Unlocking a body area network

• US 9,186,071 B2
• Filed: 01/27/2012
• Issued: 11/17/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 01/27/2012
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Moriarty, Anthony, Flanagan, Jessica M., McDonald, Cameron A.
• Primary Examiner(s): NWUGO, OJIAKO K
• Application Number:
  US13/360,469
• Publication Number:
  US 20130194092A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,390 Days
• Field of Search: 34053912-53913
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2560/0266 for monitoring or limiting apparatus function
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0022 Monitoring a patient using a global network, e.g. telephone networks, internet
• 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 5/02055 Simultaneously evaluating both cardiovascular condition and temperature
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/747 in case of emergency, i.e. alerting emergency services
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7475 User input or interface means, e.g. keyboard, pointing device, joystick
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/6245 Protecting personal data, e.g. for financial or medical purposes
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/67 for remote operation
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 50/20 for computer-aided diagnosis, e.g. based on medical expert systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/08 Access security

Abstract

Disclosed is an apparatus, system, and method to unlock a body area network (BAN) of a patient and to transmit medical data about the patient. The BAN, under the control of a body area controller (BAC), may be unlocked based upon a pre-defined patient action performed by the patient and the BAN may then be connected to a wireless device. The BAN medical data of the patient may then be transmitted by the wireless device.

Claims

1. A method of unlocking a body area network (BAN) of a patient to transmit medical data comprising:

unlocking the BAN based upon a pre-defined patient action performed by the patient, wherein the pre-defined patient action to unlock the BAN includes pressing against a pre-designated part of the body;

connecting the BAN to a wireless device; and

transmitting BAN medical data of the patient by the wireless device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein, the BAN includes a body area controller (BAC) and one or more body sensor units (BSUs).

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the BAN is connected to a wireless device of the patient and the wireless device of the patient transmits the BAN medical data of the patient to an emergency service.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the BAN is connected to a wireless device of a helper and the wireless device of the helper transmits the BAN medical data of the patient to an emergency service.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the BAN is connected to a wireless device of an emergency responder and the wireless device of the emergency responder transmits the BAN medical data of the patient to a medical data server.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the wireless device of the emergency responder further receives medical data about the patient from the medical data server.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the BAN is connected to a wireless device of a medical support personnel and the wireless device of the medical support personnel transmits the BAN medical data of the patient to a medical data server.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the wireless device of the medical support personnel further receives medical data about the patient from the medical data server.

9. A body area controller (BAC) comprising:

a transceiver; and

a processor coupled to the transceiver, the processor configured to;

unlock a body area network (BAN) based upon a pre-defined patient action performed by a patient, wherein the pre-defined patient action to unlock the BAN includes pressing against a pre-designated part of the body; and

connect the BAN to a wireless device through the transceiver such that the wireless device is configured to transmit BAN medical data of the patient.

10. The BAC of claim 9, wherein, the BAN includes one or more body sensor units (BSUs).

11. The BAC of claim 9, wherein the wireless device is associated with the patient and the wireless device of the patient transmits the BAN medical data to an emergency service.

12. The BAC of claim 9, wherein the wireless device is associated with a helper and the wireless device of the helper transmits the BAN medical data of the patient to an emergency service.

13. The BAC of claim 9, wherein the wireless device is associated with an emergency responder and the wireless device of the emergency responder transmits the BAN medical data of the patient to a medical data server.

14. The BAC of claim 13, wherein the wireless device of the emergency responder further receives medical data about the patient from the medical data server.

15. The BAC of claim 9, wherein the wireless device is associated with a medical support personnel and the wireless device of the medical support personnel transmits the BAN medical data of the patient to a medical data server.

16. A body area controller (BAC) comprising:

means for unlocking a body area network (BAN) based upon a pre-defined patient action performed by a patient, wherein the pre-defined patient action to unlock the BAN includes pressing against a pre-designated part of the body; and

means for connecting the BAN to a wireless device such that the wireless device is configured to transmit the BAN medical data of the patient.

17. The BAC of claim 16, wherein the wireless device is associated with the patient and the wireless device of the patient transmits the BAN medical data to an emergency service.

18. The BAC of claim 16, wherein the wireless device is associated with a helper and the wireless device of the helper transmits the BAN medical data of the patient to an emergency service.

19. The BAC of claim 16, wherein the wireless device is associated with an emergency responder and the wireless device of the emergency responder transmits the BAN medical data of the patient to a medical data server.

20. The BAC of claim 19, wherein the wireless device of the emergency responder further receives medical data about the patient from the medical data server.

21. A computer program product comprising:

a non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising code for;

unlocking a body area network (BAN) based upon a pre-defined patient action performed by a patient, wherein the pre-defined patient action to unlock the BAN includes pressing against a pre-designated part of the body; and

connecting the BAN to a wireless device such that the wireless device is configured to transmit BAN medical data of the patient.

22. The computer program product of claim 21, wherein the wireless device is associated with the patient and the wireless device of the patient transmits the BAN medical data to an emergency service.

23. The computer program product of claim 21, wherein the wireless device is associated with a helper and the wireless device of the helper transmits the BAN medical data of the patient to an emergency service.

24. The computer program product of claim 21, wherein the wireless device is associated with an emergency responder and the wireless device of the emergency responder transmits the BAN medical data of the patient to a medical data server.

25. The computer program product of claim 21, wherein the wireless device of the emergency responder further receives medical data about the patient from the medical data server.

26. A method of unlocking a body area network (BAN) of a patient comprising:

unlocking the BAN based upon a pre-defined patient action performed by the patient, wherein the pre-defined patient action to unlock the BAN includes pressing against a pre-designated part of the body;

connecting the BAN to a wireless device; and

processing information from the BAN using the wireless device.

