System and method for remote care and monitoring using a mobile device

• US 9,020,476 B2
• Filed: 09/12/2012
• Issued: 04/28/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 09/12/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Leipzig Technology, LLC
• Original Assignee: Leipzig Technology, LLC
• Inventors: Leipzig, Gordon I., Srivastava, Pranav U.
• Primary Examiner(s): Shen, Qun
• Application Number:
  US13/612,368
• Publication Number:
  US 20130065569A1
• Time in Patent Office: 958 Days
• Field of Search: 455/416, 455/419, 455/420
• US Class Current: 455/416
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0022 Monitoring a patient using a global network, e.g. telephone networks, internet
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1112 Global tracking of patients, e.g. by using GPS
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1117 Fall detection
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6898 Portable consumer electronic devices, e.g. music players, telephones, tablet computers
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/747 in case of emergency, i.e. alerting emergency services
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/453 Help systems
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/67 for remote operation
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0879 Manual configuration through operator
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/5064 Customer relationship management
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/12 specially adapted for proprietary or special-purpose networking environments, e.g. medical networks, sensor networks, networks in vehicles or remote metering networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/125 involving control of end-device applications over a network
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/535 Tracking the activity of the user network monitoring arrangements H04L43/00; recording of computer activity G06F11/34
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72418 for supporting emergency services
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72475 specially adapted for disabled users
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/16 Communication-related supplementary services, e.g. call-transfer or call-hold
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/50 Service provisioning or reconfiguring
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/22 Processing or transfer of terminal data, e.g. status or physical capabilities

Abstract

A system and method for remote care and monitoring of the user of a mobile device, such as a smartphone, and for simplifying use of the mobile device by the user. The system and method comprises software, operable on the mobile device and/or a remote device (such as another smartphone, a computer (including, for example, a web-based application system) or other device), for facilitating the use of a mobile smartphone device while also enabling authorized users (e.g. care providers) to remotely interact with the mobile user, provide them medical care information, daily care instruction, immediate connectivity, mobile phone control and tracking functions, general assistance as well as remotely updating and maintaining the mobile user'"'"'s mobile device.

Claims

1. A system for remote care and monitoring, comprising:

a first mobile device for use by a first user;

a second device for use by a second user; and

a server, the server configured to communicate with the first mobile device and the second device;

wherein the first mobile device is configured to detect and log information about the activity and inactivity of the first user, the activity and inactivity of the first user being determined by at least one of;

at least one location of the first mobile device, at least one movement of the first mobile device, at least one picture automatically captured by the first mobile device, at least one video automatically captured by the first mobile device, at least one intended destination of the first mobile device, at least one response by the first user to at least one wellness check-in, at least one phone call of the first mobile device, at least one response by the first user to at least one medication reminder, at least one response by the first user to at least one alert, at least one fall detection of the first device, at least one idleness check of the first device, or at least one violation of a medical profile of the first user;

wherein the second device is configured to communicate with the first mobile device through the server to allow the second user to customize a user interface for the first user on the first mobile device;

wherein the second device is further configured to communicate with and monitor the first user through the first mobile device;

wherein the second device is further configured to control a plurality of functions of the first mobile device; and

wherein the first mobile device is configured to automatically establish a live telephonic and/or voice-over-IP (VOIP) call comprising audio and/or video communications between the first user and the second user, the call being initiated by the second user through the second device and/or the server, and the call being automatically established without interaction by the first user with the first mobile device after the first mobile device authenticates the second user and validates that the second user has initiated the call.

2. The system for remote care and monitoring of claim 1 wherein the first mobile device is a smartphone.

3. The system for remote care and monitoring of claim 1 wherein the second device is a smartphone.

4. The system for remote care and monitoring of claim 1 wherein the second device is a computer.

5. The system for remote care and monitoring of claim 1 wherein the first mobile device is configured to communicate to the second user the information about the activity and inactivity of the first user.

6. The system for remote care and monitoring of claim 1 wherein the server is further configured to communicate to a third party the information about the activity and inactivity of the first user.

