Human health monitoring systems and methods

• US 8,653,965 B1
• Filed: 01/12/2010
• Issued: 02/18/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 01/12/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: MobileHelp, LLC
• Original Assignee: Integrity Tracking LLC
• Inventors: Otto, Chris A., Patel, Chirag D., Hartwig, Hugh A., Sanders, Corey L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lau, Hoi
• Application Number:
  US12/686,342
• Time in Patent Office: 1,498 Days
• Field of Search: 340/539.11, 340/539.12, 340/573.1, 340/539.22, 340/286.01, 340/539.17, 340/286.07, 600/300, 705/2, 705/3, 705/5, 370/401, 370/390
• US Class Current: 340/539.12
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0015 characterised by features of the telemetry system
• 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 5/747 in case of emergency, i.e. alerting emergency services
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/043 detecting an emergency event, e.g. a fall
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/0453 worn on the body to detect health condition by physiological monitoring, e.g. electrocardiogram, temperature, breathing detecting, measuring or recording for diagnostic purposes A61B5/00
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/67 for remote operation
• CPC Class Codes: Y02A 90/10 Information and communication technologies [ICT] supporting adaptation to climate change, e.g. for weather forecasting or climate simulation

Abstract

A monitoring system of the present disclosure has at least one monitor that collects personal health data, stores the personal health data in memory, and transmits at least one data packet comprising the personal health data and at least one identifier for identifying the monitor and a gateway computing device communicatively coupled to the at least one monitor and communicatively coupled to a network, the gateway computing device receives from the monitor the at least one data packet and transmits the at least one data packet over the network. In addition, the monitoring system has a server computing device communicatively coupled to the network, the server computing device receives from the gateway computing device the data packet and stores the data packet in memory associated with a user identifier.

Claims

1. A monitoring system, comprising:

at least one wearable health monitor that collects personal health data, stores the personal health data in memory, and transmits at least one data packet comprising the personal health data and at least one identifier for identifying the monitor;

a gateway computing device communicatively coupled to the at least one monitor and communicatively coupled to a network, the gateway computing device receives from the monitor the at least one data packet and transmits the at least one data packet over the network; and

a server computing device communicatively coupled to the network, the server computing device receives from the gateway computing device the data packet and stores the data packet in with a user identifier, the server computing device further displays to a display device a plurality of selectable management commands and receives a selection of one or more of the selectable management commands from a user and stores the one or more selected management commands in memory corresponding to the user identifier associated with the gateway computing,

wherein the gateway computing device periodically transmits a query to the server computing device requesting one of the selected management commands and the server computing device transmits one of the selected management commands to the gateway computing device, and in response the gateway computing device transmits an acknowledgement response after the management command is received by the gateway computing device,

wherein the server computing device stores data associated with the transmitted management command indicating that the management command is pending, the gateway computing device executes the management command and transmits a response to the server computing device indicating that the management command was executed by the gateway computing device successfully, and the server computing device removes the management command from memory once the acknowledgement response is received from the gateway computing device.

2. The monitoring system of claim 1, wherein the gateway computing device is a cellular telephone.

3. The monitoring system of claim 1, wherein the gateway computing device is a mobile access device.

4. The monitoring system of claim 1, wherein the data packet transmitted by the monitor to the gateway computing device comprises a serial nun her associated with the monitor.

5. The monitoring system of claim 4, wherein the gateway computing device transmits the serial number associated with the monitor to the server computing device.

6. The monitoring system of claim 5, wherein the server computing device generates a unique user identifier and a unique monitor identifier, the unique monitor identifier based upon the serial number.

7. The monitoring system of claim 6, wherein the server computing device transmits the unique user identifier and the unique monitor identifier to the gateway computing device.

8. The monitoring system of claim 7, wherein the gateway computing device transmits the unique user identifier and the unique monitor identifier to the monitor, and the monitor stores the unique user identifier and the unique monitor identifier in memory.

9. The monitoring system of claim 8, wherein the data packet transmitted to the gateway computing device by the monitor includes the unique user identifier, the unique monitor identifier, or both.

10. The monitoring system of claim 1, wherein the gateway computing device comprises a network interface and a alternate interface.

11. The monitoring system of claim 10, wherein if the network interface is inoperable, the gateway computing device transmits data packets to the server computing device via the alternate interface.

