WO2003034913A1

WO2003034913A1 - System and method of acquiring and transmitting a biological signal

Info

Publication number: WO2003034913A1
Application number: PCT/FR2002/003604
Authority: WO
Inventors: Jean-Marie Lefebvre; Bruno Valenti
Original assignee: Ikare
Priority date: 2001-10-23
Filing date: 2002-10-21
Publication date: 2003-05-01
Also published as: FR2831294B1; FR2831294A1

Abstract

The invention relates to a system and method of acquiring and transmitting a biological signal. The inventive system comprises: a portable recording device (1) including a local memory unit (12); a communications server (3) that can be used to store information relating to the user; and telecommunication means (2) that can be used to communicate the recording device (1) with the communications server via a telecommunications network (4). The portable recording device (1) also comprises control means (11a, 11b) that allow the user to: (i) trigger an acquisition phase during which the portable recording device (1) acquires the biological signal (19), digitises same in the form of one or more digital samples and records said digital samples in the local memory (12); and (ii) trigger a transfer phase during which the recording device (1) communicates directly with the server (3) and transfers each digital sample of the signal saved in the local memory (12) to the server (3).

Description

SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR ACQUIRING AND TRANSMITTING A BIOLOGICAL SIGNAL

The present invention relates to the field of remote monitoring or medical monitoring of the physiological state of an individual. In this field, its main object is a system which allows, by means of a portable recording device, the acquisition and digitization in the form of digital samples, of at least one analog biological signal of an individual, and transferring digital samples representing this analog biological signal to a remote server. Among the biological signals concerned by the invention, there may be mentioned by way of nonlimiting and nonexhaustive example the ECG signal representative of the cardiac activity of an individual, a signal measuring the temperature, the blood pressure, etc. , of an individual.

To monitor or monitor the physiological state of a patient, it is known to use recorders, which once placed on the patient, make it possible to acquire a biological signal of analog type, such as by a ECG signal. Depending on the type of surveillance or medical monitoring desired, these recorders can also be designed to record several different biological signals in parallel.

A first known type of recorder is of the non-ambulatory type.

It is a heavy and expensive equipment which is well suited for real-time monitoring of the evolution of the physiological state of a non-mobile patient. In practice this type of recorder is used in hospitals or similar.

In order to ensure continuous and remote medical monitoring of the physiological state of a patient, there has also already been proposed, in particular in patent application WO-A-00/62664, a monitoring system comprising a recorder portable and means of communication allowing the digital data delivered by the portable recorder to be transferred to a remote monitoring station, via a telecommunications network. The operating principle of this monitoring system is based on a continuous acquisition and transfer of data to the remote monitoring station, without the user being able to have any action on the acquisition or on the transfer. This type of monitoring system remains relatively cumbersome and complex, and in particular requires the user to have very specific and expensive equipment for transmitting data, such as for example the base station referenced 30 in the document WO-A- 00/62664.

Furthermore, in order to allow surveillance or medical follow-up of a patient on a delayed basis and without the latter being obliged to stay in a hospital or similar environment, and / or without impeding the patient's mobility, we have also already proposed to make portable recorders, ambulatory type. These are small and relatively light recorders that can be placed on a patient without hampering their mobility. With this type of portable recorder, the acquisition of biological signals can advantageously be carried out in any place, and for example at the patient's home, and / or while the patient is in motion. In practice, in existing systems these portable recorders store in memory the digital data relating to the acquired biological signal. Regularly, the patient is forced to go to his doctor, who is equipped with a reading device allowing him to read the digital data which has been acquired. In addition to this displacement constraint, these systems have the disadvantage of only allowing delayed medical follow-up, corresponding to the period between two consultations; there is therefore a risk of late diagnosis of a pathology. Also, the recorder must be equipped with an important local memory to be able to store the digital data acquired between two consultations with the doctor. In some cases, this local memory may prove to be insufficient, and may be filled prematurely; this results in a detrimental loss of information on the physiological evolution of the patient over time.

