System and method for collecting and transmitting medical data

• US 6,942,616 B2
• Filed: 08/06/2003
• Issued: 09/13/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 12/03/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Robert A. Kerr II
• Original Assignee: Robert A. Kerr II
• Inventors: Kerr, Robert A. II
• Primary Examiner(s): Jeffery, John A.
• Application Number:
  US10/636,164
• Publication Number:
  US 20040030582A1
• Time in Patent Office: 769 Days
• Field of Search: 600300-301, 600/323, 128903-904, 128/920
• 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: G06Q 20/203 Inventory monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 10/20 for electronic clinical trials or questionnaires
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/67 for remote operation

Abstract

A system and method for collecting and transmitting medical and health-related data over a network are disclosed. A measuring device measures a user'"'"'s physiological attribute and produces a first signal related thereto, which an integration system coupled to the measuring device receives and converts into a second signal for transmitting over the Internet. In accordance with one aspect of a preferred embodiment, the integration system is adapted to read the first signal as it is sent from the measuring device to its display. A communications system transmits the second signal over the Internet to a remote system using any of a variety of techniques known in the art. The remote system extracts the measured physiological attribute and other associated data from the second signal and populates a database. Preferably, a web-based portal provides access to the data for one or more users.

Claims

1. A system for collecting and transmitting medical and health-related data of at least one user from a pre-existing measuring device adapted to measure at least one physiological attribute of a user, the measuring device comprising a digital display adapted to display the physiological attribute measurement of the user and a processor adapted to output a first signal to the digital display, wherein the first signal is related to the physiological attribute of the user, over a network to a remote system communicatively coupled to the network, the system for collecting and transmitting medical and health-related data comprising:

an integration system adapted to acquire the first signal from the pre-existing measuring device such that the first signal is not degraded causing the digital display to read an incorrect value, and adapted to convert the first signal into a second signal for wireless transmission over the network; and

a communications system adapted to wirelessly transmit the second signal over the network to the remote system;

wherein the integration system and communications system are pre-configured such that user operation of the measuring device causes the integration system to acquire and convert the first signal and the communications system to transmit the second signal to the remote system without further action by the user.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the integration system is coupled to the measuring device in parallel with the processor and the display.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the integration system is coupled to the measuring device in series with the processor and the display.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the integration system is adapted to add a unique device identifier to the second signal, the device identifier uniquely identifying the measuring device.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the integration system includes a second display for visually representing the physiological attribute as indicated by the first signal.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the second signal is a text string.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the communications system is adapted to encode the second signal for transmission over the network.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the integration system adds a unique user identifier to the second signal.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the measuring device is a weight scale.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the communications system is adapted to receive a receipt message wirelessly transmitted from the remote system after the remote system receives the second signal.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the integration system and the communications system are built on a same second processor.

12. The system of claim 1, further comprising a web-based portal adapted to allow users to access the data over the network.

61. The system of claim 1, wherein the integration system is coupled to the processor using a first coupling, and the digital display is coupled to the processor using a second coupling.

62. The system of claim 1, wherein the integration taps into a coupling between the processor and the digital display.

13. A method for collecting medical and health-related data representing at least one physiological attribute of at least one user and transmitting the data over a network, comprising:

measuring a physiological attribute of a user with a pre-existing device comprising a processor and a digital display;

sending a first output signal relating to the physiological attribute from the processor to the digital display;

acquiring the first signal from the pre-existing device with an integration system such that the first signal is not degraded causing the digital display to read an incorrect value;

converting the first signal for wireless transmission over the network to a remote system; and

wirelessly transmitting the data over the network to the remote system;

wherein the measuring step causes the acquiring, converting and transmitting steps without further action by the user.

14. The system method of claim 13, wherein the acquiring step acquires the first signal in parallel with the processor and the digital display.

15. The system method of claim 13, wherein the acquiring step acquires the first signal in series with the processor and the digital display.

16. The method of claim 13, further comprising the step of storing the data in the remote system.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the converting step encodes the physiological attribute, as represented by the electrical signal, into a text string.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the converting step further adds a unique user identifier and device identifier to the text string, the user identifier corresponding to the user who was measured by the measuring device and the device identifier corresponding to the measuring device.

19. The method of claim 16, wherein the remote system returns a receipt message after it receives the data.

20. The method of claim 13, wherein the measuring device is a weight scale.

21. The method of claim 13, wherein the transmitting step is accomplished by sending the data using two-way pager hardware for wireless transmission.

22. The method of claim 16, further comprising the step of providing a portal for accessing the data over the network.

63. The method of claim 13, wherein the acquiring step acquires the first signal using a first coupling between the processor and the integration system, and wherein a second coupling couples the processor to the digital display.

64. The method of claim 13, wherein the acquiring step acquires the first signal using a tap into a coupling between the processor and the digital display.

65. The system of claim 13, wherein the communications system comprises two-way pager hardware for wireless transmission of the second signal over the network.

23. A system for collecting and transmitting medical and health-related data of at least one user over a network, the system comprising:

a pre-existing measuring device adapted to measure at least one physiological attribute of a user, comprising;

a digital display adapted to display the physiological attribute measurement of the user; and

a processor adapted to output a first signal to the digital display, wherein the first signal is related to the physiological attribute measurement of the user;

an integration system adapted to acquire the first signal from the pre-existing measuring device such that the first signal is not degraded causing the digital display to read an incorrect value, and adapted to convert the first signal into a second signal for wireless transmission over a network;

a communications system adapted to wirelessly transmit the second signal over the network; and

a remote system communicatively coupled to the network and adapted to receive the second signal;

wherein the integration system is coupled to the measuring device in parallel with the processor and the display.

24. The system of claim 23, wherein the integration system is adapted to add a unique device identifier to the second signal, the device identifier uniquely identifying the measuring device.

