System for measuring subjective well being

• US 20040010184A1
• Filed: 07/09/2002
• Published: 01/15/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 07/09/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cardiac Pacemakers Incorporated (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Cardiac Pacemakers Incorporated (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Inventors: Kenknight, Bruce H., Mazar, Scott Thomas
• Granted Patent: US 6,878,111 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/300
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0031 Implanted circuitry
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 128/903 Radio telemetry
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 128/92 Computer assisted medical diagnostics

Abstract

A system for measuring subjective well-being utilizes an interactive communications module, an electronic transmission module and an intervention module. The interactive communications module receives data or input that reflects a person'"'"'s subjective well-being and makes a temporal record of the input. The electronic transmission module transmits that data or input to a communications device. The intervention module is coupled to the interactive communications module to communicate a trend of subjective well-being. Trends may be created using a correlation module adapted to correlate and compare subjective and/or objective data. The correlation module may also include an inquiry module to allow a person to inquire about a person'"'"'s subjective well-being.

Claims

1. A system for subjectively measuring a person'"'"'s physical and/or emotional well-being, the system comprising:

a. an interactive communications module adapted to receive data that reflects a person'"'"'s subjective well-being;

b. an electronic transmission module coupled to the interactive communications module to transmit the data to a communications device; and

c. an intervention module coupled to the interactive communications module to communicate a trend of subjective well-being.

2. The primary input system of claim 1, wherein the system further comprises a correlation module that correlates the person'"'"'s input to create a trend of subjective well-being.

3. The primary input system of claim 1, wherein the system further comprises a correlation module that correlates the person'"'"'s input to create a trend of subjective well-being and further correlates the input with objective data on the person'"'"'s well-being to create a comparative trend of subjective well-being data to objective well-being data.

4. The correlation module of claim 2 wherein the correlation module further comprises an inquiry module.

5. The correlation module of claim 3 wherein the correlation module further comprises an inquiry module.

6. The interactive communications module of claim 1, wherein the interactive communications module makes a temporal record of the person'"'"'s input.

7. The interactive communications module of claim 1, wherein the interactive communications module automatically prompts the person to enter subjective well-being data.

8. The interactive communications module of claim 7, wherein the prompt is an electrically induced.

9. The interactive communications module of claim 8, wherein the electrically induced prompt induces a physical response in the person.

10. The interactive communications module of claim 9, wherein the physical response in the person comprises a muscle twitch.

11. The interactive communications module of claim 7, wherein the prompt is audibly induced.

12. The interactive communications module of claim 7, wherein the prompt is telephonic.

13. The interactive communications module of claim 1, wherein the prompt comprises textual query.

14. The interactive communications of module of claim 1, wherein the interactive communications module is external to the person.

15. The interactive communications of module of claim 14, wherein the interactive communications module comprises a personal computing device.

16. The interactive communications of module of claim 15, wherein the interactive communications module comprises a hand-held device.

17. The interactive communications of module of claim 13, wherein the interactive communications module is adapted to recognize a tactile signature.

18. The interactive communications of module of claim 14, wherein the interactive communications module is adapted to recognize a tactile signature.

19. The interactive communications of module of claim 15, wherein the interactive communications module is adapted to recognize a tactile signature.

20. The interactive communications of module of claim 1, wherein the interactive communications module is internal to the person.

21. The interactive communications of module of claim 20, wherein the interactive communications module comprises an accelerometer.

22. The interactive communications of module of claim 1, wherein the representation of the person'"'"'s subjective well-being comprises a verbal response.

23. The interactive communications of module of claim 1, wherein the representation of the person'"'"'s subjective well-being comprises an electronic response.

24. The electronic response of claim 23, wherein the response is entered through a device in electronic communication with the interactive communications module.

25. The interactive communications module of claim 1, wherein the interactive communications module comprises a global computer network.

26. The interactive communications module of claim 1, wherein the representation of the person'"'"'s subjective well-being comprises a plurality of icons.

27. The icons of claim 26, wherein the icons comprise a happy face, a straight face, and a frowning face.

28. The icons of claim 27, wherein the happy face connotes a good subjective well-being indicator, the straight face connotes a neutral subjective well-being indicator, and the frowning face connotes a bad subjective well-being indicator.

29. The icons of claim 28, wherein the happy face icon further comprises a sub-menu of icons that connote varying degrees of relative good subjective well-being, the straight face icon further comprises a sub-menu of icons that connote varying degrees of relative neutral subjective well-being, and the frowning face further comprises a sub-menu of icons that connote varying degrees of relative bad subjective well-being.

30. A system for subjectively measuring a person'"'"'s physical and/or emotional well-being, the system comprising:

a. an implanted interactive communications module adapted to receive data that reflects a person'"'"'s subjective well-being;

b. an interactive electronic transmission module coupled to the interactive communications module to transmit the data to a communications device; and

c. an intervention module coupled to the interactive communications module to communicate a trend of subjective well-being.