The main objective of the present invention is to propose a new system and a new method which allow remote monitoring of at least one biological signal from an individual and which overcome the drawbacks of the aforementioned solutions of the prior art.

Another object of the invention is to propose a system and a method for the acquisition and recording of a biological signal, which implement a portable recording device of simple design. These objects are achieved by the system of the invention having the features of claim 1 and by the method of the invention having the features of claim 19.

In a particular embodiment, the server and the portable recording device of the system of the invention are designed to dialogue during the transfer phase according to a predefined communication protocol during which the server operates as a master by sending one or more successive commands to the portable recording device, and the portable recording device operates as a slave by executing the function corresponding to each command received.

The implementation of the aforementioned communication protocol advantageously makes it possible to design simplified recording devices at a lower cost. Also, it offers the possibility of controlling and / or having the recording device configured by the server. A more scalable system is thus obtained, the functionalities of which can be more easily modified or adapted, or which can be supplemented with new functionalities, by simple modification of the server, and without being obliged to modify the electronic architecture of the recording devices or of replace the recording devices already placed on the market. This communication protocol also allows the server to send to the recording device the confirmation of the reception of the digital samples and / or of authorizing the recording device to carry out a new acquisition, for example by modifying the state of a flag in the local memory of the recording device. More particularly, the telecommunication means enabling the recording device to communicate with the computer server comprise a telecommunication device, which is external to the recording device, and which comprises a modem. More particularly, the recording device and the telecommunication device are designed to exchange data by an infrared link; the telecommunication device further comprises an omnidirectional HF antenna, and is capable of exchanging data over the air with the telecommunication network. Preferably, the telecommunication device is portable, and is constituted by a standard mobile telephone on the market equipped for example with an infrared transmitter / receiver. Thus the system and method of the invention can advantageously be implemented by the user in any location.

Other characteristics and advantages of the invention will appear more clearly on reading the description below of a preferred variant embodiment of a system of the invention, which description is given by way of non-limiting example and with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a schematic representation of a system of the invention,

- Figure 2 shows an example of a housing corresponding to the recording device of the system of the invention.

- Figure 3 is a block diagram of an example of electronic architecture of a recording device, - Figure 4 is a flowchart which illustrates the steps corresponding to the main loop executed by the microcontroller of the device recorder,

- Figure 5 is a flowchart which illustrates the steps implemented by the microcontroller of the recording device, during an acquisition phase of an ECG signal, - Figure 6 is a flowchart which illustrates the steps implemented by the microcontroller of the recording device, during a phase of transfer to the remote server of the digital samples of the signal recorded by the recording device,

- And Figure 7 is a flowchart which illustrates the steps implemented by the remote server during a transfer of digital samples.

FIG. 1 shows a system of the invention comprising a non-invasive portable recording device 1, capable of communicating with a remote computer server 3 via a telecommunications network 4. The recording device 1, once set up in a non-invasive manner invasive on a patient P, allows the acquisition of a biological signal from the patient, sampling in the form of digital samples of this signal, and recording in a local memory of the device 1 of the digital samples. In the particular application which will be described below with reference to the appended figures, the biological signal acquired by the recording device 1 is an electrical signal of analog type, commonly called ECG, which is and representative of the cardiac activity of the patient . The invention is however not limited to this particular type of biological signal, but can be used to record other types of biological signals such as for example the temperature of a part of the patient's body, the patient's blood pressure , heartbeat, respiration, fetal parameters, neurological parameters, hearing parameters, ophthalmological parameters, muscle parameters, osteoarticular parameters, olfactory parameters, metabolic parameters such as blood sugar or oximetry, parameters digestive, parameters urinary, respiratory parameters. Also, the recording device 1 could be designed to carry out the acquisition of several biological signals of different natures. To adapt the particular recording device 1 described below, it is sufficient for a person skilled in the art to simply replace the analog acquisition means of an ECG signal described below with the acquisition means which are adapted to the biological signal to be registered, and which are otherwise already known.

