of said recording device.
16. An apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising sensing means for
detecting a location of said predetermined chart area on said recording
medium on said support, and memory means for storing position data
representative of the detected location of said chart area, said control
means determining said recording positions of said indicia in said chart
area, based on the detected living-subject information, said times of
detection and said position data stored in said memory means.
17. An apparatus according to claim 16, wherein said recording device
further includes a carriage capable of holding said recording means and
movable relative to said recording medium, and wherein said sensing means
includes a photosensor which is disposed on said carriage and detects
light reflected by said recording medium, said sensing means detecting the
location of said predetermined chart area on the recording medium by means
of said photosensor.
18. An apparatus according to claim 16, wherein said recording device
further includes a carriage movable relative to said recording medium in
an X direction and a Y direction normal to said X direction, and a holder
member fixed to said support means and capable of holding a plurality of
said recording means, said carriage being capable of selectively fetching
one of said plural recording means from said holder member and returning
said one recording means to said holder member, and wherein said sensing
means includes a light receiving element and an optical fiber which is
connected to said light receiving element at one end thereof and fixed at
the other end thereof to a lower end portion of one of said plural
recording means, said optical fiber receiving light reflected by said
recording medium and transmitting said light to said light receiving
element.
19. An apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising: memory means for
storing said detected living-subject information and position data
representative of said recording positions of the corresponding indicia
which have been recorded in said chart area; operator-controlled means for
commanding re-recording of said corresponding indicia; and re-recording
control means, responsive to said operator-controlled means, for
activating said recording device according to said living-subject
information and said position data stored in said memory means, for
re-recording said corresponding indicia.
20. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said recording device is an
X-Y plotter including drive means for moving said recording means relative
to said recording medium on said support means, along an X axis and a Y
axis in a plane parallel to a recording surface of said recording medium,
said apparatus further comprising: a detector means for detecting a
manual-recording state in which said manual recording of said auxiliary
information on said recording medium is permitted, said detector means
generating a manual-recording signal when said manual-recording state is
detected; and drive control means, responsive to said manual-recording
signal, for controlling said drive means so as to retract said recording
means to a predetermined retracted position which is selected so that said
recording means located at said retracted position will not interfere with
a hand of a person who achieves said manual recording of said auxiliary
information, said recording means being held at said retracted position
while said manual-recording signal is present.
21. An apparatus according to claim 20, wherein said detector means
includes a pen holder for accommodating a marker used for effecting said
manual-recording of said auxiliary information, and a sensor means for
sensing said marker accommodated in said pen holder.
22. An apparatus according to claim 20, wherein said detector means
includes a photoelectric sensor array of reflection type for sensing the
hand of said person positioned above said support means of said recording
device.
23. An apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising: sensor means for
detecting positions of at least two markings provided on said recording
medium such that said markings are spaced apart from each other by a
predetermined nominal distance from each other in a plane parallel to said
recording medium; determining means for determining an actual distance
between said two markings based on the detected positions thereof, and
determining a ratio of said determined actual distance to said nominal
distance, which indicates a degree of shrinkage or expansion of said
recording medium; and compensation means for modifying drive signals to be
applied to drive means to operate said recording means according to said
ratio, so as to compensate said recording positions of said indicia for a
variation of said actual distance from said nominal distance.
24. An apparatus according to claim 23, wherein said determining means
determines said ratio before said recording device records said indicia,
or at predetermined time intervals during an entire period of recording of
said indicia on said recording medium.
25. An apparatus according to claim 23, wherein said chart area is
substantially rectangular and said at least two markings include a pair of
first markings which are spaced from each other by a first nominal
distance along a first axis parallel to one of two adjacent sides of said
chart area, and a pair of second markings which are spaced from each other
by a second nominal distance along a second axis parallel to the other of
said two adjacent sides, said sensor means detecting a first actual
distance between said first markings, and a second actual distance between
said second markings, said determining means determining a first ratio of
said first actual distance to said first nominal distance, and a second
ratio of said second actual distance to said second nominal distance, said
compensation means modifying said drive signals according to the
determined first and second ratios, to compensate said recording positions
of said indicia for variations of said first and second actual distances
from said first and second nominal distances, respectively.
26. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said plurality of items of
information on a living body comprise blood pressure, heart rate,
respiration rate, body temperature, concentration of an anesthetic
contained in the expiration, and degree of saturation of oxygen in the
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Claims |
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Description |
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BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Art
The present invention relates in general to a living-body information
recorder, and more particularly to an apparatus for effecting automatic
repetitive detection of items of living-body information such as blood
pressure, heart rate and breathing rate, and for automatically recording
the detected living-body information in a two-dimensional chart area
provided on a record sheet.
2. Related Art Statement
A plurality of items of living-body information on a patient are recorded
in a predetermined two-dimensional chart area provided on a record sheet
by means of recording respective indicia representative of the items, such
as blood pressure, heart rate, breathing rate, body temperature, degree of
saturation of oxygen in the blood, and concentration of a gaseous
anesthetic contained in the expiration, so as to monitor the timewise
varying trends of conditions of the patient during a surgical operation or
in an intensive care unit (ICU). Such recordings of the living-body
information, however, have been manually conducted by medical staff
members.
Problem Solved by the Invention
It is time-consuming and troublesome to record the items of living-body
information displayed by a monitor, in a predetermined two-dimensional
chart area on the record sheet, because the number of medical staff
members is apt to come short and they are very busy working in the
hospital. As a result, the manual recordings of the living-body
information might be conducted with errors.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is therefore an object of the present invention to eliminate the
time-consuming and troublesome job of manually recording living-body
information in a record sheet.
It is another object of the invention to prevent the erroneous recordings
of living-body information in the record sheet.
According to the present invention, there is provided an apparatus for
effecting automatic repetitive detection of at least one item of
living-subject information selected from a plurality of items of
information on a living subject, and for automatically recording the
detected living-subject information in a predetermined two-dimensional
chart area provided on a recording medium, by means of recording
respective indicia representative of the living-subject information, at
respective recording positions in the chart area, which correspond to
times of detection of the living-subject information, including: (A) a
sensing device for detecting the living-subject information; (B) a
recording device including a support for supporting the recording medium
so as to permit manual recording of auxiliary information other than the
living-subject information on the recording medium, and further including
recording means movable relative to the recording medium for recording the
indicia in the chart area; and (C) control means, responsive to the
sensing device, for determining the recording positions of the indicia
based on the detected living-subject information and the times of
detection of the living-subject information, and for controlling the
recording device so as to record the indicia at the determined recording
positions in the chart area.
In the apparatus constructed as described above, the auxiliary information
other than the living-body information which includes the names of
medicines administered to the living subject, the times at which the
medicines are administered, and the titles of medical treatments applied
to the living subject, can be recorded by the operator or other members in
a predetermined area other than the two dimensional chart area on the
recording medium even during the automatic recording operation of the
apparatus.
In accordance with an advantageous embodiment of the invention, the
apparatus further includes a clock circuit which generates time signals
representative of the times of detection, and the control means determines
the recording positions based on the time signals and the living-subject
information.
In a preferred form of the above-indicated embodiment, each of the
recording positions of the indicia is determined along a first and a
second chart axis of the two-dimensional chart area, and the times of
detection and a value of the detected living-subject information are taken
along the first and second chart axes, respectively. The control means
includes alarm means for producing an alarm signal when the recording
position which has been determined last is located outside the chart area
in a direction along the first chart axis.
This form of the apparatus permits the operator to replace the recording
medium by another at a time at which the recording medium cannot be
recorded any longer. Therefore, it assures reliable recordings of the
living-subject information.
According to another embodiment of the invention, the control means
includes a detector for producing a signal indicative of the presence or
absence of the recording medium on said support, and means for inhibiting
the recording of the indicia while the signal indicates the absence of the
recording medium, and permitting the recording of the indicia while the
signal indicates the presence of the recording medium.
Since the above-indicated embodiment of the apparatus is inhibited from
recording of the indicia while the recording medium is absent on the
support, it assures reliable recordings like the previously-indicated
preferred form of the invention.
According to a further embodiment of the invention, the apparatus further
includes input means for specifying a location and a size of the
two-dimensional chart area, by means of tracing a periphery of the chart
area, and memory means for storing area data representative of the
location and size of the chart area entered through the input means, and
the control means determines the location and size of the chart area based
on the area data stored in the memory means, and determines the recording
positions of the indicia in the determined chart area, based on the
living-subject information and the times of detection. The input means may
include means for generating position signals indicative of
operator-controlled movements of the recording means along the periphery
of the chart area, so that the control means determines the area data
based on the position signals.
