Health monitoring system

• US 6,640,134 B2
• Filed: 08/27/2001
• Issued: 10/28/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 02/24/1995
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Brigham and Women's Hospital Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Brigham and Women's Hospital Incorporated
• Inventors: Singer, Daniel B., Raymond, Stephen A., Gordon, Geoffrey E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Getzow, Scott M.
• Application Number:
  US09/940,129
• Publication Number:
  US 20020032385A1
• Time in Patent Office: 792 Days
• Field of Search: 600/300, 600/301, 600/483, 600/513, 600/514, 600/529, 600/538, 600/540
• US Class Current: 600/513
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2560/0209 adapted for power saving
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2560/0242 adapted to measure environmental factors, e.g. temperature, pollution
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2560/0257 using atmospheric pressure
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2560/0295 adapted for recording user messages or annotations
• 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 5/01 Measuring temperature of body parts ; Diagnostic temperature sensing, e.g. for malignant or inflamed tissue clinical contact thermometers G01K13/20
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/02055 Simultaneously evaluating both cardiovascular condition and temperature
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/02405 Determining heart rate variability
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1135 by monitoring thoracic expansion
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/318 Heart-related electrical modalities, e.g. electrocardiography [ECG]
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/33 specially adapted for cooperation with other devices
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/332 Portable devices specially adapted therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/349 Detecting specific parameters of the electrocardiograph cycle
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/366 Detecting abnormal QRS complex, e.g. widening
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4824 Touch or pain perception evaluation A61B5/4821 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4839 combined with drug delivery
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6831 Straps, bands or harnesses
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6861 Capsules, e.g. for swallowing or implanting
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7232 involving compression of the physiological signal, e.g. to extend the signal recording period
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7275 Determining trends in physiological measurement data; Predicting development of a medical condition based on physiological measurements, e.g. determining a risk factor
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7435 : Displaying user selection data, e.g. icons in a graphical user interface
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7475 : User input or interface means, e.g. keyboard, pointing device, joystick
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 7/00 : Instruments for auscultation
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 31/002 : Devices for releasing a drug at a continuous and controlled rate for a prolonged period of time artificial gland structures or devices A61F2/022; intra-uterine contraceptive devices A61F6/14; tampons for introducing into the vagina A61F13/20, A61L15/00; suppositories or bougies for intra-vaginal or intra-uterine application A61K9/02; physical forms of medicinal preparations for sustained or differential drug release A61K9/20, A61K9/50
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 10/60 : for patient-specific data, e.g. for electronic patient records
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/67 : for remote operation

Abstract

A health monitoring system which tracks the state of health of a patient and compiles a chronological health history of the patient uses a multiparametric monitor which periodically and automatically measures and records a plurality of physiological data from sensors in contact with the patient'"'"'s body. The data collected is periodically uploaded to a database in which it is stored along with similar health histories for other patients. The monitor is preferably self-contained in a chest strap which is located on the patient'"'"'s torso, and makes use of a controller which controls sampling of the desired data and storage of the data to a local memory device pending uploading to the database. The data includes voice sound data indicative of voice sounds made by the subject over a predetermined period of time.

Claims

1. A portable monitoring device comprising:

a voice sound recorder which is securable to the body of a subject and periodically and automatically records voice sound data from the subject indicative of voice sounds made by the subject during predetermined time intervals, the recording of the voice sound data being such that sound duration and intensity are determinable from the data, but semantic content is not;

a time base which tracks the time of recording of the voice sound data; and

a data storage unit in which the voice sound data is stored with reference to the time base.

2. A device according to claim 1 wherein the voice sound data is integrated over each predetermined time internal.

3. A device according to claim 2 further comprising an integrator circuit that performs the integration.

4. A device according to claim 3 wherein an integral value determined by the integrator circuit is sampled and the circuit reset at the end of each predetermined interval.

5. A device according to claim 1 further comprising a filtering circuit that segregates a voice sound range from other recorded data.

6. A device according to claim 5 wherein the voice sound range is approximately 600 Hz through 2 KHz.

7. A device according to claim 1 wherein the recorder comprises a microphone attached to the body of the subject.

8. A personal health monitor comprising:

a portable, physiological monitoring device which periodically and automatically measures and records from a subject physiological data comprising voice sound data indicative of voice sounds made by the subject over a predetermined period of time, the recording of the voice sound data being such that sound duration and intensity are determinable from the data, but semantic content is not;

a time base which tracks the time of recording of the physiological data; and

a data storage unit in which the physiological data is stored with reference to the time base.

9. A personal health monitor according to claim 8 wherein detected voice sound data is integrated over a predetermined period of time.

10. A method of monitoring audible sound data from a subject comprising:

providing a portable voice sound recorder which is securable to the body of a subject and periodically and automatically records auditory data from the subject indicative of voice sounds made by the subject during predetermined time intervals, the recording of the voice sound data being such that sound duration and intensity are determinable from the data, but semantic content is not;

a time base which tracks the time of recording of the voice sound data; and

a data storage unit in which the voice sound data is stored with reference to the time base.

11. A method according to claim 10 wherein the auditory data is integrated over each predetermined time interval.

12. A method according to claim 11 wherein an integrated value of the auditory data is sampled at the end of each predetermined interval.

13. A method according to claim 10 further comprising filtering the auditory data to segregate a voice sound range from the remainder of the data.

14. A method according to claim 13 wherein the voice sound range is approximately 600 Hz through 2 KHz.

15. A method according to claim 10 wherein providing a portable signal recorder comprises attaching a microphone to the body of the subject.