The system of the invention also comprises a telecommunication device 2, which incorporates a modem 21, and which makes it possible to communicate the recording device 1 with the remote computer server 3, via the telecommunication network 4. In the preferred example of illustrated embodiment, this telecommunication device 2 is external to the recording device 1. In another alternative embodiment, this telecommunication device 2 could be an integral part of the portable recording device 1. Once the connection has been established with the server 3, the recording device 1 is capable of directly exchanging data with the server 3, via the telecommunications network 4, and in particular is designed to transfer to the server 3, the digital samples recorded in local memory, with a view to their archiving by the server 3.

In the present text, the term “telecommunications network” generally designates any network allowing the long-distance exchange of data between the server 3 and a recording device 1. This is for example the public telephone network , a long distance network of the WAN computer network type, such as for example the Internet network, etc. In practice, the telecommunications network 4 will generally be a set of interconnected networks of different types.

The computer server 3 allows the archiving of information on each patient, including the transferred digital samples. This archiving is for example carried out in a database, which is accessible, by any known means of communication, by the patient's doctor. The notion of "computer server" should be taken in this text in its widest sense. The computer server thus designates any programmed computer processing unit which allows digital data to be saved in a memory, whatever the type of memory, and which comprises an interface allowing a user (in practice the doctor ensuring the monitoring of the patient ) to access this data. The server can thus be a fixed computer station of the personal microcomputer (PC) or workstation type, comprising as a user interface a keyboard and a screen, which allow local access to the data saved in memory. It can also be a programmed computer processing unit, the data saved in memory can be consulted remotely by a user, via a telecommunications network (local computer network of Lan type, long distance computer network of Wan type). , switched telephone network, ...). In particular, the computer server can be a server hosted by a website, the information on each patient can be viewed remotely, and securely by the patient's doctor (or any other third party designated by the patient), via the network global Internet. Also, the server 3 can advantageously be designed to, on receipt of a set of digital samples transmitted by a recording device 1, automatically trigger a warning procedure of a third person designated by the patient, for example his doctor. This warning procedure results, for example, in the sending by the server 3 of an SMS type message and / or of an electronic mail via the Internet, informing said person of the reception of the digital samples, so that said person can quickly connect to server 3 and consult the samples received. There is shown in Figure 2, an exemplary embodiment of a recording device 1. In this example, the device comprises a flat B box of small dimension, containing an electronic circuit whose architecture and operation will be detailed later, and which is powered autonomously by cells or batteries. On one of the faces of the housing B are mounted flat electrodes 10, which once applied to the patient, allow the parallel acquisition of three analog electrical signals, from which a single electrical signal is generated in known manner analog, which constitutes the ECG signal.

As a user interface, the device 1 in FIG. 2 comprises two push buttons 11a and 11b with fugitive action, which are accessible from outside the housing B, three light-emitting diodes of different colors L1, L2, and L3 (by example green, red and orange diodes), which are used to signal to the user the state of the recording device 1, and a sound buzzer (not shown in FIG. 2 and referenced 17 in FIG. 3) allowing the emission of auditory signals at different frequencies. The button 11 a allows the patient P to order the acquisition of the ECG signal and its recording in the form of digital samples in a local memory of the device 1. The button 11 b allows the patient P to order the transfer to the server 3 of the digital samples saved in the local memory of the device 1. The invention is not limited to an interface comprising two buttons 11 a and 11 b, but extends to any equivalent control means allowing a user to separately trigger a phase d acquisition or transfer phase. In particular, and in a non-exhaustive manner, the buttons can be replaced

11 a and 1 b by any manual actuation means; it is conceivable to provide a single button 11a or equivalent to manually trigger the acquisition phase and to manually trigger the transfer phase; the manual control means 11 a, 11 b can be replaced by voice control means which allow the user to trigger the acquisition phase or the voice by the user. transfer phase.

In practice, the patient P permanently keeps the recording device 1 with him. When he wishes to record an ECG signal, for example when he feels certain symptoms, the patient adequately positions the housing B on his chest, so that the electrodes 10 are applied directly to the skin with regard to the region of the heart. Once the housing B is correctly positioned, the patient presses the button 11a to trigger a phase for acquiring the biological signal. When this acquisition phase is finished, the patient P connects the box B with the telecommunication device 2 so that they can exchange data, and presses the button 11 b to trigger the transfer phase to the server 4 recorded digital samples.