25. The system of claim 23, wherein the integration system includes a second display for visually representing the physiological attribute as indicated by the first signal.

26. The system of claim 23, wherein the second signal is a text string.

27. The system of claim 24, wherein the communications system is adapted to encode the second signal for transmission over the network.

28. The system of claim 27, wherein the remote system comprises:

a computer system adapted to extract from the second signal the measured physiological attribute and the device identifier; and

a database;

wherein the computer system populates the database with the measured physiological attribute and device identifier.

29. The system of claim 28, wherein the integration system adds a unique user identifier to the second signal, and wherein the computer system extracts the user identifier from the encoded second signal and populates the database with the user identifier.

30. The system of claim 23, wherein the measuring device is a weight scale.

31. The system of claim 23, wherein the remote system wirelessly transmits a receipt message to the communications system after it receives the second signal.

32. The system of claim 23, wherein the integration system and the communications system are built on a same second processor.

33. The system of claim 23, further comprising a web-based portal adapted to allow users to access the data over the network.

66. The system of claim 23, wherein the communications system comprises two-way pager hardware for wireless transmission of the second signal over the network.

34. A system for collecting and transmitting medical and health-related data of at least one user over a network, the system comprising:

a pre-existing measuring device adapted to measure at least one physiological attribute of a user, comprising;

a digital display adapted to display the physiological attribute measurement of the user; and

a processor adapted to output a first signal to the digital display, wherein the first signal is related to the physiological attribute measurement of the user,

an integration system adapted to acquire the first signal from the pre-existing measuring device such that the first signal is not degraded causing the digital display to read an incorrect value, and adapted to convert the first signal into a second signal for wireless transmission over a network;

a communications system adapted to wirelessly transmit the second signal over the network; and

a remote system communicatively coupled to the network and adapted to receive the second signal;

wherein the integration system is coupled to the measuring device in parallel with the processor and the display.

35. The system of claim 34, wherein the integration system is adapted to add a unique device identifier to the second signal, the device identifier uniquely identifying the measuring device.

36. The system of claim 34, wherein the integration system includes a second display for visually representing the physiological attribute as indicated by the first signal.

37. The system of claim 34, wherein the second signal is a text string.

38. The system of claim 35, wherein the communications system is adapted to encode the second signal for transmission over the network.

39. The system of claim 38, wherein the remote system comprises:

a computer system adapted to extract from the second signal the measured physiological attribute and the device identifier; and

a database;

wherein the computer system populates the database with the measured physiological attribute and device identifier.

40. The system of claim 39, wherein the integration system adds a unique user identifier to the second signal, and wherein the computer system extracts the user identifier from the encoded second signal and populates the database with the user identifier.

41. The system of claim 34, the measuring device is a weight scale.

42. The system of claim 34, wherein the remote system wirelessly transmits a receipt message to the communications system after it receives the second signal.

43. The system of claim 34, wherein the integration system and the communications system are built on a same second processor.

44. The system of claim 34, further comprising a web-based portal adapted to allow users to access the data over the network.

67. The system of claim 34, wherein the communications system comprises two-way pager hardware for wireless transmission of the second signal over the network.

45. A method for collecting medical and health-related data representing at least one physiological attribute of at least one user and transmitting the data over a network, comprising:

measuring a physiological attribute of a user with a pre-existing device comprising a processor and a digital display;

sending a first output signal relating to the physiological attribute from the processor to the digital display;

acquiring the first signal from the pre-existing device with an integration system such that the first signal is not degraded causing the digital display to read an incorrect value;

converting the first signal for wireless transmission over the network to a remote system; and

wirelessly transmitting the data over the network to the remote system;

wherein the acquiring step acquires the first signal in parallel with the processor and the digital display.

46. The method of claim 45, further comprising the step of storing the data in the remote system.

47. The method of claim 46, wherein the converting step encodes the physiological attribute, as represented by the electrical signal, into a text string.

48. The method of claim 47, wherein the converting step further adds a unique user identifier and device identifier to the text string, the user identifier corresponding to the user who was measured by the measuring device and the device identifier corresponding to the measuring device.

49. The method of claim 46, wherein the remote system returns a receipt message after it receives the data.

50. The method of claim 45, wherein the measuring device is a weight scale.

51. The method of claim 45, wherein the transmitting step is accomplished by sending the data using two-way pager hardware for wireless transmission.

52. The method of claim 46, further comprising the step of providing a portal for accessing the data over the network.

53. A method for collecting medical and health-related data representing at least one physiological attribute of at least one user and transmitting the data over a network, comprising:

measuring a physiological attribute of a user with a pre-existing device comprising a processor and a digital display;

sending a first output signal relating to the physiological attribute from the processor to the digital display;

acquiring the first signal from the pre-existing device with an integration system such that the first signal is not degraded causing the digital display to read an incorrect value;

converting the first signal for wireless transmission over the network to a remote system; and

wirelessly transmitting the data over the network to the remote system;

wherein the acquiring step acquires the first signal in series with the processor and the digital display.

54. The method of claim 53, further comprising the step of storing the data in the remote system.

55. The method of claim 54, wherein the converting step encodes the physiological attribute, as represented by the electrical signal, into a text string.

56. The method of claim 55, wherein the converting step further adds a unique user identifier and device identifier to the text string, the user identifier corresponding to the user who was measured by the measuring device and the device identifier corresponding to the measuring device.

57. The method of claim 54, wherein the remote system returns a receipt message after it receives the data.

58. The method of claim 53, wherein the measuring device is a weight scale.

59. The method of claim 53, wherein the transmitting step is accomplished by sending the data using two-way pager hardware for wireless transmission.

60. The method of claim 54, further comprising the step of providing a portal for accessing the data over the network.