PORTABLE MONITORING UNIT AND A METHOD FOR MONITORING A MONITORED PERSON

• US 20120165616A1
• Filed: 12/27/2010
• Published: 06/28/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 12/27/2010
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: LifeWatch Technologies Ltd. (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Original Assignee: LifeWatch Technologies Ltd. (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Inventors: GEVA, Nir, GEVA, Yacov
• Application Number:
  US12/978,666
• Publication Number:
  US 20120165616A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/300
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2560/0204 of power management
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2560/0242 adapted to measure environmental factors, e.g. temperature, pollution
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0022 Monitoring a patient using a global network, e.g. telephone networks, internet
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0024 for multiple sensor units attached to the patient, e.g. using a body or personal area network
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1112 Global tracking of patients, e.g. by using GPS
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6822 Neck
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7221 Determining signal validity, reliability or quality A61B5/7207 and A61B5/7217 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7282 Event detection, e.g. detecting unique waveforms indicative of a medical condition A61B5/4094, A61B5/4818, A61B5/349, A61B5/0823 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/746 Alarms related to a physiological condition, e.g. details of setting alarm thresholds or avoiding false alarms alarms per se G08B
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/747 in case of emergency, i.e. alerting emergency services
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/40 for the management of medical equipment or devices, e.g. scheduling maintenance or upgrades
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/67 for remote operation

Abstract

A method and portable monitoring unit, that portable monitoring unit includes a memory module for storing a media clip that comprises instructions related to the operation of the monitoring unit, for storing raw medical information, and for storing medical event information; a processor arranged to receive raw medical information from at least one primary sensor and to process the raw medical information and detect potential medical events, to trigger a display of the media clip and to perform a potential event related operation in response to a detection of the potential medical event.

Claims

1. A portable monitoring unit, comprising:

a memory module for storing a media clip that comprises instructions related to the operation of the monitoring unit, for storing raw medical information, and for storing medical event information; and

a processor arranged to receive raw medical information from at least one primary sensor and to process the raw medical information and detect potential medical events, to trigger a display of the media clip and to perform a potential event related operation in response to a detection of the potential medical event.

2. The portable monitoring unit according to claim 1, wherein the processor is arranged to request additional information from at least one secondary sensor in response to a detection of the potential event, and to process the additional information to determine a validity of the potential medical event, wherein the at least one primary sensor and the at least one secondary sensor form a group of sensors.

3. The portable monitoring unit according to claim 2, wherein the group of sensors comprises a physiological sensor and a biomechanical sensor;

and wherein the processor is arranged to correlate between physiological information obtained from the physiological sensor and biomechanical information obtained from the biomechanical sensor to determine a validity of the potential medical event.

4. The portable monitoring unit according to claim 2, wherein the group of sensors comprises an environment condition sensor and a physiological sensor;

and wherein the processor is arranged to correlate between physiological information obtained from the physiological sensor and environment condition information obtained from the environment condition sensor to determine a validity of the potential medical event.

5. The portable monitoring unit according to claim 2, wherein the group of sensors comprises an environment condition sensor, a biomechanical sensor and a physiological sensor;

and wherein the processor is arranged to correlate between physiological information obtained from the physiological sensor, biomechanical information obtained from the biomechanical sensor and environment condition information obtained from the environment condition sensor to determine a validity of the potential medical event.

6. The portable monitoring unit according to claim 2, wherein the group of sensors comprises two types of physiological sensors;

and wherein the processor is arranged to correlate between physiological information obtained from the two types of physiological sensors to determine a state of a monitored person.

7. The portable monitoring unit according to claim 1, further comprising a transmitter;

wherein the processor is arranged to instruct the transmitter to transmit a potential event information in response to a detection of the potential medical event.

8. The portable monitoring unit according to claim 7, wherein the transmitter is arranged to attempt to transmit the potential event information and to generate a transmission failure indication of the attempt fails;

wherein the processor is arranged to provide an alert that induces a suggestion to change a location of the monitored person or to inform a medical center of the failure by means that differ from the transmitter.