12. The monitoring system of claim 11, wherein if the physical layer of the network interface is inoperable, the gateway computing device transmits data packets to the server computing device via the alternate interface.

13. The monitoring system of claim 12, wherein the gateway computing device periodically transmits a query to the network interface located on the gateway computing device to determine if the physical layer has become inoperable.

14. The monitoring system of claim 13, wherein if a response to the query indicates that the physical layer is operable, the gateway computing device begins to transmit data packets via the network interface.

15. The monitoring system of claim 11, wherein if the application layer of the network interface is inoperable, the gateway computing device transmits data packets to the server computing device via the alternate interface.

16. The monitoring system of claim 15, wherein the gateway computing device periodically transmits a request to the server computing device to determine if the application layer is operable.

17. The monitoring system of claim 16, wherein if a response to the request indicates that the application layer is operable, the gateway computing device begins to transmit data packets via the network interface.

18. The monitoring system of claim 10 wherein if the gateway computing device receives alert condition data, the gateway computing device simultaneously transmits the alert condition data via the network interface and the alternate interface.

19. The monitoring system of claim 1, further comprising a mobile network access device.

20. The monitoring system of claim 19, wherein the at least one wearable health monitor determines, based upon a lack of a beacon signal, that the wearable health monitor is no longer in range of the gateway computing device.

21. The monitoring system of claim 20, wherein the at least one wearable health monitor, based upon the determination that the wearable health monitor is no longer in range of the gateway computing device, transmits the at least one data packet via the mobile network access device to the server computing device.

22. The monitoring system of claim 1, wherein the gateway computing device continues to transmit queries until there are no more selected management commands corresponding to the user identifier stored in memory.

23. The monitoring system of claim 22, wherein the server computing device continues to transmit the management command to the gateway computing device if the acknowledgement response is not received by the server computing device.

24. The monitoring system of claim 23, wherein if the server computing device has transmitted the management command a threshold number of times without receiving the acknowledgement response, the server computing device no longer attempts to transmit the management command.

25. The monitoring system of claim 1, wherein the gateway computing device is communicatively coupled to a computing device for configuring the gateway computing device configuration data.

26. The monitoring system of claim 25, wherein the computing device displays a command line interface for receiving commands for modifying the configuration data.

27. The monitoring system of claim 1, wherein the gateway computing device transmits a beacon signal at particular intervals.

28. The monitoring system of claim 27, wherein the monitor receives the beacon signal and transmits a response signal to the gateway computing device.

29. The monitoring system of claim 1, wherein the wearable monitor is collects alert condition data and transmits the alert condition data to the gateway computing device.

30. The monitoring system of claim 29, wherein the gateway computing device immediately transmits a data packet comprising the alert condition data to the server computing device.

31. The monitoring system of claim 30, wherein the server computing device immediately transmits a notification indicative of the alert condition data to a data receiving device.

32. The monitoring system of claim 1, wherein the server computing device generates an alert condition that is transmitted to a data receiving device.

33. The monitoring system of claim 32, wherein the server computing device monitors data packets received from the gateway computing device and if alert condition data is detected by the server computing device, the server computing device transmits data indicative of the alert to the data receiving device.

34. The monitoring system of claim 1, wherein the server computing device invokes an operating system process that polls the memory for personal health data.

35. The monitoring system of claim 1, wherein the operating system process compares personal health data to a threshold value and if the personal health data exceeds the threshold value, the operating system process transmits data indicative of an alert condition to the data receiving device.

36. A monitoring system, comprising:

at least one wearable health monitor that collects personal health data, stores the personal health data in memory, and transmits at least one data packet comprising the personal health data and at least one identifier for identifying the monitor;

a gateway computing device communicatively coupled to the at least one monitor and communicatively coupled to a network, the gateway computing device receives from the monitor the at least one data packet and transmits the at least one data packet over the network; and

a server computing device communicatively coupled to the network, the server computing device receives from the gateway computing device the data packet and stores the data packet in memory associated with a user identifier,

wherein the gateway computing device is communicatively coupled to a computing device for configuring the gateway computing device configuration data, the computing device displays a command line interface for receiving commands for modifying the configuration data, and the command line interface is supported by reverse secure shell (SSH).

