Personal medical monitoring unit and system

• US 6,579,231 B1
• Filed: 03/27/1998
• Issued: 06/17/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 03/27/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: MCI Communications Corporation (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Inventors: Phipps, Eric T.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hindenburg, Max F.
• Assistant Examiner(s): ASTORINO, MICHAEL C
• Application Number:
  US09/049,542
• Time in Patent Office: 1,908 Days
• Field of Search: 600/300, 600/301, 600/322, 600/595, 600/587, 600/316, 600/310, 128/900, 128/903-905, 128/920-925, 340/573--57, 607/32, 607/60, 342/457, 705/2-4, 455/404, 604/65
• US Class Current: 600/300
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0002 Remote monitoring of patients using telemetry, e.g. transmission of vital signals via a communication network A61B5/07 takes precedence; transmission systems for measured values G08C; transmission H04B; transmission of digital information H04L; wireless communication networks H04W
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 11/04 with alarm systems, e.g. fire, police or burglar alarm systems
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 128/903 Radio telemetry
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 128/92 Computer assisted medical diagnostics

Abstract

A portable unit worn by a subject, comprising a medical monitoring device, a data processing module with memory and transmitter for collecting, monitoring, and storing the subject'"'"'s physiological data and also issuing the subject'"'"'s medical alarm conditions via wireless communications network to the appropriate location for expeditious dispatch of assistance. The unit also works in conjunction with a central reporting system for long term collection and storage of the subject'"'"'s physiological data. The unit may have the capability to automatically dispense chemicals that may alleviate or assist in recovery from an illness.

Claims

1. A portable medical monitoring device, comprising:

at least one medical sensor for periodically generating current physiological data relating to a condition of a subject;

a data storage device for storing said physiological data;

a transmitter for transmitting said physiological data to a reporting system in response to a first output control signal;

data processing means for evaluating said physiological data and generating said first output control signal in response to pre-determined parameters in said evaluation, said data processing means generating a plurality of input/output control signals;

at least one output device communicating at least one of said input/output control signals to said subject; and

input means for manually initiating download of the physiological data.

2. The portable medical monitoring device as in claim 1, wherein said physiological data is generated in response to said subject'"'"'s physical condition, including said subject'"'"'s heart rate, pulse rate, blood pressure, breathing rate, heart EKG activity, or body temperature.

3. The portable medical monitoring device as in claim 1, wherein said first output control signal includes a command to transmit an emergency call.

4. The portable medical monitoring device as in claim 1, wherein said portable medical monitoring device includes a dispense unit having a tube filled with medication, and said first output control signal includes a command to said dispense unit to dispense medication.

5. The portable medical monitoring device as in claim 1, wherein said at least one output device includes a beeper, and one of said plurality of input/output control signals is a signal to activate said beeper.

6. The portable medical monitoring device as in claim 1, wherein said at least one output device includes a vibrator and one of said plurality of input/output control signals is a signal to activate said vibrator.

7. The portable medical monitoring device as in claim 1, wherein said at least one output device includes a screen display, and one of said plurality of output control signals is a signal to display selected data on said screen monitor.

8. The portable medical monitoring device as in claim 1, wherein said transmitter is an interactive paging device whereby a page is sent over a wireless communications network to a central reporting system.

9. The portable medical monitoring device as in claim 1, wherein said transmitter is a PCS network cellular network phone whereby a phone call is made to a central reporting system.

10. The portable medical monitoring device as in claim 1, wherein said data processing means includes a central processing unit (CPU) which interprets and executes instructions.

11. The portable medical monitoring device as in claim 1, wherein said at least one output device includes at least one external data communications port for downloading and uploading said physiological data to an external remote device.

12. The portable medical monitoring device as in claim 11, wherein said external remote device is connected to said central reporting system.

13. The portable medical monitoring device as in claim 1, wherein said physiological data includes a device identification code which identifies a subject to said central reporting system.

14. The portable medical monitoring device as in claim 13, wherein said physiological data transmitted by said transmitter further comprises a subject profile including subject'"'"'s name, home address, and medical conditions.

15. A portable medical monitoring device, comprising:

at least one medical sensor for periodically generating current physiological data relating to a condition of a subject;

a data storage device for storing said physiological data;

a Global Positioning System (GPS) receiver for determining geographic coordinates of the subject;

a wireless transmitter for transmitting said physiological data and said geographic coordinates to a reporting system in response to a first output control signal;

data processing means for evaluating said physiological data and generating said first output control signal and a plurality of other output control signals;

at least one output device for communicating with said subject in response to at least one of said other output control signals; and

input means for manually initiating one of downloading of the physiological data and transmission of the geographic coordinates.

