Personal health management device

• US 20100295684A1
• Filed: 05/21/2009
• Published: 11/25/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 05/21/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: WiSilica, Inc.
• Original Assignee: SilverPlus, Inc.
• Inventors: Kwan, Dennis, Singamsetty, Suresh, Hsieh, Jeffrey
• Granted Patent: US 8,487,771 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/573.1
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/002 Monitoring the patient using a local or closed circuit, e.g. in a room or building A61B5/0017 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0022 Monitoring a patient using a global network, e.g. telephone networks, internet
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1118 Determining activity level
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/747 in case of emergency, i.e. alerting emergency services
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/0415 detecting absence of activity per se
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/0446 worn on the body to detect changes of posture, e.g. a fall, inclination, acceleration, gait
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/67 for remote operation

Abstract

A personal health management device is described. The device is part of a system comprising at least one console, one or more devices in wireless communication with the console wherein the console acts as an intelligent gateway through which the one or more devices may communicate to external data and voice networks, and an alert system wherein an alert is triggered by one or more of a user'"'"'s action and pre-set alarm criteria and wherein the triggering of an alert causes the console to take an action. The device may be a wearable device or it may be implemented in software and reside on third-party hardware.

Claims

1. A personal health management device comprising:

two-way wireless communication with a console unit;

a display showing alphanumeric and graphic information;

user interface to support functions;

connection to external data and voice networks; and

a detector detecting the presence or absence of motion in a user.

2. The device according to claim 1 wherein said device is implemented in software and resides on third-party hardware using the capabilities of said hardware for said two-way wireless communication, showing alphanumeric and graphic information, user interface, connection to external data and voice networks, and detecting motion.

3. The device according to claim 1 further comprising a time display.

4. The device according to claim 1 wherein said two-way wireless communication with a console comprises a radio residing in said device.

5. The device according to claim 4 further comprising:

a relay device maintaining wireless communication with said console, wherein said relay device receives a connection attempt from said radio in said device and provides connection to said device when said console is out of range, and wherein said relay device provides connection to said external data and voice networks as necessary.

6. The device according to claim 1 wherein said user interface to support functions comprises push buttons on said device.

7. The device according to claim 1 wherein said device is a wearable device comprising a bracelet, pendant, wrist-watch, belt attachment, and the like.

8. The device according to claim 1 wherein said connection to said external data and voice networks comprises communication to external data and voice networks by one or more of the following:

analog telephony, Voice over Internet Protocol (VOIP) over Ethernet, WiFi, and cellular wireless networks.

9. The device according to claim 1 wherein said detector detecting the presence or absence of motion in a user comprises:

a motion sensor on said device;

a motion sampling interval, a polling interval, and alert criteria set at said console;

activation of said motion sensor at the beginning of each motion sampling interval;

deactivation of said motion sensor at the end of said motion sampling interval or upon detection of a motion in said user;

sending of information to said console indicating motion or no motion for each polling interval; and

sending an alert to said device based on said information and defined alert criteria.

10. The device according to claim 1 wherein said personal health management device comprises both a software-implemented device and a hardware-implemented device wherein said console provides a handoff mechanism which will send a data message to said software-implemented device instructing said software-implemented device to activate or deactivate its motion-reporting function.

11. A personal health management device in a health management system comprising:

at least one console;

one or more devices, including said personal health management device, in two-way wireless communication with said console wherein said console acts as an intelligent gateway through which said one or more devices may communicate to external data and voice networks, wherein said personal health management device comprises;

two-way wireless communication with said console;

a display showing alphanumeric and graphic information;

user interface to support functions;

connection to said external data and voice networks; and

a detector detecting the presence or absence of motion in a user;

an application gateway in communication with said at least one console wherein said application gateway interfaces with one or more third-party servers; and

an alert system wherein an alert is triggered by one or more of a user'"'"'s action and pre-set alarm criteria and wherein said triggering of an alert causes said console to take an action wherein said action includes sending an alert to said personal health management device.

12. The device according to claim 11 wherein said personal health management device is implemented in software and resides on third-party hardware.

13. The device according to claim 11 wherein said personal health management device further comprises a time display.

14. The device according to claim 11 wherein said personal health management device is a wearable device comprising a bracelet, pendant, wrist-watch, belt attachment, and the like, supporting user functions through push buttons on said device.

15. The device according to claim 11 wherein said user'"'"'s action comprises pushing a button on said console or on one of said devices.

16. The device according to claim 11 wherein said alarm criteria comprises analysis of output from one or more of said devices.

17. The device according to claim 11 wherein said action comprises placing a telephone call to a public emergency number and playing a pre-recorded message including personal health data.

18. The device according to claim 11 wherein said action comprises placing a telephone call to pre-configured telephone numbers sequentially, and playing a pre-recorded message including personal health data.

19. The device according to claim 17 wherein said action comprises displaying the called party'"'"'s name and telephone number upon the console placing each telephone call.

20. The device according to claim 17 wherein said personal health data comprises:

data collected from said one or more devices; and

data stored on third party servers wherein said data on said third-party servers is updated from said console using said data collected and is used by said console.

21. The device according to claim 11 wherein said action comprises sending emails, SMS, fax, and voice calls with prerecorded voice messages to a list of contacts associated with said alert.