9. The portable monitoring unit according to claim 7, comprising a positioning module arranged to determine a position of the portable monitoring unit;

wherein the transmitter is arranged to attempt to transmit the potential event information and to generate a transmission failure indication of the attempt fails;

wherein the processor is arranged to determine a preferred transmission location and generate an alert to a monitored person indicative of the preferred transmission location;

wherein a probability of transmission failure from the preferred transmission location is substantially lower than a probability of a transmission failure at a current location of the monitored person.

10. The portable monitoring unit according to claim 7, wherein the processor is arranged to activate the transmitter and instruct the transmitter to perform long range transmission of the potential event information in response to a detection of the potential medical event.

11. The portable monitoring unit according to claim 1, comprising a transmitter, a primary power source and a secondary power source;

wherein the processor is arranged to prevent a transmission of potential event information during a low power period during which the primary power source is empty; and

to initiate a transmission of potential event information obtained during the low power period.

12. The portable monitoring unit according to claim 1, wherein the processor is arranged to receive the raw medical information in a continuous manner.

56. The portable monitoring unit according to claim 7, wherein the transmitter is arranged to transmit an indication about a completion of a measurement by the portable monitoring unit to a third party.

57. The portable monitoring unit according to claim 7, wherein the transmitter is arranged to transmit an indication about an incompletion of a measurement by the portable monitoring unit to a third party.

13. A portable monitoring unit, comprising:

a memory module for storing a media clip that comprises instructions related to the operation of the monitoring unit, for storing raw medical information, and for storing medical event information; and

a processor arranged to receive raw medical information from at least one primary sensor and to process the raw medical information and detect potential medical events, to request additional information from at least one secondary sensor in response to a detection of the potential event, and to process the additional information to determine a validity of the potential medical event, wherein the at least one primary sensor and the at least one secondary sensor form a group of sensors.

14. The portable monitoring unit according to claim 13, wherein the group of sensors comprises a physiological sensor and a biomechanical sensor;

and wherein the processor is arranged to correlate between physiological information obtained from the physiological sensor and biomechanical information obtained from the biomechanical sensor to determine a validity of the potential medical event.

15. The portable monitoring unit according to claim 13, wherein the group of sensors comprises an environment condition sensor and a physiological sensor;

and wherein the processor is arranged to correlate between physiological information obtained from the physiological sensor and environment condition information obtained from the environment condition sensor to determine a validity of the potential medical event.

16. The portable monitoring unit according to claim 13, wherein the group of sensors comprises an environment condition sensor, a biomechanical sensor and a physiological sensor;

and wherein the processor is arranged to correlate between physiological information obtained from the physiological sensor, biomechanical information obtained from the biomechanical sensor and environment condition information obtained from the environment condition sensor to determine a validity of the potential medical event.

17. The portable monitoring unit according to claim 13, wherein the group of sensors comprises two types of physiological sensors;

and wherein the processor is arranged to correlate between physiological information obtained from the two types of physiological sensors to determine a state of a monitored person.

18. The portable monitoring unit according to claim 13, further comprises a transmitter;

wherein the processor is arranged to instruct the transmitter to transmit a potential event information in response to a detection of the potential medical event.

19. The portable monitoring unit according to claim 18, wherein the transmitter is arranged to attempt to transmit the potential event information and to generate a transmission failure indication of the attempt fails;

wherein the processor is arranged to provide an alert that induces a suggestion to change a location of the monitored person or to inform a medical center of the failure by means that differ from the transmitter.

20. The portable monitoring unit according to claim 18, comprising a positioning module arranged to determine a position of the portable monitoring unit;

wherein the transmitter is arranged to attempt to transmit the potential event information and to generate a transmission failure indication of the attempt fails;

wherein the processor is arranged to determine a preferred transmission location and generate an alert to a monitored person indicative of the preferred transmission location;

wherein a probability of transmission failure from the preferred transmission location is substantially lower than a probability of a transmission failure at a current location of the monitored person.

21. The portable monitoring unit according to claim 18, wherein the processor is arranged to activate the transmitter and instruct the transmitter to perform long range transmission of the potential event information in response to a detection of the potential medical event.

22. The portable monitoring unit according to claim 18, comprising a transmitter, a primary power source and a secondary power source;

wherein the processor is arranged to prevent a transmission of potential event information during a low power period during which the primary power source is empty; and

to initiate a transmission of potential event information obtained during the low power period.

