Telemedicine components, devices, applications and uses thereof

• US 10,586,020 B2
• Filed: 04/24/2015
• Issued: 03/10/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 04/25/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Tiatech USA, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Tiatech USA, Inc.
• Inventors: Madhavan, Ramesh, Ranjit, Jitin
• Primary Examiner(s): Ng, Jonathan
• Application Number:
  US14/695,966
• Publication Number:
  US 20150310183A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,782 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 10/60 for patient-specific data, e.g. for electronic patient records
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/67 for remote operation

Abstract

The present invention relates to equipment including hardware, software, and methods of use thereof for enabling medical interactions between individuals in separate locations. More specifically, the present invention relates to telemedicine components, devices, applications, and uses thereof. Embodiments of the present invention enable video, audio, textual, and graphical information to be securely exchanged between doctors and patients, as well as data files. A doctor located remotely from a patient may receive information from and control one or more medical devices located proximate to the patient using software operating on a computing device.

Claims

1. A system for collecting and relaying medical information, the system comprising:

a base station at a first location, the base station comprising a processor operatively connected to a base station communication module configured to communicate over a local area network using a first communication interface and over a wide area network using a second communication interface, wherein the processor is configured to securely relay commands received over the wide area network to the local area network and relay data received over the local area network to the wide area network;

a medical device proximate the first location comprising a microcontroller operatively connected to a power supply, a device communication module communicatively coupled to the base station via the local area network, and a sensor configured to collect medical information, wherein said microcontroller is configured to transmit the medical information to the base station communication module via the local area network using the device communication module and receive instructions from the base station via the local area network using the device communication module; and

a controller at a second location that is distinct from the first location, the controller comprising a controller communication module communicatively coupled to the base station via the wide area network, wherein the controller is configured to remotely control the medical device by transmitting commands to the base station and is configured to receive the medical information from the base station;

wherein the medical device comprises a stethoscope module, the sensor comprises a plurality of microphones, and the medical information comprises a sound recording, wherein the stethoscope module further comprises;

a body substantially enclosing the microcontroller, the power supply, and the device communication module, the body comprising;

a pair of earpiece connectors separated by a central portion and located at opposite ends of the body, each earpiece connector containing one of the plurality of microphones and configured to receive and support a respective stethoscope earpiece proximate to the respective stethoscope earpiece;

a third microphone attached to the central portion and configured so as to be placed proximate to a patient'"'"'s chest; and

an input device operatively connected to the microcontroller;

wherein the microcontroller is configured to selectively, based on a signal received from the input device, obtain the sound recording from the first microphone or the second microphone;

wherein the microcontroller is configured to selectively, based on the signal received from the input device, obtain the sound recording from the third microphone; and

wherein the microcontroller is configured to transmit the sound recording to the base station using the device communication module.

2. The system of claim 1, further comprising a storage server at a third location that is distinct from the first and second locations, the storage server comprising a server processor operatively connected to a server communication module that is communicatively coupled to the controller and the base station via the wide area network, and a storage device containing a database, wherein the server is configured to receive medical information from the base station via the wide area network and add the medical information to the database and transmit a portion of the database to the controller.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein said controller further comprises a display and is configured to combine and display the medical information received from the base station and the portion of the database received from the server.

4. The system of claim 2, wherein the server further comprises an alert module configured to monitor medical information received from the base station via the wide area network and notify the base station and controller if a characteristic of the medical information exceeds a predetermined threshold.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the medical device is a first medical device, the sensor is a first sensor, the device communication module is a first device communication module, the body is a first body, the microcontroller is a first microcontroller, and the power supply is a first power supply;

wherein the medical information includes first medical information from the first medical device;

wherein the system further comprises a second medical device having a second sensor, a second device communication module, a second body, and a second power supply;

wherein the medical information further includes second medical information from the second medical device; and

wherein the second medical device comprises a height unit, the second sensor comprises an accelerometer and an ultrasonic sensor, and the second medical information comprises a height measurement, wherein the height unit further comprises;

a second body comprising an interior surface configured to rest against a person'"'"'s head and an exterior surface disposed opposite thereto such that the second microcontroller, the second power supply, the second device communication module and the accelerometer are substantially enclosed within the second body; and

an arm containing the ultrasonic sensor in a lower surface thereof, wherein the arm is attached to the second body and projects longitudinally away from the exterior surface such that when the interior surface is in contact with the person'"'"'s head, the arm extends substantially horizontally and the ultrasonic sensor is oriented substantially vertically;

wherein, the second microcontroller is configured such that upon receiving a signal from the accelerometer indicating that the arm is substantially horizontal, the second microcontroller obtains a distance measurement from the ultrasonic sensor and determines the height measurement based on the distance measurement.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the medical device is a first medical device, the sensor is a first sensor, the device communication module is a first device communication module, the body is a first body, the microcontroller is a first microcontroller, and the power supply is a first power supply;

wherein the medical information includes first medical information from the first medical device;

wherein the system further comprises a second medical device having a second sensor, a second device communication module, a second body, and a second power supply;

wherein the medical information further includes second medical information from the second medical device; and

wherein the second medical device comprises a weight unit, the second sensor comprises a load cell, and the second medical information comprises a weight measurement, wherein the weight unit further comprises;

a second body substantially enclosing the second microcontroller, the second power supply, and the second device communication module, the second body comprising a lower surface spaced apart from and substantially parallel to an upper surface with the load cell located therebetween such that force applied to the upper surface is transferred to the lower surface through the load cell and the accelerometer are substantially enclosed within the second body; and

