Arrangement of equipment for remote monitoring of bodily functions

• US 20070282177A1
• Filed: 04/22/2003
• Published: 12/06/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 04/22/2002
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Ubicom Gesellschaft Fur Telekommunikation MbH
• Original Assignee: Ubicom Gesellschaft Fur Telekommunikation MbH
• Inventors: Pilz, Ulrich
• Application Number:
  US10/419,965
• Publication Number:
  US 20070282177A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/301
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0022 Monitoring a patient using a global network, e.g. telephone networks, internet
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/021 Measuring pressure in heart or blood vessels A61B5/0205 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/14532 for measuring glucose, e.g. by tissue impedance measurement
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/411 Detecting or monitoring allergy or intolerance reactions to an allergenic agent or substance
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4839 combined with drug delivery
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 35/00871 Communications between instruments or with remote terminals
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/17 delivered via infusion or injection
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 30/20 for handling medical images, e.g. DICOM, HL7 or PACS
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/63 for local operation
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/67 for remote operation

Abstract

An arrangement of equipment for the remote monitoring of bodily functions of a mammal under medical care, comprises: a function-measurement device to measure a physiological quantity relevant to bodily function; a first display unit disposed remotely from the function-measurement device and monitored by a responsible medical person, to display the measured values of the measured physiological quantity and a function characterization derived therefrom; an input unit disposed remotely from the function-measurement device, for the input of control commands for the function-measurement device, and to input warning signals; and a bi-directional public telecommunication-network connection with an outward channel between the function-measurement device and the first display unit and a return channel between the input unit and the function-measurement device, where, for each connected device, there is provided an interface adapted to a transmission protocol of the telecommunication network.

Claims

1. An arrangement of equipment for the remote monitoring of bodily functions of a mammal under medical care, comprising:

a function-measurement device to measure a physiological quantity relevant to bodily function;

a first display unit disposed remotely from the function-measurement device, for being monitored by a responsible medical person, to display the measured values of at least one of the measured physiological quantity and a function characterization derived therefrom;

an input unit disposed remotely from the function-measurement device for the input of control commands for the function-measurement device; and

a bi-directional public telecommunication-network connection with an outward channel between the function-measurement device and the first display unit and a return channel between the input unit and the function-measurement device, wherein for each connected device there is provided an interface adapted to a transmission protocol of the telecommunication network.

2. The arrangement of equipment according to claim 1, further comprising:

a video camera disposed at the mammal; and

a video receiving and display device disposed remotely from the video camera and connected thereto by the outward channel of the public telecommunication-network connection, to receive and display the pictures of the mammal recorded by the video camera.

3. The arrangement of equipment according to claim 1, further comprising a second display unit disposed at the mammal to display warning signals or information entered from the input unit.

4. The arrangement of equipment according to claim 1, further comprising at least one therapeutic device disposed at the mammal to provide a therapy in response to a control command entered at the input unit.

5. The arrangement of equipment according to claim 1, further comprising:

a wireless short-range connection between the function-measurement device and at least one additional device disposed at the mammal; and

associated with the additional device, an interface of the telecommunication network according to one of the Bluetooth, wireless LAN, and DECT standards.

6. The arrangement of equipment according to claim 5, wherein said additional device disposed at the mammal is one of a video camera, a therapeutic device, and a second display unit.

7. The arrangement of equipment according to claim 1, wherein the function-measurement device is one of a pulse meter to detect the pulse rate, and a cardiac-rhythm detector.

8. The arrangement of equipment according to claim 1, wherein the function-measurement device is a blood pressure meter.

9. The arrangement of equipment according to claim 1, wherein the function-measurement device is an oximeter device to detect the blood oxygen content.

10. The arrangement of equipment according to claim 1, wherein the function-measurement device is a glucose-measurement device to detect the blood-sugar content.

11. The arrangement of equipment according to claim 1, wherein the function-measurement device is a device to detect one of a respiratory rhythm and pulmonary performance.

12. The arrangement of equipment according to claim 1, wherein the function-measurement device is an EEG-recording device to detect the brain currents.

