Enhanced fire, safety, security and health monitoring and alarm response method, system and device

• US 20060017560A1
• Filed: 07/23/2004
• Published: 01/26/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 07/23/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: InnovAlarm Corporation
• Original Assignee: InnovAlarm Corporation
• Inventors: Albert, David E.
• Granted Patent: US 7,173,525 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/531
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 1/08 using electric transmission ; transformation of alarm signals to electrical signals from a different medium, e.g. transmission of an electric alarm signal upon detection of an audible alarm signal
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 17/00 Fire alarms; Alarms responsive to explosion
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/0423 detecting deviation from an expected pattern of behaviour or schedule
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/0446 worn on the body to detect changes of posture, e.g. a fall, inclination, acceleration, gait
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/0453 worn on the body to detect health condition by physiological monitoring, e.g. electrocardiogram, temperature, breathing detecting, measuring or recording for diagnostic purposes A61B5/00
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/0461 integrated or attached to an item closely associated with the person but not worn by the person, e.g. chair, walking stick, bed sensor
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/0469 Presence detectors to detect unsafe condition, e.g. infrared sensor, microphone G08B21/0476 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/22 responsive to presence or absence of persons
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 3/10 using electric transmission; using electromagnetic transmission

Abstract

Method, system and device useful with conventional personal computers respond automatically to an identified alarm sound by sending a notification signal via the Internet only when a special sound monitoring program is active. Additionally, bedside detection of acoustic alarms is combined with enhanced waking devices to insure the waking of a child or hearing impaired person in response to an emergency. Home safety and security are provided using a bedside unit to monitor audible safety and security alarms and send notification signals to the appropriate communication site. A health monitoring method and system utilizes the bedside device to monitor breathing patterns and other health measuring signals and communicate these patterns and signals to a medical monitoring station.

Claims

1. A method for monitoring health indicating parameters of an individual using a bedside unit, the method comprising:

operating a bedside monitoring unit having a microphone, a microprocessor, a memory and a communications port;

by operating the bedside unit, detecting sounds comprising health indicating parameters received by the microphone of the bedside unit; and

using the communications port of the operating bedside unit, relaying the health indicating parameters to a medical monitoring service.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the unit further includes a switch for controlling supply of power to a waking device, and said method further comprises operating the bedside unit to detect from sounds received by the microphone of the bedside unit when the sounds represent a smoke detector alarm and in response thereto switching on supply of power to the waking device.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the health indicating parameters comprise breathing-related parameters.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein the breathing-related parameters are selected from the group consisting of breathing rate, breathing sound frequency spectrum, snoring and coughing.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the health indicating parameters comprise acoustic signals from a cardiac measuring device.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the communications port is a wireless communications port.

7. The method of claim 1 further comprising communicating from the health monitoring service to at least one of a designated care giver and local emergency personnel.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the bedside unit further comprises a receiver for receiving a signal from an electro-acoustic measuring device wherein the electro-acoustic measuring device is designed and positioned to detect a health indicating parameter of the person monitored, and said method further comprises using the bedside unit to relay the signals from the electro-acoustic measuring device to a medical monitoring service.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein the electro-acoustic measuring device is selected from the group consisting of load sensors, wireless chest strap heart monitors, accelerometers, pulse sensors and pulse oximeters.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein the wireless chest strap monitor is designed to sense and transmit health indicating parameters selected from the group consisting of beat-to-beat R-wave intervals, QRS duration, chest movement and activity.

11. The method of claim 8 wherein the electro-acoustic measuring device comprises a strain gage positioned to measure the person'"'"'s chest movement.

12. The method of claim 8 wherein the electro-acoustic measuring device comprises an accelerometer positioned to measure the person'"'"'s activity.

13. A health monitor comprising:

a bedside monitoring unit including a microphone, microprocessor, and a communications port; and

a monitoring program stored within the microprocessor, including instructional signals for relaying sound received by the microphone of the unit to a medical monitoring service through the communications port.

14. The health monitor of claim 13 wherein the monitoring program further comprises instructional signals for determining when sound received through the microphone of the unit represents a health indicating parameter.

15. The health monitor of claim 13 further comprising a receiver for receiving a signal from a measuring device, and the monitoring program further comprises instructional signals for relaying signals from the measuring device to a medical monitoring service.

16. The health monitor of claim 13 wherein the monitoring unit further includes a switch for controlling supply of power to a waking device and the monitoring program further includes instructional signals for determining when sounds received through the microphone of the bedside unit represent a smoke detector alarm and instructional signals for engaging the switch to activate the waking device when a smoke detector alarm is determined.

