Abstract: Systems and methods providing for the determination of an individual's rate of oxygen consumption, in order to determine the amount of work that is performed by the individual's body. A heart monitor measures the heart rate of the individual and an accelerometer measures the acceleration of the body. The heart rate and acceleration outputs are stored locally on a storage device. The outputs can be downloaded to a local base station, that in turn transmits the outputs to a central clearinghouse. The clearinghouse receives and stores the output on a central mass storage device. At the clearinghouse the raw data is processed into a usable form and the rate of oxygen consumption is mathematically determined in order to determine the amount of work that is performed on the individual's body.

Abstract: A transdermal communication system is disclosed. The system includes an internal communication device implanted inside the body of a patient and an external communication device. The external communication device includes an external transmitter which transmits a carrier signal into the body of the patient during communication from the internal communication device to the external communication device. The internal communication device includes an internal modulator which modulates the carrier signal with information by selectively reflecting the carrier signal or not reflecting the carrier signal. The external communication device demodulates the carrier signal by detecting when the carrier signal is reflected and when the carrier signal is not reflected through the skin of the patient. When the reflected carrier signal is detected, it is interpreted as data of a first state, and when the reflected carrier signal is not detected, it is interpreted as data of a second state.

Abstract: A system for communicating through the skin of a patient, the system including an internal communication device implanted inside the body of a patient and an external communication device. The external communication device includes an external transmitter which transmits a carrier signal into the body of the patient during communication from the internal communication device to the external communication device. The internal communication device includes an internal modulator which modulates the carrier signal with information by selectively reflecting the carrier signal or not reflecting the carrier signal. The external communication device demodulates the carrier signal by detecting when the carrier signal is reflected and when the carrier signal is not reflected through the skin of the patient. When the reflected carrier signal is detected, it is interpreted as data of a first state, and when the reelected carrier signal is not detected, it is interpreted as data of a second state.

Abstract: A system and method for monitoring a physiological attribute of a patient is disclosed. The system includes a measuring device to measure an absolute physiological attribute of a patient and to generate an absolute physiological attribute signal. The present invention also includes a processing element to receive the measured absolute physiological attribute signal. The processing element then generates a filtered physiological attribute signal by substantially removing the effects of certain bodily functions from the absolute physiological attribute signal and other artifacts of measurement. The processor also generates a set of parameters derived from the filtered physiological attribute signal which are indicative of the health and condition of the patient.