wherein the second microcontroller is configured to, upon receiving a signal from the load cell, determine a weight measurement based on the electrical signal and transmit the weight measurement to the base station using the second device communication module.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the medical device is a first medical device, the sensor is a first sensor, the device communication module is a first device communication module, the body is a first body, the microcontroller is a first microcontroller, and the power supply is a first power supply;

wherein the medical information includes first medical information from the first medical device;

wherein the system further comprises a second medical device having a second sensor, a second device communication module, a second body, and a second power supply;

wherein the medical information further includes second medical information from the second medical device; and

wherein the second medical device comprises a pulse oximeter, the second sensor comprises an infrared LED, a red LED and a photodiode, and the second medical information comprises an oxygen saturation measurement, wherein the pulse oximeter further comprises;

a second body substantially enclosing the second microcontroller, the second power supply, and the second device communication module, the second body comprising;

an interior surface configured to be placed adjacent to and in contact with a finger and an exterior surface opposing the interior surface;

a lower portion containing the infrared LED and the red LED located on the interior surface thereof; and

an upper portion spaced apart from the lower portion and containing the photodiode located on the interior surface thereof such that the photodiode is located opposite the infrared LED and the red LED;

wherein the second microcontroller is configured to selectively activate and deactivate the infrared LED and the red LED, obtain a plurality of measurements from the photodiode, calculate the oxygen saturation measurement based on the plurality of measurements, and transmit the oxygen saturation measurement to the base station using the second device communication module.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the medical device is a first medical device, the sensor is a first sensor, the device communication module is a first device communication module, the body is a first body, the microcontroller is a first microcontroller, and the power supply is a first power supply;

wherein the medical information includes first medical information from the first medical device;

wherein the system further comprises a second medical device having a second sensor, a second device communication module, a second body, and a second power supply;

wherein the medical information further includes second medical information from the second medical device; and

wherein the second medical device comprises a blood pressure measurement unit, the second sensor comprises a pressure gauge and a transducer, and the second medical information comprises a blood pressure measurement, wherein the blood pressure measurement unit further comprises;

a second body substantially enclosing the second microcontroller, the second power supply, and the second device communication module in a central portion thereof, the second body comprising;

a display operatively connected to the second microcontroller;

an input device operatively connected to the second microcontroller;

a cuff configured to encircle an arm, wherein the transducer is mounted in the cuff and is configured to measure vibrations in arteries located in the arm; and

an automatic pump operatively connected to the second microcontroller and configured to inflate the cuff;

wherein the pressure gauge is configured to measure the pressure in the cuff;

wherein the second microcontroller is configured to;

activate the pump upon receiving an initiation signal from the input device,

deactivate the pump upon determining that the pressure in the cuff has reached a first threshold

obtain a first pressure reading upon determining based on the signal provided by the transducer that blood has begun to flow intermittently,

obtain a second pressure reading upon determining based on the signal provided by the transducer that blood has begun to continuously flow,

determine the blood pressure measurement based on the first and second pressure readings, and

transmit the blood pressure measurement to the base station using the second device communication module.

9. The system of claim 2, wherein the medical device is a first medical device, the system further comprising:

a second medical device selected from the group consisting of a height unit, a weight unit, a pulse oximeter, and a blood pressure measurement unit, wherein the first medical device is different from the second medical device;

wherein the server is configured to receive first medical information via the base station from the first medical device and second medical information via the base station from the second medical device and add both the first and second medical information to the database.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the base station further comprises an automation unit configured to receive a plurality of first automation instructions from the controller via the wide area network and transmit a plurality of second automation instructions via the local area network, the system further comprising:

a TV module containing a TV microcontroller operatively connected to a TV communication unit and an infrared emitter, wherein the TV module is operatively connected to a television via the infrared emitter, the TV communication unit is communicatively coupled to the base station and the TV microcontroller is configured to operate the television based on a first one or more of the plurality of second automation instructions received from the base station; and

a lighting module containing a lighting microcontroller and operatively connected to a lighting communication unit, wherein the lighting module is operatively connected to a light source, the lighting communication unit is communicatively coupled to the base station and the lighting microcontroller is configured to control the light source based on a second one or more of the plurality of second automation instructions received from the base station.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the base station further comprises an alarm unit, the system further comprising:

a motion detector located in the first location, the motion detector comprising a motion microprocessor operatively coupled to a motion sensor and a motion communication unit, wherein the motion communication unit is communicatively coupled to the base station and the motion microcontroller is configured to determine whether there is motion in the first location and, upon determining motion is present in the first location, transmit a motion signal to the base station;

wherein the alarm unit is configured to analyze the medical information and the motion signal and determine whether to issue an alert based on a plurality of predefined rules;

wherein, upon determining to issue the alert, the alarm unit is configured to transmit the alert to the controller.

12. A method of using the system of claim 1, comprising the steps of:

registering a patient with a central server and uploading the patient'"'"'s medical history to the central server;

scheduling an appointment between the patient and a physician based on information obtained during the patient'"'"'s registration and based on the patient'"'"'s medical history;

performing an evaluation, wherein the patient is located in a first location and the physician is located in a second location that is different than the first location, wherein the evaluation comprises gathering medical information regarding the patient using one or more medical devices which are controlled by and relay the medical information to the physician;

updating the patient'"'"'s medical history on the central server with the medical information obtained during the evaluation;

scheduling a procedure at a medical facility based on the results of the evaluation;

providing the results of the procedure to the physician and updating the patient'"'"'s medical history on the central server;

providing the patient with a prescription to be filled by a pharmacist at the medical facility;

collecting all charges incurred by the patient in the evaluation and procedure for the prescription onto a single fee sheet;

collecting a single payment from the patient for the amount on the fee sheet; and

distributing the single payment proportionally to the physician and the medical facility.