Method and apparatus for identifying a subject

• US 20040100361A1
• Filed: 11/26/2002
• Published: 05/27/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 11/26/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GE Medical Systems Information
• Original Assignee: GE Medical Systems Information Technologies Incorporated (General Electric Company)
• Inventors: Brackett, C. Cameron, Roehm, Steven P., Morita, Mark M., Fors, Steven L., Moehrke, John F.
• Granted Patent: US 7,151,435 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/5.74
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 17/00 Methods or arrangements for effecting co-operative working between equipments covered by two or more of main groups G06K1/00 - G06K15/00, e.g. automatic card files incorporating conveying and reading operations

Abstract

A method for updating information about a subject of interest is disclosed. The method comprises assigning the subject a unique signal which signal is physically associated with the subject, identifying the unique signal, and displaying information related to the subject assigned to the unique signal soon after the signal is identified. The method is preferably used in a hospital setting. Also disclosed is a device, a system, and a control program for use in updating information. The device comprises a control logic responsive to an external stimulus, a wireless signal detection unit, and a display unit that displays information about a subject that has been identified. The control program is used with a wireless detector and comprises a feature that controls display, a feature that identifies a signal associated with a subject, and a feature that displays information in response to the identification feature. Security features can also be incorporated.

Claims

1. A method for displaying information about a subject of interest to a user, comprising:

assigning the subject of interest a unique signal which signal is physically associated with the subject of interest;

identifying the unique signal that is in a proximity of a detector; and

displaying information representative of the subject of interest assigned to the unique signal in response to the unique signal being identified.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising assigning a plurality of subjects of interest unique signals;

identifying a plurality of unique signals that are in the proximity of the detector;

generating a list of choices corresponding to the unique signals identified;

selecting one or more of the choices; and

displaying information representative of the choice selected.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising identifying the user.

4. A portable device for displaying information relating to a subject of interest having a unique signal associated therewith, comprising:

control logic that generates a control signal in response to a user actuated stimulus;

a wireless signal detection unit capable of detecting the unique signal when the unique signal is in the proximity of the wireless signal detection unit; and

a display unit that displays information in response to the control signal, the information displayed associated with the signal detected by the wireless signal detection unit.

5. The device of claim 4, wherein the control logic is prompted by a user actuated input device.

6. The device of claim 4, wherein the control signal causes the wireless signal detection unit to detect unique signals.

7. The device of claim 4, wherein the display unit allows display of a list of choices corresponding to a plurality of unique signals detected by the wireless signal detection unit.

8. The device of claim 4, wherein the display unit can be identified with a particular user, and the display only allows display of information corresponding to those unique signals identified with the particular user.

9. The device of claim 4, wherein the display unit allows display of information relating to a subject of interest in response to a unique signal detected by the wireless signal detection unit if only one unique signal is detected.

10. The device of claim 4, wherein the display unit only allows display of information after a unique security input has been received.

11. The device of claim 4, further comprising an information supplier, the information supplier selected from the group consisting of a memory where information relating to at least one subject of interest is stored and a data connection that facilitates transfer of information relating to the subject of interest.

12. The device of claim 11, wherein the information supplier is a data connection, and the data connection is wireless.

13. The device of claim 4, wherein the information to be displayed includes patient data.

14. The device of claim 13, wherein the patient data is selected from the group consisting of a medical record, a medical chart, medical images, waveforms, lab results, and real-time patient monitoring results.

15. The device of claim 4, wherein a device housing the display unit is selected from a group consisting of, a personal digital assistant, a pocket personal computer, and a tablet personal computer.

16. The device of claim 4, wherein the wireless signal detection unit is capable of detecting a radio frequency.

17. The device of claim 4, wherein the display unit can be identified with a particular user, and the display unit can be configured to allow varying levels of access to information depending on the user.

18. The device of claim 4, wherein the display unit can be identified with a particular user, and the display unit can be configured to display data in different forms depending on the user.

19. A system for displaying information relating to a subject of interest, comprising a detecting device and at least one information device;

wherein the detecting device comprises a means for detecting a unique signal;

a control that generates a control signal in response to an external stimulus; and

a means for displaying information in response to the control signal; and

wherein the identification device has a unique signal associated therewith that can be detected by the wireless signal detection device.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein the information includes patient data.

21. The system of claim 19, wherein the display unit can be identified with a particular user, and the display only allows display of a list corresponding to those unique signals identified with the particular user.

22. The system of claim 19, wherein the display unit allows display of information relating to a subject of interest in response to a unique signal detected by the wireless signal detection unit if only one unique signal is detected.

23. A method for supplying information about a patient to a health care worker using a wireless detector, comprising:

wirelessly identifying at least one patient only when the unique signal physically associated with the patient is in a proximity of the wireless detector; and

displaying information based on the identification of the patient in response to identifying the patient.

24. The method of claim 23, further comprising displaying a list of patients if more than one patient is identified and allowing display of information relating to a patient if only one patient is identified.

25. The method of claim 23, further comprising displaying a list of patients associated with the healthcare worker if more than one patient associated with the health care worker is identified and allowing display of information relating to a patient if only one patient associated with the health care worker is identified.

26. The method of claim 23, wherein the information displayed includes patient data.

27. The method of claim 26, wherein the patient data is one of a group consisting of a medical record, a medical chart, medical images, waveforms, lab results, and real-time patient monitoring results.

28. A control program for use with a wireless signal detection unit that detects a signal physically associated with a subject of interest when the subject of interest is in a proximity of the wireless signal detection unit, the control program comprising:

a control feature that allows a user to select that information associated with signals should be displayed;

an identification feature that identifies the signal associated with the subject of interest and identifies that the signal is associated with the subject of interest; and

a display feature that displays information related to the subject of interest in response to the identification feature.

29. The control program of claim 28, wherein the display feature displays a list corresponding to more than one patient if more than one signal is identified by the identification feature and displays patient information if only one signal is identified by the identification feature.

30. A method of providing a user with information about a subject of interest using a portable information viewing system, the method comprising:

receiving, at the portable information viewing system, a unique signal identifier associated with the subject of interest, the unique identifier having been transmitted from an identification device located at or near the subject of interest; and

displaying the information about the subject of interest to the user using the viewing system;

wherein at least one of the receiving and displaying steps is performed while the viewing system is located near the subject of interest.

31. The method of claim 30, wherein the information displayed includes patient data.

32. A method for identifying a health care patient, comprising:

assigning the patient a unique identifier;

wirelessly and electronically identifying the unique identifier assigned to the patient; and

using the identification of the unique identifier.

33. The method of claim 32, wherein the unique identifier is a unique signal.

34. The method of claim 33, wherein the unique signal uses a radio frequency to transmit the signal.

35. The method of claim 32, wherein using the identification of the unique identifier includes associating the patient with information based upon the unique signal identified.

36. The method of claim 35, wherein the information is selected from the group consisting of monitoring data and test data.

37. A system for identifying a health care patient in a health care facility, comprising:

an identification device that produces a unique signal;

a wireless signal detection unit that can detect the unique signal; and

an assigning unit that assigns the unique signal to the patient.

38. The system of claim 37 wherein the unique signal is a radio frequency signal.

39. The system of claim 37, wherein the identification device uses a passive signal.

40. The system of claim 37, wherein the assigning unit is a computer running a software program.

41. The system of claim 40, wherein the software assigns the unique signal to a patient identifier used by the health care facility to identify the patient.