16. The portable medical monitoring device as in claim 15, wherein said physiological data is generated in response to said subject'"'"'s physical condition, including said subject'"'"'s heart rate, pulse rate, blood pressure, breathing rate, heart EKG activity, or body temperature.

17. The portable medical monitoring device as in claim 15, wherein one of said plurality of other output control signals is an instruction to transmit an emergency call which includes said geographic coordinates.

18. The portable medical monitoring device as in claim 15, wherein said at least one output device includes a beeper, and one of said plurality of other output control signals is a signal to activate said beeper.

19. The portable medical monitoring device as in claim 15, wherein said at least one output device includes a screen display, and one of said plurality of other output control signals is a signal to display selected data on said screen monitor.

20. The portable medical monitoring device as in claim 15, wherein said transmitter is an interactive paging device whereby a page is sent over a wireless communications network to a central reporting system, said page including the subject'"'"'s geographic coordinates.

21. The portable medical monitoring device as in claim 15, wherein said transmitter is a PCS network cellular network phone whereby a phone call is made to a central reporting system to transmit data thereto, said data including said geographic coordinates.

22. The portable medical monitoring device as in claim 21, wherein said central reporting system may dispatch emergency services to the geographic coordinates in response to an emergency call from said device.

23. The portable medical monitoring device as in claim 15, wherein said data processing means includes a central processing unit (CPU) which interprets and executes instructions relating to said medical data.

24. The portable medical monitoring device as in claim 15, wherein said at least one output device includes at least one external data communications port for downloading and uploading said physiological data to an external data store at said central reporting system.

25. The portable medical monitoring device as is claim 15, wherein said physiological data includes a device identification code which identifies a subject to said central reporting system.

26. The portable medical monitoring device as in claim 25, wherein said physiological data transmitted by said transmitter further comprises a subject profile including subject'"'"'s name, home address, and medical conditions.

27. A medical monitoring system for collection and evaluation of a subject'"'"'s physiological data comprising:

a plurality of portable medical monitoring devices, each of the plurality of said portable medical monitoring devices comprising,

at least one medical sensor for to periodically generating current physiological data relating to a condition of said subject;

a data storage device for storing said physiological data from said at least one medical sensor;

a wireless transmitter for transmitting said physiological data to a reporting system in response to a first output control signal;

data processing means for evaluating said physiological data and generating a plurality of output control signals;

at least one output device for communicating information in response to at least one of a plurality of input/output control signals; and

an input means for manually initiating download of the physiological data; and

a reporting data server for collecting and storing physiological data from the plurality of said portable medical monitoring devices wherein each of said portable medical monitoring devices has a unique device identifier and monitors a separate subject, said reporting data server further comprising means for correlating said unique device identifier to an individual subject medical data record.

28. The medical monitoring system as claimed in claim 27, wherein said central reporting service further comprises means to respond to emergency calls from said medical monitoring devices.

29. The medical monitoring system as in claim 28, wherein said means for responding to emergency calls from said medical monitoring device comprises a processor capable of executing instructions and automatically referencing said device identifier to physiological data relating to a particular subject and issuing a second call to a selected authority and transmitting said physiological data with said second call to said authority.

30. The medical monitoring system as in claim 28, wherein said portable medical monitoring device further includes a GPS receiver and said central reporting system records geographic coordinates of the subject for each emergency call.

31. The medical monitoring system as in claim 27, wherein said medical monitoring system further includes a database where said physiological data and related information pertaining to each subject are stored and retrieved by said central reporting system at predefined intervals.

32. A portable medical monitoring device comprising:

a medical sensor adapted to be coupled to a subject;

a memory configured to store physiological data received from a medical sensor;

processor configured to evaluate the physiological data and to generate a control signal based on the evaluation;

a transmitter for transmitting the physiological data of the subject to a reporting system in response to the control signal; and

input means for manually initiating download of the physiological data.

33. The portable medical monitoring device as in claim 32, wherein the processor automatically generates the control signal to initiate an emergency call.

34. The portable medical monitoring device as in claim 32, wherein the processor is further configured to generate another control signal to an output device to notify the subject.

35. The portable medical monitoring device as in claim 32, wherein the sensor is adapted for internal use within the subject.

36. The portable medical monitoring device as in claim 32, further comprising:

a dispense unit configured to dispense fluid into the subject in response to the control signal.