1. A method of enabling a wireless communication between a master unit and at least one sensor unit to be executed within a frame, the at least one sensor unit having a data sampling frequency for sampling one or more of its channels and for storing resulting samples in a buffer memory together with a corresponding sample sequence number, wherein the at least one sensor unit is adapted to transmit an integrated sample to the master unit during a portion of the frame, the method comprising the steps of:
transmitting at least once by the master unit during a master unit portion of the frame a data update request message comprising an identification of an initial sample sequence number from which integration by the at least one sensor unit has to be carried out;
integrating by the at least one sensor unit the sample values from the initial sample sequence number to a current sample sequence number;
transmitting during a further portion of the frame by the at least one sensor unit the integrated sample value and the identification for the current sample sequence number;
receiving by the master unit the integrated sample value and the identification of the current sample sequence number; and
storing in the master unit at least the identification of the current sample sequence number.
2. A method according to claim 1, wherein a plurality of wireless sensor units is provided, the method further comprising the steps of:
broadcasting by the master unit a mutual data update request for the plurality of sensor units, said mutual data update request comprising an identification of a mutual initial sample sequence number from which integration of sample values by the sensor units has to be carried out;
assigning a frame portion to each sensor unit within the frame;
transmitting by each sensor unit during its assigned frame portion the integrated sample value and the identification of the initial sample sequence number.
3. A method according to claim 2, wherein sampling moments occurring in accordance with the sampling frequency are synchronized with respective start and end moments of the portions of the frame.
4. A method according to claim 2, for enabling a delayed response to the received broadcast message from the master unit, comprising the steps of:
buffering samples together with their respective sequence numbers in a buffer memory of the sensor unit;
retrieving a sequence number from the broadcast message; and
using the samples stored in the buffer memory for generating the integrated value of the variable from the sequence number retrieved from the broadcast message up to the current sequence number.
5. A method according to claim 1, wherein the data update request message is used for transmitting settings data to the at least one sensor unit.
6. A method according to claim 2, adapted for enabling read-out of integrated sample values synchronized in time via the steps of:
recognizing a synchronization event by the sensor units;
retrieving the buffered samples from respective buffer memories of the sensor units except for the last sample; and
integrating the respective sample values and wirelessly transmitting the sample values to the master unit.
7. A method according to claim 6, wherein the synchronization event comprises a broadcast data update request message.
8. A method according to claim 1, wherein one or more retransmission slots are assigned per frame, the broadcast message from the master unit comprising a frame counter adapted to indicate the frame number for which data are up to date, said frame counter being updated for each received broadcast message, the method further comprising the step of:
removing data from the buffer up to the frame corresponding to the received frame number; and
retransmitting data corresponding to the oldest sample remaining in the buffer.
9. A method according to claim 8, wherein the retransmission slots are shared by the sensor units, the method further comprising the step of:
indicating in the broadcasting message in which order the sensor units are to transmit their individual data.
10. A method according to claim 1, further comprising the steps of:
for every sensor unit storing integration intervals and corresponding integrated sample values in a dataset;
decreasing the dataset upon an event of data recording; and
combining pairs of known integration value for determining a missing interval value, said determination being enabled in accordance with a pre-determined rule.
11. A method according to claim 10, wherein the master unit is arranged to enable recording and real-time visualization via the steps of:
tracking by the master unit the sequence number of the last interval that was recorded;
tracking by the master unit the sequence number of the last real-time visualization,
evaluating the dataset for each transmission received from a sensor unit;
enabling visualisation for each known dataset entry; and
enabling recording when the first element in the dataset is known.
12. A method according to claim 1, wherein the sampling frequency is pre-determined.
13. A method according to claim 12, wherein the sampling frequency of the data channels in the sensor unit is 0.5 kHz or higher and the measured data is processed to detect predefined events in the data within the transmission interval.
14. A method according to claim 1, wherein the at least one sensor unit is adapted to integrate the samples over time.
15. A system comprising a master unit and at least one sensor unit, wherein the master unit and the at least one sensor unit are arranged to communicate using a wireless communication, said at least one sensor unit having one or more channels and a buffer memory and being further arranged for sampling the one or more of its channels with a data sampling frequency and for storing resulting sample in the buffer memory together with a corresponding sample sequence number, wherein the at least one sensor unit is further arranged to transmit an integrated sample to the master unit during a portion of the frame, wherein:
the master unit is adapted to transmit during a master unit portion of the frame a data update request message comprising an identification of an initial sample sequence number from which integration by the at least one sensor unit has to be carried out;
the at least one sensor unit is adapted to integrate the sample values from the initial sample sequence number to a current sample sequence number and to transmit during a further portion of the frame the integrated sample value and the identification for the current sample sequence number; and
the master unit is further adapted to receive the integrated sample value and the identification of the current sample sequence number and to store at least the identification of the current sample sequence number.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. A system for sensing intracranial pressure (ICP), the system comprising:
an implantable ICP monitor for implantation in a head of a patient;
an inductive power transmitting element sized to extend over at least a substantial portion of the head of the patient and inductively power the ICP monitor; and
an external monitor to receive a transmitted ICP signal from the ICP monitor.
