Multi-user remote health monitoring system with biometrics support

• US 20060241975A1
• Filed: 06/23/2006
• Published: 10/26/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 11/17/1992
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Health Hero Network Incorporated (Robert Bosch GmbH)
• Original Assignee: Health Hero Network Incorporated (Robert Bosch GmbH)
• Inventors: Brown, Stephen J.
• Granted Patent: US 9,215,979 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/2
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0002 Remote monitoring of patients using telemetry, e.g. transmission of vital signals via a communication network A61B5/07 takes precedence; transmission systems for measured values G08C; transmission H04B; transmission of digital information H04L; wireless communication networks H04W
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/117 Identification of persons methods or arrangements for recognising patterns, e.g. fingerprints, G06F18/00, G06V40/00; identification of persons by analysing their voice or speech G10L17/00
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/67 for remote operation
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 50/70 for mining of medical data, e.g. analysing previous cases of other patients

Abstract

A method for monitoring a physiological condition of a user with an apparatus in a computer network is disclosed. The method generally includes the steps of (A) storing authorization information in a nonvolatile condition within the apparatus, the authorization information being suitable for identifying at least one of (i) one or more authorized patients among a plurality of medical patients of a health monitoring service and (ii) one or more authorized types among a plurality of patient types of the health monitoring service, (B) sensing biometric data from the user of the apparatus and (C) identifying the user as a particular patient from at least one of (i) the authorized patients and (ii) the authorized types in response to matching the biometric data to the authorization information.

Claims

1. A method for monitoring a physiological condition of a user with an apparatus in a computer network, comprising the steps of:

(A) storing authorization information in a nonvolatile condition within said apparatus, said authorization information being suitable for identifying at least one of (i) one or more authorized patients among a plurality of medical patients of a health monitoring service and (ii) one or more authorized types among a plurality of patient types of said health monitoring service;

(B) sensing biometric data from said user of said apparatus; and

(C) identifying said user as a particular patient from at least one of (i) said authorized patients and (ii) said authorized types in response to matching said biometric data to said authorization information.

2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of:

receiving from a device external to said apparatus an identification code that identifies said particular patient as one or more of (i) a unique patient of said authorized patients and (ii) a patient type of said authorized types.

3. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of:

receiving from a device external to said apparatus a physiological measurement of said user.

4. The method according to claim 3, wherein said physiological measurement is selected from a group of measurements comprising (i) a blood glucose measurement, (ii) a respiratory measurement, (iii) a blood pressure measurement, (iv) a weight measurement and (v) a pulse rate measurement.

5. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of:

receiving a plurality of responses from said user;

transferring said biometric data to a server (i) in said computer network and (ii) distant from said apparatus; and

transferring said responses to said server.

6. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of:

accepting a script program from a server (a) in said computer network and (b) distant from said apparatus in response to at least one of (i) a security feature of said apparatus being disabled and (ii) both said security feature being enabled and said biometric data corresponding to said particular patient, said script program being assigned to said particular patient.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein said one or more authorized patients comprises a plurality of authorized patients such that said apparatus is configured to service a plurality of users.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein said one or more authorized types comprises a plurality of authorized types such that said apparatus is configured to service a plurality of users.

9. The method according to claim 8, further comprising the steps of:

receiving security data from said user, wherein said identifying of said user as said particular patient is in further response to said security data matching said authorization information.

10. The method according to claim 1, wherein said biometric data is selected from a group of metrics comprising (i) retina metrics, (ii) iris metrics, (iii) voice print metrics, (iv) body measurement metrics, (v) handwriting metrics, (vi) fingerprint metrics, (vii) body odor metrics, (viii) heart beat signature metrics, (ix) blood metrics, (x) urine metrics, (xi) breath metrics, (xii) antigens, (xiii) weight metrics, (xiv) glucose metrics, (xv) optical metrics, (xvi) laser-based metrics and (xvii) ultrasound metrics.

11. An apparatus comprising:

a memory configured to store authorization information in a nonvolatile condition, said authorization information being suitable for identifying at least one of (i) one or more authorized patients among a plurality of medical patients of a health monitoring service and (ii) one or more authorized types among a plurality of patient types of said health monitoring service;

a sensor interface configured to receive biometric data sensed from a user of said apparatus; and

a processor configured to identify said user as a particular patient from at least one of (i) said authorized patients and (ii) said authorized types in response to matching said biometric data to said authorization information.

12. The apparatus according to claim 11, further comprising an interface suitable for communicating with a device external to said apparatus to receive (A) an identification code that identifies said particular patient as one or more of (i) a unique patient of said authorized patients and (ii) a patient type of said authorized types and (B) a physiological measurement of said user.

13. The apparatus according to claim 11, wherein said apparatus is sufficiently compact to be carried by said user.

14. The apparatus according to claim 11, further comprising a sensor connected to said sensor interface and configured to sense said biometric data.

15. The apparatus according to claim 11, further comprising:

a display configured to show a plurality of messages to said user;

a plurality of buttons configured to sense a plurality of responses from said user based on said messages; and

a network interface circuit configured to communicate with a server distant from said apparatus.

16. The apparatus according to claim 15, wherein said processor is further configured to (i) transmit said biometric data to said server and (ii) transmit said responses to said server after transmitting said biometric data.

17. The apparatus according to claim 11, wherein said processor is further configured to accept a script program from a server distant from said apparatus in response to at least one of (i) a security feature of said apparatus being disabled and (ii) both said security feature being enabled and said biometric data corresponding to said particular patient, said script program being assigned to said particular patient.

18. The apparatus according to claim 11, further comprising a card reader configured to read security data from a card of said user, wherein said processor is further configured to identify said user as said particular user in response to said security data matching said authorization information.

19. The apparatus according to claim 11, wherein said sensor comprises at least one of (i) a camera, (ii) a silicon sensor, (iii) a sound sensor, (iv) an olfactory sensor and (v) a three-dimensional topography sensor.

20. A storage medium for use in an apparatus to monitor a physiological condition of a user, the storage medium recording a computer program that is readable and executable by the apparatus, the computer program comprising the steps of:

(A) reading authorization information from a nonvolatile memory within said apparatus, said authorization information being suitable for identifying at least one authorized patient among a plurality of medical patients of a health monitoring service;

(B) reading biometric data sensed from said user of said apparatus;

(C) identifying said user as a particular patient among said authorized patients in response to matching said biometric data to said authorization information; and

(D) execute a script program (i) assigned to said particular patient and (ii) buffered in said nonvolatile memory.