The above-indicated embodiment of the apparatus permits accurate recordings
of the indicia in the two dimensional chart area, even though the chart
area is provided out of place with respect to the support due to
out-of-place printing thereof on the recording medium, the shrinkage or
expansion of the recording medium, and/or out-of-place positioning of the
recording medium on the support.
In a preferred form of the above-indicated embodiment, the input means
includes operator-controlled means for moving the recording means relative
to the recording medium along the periphery of the chart area, and the
area data is stored into the memory means as the operator-controlled means
is operated to move the recording means along the periphery of the chart
area.
The above-indicated preferred form of the apparatus permits the operator to
conduct the tracing operation with accuracy, because the operator can
follow the recording means with his eyes.
In another preferred form of the embodiment, each of the recording
positions of the indicia is determined along a first and a second chart
axis of the two-dimensional chart area, and the times of detection and a
value of the detected living-subject information are taken along the first
and second chart axes, respectively. The input means of this form includes
operator-controlled means for specifying maximum values that are taken
along the first and second chart axes.
In still another form of the embodiment, the control means includes means
for moving the recording means according to the area data stored in the
memory means, to permit verification of the location and size of the
specified chart area through movements of the recording means.
According to a still further embodiment of the invention, the apparatus
further includes input means for selecting one of a plurality of markings
indicative of items of the auxiliary information, and the control means is
responsive to the input means, for activating the recording device to
record the selected marking in the chart area at a position corresponding
to the time at which the selected marking is inputted, and to record the
selected marking at a corresponding position in an auxiliary recording
area provided on the recording medium for recording the auxiliary
information.
The above-indicated embodiment makes the operator free from the troublesome
job of writing the indicia corresponding to the items to be recorded, not
only in the two dimensional chart area but in the auxiliary area on the
recording medium. It also eliminates the possibility of an erroneous
recording that an indicia is recorded out of position in the chart area.
In a preferred form of the above-indicated embodiment, the two dimensional
chart area includes a plurality of recording tracks provided along one of
adjacent two sides thereof. The control means judges whether or not a
marking has been already recorded at a position at which the selected
marking is to be recorded, in one of the plurality of recording tracks,
and records the selected marking at the position if the judgement is
negative, but records the selected marking at a position correspondong to
the time in another recording track of the plural recording tracks if the
judgement is affirmative.
According to still another embodiment of the invention, the apparatus
further includes a display device for indicating the living-subject
information detected by the sensing device, and operator-controlled means
for inhibiting the recording device from recording the indicia
representative of the living-subject information indicated on the display
device, in the chart area.
In a preferred form of the above embodiment, the apparatus further includes
another operator-controlled means for activating the sensing device to
re-detect the living-subject information, and the another
operator-controlled means is operable after the operation of the recording
device is inhibited by activation of the operator-controlled means
described in the above paragraph.
According to another embodiment of the invention, the apparatus further
includes juding means for checking if a value of the living-subject
information detected by the sensing device falls within a predetermined
valid range, and inhibiting means for inhibiting the recording device from
recording the indicia representative of the detected living-subject
information, if the judging means judges that the detected value does not
fall within the predetermined valid range.
This embodiment of the apparatus prevents the recording device from
recording erroneous living-subject information due to physical activities
and/or artifact noises of the subject. Therefore, the reliability of the
living-subject information recorded on the recording medium is increased.
In a preferred form of the above-indicated embodiment, the apparatus
further includes operator-controlled means for activating the sensing
device to re-detect the selected item of living-subject information, and
the operator-controlled means is operable after the inhibiting means is
activated to inhibit the operation of the recording device.
This preferred form of the appartus is advantageous in that, in the case
where the erroneous living-subject information is found, a good
measurement of the living-subject information is newly obtained so as to
prevent a lacking of living-subject information in that case.
According to a further embodiment of the invention, the apparatus further
includes sensing means for detecting a location of the predetermined chart
area on the recording medium on the support, and memory means for storing
position data representative of the detected location of the chart area.
The control means determines the recording positions of the indicia in the
chart area, based on the detected living-subject information, the times of
detection and the position data stored in the memory means.
This embodiment of the invention assures accurate recordings of the indicia
in the two dimensional chart area in spite of possibly out-of-place
positioning of the recording medium on the support, or variation of the
location of the chart area on the recording medium due to shrinkage or
expansion of the recording medium and/or inaccurate printing of the chart
area on the recording medium.
