Reprogrammable remote sensor monitoring system

• US 6,225,901 B1
• Filed: 07/20/1999
• Issued: 05/01/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 03/07/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Braemar Manufacturing LLC (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Original Assignee: Cardionet Incorporated
• Inventors: Kail, Karl A. IV
• Primary Examiner(s): Crosland, Donnie L.
• Application Number:
  US09/357,689
• Time in Patent Office: 651 Days
• Field of Search: 340/539, 340/825.49, 340/825.36, 340/825.54, 340/825.69, 340/825.72, 340/573.1, 340/10.51, 342/457, 342/357, 607/17, 607/32, 607/60, 128/903, 128/904, 702/19, 706/924, 706/911
• US Class Current: 340/539.11
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/17 Emergency applications
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2205/002 for traffic control, mobile tracking, guidance, surveillance or anti-collision
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/1963 Arrangements allowing camera rotation to change view, e.g. pivoting camera, pan-tilt and zoom [PTZ]
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/19632 Camera support structures, e.g. attachment means, poles
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/0211 Combination with medical sensor, e.g. for measuring heart rate, temperature
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/0216 Alarm cancellation after generation
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/0227 System arrangements with a plurality of child units
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/023 Power management, e.g. system sleep and wake up provisions
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/028 Communication between parent and child units via remote transmission means, e.g. satellite network
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/0283 via a telephone network, e.g. cellular GSM
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/0294 Display details on parent unit
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/245 Reminder of hygiene compliance policies, e.g. of washing hands
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/63 for local operation
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/67 for remote operation
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 50/20 for computer-aided diagnosis, e.g. based on medical expert systems
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 128/903 Radio telemetry
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 128/904 Telephone telemetry
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 706/911 Nonmedical diagnostics
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 706/924 Medical

Abstract

An automated, real-time, reprogrammable monitoring and control system for portable, remote sensors and subjects includes one or more portable monitoring units, each of the portable monitoring units having a sensor, a location-determining device, and a sensor interface unit. Each sensor interface unit is separately configured to monitor its sensor and to transmit that sensor'"'"'s data, via a digital wireless communications network, to a central monitoring device. The portable unit is carried or worn by a person or animal, or affixed to an inanimate subject.

Claims

1. Apparatus for remotely monitoring and assessing the status of a human subject, the apparatus comprising:

a central monitoring device;

at least one automatic sensor associated with and monitoring the condition of the human subject; and

a portable monitoring unit capable of communicating with the central monitoring device, the portable monitoring unit comprising

a remotely programmable microprocessor in communication with the at least one automatic sensor, the microprocessor being responsive to the occurrence of any of a set of activating parameters for an activation condition selected from the group consisting of a preselected state for the at least one automatic sensor and a request signal from an external source,

a first transceiver in communication with the microprocessor, for communicating signals between the microprocessor and the central monitoring device, and

a power supply connected to provide power to the microprocessor and to the first transceiver.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least one automatic sensor includes a sensor selected from the group consisting of a biological condition sensor, an accelerometer, and an audio sensor.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the portable monitoring unit includes:

a portable-unit location-determining device.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the remotely programmable microprocessor has an active state and an inactive state, the microprocessor being operable to change from the inactive state to the active state responsive to the occurrence of any of a set of activating parameters for an activation condition selected from the group consisting of a preselected state of the at least one automatic sensor and a request signal from an external source.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, further including

at least one additional central monitoring device which is portable and which is in communication with the first-named central monitoring device.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the portable monitoring unit includes an audio/visual indicator in communication with the microprocessor.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the portable monitoring unit includes

a subject status signal input device activatable by the subject and in communication with the microprocessor.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the central monitoring device is portable.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, further including

at least one additional portable monitoring unit having the same structure as the portable monitoring unit.

10. Apparatus for remotely monitoring and assessing the status of a human subject, the apparatus comprising:

at least one automatic sensor associated with and monitoring the condition of the human subject; and

a portable monitoring unit comprising

a remotely programmable microprocessor in communication with the at least one automatic sensor, the microprocessor being responsive to the occurrence of any of a set of activating parameters for an activation condition selected from the group consisting of a preselected state for the at least one automatic sensor and a request signal from an external source,

a first transceiver in communication with the microprocessor, and

a power supply connected to provide power to the microprocessor and to the first transceiver.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the at least one automatic sensor includes a sensor selected from the group consisting of a biological condition sensor, an accelerometer, and an audio sensor.

12. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the portable monitoring unit includes:

a portable-unit location-determining device.

13. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the remotely programmable microprocessor has an active state and an inactive state, the microprocessor being operable to change from the inactive state to the active state responsive to the occurrence of any of a set of activating parameters for an activation condition selected from the group consisting of a preselected state of the at least one automatic sensor and a request signal from an external source.

14. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the portable monitoring unit includes an audio/visual indicator in communication with the microprocessor.

15. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the portable monitoring unit includes

a subject status signal input device activatable, by the subject and in communication with the microprocessor.

16. A method for remotely monitoring the status of a human subject, comprising the steps of

providing the human subject with at least one automatic sensor selected from the group consisting of a biological condition sensor, a medical device, and an audio sensor;

providing the human subject with a portable monitoring unit comprising

a portable-unit location-determining device,

a programmable microprocessor having an active state and an inactive state, the microprocessor being operable to change from the inactive state to the active state responsive to the occurrence of any of a set of activating parameters for an activation condition selected from the group consisting of a preselected state of the at least one automatic sensor, a status signal by the subject, and a request signal from an external source, the microprocessor being in communication with the at least one automatic sensor and the location-determining device,

a first transceiver of a communications device in communication with the microprocessor, and

a power supply that provides power to the microprocessor and the first transceiver;

programming the microprocessor with a set of activating parameters for the activation conditions;

the microprocessor entering the inactive state;

the microprocessor entering the active state responsive to the occurrence of the activating parameters of one of the activation conditions;

the microprocessor obtaining a status of the subject from the at least one automatic sensor and the location of the portable unit from the location-determining device; and

the microprocessor sending a status message over the first transceiver of the communications device, the content of the status message including the status of the subject and the location of the portable unit.

17. A method for remotely monitoring the status of a human subject, comprising the steps of

providing the human subject with at least one automatic sensor associated with and monitoring the condition of the human subject;

providing the human subject with a portable monitoring unit comprising

a programmable microprocessor,

a first transceiver of a communications device in communication with the programmable microprocessor,

a communication device interface communicating between the programmable microprocessor and the first transceiver, and

a power supply that provides power to the microprocessor, the communication device interface, and the first transceiver;

programming the microprocessor with a first set of operating instructions;

operating the microprocessor using the first set of operating instructions; and

thereafter

reprogramming the microprocessor using information transmitted through the first transceiver with a second set of operating instructions.

18. A method for remotely monitoring the status of a human subject, comprising the steps of

providing the human subject with at least one automatic sensor;

providing the human subject with a portable monitoring unit comprising

a portable-unit location-determining device,

a programmable microprocessor in communication with the at least one automatic sensor and the location-determining device,

a communication device interface communicating with the programmable microprocessor, and

a first transceiver of a communications device in communication with the communication device interface,

a power supply that provides power to the microprocessor and the first transceiver;

the portable monitoring unit monitoring the at least one automatic sensor;

the portable monitoring unit requiring a report from the human subject responsive to the step of monitoring; and

reporting the status and location of the human subject from the portable monitoring unit to a central monitoring device in the event of an unsatisfactory response from the human subject in the step of requiring.

19. The method of claim 18, including an additional step, responsive to the report of the human subject, of

transmitting a voice communication from the central monitoring device to the human subject.

20. A method for remotely monitoring and assessing the location and status of a human subject, comprising:

sensing at least one activating parameter of the human subject, the activating parameter being selected from the group consisting of a biological condition of the subject, an acceleration of the subject, a status signal input from the subject, and an audible communication of the subject, and supplying a corresponding activating parameter signal to a normally inactive microprocessor in a portable monitoring unit;

shifting the microprocessor from its normally inactive condition to an active condition in response to any of a predetermined set of activating parameters;

determining the location of the subject and supplying corresponding location signal to the microprocessor;

when the microprocessor is in its active condition, transmitting to a remote central monitoring device any activating parameters received by the microprocessor; and

receiving audio signals from the remote central monitoring device for voice communication between the central monitoring device and the subject.

21. The method of claim 20, further including an additional step of

transmitting signals from the central monitoring device to a second, portable central monitoring device.

22. The method of claim 20, further including the additional steps of

providing at least one additional portable monitoring unit to at least one additional human subject, and

the central monitoring device remotely monitoring and assessing the location and status of each additional human subject.