Health monitoring system

• US 20040087839A1
• Filed: 10/24/2003
• Published: 05/06/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 02/24/1995
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Brigham and Women's Hospital Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Brigham and Women's Hospital Incorporated
• Inventors: Singer, Daniel B., Raymond, Stephen A., Gordon, Geoffrey E.
• Granted Patent: US 7,273,454 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/300
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2560/0209 adapted for power saving
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2560/0242 adapted to measure environmental factors, e.g. temperature, pollution
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2560/0257 using atmospheric pressure
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2560/0295 adapted for recording user messages or annotations
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/002 Monitoring the patient using a local or closed circuit, e.g. in a room or building A61B5/0017 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/01 Measuring temperature of body parts ; Diagnostic temperature sensing, e.g. for malignant or inflamed tissue clinical contact thermometers G01K13/20
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/02055 Simultaneously evaluating both cardiovascular condition and temperature
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/02405 Determining heart rate variability
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1135 by monitoring thoracic expansion
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/318 Heart-related electrical modalities, e.g. electrocardiography [ECG]
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/332 Portable devices specially adapted therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/349 Detecting specific parameters of the electrocardiograph cycle
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/366 Detecting abnormal QRS complex, e.g. widening
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4824 Touch or pain perception evaluation A61B5/4821 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4839 combined with drug delivery
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6831 Straps, bands or harnesses
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6861 Capsules, e.g. for swallowing or implanting
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7232 involving compression of the physiological signal, e.g. to extend the signal recording period
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7275 Determining trends in physiological measurement data; Predicting development of a medical condition based on physiological measurements, e.g. determining a risk factor
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7435 Displaying user selection data, e.g. icons in a graphical user interface
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7475 : User input or interface means, e.g. keyboard, pointing device, joystick
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 7/00 : Instruments for auscultation
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 31/002 : Devices for releasing a drug at a continuous and controlled rate for a prolonged period of time artificial gland structures or devices A61F2/022; intra-uterine contraceptive devices A61F6/14; tampons for introducing into the vagina A61F13/20, A61L15/00; suppositories or bougies for intra-vaginal or intra-uterine application A61K9/02; physical forms of medicinal preparations for sustained or differential drug release A61K9/20, A61K9/50
• 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

A health monitoring system which tracks the state of health of a patient and compiles a chronological health history of the patient uses a multiparametric monitor which periodically and automatically measures and records a plurality of physiological data from sensors in contact with the patient'"'"'s body. The data collected is periodically uploaded to a database in which it is stored along with similar health histories for other patients. The monitor is preferably self-contained in a chest strap which is located on the patient'"'"'s torso, and makes use of a controller which controls sampling of the desired data and storage of the data to a local memory device pending uploading to the database. The data includes voice sound data indicative of voice sounds made by the subject over a predetermined period of time.

Claims

1. A portable personal health tracker comprising:

a data logger that collects and records subjective data from a subject regarding the subject'"'"'s medical condition for use by a reviewer;

a time base which tracks a time of recording of the data;

a data storage unit in which the data is stored with reference to the time base; and

a data communication device capable of connecting directly to a communication network to allow communication between the health tracker and the central server from points of access to the network that are remote to the central server, wherein the central server is directly accessible by the reviewer.

2. A portable personal health tracker according to claim 1 wherein the data communication device comprises a modem.

3. A portable personal health tracker according to claim 1 wherein the health tracker is a hand-held device.

4. A portable personal health tracker according to claim 1 further comprising a message receiver means by which the subject may receive and view messages directed to the data logger.

5. A portable personal health tracker according to claim 1 further comprising a message generator by which the subject may create and send messages.

6. A portable personal health tracker according to claim 1 further comprising a tactile input device on which the subject may write and the subject'"'"'s writing is detected, said tactile input device generating a digitized representation of the detected writing.

7. A portable personal health tracker according to claim 1 wherein the digitized representation of the subject'"'"'s writing is transmittable via the data communication device.

8. A portable personal health tracker according to claim 1 wherein the central server collects data from a plurality of health trackers and transmits the data together to a common database.

9. A portable personal health tracker according to claim 1 wherein the timebase of the health tracker is synchronized with a timebase of the central server when communication is established between the data communication device and the central server.

10. A health data messaging apparatus comprising:

a health data collection device that records subjective data from a subject regarding the subject'"'"'s medical condition;

a time base which tracks a time of recording of the data;

a data storage unit in which the data is stored with reference to the time base; and

a data communication device capable of connecting directly to a communication network to allow communication of health data messages to and from a central server from points of access to the network that are remote to the central server.

11. A portable personal health tracker according to claim 10 wherein the data communication device comprises a modem.

12. A portable personal health tracker according to claim 10 further comprising a tactile input device on which the subject may write and the subject'"'"'s writing is detected, said tactile input device generating a digitized representation of the detected writing.

13. A portable personal health tracker according to claim 10 wherein the digitized representation of the subject'"'"'s writing is transmittable via the data communication device.

14. A portable personal health tracker according to claim 10 wherein the timebase of the health tracker is synchronized with a timebase of the central server when communication is established between the data communication device and the central server.

15. A portable personal health tracker according to claim 10 wherein the central server collects data from a plurality of health trackers and transmits the data together to a common database.

16. A portable personal health tracker comprising:

a data logger that runs a data logger program to collect and record subjective data from a subject regarding the subject'"'"'s medical condition;

a time base which tracks a time of recording of the data in conjunction with the data logger program;

a data storage unit in which the data is stored by the data logger program with reference to the time base; and

a data communication device capable of connecting directly to a communication network to allow transmission of data from a remote location to the health tracker that is used by the data logger program to modify the data logger program.

17. A portable personal health tracker according to claim 16 wherein the data communication device comprises a modem.

18. A portable personal health tracker according to claim 16 wherein the timebase of the health tracker is synchronized with a timebase of the central server when communication is established between the data communication device and the central server.

19. A portable personal health tracker according to claim 16 wherein the central server collects data from a plurality of health trackers and transmits the data together to a common database.