17. The health monitor of claim 16 further comprising battery backup power for operation of the monitoring unit including powering the waking device.

18. The health monitor of claim 13 wherein the communications port is a wireless communications port.

19. A home health monitoring system comprising a bedside sound monitoring unit having a microphone to detect audible health parameters and a communications port for relaying the sounds received by the microphone to a medical monitoring service.

20. A home health monitoring system comprising:

a device for measuring a health indicating parameter and generating a signal in response; and

a bedside monitoring unit having a microphone, a receiver for receiving a signal generated by a measuring device, and a communications port for relaying the sounds received by the microphone and the signals received by the receiver to a medical monitoring service.

21. The system of claim 20 wherein the bedside monitoring unit further comprises a microprocessor for determining if sounds received by the microphone of the bedside unit are health indicating parameters.

24. The system of claim 20 wherein the measuring device comprises a unit selected from the group consisting of load sensors, wireless chest strap heart monitors, accelerometers, pulse sensors and pulse oximeters.

25. The system of claim 20 wherein the measuring device comprises a wireless chest strap monitor designed to sense and transmit health indicating parameters selected from the group consisting of beat-to-beat R-wave intervals, QRS (spell out) duration, chest movement and activity.

26. The system of claim 20 wherein the measuring device comprises a strain gage positioned to measure an individual'"'"'s chest movement.

27. The system of claim 20 wherein the measuring device comprises an accelerometer positioned to measure an individual'"'"'s physical movement.

28. The system of claim 20 wherein the measuring device comprises a hand-held device for reproducing an individual'"'"'s electrocardiogram as an acoustic signal.

22. The system of claim 22 wherein the health indicating parameters comprise breathing-related parameters.

23. The system of claim 22 wherein the breathing-related parameters are selected from the group consisting of breathing rate, breathing sound frequency spectrum, snoring and coughing.

29. A bedside home fire alarm and health monitoring system comprising:

an audible fire alarm;

a waking device;

a bedside sound monitoring unit having a microphone and a microprocessor to identify and distinguish the fire alarm and health indicating parameters, a switch controlling supply of power to a waking device to be switched on in response to the fire alarm; and

a communications port for relaying health indicating parameters received by the microphone to a medical monitoring service.

30. A method for providing a medical monitoring service comprising:

receiving at a medical monitoring service location, signals relayed out a communications port of a bedside home health monitoring unit; and

analyzing the signals for health conditions and determining when the signals indicate a medical response is required.

31. The method of claim 30 wherein the signals comprise health indicating parameters obtained from sounds received by a microphone of the bedside home health monitoring unit.

32. The method of claim 30 wherein the signals comprise health indicating parameters obtained from measuring device signals received by the bedside home health monitoring unit.

33. The method of claim 30 further comprising providing a medical response when it is determined from analyzing the signals for health conditions that the medical response is required.

34. A method for providing a medical monitoring service for asthma comprising:

receiving at a medical monitoring service location, signals comprising breathing patterns selected from the group consisting of breathing rate, breathing sound frequency spectrum, snoring and coughing, wherein the breathing pattern signals are relayed out a communications port of a bedside home health monitoring unit; and

analyzing the signals for changes and determining when the signals indicate a medical response to an asthmatic condition is required.

35. A method for providing a medical monitoring service for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease comprising:

receiving at a medical monitoring service location, signals comprising breathing patterns selected from the group consisting of breathing rate, breathing sound frequency spectrum, snoring and coughing, wherein the breathing pattern signals are relayed out a communications port of a bedside home health monitoring unit; and

analyzing the signals for changes and determining when the signals indicate a medical response to a chronic obstructive pulmonary condition is required.

36. A method for providing a medical monitoring service for cardiovascular disease comprising:

receiving at a medical monitoring service location, signals comprising cardiovascular patterns selected from the group consisting of breathing rate, breathing sound frequency spectrum, snoring, coughing, beat-to-beat R-wave intervals, QRS duration, chest movement-respiratory effort, and activity, wherein the cardiovascular pattern signals are relayed out a communications port of a bedside home health monitoring unit; and

analyzing the signals for changes and determining when the signals indicate a medical response to a cardiovascular condition is required.

37. A method for providing a medical monitoring service for obstructive sleep apnea comprising:

receiving at a medical monitoring service location, signals comprising breathing patterns selected from the group consisting of breathing rate, breathing sound frequency spectrum, snoring and coughing, wherein the breathing pattern signals are relayed out a communications port of a bedside home health monitoring unit; and

analyzing the signals for changes and determining when the signals indicate a medical response to an obstructive sleep apnea condition is required.