13. The arrangement of equipment according to claim 1, wherein the function-measurement device comprises an evaluation device to obtain a function characterization from the collected data.

14. The arrangement of equipment according to claim 4, wherein the therapeutic device is a remote-controlled, implanted cardiac pacemaker.

15. The arrangement of equipment according to claim 4, wherein the therapeutic device is a remote-controlled, implanted defibrillator.

16. The arrangement of equipment according to claim 4, wherein the therapeutic device is a remote-controlled breathing aid, with an oxygen or aerosol generator.

17. The arrangement of equipment according to claim 4, wherein the therapeutic device is a remote-controlled medicine-dosing device.

18. The arrangement of equipment according to claim 17 wherein the therapeutic device is an implanted insulin pump.

19. The arrangement of equipment according to claim 1, wherein the interface of the function-measurement device comprises a first mobile wireless terminal with data input.

20. The arrangement of equipment according to claim 3, wherein the second display unit with integrated interface comprises a first mobile wireless terminal.

21. The arrangement of equipment according to claim 1, wherein the interface of the first display unit comprises a second mobile wireless terminal with data output.

22. The arrangement of equipment according to claim 21, wherein the second mobile wireless terminal is a hand-held PC with an integrated mobile wireless element.

23. The arrangement of equipment according to claim 1, wherein the outward channel transmits data per SMS or EMS or WAP-push with automatic transmission activation by way of the function-measurement device.

24. The arrangement of equipment according to claim 1, wherein the return channel transmits data per SMS or EMS or WAP-push with manual transmission control.

25. The arrangement of equipment according to claim 1, wherein the outward and return channels comprise permanent packet-oriented data connections according to GPRS or UMTS.

26. The arrangement of equipment according to claim 1, further comprising:

a data bank associated with the first display unit, for the storage of transmitted mammal-related measurement data or function characterizations; and

a data-bank management system for the management of the data bank, including output to authorized users.

27. The arrangement of equipment according to claim 24, wherein at least one of the data bank and the data-bank management system is connected by way of an internet portal to one of a public data and a telecommunication network used to transmit one of the measured values and the function characterizations.

28. The arrangement of equipment according to claim 27, further comprising:

means for testing the authorization of a potential user, associated with the internet portal; and

access-control means connected to the authorization testing means for allowing access to the data bank in response to a positive result of the authorization test.

29. The arrangement of equipment according to claim 1, wherein the bi-directional public telecommunication network connection comprises a transmission section in an IP network and at the boundaries of this transmission section there are provided gateways to create a connection to the public telecommunication network and to convert the transmission format.

30. The arrangement of equipment according to claim 29, wherein the gateways convert between at least one of SMS and e-mail, SMS and fax, and e-mail and fax.

31. An arrangement of equipment for the remote monitoring of bodily functions of a mammal under medical care comprising:

a function-measurement device to measure a physiological quantity relevant to bodily function;

an automatic monitoring and control unit disposed remotely from said function-measurement device for evaluating at least one of the measured values of the physiological quantity and a function characterization derived therefrom, and to generate control commands in response to the result of the evaluation for the function-measurement device; and

a bi-directional public telecommunication-network connection with an outward channel between the function-measurement device and the automatic monitoring and control unit and a return channel between said automatic monitoring and control unit and the function-measurement device, wherein for the connected device there is provided an interface adapted to a transmission protocol of the telecommunication network.

32. The arrangement of equipment according to claim 31, further comprising:

a video camera disposed at the mammal; and

a video receiving and display device disposed at a distance from the video camera and connected thereto by the outward channel of the public telecommunication-network connection, to receive and display the pictures of the mammal recorded by the video camera.

33. The arrangement of equipment according to claim 31, further comprising a first display unit disposed at the mammal to display warning signals or information generated by the monitoring and control unit.

34. The arrangement of equipment according to claim 31, further comprising at least one therapeutic device disposed at the mammal to provide a therapy in response to a control command generated by the monitoring and control unit.

