Systems and methods for remote monitoring of fear and distress responses

• US 20060047187A1
• Filed: 12/08/2004
• Published: 03/02/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 08/27/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Muna C. Goyal, Rajiva Goyal
• Original Assignee: Muna C. Goyal, Rajiva Goyal
• Inventors: Goyal, Muna C., Goyal, Rajiva
• Granted Patent: US 7,297,110 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/300
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2503/06 Children, e.g. for attention deficit diagnosis
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2503/40 Animals
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2560/0271 using a remote monitoring unit
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0022 Monitoring a patient using a global network, e.g. telephone networks, internet
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1112 Global tracking of patients, e.g. by using GPS
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/165 Evaluating the state of mind, e.g. depression, anxiety
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/411 Detecting or monitoring allergy or intolerance reactions to an allergenic agent or substance
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4884 inducing physiological or psychological stress, e.g. applications for stress testing
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6898 Portable consumer electronic devices, e.g. music players, telephones, tablet computers
• 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: G16H 40/67 for remote operation
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 128/92 Computer assisted medical diagnostics

Abstract

The present invention relates to systems and methods for tracking and monitoring the location, health, emotional state, position, environment, sound, appearance, and other characteristics of subjects remotely over an electronic communications network by receiving signals transmitting such information from a device or devices located on or in the subject to a remote monitoring device over the electronic communications network.

Claims

1. A system for remote monitoring of a subject, comprising a processor configured to:

a) receive a transmitted signal from a remote device on or in said subject, said transmitted signal conveying a fear response of said subject;

b) convert said transmitted signal into a format that permits display of data corresponding to said transmitted signal on a display device;

c) organize said data to display a fear indication on said display device; and

d) provide secured access to said display of said fear indication to a user registered to access information related to said subject.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein said subject comprises a human.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein said human comprises a child eighteen years of age or younger.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein said subject comprises a non-human animal.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein said processor is located in a computer.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein said processor is located in a hand-held device.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein said hand-held device is a phone.

8. The system of claim 6, wherein said hand-held device is a personal digital assistant.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein said format that permits display of said data comprises a data format transmissible and displayable over an Internet.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein location of said subject is further displayed.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein said processor is configured to detect said fear response of said subject at two or more time points and to determine whether a change in said fear response has occurred at one or more of the time intervals between said two or more time points.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein said processor is configured to notify said user when said fear response of said subject deviates from a predetermined range.

13. A method for remote monitoring of a subject, comprising the steps of:

a) accessing an electronic monitoring device;

b) verifying user identification on said electronic monitoring device;

c) selecting a monitoring option for monitoring a fear response of a geographically remote subject having a remote device that transmits a signal carrying information about said fear response; and

d) viewing information about said fear response on said electronic monitoring device.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein said subject is a human.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein said human comprises a child eighteen years of age or younger.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein said subject comprises a non-human animal.

17. The method of claim 13, wherein said electronic monitoring device comprises a computer.

18. The method of claim 13, wherein said electronic monitoring device comprises a hand-held device.

19. The method of claim 13, further comprising the step of communicating with said subject.

20. The method of claim 13, further comprising the step of sending a response signal to said remote device from said electronic monitoring device.