Wireless Device and Method for Secure Auto Transfer of Medical Device Information to a Network of Wireless and Non-Wireless Devices

• US 20100099956A1
• Filed: 10/13/2009
• Published: 04/22/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 10/13/2008
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Confidant Hawaii LLC
• Original Assignee: Confidant Hawaii LLC
• Inventors: Bullock, Lyle Glenn, Petro, John Francis, Cole, Stephen Richard
• Application Number:
  US12/578,125
• Publication Number:
  US 20100099956A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/300
• 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 40/67 for remote operation

Abstract

A medical system includes a meter adapted for taking biometric measurements. A wireless communication module is associated with the meter for transmitting data representing the measurements. Collector devices are adapted to receive the data when a connection is available, process the data and transmit the data to a server. The server may be a HIPAA compliant server.

Claims

1. A medical device for taking biometric measurements, comprising:

a medical meter adapted for taking biometric measurements from a user; and

,

a wireless communication module associated with the medical meter for wireless transmission of data representing biometric measurements taken by the medical device.

2. The medical device according to claim 1, wherein said wireless communication module is programmed for connecting wirelessly to a network.

3. The medical device according to claim 2, wherein said wireless communication module is programmed for connecting to said network when signaling is established after a period of time of no signal availability.

4. The medical device according to claim 1, wherein said wireless communication module is programmed for uploading and storing data representing biometric measurements until a wireless network signal becomes available, and for transmitting the data when the network signal becomes available.

5. The medical device according to claim 1, wherein said wireless communication module is programmed for transmitting said data automatically without user interaction.

6. The medical device according to claim 1, wherein the wireless communication module is programmed for transmitting data representing biometric measurements to network elements in a system, or directly to, or from network elements to a device associated with an interested third party.

7. A method of obtaining and transmitting data representative of biometric measurements from a user, comprising:

obtaining biometric measurements from a user through the use of a medical meter;

uploading the biometric measurements as data representative of said measurements into a wireless communication module associated with the medical meter; and

,

wirelessly transmitting said data to a network.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising searching for a wireless network with said wireless communication module when a network is not available, and connecting and transmitting said data to a network when one becomes available.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein said searching for a network when one is not available is conducted intermittently.

10. The method of claim 7, further comprising transmitting messages to a plurality of network elements or directly to, or from network elements to a device associated with an interested third party.

11. A system for collecting biometric measurements, comprising:

a medical meter adapted for taking biometric measurements from a user, having a wireless communication module associated with the medical meter for wireless transmission of data representing biometric measurements taken by the medical meter;

at least one collector device for receiving biometric measurements from said medical meter, and for transmitting said biometric measurements to a central server for processing, when a communications link to said server is available, and,

a central server configured for receiving biometric measurements from said at least one collector device, and for processing said measurements.

12. The system of claim 11, comprising at least one network connection for receiving said biometric data wirelessly, and said at least one network connection being adapted for receiving data from a plurality of medical meters when each one of said plurality is in signaling range.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein at least one collector comprises at least one of a plurality of network elements configured for transmitting a signal indicative that data has been received from a specific medical meter to a third party having a device associated with the third party and affiliated with said specific medical meter.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the signal is a wireless signal transmitted to a wireless device of said third party for receipt of said signal by said wireless device of said third party.

15. The system of claim 11, wherein said at least one collector is a personal computer configured for receiving wireless signals and for sending data received wirelessly from said medical meter to other network elements.

16. The system of claim 11, wherein said central server is a HIPAA complaint server.

17. The system of claim 11, wherein said medical meter is configured for storing data representing the biometric measures when a connection to a collector is not available, periodically polling for a connection, and transmitting the data when a connection is available.

18. The system of claim 11, wherein said collector is configured for storing received data representing the biometric measures when a connection to the central server is not available, periodically polling for a connector and transmitting the data when a connection is available.

19. The system of claim 11, wherein said wireless communication modules is integrated with the medical meter.

20. The system of claim 11, wherein said wireless communication module is separate from and connectable to the medical meter.