Electronic assistant incorporated in personal objects

• US 6,774,795 B2
• Filed: 06/30/2001
• Issued: 08/10/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 06/30/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Original Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Inventors: Milanski, John, Gutta, Srinivas, Eshelman, Larry J., Strubbe, Hugo J.
• Primary Examiner(s): TONG, NINA C
• Application Number:
  US09/895,146
• Publication Number:
  US 20030001742A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,137 Days
• Field of Search: 340/573.1, 340/573.4, 340/539.1, 340/539.11, 340/539.12, 340/539.13, 340/540, 600/301, 600/306, 379/37, 379/38, 379/39, 379/40, 379/41, 379/42, 379/45, 379/51, 455/100
• US Class Current: 340/573.1
• CPC Class Codes: A45B 3/00 Sticks combined with other objects
• CPC Class Codes: A45B 3/04 electrical
• CPC Class Codes: A45C 11/321 combined with other articles
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2503/08 Elderly
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2560/0462 Apparatus with built-in sensors
• 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: A61B 5/1112 Global tracking of patients, e.g. by using GPS
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6887 mounted on external non-worn devices, e.g. non-medical devices
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 3/00 Appliances for aiding patients or disabled persons to walk about apparatus for helping babies to walk A47D13/04; orthopaedic devices for correcting deformities of, or supporting, limbs A61F5/0102; exercising apparatus for the feet or toes A63B23/10; stairways or ramps E04F11/00
• CPC Class Codes: G04C 3/00 Electromechanical clocks or watches independent of other time-pieces and in which the movement is maintained by electric means synchronisation G04C11/00

Abstract

An electronic assistant, incorporates electronic functions in a personal object that the user finds indispensable. Examples of personal objects include a cane, a walking stick, a walker, a wheelchair, a personal transportation vehicle, a purse, a key holder, a watch, a pendant, a hearing aid, an eyeglass frame, or a crutch. Electronics may include a PDA, a cell phone, a navigation module, a biosensor module, and an emergency alert module. The navigation module might include a GPS, an altimeter, an electronic compass, and/or a stored map. Biosensors may be directly incorporated into the personal device or communicate with a receiver therein if the biosensor is required to be attached directly to the user'"'"'s body or surgically implanted. The emergency alert module may include an emergency button, and an emergency notification sequence stored in the electronic assistant capable of calling for assistance through the cell phone.

Claims

1. An electronic assistant, comprising:

a non-electronic personal object that is adapted to assist a user'"'"'s mobility, wherein said non-electronic personal object having an electronic module incorporated therein, said electronic module being adapted for communicating and monitoring certain physiological attributes of a user while said non-electric personal object is in use and being in contact with a user, and wherein said non-electronic personal device further comprises a user interface cooperative with the communicating and monitoring said non-electronic personal object having a utility beyond that of the electronic module incorporated therein,

wherein said electronic module monitors predetermined physiological data of a user while said user is at least in physical contact with the non-electronic personal object and said electronic module activates a call for assistance when a selected physiological data being monitored falls below a predetermined threshold after a predetermined amount of time.

2. The electronic assistant of claim 1, wherein said non-electronic personal object is one of a cane, a walking stick, a walker, a wheelchair, a personal transportation vehicle, and a crutch, or any combination of the same and the electronic module is further adapted for organizing and navigating.

3. The electronic assistant of claim 2, wherein said electronic module has a GPS receiver and said PDA is programmed to generate a user state indication responsively to a location signal from said GPS receiver.

4. The electronic assistant of claim 1, wherein said non-electronic personal object is one of a cane and a walking stick.

5. The electronic assistant of claim 1, wherein said electronic module has a personal digital assistant (PDA) with a first biosensor, said PDA programmable to classify user status responsively to a signal from said first biosensor.

6. The electronic assistant of claim 5, a second biosensor, and said PDA is further programmed to combine signals from said first and second biosensors to derive a user state indication responsively to both said signals.

7. The electronic assistant of claim 1, wherein said electronic module further comprises a biosensor with a receiver for wirelessly receiving biosensor signals from one or more sensors.

8. The electronic assistant of claim 7, wherein said one or more sensors are in contact with one of the body of said user and surgically implanted within the body of said user.

9. The electronic assistant of claim 1, wherein said electronic module has an emergency alert system for transmitting an emergency notification sequence signaling a need for assistance.

10. An electronic assistant, comprising:

a non-electronic personal object that is adapted to assist a user'"'"'s mobility, said object having an electronic module incorporated therein and a user interface associated therewith, said non-electronic person object having a utility beyond that of the electronic module incorporated therein and said electronic module monitors certain physiological attributes of a user while said non-electric personal object is in contact with the user during use,

wherein said non-electronic personal object being one of a cane, a walking stick, a walker, a wheelchair, a personal transportation vehicle, a key holder, a watch, a hearing aid, an eyeglass frame, and a crutch;

said at least one electronic module including a biosensor module, an emergency alert module and a new navigation module, and optionally includes at least one of a personal digital assistant (PDA), and a cell phone;

said navigation module having at least one of a GPS, an altimeter, an electronic compass, and a stored map;

said biosensor module having at least one biosensor, a biosensor information processor, and at least one biosensor communication channel connecting each said at least one biosensor with said biosensor information processor;

each said at least one biosensor being one of a biosensor disposed in a surface of said personal object, a remote biosensor attached to the body of the user, and a remote biosensor surgically implanted in the body of said user;

said biosensor communication channel being at least one of a wire, a radio frequency transmitter and receiver, and an infrared transmitter and receiver; and

said emergency alert module having an emergency button, and an emergency notification sequence stored in said electronic module adapted for calling for assistance through said cell phone.