27. The method of claim 26, further comprising, transmitting BAN medical data of the patient by the wireless device.

28. The method of claim 27, wherein the BAN is connected to a wireless device of the patient and the wireless device of the patient transmits the BAN medical data of the patient to an emergency service.

29. The method of claim 27, wherein the BAN is connected to a wireless device of a helper and the wireless device of the helper transmits the BAN medical data of the patient to an emergency service.

30. The method of claim 27, wherein the BAN is connected to a wireless device of an emergency responder and the wireless device of the emergency responder transmits the BAN medical data of the patient to a medical data server.

31. The method of claim 30, wherein the wireless device of the emergency responder further receives medical data about the patient from the medical data server.

32. The method of claim 26, wherein, the BAN includes a body area controller (BAC) and one or more body sensor units (BSUs).

33. A method of unlocking a body area network (BAN) of a patient to transmit medical data comprising:

determining if a pre-defined body change of the patient has occurred or the patient is incapable of performing a pre-defined patient action;

in response to a determination that the pre-defined body change of the patient has occurred or the patient is incapable of performing the pre-defined patient action, unlocking the BAN automatically;

in response to a determination that the pre-defined body change of the patient has not occurred and the patient is not incapable of performing the pre-defined patient action, unlocking the BAN based upon the pre-defined patient action performed by the patient, wherein the pre-defined patient action to unlock the BAN includes pressing against a pre-designated part of the body;

connecting the BAN to a wireless device; and

transmitting BAN medical data of the patient by the wireless device.

34. The method of claim 33, wherein, the BAN includes a body area controller (BAC) and one or more body sensor units (BSUs).

35. The method of claim 33, wherein the BAN is connected to a wireless device of the patient and the wireless device of the patient transmits the BAN medical data of the patient to an emergency service.

36. The method of claim 33, wherein the BAN is connected to a wireless device of a helper and the wireless device of the helper transmits the BAN medical data of the patient to an emergency service.

37. The method of claim 33, wherein the BAN is connected to a wireless device of an emergency responder and the wireless device of the emergency responder transmits the BAN medical data of the patient to a medical data server.

38. A body area controller (BAC) comprising:

a transceiver; and

a processor coupled to the transceiver, the processor configured to;

determine if a pre-defined body change of the patient has occurred or the patient is incapable of performing a pre-defined patient action;

in response to a determination that the pre-defined body change of the patient has occurred or the patient is incapable of performing the pre-defined patient action, unlock a body area network (BAN) automatically;

in response to a determination that the pre-defined body change of the patient has not occurred and the patient is not incapable of performing the pre-defined patient action, unlock the BAN based upon the pre-defined patient action performed by the patient, wherein the pre-defined patient action to unlock the BAN includes pressing against a pre-designated part of the body; and

connect the BAN to a wireless device through the transceiver such that the wireless device is configured to transmit the BAN medical data of the patient.

39. The BAC of claim 38, wherein, the BAN includes one or more body sensor units (BSUs).

40. The BAC of claim 38, wherein the wireless device is associated with the patient and the wireless device of the patient transmits the BAN medical data to an emergency service.

41. The BAC of claim 38, wherein the wireless device is associated with a helper and the wireless device of the helper transmits the BAN medical data of the patient to an emergency service.

42. The BAC of claim 38, wherein the wireless device is associated with an emergency responder and the wireless device of the emergency responder transmits the BAN medical data of the patient to a medical data server.

43. A body area controller (BAC) comprising:

means for determining if a pre-defined body change of a patient has occurred or the patient is incapable of performing a pre-defined patient action;

means for in response to a determination that the pre-defined body change of the patient has occurred or the patient is incapable of performing the pre-defined patient action, unlocking a body area network (BAN) automatically;

means for in response to a determination that the pre-defined body change of the patient has not occurred and the patient is not incapable of performing the pre-defined patient action, unlocking the BAN based upon the pre-defined patient action performed by the patient, wherein the pre-defined patient action to unlock the BAN includes pressing against a pre-designated part of the body; and

means for connecting the BAN to a wireless device such that the wireless device is configured to transmit the BAN medical data of the patient.

44. The BAC of claim 43, wherein the wireless device is associated with the patient and the wireless device of the patient transmits the BAN medical data to an emergency service.

45. The BAC of claim 43, wherein the wireless device is associated with a helper and the wireless device of the helper transmits the BAN medical data of the patient to an emergency service.

46. The BAC of claim 43, wherein the wireless device is associated with an emergency responder and the wireless device of the emergency responder transmits the BAN medical data of the patient to a medical data server.

47. A computer program product comprising:

a non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising code for;

determining if a pre-defined body change of a patient has occurred or the patient is incapable of performing a pre-defined patient action;

in response to a determination that the pre-defined body change of the patient has occurred or the patient is incapable of performing the pre-defined patient action, unlocking a body area network (BAN) automatically;

in response to a determination that the pre-defined body change of the patient has not occurred and the patient is not incapable of performing the pre-defined patient action, unlocking the BAN based upon the pre-defined patient action performed by the patient, wherein the pre-defined patient action to unlock the BAN includes pressing against a pre-designated part of the body; and

connecting the BAN to a wireless device such that the wireless device is configured to transmit the BAN medical data of the patient.

48. The computer program product of claim 47, wherein the wireless device is associated with the patient and the wireless device of the patient transmits the BAN medical data to an emergency service.

49. The computer program product of claim 47, wherein the wireless device is associated with a helper and the wireless device of the helper transmits the BAN medical data of the patient to an emergency service.

50. The computer program product of claim 47, wherein the wireless device is associated with an emergency responder and the wireless device of the emergency responder transmits the BAN medical data of the patient to a medical data server.