Systematic distillation of status data relating to regimen compliance

• US 8,599,009 B2
• Filed: 08/16/2011
• Issued: 12/03/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 08/16/2011
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Elwha LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: Elwha LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Inventors: Hyde, Roderick A., Jung, Edward K. Y., Kare, Jordin T., Levien, Royce A., Lord, Robert W., Malamud, Mark A., Rinaldo, John D. Jr., Sweeney, Elizabeth A., Wood, Lowell L. Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Mehmood, Jennifer
• Assistant Examiner(s): Mahase, Pameshanand
• Application Number:
  US13/199,045
• Publication Number:
  US 20130043993A1
• Time in Patent Office: 840 Days
• Field of Search: 340/539.12
• US Class Current: 340/539.12
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/08 Sensors provided with means for identification, e.g. barcodes or memory chips
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0008 Temperature signals
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0084 for introduction into the body, e.g. by catheters A61B5/1459 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0538 invasively, e.g. using a catheter
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/073 Intestinal transmitters
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/14539 for measuring pH
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4833 Assessment of subject's compliance to treatment

Abstract

Configuration technologies for cost-effectively monitoring indicia of regimen compliance or noncompliance in response to one or more indications of symptoms or actions or other data on data-bearing media or in wireless transmissions, such as implementing techniques for providing or preventing access or otherwise acting on or communicating incremental or definitive indicia of compliance or noncompliance.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

one or more articles of manufacture including

circuitry configured to obtain a wireless transmission signaling a material-selective in situ detection of a biological material;

circuitry configured to detect an apparent presence of or absence of a wireless signal transmission device at a toilet; and

circuitry configured to signal a data distillation indicative of a regimen compliance status partly based on the wireless transmission signaling the material-selective in situ detection of the biological material and partly based on the apparent presence of or absence of the wireless signal transmission device at the toilet, the regimen compliance status including one or more of a compliance-positive indication or a compliance-negative indication.

2. The system of claim 1 in which the circuitry configured to signal the data distillation indicative of the regimen compliance status partly based on the wireless transmission signaling the material-selective in situ detection of the biological material and partly based on the apparent presence of or absence of the wireless signal transmission device at the toilet comprises:

circuitry configured to condition whether a message is sent upon whether a temperature exceeds a threshold, the temperature being at a capsule that includes a temperature sensor and wireless signal transmission circuitry, the capsule being ingestible by a human being, the threshold being above 37°

C. by at most a few degrees, the message being sent conditionally in response to the wireless transmission indicating that the temperature exceeds the threshold.

3. The system of claim 1 in which the circuitry configured to signal the data distillation indicative of the regimen compliance status partly based on the wireless transmission signaling the material-selective in situ detection of the biological material and partly based on the apparent presence of or absence of the wireless signal transmission device at the toilet comprises:

circuitry configured to cause a door to become locked or unlocked selectively in response to the wireless transmission being detected by an ex situ device.

4. The system of claim 1 in which the circuitry configured to signal the data distillation indicative of the regimen compliance status partly based on the wireless transmission signaling the material-selective in situ detection of the biological material and partly based on the apparent presence of or absence of the wireless signal transmission device at the toilet comprises:

circuitry configured to cause wireless signal transmission circuitry in situ to initiate the wireless transmission in response to the material-selective in situ detection of the biological material, the material-selective in situ detection of the biological material selectively indicating a presence of or absence of a component of blood as the biological material.

5. The system of claim 1 in which the circuitry configured to signal the data distillation indicative of the regimen compliance status partly based on the wireless transmission signaling the material-selective in situ detection of the biological material and partly based on the apparent presence of or absence of the wireless signal transmission device at the toilet comprises:

circuitry configured to cause wireless signal transmission circuitry in situ to initiate the wireless transmission in response to the material-selective in situ detection of the biological material, the material-selective in situ detection of the biological material selectively indicating a presence of or absence of an enzyme as the biological material.

6. The system of claim 1 in which the circuitry configured to signal the data distillation indicative of the regimen compliance status partly based on the wireless transmission signaling the material-selective in situ detection of the biological material and partly based on the apparent presence of or absence of the wireless signal transmission device at the toilet comprises:

circuitry configured to cause wireless signal transmission circuitry in situ to initiate the wireless transmission in response to the material-selective in situ detection of the biological material, the material-selective in situ detection of the biological material selectively indicating a presence of or absence of stomach acid as the biological material.

