MONITORING TREATMENT COMPLIANCE USING SPEECH PATTERNS PASSIVELY CAPTURED FROM A PATIENT ENVIRONMENT

• US 20160140321A1
• Filed: 11/17/2014
• Published: 05/19/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 11/17/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Invention Science Fund II, L.L.C. (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: Elwha LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Inventors: Bowers, Jeffrey A., Duesterhoft, Paul, Hawkins, Daniel, Hyde, Roderick A., Jung, Edward K.Y., Kare, Jordin T., Leuthardt, Eric C., Myhrvold, Nathan P., Smith, Michael A., Sweeney, Elizabeth A., Tegreene, Clarence T., Wood, Lowell L. Jr.
• Granted Patent: US 9,589,107 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/16 Devices for psychotechnics using teaching or educational appliances G09B1/00 - G09B7/00; Testing reaction times ; Devices for evaluating the psychological state
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4803 Speech analysis specially adapted for diagnostic purposes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4833 Assessment of subject's compliance to treatment
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 10/20 for electronic clinical trials or questionnaires
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 10/60 for patient-specific data, e.g. for electronic patient records
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 15/00 ICT specially adapted for medical reports, e.g. generation or transmission thereof
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/70 relating to mental therapies, e.g. psychological therapy or autogenous training
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/67 for remote operation

Abstract

Methods and systems are described for monitoring patient speech to determine compliance of the patient with a prescribed regimen for treating for a brain-related disorder. Patient speech is detected with an audio sensor at the patient location, and speech data is transmitted to a monitoring location. Patient speech is processed at the patient location and/or monitoring location to identify speech parameters and/or patterns that indicate whether the patient has complied with the prescribed treatment regimen. Patient identity may be determined through biometric identification or other authentication techniques. The system may provide a report to an interested party, for example a medical care provider, based on whether (and/or the extent to which) the patient has complied with the prescribed treatment regimen. The monitoring system may transmit a report to a wireless device such as a pager or cell phone, generate an alarm or notification, and/or store information for later use.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

at least one receiving device for use at a monitoring location for receiving a speech data signal transmitted to the monitoring location from a patient location, the speech data signal containing speech data, the speech data including patient speech data representing spontaneous speech sensed from a patient with at least one audio sensor at the patient location, and the patient having a brain-related disorder and a prescribed treatment regimen for treating at least one aspect of the brain-related disorder;

speech identification circuitry configured to identify the patient speech data corresponding to speech from the patient in the speech data, the patient speech data including data indicative of at least one patient speech pattern;

compliance determination circuitry configured to determine compliance of the patient with the prescribed treatment regimen based on whether the patient speech data includes data indicative of the at least one patient speech pattern matching at least one characteristic speech pattern; and

reporting circuitry configured to report a conclusion based on the determination of whether the patient has complied with the prescribed treatment regimen.

2. The system of claim 1, further comprising control circuitry for controlling at least one of the at least one receiving device, the speech identification circuitry, the compliance determination circuitry, and the reporting circuitry.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the speech identification circuitry includes:

patient identification circuitry configured to determine a presence of the patient from at least one identity signal received at the monitoring location from the patient location;

wherein the speech identification circuitry is configured to identify patient speech data corresponding to speech from the patient in the speech data based at least in part on the determination of the presence of the patient by the patient identification circuitry.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the identity signal includes at least a portion of the speech data signal, wherein the patient identification circuitry is configured to analyze the speech data signal to determine the presence of the patient by identifying at least a portion of the speech data signal that resembles a known speech data signal of the patient, and wherein the speech identification circuitry is configured to identify patient speech data by identifying speech data corresponding to the presence of the patient.

6. The system of claim 3, wherein the identity signal includes an image signal received from an imaging device at the patient location, wherein the patient identification circuitry is configured to analyze the image signal to determine the presence of the patient, and wherein the speech identification circuitry is configured to identify patient speech data by identifying speech data corresponding to the presence of the patient detected from the image signal.

9. The system of claim 3, wherein the identity signal includes a biometric signal from at least one biometric sensor at the patient location, wherein the patient identification circuitry is configured to analyze the biometric signal to determine the presence of the patient, and wherein the speech identification circuitry is configured to identify patient speech data by identifying speech data corresponding to the presence of the patient detected from the biometric signal.

21. The system of claim 1, wherein at least one of the speech identification circuitry and the compliance determination circuitry includes a speech processor.

22. The system of claim 1, wherein the compliance determination circuitry includes:

a speech processor for analyzing the patient speech data to determine the at least one patient speech pattern; and

a comparator for comparing the at least one patient speech pattern with the at least one characteristic speech pattern.

24. The system of claim 1, wherein the compliance determination circuitry includes:

a comparator for comparing the patient speech data with a characteristic speech data set indicative of the characteristic speech pattern.

