SYSTEMS AND METHODS TO PROVIDE TWO-WAY COMMUNICATIONS

• US 20090149722A1
• Filed: 12/07/2007
• Published: 06/11/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 12/07/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sonitus Medical, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Sonitus Medical, Inc.
• Inventors: ABOLFATHI, Amir, Kassayan, Reza
• Granted Patent: US 8,795,172 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/301
• 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 5/1112 Global tracking of patients, e.g. by using GPS
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4504 Bones A61B5/4547 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/682 Mouth, e.g., oral cavity; tongue; Lips; Teeth
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7465 Arrangements for interactive communication between patient and care services, e.g. by using a telephone network telemetry of measured physiological signal A61B5/0002
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 10/65 stored on portable record carriers, e.g. on smartcards, RFID tags or CD
• 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: H04B 1/385 Transceivers carried on the body, e.g. in helmets
• 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 67/52 specially adapted for the location of the user terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/05 specially adapted for use on head, throat or breast
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/6066 including a wireless connection
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/20 Services signaling; Auxiliary data signalling, i.e. transmitting data via a non-traffic channel

Abstract

An electronic and transducer device can be attached, adhered, or otherwise embedded into or upon a removable oral appliance or other oral device to form a two-way communication assembly. In another embodiment, the device provides an electronic and transducer device that can be attached, adhered, or otherwise embedded into or upon a removable oral appliance or other oral device to form a medical tag containing patient identifiable information. Such an oral appliance may be a custom-made device fabricated from a thermal forming process utilizing a replicate model of a dental structure obtained by conventional dental impression methods. The electronic and transducer assembly may receive incoming sounds either directly or through a receiver to process and amplify the signals and transmit the processed sounds via a vibrating transducer element coupled to a tooth or other bone structure, such as the maxillary, mandibular, or palatine bone structure.

Claims

1. A two way communication device, comprising:

a. a mouth wearable communicator;

b. one or more body sensors; and

c. a linking unit coupled to the mouth wearable communicator and the one or more body sensors, the linking unit adapted to communicate with a remote station.

2. The two way communication device of claim 1, wherein the mouth wearable communicator comprises a bone conduction device.

3. The two way communication device of claim 1, wherein the mouth wearable communicator comprises a custom oral device.

4. The two way communication device of claim 1, wherein the mouth wearable communicator comprises one or more medical sensors embedded therein.

5. The two way communication device of claim 1, wherein the mouth wearable communicator comprises a data storage device.

6. The two way communication device of claim 5, wherein the data storage device is encrypted.

7. The two way communication device of claim 1, comprising a local transceiver coupling the mouth wearable communicator with the one or more body sensors and the linking unit.

8. The two way communication device of claim 7, wherein the local transceiver transmits encrypted data.

9. The two way communication device of claim 1, comprising a wireless local area network (LAN) or a wired LAN coupling the mouth wearable communicator with the one or more body sensors and the linking unit.

10. The two way communication device of claim 1, wherein the linking unit is coupled to a wide area network (WAN).

11. The two way communication device of claim 1, wherein the remote station comprises one of a satellite, a cellular tower, a relay station mounted on an airplane or a helicopter, a relay station mounted on a blimp.

12. The two way communication device of claim 1, comprising a beacon coupled to the mouth wearable communicator to identify a person in need of assistance.

13. The two way communication device of claim 12, wherein the beacon comprises an audible signal, a location signal, a visible signal.

14. The two way communication device of claim 1, wherein the body sensor senses a vital sign or a measured parameter.

15. The two way communication device of claim 1, wherein the body sensor senses one or more of:

body temperature, environment temperature, hydration, heart rate, EKG, EEG, pulse rate, oxygen saturation, respiratory cycle, air flow velocity, potential of hydrogen (pH) level.

16. The two way communication device of claim 1, comprising a microphone to pick up sound.

17. The two way communication device of claim 16, wherein the microphone comprises one of:

an intraoral microphone, an extraoral microphone.

18. The two way communication device of claim 16, wherein the microphone cancels environmental noise and transmits a user'"'"'s voice to the remote station.

19. The two way communication device of claim 1, wherein the mouth wearable communicator is used by one of:

workers in loud environments, a professional entertainer or athlete and/or support personnel, a soldier, a medic, a fireman, an emergency worker.

20. The two way communication device of claim 16, comprising a wireless sensor network coupled to the mouth wearable communicator, the one or more body sensors, or the linking unit.

21. The two way communication device of claim 16, wherein the linking unit wirelessly communicates with other linking units to form a network for detection, identification and communication with a crew.

22. The two way communication device of claim 16, wherein the linking unit wirelessly communicates with other linking units to form a local area network.

23. The two way communication device of claim 1, comprising a housing having a shape which is conformable to at least a portion of at least one tooth;

an actuatable transducer disposed within or upon the housing and in vibratory communication with a surface of the at least one tooth; and

a wireless communication transceiver coupled to the transducer to provide received sound to the user and to provide communication for the user.

24. The two way communication device of claim 23, comprising an oral appliance having a shape which conforms to the at least one tooth.

25. The two way communication device of claim 23, comprising an electronic assembly disposed within or upon the housing and which is in communication with the transducer.

26. A method for providing two way communication, comprising:

a. intraorally wearing a mouth wearable communicator;

a. sensing one or more body parameters or environmental parameters; and

b. linking to the mouth wearable communicator and the one or more body sensors to a remote station.

27. The method of claim 26, comprising transmitting sound using a bone conduction device.

28. The method of claim 26, comprising providing the mouth wearable communicator as a custom oral device.

29. The method of claim 26, comprising embedding one or more sensors in the mouth wearable communicator.

30. The method of claim 26, comprising storing medical or environmental data in the mouth wearable communicator.

31. The method of claim 26, comprising storing data in the mouth wearable communicator as a secured black box device for subsequent forensic analysis.

32. The method of claim 26, comprising monitoring user activity.

33. The method of claim 32, comprising using an accelerometer to detect whether the user is walking, moving, or running.