7. The system of claim 1 in which the circuitry configured to signal the data distillation indicative of the regimen compliance status partly based on the wireless transmission signaling the material-selective in situ detection of the biological material and partly based on the apparent presence of or absence of the wireless signal transmission device at the toilet comprises:

circuitry configured to cause wireless signal transmission circuitry in situ to initiate the wireless transmission in response to the material-selective in situ detection of the biological material, the material-selective in situ detection of the biological material selectively indicating a presence of or absence of mucous of a small intestine of a human being as the biological material.

8. The system of claim 1 in which the circuitry configured to signal the data distillation indicative of the regimen compliance status partly based on the wireless transmission signaling the material-selective in situ detection of the biological material and partly based on the apparent presence of or absence of the wireless signal transmission device at the toilet comprises:

circuitry configured to obtain a regimen compliance data distillation by causing an application of one or more sensor measurement thresholds to sensor data.

9. The system of claim 1 in which the circuitry configured to signal the data distillation indicative of the regimen compliance status partly based on the wireless transmission signaling the material-selective in situ detection of the biological material and partly based on the apparent presence of or absence of the wireless signal transmission device at the toilet comprises:

circuitry configured to obtain a regimen compliance data distillation by causing an application of one or more auditory data distillation criteria, at least one of the one or more auditory distillation criteria being configured to determine whether auditory data includes at least one of a swallowing sound or a vocalized assertion.

10. The system of claim 1 in which the circuitry configured to signal the data distillation indicative of the regimen compliance status partly based on the wireless transmission signaling the material-selective in situ detection of the biological material and partly based on the apparent presence of or absence of the wireless signal transmission device at the toilet comprises:

circuitry configured to obtain a regimen compliance data distillation by causing an application of one or more auditory data distillation criteria.

11. The system of claim 1 in which the circuitry configured to signal the data distillation indicative of the regimen compliance status partly based on the wireless transmission signaling the material-selective in situ detection of the biological material and partly based on the apparent presence of or absence of the wireless signal transmission device at the toilet comprises:

circuitry configured to apply a provider-specified criterion to device-detectable health-indicative data, the provider-specified criterion signaling a data distillation protocol, the device-detectable health-indicative data including a component of the wireless transmission.

12. The system of claim 1 in which the circuitry configured to signal the data distillation indicative of the regimen compliance status partly based on the wireless transmission signaling the material-selective in situ detection of the biological material and partly based on the apparent presence of or absence of the wireless signal transmission device at the toilet comprises:

circuitry configured to signal an identifier of a capsule, the wireless transmission including the identifier of the capsule.

13. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

circuitry configured to condition an output upon receiving radio-frequency energy, the wireless transmission including the radio-frequency energy, the output indicating the material-selective in situ detection of the biological material.

14. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

the wireless signal transmission device, comprising a passive wireless transponder in a capsule.

15. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

circuitry configured to condition an output upon a presence of or an absence of an indication of contraband, the contraband being the biological material.

16. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

circuitry configured to detect whether data from one or more sensors indicate an actuation of a portion of a dispensing device, the dispensing device being large enough to contain a plurality of capsules each containing a therapeutic material, a first one of the plurality of capsules comprising the wireless signal transmission device, a second one of the plurality of capsules superficially resembling the first one of the plurality of capsules but not containing any wireless signal transmission circuitry.

17. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

circuitry configured to indicate a data distillation protocol at least partly based on a demographic attribute of a subpopulation, a specific individual of the demographic subpopulation having ingested the wireless signal transmission device.

18. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

circuitry configured to determine whether an event occurred within a normal interval of time.

19. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

circuitry configured to signal a regimen compliance data distillation by identifying a data distillation protocol, the data distillation protocol being a component of a user-specified monitoring regimen.

20. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

circuitry configured to signal a regimen compliance data distillation by identifying a data distillation protocol, the data distillation protocol being selected in response to the material-selective in situ detection of the biological material.

21. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

circuitry configured to obtain an indication of whether an individual remains enrolled in a program requiring a therapeutic regimen, the circuitry configured to signal the data distillation indicative of the regimen compliance status being partly based on the wireless transmission signaling the material-selective in situ detection of the biological material and partly based on the apparent presence of or absence of the wireless signal transmission device at the toilet and partly based on the indication of whether the individual remains enrolled in the program requiring the therapeutic regimen.

22. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

circuitry configured to condition an output upon a presence of or an absence of an indication of a chemical, the chemical being the biological material.

23. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

circuitry configured to condition an output upon a presence of or an absence of an indication of a drug, the drug being the biological material.

24. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

the wireless signal transmission device, configured to be positioned in external contact with a subject.

25. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

the wireless signal transmission device, comprising a wearable communication device.

26. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

the wireless signal transmission device, comprising an implant.

