Handheld Home Monitoring Sensors Network Device

• US 20080281220A1
• Filed: 10/04/2005
• Published: 11/13/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 10/04/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SpiroFriend Aid Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Statchip APS
• Inventors: Sharifpour, Reza
• Granted Patent: US 10,478,115 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/538
• 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: A61B 5/0205 Simultaneously evaluating both cardiovascular conditions and different types of body conditions, e.g. heart and respiratory condition
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/087 Measuring breath flow
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/097 Devices for facilitating collection of breath or for directing breath into or through measuring devices
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/411 Detecting or monitoring allergy or intolerance reactions to an allergenic agent or substance
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7267 involving training the classification device
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 7/003 Detecting lung or respiration noise
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 10/60 for patient-specific data, e.g. for electronic patient records
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 50/20 for computer-aided diagnosis, e.g. based on medical expert systems
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 50/30 for calculating health indices; for individual health risk assessment
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 50/70 for mining of medical data, e.g. analysing previous cases of other patients
• 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

Abstract

Light weight personal handheld home monitoring and managing device, which includes a Sound Sensor network/array of Sound Sensor networks combined with an Artificial Neural Network (ANN) and a build in system and methods, making this device an intelligent and portable apparatus to address specific health issues. The combined apparatus is used for managing and/or guidance and/or diagnosing and/or controlling and managing purposes. This present version of the apparatus will address pulmonary disorders and diseases or similar ailments.

Claims

1. A device for obtaining a physiological parameter regarding an individual specific user'"'"'s disease behaviour pattern, said device comprising:

a housing defining a conduit having an inlet and an outlet,

at least one sensor network/array for determining said physiological parameter, said at least one sensor being mounted in or on said conduit for generating an electrical signal representing said physiological parameter based on airflow generated by a person blowing in said conduit at said inlet, said at least one sensor network/array having an electrical output for outputting said electrical signal,

an analogue-to-digital converter having a converter input and a converter output, said converter input being electrically connected to said electrical output of said sensor,

a neural network processor having a first and a second digital input and a first digital output, said first digital input of said neural network processor being electrically connected to said converter output for receiving said signal,

a memory unit having a digital input and a digital output, said digital output of said memory unit connected to said second digital input of said neural network processor for transmitting previously stored reference values each representing a health state of a person and identified in a hierarchy of said reference values, said first digital output of said neural network processor being electrically connected to said digital input of said memory unit, and

said neural network processor establishing on the basis of said reference values a health state of said person and presenting information relating to said health state to said person and storing said health state in said hierarchy, wherein said housing has a mechanical shape or surface in the tube for catching condensate water of exhaled gas, said surface being colder than the exhaled gas, and said surface being formed in such a way that humidity is collected on the surface thereof and wherein at least one sensor for biogases and/or humidity is located on the mechanical shape or surface for catching condensate water of exhaled gas and/or at least one sound and vibration sensor is mounted in said conduit.

2. The device according to claim 1, wherein said device further comprises a transceiver for transmitting and receiving data representing physiological information determined by an external unit.

3. The device according to claim 2, wherein said transceiver is a wireless device.

4. The device according to claim 1, wherein at least one of said at least one sensors is a sound sensor.

5. The device according to claim 4, wherein said sound sensor measures ultra sound.

6. The device according to claim 1, wherein at least one of said sensors is a temperature sensor, or an air pressure sensor, or a moisture sensor.

7. The device according to claim 2, wherein said external unit is an ear piece.

8. The device according to claim 2, wherein said external unit is a mouth piece.

9. A method for obtaining a physiological parameter regarding an individual using a device comprising a housing defining a conduit having an inlet and an outlet,

at least one sensor network/array for determining said physiological parameter, said at least one sensor being mounted in or on said conduit for generating an electrical signal representing said physiological parameter based on airflow generated by a person blowing in said conduit at said inlet, said at least one sensor network/array having an electrical output for outputting said electrical signal,

an analogue-to-digital converter having a converter input and a converter output, said converter input being electrically connected to said electrical output of said sensor,

a neural network processor having a first and a second digital input and a first digital output, said first digital input of said neural network processor being electrically connected to said converter output for receiving said signal, and

a memory unit having a digital input and a digital output, said digital output of said memory unit connected to said second digital input of said neural network processor for transmitting previously stored reference values each representing a health state of a person and identified in a hierarchy of said reference values, said first digital output of said neural network processor being electrically connected to said digital input of said memory unit

wherein said housing has a mechanical shape or surface in the tube for catching condensate water of exhaled gas, said surface being colder than the exhaled gas, and said surface being formed in such a way that humidity is collected on the surface thereof and wherein at least one sensor for biogases and/or humidity is located on the mechanical shape or surface for catching condensate water of exhaled gas and/or at least one sound and vibration sensor is mounted in said conduit,

said method comprising the steps of:

said individual blowing air through said at least one opening

catching condensate water of exhaust gas on the mechanical shape or surface,

or said individual wearing an ear device comprising a sound and vibration sensor,

recording data from said at least one sensor network/array, storing said data from each of said at least one sensor network/array located on the mechanical shape or surface and/or a sound and vibration sensor in said memory unit alternatively in said neural network processor,

said neural network processor establishing on the basis of said data reference values patterns to determine user'"'"'s condition in a health state of said person and presenting information relating to said health state to said person and storing said health state in said hierarchy, and said neural processor comparing the data with data previously collected and stored by the device about the same user.

10. The method according to claim 9, wherein said physiological parameter is peak expiratory flow rate and/or forced expiratory volume and/or forced volume capacity.

11. The method according to claim 9, said method further comprising:

placing an external device on the body of said individual.

12. Them method according to claim 11, wherein said external device is placed in at least one ear of said individual and/or said external device is placed on the torso of said individual.