127. The system of claim 6, wherein the patient identification circuitry is configured to analyze the image signal to determine the presence of the patient through at least one of facial recognition and gait analysis.

128. The system of claim 3, wherein the identity signal includes at least one of an authentication factor, a cell phone identification code, and an RFID.

129. The system of claim 1, further comprising at least one of an input device for receiving prescription information indicative of the treatment regimen prescribed to the patient and at least one data storage device for storing prescription information indicative of the treatment regimen prescribed to the patient.

130. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one receiving device includes at least one of a wireless receiver, a computer network connection, a USB port, and a computer drive.

131. The system of claim 1, wherein the reporting circuitry includes at least one of a display device, circuitry for generating a notification, circuitry for transmitting a notification to a wireless device, circuitry for generating an audio alarm, and circuitry for storing a notification in a data storage device.

5. (canceled)

7-8. -8. (canceled)

10-20. -20. (canceled)

23. (canceled)

25-32. -32. (canceled)

33. A method of monitoring compliance of a patient with a treatment regimen, comprising:

receiving a speech data signal with a receiving device at a monitoring location, the speech data signal transmitted to the monitoring location from a patient location, the speech data signal containing speech data, the speech data including patient speech data representing spontaneous speech sensed from a patient by at least one audio sensor at the patient location, and the patient having a brain-related disorder and a prescribed treatment regimen for treating at least one aspect of the brain-related disorder;

identifying with speech identification circuitry patient speech data corresponding to speech from the patient in the speech data, the patient speech data including data indicative of at least one patient speech pattern;

determining with compliance determination circuitry whether the patient has complied with the prescribed treatment regimen based on whether the patient speech data includes data indicative of the at least one patient speech pattern matching at least one characteristic speech pattern; and

reporting with reporting circuitry a conclusion based on the determination of whether the patient has complied with the prescribed treatment regimen.

34. The method of claim 33, further comprising:

receiving a signal indicative of initiation of treatment of the patient according to the prescribed treatment regimen and beginning to receive the speech data signal with the receiving device responsive to receipt of the signal indicative of initiation of treatment of the patient.

38. The method of claim 33, further comprising:

determining a presence of the patient at the patient location, with patient identification circuitry at the monitoring location, from at least one identity signal received at the monitoring location from the patient location;

wherein identifying with speech identification circuitry patient speech data corresponding to speech from the patient in the speech data signal includes identifying patient speech data based at least in part on the identity signal.

48. The method of claim 33, further comprising:

determining a time at which the spontaneous speech represented by the patient speech data was detected from the patient relative to a delivery time at which a treatment regimen was delivered to a patient;

comparing the determined time with an expected time for occurrence of the characteristic speech pattern in a subject in response to delivery of the treatment regimen to the subject; and

determining whether the patient has complied with the prescribed treatment regimen based in part on whether the determined time matches the expected time.

54. The method of claim 33, wherein at least one of identifying with speech identification circuitry patient speech data corresponding to speech from the patient in the speech data and determining with compliance determination circuitry whether the patient has complied with the prescribed treatment regimen includes:

analyzing the patient speech data to determine the patient speech pattern from the patient speech data; and

comparing the patient speech pattern with the at least one characteristic speech pattern.

59. The method of claim 33, wherein at least one of identifying with speech identification circuitry patient speech data in the speech data and determining with compliance determination circuitry whether the patient has complied with the prescribed treatment regimen includes:

comparing the patient speech data with characteristic speech data indicative of the characteristic speech pattern.

60. The method of claim 59, wherein comparing the speech data with the characteristic speech data indicative of the characteristic speech pattern includes comparing the patient speech data with a plurality of characteristic speech data sets, each said characteristic speech data set indicative of a characteristic speech pattern.

79. The method of claim 33, wherein the at least one characteristic speech pattern includes at least one previous speech pattern of the patient.

84. The method of claim 33, wherein the at least one characteristic speech pattern includes at least one population speech pattern representative of a typical speech pattern of a population of patients.

132. The method of claim 33, further comprising:

performing, substantially continuously, intermittently, or according to a schedule, at least one of receiving the speech data with the receiving device, identifying the patient speech data, determining whether the patient has complied with the prescribed treatment regimen and reporting with the reporting circuitry.

133. The method of claim 38, wherein the identity signal includes at least one of a voice signal, an image signal, a biometric signal, an RFID signal, and a cell phone identification signal.

134. The method of claim 33, further comprising at least one of separating patient speech data from speech data from other people, storing prescription information in a data storage device, the prescription information indicative of the prescribed treatment regimen, receiving prescription information indicative of the prescribed treatment regimen, and suggesting to the patient the treatment regimen for treating at least one aspect of the brain-related disorder.

135. The method of claim 33, wherein receiving the speech data signal includes at least one of receiving a wireless signal, receiving data via a computer network connection, receiving data from a USB device, and receiving data from a data storage device.

