Medical monitoring system

• US 20070225578A1
• Filed: 03/17/2007
• Published: 09/27/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 03/24/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: IpVenture, Inc.
• Original Assignee: IpVenture, Inc.
• Inventors: Tong, Peter P., Thomas, C. Douglass, Howell, Thomas A., Hadiwidjaja, Angeline
• Granted Patent: US 8,112,293 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/306
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/01 Measuring temperature of body parts ; Diagnostic temperature sensing, e.g. for malignant or inflamed tissue clinical contact thermometers G01K13/20
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 17/02 Bodies
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 30/20 for handling medical images, e.g. DICOM, HL7 or PACS
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/67 for remote operation

Abstract

A medical monitoring system that facilitates end-users in obtaining medical information concerning their health or wellness is disclosed. In one embodiment, an end-user is provided with a medical monitoring appliance. In another embodiment, an end-user acquires an appropriate medical monitoring appliance. The end-user can utilize the medical monitoring appliance to capture health data concerning the end-user. The health data can be electronically stored at a central repository and be available for electronic access by medical personnel and/or the end-user. The invention also facilitates remote evaluation of an end-user'"'"'s health data by another person, such as a medical specialist.

Claims

1. A camera box for use with a camera to assist a user in capturing pictures of skin conditions of a user, said camera box comprising:

a housing;

said housing including at least;

a camera interface suitable for being coupled to a camera, said camera interface including an opening to allow images to be captured by the camera; and

a skin surface interface suitable for being coupled to a skin surface of the user, said skin surface interface including an opening that provides a picture border for the pictures being taken.

2. A camera box as recited in claim 1, wherein said camera interface enables the camera to be removably coupled thereto.

3. A camera box as recited in claim 1, wherein an inner surface of said skin surface interface includes at least a portion of a ruler.

4. A camera box as recited in claim 1, wherein said housing further includes a lens, said lens being provided internal to said housing and positioned between said camera interface and said skin surface interface, and at a predetermined distance from said skin surface interface.

5. A camera box as recited in claim 4, wherein said lens is movable to provide two predetermined distances from said skin surface interface, with a first distance being for close-up pictures, and a second distance being for taking pictures further away.

6. A camera box as recited in claim 4, wherein said camera or said housing further includes a light for use in providing light when pictures are taken.

7. A camera box as recited in claim 1, wherein the camera is a disposable digital camera.

8. A health care monitoring system, comprising:

a data management subsystem that coordinates storage and retrieval of medical information for a plurality of users;

a remote medical review subsystem that coordinates review of select ones of the users'"'"' stored medical information available from said data management subsystem;

a health care provider subsystem that permits authorized health care providers to access stored medical information available from said data management subsystem; and

a monitoring device delivery/return subsystem that coordinates the delivery and/or return of monitoring devices for monitoring certain health conditions of a plurality of the users,

wherein information regarding the certain health conditions monitored by the monitoring devices is subsequently stored in the data management subsystem.

9. A health care monitoring system as recited in claim 8,

wherein said health care monitoring system determines when a particular type of health monitoring is to be performed by a user at a specific time, and

wherein said monitoring device delivery/return subsystem coordinates sending a monitoring device corresponding to the particular type of health monitoring to the user.

10. A health care monitoring system as recited in claim 9, wherein when the particular type of health monitoring is skin condition monitoring, the monitoring device includes at least a heating mechanism and a thermal image acquisition mechanism.

11. A health care monitoring system as recited in claim 9, wherein when the particular type of health monitoring is skin condition monitoring, the monitoring device includes at least a camera box.

12. A health care monitoring system as recited in claim 9, wherein the type of health monitoring is designed to be performed by the user at home.

13. A health care monitoring system as recited in claim 8, wherein said health care provider subsystem limits access to the stored medical information to authorized individual or by way of a group affiliation.

14. A method for personal monitoring of skin conditions for a user, said method comprising:

(a) receiving digital picture data pertaining to a plurality of photos at a centralized processing facility, the photos being photos of one or more regions of the user'"'"'s skin that can have suspect skin conditions;

(b) processing the digital picture data to organize and electronically evaluate the digital picture data;

(c) electronically storing the organized digital picture data so as to be associated with the user;

(d) determining whether medical personnel should review the organized digital picture data associated with the user; and

(e) requesting medical personnel to review the organized digital picture data associated with the user, if medical personnel should review the data upon said determining (d).

15. A method as recited in claim 14, wherein said receiving (a) requires a person physically delivering the digital picture data or a representation of the digital picture data to a company.

16. A method as recited in claim 14, wherein said method further comprises:

(f) receiving a medical report concerning the skin condition of the user from the one or more medical personnel;

(g) electronically storing the medical report so as to be associated with the user;

(h) determining whether the user should be notified concerning the skin condition of the user;

(i) producing a notification regarding the skin condition of the user if the user is determined to be notified; and

(j) sending the notification to the user,

wherein the notification includes a recommendation for the user.

17. A method as recited in claim 14,

wherein the user has acquired the photos through the use of a personal medical monitoring appliance, and

wherein the user report can be electronically accessed by an authorized personnel.

18. A method as recited in claim 14, wherein said determining (d) periodically determines whether medical personnel should review data associated with the user at a frequency previously determined.

19. A method as recited in claim 14, wherein said processing (b) further comprises processing the received data to correlate such data with other previously stored picture data of the user.

20. A method as recited in claim 14, wherein said method further comprises:

(f) determining whether the user should be provided with a medical monitoring device; and

(g) initiating physical mailing of the medical monitoring device to the user if the user should receive such a device.