System and Method for Monitoring Outbreak of Contagious Diseases

• US 20130132572A1
• Filed: 11/20/2011
• Published: 05/23/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 11/20/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Yang Pan
• Original Assignee: Yang Pan
• Inventors: Pan, Yang
• Granted Patent: US 8,645,538 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/225
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 50/80 for detecting, monitoring or modelling epidemics or pandemics, e.g. flu
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/90 Services for handling of emergency or hazardous situations, e.g. earthquake and tsunami warning systems [ETWS]

Abstract

A surveillance system for monitoring outbreak of a contagious disease is disclosed. The system comprises a handheld computing and communication device with a short range ad hoc networking device. Handheld devices carried by persons in contacting with the device carried by a user form an ad hoc communication network at a location. Identities of all devices in the ad hoc network are broadcasted through the network. The user'"'"'s device receives the identities and stores the received data in a log file. The log file may be sent to a central station after the device receives an authorized signal during an outbreak event of the contagious disease. The device may further include a body temperature automatic measuring system. The user'"'"'s body temperature trend file may be sent together with the log file.

Claims

1. A method of monitoring outbreak of a contagious disease comprising:

(a) establishing an ad hoc communication network by a handheld computing and communication device carried by a user with a plurality of handheld computing and communication devices carried by other users in a location;

(b) broadcasting identities of all the devices through said ad hoc network;

(c) receiving the identities of all other devices in the network by the device carried by the user;

(d) recording received identifiers in a log file stored in a file storage system of the device;

(e) receiving an authorized signal from a central station through a communication network; and

(f) transmitting said log file to the central station through the communication network.

2. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein said method further comprising repeating step (a) to step (d) when the user moves to a new location.

3. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein said method further comprising storing a time that at least one of the identities is received at the location.

4. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein said method further comprising:

(a) determining the location of the ad hoc network by a location determining device; and

(b) recording the location into the log file.

5. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein said method further comprising:

(a) measuring body temperatures of the user in a predetermined frequency;

(b) recording the measured temperatures in a temperature trend file; and

(c) transmitting the temperature trend file together with the log file to said central station after receiving the authorized signal.

6. The method as recited in claim 5, wherein said body temperatures are measured by an automatic temperature measuring system integrated with said handheld device.

7. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein said method further comprising adding additional devices to said ad hoc network and broadcasting identities of the additional devices through said ad hoc network.

8. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein said method further comprising adjusting coverage range of the ad hoc network by a program stored in said handheld devices, wherein said the program may be executed upon receiving an authorized signal from the central station.

9. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein said ad hoc network conforms to following standards:

(a) Wi-Fi

(b) Bluetooth;

(c) ZigBee; and

(d) NFC (Near Field Communication).

10. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein said handheld computing and communication device further comprising one or a combination of following devices:

(a) a media player;

(b) a mobile phone;

(c) a tablet computer;

(d) a laptop computer; and

(e) a digital camera.

11. A method of monitoring outbreak of a contagious disease comprising:

(a) receiving an authorized signal by a handheld computing and communication device from a central station through a communication network;

(b) activate an ad hoc networking device in the device;

(c) establishing an ad hoc communication network by a handheld computing and communication device carried by a user with a plurality of handheld computing and communication devices carried by other users in a location;

(d) broadcasting identities of all the devices through said ad hoc network;

(e) receiving the identities of all other devices in the network by the device carried by the user;

(f) recording received identifiers in a log file stored in a file storage system of the device; and

(g) transmitting said log file to the central station through the communication network upon receiving an authorized signal from the central station.

12. The method as recited in claim 11, wherein said method further comprising repeating step (c) to step (f) when the user moves to a new location.

13. The method as recited in claim 11, wherein said method further comprising storing a time that at least one of the identities is received at the location.

14. The method as recited in claim 11, wherein said method further comprising:

(a) determining the location of the ad hoc network by a location determining device; and

(b) recording the location into the log file.

15. The method as recited in claim 11, wherein said method further comprising:

(a) measuring body temperatures of the user in a predetermined frequency;

(b) recording the measured temperatures in a temperature trend file; and

(c) transmitting the temperature trend file together with the log file to said central station after receiving the authorized signal.

16. The method as recited in claim 15, wherein said body temperatures are measured by an automatic temperature measuring system integrated with said handheld device.

17. A method of monitoring outbreak of a contagious disease comprising:

(a) establishing ad hoc communication network by a handheld computing and communication device carried by a user with a plurality of handheld computing and communication devices carried by other users in a location;

(b) broadcasting identities of all the devices through said ad hoc network;

(c) receiving the identities of all other devices in the network by the device carried by the user; and

(d) recording received identifiers in a log file stored in a file storage system of the device;

wherein said method further comprising;

(e) measuring body temperature of the user in a predetermined frequency;

(g) recording measured temperatures and times the temperature are measured in a temperature trend file;

(h) analyzing the temperature trend by a processor of the handheld device; and

(i) transmitting said log file and said temperature trend file to an authorized central station through the communication network if at least one of the measured body temperatures of the user is in exceeding of a predetermined value.

18. The method as recited in claim 17, wherein said body temperatures are measured by an automatic temperature measuring system in said handheld device.

19. The method as recited in claim 18, wherein said automatic temperature measuring system further comprising temperature sensors placed in selected positions including in earpieces of the handheld device.

20. The method as recited in claim 18, wherein said automatic temperature measuring system further comprising infrared sensors.