27. A method comprising:

obtaining a wireless transmission signaling a material-selective in situ detection of a biological material;

detecting an apparent presence of or absence of a wireless signal transmission device at a toilet; and

invoking circuitry configured to signal a data distillation indicative of a regimen compliance status partly based on the wireless transmission signaling the material-selective in situ detection of the biological material and partly based on the apparent presence of or absence of the wireless signal transmission device at the toilet, the regimen compliance status including one or more of a compliance-positive indication or a compliance-negative indication.

28. The method of claim 27 in which the invoking circuitry configured to signal the data distillation indicative of the regimen compliance status partly based on the wireless transmission signaling the material-selective in situ detection of the biological material and partly based on the apparent presence of or absence of the wireless signal transmission device at the toilet comprises:

deciding whether a status of an individual has apparently changed, the ex situ device configured to be supported by the individual, the status of the individual including the regimen compliance status, signaled responsively to the material-selective in situ detection of the biological material.

29. The method of claim 27 in which the invoking circuitry configured to signal the data distillation indicative of the regimen compliance status partly based on the wireless transmission signaling the material-selective in situ detection of the biological material and partly based on the apparent presence of or absence of the wireless signal transmission device at the toilet comprises:

transmitting a regimen compliance determination as an actuation signal conditionally in response to the material-selective in situ detection of the biological material.

30. A system comprising:

one or more articles of manufacture including

means for obtaining a wireless transmission signaling a material-selective in situ detection of a biological material;

means for detecting an apparent presence of or absence of a wireless signal transmission device at a toilet; and

means for signaling a data distillation indicative of a regimen compliance status partly based on the wireless transmission signaling the material-selective in situ detection of the biological material and partly based on the apparent presence of or absence of the wireless signal transmission device at the toilet, the regimen compliance status including one or more of a compliance-positive indication or a compliance-negative indication.

31. An article of manufacture comprising:

one or more physical media configured to bear a device-detectable implementation of a method including at least

obtaining a wireless transmission signaling a material-selective in situ detection of a biological material;

detecting an apparent presence of or absence of a wireless signal transmission device at a toilet; and

signaling a data distillation indicative of a regimen compliance status partly based on the wireless transmission signaling the material-selective in situ detection of the biological material and partly based on the apparent presence of or absence of the wireless signal transmission device at the toilet, the regimen compliance status including one or more of a compliance-positive indication or a compliance-negative indication.

32. The article of manufacture of claim 31 in which a portion of the one or more physical media comprises:

one or more signal-bearing media configured to transmit one or more instructions for conditioning a regimen compliance determination upon a first compliance-positive indication and upon a second compliance-positive indication, the first compliance-positive indication being an ex situ device detecting the wireless transmission.

33. The article of manufacture of claim 31 in which a portion of the one or more physical media comprises:

one or more signal-bearing media configured to transmit one or more instructions for causing wireless signal transmission circuitry in situ to initiate the wireless transmission detectable by an ex situ device in response to the material-selective in situ detection of the biological material.

34. An article of manufacture comprising:

one or more physical media bearing a device-detectable output indicating an occurrence of

obtaining a wireless transmission signaling a material-selective in situ detection of a biological material;

detecting an apparent presence of or absence of a wireless signal transmission device at a toilet; and

signaling a data distillation indicative of a regimen compliance status partly based on the wireless transmission signaling the material-selective in situ detection of the biological material and partly based on the apparent presence of or absence of the wireless signal transmission device at the toilet, the regimen compliance status including one or more of a compliance-positive indication or a compliance-negative indication.

35. The article of manufacture of claim 34 in which a portion of the one or more physical media comprises:

one or more physical media bearing a device-detectable output indicating an occurrence of conditioning a regimen compliance determination upon a first compliance-positive indication and upon a second compliance-positive indication, the first compliance-positive indication being an ex situ device detecting the wireless transmission.

36. The article of manufacture of claim 34 in which a portion of the one or more physical media comprises:

one or more physical media bearing a device-detectable output indicating an occurrence of distilling historical data indicative of or contraindicative of a health status transition apparently relating to an infection in an individual, the health status transition apparently relating to the infection in the individual being at least one of a health status improvement or a health status deterioration.

37. The article of manufacture of claim 34 in which a portion of the one or more physical media comprises:

one or more physical media bearing a device-detectable output indicating an occurrence of distilling historical data indicative of or contraindicative of a health status transition apparently relating to cardiovascular disease in an individual, the health status transition apparently relating to cardiovascular disease in the individual being at least one of a health status improvement or a health status deterioration.