In a preferred form of the above-indicated embodiment, the recording device
further includes a carriage capable of holding the recording means and
movable relative to the recording medium, and wherein the sensing means
includes a photosensor which is disposed on the carriage and detects light
reflected by the recording medium. The sensing means detects the location
of the predetermined chart area on the recording medium by means of the
photosensor.
In another preferred form of the embodiment, the recording device further
includes a carriage movable relative to the recording medium in an X
direction and a Y direction normal to the X direction, and a holder member
fixed to the support and capable of holding a plurality of the recording
means. The carriage is capable of selectively fetching one of the plural
recording means from the holder member and returning the one recording
means to the holder member. The sensing means including a light receiving
element and an optical fiber which is connected to the light receiving
element at one end thereof and fixed at the other end thereof to the lower
end portion of one of the plural recording means. The optical fiber
receives light reflected by the recording medium and transmitting the
light to the light receiving element.
According to a still further embodiment of the invention, the apparatus
further includes memory means for storing the detected living-subject
information and position data representative of the recording positions of
the corresponding indicia which have been recorded in the chart area;
operator-controlled means for commanding re-recording of the corresponding
indicia; and re-recording control means, responsive to the
operator-control means, for activating the recording device according to
the living-subject information and the position data stored in the memory
means, for re-recording the corresponding indicia.
In the above-indicated embodiment of the invention, an indicia recorded in
a scratchy or broken state due to shortness or drying of the ink can be
re-recorded so as to allow the operator to read the indicia. Further, a
copy of the recording medium recorded is obtained by means of replacing
the recorded medium by another and operating the operator-controlled
means. In the case where a plurality of recording media are stacked on
each other on the support, the auxiliary information other than the
living-subject information is transcribed from the top recording medium to
the next below one, by means of writing the information in a
(carbon-)copying part of the recording medium with substantial forces.
Moreover, the present embodiment is advantageous in that, in the case
where a plurality of indicia corresponding to the different items of
living-subject information are recorded with respective specified colors,
a copy is obtained such that the indicia recorded on the copy have the
same specified colors as on the original recording medium.
According to still another embodiment of the invention, the recording
device is an X-Y plotter including drive means for moving the recording
means relative to the recording medium on the support, along an X axis and
a Y axis in a plane parallel to a recording surface of the recording
medium, and the apparatus further includes; (A) is detector for detecting
a manual-recording state in which the manual recording of the auxiliary
information on the recording medium is permitted, the detector generating
a manual-recording signal when the manual-recording state is detected; and
(B) drive control means, responsive to the manual-recording signal, for
controlling the drive means so as to retract the recording means to a
predetermined retracted position which is selected so that the recording
means located at the retracted position will not interfere with a hand of
a person who achieves the manual recording of the auxiliary information,
the recording means being held at the retracted position while the
manual-recording signal is present.
The above-indicated embodiment of the invention permits the operator to
perform the manual recording of the auxiliary information with ease,
because it has eliminated the possibility of a sudden starting of the
recording means.
In a preferred form of the above-indicated embodiment, the detector
includes a pen holder for accommodating a marker used for effecting the
manual-recording of the auxiliary information, and a sensor for sensing
the marker accommodated in the pen holder.
In another preferred form of the embodiment, the detector includes a
photoelectric sensor array of reflection type for sensing the hand of the
person positioned above the support of the recording device.
According to a still further embodiment of the invention, the apparatus
further includes: (A) a sensor for detecting positions of at least two
markings provided on the recording medium such that the markings are
spaced apart from each other by a predetermined nominal distance from each
other in a plane parallel to the recording medium; (B) determining means
for determining an actual distance between the two markings based on the
detected positions thereof, and determining a ratio of the determined
actual distance to said nominal distance, which indicates a degree of
shrinkage or expansion of the recording medium; and (C) compensation means
for modifying drive signals to be applied to drive means to operate the
recording means according to the ratio, so as to compensate the recording
positions of the indicia for a variation of the actual distance from the
nominal distance.
The above-indicated embodiment of the invention is advantageous in that the
indicia is accurately recorded in the two dimensional chart area even
though the recording medium is subjected to shrinkage or expansion
thereof.
In a preferred form of the above-indicated embodiment, the determining
means determines the ratio before the recording device records the
indicia, or at predetermined time intervals during an entire period of
recording of the indicia on the recording medium.
