System and method for collecting and transmitting medical data

• US 7,413,544 B2
• Filed: 09/07/2005
• Issued: 08/19/2008
• 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): ROBINSON, DANIEL LEON
• Application Number:
  US11/222,157
• Publication Number:
  US 20060010040A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,077 Days
• Field of Search: 600/300, 600/323, 600/301, 600/903, 600/904, 600/920
• 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 over the Internet, the system comprising:

a warfarin monitor 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 measuring warfarin monitor 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.

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

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the integration system is coupled to the warfarin monitor 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 warfarin monitor.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the communications system is adapted to encode the second signal for transmission over the network.

6. The system of claim 5, 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.

7. The system of claim 6, 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.

8. 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.

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

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

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

12. 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.

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

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