Wireless sensor network context data delivery system and method

• US 7,843,325 B2
• Filed: 01/10/2008
• Issued: 11/30/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 01/10/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: MobileHelp, LLC
• Original Assignee: Halo Monitoring, Inc. (Integrity Tracking LLC)
• Inventors: Otto, Chris A.
• Primary Examiner(s): POPE, DARYL C
• Application Number:
  US11/972,335
• Publication Number:
  US 20080164999A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,055 Days
• Field of Search: 340/506, 340/539.1, 340/539.11, 340/3.1, 340/825.36, 340/825.49
• US Class Current: 340/531
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/0219 Inertial sensors, e.g. accelerometers, gyroscopes, tilt switches
• 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 5/0024 for multiple sensor units attached to the patient, e.g. using a body or personal area network
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0205 Simultaneously evaluating both cardiovascular conditions and different types of body conditions, e.g. heart and respiratory condition
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/02055 Simultaneously evaluating both cardiovascular condition and temperature
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/145 Measuring characteristics of blood in vivo, e.g. gas concentration, pH value; Measuring characteristics of body fluids or tissues, e.g. interstitial fluid, cerebral tissuemeasuring of blood pressure or blood flow A61B5/02; non-radiation detecting or locating of foreign bodies in blood A61B5/06
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/10 using wireless transmission systems G08B25/009 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/63 for local operation
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/67 for remote operation

Abstract

A system has a sensing device for detecting a signal and logic that monitors the signal for an event. Further, upon receiving information indicating the event has occurred, the logic is further configured to transmit event data indicative of the event to a controller via a network.

Claims

1. A system, comprising:

a sensing device for detecting a signal;

a controller configured to determine a location of the sensing device on a particular location of a user'"'"'s body; and

logic configured to monitor the signal for an event and upon receiving information indicating an event has occurred the logic is further configured to transmit event data indicative of the event to the controller via a network.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the event data comprises pre-event data indicative of the signal detected prior to the event.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the event data comprises post-event data indicative of the signal detected subsequent to the event.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the logic is further configured to continuously store, in memory, event data indicative of an event and non-event data indicative of the signal when no event is occurring.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the logic is further configured to transmit data indicative of the event data and the non-event data from memory to a controller when an event is detected.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the logic is further configured to transmit pre-event data and post event data from a pre-determined time period before a detected event and after a detected event from memory to the controller when an event is detected.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the logic is further configured to transmit event data indicative of the signal upon detection of the event.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the controller transmits a signal to the sensor based upon detection of an event requesting that event data be transmitted to the controller.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the controller transmits a signal to the sensor requesting that the event data be terminated after a pre-determined period of time.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the sensor transmits event data indicative of a plurality of the signal upon receipt of a signal from the controller.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the sensor terminates transmission of event data upon receipt of a signal from the controller.

23. The system of claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to prompt a user to place the sensing device on a particular location on the user'"'"'s body.

24. The system of claim 23, wherein the sensing device comprises a motion detector.

25. The system of claim 24, wherein the logic is further configured to detect motion via the motion detector of the sensing device and transmit data indicative of the motion and the unique hardware address of the sensing device.

26. The system of claim 25, wherein the controller is further configured to receive the data indicative of the motion and the unique hardware address of the sensing device and associate in memory the particular location on the user'"'"'s body with the unique hardware address of the sensing device that the user places on the particular location of the user'"'"'s body.

27. The system of claim 26, wherein the logic is further configured to reconfigure the sensing device based upon the location of the sensing device on the user'"'"'s body.

28. The system of claim 1, wherein the sensing device comprises a temperature sensor.

29. The system of claim 28, wherein the sensing device is configured to transmit data indicative of the temperature obtained from the temperature sensor.

30. The system of claim 29, wherein the controller is further configured to receive the data indicative of the temperature and to determine a location of the sensing device on the user'"'"'s body based upon the data indicative of the temperature.

31. The system of claim 1, wherein the logic is further configured to prompt a user wearing the sensing device to stand in an upright position.

32. The system of claim 31, wherein the sensing device is configured to transmit data indicative of measurements in an x-direction and a y-direction.

33. The system of claim 32, wherein the controller is further configured to receive the data indicative of the measurements in the x-direction and the y-direction and calculate offset angles in the x-direction and the y-direction based upon the data indicative of the measurements in the x-direction and the y-direction.

34. The system of claim 33, wherein the controller is further configured to calculate an orientation of the user'"'"'s body by factoring in the offset angles into orientation readings received from the sensing device.

12. A method, comprising the steps of:

determining a particular location of a sensor on a user'"'"'s body;

detecting a signal via the sensor coupled to the particular location on the user'"'"'s body;

monitoring the signal for an event; and

upon receiving information that an event has occurred, transmitting event data indicative of the event to a controller via a network.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising the step of transmitting a pre-determined amount of pre-event data obtained prior to the event to the controller.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising the step of transmitting a pre-determined amount of post-event data indicative obtained after the event to the controller.

15. The method of claim 12, further comprising the step of continuously storing signal data indicative of the signal in memory.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising the step of transmitting the signal data from memory to a controller when the event is detected.

17. The apparatus of claim 15, further comprising the step of transmitting pre-event data comprising data indicative of the signal during a pre-determined time period before the event and post-event data indicative of the signal after the event from memory to the controller when the event is detected.

18. The method of claim 12, further comprising the step of transmitting the event data indicative of the event after detection of the event.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising the step of transmitting a signal to the sensor based upon detection of an event requesting that subsequent event data be transmitted to the controller.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising the step of transmitting a signal to the sensor requesting that transmission of the event data be terminated after a pre-determined period of time.

21. The method of claim 12, further comprising the step of transmitting signal data indicative of the signal upon receipt of a signal from the controller.

22. The method of claim 21, further comprising the step of terminating transmission of the signal data upon receipt of a signal from the controller.

35. The method of claim 12, further comprising the step of prompting a user to place the sensor on a particular location of the user'"'"'s body.

36. The method of claim 35, further comprising the steps of:

detecting motion via a motion detector of the sensor as the user places the sensor on the particular location of the user'"'"'s body; and

receiving data indicative of the motion of the sensor and the unique hardware address of the sensor.

37. The method of claim 36, further comprising the step of associating in memory the particular location on the user'"'"'s body with the unique hardware address of the sensor.

38. The method of claim 37, further comprising the step of reconfiguring the sensor based upon the particular location on the user'"'"'s body of the sensor.

39. The method of claim 12, further comprising the step of transmitting data indicative of the temperature obtained from a temperature sensor on the sensor.

40. The method of claim 39, further comprising the steps of:

receiving the data indicative of the temperature; and

determine the location of the sensor on the user'"'"'s body based upon the data indicative of the temperature.

41. The method of claim 12, further comprising the step of prompting a user wearing the sensor to stand in an upright position.

42. The method of claim 41, further comprising the step of transmitting data indicative of measurements in an x-direction and a y-direction of the sensor.

43. The method of claim 42, further comprising the step of calculating offset angles in the x-direction and the y-direction based upon the data indicative of the measurements in the x-direction and the y-direction.

44. The method of claim 43, further comprising the step of calculating an orientation of the user'"'"'s body by factoring in the offset angles.