2. The system of claim 1, wherein the inductive power transmitting element defines an opening to receive the head of the patient, the inductive power transmitting element including an inductive coil to inductively power the ICP monitor.
3. The system of claim 1, wherein the external monitor is coupled to receive the transmitted ICP signal from the inductive power transmitting element.
4. The system of claim 1, wherein the inductive power transmitting element includes a shroud-like element defining an opening to receive the head of the patient.
5. The system of claim 4, wherein the shroud-like element has a hemispherical shape.
6. The system of claim 1, wherein the external monitor includes a power generator to drive the inductive power transmitting element.
7. The system of claim 1, wherein the external monitor includes a display to present information based on the transmitted ICP signal.
8. The system of claim 1, wherein the inductive power transmitting element powers the ICP monitor over a substantially continuous period of time to cause the ICP monitor to transmit the ICP signal on a substantially continuous basis.
9. The system of claim 1, wherein the inductive power transmitting element is coupled to a support platform for the patient.
10. The system of claim 1, wherein the ICP monitor includes an inductive coil to receive power from the inductive power transmitting element, a pressure sensor, a telemetry interface to transmit the ICP signal, and a power generation circuit to convert the power into operating power for the pressure sensor and the telemetry interface.
11. A system for sensing intracranial pressure (ICP), the system comprising:
an inductive power transmitting element sized to extend over at least a substantial portion of a head of the patient and inductively power an ICP monitor implanted in the head of the patient;
an external monitor to receive the transmitted ICP signal from the ICP monitor.
12. The system of claim 11, wherein the inductive power transmitting element defines an opening to receive the head of the patient, the frame including an inductive coil to inductively power the ICP monitor.
13. The system of claim 11, wherein the external monitor is coupled to receive the transmitted ICP signal from the inductive power transmitting element.
14. The system of claim 11, wherein the inductive power transmitting element includes a shroud-like element defining an opening to receive the head of the patient.
15. The system of claim 11, wherein the external monitor includes a power generator to drive the inductive power transmitting element.
16. The system of claim 11, wherein the inductive power transmitting element powers the ICP monitor over a substantially continuous period of time to cause the ICP monitor to transmit the ICP signal on a substantially continuous basis.
17. A system for sensing intracranial pressure (ICP), the system comprising:
means, extending over a substantial portion of the head of a patient, for inductively powering an ICP monitor implanted in the head of the patient; and
means for receiving the transmitted ICP signal from the ICP monitor via the means for inductively powering the ICP monitor.
18. The system of claim 17, wherein the means for inductively powering the ICP monitor defines an opening to receive the head of the patient, the frame including an inductive coil to inductively power the ICP monitor.
19. The system of claim 17, further comprising means for powering the inductive power transmitting element.
20. The system of claim 17, wherein the means for inductively powering the ICP monitor powers the ICP monitor over a substantially continuous period of time to cause the ICP monitor to transmit the ICP signal on a substantially continuous basis.
21. The system of claim 17, wherein the means for receiving the transmitted ICP signal includes the means for inductively powering the ICP monitor as an antenna and a means for monitoring an output of the means for inductively powering the ICP monitor.
22. A method for sensing intracranial pressure (ICP), the method comprising:
powering an inductive power transmitting element sized to extend over at least a substantial portion of the head of the patient to inductively power an ICP monitor implanted in the head of the patient; and
receiving an ICP signal transmitted by the ICP monitor via an output of the inductive power transmitting element.
23. The method of claim 22, wherein the inductive power transmitting element defines an opening to receive the head of the patient, the frame including an inductive coil to inductively power the ICP monitor.
24. The method of claim 22, wherein the inductive power transmitting element includes a shroud-like element defining an opening to receive the head of the patient.
25. The method of claim 24, wherein the shroud-like element has a hemispherical shape.
26. The method of claim 24, further comprising powering the inductive power transmitting element to power the ICP monitor over a substantially continuous period of time to cause the ICP monitor to transmit the ICP signal on a substantially continuous basis.
27. The method of claim 22, wherein the inductive power transmitting element is coupled to a support platform for the patient.