Mobile communication device and other devices with cardiovascular monitoring capability

• US 20070021677A1
• Filed: 07/25/2006
• Published: 01/25/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 07/25/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Gal Markel
• Original Assignee: Gal Markel
• Inventors: Markel, Gal
• Granted Patent: US 9,451,895 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/509
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2503/22 Motor vehicles operators, e.g. drivers, pilots, captains
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2560/0462 Apparatus with built-in sensors
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2560/0468 Built-in electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0006 ECG or EEG signals
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0022 Monitoring a patient using a global network, e.g. telephone networks, internet
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/25 Bioelectric electrodes therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/251 Means for maintaining electrode contact with the body
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/28 for electrocardiography [ECG]
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/332 Portable devices specially adapted therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6815 Ear
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6838 Clamps or clips
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6887 mounted on external non-worn devices, e.g. non-medical devices
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6898 Portable consumer electronic devices, e.g. music players, telephones, tablet computers
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7475 User input or interface means, e.g. keyboard, pointing device, joystick
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72421 with automatic activation of emergency service functions, e.g. upon sensing an alarm

Abstract

A general-purpose mobile communication device, general-purpose computer user-interface device, and other non-health-related electronic devices with cardiovascular monitoring capability. Various aspects of the present invention may comprise a general-purpose mobile communication device (e.g., a cellular telephone, portable email device, personal digital assistant, etc.) comprising a communication interface module adapted to communicate with a general-purpose communication network, and at least one module operational to acquire cardiac information from a user of the general-purpose mobile communication device. The general-purpose communication device may, for example, comprise a cardiac sensor (e.g., electrodes) disposed on the mobile communication device, which may be utilized to acquire cardiac information during use of the mobile communication device. Various aspects of the present invention may also comprise a non-health related electronic device (e.g., a general-purpose mobile communication device, general-purpose user-interface device for a general-purpose computer, gaming controller, etc.) that, during normal non-health-related utilization, acquire, analyze and/or communicate user health-related information.

Claims

1. A general-purpose mobile communication device (“

MCD”

) comprising;

a communication interface module adapted to communicate with a general-purpose communication network; and

at least one module operational to acquire cardiac information from a user of the general-purpose mobile communication device, while the user is utilizing the mobile communication device for general communication.

2. The general-purpose mobile communication device of claim 1, wherein the MCD comprises a general-purpose cellular telephone.

3. The general-purpose mobile communication device of claim 1, wherein the MCD comprises a general-purpose mobile e-mail device.

4. The general-purpose mobile communication device of claim 1, wherein the MCD comprises:

a first electrode coupled to the at least one module; and

a second electrode coupled to the at least one module, and

wherein the at least one module is further operational to detect cardiac activity of a user of the MCD that is conductively coupled to the first and second electrodes.

5. The general-purpose mobile communication device of claim 1, wherein the at least one module is operational to interface with a cardiac sensor disposed on the MCD.

6. The general-purpose mobile communication device of claim 1, wherein the at least one module is operational to interface with a cardiac sensor separate from the MCD.

7. The general-purpose mobile communication device of claim 1, wherein the at least one module is operational to:

detect use of the MCD; and

acquire cardiac information from a user of the MCD in response to detecting use of the MCD.

8. The general-purpose mobile communication device of claim 1, wherein the at least one module is operational to periodically acquire cardiac information from a user of the MCD.

9. The general-purpose mobile communication device of claim 1, wherein the at least one module is operational to acquire cardiac information from a user of the MCD in response to a command from the user for the MCD to acquire the cardiac information.

10. The general-purpose mobile communication device of claim 1, wherein the at least one module is operational to present information related to acquired cardiac information to a user of the MCD.

11. The general-purpose mobile communication device of claim 1, wherein the at least one module is further operational to analyze at least a portion of cardiac information acquired from a user of the MCD.

12. The general-purpose mobile communication device of claim 11, wherein the at least one module is operational to analyze the acquired cardiac information by, at least in part, comparing a primary component of a cardiac signal to a primary component characteristic associated with a known cardiac pathology.

13. The general-purpose mobile communication device of claim 11, wherein the at least one module is operational to analyze the acquired cardiac information by, at least in part:

determining a difference between a current cardiac signal and at least one previous cardiac signal; and

determining the existence of a cardiac pathology based, at least in part, on the determined difference.

14. The general-purpose mobile communication device of claim 11, wherein the at least one module is further operational to generate an alert message based, at least in part, on cardiac information acquired and analyzed by the at least one module.

15. The general-purpose mobile communication device of claim 1, wherein the at least one module is operational to communicate first information related to acquired cardiac information over the general-purpose communication network.

16. The general-purpose mobile communication device of claim 15, wherein the at least one module is operational to determine to communicate the first information in response to a request to communicate the first information.

17. The general-purpose mobile communication device of claim 15, wherein the first information comprises at least a portion of cardiac information acquired by the at least one module.

18. The general-purpose mobile communication device of claim 15, wherein the first information comprises information related to cardiac information acquired and analyzed by the at least one module.

19. The general-purpose mobile communication device of claim 15, wherein the at least one module is operational to communicate the first information with a destination associated with medical care.

20. A general-purpose mobile communication device (“

MCD”

) comprising;

a cardiac sensor disposed on the MCD; and

at least one module operational to;

communicate with a general-purpose communication network; and

utilize the cardiac sensor to acquire cardiac information from a user of the general-purpose mobile communication device.

21. The general-purpose mobile communication device of claim 20, wherein the cardiac sensor comprises a first electrode and a second electrode.

22. The general-purpose mobile communication device of claim 21, wherein the first electrode is disposed on a main body portion of the MCD.

23. The general-purpose mobile communication device of claim 21, wherein the first electrode is disposed on a user interface portion of the MCD.

24. The general-purpose mobile communication device of claim 21, wherein the first electrode comprises a conductive metal surface.

25. The general-purpose mobile communication device of claim 21, wherein the first electrode comprises a conductive plastic surface.

26. The general-purpose mobile communication device of claim 21, wherein the MCD further comprises an indicium identifying the location of the first electrode.

27. The general-purpose mobile communication device of claim 21, wherein the MCD comprises no indicium identifying the location of the first electrode.

28. In an electronic device, a method for monitoring health, the method comprising:

performing normal operation generally associated with the electronic device, where the normal operation is generally disassociated with user health-related activities;

while performing the normal operation, acquiring health-related information of a user of the electronic device.

29. The method of claim 28, wherein the electronic device comprises a cellular telephone.

30. The method of claim 28, wherein the electronic device comprises a mobile email device.

31. The method of claim 28, wherein the electronic device comprises a user interface device for a general-purpose computer.