136. The method of claim 54, wherein comparing the patient speech pattern with the at least one characteristic speech pattern includes comparing the patient speech pattern with a plurality of characteristic speech patterns;

and determining which of the plurality of characteristic speech patterns best matches the patient speech pattern.

137. The method of claim 136, further comprising:

determining a level of compliance of the patient with the prescribed treatment regimen based on which of the plurality of characteristic speech patterns best matches the patient speech pattern;

wherein the characteristic speech pattern that best matches the patient speech pattern indicates the level of compliance of the patient with the prescribed treatment regimen; and

wherein the plurality of characteristic speech patterns includes at least one of a plurality of previous speech patterns of the patient each representative of a speech pattern of the patient at a different level of compliance of the patient with the prescribed treatment regimen, and a plurality of population speech patterns, each population speech pattern representative of a typical speech pattern for a population of patients at a different level of compliance with the prescribed treatment regimen.

138. The method of claim 60, further comprising at least one of determining which of the plurality of characteristic speech data sets best matches the patient speech data, and identifying a treatment regimen associated with the characteristic speech data set that best matches the patient speech data.

139. The method of claim 60, wherein each said characteristic speech data set corresponds to at least one of a stored speech pattern representative of the patient undergoing a distinct treatment regimen and a stored speech pattern representative of a population of patients undergoing a distinct treatment regimen.

140. The method of claim 33, wherein reporting a conclusion based on the determination of whether the patient has complied with the prescribed treatment regimen includes at least one of displaying a report on a display device, generating a notification, transmitting a notification to a wireless device, generating an audio alarm, and storing a notification in a data storage device.

141. The method of claim 33, wherein determining with compliance determination circuitry whether the patient has complied with the prescribed treatment regimen includes at least one of determining that the patient has failed to comply with the prescribed treatment regimen, determining that the patient has complied with the prescribed treatment regimen, and determining a level of compliance of the patient with the prescribed treatment regimen.

142. The method of claim 33, wherein the brain-related disorder includes at least one of schizophrenia, Parkinson'"'"'s disease, an Autism Spectrum Disorder, dementia, Bipolar Disorder, and depression.

143. The method of claim 79, wherein the at least one previous speech pattern is representative of at least one of a speech pattern of the patient prior to initiation of treatment of the brain-related disorder, a speech pattern of the patient after initiation of treatment of the brain-related disorder, a speech pattern of the patient during known compliance of the patient with a treatment of the brain-related disorder, and a speech pattern of the patient during treatment at a specified treatment regimen.

144. The method of claim 84, wherein the at least one population speech pattern is representative of at least one of speech patterns of a population without the brain-related disorder, speech patterns of an untreated population with the brain-related disorder, and speech patterns of a population having the brain-related disorder stabilized by a treatment regimen.

35-37. -37. (canceled)

39-47. -47. (canceled)

49-53. -53. (canceled)

55-58. -58. (canceled)

61-78. -78. (canceled)

80-83. -83. (canceled)

85-87. -87. (canceled)

88. A computer program product comprising:

a non-transitory signal-bearing medium bearing;

one or more instructions for receiving a speech data signal with a receiving device at a monitoring location, the speech data signal transmitted to the monitoring location from a patient location, the speech data signal containing speech data, the speech data including patient speech data representing spontaneous speech sensed from a patient by at least one audio sensor at a patient location, and the patient having a brain-related disorder and a prescribed treatment regimen for treating at least one aspect of the brain-related disorder;

one or more instructions for identifying with speech identification circuitry patient speech data corresponding to speech from the patient in the speech data, the patient speech data including data indicative of at least one patient speech pattern;

one or more instructions for determining with compliance determination circuitry whether the patient has complied with the prescribed treatment regimen based on whether the patient speech data includes data indicative of the at least one patient speech pattern matching at least one characteristic speech pattern; and

one or more instructions for reporting with reporting circuitry a conclusion based on the determination of whether the patient has complied with the prescribed treatment regimen.

89-125. -125. (canceled)

126. A system comprising:

a computing device; and

instructions that when executed on the computing device cause the computing device to;

receive a speech data signal with a receiving device at a monitoring location, the speech data signal transmitted to the monitoring location from a patient location, the speech data signal containing speech data, the speech data including patient speech data representing spontaneous speech sensed from a patient by at least one audio sensor at a patient location, and the patient having a brain-related disorder and a prescribed treatment regimen for treating at least one aspect of the brain-related disorder;

identify with speech identification circuitry patient speech data corresponding to speech from the patient in the speech data, the patient speech data including data indicative of at least one patient speech pattern;

determine with compliance determination circuitry whether the patient has complied with the prescribed treatment regimen based on whether the patient speech data includes data indicative of the at least one patient speech pattern matching at least one characteristic speech pattern; and

report with reporting circuitry a conclusion based on the determination of whether the patient has complied with the prescribed treatment regimen.