23. The portable monitoring unit according to claim 13, wherein the processor is arranged to receive the raw medical information in a continuous manner.

24. A portable monitoring unit, comprising:

a memory module for storing a media clip that comprises instructions related to the operation of the monitoring unit, for storing raw medical information, and for storing medical event information; and

a processor arranged to receive raw medical information from at least one primary sensor and to process the raw medical information and detect potential medical events, to request additional information from at least one secondary sensor in response to a detection of the potential event, wherein the at least one primary sensor and the at least one secondary sensor form a group of sensors;

wherein the group of sensors comprises an environment condition sensor, a biomechanical sensor and a physiological sensor; and

wherein the processor is arranged to correlate between physiological information obtained from the physiological sensor, biomechanical information obtained from the biomechanical sensor and environment condition information obtained from the environment condition sensor to determine a validity of the potential medical event.

25. A portable monitoring unit, comprising:

a memory module for storing raw medical information, and for storing medical event information;

a transmitter; and

a processor arranged to receive raw medical information from at least one primary sensor and to process the raw medical information and detect potential medical events, and to instruct the transmitter to transmit a potential event information in response to a detection of the potential medical event;

wherein the transmitter is arranged to attempt to transmit the potential event information and to generate a transmission failure indication if the attempt fails; and

wherein the processor is arranged to provide an alert that induces a suggestion to change a location of the monitored person or to inform a medical center of the failure by means that differ from the transmitter.

26. The portable monitoring unit according to claim 25, comprising a positioning module arranged to determine a position of the portable monitoring unit;

wherein the processor is arranged to determine a preferred transmission location and generate an alert indicative of the preferred transmission location;

wherein a probability of transmission failure from the preferred transmission location is substantially lower than a probability of a transmission failure at a current location of the monitored person.

27. The portable monitoring unit according to claim 25, comprising a positioning module arranged to determine a position of the portable monitoring unit;

wherein the memory module stores positions of preferred transmission locations and wherein the processor is arranged to select a preferred transmission location based on the position of the portable monitoring unit and generate an alert indicative of the preferred transmission location;

wherein a probability of transmission failure from the preferred transmission location is substantially lower than a probability of a transmission failure at a current location of the monitored person.

28. A method, comprising:

storing in a memory module of a portable monitoring unit, a media clip that comprises instructions related to the operation of the monitoring unit;

displaying the media clip;

receiving, by the portable monitoring unit, raw medical information from at least one primary sensor;

processing the raw medical information to detect potential medical events; and

performing, by the processor, a potential event related operation in response to a detection of the potential medical event.

29. The method according to claim 28, comprising requesting additional information from at least one secondary sensor in response to a detection of the potential event, and processing the additional information to determine a validity of the potential medical event.

30. The method according to claim 29, comprising correlating between physiological information obtained from a physiological sensor and biomechanical information obtained from a biomechanical sensor to determine a validity of the potential medical event.

31. The method according to claim 29, comprising correlating between physiological information obtained from a physiological sensor and environment condition information obtained from an environment condition sensor to determine a validity of the potential medical event.

32. The method according to claim 29, comprising correlating between physiological information obtained from a physiological sensor, biomechanical information obtained from a biomechanical sensor and environment condition information obtained from an environment condition sensor to determine a validity of the potential medical event.

33. The method according to claim 29, comprising correlating between physiological information obtained from two types of physiological sensors to determine a state of a monitored person.

34. The method according to claim 28, comprising attempting to transmit, by a transmitter of the portable monitoring unit, a potential event information in response to a detection of the potential medical event.

35. The method according to claim 34, comprising generating a transmission failure indication if the attempting to transmit fails;

and provide an alert that induces a suggestion to change a location of the monitored person or to inform a medical center of the failure by means that differ from the transmitter.

36. The method according to claim 34, comprising determining, by a positioning module, a position of the method;

attempting to transmit the potential event information;

generating a transmission failure indication if the attempting to transmit fails;

determining a preferred transmission location; and

generating an alert to a monitored person indicative of the preferred transmission location;

wherein a probability of transmission failure from the preferred transmission location is substantially lower than a probability of a transmission failure at a current location of the monitored person.