In another preferred form of the embodiment, the chart area is
substantially rectangular and the at least two markings include a pair of
first markings which are spaced from each other by a first nominal
distance along a first axis parallel to one of two adjacent sides of the
chart area, and a pair of second markings which are spaced from each other
by a second nominal distance along a second axis parallel to the other of
the two adjacent sides. The sensor detects a first actual distance between
the first markings, and a second actual distance between the second
markings. The determining means determines a first ratio of the first
actual distance to the first nominal distance, and a second ratio of the
second actual distance to the second nominal distance. The compensation
means modifies the drive signals according to the determined first and
second ratios, to compensate the recording postions of the indicia for
variations of the first and second actual distances from the first and
second nominal distances, respectively.
According another embodiment of the present invention, the plurality of
items of information on a living body include blood pressure, heart rate,
respiration rate, body temperature, degree of saturation of oxygen in the
blood, and concentration of an anesthetic contained in the expiratory gas.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING
The above and optional objects, features and advantages of the present
invention will become more apparent from reading the following detailed
description of preferred embodiments of the invention, when considered in
connection with the accompanying drawings in which:
FIG. 1 shows a general arrangement of a preferred embodiment of an
apparatus according to the present invention;
FIG. 2 shows a two dimensional chart area provided on an anesthesia record
sheet which is used with the apparatus of FIG. 1;
FIG. 3 shows an X-Y plotter used for the apparatus of FIG. 1;
FIG. 4 shows a sheet sensor embedded in a support of the X-Y plotter of
FIG. 3;
FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing a control circuit employed for the X-Y
plotter;
FIG. 6 is a block diagram showing a construction of a control device which
is used for the apparatus of FIG. 1;
FIG. 7 is a flow chart showing the operation of the control device of FIG.
6;
FIG. 8 is a view, corresponding to FIG. 1, showing a general arrangement of
another embodiment of the apparatus;
FIG. 9 is a block diagram, corresponding to FIG. 6, showing a construction
of a control device of the apparatus of FIG. 8;
FIGS. 10 and 11 are a flow chart showing the operation of entering the
location and size of a two dimensional chart area in the apparatus,
respectively;
FIG. 12 is a block diagram showing a construction of a control device which
is used in a preferred form of the embodiment of FIG. 8;
FIG. 13 is a flow chart, corresponding to FIG. 11, showing the operation of
entering the size and location of a two dimensional chart area of the form
of FIG. 12;
FIG. 14 is a view, corresponding to FIG. 1, showing a general arrangement
of still another embodiment of the apparatus;
FIG. 15 is a view, corresponding to FIG. 3, showing an X-Y plotter used in
the apparatus of FIG. 14;
FIG. 16 is a block diagram, corresponding to FIG. 6, showing a construction
of a control device of the apparatus;
FIG. 17 is a flow chart, corresponding to FIG. 7, showing the operation of
the control device of FIG. 16;
FIG. 18 is a block diagram, corresponding to FIG. 5, showing a control
circuit for the X-Y plotter of FIG. 15;
FIG. 19 is a view, corresponding to FIG. 2, showing an anesthesia record
sheet used with the apparatus of FIG. 14;
FIGS. 20 and 21 are a flow chart showing the operation of the control
circuit of FIG. 18, respectively;
FIG. 22 is a view, corresponding to FIG. 1, showing a general arrangement
of a further embodiment of the apparatus according to the present
invention;
FIG. 23 is a block diagram, corresponding to FIG. 6, showing a construction
of a control device of the apparatus of FIG. 22;
FIG. 24 is a block diagram, corresponding to FIG. 5, showing a control
circuit used for an X-Y plotter of the apparatus;
FIG. 25 is a flow chart showing the operation of the control circuit of
FIG. 24;
FIGS. 26 and 27 are a flow chart showing the operation of a control device
used in different preferred forms of the embodiment of FIG. 22,
respectively;
FIG. 28 is a view, corresponding to FIG. 3, showing an X-Y plotter of a
still further embodiment of the apparatus;
FIG. 29 is a view showing a photosensor disposed on a carriage of the X-Y
plotter of FIG. 28;
FIG. 30 is a block diagram, corresponding to FIG. 6, showing a construction
of a control device in the apparatus of FIG. 28;
FIGS. 31 and 32 are a flow chart showing the operation of the control
device of FIG. 30, respectively;
FIG. 33 is a view, corresponding to FIG. 1, showing a general arrangement
