METHODS FOR PERSONAL EMERGENCY INTERVENTION

• US 20110282671A1
• Filed: 11/03/2010
• Published: 11/17/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 10/24/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kent Dicks, Ralph Kent, Robert Tripp, Terry Bartlett, Thomas Crosley
• Original Assignee: Kent Dicks, Ralph Kent, Robert Tripp, Terry Bartlett, Thomas Crosley
• Inventors: Dicks, Kent, Bartlett, Terry, Tripp, Robert, Kent, Ralph, Crosley, Thomas
• Granted Patent: US 8,214,549 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 704/270.1
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2505/07 Home care
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2560/0209 adapted for power saving
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2560/0431 Portable apparatus, e.g. comprising a handle or case
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2560/045 with a separable interface unit, e.g. for communication
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0022 Monitoring a patient using a global network, e.g. telephone networks, internet
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1112 Global tracking of patients, e.g. by using GPS
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/63 for local operation
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/67 for remote operation
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 50/20 for computer-aided diagnosis, e.g. based on medical expert systems

Abstract

A method according to an aspect of the present invention includes receiving a communication from a patient through an interactive voice response (IVR) system; providing a guided voice prompt from the interactive voice response system to the patient; receiving a response of the patient to the guided voice prompt through the interactive voice response system; analyzing the response of the patient to the guided voice prompt; determining, based on the response of the patient, whether a command should be transmitted; and transmitting a command to a device controlled by the patient after a determination that the command should be transmitted. This method can be practiced automatically to allow a medical device for a patient or other subject to be monitored without requiring the patient to manually enter information.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

receiving a communication from a patient through an interactive voice response (IVR) system;

providing a guided voice prompt from the interactive voice response system to the patient;

receiving a response of the patient to the guided voice prompt through the interactive voice response system;

analyzing the response of the patient to the guided voice prompt;

determining, based on the response of the patient, whether a command should be transmitted; and

transmitting a command to a device controlled by the patient after a determination that the command should be transmitted.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the command requests an identifier for the device controlled by the patient.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the command controls the functionality of the device controlled by the patient.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the command instructs the device controlled by the patient to transmit data to a medical data server.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein the device controlled by the patient transmits data directly to the medical data server.

6. The method of claim 4 wherein the device controlled by the patient transmits data indirectly through an intermediary device to the medical data server.

7. The method of claim 4 wherein the data comprises at least one of:

medical information regarding the patient, historical information regarding the patient, and diagnostic information for the device controlled by the patient.

8. The method of claim 4 wherein the data comprises an environmental parameter.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein the environmental parameter comprises one or more of a battery charge level, a temperature, a barometric pressure, a code relating to an accessory for the device, a data validity measurement, an elapsed time since a previous reading by the device, a test result parameter, a signal-to-noise parameter and a quality of service (QoS) parameter.

10. The method of claim 4 further comprising determining that the data is related to a medical emergency, whereupon the data is transmitted to an intermediary device within range of the device without determining that the intermediary device is authenticated or authorized to receive the data.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein the command instructs the device to perform a function selected from the group consisting of delivery of a prescribed dose of medication to the patient, administration of a prescribed shock to the patient'"'"'s heart and combinations thereof.

12. The method of claim 1 wherein the communication is originated by the patient through the device controlled by the patient.

13. The method of claim 1 wherein the device comprises one or more of any of a computer interface, a medical device, a portable digital assistant (PDA), a mobile communication device, an emergency medical beacon, a medical data interchange device and an intermediary device.

14. The method of claim 1 wherein the communication is transmitted through at least one of a PSTN connection and cellular network.

15. The method of claim 1 wherein the communication is transmitted through an intermediary device.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein the intermediary device is wirelessly coupled to the device controlled by the patient.

17. The method of claim 15 wherein data is transmitted to the intermediary device from a wireless transmitter using a protocol selected from the group consisting of a Zigbee protocol, a Wibree protocol, an IEEE 802.11 protocol, an IEEE 802.15 protocol, an IEEE 802.16 protocol, an Ultra-Wideband (UWB) protocol, an Infrared Data Association (IrDA) protocol, a Bluetooth protocol and combinations thereof.

18. The method of claim 15 wherein the command reconfigures a software application operating on the intermediary device.

19. The method of claim 1 wherein responding to the guided voice prompt comprises depressing a button to generate a dual-tone multi-frequency (DTMF) tone to be transmitted to the interactive voice response system.

20. The method of claim 1 wherein responding to the guided voice prompt comprises the patient vocalizing a response.