37. The monitoring system of claim 36, wherein the monitor comprises memory, and if the monitor does not receive a beacon signal, the monitor continues to collect personal health data and buffer the collected personal health data in the memory.

38. The monitoring system of claim 37, Wherein once the monitor receives the beacon signal, the monitor transmits data packets comprising the stored personal health data to the gateway computing device.

39. The monitoring system of claim 38, wherein the gateway computing device bundles the received data packets together and transmits the bundled data packets to the server computing device.

40. A monitoring method, comprising:

receiving a data packet from a wearable health monitor, the data pocket comprising at least one unique identifier and personal health data;

storing data indicative of the data packet on a gateway computing device;

repackaging the data packet;

transmitting the repackaged data packet to a server computing device, the repackaged data comprising at least one unique identifier and personal health data;

receiving the repackaged data packet;

storing data indicative of the personal health data in memory correlated with the unique identifier,

displaying to a display device a plurality of selectable management commands;

receiving a selection of one or more of the selectable management commands from a user;

storing the one or more selected management commands in memory corresponding to the user identifier associated with the gateway computing device;

periodically transmitting a query to the server computing device requesting one of the selected management commands;

transmitting one of the selected management commands to the gateway computing device;

transmitting an acknowledgement response after the management command is received by the gateway computing device;

storing data associated with the transmitted management command indicating that the management command is pending;

executing the management command on the gateway computing device;

transmitting a response to the server computing device indicating that the management command was executed by the gateway computing device successfully; and

removing the management command from memory once the acknowledgement response is received from the gateway computing device.

41. The monitoring method of claim 40, further comprising transmitting queries until there are no more selected management commands corresponding to the user identifier stored in memory.

42. The monitoring method of claim 40, further comprising periodically transmitting the management command to the gateway computing device if the acknowledgement response is not received by the server computing device.

43. The monitoring method of claim 42, further comprising no longer transmitting the management command if the server computing device has transmitted the management command a threshold number of times without receiving the acknowledgement response.

44. The monitoring method of claim 40, further comprising transmitting a beacon signal at particular intervals by the gateway computing device.

45. The monitoring method of claim 44, further comprising:

receiving the beacon signal by the wearable health monitor; and

transmitting a response signal to the gateway computing device.

46. The monitoring method of claim 45, wherein the monitor comprises memory, further comprising continuing to collect personal health data and buffering the collected personal health data in the memory if the monitor does not receive the beacon signal.

47. The monitoring method of claim 46, further comprising transmitting data packets comprising the stored personal health data to the gateway computing device once the monitor receives the beacon signal, the monitor transmits.

48. The monitoring method of claim 47, further comprising:

bundling the received data packets together; and

transmitting the data packets to the server computing device.

49. The monitoring method of claim 40, further comprising

collecting alert condition data;

and

transmitting the alert condition data to the gateway computing device.

50. The monitoring method of claim 49, further comprising immediately transmitting a data packet comprising the alert condition data to the server computing device.

51. The monitoring method of claim 50, further comprising immediately transmitting a notification indicative of the alert condition data to a data receiving device.

52. The monitoring method of claim 40, further comprising:

generating, by the server computing device, an alert condition; and

transmitting data indicative of the alert condition to a data receiving device.

53. The monitoring method of claim 52, further comprising:

monitoring data packets received from the gateway computing device; and

if alert condition data is detected by the server computing device, transmitting data indicative of the alert to the data receiving device.

54. The monitoring method of claim 40, further comprising invoking an operating system process that polls memory for personal health data.

55. The monitoring method of claim 54, further comprising:

comparing personal health data to a threshold value by the operating system process; and

if the personal health data exceeds the threshold value, transmitting data indicative of an alert condition to the data receiving device by the operating system process.

56. A monitoring method, comprising:

receiving a data packed from a wearable health monitor, the data packet comprising at least one unique identifier and personal health data;

storing data indicative of the data packet on a gateway computing device;

repackaging the data packet;

transmitting the repackaged data packet to a server computing device, the repackaged data comprising at least one unique identifier and personal health data;

receiving the repackaged data packet;

storing data indicative of the personal health data in memory correlated with the unique identifier;

configuring the gateway computing device configuration data via computing device coupled to the gateway computing device; and

displaying a command line interface for receiving commands for modifying the configuration data,

wherein the command line interface is supported by reverse secure shell (SSH).