of another embodiment of the apparatus of the invention;
FIG. 34 is a block diagram, corresponding to FIG. 6, showing a construction
of a control device of the apparatus of FIG. 33;
FIG. 35 is a flow chart, corresponding to FIG. 7, showing the operation of
the control device of FIG. 34;
FIG. 36 is a view, corresponding to FIG. 1, showing a general arrangement
of still another embodiment of the apparatus of the invention;
FIG. 37 is a view, corresponding to FIG. 3, showing an X-Y plotter of the
apparatus of FIG. 36;
FIG. 38 is a view showing a pen sensor which is disposed on the X-Y plotter
of FIG. 37;
FIG. 39 is a block diagram, corresponding to FIG. 5, showing a control
circuit for the X-Y plotter of FIG. 37;
FIG. 40 is a flow chart showing the operation of the control circuit of
FIG. 39;
FIG. 41 is a block diagram, corresponding to FIG. 6, showing a construction
of a control device in the apparatus of FIG. 36;
FIG. 42 is a view showing a manual-recording state detector employed in a
preferred form of the embodiment of FIG. 36;
FIG. 43 is a view, corresponding to FIG. 1, showing a general arrangement
of a further embodiment of the apparatus according to the present
invention;
FIG. 44 is a view showing an X-Y plotter of the apparatus of FIG. 43;
FIG. 45 is a view showing a sheet position sensor disposed on the X-Y
plotter of FIG. 44;
FIG. 46 is a block diagram, corresponding to FIG. 5, showing a control
circuit used for the X-Y plotter;
FIG. 47 is a block diagram, corresponding to FIG. 6, showing a construction
of a control device of the apparatus of FIG. 43;
FIG. 48 is a flow chart showing the operation of the control circuit of
FIG. 46;
FIG. 49 is a view, corresponding to FIG. 1, showing a general arrangement
of a still further embodiment of the apparatus;
FIG. 50 is a view, corresponding to FIG. 3, showing an X-Y plotter of the
apparatus of FIG. 49;
FIG. 51 is a view showing a sensor pen employed in the apparatus of FIG.
49;
FIG. 52(a) is a partially cross sectional view showing an optical fiber
cable disposed in the sensor pen of FIG. 51;
FIG. 52(b) is a bottom view showing an arrangement of the optical fiber
cable;
FIG. 53 is an illustrative view in cross section showing light emission and
light reception of the optical fiber cable;
FIG. 54 is a block diagram, corresponding to FIG. 5, showing a control
circuit for the X-Y plotter of FIG. 50;
FIG. 55 is a block diagram, corresponding to FIG. 6, showing a construction
of a control device in the apparatus of FIG. 49;
FIG. 56 is a view, corresponding to FIG. 52(b), showing another optical
fiber cable employed in the apparatus of FIG. 49; and
FIG. 57 is a view showing an anesthesia record sheet employed in another
embodiment of the apparatus according to the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
To further clarify the present invention, there will be described in detail
preferred embodiments of the apparatus according to the invention for
automatically recording information about a living body on a record sheet,
with reference to the accompanying drawings.
EXAMPLE I
Referring first to FIG. 1, there is illustrated an apparatus according to
the present invention for automatically recording a plurality of items of
living body information on a subject or a patient under anesthesia during
a surgical operation, wherein reference numeral 10 designates a sensing
device in the form of an automatic blood pressure monitor provided with an
electrocardiograph. A plurality of electrodes 12 and an inflatable cuff 14
are each connected to the blood pressure monitor 10. The blood pressure
monitor 10 detects, periodically or in response to an operator's manual
operation, plural items of living body information on a living subject,
such as systolic and diastolic blood pressure, heart rate, breathing rate
(number of respiration), anesthetic-gas concentration, and blood-oxygen
concentration. The monitor 10 applies a detection signal representative of
the value of the detected living subject information to control means in
the form of the control device 16. The above-indicated breathing rate is
determined, for example, by detecting variations of impedance between the
electrodes 12. An X-Y plotter 22 as recording means of the instant
embodiment records on an anesthesia record sheet 18 respective kinds of
indicias corresponding to the plural items of living body information.
Based on a detection signal from the blood pressure monitor 10, the
control deveice 16 determines a recording position at which an indicia
corresponding to the detection signal is recorded, in a two-dimensional
chart area 20 provided at a predetermined location on the anesthesia
record sheet 18. The control device 16 causes the X-Y plotter 22 to record
the indicia at the recording position determined. The control device 16,
automatic blood pressure monitor 10 and X- | | |