7. The system for remote care and monitoring of claim 1 wherein the first mobile device further comprises a monitoring process engine, the monitoring process engine configured to monitor the first user and the first mobile device.

8. The system for remote care and monitoring of claim 7 wherein the monitoring process engine is further configured to detect the activity and inactivity of the first user based on movement or non-movement of the first mobile device.

9. The system for remote care and monitoring of claim 1 wherein the first mobile device is further configured to automatically initiate a communication with the second user for the purpose of establishing a conference call between the first user, the second user and a third party when the first user initiates a call to the third party.

10. The system for remote care and monitoring of claim 1 wherein the first mobile device and the second device are configured to switch between cellular-based audio-only communications between the first user and the second user and Internet-based audio or audio-visual communications between the first user and the second user, the switch occurring during an existing call between the first user and the second user.

11. The system for remote care and monitoring of claim 7 wherein the monitoring process engine is further configured to monitor a schedule of the first user.

12. The system for remote care and monitoring of claim 7 wherein the monitoring process engine is further configured to monitor an operational status of the first mobile device.

13. The system for remote care and monitoring of claim 7 wherein the first mobile device further comprises an intelligent event identification engine in communication with the monitoring process engine, the intelligent event identification engine configured to automatically generate notifications based on information received from the monitoring process engine.

14. The system for remote care and monitoring of claim 13 wherein the notifications generated by the intelligent event identification engine are automatically communicated to the first user.

15. The system for remote care and monitoring of claim 13 wherein the notifications generated by the intelligent event identification engine are automatically communicated to the second user.

16. The system for remote care and monitoring of claim 13 wherein the notifications generated by the intelligent event identification engine are automatically communicated to a third party.

17. The system for remote care and monitoring of claim 7 wherein the first mobile device further comprises an intelligent event identification engine in communication with the monitoring process engine, the intelligent event identification engine configured to automatically activate features of the first mobile device based on information received from the monitoring process engine.

18. The system for remote care and monitoring of claim 17 wherein the features of the first mobile device automatically activated by the intelligent event identification engine comprise at least one of:

a camera, a microphone, a speakerphone, a global positioning system, an accelerometer, a magnetometer, a wireless radio, a cellular system, a Bluetooth radio, a touch screen, an internal clock, a messaging system, or a calendar system.

19. The system for remote care and monitoring of claim 1 wherein the first mobile device is configured to automatically open a direct audio or audio-visual communication link with the second device when the first user does not respond to a communication request sent to the first mobile device.

20. A method for remote care and monitoring, the method comprising the steps of:

providing a primary mobile application for use on a first mobile device by a first user;

providing a secondary mobile application for use on a second device by a second user; and

providing a server, the server configured to communicate with the first mobile device and the second device;

wherein the first mobile device is configured to detect and log information about the activity and inactivity of the first user, the activity and inactivity of the first user being determined by at least one of;

at least one location of the first mobile device, at least one movement of the first mobile device, at least one picture automatically captured by the first mobile device, at least one video automatically captured by the first mobile device, at least one intended destination of the first mobile device, at least one response by the first user to at least one wellness check-in, at least one phone call of the first mobile device, at least one response by the first user to at least one medication reminder, at least one response by the first user to at least one alert, at least one fall detection of the first device, at least one idleness check of the first device, or at least one violation of a medical profile of the first user;

wherein the second device is configured to communicate with the first mobile device through the server to allow the second user to customize a user interface for the first user on the first mobile device;

wherein the second device is further configured to communicate with and monitor the first user through the first mobile device;

wherein the second device is further configured to control a plurality of functions of the first mobile device; and

wherein the first mobile device is configured to automatically establish a live telephonic and/or voice-over-IP (VOIP) call comprising audio and/or video communications between the first user and the second user, the call being initiated by the second user through the second device and/or the server, and the call being automatically established without interaction by the first user with the first mobile device after the first mobile device authenticates the second user and validates that the second user has initiated the call.