37. The method according to claim 34, comprising activating the transmitter and instructing the transmitter to perform long range transmission of the potential event information in response to a detection of the potential medical event.

38. The method according to claim 28, comprising preventing a transmission of potential event information during a low power period during which the primary power source is empty;

and initiating a transmission of potential event information obtained during the low power period.

39. The method according to claim 28, comprising receiving the raw medical information in a continuous manner.

40. A method, comprising:

receiving, by the portable monitoring unit raw medical information from at least one primary sensor;

processing the raw medical information to detect potential medical events;

requesting additional information from at least one secondary sensor in response to a detection of the potential event, and processing the additional information to determine a validity of the potential medical event.

41. The method according to claim 40, comprising requesting additional information from at least one secondary sensor in response to a detection of the potential event, and processing the additional information to determine a validity of the potential medical event.

42. The method according to claim 41, comprising correlating between physiological information obtained from a physiological sensor and biomechanical information obtained from a biomechanical sensor to determine a validity of the potential medical event.

43. The method according to claim 41, comprising correlating between physiological information obtained from a physiological sensor and environment condition information obtained from an environment condition sensor to determine a validity of the potential medical event.

44. The method according to claim 41, comprising correlating between physiological information obtained from a physiological sensor, biomechanical information obtained from a biomechanical sensor and environment condition information obtained from an environment condition sensor to determine a validity of the potential medical event.

45. The method according to claim 41, comprising correlating between physiological information obtained from two types of physiological sensors to determine a state of a monitored person.

46. The method according to claim 40, comprising attempting to transmit, by a transmitter of the portable monitoring unit, a potential event information in response to a detection of the potential medical event.

47. The method according to claim 46, comprising generating a transmission failure indication if the attempting to transmit fails;

and provide an alert that induces a suggestion to change a location of the monitored person or to inform a medical center of the failure by means that differ from the transmitter.

48. The method according to claim 46, comprising determining, by a positioning module, a position of the method;

attempting to transmit the potential event information;

generating a transmission failure indication if the attempting to transmit fails;

determining a preferred transmission location; and

generating an alert to a monitored person indicative of the preferred transmission location;

wherein a probability of transmission failure from the preferred transmission location is substantially lower than a probability of a transmission failure at a current location of the monitored person.

49. The method according to claim 46, comprising activating the transmitter and instructing the transmitter to perform long range transmission of the potential event information in response to a detection of the potential medical event.

50. The method according to claim 46, comprising preventing a transmission of potential event information during a low power period during which the primary power source is empty;

and initiating a transmission of potential event information obtained during the low power period.

51. The method according to claim 40, comprising receiving the raw medical information in a continuous manner.

52. A method, comprising:

receiving, by a portable monitoring unit, raw medical information from at least one primary sensor;

processing the raw medical information to detect potential medical events;

requesting additional information from at least one secondary sensor in response to a detection of the potential event;

wherein the at least one primary sensor and the at least one secondary sensor form a group of sensors; and

correlating between physiological information obtained from a physiological sensor of the group of sensors, biomechanical information obtained from a biomechanical sensor of the group of sensors, and environment condition information obtained from an environment condition sensor of the group of sensors to determine a validity of the potential medical event.

53. A method, comprising:

receiving, by the portable monitoring unit, raw medical information from at least one primary sensor;

processing the raw medical information to detect potential medical events;

requesting additional information from at least one secondary sensor in response to a detection of the potential event;

processing the additional information to determine a validity of the potential medical event; and

attempting to transmit, by a transmitter of the portable monitoring unit, a potential event information in response to a detection of the potential medical event.

54. The method according to claim 53, comprising generating a transmission failure indication if the attempting to transmit fails;

and provide an alert that induces a suggestion to change a location of the monitored person or to inform a medical center of the failure by means that differ from the transmitter.

55. The method according to claim 54, comprising determining, by a positioning module, a position of the method;

attempting to transmit the potential event information;

generating a transmission failure indication if the attempting to transmit fails;

determining a preferred transmission location; and

generating an alert to a monitored person indicative of the preferred transmission location;

wherein a probability of transmission failure from the preferred transmission location is substantially lower than a probability of a transmission failure at a current location of the monitored person.