INFERRING WELLNESS FROM PHYSIOLOGICAL CONDITIONS DATA

• US 20080294013A1
• Filed: 05/22/2007
• Published: 11/27/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 05/22/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
• Original Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
• Inventors: Kurtz, Andrew F., Gobeyn, Kevin M., Olson, Donald E.
• Granted Patent: US 8,038,615 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/300
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0059 using light, e.g. diagnosis by transillumination, diascopy, fluorescence A61B5/0093, A61B5/1455, A61B5/02416 and A61B5/0261 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/411 Detecting or monitoring allergy or intolerance reactions to an allergenic agent or substance
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/442 Evaluating skin mechanical properties, e.g. elasticity, hardness, texture, wrinkle assessment
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/444 Evaluating skin marks, e.g. mole, nevi, tumour, scar
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/445 Evaluating skin irritation or skin trauma, e.g. rash, eczema, wound, bed sore
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4547 Evaluating teeth

Abstract

A method for inferring the physiological condition an individual using a physiological monitoring system including providing a set of personal data regarding the individual, the personal data including wellness parameter data or semantic data or both, wherein the wellness parameters correspond to known physiological attributes for the individual; acquiring physiological data of the individual and associated capture condition data, during multiple capture events; calculating wellness parameter data for the individual, using the physiological data and the capture condition data; analyzing the wellness parameter data to identify changes in the wellness parameter data; and inferring the physiological condition of the individual from the changes in the wellness parameter data in view of the semantic data.

Claims

1. A method for inferring the physiological condition an individual using a physiological monitoring system comprising;

providing a set of personal data regarding the individual, the personal data including wellness parameter data or semantic data or both, wherein the wellness parameters correspond to known physiological attributes for the individual;

acquiring physiological data of the individual and associated capture condition data, during multiple capture events;

calculating wellness parameter data for the individual, using the physiological data and the capture condition data;

analyzing the wellness parameter data to identify changes in the wellness parameter data; and

inferring the physiological condition of the individual from the changes in the wellness parameter data in view of the semantic data.

2. The method according to claim 1 wherein the method for inferring includes testing for false positives with respect to the physiological condition of the individual.

3. The method according to claim 2 wherein testing for false positives includes querying an individual about their physiological condition or applying analytical algorithms to test the validity of the changes in the data, or combinations thereof.

4. The method according to claim 2 further including using the semantic data in testing for false positives comprises a variety of data, including an individual'"'"'s age, calendar, time of year, time of day, behaviors and activities, or travel schedule, or combinations thereof.

5. The method according to claim 2, wherein testing for false positives includes determining whether the potential changes in physiological condition are attributable to changes in the capture conditions rather than actual physiological changes.

6. The method according to claim 2, wherein testing for false positives further includes evaluating normalization data, including normalization transform confidence values to test the validity of the changes in the wellness parameter data.

7. The method according to claim 1 wherein a multiplicity of wellness parameters are analyzed individually, or in combination, for inferring physiological conditions.

8. The method according to claim 1 wherein the process of inferring the potential significance of identified changes includes accessing health information for an individual.

9. The method according to claim 8 wherein the accessed health information for an individual, includes genetic data, family health and disease history data, ethnicity, or personal health history data or combinations thereof.

10. The method according to claim 1 wherein the inference engine determines that an additional physiological condition will be monitored.

11. The method according to claim 10 wherein the additional physiological conditions are monitored using wellness parameters calculated from previously acquired physiological data and capture condition data for an individual.

12. The method according to claim 10 wherein additional physiological conditions are monitored using new wellness parameters, pre-existing wellness parameters, or combinations thereof.

13. The method according to claim 1 wherein the inference engine determines that updated personal data regarding the individual is needed to support ongoing monitoring of physiological conditions for the individual.

14. The method according to claim 1, wherein the analysis of the wellness parameters includes determining statistically significant changes that are represented by changes in the slope of the trend lines for one or more wellness parameters tracked over time.

15. The method according to claim 1, wherein the analysis of the wellness parameters includes determining statistically significant changes that are represented by abrupt changes in the trend lines for one or more wellness parameters tracked over time.

16. The method according to claim 1 wherein a portion of the physiological conditions being monitored are defined by one or more individuals.

17. The method according to claim 1 wherein at least portions of the method for inferring physiological conditions are supplied by a third party.

18. The method according to claim 17 wherein at least a portion of the method of inferring is performed by a third party.

19. A method for inferring the physiological condition of individuals in a family unit using a physiological monitoring system, comprising using the method according to claim 1 for each individual.

20. The method according to claim 19 wherein inferring the potential significance of identified changes in physiological conditions of an individual includes comparing data for at least two individuals of the family unit.

21. A method for inferring the physiological conditions of one or more individuals using an unobtrusive physiological monitoring system comprising;

unobtrusively acquiring physiological data of an individual and capture condition data, during multiple capture events;

calculating wellness parameter data for individuals, using the physiological data and the capture condition data;

analyzing the wellness parameter data to identify changes in the wellness parameter data

determining if the identified changes in the wellness parameter data represents a false positive; and

inferring the potential significance of the changes in the wellness parameter data other than those for which a false positive has been determined.

22. The method according to claim 21 wherein the determination of false positives includes applying analytical algorithms to infer the significance of changes in the physiological condition of the individual based on capture condition data, normalization data, normalization confidence values, or wellness parameter uncertainty data or combinations thereof.

23. The method according to claim 21 wherein the determination of false positives includes analyzing available semantic information regarding the individual or querying an individual with respect to their semantic information.