35. The arrangement of equipment according to claim 31, further comprising:

a wireless short-range connection between the function-measurement device and an additional device disposed at the mammal; and

an interface of the telecommunication network associated with the wireless short-range connection, according to one of the Bluetooth, wireless LAN, and DECT standards.

36. The arrangement of equipment according to claim 35, wherein said additional device is one of a video camera, a therapeutic device, and a first display unit.

37. The arrangement of equipment according to claim 31, wherein the function-measurement device is one of a pulse meter to detect the pulse rate and a cardiac-rhythm detector.

38. The arrangement of equipment according to claim 31, wherein the function-measurement device is a blood pressure meter.

39. The arrangement of equipment according to claim 31, wherein the function-measurement device is an oximeter device to detect the blood oxygen content.

40. The arrangement of equipment according to claim 31, wherein the function-measurement device is a glucose-measurement device to detect the blood-sugar content.

41. The arrangement of equipment according to claim 31, wherein the function-measurement device is a device to detect one of a respiratory rhythm and pulmonary performance.

42. The arrangement of equipment according to claim 31, wherein the function-measurement device is an EEG-recording device to detect the brain currents.

43. The arrangement of equipment according to claim 31, wherein the function-measurement device comprises an evaluation device to obtain a function characterization from the collected data.

44. The arrangement of equipment according to claim 34, wherein the therapeutic device is a remote-controlled, implanted cardiac pacemaker.

45. The arrangement of equipment according to claim 34, wherein the therapeutic device is a remote-controlled, implanted defibrillator.

46. The arrangement of equipment according to claim 34, wherein the therapeutic device is a remote-controlled breathing aid with an oxygen or aerosol generator.

47. The arrangement of equipment according to claim 34, wherein the therapeutic device is a remote-controlled medicine-dosing device.

48. The arrangement of equipment according to claim 47, wherein the remote-controlled medicine-dosing device is an implanted insulin pump.

49. The arrangement of equipment according to claim 31, wherein the interface of the function-measurement device comprises a first mobile wireless terminal with data input.

50. The arrangement of equipment according to claim 33, wherein the first display unit comprises an integrated interface and is a first mobile wireless terminal.

51. The arrangement of equipment according to claim 50, wherein the interface of the first display unit comprises a second mobile wireless terminal with data output.

52. The arrangement of equipment according to claim 51, wherein the second mobile wireless terminal comprises a hand-held PC with an integrated mobile wireless element.

53. The arrangement of equipment according to claim 34, wherein an interface of the therapeutic device comprises a second mobile wireless terminal with data output.

54. The arrangement of equipment according to claim 31, wherein the outward channel transmits data per one of SMS, EMS, and WAP-push with automatic transmission activation by way of the function-measurement device.

55. The arrangement of equipment according to claim 31, wherein the return channel transmits data per one of SMS, EMS, and WAP-push with one of manual transmission control and transmission control by means of the monitoring and control unit in response to the result of the evaluation.

56. The arrangement of equipment according to claim 31, wherein the outward and return channels comprise permanent packet-oriented data connections according to one of GPRS and UMTS.

57. The arrangement of equipment according to claim 31, further comprising:

a data bank associated with at least one of the first display unit and the monitoring and control unit, for the storage of transmitted mammal-related measurement data and function characterizations; and

a data-bank management system for the management of the data bank, including output to authorized users.

58. The arrangement of equipment according to claim 57, wherein at least one of the data bank and the data-bank management system is connected by way of an internet portal to at least one of a public data and a telecommunication network used to transmit the measured values and the function characterizations.

59. The arrangement of equipment according to claim 58, further comprising:

means for testing the authorization of a potential user, associated with the internet portal; and

access-control means connected to the authorization testing means to allow access to the data bank in response to a positive result of the authorization test.

60. The arrangement of equipment according to claim 31, wherein the bi-directional public telecommunication-network connection comprises a transmission section in an IP network and at the boundaries of the transmission section there are provided gateways to create a connection to the public telecommunication network and to convert the transmission format.

61. The arrangement of equipment according to claim 60, wherein the gateways are convert between at least one of SMS and e-mail, SMS and fax, and e-mail and fax.