Wireless sensor network system and method

• US 8,556,833 B2
• Filed: 01/10/2008
• Issued: 10/15/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 01/10/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: MobileHelp, LLC
• Original Assignee: Integrity Tracking LLC
• Inventors: Otto, Chris A.
• Primary Examiner(s): HINDENBURG, MAX F
• Application Number:
  US11/972,039
• Publication Number:
  US 20080164979A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,105 Days
• Field of Search: 600/587, 600/595, 702/150, 702/151, 702/152, 702/153
• US Class Current: 600/595
• 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 at least one sensor and a controller communicatively coupled to the sensor. In addition, the system has logic that discovers the sensor and stores a unique identifier corresponding to the sensor. Further, the logic further instructs a user to place the sensor at a particular location and store data indicative of the location associated with a unique identifier.

Claims

1. A system, comprising:

at least one sensor coupled to a user'"'"'s body;

a controller communicatively coupled to the sensor; and

logic configured to discover the sensor by transmitting a broadcast message and receiving in response data indicative of the sensor, the data comprising at least an identifier identifying the sensor, the logic further configured to store the identifier corresponding to the sensor, to instruct a user, via an electronic device, to place the sensor at a particular location on the user'"'"'s body, and in response to detected movement of the sensor, the logic stores data indicative of the location associated with identifier data.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the logic is further configured to configure the sensor based upon the location.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the logic is further configured to reload a microprocessor of the sensor based upon the location.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the logic is further configured to reconfigure the microprocessor with at least one algorithm associated with the location.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the sensor is for monitoring the user'"'"'s body.

6. The system of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of sensors.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the logic is further configured to determine which particular sensor of the plurality of sensors is being placed on the user'"'"'s body based upon an input from the sensors.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the logic is further configured to determine the particular sensor based upon data indicative to motion.

9. The system of claim 7, wherein the logic is further configured to determine the location on the user'"'"'s body of the particular sensor based upon data indicative of temperature.

10. The system of claim 7, wherein the logic is further configured to determine the particular sensor based upon data indicative of a skin impedance.

11. The system of claim 7, wherein the logic is further configured to assign a function to the sensor based upon the location on the user'"'"'s body.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein the sensor and the controller are connected via a wireless sensor network.

13. The system of claim 1, wherein the logic is further configured to discover the sensor by transmitting a discovery message to the sensor and receiving a response from the sensor identifying a hardware address corresponding to the sensor in the response.

14. The system of claim 1, wherein the controller comprises a display device and the logic is further configured to instruct the user where to place the sensor by displaying information describing the location on the display device.

15. The system of claim 1, wherein the controller comprises a speaker device, and the logic is further configured to instruct the user where to place the sensor via an audible command from the speaker device.

16. A method, comprising the steps:

discovering an electronic bioinformatics sensor located on a user'"'"'s body by transmitting a broadcast request;

receiving in response data indicative of the sensor, the data comprising an identifier specifying the sensor;

storing the identifier corresponding to the sensor;

instructing a user, via an electronic device, to place the sensor at a particular location on the user'"'"'s body;

determining, based upon and after the user'"'"'s placement of the sensor on the particular location, the location of the sensor relative to the user'"'"'s body; and

in response to detected movement of the sensor, storing data indicative of the location associated with the identifier.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising the step of configuring the electronic bioinformatics sensor based upon the location.

18. The method of claim 16, further comprising the step of reconfiguring a processor of the electronic bioinformatics sensor based upon the location.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising the step of reconfiguring the processor with at least one algorithm associated with the location.

20. The method of claim 16, wherein the discovering step further comprises the step of discovering a plurality of electronic bioinformatics sensors.

21. The method of claim 20, further comprising the step of determining which particular electronic bioinformatics sensor of the plurality of electronic bioinformatics sensors is being placed on a body based upon an input from the sensors.

22. The method of claim 21, further comprising the step of determining the particular electronic bioinformatics sensor based upon data indicative to motion.

23. The method of claim 21, further comprising the step of determining the location on the user'"'"'s body of the particular electronic bioinformatics sensor based upon data indicative of temperature.

24. The method of claim 21, further comprising the step of determining the particular electronic bioinformatics sensor based upon data indicative of a skin impedance.

25. The method of claim 21, further comprising the step of assigning a function to the electronic bioinformatics sensor based upon the location on the body.

26. The method of claim 16, wherein the storing step further comprises storing the data on an electronic controller.

27. The method of claim 26, wherein the discovering step further comprises the step transmitting from the electronic controller a discovery message via a network.

28. The method of claim 27, wherein the discovering step further comprises the step of receiving a response to the discovery message from the electronic bioinformatics sensor via the network.

29. A system, comprising:

at least one sensor coupled to a user'"'"'s body;

a controller communicatively coupled to the sensor;

means for discovering the sensor by transmitting a broadcast message and receiving in response data indicative of the at least one sensor, the data comprising an identifier specifying the sensor;

electronic means for instructing a user to place the sensor at a particular location on the user'"'"'s body; and

means for storing data indicative of the location associated with data indicative of the identifier, in response to detected movement of the sensor.