Wireless Monitoring of Multiple Vital Signs

• US 20110137141A1
• Filed: 12/03/2009
• Published: 06/09/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 12/03/2009
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Razoumov, Leonid V., Miller, Robert R. II
• Application Number:
  US12/630,274
• Publication Number:
  US 20110137141A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/316
• 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 5/0008 Temperature signals
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0022 Monitoring a patient using a global network, e.g. telephone networks, internet
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/14532 for measuring glucose, e.g. by tissue impedance measurement
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1455 using optical sensors, e.g. spectral photometrical oximeters
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4818 Sleep apnoea
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6817 Ear canal

Abstract

Devices, systems and methods are presented for monitoring a plurality of vital statistics, sending the statistics over a communications network, and generating real-time feedback for the user. A device includes a microcontroller, a transceiver, a plurality of logic units, a plurality of transducers, and a plurality of sensors. The sensors measure a plurality of vital statistics for a user. Alerts are communicated to the user via a speaker. Audio signals are detected via a microphone and processed by the logic. The transceiver enables wireless communication, directly or across a network. The transceiver further communicates with a wireless communication device. The plurality of health sensors includes a thermometer, a pulse oximeter, and a blood glucose meter.

Claims

1. A wireless in-ear health monitoring device, comprising:

a processor;

a memory in communication with the processor;

a transceiver in communication with the processor, the transceiver being configured to communicate over a wireless network;

a plurality of health sensors coupled to the device, the plurality of health sensors measuring a corresponding plurality of vital statistics;

a sensing logic on the memory to operate the plurality of health sensors and to receive the corresponding plurality of vital statistics from the plurality of health sensors;

a communication logic on the memory to operate a microphone and a speaker coupled to the device; and

a hearing aid logic on the memory to process an incoming audio signal.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the plurality of health sensors includes a thermometer, a pulse oximeter, and a blood glucose meter.

3. The device of claim 2, wherein the blood glucose meter and the pulse oximeter further comprise a Near Infra-Red (NIR) detector adapted to be clipped to an earlobe.

4. The device of claim 2, wherein the thermometer and the speaker are adapted to be inserted into an ear canal.

5. The device of claim 1, further comprising alerting logic to generate an alert when one of the plurality of vital statistics exceeds a maximum or minimum threshold.

6. The device of claim 5, wherein the alert is transmitted to a user of the device via the speaker.

7. The device of claim 5, wherein the alert is transmitted to a remote server on a network via the transceiver.

8. The device of claim 1, wherein the communications logic operates the transceiver to communicate with a wireless communication device.

9. The device of claim 8, wherein the transceiver is one of a BLUETOOTH and a ZIGBEE transceiver.

10. The device of claim 1, wherein the hearing aid logic processes an incoming audio signal based upon a hearing profile for a user of the device.

11. The device of claim 10, further comprising a second microphone to generate the audio signal that is processed by the hearing aid logic.

12. A system for monitoring health of a user, the system comprising:

a microcontroller including a processor, a memory, and a transceiver;

a plurality of health sensors in communication with the microcontroller, the plurality of health sensors measuring a corresponding plurality of vital statistics for the user;

a headset in communication with the microcontroller, the headset including a speaker and a microphone;

a hearing aid logic to process an incoming audio signal based upon a hearing profile for the user; and

an alerting logic in communication with the microcontroller to generate an alert via the speaker when one of the plurality of vital statistics exceeds a maximum or minimum threshold;

wherein the transceiver is configured to allow communication with a wireless telecommunication device.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the plurality of health sensors includes a thermometer, a pulse oximeter, and a blood glucose meter.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the blood glucose meter and the pulse oximeter further comprise a Near Infra-Red (NIR) detector adapted to be clipped to an earlobe.

15. The system of claim 12, wherein the thermometer and the speaker are adapted to be inserted into an ear canal.

16. The system of claim 12, further comprising a remote server on a network, wherein the transceiver communicates the plurality of vital statistics to the remote server to be analyzed by a healthcare professional.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the transceiver communicates the plurality of vital statistics to the remote server via the wireless communications device.

18. The system of claim 12, further comprising a user interface on the wireless telecommunication device enabling a user to configure the operation of the system.

19. A method for health monitoring, comprising:

providing a headset to be worn by a user, the headset including a speaker and a microphone;

enabling communication between the headset and a wireless communication device operated by the user;

incorporating a plurality of health sensors into the headset, the plurality of health sensors measuring a corresponding plurality of vital statistics for the user;

alerting the user via the speaker if any of the plurality of vital statistics exceeds a maximum or a minimum threshold;

processing an incoming audio signal based on a listening profile for the user; and

outputting the processed audio signal via the speaker.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising transmitting the plurality of vital statistics to a remote server for further processing.