In the variant embodiment illustrated in FIG. 1, the recording device 1 and the modem 21 of the telecommunication device 2 are designed to exchange data locally by an infrared link. To this end, with reference to FIG. 2, the recording device 1 comprises an infrared transmitter / receiver 13 (the two emitting and receiving diodes respectively of which are shown diagrammatically in FIG. 2). The telecommunication device 2 similarly comprises a transmitter / receiver 22, for local communication with the recording device 1. In this embodiment, to initiate the transfer phase, the patient P withdraws beforehand the box B from his body and the positions near the telecommunication device 2, so that the infrared transmitters / receivers 13 and 22 are opposite, and then initiates the transfer by pressing the button 11b. Of course, although the use of a contactless infrared type link is preferred for communicating the recording device 1 with the modem 21 of the telecommunication device 2, it is possible in the context of the invention to use any other known type of bond; it may in particular be a connection with contact, the housing B comprising in in this case a communication port to be electrically connected (by an electric cable or similar) to a communication port of the telecommunication device2.

More particularly, for communication with the server 3, the telecommunication device 2 is also designed to exchange data with the telecommunication network 4 over the air, and is for this purpose equipped in particular with an antenna 23 allowing a omnidirectional HF transmission / reception. In a preferred variant of embodiment, the telecommunication device 2 is constituted by a portable telephone equipped with an infrared transmitter / receiver. This embodiment is advantageous, because on the one hand this type of mobile phone is commonly found on the market, and on the other hand a patient equipped with such a mobile phone naturally tends to keep this phone with him, taking into account the other usual uses he can make of it. The only additional constraint of use for the patient is ultimately to carry everywhere with him the box B. Also, the transfer of data to the server can advantageously and easily be carried out in any place where the mobile phone 2 is able to detect a carrier to connect to the network 4. The patient P is thus able to carry out an acquisition of a biological signal and a transfer of the data to the server 3, in any place where the network 4 is accessible by his mobile telephone. Electronic architecture of a recording device 1 / figure 3

A particular example of electronic architecture of a recording device 1 is illustrated schematically in the functional diagram of FIG. 3. This architecture is based on the use of a microcontroller 14, such as for example the component PIC16C74 of the MICROCHIP company. Of course, more generally, the electronic architecture of the recording device 1 could be based on any type of programmed processing unit, produced from a known microprocessor or microcontroller, the component PIC16C74 being cited only by way of nonlimiting example. Also, the microcontroller 14 could be replaced by a specific electronic micro-circuit, of the ASIC type.

The microcontroller 14 essentially comprises: - a RISC processor 141 which is clocked by a quartz 15, and which is supplied by a continuous and autonomous power source 16, of the cell or battery type;

a memory 142 of ROM type containing a resident program operating the processor 141, a memory 143 of RAM type

- a multichannel analog / digital converter 144,

- input / output ports 145 of different types, connected on the one hand with the various elements previously described (buttons 11a and 11b, diodes L1, L2 and L3, buzzer 17) of the user interface (I) and on the other hand with the aforementioned infrared transmitter / receiver 13.

With reference to FIG. 3, the electrodes 10 of the device 1 are connected to the input of an amplification system 18, the output of which is connected to the input of the Analog / Digital converter 144, and which outputs an analog signal 19 (corresponding to the ECG signal), from the signals S1, S2 and S3 delivered by the electrodes 10. The amplification system 18 is known per se and will therefore not be described in more detail. The analog signal 19 (ECG) is sampled at a predetermined sampling frequency (for example 300 Hz) by the converter 144. In the acquisition phase, the digital samples delivered by the converter 144 are stored by the processor 141 in a memory 12 external to the microcontroller 14. Preferably the memory 12 is of the non-volatile type, and thus makes it possible to store data without being supplied by an external energy source. Preferably, the memory 12 is a Flash memory. Activation of the recording device

The recording device 1 does not have a Start button. Stop, and the microcontroller 14 is permanently in "stand-by" mode. (low consumption). Activation of the recording device 1 is carried out by a long press (for example more than 3 seconds) on one of the buttons 11 a or 11 b. once activated, the microcontroller 14 executes a program resident in memory 142 and essentially consisting of three modules:

a main loop (FIG. 4) in which the microcontroller 141 rotates indefinitely as long as a function has not been validated;

- an ACQUISITION function (figure 5); - a TRANSFER function (figure 6).

