Home health and medical monitoring method and service

• US 20070096927A1
• Filed: 12/18/2006
• Published: 05/03/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 07/23/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: InnovAlarm Corporation
• Original Assignee: InnovAlarm Corporation
• Inventors: Albert, David
• Granted Patent: US 7,508,307 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/573.1
• 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

A health monitoring method and system utilizes a bedside device to monitor breathing patterns and other health measuring signals and communicates these patterns and signals to a medical monitoring station. The medical monitoring service analyzes the signals for health conditions and determines when the signals indicate a medical response is required.

Claims

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

receiving at a medical monitoring service location, real time 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.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the signals comprise health indicating parameters obtained from sounds received by a microphone of the bedside home health monitoring unit.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the signals additionally comprise health indicating parameters obtained from measuring device signals received by the bedside home health monitoring unit.

4. The method of claim 2 further comprising providing a medical response when it is determined from analyzing the signals for health conditions that the medical response is required.

5. The method of claim 2 wherein the signals received and analyzed comprise breathing patterns selected from the group consisting of breathing rate, breathing sound frequency spectrum, snoring and coughing, and analyzing the signals include determining when medical response to an asthmatic condition is required.

6. The method of claim 2 wherein the signals received and analyzed comprise breathing patterns selected from the group consisting of breathing rate, breathing sound frequency spectrum, snoring and coughing, and analyzing the signals include determining when medical response to a chronic obstructive pulmonary condition is required.

7. The method of claim 2 wherein the signals received and analyzed comprise 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, and analyzing the signals include determining when medical response to a cardiovascular condition is required.

8. The method of claim 2 wherein the signals received and analyzed comprise breathing patterns selected from the group consisting of breathing rate, breathing sound frequency spectrum, snoring and coughing, and analyzing the signals includes determining when the signals indicate a medical response to an obstructive sleep apnea condition is required.