911 SERVICES AND VITAL SIGN MEASUREMENT UTILIZING MOBILE PHONE SENSORS AND APPLICATIONS

• US 20130072145A1
• Filed: 09/20/2012
• Published: 03/21/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 09/21/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: University of North Texas
• Original Assignee: University of North Texas
• Inventors: Dantu, Ramanamurthy
• Granted Patent: US 9,485,345 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/404.1
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/0219 Inertial sensors, e.g. accelerometers, gyroscopes, tilt switches
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0022 Monitoring a patient using a global network, e.g. telephone networks, internet
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/021 Measuring pressure in heart or blood vessels A61B5/0205 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/02416 using photoplethysmograph signals, e.g. generated by infrared radiation A61B5/14552 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/02438 with portable devices, e.g. worn by the patient
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0816 Measuring devices for examining respiratory frequency measuring frequency of electric signals G01R23/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/113 occurring during breathing
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6898 Portable consumer electronic devices, e.g. music players, telephones, tablet computers
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/747 in case of emergency, i.e. alerting emergency services
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 7/003 Detecting lung or respiration noise
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/67 for remote operation
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 2001/3861 carried in a hand or on fingers
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72418 for supporting emergency services
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 11/04 with alarm systems, e.g. fire, police or burglar alarm systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/52 including functional features of a camera constructional features concerning the integration of cameras in portable phones H04M1/0264
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/80 Services using short range communication, e.g. near-field communication [NFC], radio-frequency identification [RFID] or low energy communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/90 Services for handling of emergency or hazardous situations, e.g. earthquake and tsunami warning systems [ETWS]
• CPC Class Codes: Y02A 90/10 Information and communication technologies [ICT] supporting adaptation to climate change, e.g. for weather forecasting or climate simulation

Abstract

Improved methods for utilizing 911 services, for implementing 911 dispatch protocols, and for measuring vital signs of a human, all by accessing mobile phone sensors and applications, are disclosed. Vital signs such as heart rate, breathing rate, breathing distress, and blood pressure can be measured using mobile phone sensors and applications. A method for differential estimation of blood pressure involves the synchronization of time between two mobile phones, locating an appropriate position for one cell phone and recording heart sounds, and recording video data from the finger tip of the subject using the other mobile phone.

Claims

1. A method for transmitting heart rate information of a subject to an emergency dispatcher, comprising:

placing a call to an emergency dispatcher using a mobile phone, wherein the mobile phone comprises a camera with a lens, a flash, and an application for estimating heart rate information using the camera and flash;

activating the application for estimating heart rate information;

placing the finger tip of the subject on the lens of the camera;

activating the flash of the camera to permit the application to capture information about the heart rate of the subject relating to light variations in the finger tip of the subject; and

transmitting the heart rate information of the subject to the emergency dispatcher using the mobile phone.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the application utilizes Photo Plethysmography (“

PPG”

) to capture information about the heart rate of the subject relating to light variations in the finger tip of the subject.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the activating the flash of the camera step occurs more than once.

4. A method for transmitting information about the respirator) rate and respiratory difficulty of a subject to an emergency dispatcher, comprising:

placing a call to an emergency dispatcher using a mobile phone, wherein the mobile phone comprises an accelerometer and an application for estimating respiratory rate information using the accelerometer;

activating the application for estimating respirator) rate information;

placing the mobile phone on the chest of the subject;

activating the accelerometer to permit the application to capture information about the respiratory rate of the subject relating to movement of the chest of the subject; and

transmitting the respiratory rate information of the subject to the emergency dispatcher using the mobile phone.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the mobile phone is placed in a horizontal position on the chest of the subject.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein irregular chest movements of the subject are captured and transmitted to the emergency dispatcher as respiratory rate information showing breathing irregularities or breathing difficulties.

7. The method of claim 4, further comprising placing the mobile phone in close proximity to the nose or mouth of the subject and transmitting breathing sounds of the subject to the emergency dispatcher.

8. The method of claim 4, wherein the mobile phone further comprises a camera capable of capturing still or video images and further comprising using the camera of the mobile phone to transmit still or video images of the subject to the emergency dispatcher.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the camera transmits video images of the subject and the video images comprise information on bit rate, and wherein the information on bit rate communicates information to the emergency dispatcher regarding activity of the subject.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the camera of the mobile phone is capable of being controlled remotely by the emergency dispatcher.

11. A method for allowing an emergency dispatcher to monitor CPR chest compression rate and displacement being administered on a subject, comprising:

placing a call to an emergency dispatcher using a mobile phone, wherein the mobile phone comprises an accelerometer and an application for estimating chest compression rate and displacement information using the accelerometer;

activating the application for estimating chest compression rate and displacement information;

placing the mobile phone on the chest of the subject;

administering chest compressions to the subject;

activating the accelerometer to permit the application to capture information about the chest compression rate and displacement relating to movement of the chest of the subject; and

transmitting the chest compression rate and displacement information of the subject to the emergency dispatcher using the mobile phone.

