Method and System for Monitoring Physiological Status

• US 20100004516A1
• Filed: 01/23/2009
• Published: 01/07/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 07/01/2008
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Micro-Star International Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Micro-Star International Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Teng, You-Wei, Yeh, Yi-Chih, Li, Ming-Feng
• Application Number:
  US12/358,274
• Publication Number:
  US 20100004516A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/301
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/02 Detecting, measuring or recording pulse, heart rate, blood pressure or blood flow; Combined pulse/heart-rate/blood pressure determination; Evaluating a cardiovascular condition not otherwise provided for, e.g. using combinations of techniques provided for in this group with electrocardiography or electroauscultation; Heart catheters for measuring blood pressure
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/24 Detecting, measuring or recording bioelectric or biomagnetic signals of the body or parts thereof
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6887 mounted on external non-worn devices, e.g. non-medical devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1616 with folding flat displays, e.g. laptop computers or notebooks having a clamshell configuration, with body parts pivoting to an open position around an axis parallel to the plane they define in closed position
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1684 Constructional details or arrangements related to integrated I/O peripherals not covered by groups G06F1/1635 - G06F1/1675
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 15/00 ICT specially adapted for medical reports, e.g. generation or transmission thereof
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/63 for local operation

Abstract

A method for monitoring physiological status is applied to a laptop to form a monitoring system. A sensor is disposed on the laptop adjacent to a keyboard of the laptop. The sensor is provided for sensing user'"'"'s physiological signal and a detection circuit is utilized for converting the physiological signal into a numerical value. Detection software is installed to the laptop and executed for comparing the numerical value with a pre-determined threshold value range and output the numerical value and a comparison result. An alert is issued when the numerical value falls outside the threshold value range.

Claims

1. A method for monitoring physiological status, applied in a laptop, wherein a sensor is disposed on the laptop adjacent to a keyboard of the laptop, the method comprising the following steps:

starting and resetting the sensor;

giving a threshold value range;

detecting continuously by the sensor, to determine whether a physiological signal is input;

obtaining the physiological signal by the sensor and converting the physiological signal into a numerical value;

comparing the numerical value with the threshold value range to obtain a comparison result; and

outputting the comparison result.

2. The method for monitoring physiological status as claimed in claim 1, further comprising the following step after the step of detecting whether a physiological signal is input:

storing the numerical value after obtaining the numerical value.

3. The method for monitoring physiological status as claimed in claim 1, wherein the threshold value range lies in between an upper limit value and a lower limit value.

4. The method for monitoring physiological status as claimed in claim 3, further comprising the following step before the step of outputting the comparison result:

determining the comparison result, and issuing an alert if the numerical values of the physiological signal falls outside the threshold value range.

5. The method for monitoring physiological status as claimed in claim 4, wherein the alert is caution sound produced by the laptop.

6. The method for monitoring physiological status as claimed in claim 4, wherein the alert is a caution image displayed by the laptop.

7. The method for monitoring physiological status as claimed in claim 4, wherein the alert is sending the comparison result and a caution message to a remote terminal through a network.

8. The method for monitoring physiological status as claimed in claim 1, further comprising the following step after the step of obtaining a numerical value of the physiological signal:

outputting the numerical value.

9. The method for monitoring physiological status as claimed in claim 8, wherein the step of outputting the numerical value is producing speech using the laptop.

10. The method for monitoring physiological status as claimed in claim 8, wherein the step of outputting the numerical value is displaying an image display by the laptop.

11. The method for monitoring physiological status as claimed in claim 8, wherein the step of outputting the numerical value is sending the numerical value to a remote terminal through a network.

12. A system for monitoring physiological status, for monitoring a physiological signal of a user, the system comprising:

a laptop executing detection software, for comparing a numerical value of the physiological signal with a threshold value range, outputting the numerical value and a comparison result, and issuing an alert if the numerical value falls outside the threshold value range;

a sensor disposed on the laptop, for receiving the physiological signal when the user is operating the laptop; and

a detection circuit, disposed in the laptop and connected to the sensor and the laptop, for converting the physiological signal to the numerical value.

13. The system for monitoring physiological status as claimed in claim 12, wherein the sensor is an electrode.

14. The system for monitoring physiological status as claimed in claim 13, wherein the electrode is a metal sheet.

15. The system for monitoring physiological status as claimed in claim 13, wherein the electrode is a conductive rubber sheet.

16. The system for monitoring physiological status as claimed in claim 12, wherein the sensor is a temperature sensor.

17. The system for monitoring physiological status as claimed in claim 12, wherein the sensor is a blood pressure transducer.

18. The system for monitoring physiological status as claimed in claim 12, wherein the detection circuit comprises:

an amplifier connected to the sensor, for amplifying the physiological signal;

an analog-to-digital converter connected to the amplifier, for converting the physiological signal into the numerical value; and

a microcontroller connected to the analog-to-digital converter, for receiving the numerical value and transmitting the numerical value to the laptop through a protocol range.