22. The device according to claim 21 wherein said action comprises sending alerts by email, SMS, fax, or voice calls with pre-recorded voice messages, and wherein said application gateway processes acknowledgments of receipt of said alerts, and wherein said application gateway sends a signal to said console to acknowledge receipt of said alert.

23. The device according to claim 11, further comprising a detector detecting the presence or absence of motion in a user comprising:

a motion sensor on said personal health management device;

a motion sampling interval, a polling interval, and alert criteria set at said console;

activation of said motion sensor at the beginning of each motion sampling interval;

deactivation of said motion sensor at the end of said motion sampling interval or upon detection of a motion in said user;

sending of information to said console indicating motion or no motion for each motion sampling interval; and

sending an alert to said device based on said information and defined alert criteria.

24. The health management system according to claim 11 wherein:

medication prescription information is able to be provided by said third party server wherein said medication prescription information comprises a medication schedule;

said medication prescription information is able to be sent by said third party server to said console through said application gateway;

said console sends alert messages to said personal health management device according said medication schedule; and

said personal health management device generates audio or visual alerts autonomously using information from said medication schedule.

25. The device according to claim 11, further comprising:

a relay device maintaining wireless communication with said console, wherein said relay device receives a connection attempt from said personal health management device and provides connection to said personal health management device when said console is out of range, and wherein said relay device provides connection to said external data and voice networks as necessary.

26. A watch, having health-related functions, comprising:

a time display;

two-way wireless communication with a console unit;

a display showing alphanumeric and graphic information;

user interface to support functions;

connection to external data and voice networks; and

a detector detecting the presence or absence of motion in a user.

27. The device according to claim 26 wherein said two-way wireless communication with a console comprises a radio residing in said device.

28. The device according to claim 27 further comprising:

a relay device maintaining wireless communication with said console, wherein said relay device receives a connection attempt from said radio in said device and provides connection to said device when said console is out of range, and wherein said relay device provides connection to said external data and voice networks as necessary.

29. The device according to claim 26 wherein said user interface to support functions comprises push buttons on said device.

30. The device according to claim 26 wherein said connection to said external data and voice networks comprises communication to external data and voice networks by one or more of the following:

analog telephony, Voice over Internet Protocol (VOIP) over Ethernet, WiFi, and cellular wireless networks.

31. The device according to claim 26 wherein said detector detecting the presence or absence of motion in a user comprises:

a motion sensor on said device;

a motion sampling interval, a polling interval, and alert criteria set at said console;

activation of said motion sensor at the beginning of each motion sampling interval;

deactivation of said motion sensor at the end of said motion sampling interval or upon detection of a motion in said user;

sending of information to said console indicating motion or no motion for each polling interval; and

sending an alert to said device based on said information and defined alert criteria.

32. The device according to claim 31 further comprising a software-implemented device having the same features as said watch wherein said console provides a handoff mechanism which sends a data message to said software-implemented device instructing said software-implemented device to activate or deactivate its motion-reporting function, wherein said handoff mechanism is triggered manually by user actions at said console, or automatically by events such as said watch'"'"'s being out-of-range for a given time period.

33. A method for health management of a user comprising:

providing a personal health management device in two-way wireless communication with a console;

collecting data from said personal health management device and storing said data at said console;

uploading said data to an application gateway in communication with said console wherein said application gateway sends said data to one or more third-party servers; and

providing an alert system wherein an alert is triggered by one or more of a user'"'"'s action and pre-set alarm criteria and wherein said triggering of an alert causes said console to take an action.

34. The method according to claim 33 wherein said personal health management device is implemented in software and resides on third-party hardware using the capabilities of said hardware for two-way wireless communication, showing alphanumeric and graphic information, user interface, connection to external data and voice networks, and detecting motion.

35. The method according to claim 33 wherein said two-way wireless communication with a console comprises a radio residing in said personal health management device.

36. The method according to claim 33 further comprising:

maintaining wireless communication between said personal health management device and said console by means of a relay device, wherein said relay device receives a connection attempt from said radio in said personal health management device and provides connection to said personal health management device when said console is out of range, and wherein said relay device provides connection to said external data and voice networks as necessary.

37. The method according to claim 33 further comprising accepting user interface to support functions comprising push buttons on said personal health management device.

38. The method according to claim 33 wherein said personal health management device is a wearable device comprising a bracelet, pendant, wrist-watch, belt attachment, and the like.

39. The method according to claim 33 further comprising connecting said console to said external data and voice networks by one or more of the following:

analog telephony, Voice over Internet Protocol (VOIP) over Ethernet, WiFi, and cellular wireless networks.

40. The method according to claim 33 further comprising:

providing a motion sensor on said personal health management device;

setting a motion sampling interval, a polling interval, and alert criteria at said console;

activating said motion sensor at the beginning of each motion sampling interval;

deactivating said motion sensor at the end of said motion sampling interval or upon detection of a motion in a user;

sending information to said console indicating motion or no motion for each polling interval; and

sending an alert to said personal health management device based on said information and defined alert criteria.

41. The method according to claim 33 wherein said personal health management device comprises both a software-implemented device and a hardware-implemented device wherein said console provides a handoff mechanism which will send a data message to said software-implemented device instructing said software-implemented device to activate or deactivate its motion-reporting function.