Main loop / figure 4

After activation of the recording device 1 by long press on one of the buttons 11a or 11b, the microcontroller 14 executes the main loop of the flowchart of FIG. 4. According to this flowchart, if the microcontroller 141 does not detect pressure on one or other of the buttons 11a, 11b for a predetermined duration (TimeOUT), the microcontroller 14 returns to low energy consumption mode ("Standby" mode) and waits to be reactivated. If on the contrary a pressure is exerted by the user on one of the buttons 11a or 11b, the microcontroller 14 executes the routine corresponding to the called function (FIG. 4 / "ACQUISITION" or "TRANSFER"). ACQUISITION function / figure 5 This function, which is triggered by pressing the button 11 a, allows the user to digitize signal 19 (ECG signal) and store digital samples in Flash memory 12 from this digitization. The microcontroller 14 is authorized to carry out this acquisition (FIG. 5 / Step 50), on the condition that a flag ("RECORDING authorization") in memory 12 has the correct value. As will become clearer later, the status of this flag is updated in memory 12, by the server 3 after each successful transfer of digital samples, in order to authorize the recording device 1 to carry out a new acquisition of a signal.

In the particular example illustrated on the flow diagram of FIG. 5, the acquisition is carried out until a predetermined number of digital samples (test 51) are recorded in memory 12, which corresponds to a duration d '' predetermined sampling; the start and end of acquisition are audibly signaled to the user by emitting a beep by means of the vibrator 17; during acquisition, the green diode L1 is on. TRANSFER function / figure 6

This function, which is triggered by pressing the button 11b, allows the user to send, on his own initiative, the digital samples stored in memory 12, to the computer server 3 via the network 4.

With reference to FIG. 6, this function calls on three subroutines: "IrDA link establishment", "Server call", "communication with the server". Sub-program: “IrDA link establishment” The recording device 1 makes an infrared connection with the modem 21 of the mobile telephone 2 in accordance with the IrDA standard. The recording device 1 is master of the transaction and the modem 21 of the mobile telephone 2 behaves as a slave.

If the attempt to establish the infrared link fails (Figure 6 / test 60 and branch 61 of the flowchart), for example because the recording device 1 is too far away or badly oriented relative to the mobile phone 2, the user is informed visually and audibly of this failure (flashing of the red L2 diode and emission by the vibrator 17 of a characteristic alarm beep). If the attempt to establish the infrared link is successful

(Figure 6 / test 60 and branch 62 of the flowchart), the microcontroller 141 in this case calls the subroutine "Call from the server". When the infrared link is established between the recording device 1 and the internal modem 21 of the mobile telephone 2, the communication between these two elements is carried out using the HAYES commands known from the IrDA standard. Preferably, only the HAYES commands of the IrDA standard which are useful for communicating with the modem of the mobile telephone 2 are implemented in the recording device 1. Subprogram: "Call from the server"

The recording device 1 sends a connection request to the computer server 3, via the mobile telephone 2 and the network 4. Advantageously, the telephone number of the computer server 3 is stored in flash memory 12 of the recording device 1. This is avoided. user to have to manually dial this number to call the server 3, the dialing of this telephone number is fully automatic.

During the establishment of this connection with the server 3, the internal modem 21 of the mobile telephone 2 informs the recording device 1, via the IrDA link, of the status of the transaction by means of ASCII strings: CONNECT

BUSY

NO CARRIER OK .. When the microcontroller 14 of the recording device 1 receives the message "CONNECT", the microcontroller 14 calls the sub-program "Communication with the server". Sub-program: "Communication with the server"

The communication with the server 3 takes place according to a communication protocol specific to the system of the invention, and in which the server 3 operates as a master by sending specific commands to the recording device 1, which operates as a slave by executing the functions that correspond to each command received. In order to maintain the greatest latitude at server level 3, each command is independent and can be used in any order.

