HEALTH-RELATED OPPORTUNISTIC NETWORKING

• US 20080209046A1
• Filed: 02/28/2007
• Published: 08/28/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 02/28/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Karkanias, Chris Demetrios, Hodges, Stephen Edward, Scott, James William
• Granted Patent: US 8,032,124 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/227
• 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: G16H 10/60 for patient-specific data, e.g. for electronic patient records
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/20 for the management or administration of healthcare resources or facilities, e.g. managing hospital staff or surgery rooms
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 80/00 ICT specially adapted for facilitating communication between medical practitioners or patients, e.g. for collaborative diagnosis, therapy or health monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/306 Route determination based on the nature of the carried application
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/12 specially adapted for proprietary or special-purpose networking environments, e.g. medical networks, sensor networks, networks in vehicles or remote metering networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 40/02 Communication route or path selection, e.g. power-based or shortest path routing
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 40/246 Connectivity information discovery
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/04 adapted for relaying to or from another terminal or user
• CPC Class Codes: Y02A 90/10 Information and communication technologies [ICT] supporting adaptation to climate change, e.g. for weather forecasting or climate simulation

Abstract

A wireless opportunistic network that can facilitate data transfer by way of interconnected devices is disclosed. In accordance with this opportunistic network, each of the devices effectively contributes to the transfer of the information thereby obviating the need for an external carrier. In this manner, the carrier infrastructure is embodied and distributed throughout the individual devices of the network. In a particular aspect, the opportunistic network is employed to transfer and make available health-related data. This functionality can be used in many scenarios related to heath from, monitoring patients and conveying basic diagnostic data to identifying bioterrorism by way of collaborating data between a number of devices within the network. Essentially, the innovation provides for at least two core functional ideas, the opportunistic network infrastructure and the use of the network in health related scenarios.

Claims

1. A system that facilitates communication of health-related data through an opportunistic network, comprising:

an opportunistic connection component that determines a communication path between an origin device and a target device based upon a health-related situation, wherein the communication path travels through a plurality of devices active within the opportunistic network; and

a data communication component that facilitates transfer of the data along the communication path.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein at least a subset of the plurality of devices in the wireless opportunistic network dynamically change as a function of location which alters configuration of the opportunistic networking path, including altering paths for ongoing transmissions.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the communication path is determined based upon acuteness or severity of the health-related situation.

4. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

an analysis component that evaluates the plurality of devices that are active within the opportunistic network; and

a connection selection component that determines at least one of the active devices as a function of at least one of data type, context, or provider policy criteria.

5. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a receiving component that obtains, analyzes and verifies health-related data; and

a data transfer component that facilitates transmission of the data along the communication path as a function of the analysis of the health-related data.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the health-related data is gathered by way of a plurality of sensory mechanisms.

7. The system of claim 6, further comprising an aggregation component that collects the health-related data from a subset of the plurality of devices active in the opportunistic network.

8. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

an analysis component that evaluates the health-related data;

a routing component that determines an optimal communication path to the target device as a function of the analysis; and

a transmission system component that transfers a subset of the health-related data along the optimal communication path.

9. The system of claim 8, further comprising:

a content analysis component that evaluates content of the health-related data;

a target determination component that identifies the target device as a function of the content evaluation;

a policy component that identifies at least one of a delivery rule or a preference as a function of the content in view of the target device; and

a monetization component that calculates a cost for each of the devices active in the opportunistic network that store/forward the data along the communication path.

10. The system of claim 8, further comprising:

a proximate device locator component that identifies a plurality of devices proximate to the origin device;

a load analysis component that establishes available transmit capacity of each of the proximately located plurality of devices; and

a transmit path determination component that facilitates establishment of the communication path as a function of the available transmit capacity analysis.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the wireless opportunistic network comprises a plurality of mobile devices having capability to store and forward health-related data using an internal communication infrastructure.

12. The system of claim 1, further comprising a machine learning and reasoning component that automatically selects the communication path based upon at least one of a probabilistic and a statistical-based analysis.

13. A computer-implemented method of transmitting health-related data across a wireless opportunistic network, comprising:

receiving health-related data from at least one device in the wireless opportunistic network;

analyzing the health-related data based upon a heath-related protocol;

locating a plurality of handoff devices as a function of the analysis of the health-related data; and

transferring a portion of the health-related data to each of the handoff devices in sequence so as to transmit the data to a desired target device.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising configuring the wireless opportunistic network, wherein the wireless opportunistic network includes a plurality of portable devices each capable of receiving and sending health-related data by way of an internal communication infrastructure.

15. The method of claim 13, further comprising storing the health-related data at least until one of the plurality of handoff devices is located.

16. The method of claim 13, further comprising aggregating the health-related data by way of a plurality of health related sensory mechanisms.

17. The method of claim 13, further comprising prioritizing transfer of the health-related data with respect to other data as a function of at least one of data content, type or context.

18. The method of claim 13, further comprising actively monitoring the wireless opportunistic network to dynamically identify the plurality of handoff devices.

19. A computer-executable system that facilitates transmitting health-related data using an opportunistic networking infrastructure, comprising:

means for establishing the opportunistic networking infrastructure by occasional or periodic interconnection of a plurality of mobile devices;

means for receiving health-related data on a subset of the mobile devices;

means for aggregating the health-related data onto an origin device;

means for determining priority of transmission as a function of content or context of the health-related data;

means for identifying a communication path through the opportunistic networking infrastructure as a function of the priority; and

means for transferring the health-related data to a target entity by way of the communication path.

20. The computer-executable system of claim 19, further comprising means for inferring the target entity as a function of content or context of the health related data, and for dynamically changing the communication path for data en route as a function of content or context.