12. A method for transmitting overall health information of a subject to an emergency dispatcher, comprising:

placing a call to an emergency dispatcher using a mobile phone, wherein the mobile phone comprises a camera with a lens, a flash, an application for estimating heart rate information using the camera and flash, an accelerometer, and an application for estimating respiratory rate information using the accelerometer;

activating the application for estimating heart rate information;

placing the finger tip of the subject on the lens of the camera;

activating the flash of the camera to permit the application to capture information about the heart rate of the subject relating to light variations in the finger tip of the subject;

transmitting the heart rate information of the subject to the emergency dispatcher using the mobile phone;

activating the application for estimating respiratory rate information;

placing the mobile phone on the chest of the subject;

activating the accelerometer to permit the application to capture information about the respiratory rate of the subject relating to movement of the chest of the subject; and

transmitting the respiratory rate information of the subject to the emergency dispatcher using the mobile phone.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the application for estimating heart rate information utilizes Photo Plethysmography (“

PPG”

) to capture information about the heart rate of the subject relating to light variations in the finger tip of the subject.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the activating the flash of the camera step occurs more than once.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein the mobile phone is placed in a horizontal position on the chest of the subject.

16. The method of claim 12, wherein irregular chest movements of the subject are captured and transmitted to the emergency dispatcher as respiratory rate information showing breathing irregularities or breathing difficulties.

17. The method of claim 12, further comprising placing the mobile phone in close proximity to the nose or mouth of the subject and transmitting breathing sounds of the subject to the emergency dispatcher.

18. The method of claim 12, wherein the camera of the mobile phone is capable of capturing still or video images and further comprising using the camera of the mobile phone to transmit still or video images of the subject to the emergency dispatcher.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the camera transmits video images of the subject and the video images comprise information on bit rate, and wherein the information on bit rate communicates information to the emergency dispatcher regarding activity of the subject.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein the camera of the mobile phone is capable of being controlled remotely by the emergency dispatcher.

21. A method for performing emergency dispatch protocols between an emergency dispatcher and a caller regarding the state of a subject using a mobile phone, comprising:

placing a call to an emergency dispatcher using a mobile phone, wherein the mobile phone comprises a camera capable of capturing still and video images with a lens, a flash, an application for estimating heart rate information using the camera and flash, an accelerometer, an application for estimating respiratory rate information using the accelerometer, and a microphone;

asking questions of the caller regarding the state of the subject according to the emergency dispatch protocols;

receiving from the caller transmitted data relevant to the questions and collected using the mobile phone, wherein the data includes heart rate information of the subject collected using the camera and flash of the mobile phone, respiratory rate information of the subject collected using the accelerometer of the mobile phone, information regarding breathing sounds of the patient captured using the microphone of the mobile phone, video or still images of the subject, or combinations thereof; and

utilizing the transmitted data received from the caller in accordance with the emergency dispatch protocols to make determinations regarding condition of the subject, dispatch of assistance to subject, and urgency of need for dispatch.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the heart rate information of the subject collected using the camera and flash of the mobile phone is collected by the application for estimating heart rate utilizing Photo Plethysmography (“

PPG”

).

23. The method of claim 21, wherein the camera transmits video images of the subject and the video images comprise information on bit rate, and wherein the information on bit rate communicates information to the emergency dispatcher regarding activity of the subject.

24. The method of claim 21, wherein the camera of the mobile phone is capable of being controlled remotely by the emergency dispatcher.

25. A method for cuffless blood pressure estimation of a subject using a first mobile phone and a second mobile phone, wherein the first mobile phone comprises a microphone and is capable of capturing and recording audio data, and wherein the second mobile phone comprises a video camera with a lens and a LED flash and is capable of capturing and recording video data, comprising:

synchronizing time between the first mobile phone and the second mobile phone;

placing the first mobile phone on the subject at an appropriate location close to the subject'"'"'s heart;

recording audio data using the first mobile phone that corresponds to a heart rate of the subject;

generating heart rate data for the subject using the audio data;

placing a fingertip of the subject on the lens of the video camera of the second mobile phone;

activating the LED flash of the second mobile phone to illuminate the fingertip of the subject;

recording video data of the fingertip of the subject;

generating fingertip pulse signal data for the subject using the video data; and

estimating blood pressure of the subject using the heart cake data and the fingertip pulse signal data.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein the synchronizing time step utilizes a Bluetooth based synchronization protocol.

27. The method of claim 25, wherein the appropriate location close to the subject'"'"'s heart is a location close to the pulmonary valve of the subject'"'"'s heart.

28. The method of claim 25, wherein the generating fingertip pulse signal data step comprises calculating red intensity of frames of the video data.

29. The method of claim 25, wherein the estimating blood pressure step comprises calculating vascular transit time (“

VTT”

) using the heart rate data and the fingertip pulse signal data, wherein VTT is time taken by blood to travel from the heart of the subject to the fingertip of the subject.

30. The method of claim 29, further comprising using the vascular transit time (“

VTT”

) to calculate systolic pressure (P_s).

31. The method of claim 30, further comprising calculating pulse pressure (P_p) using the heart rate data and the fingertip pulse signal data.

32. The method of claim 31, further comprising calculating diastolic pressure (P_d) using the systolic pressure (P_s) and the pulse pressure (P_p).

33. The method of claim 25, wherein the first mobile phone comprises an audio recording application.

34. The method of claim 25, herein the second mobile phone comprises a video recording application.

35. The method of claim 25, wherein the placing the first mobile phone on the subject step comprises pressing the microphone of the first mobile phone against the chest of the subject.

36. The method of claim 25, wherein the appropriate location close to the subject'"'"'s heart is on bare skin of the subject.

37. The method of claim 25, wherein the subject is in a seated position.