In the particular example described below, these commands are preferably reduced to the strict minimum in order to allow the server 3 to interrogate or configure the flash memory 12 of the recording device, or to activate the vibrator 17 of the recording device. Other commands could of course be implemented (for example for actuation of the diodes L1, L2 or L3 by the server). The table below gives an example of commands (Corn.) Usable by server 3:

Command l: Initialization When it receives this command, the microcontroller 14 of the recording device 1 initializes a read start pointer (PageH pageL), and a read end stop (PageL END) in Flash memory 12.

Command R: (Play)

When it receives this command, the microcontroller 14 of the recording device 1 commands the immediate transfer to the server 3 of the or data stored in a Flash memory area 12 which whose address area is identified by the read start pointer (PageH pageL), and the read end stop (PageL END) initialized beforehand by the order ( I). The transfer stops at the end of reading stop, that is to say when PageL reaches PageL End.

S order: Stop

When it receives this command, the microcontroller 14 of the recording device 1 releases the IrDA link.

Order B: Vibrator When it receives this command, the microcontroller 14 of the recording device 1 actuates the vibrator 17 at the frequency (Freq) for a duration (Duration).

W order: (Write)

When it receives this command, the microcontroller 14 of the recording device 1 writes the value (Value argument) to the address PageH, PageL and Ad. Byte of the flash memory 12.

A particular example of parameters and flag saved in in the flash memory 12 is given below for information:

By using the above-mentioned command (R), the server 3 can advantageously read not only the digital samples stored in flash memory 12 during a transfer, but also the various configuration parameters of the device 1, including in particular the serial number (see in particular step 70 of the flow diagram of FIG. 7), and the flags. Also, by using the commands (W), the server 3 can modify the configuration parameters of the recording device 1, and in particular the telephone number, the duration and the frequency of sampling, as well as certain flags including in particular the flag " REGISTRATION authorization ”. Procedure for a transfer at server level / figure 7 The flowchart in figure 7 describes the main steps implemented by server 3 (master) during a transfer of digital samples.

The step for requesting transfer of digital samples is carried out in two stages: firstly, the server 3 sends to the recording device 1 an initialization command (I) by specifying the addressing of the memory area to be transferred (arguments Page H, Page L, and PageL End of the command I), and in a second step the server 3 sends to the recording device 1 a read command (R). On receipt of this command (R), the microcontroller 14 of the recording device successively sends back to the server 3 all the digital samples saved in the flash memory 12, in the memory area which has been specified for it by the initialization command (I). In another embodiment, the commands I and R could be grouped into a single command.

Once the server 3 has received all the requested samples (the number of samples received must correspond to the size of the memory area specified by the server with the initialization command (I), the server 3 archives in a database or similar the samples in relation to the serial number of the recording device 1 (figure 7 / step 71). The server 3 authorizes a new acquisition (figure 11 step 72) by modifying in the flash memory 12 the flag "REGISTRATION authorization" (sending an appropriate write command (W). The microcontroller 14 is then authorized to carry out a new acquisition, if the user presses the button 11a. The server 3 then sends a command (B) ( FIG. 11 step 73), to make the buzzer 17 of the recording device 1 ring briefly, which makes it possible to warn the user that the transfer of the samples has taken place and that he can, if he wishes, proc der a new acquisition by pressing the button 11 a. Finally, the server 3 stops the transaction with the recording device 1, by sending a command (S), then by hanging up the telephone line (FIG. 11 step 74).

