FIRST EMERGENCY RESPONSE DEVICE

• US 20130082837A1
• Filed: 09/30/2011
• Published: 04/04/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: MEDTRONIC CARE MANAGEMENT SERVICES, LLC (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: Cardiocom LLC (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: Cosentino, Daniel L., Golden, Brian A., Abrahamson, Christopher T., Cosentino, Louis C.
• Granted Patent: US 8,766,789 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/539.12
• 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: G08B 21/0446 worn on the body to detect changes of posture, e.g. a fall, inclination, acceleration, gait
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/016 Personal emergency signalling and security systems emergency non-personal manually actuated alarm activators G08B25/12
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/67 for remote operation

Abstract

A personal emergency device is provided to individuals to allow the individuals to request emergency assistances. The device communicates with a base receiver to indicate the individual has requested assistances. The base receiver then communicates with an emergency system such as e-911 emergency services or a remote care system. The base receiver or the remote care system may forward information to the emergency services to provide first responders with additional information regarding the individual. The information may include personal information such as age and name, and the information may include medical information such as a recent blood pressure, weight, and blood glucose level.

Claims

1. A system, comprising:

a personal emergency device, including;

a transmitter configured to transmit an emergency signal; and

an emergency button that causes the transmitter to transmit the emergency signal; and

a base receiver, including;

a receiver linked to the transmitter to receive the emergency signal;

a communications link to a network for communication with a care system; and

a processor configured;

to process medical data related to a patient;

to communicate the medical data over the network to the care system;

to receive the emergency signal; and

to communicate the emergency signal over the network to the care system.

2. The system of claim 1, in which the transmitter comprises a wireless transmitter and the receiver comprise a wireless receiver;

3. The system of claim 2, in which the wireless transmitter comprises a Bluetooth transmitter and the wireless receiver comprises a Bluetooth receiver.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the care system comprises a remote care system and an emergency service, and wherein the medical data is communicated with the remote care system and the emergency signal is communicated with the emergency service.

5. The system of claim 4, in which the emergency system is a call center.

6. The system of claim 4, in which the emergency system is part of the remote care system.

7. The system of claim 4, in which the remote care system comprises:

a database server;

a processor coupled to the database server, in which the processor is configured;

to receive the medical data from the base receiver;

to store the medical data in the database server;

to determine from cumulative medical information in the database server whether the user requires the attention of an emergency service; and

to transmit information from the database server to the emergency system when the user requires the attention of the emergency service.

8. The system of claim 4, in which the remote care system analyzes the medical data to determine if an exception should be issued.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the exception alerts a caregiver of a patient'"'"'s needs for further care.

10. The system of claim 1 further comprising:

a communication device coupled to the base receiver, such that the base receiver can activate the communication device to answer the next call upon communicating the emergency signal over the network.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the communication device is a speaker phone.

12. A personal emergency device comprising:

a transmitter configured to transmit an emergency signal to a base receiver, the base receiver including;

a receiver coupled to the transmitter to receive the emergency signal;

a communications link to a network for communication with a care system; and

a processor configured;

to process medical data related to a patient;

to communicate the medical data over the network to the care system;

to receive the emergency signal; and

to communicate the emergency signal over the network to the care system; and

an emergency button that causes the transmitter to transmit the emergency signal.

13. The emergency device of claim 12, further comprising:

a lithium ion battery having a life of at least one year.

14. The emergency device of claim 12, further comprising a water proof housing encasing the transmitter and the battery.

15. The emergency device of claim 12, wherein the care system comprises a remote care system and an emergency system and the medical data is communicated to the remote care system and the emergency signal is communicated to the emergency system.

16. A method, comprising:

receiving an emergency signal from a personal emergency device;

contacting an emergency system after receiving the emergency notification; and

transmitting medical information and personal information about a user associated with the remote device to the emergency system, wherein the medical information was collected and stored during remote monitoring of the user.

17. The method of claim 16, in which contacting the emergency system comprises contacting a remote care system.

18. The method of claim 16, in which transmitting medical information further comprises transmitting current medical information.

19. The method of claim 16, in which contacting the emergency system comprises contacting an emergency call center.

20. The method of claim 19, in which receiving the emergency notification comprises receiving a wireless signal.

21. The method of claim 20, in which receiving the wireless signal comprises receiving a Bluetooth signal.

22. The method of claim 21 further comprising:

activating a speaker phone to automatically answer a next phone call upon contacting the emergency system such that the emergency system can attempt to communicate directly with the user.

23. The method of claim 16, in which transmitting medical information further comprises transmitting trended medical information.

24. The method of claim 24 in which transmitting medical information further comprises transmitting an exception report.

25. A method, comprising

receiving an emergency notification from a remote device;

evaluating medical information corresponding to a user of the remote device;

determining whether the user requires the assistance of an emergency service;

contacting an emergency service when the user is determined to require assistance; and

transmitting medical information regarding the user to the emergency service,

wherein the medical information was collected and stored during remote monitoring of the user.

26. The method of claim 25, further comprising receiving medical information corresponding to the user from personal medical devices before the step of evaluating the medical information.

27. The method of claim 26, in which the medical information comprises at least one of personal information, medical history, blood pressure, weight, and blood glucose levels.

28. The method of claim 27, in which the medical information is stored in a database.

29. The method of claim 25, in which the step of determining whether the user requires assistance comprises:

providing the medical information to a nurse; and

receiving feedback from the nurse regarding the user.

30. The method of claim 25, further comprising notifying a primary caregiver for the user of the emergency notification after contacting emergency services.

31. A base receiver comprising:

a device capable of receive an emergency signal;

a communications link to a network for communication with a care system; and

a processor configured;

to process medical data related to a patient;

to communicate the medical data over the network to the remote care system;

to receive the emergency signal; and

to communicate the emergency signal over the network to the care system.

32. The base receiver of claim 31, wherein the care system comprises a remote care system and an emergency service and the medical data is communicated to the remote care system and the emergency signal is communicated to the emergency service.

33. A system comprising:

a personal emergency device including;

a transmitter configured to transmit an emergency signal;

a battery to power the transmitter; and

an emergency button that causes the transmitter to transmit the emergency signal;

a base receiver including;

a receiver coupled to the transmitter to receive the emergency signal;

a memory to store information;

a communications link to a network for communication with an emergency system; and

a processor configured;

to process medical data related to a patient'"'"'s health care;

to communicate the medical data over the network;

to receive the emergency signal; and

to communicate the emergency signal over the network to the emergency system; and

a remote care system including;

a receiver to receive the medical data;

a storage device for storing the medical data; and

a processor for analyzing the medical data and determining if an exception needs to be used that notifies a caregiver of the need for further medical care of the user.