Claims

1. System enabling the acquisition and recording of at least one biological signal (19) from a user, of the type comprising a portable recording device (1) which comprises a local memory

(12), and which, once implemented on a user, allows acquisition and digitization in the form of one or more digital samples of at least one biological signal (19) of the user, and the recording in said local memory (12), of each digital sample, characterized in that it further comprises a computer server (3) allowing the storage of information relating to said user, and telecommunication means (2) making it possible to make communicating the portable recording device (1) with the remote server (3), via a telecommunication network (4), in that the portable recording device (1) comprises control means (11a, 11 b) which allow the on the one hand to trigger a so-called acquisition phase during which the portable recording device (1) acquires the biological signal (19), digitizes it in the form of one or more digital samples and records the samples digital in the local memory (12), and on the other hand to initiate a transfer phase during which the recording device (1) communicates directly with the server (3) and transfers to the server (3) each digital sample of the signal saved in its local memory (12).

2. System according to claim 1 characterized in that the server (3) and the portable recording device (1) are designed to dialogue during the transfer phase according to a predefined communication protocol during which the server (3) operates as a master by sending one or more successive commands to the portable recording device (1), and the recording device portable (1) works as a slave by executing the function corresponding to each command received.

3. System according to claim 2 characterized in that to carry out the transfer of one or more digital data saved in local memory (12) of the recording device (1), the server (3) is designed to send to the recording device (1 ) one or more commands (l, R) by communicating to it the addressing (Page H, PageL, PageL FIN) of the local memory area (12) of the recording device (1) which contains the data or data to be transferred .

4. System according to claim 2 characterized in that the communication protocol comprises a command (W) allowing the server (3) to write one or more data in the local memory (12) of the recording device.

5. System according to claim 2 characterized in that the communication protocol comprises at least one command (B) allowing the allowing the server (3) to activate an element (17) of the recording device (1).

6. System according to one of claims 1 to 5 characterized in that the recording device (1) is of non-invasive type.

7. System according to one of claims 1 to 6 characterized in that the local memory (12) of the recording device contains one and / or the other of the following parameters: Telephone number of the server (3), number of series of the recording device (1), duration of signal acquisition, sampling frequency.

8. System according to one of claims 1 to 7 characterized in that the server (3) is designed to, after each successful transfer of digital samples of a signal, authorize the recording device (1) to perform a new phase d 'acquisition.

9. System according to claim 8 characterized in that the authorization of a new acquisition is given by the server (3) by modifying the state of a flag (“REGISTRATION authorization”) in the local memory (12) of the recording device (1).

10. System according to one of claims 1 to 9 characterized in that the control means of the recording device (1) comprises two buttons (11a, 11b), one (11a) of the buttons for triggering the phase of acquisition, the other (11b) enabling the transfer phase to be initiated.

11. System according to one of claims 1 to 10 characterized in that the recording device (1) comprises a sound vibrator (17).

12. System according to claims 5 and 11 characterized in that the server is able to control the sound vibrator (17) of the recording device (1).

13. The system of claim 12 characterized in that the server (3) is designed to, after each successful transfer phase, control the sound vibrator (17) of the recording device (1).

14. System according to one of claims 1 to 13 characterized in that the telecommunication means (2) are external to the recording device (1) and include a modem (21).

15. System according to claim 14 characterized in that the recording device (1) and the telecommunication means (2) are designed to exchange data by an infrared link.

16. System according to claim 15 characterized in that the telecommunication means (2) comprise an omnidirectional HF antenna (23), and are capable of exchanging data over the air with the telecommunication network (4).

17. System according to one of claims 14 to 16 characterized in that the telecommunication means (2) are portable.

18. System according to one of claims 14 to 17 characterized in that the telecommunication means (2) consist of a portable telephone.

19. Method for acquiring at least one biological signal (19) from a user by means of a system according to any one of claims 1 to 18, characterized in that it comprises the following sequence of steps: (a) the user sets up the portable recording device on him (1), (b) the user triggers an acquisition phase by actuating the control means (11 a) of the portable recording device (1), ( c) the user initiates a transfer phase by actuating the control means (11b) of the portable recording device (1).

20. The method of claim 19 characterized in that the telecommunication means (2) of the system being external to the portable recording device (1), the method comprises an intermediate step between steps (b) and (c), during which the user connects the portable recording device (1) with the telecommunication means (2) so that they can communicate.