Proximity-based sensing, communicating, and processing of user physiologic information

• US 9,386,401 B2
• Filed: 02/12/2015
• Issued: 07/05/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 08/25/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Phyzio, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Steven K. Gold
• Inventors: Gold, Steven K.
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Hai V
• Application Number:
  US14/621,170
• Publication Number:
  US 20160057565A1
• Time in Patent Office: 509 Days
• Field of Search: 455/41.1
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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: H04W 4/023 using mutual or relative location information between multiple location based services [LBS] targets or of distance thresholds
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/80 Services using short range communication, e.g. near-field communication [NFC], radio-frequency identification [RFID] or low energy communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/18 Self-organising networks, e.g. ad-hoc networks or sensor networks

Abstract

The present invention relates to systems and methods that sense, communicate and process one or more of a user'"'"'s physiologic parameters, such as during a time when the user is in proximity with an object of interest. Objects may be products, locations and other people. One embodiment of the present invention enables users, designers, manufacturers, marketers and sellers to secure valuable information about how an object is (or many object are) perceived and used by a user (or many users). Various embodiments of the present invention may be used in conjunction with smart objects (e.g., Internet-connected objects) and dumb objects (e.g., objects having no Internet or other network connection).

Claims

1. A method comprising:

(A) at a device, using a first receiver module to wirelessly receive a first signal from a first object, at a first time, wherein the device and the first object are distinct from each other;

(B) at the device, using a second receiver module to wirelessly receive a second signal from the first object, at a second time, the second signal comprising a first identifier representing an identity of the first object;

(C) at the device, using a processor module to store a second identifier representing at least one of an identity of the device and an identity of a first user;

(D) at the device, at a third time, using the processor module to determine, based on the first signal received from the first object, that the device is in proximity to the first object;

(E) in response to determining that the device is in proximity to the first object, using a first transmitter module to wirelessly transmit a third signal comprising the first identifier, and a fourth signal comprising the second identifier, to a remote server;

(F) at a first sensor module, at a fourth time after the third time, sensing a first value of a first physiologic parameter of the first user;

(G) at the first sensor module, using a second transmitter module to transmit a fifth signal comprising first physiologic data representing the first value of the first physiologic parameter to the device;

(H) at the device, using a third receiver module to receive the fifth signal representing the first physiologic data; and

(I) at the device, after determining that the device is in proximity to the first object, using a third transmitter module to wirelessly transmit a sixth signal comprising the first physiologic data to the remote server.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

(J) at the device, at a fourth time after the first time, determining that the device is not in proximity to the first object; and

(K) after determining that the device is not in proximity to the first object, wirelessly transmitting, to the remote server, data indicating that the device is not in proximity to the first object.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

(L) at the first sensor module, at a fifth time after the fourth time, sensing a second value of the first physiologic parameter of the first user;

(M) at the first sensor module, transmitting second physiologic data representing the second value of the first physiologic parameter to the device; and

(N) after determining that the device is not in proximity to the first object, wirelessly transmitting the second physiologic data to the remote server.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

(J) at a second sensor module, at a fourth time after the third time, sensing a second value of a second physiologic parameter of the first user; and

(K) after determining that the device is in proximity to the first object, wirelessly transmitting the second physiologic data to the remote server.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the device includes the first sensor module and the second sensor module.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

(J) at the device, at a fourth time after the first time, determining that the device is not in proximity to the first object; and

(K) in response to determining that the device is not in proximity to the first object, terminating transmission of the first physiologic data to the remote server.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein determining that the device is not in proximity to the first object comprises determining that the device is not receiving a signal from the first object, and determining that non-receipt of the signal from the object indicates that the device is not in proximity to the object.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

(J) at the device, after the first time, identifying location data representing a current location of the device; and

(K) at the device, wirelessly transmitting the location data to the remote server.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein (J) comprises identifying the location data in response to determining that the device is in proximity to the first object.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein (K) comprises wirelessly transmitting the location data to the remote server in response to determining that the device is in proximity to the first object.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

(J) at the device, after the first time, identifying location data representing a current location of the first object; and

(K) at the device, wirelessly transmitting the location data to the remote server.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

(J) at the first sensor, at a fourth time before the first time, sensing a second value of the first physiologic parameter of the first user; and

wherein (I) further comprises initiating wireless transmission of a seventh signal comprising second physiologic data in response to determining that the device is in proximity to the first object, wherein the second physiologic data represents the second value of the first physiologic parameter, to the remote server.

13. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

(J) after determining that the device is in proximity to the first object, wirelessly transmitting, to the remote server, data indicating that the device is in proximity to the first object.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the device includes the first sensor module.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein (D) comprises, at the device:

(D) (1) identifying a current location of the device;

(D) (2) identifying a current location of the first object; and

(D) (3) determining that the device is in proximity to the first object in response to determining that the current location of the device and the current location of the first object satisfy a proximity condition.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein determining that the device is in proximity to the first object comprises determining that the device received the first signal from the first object.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

(J) at the device, using a fourth receiver module to receive a seventh signal from the first object, wherein the second signal represents a location of the first object;

wherein determining that the device is in proximity to the first object comprises determining that the device is in proximity to the first object based on the location of the first object.

18. The method of claim 1, wherein the first receiver module and the second receiver module are the same module.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the first receiver module, the second receiver module, and the third receiver module are the same module.

20. The method of claim 1, wherein the device includes the first transmitter module.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the device includes the third transmitter module.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the first transmitter module and the third transmitter module are the same module.

23. The method of claim 1, wherein the device includes the third transmitter module.

24. The method of claim 1, wherein the first time is the same time as the second time.

25. The method of claim 1, wherein the first signal and the second signal are the same signal.

26. The method of claim 1, wherein the third signal and the fourth signal are the same signal.

27. The method of claim 1, wherein (D) comprises using radio frequency identification (RFID) technology to determine that the device is in proximity to the first object.

28. The method of claim 1, wherein (D) comprises using near field communication (NFC) technology to determine that the device is in proximity to the first object.

29. The method of claim 1, wherein (D) comprises using optical identification technology to determine that the device is in proximity to the first object.

30. The method of claim 1, wherein (E) comprises:

wirelessly transmitting the third signal to the remote server without any substantial delay after determining that the device is in proximity to the first object.

31. The method of claim 1, wherein (I) comprises wirelessly transmitting the first physiologic data to the remote server in response to determining that the device is in proximity to the first object.

32. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

(J) at the device, storing second metadata.

33. The method of claim 1, wherein wirelessly transmitting the first physiologic data to the remote server comprises initiating transmission of the first physiologic data to the remote server.

34. The method of claim 1, wherein the first physiologic data comprises timestamp data representing the first time.

35. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

(J) at the first sensor module, at a fourth time before the first time, sensing a second value of the first physiologic parameter of the first user; and

wherein (I) further comprises wirelessly transmitting a seventh signal comprising second physiologic data, wherein the second physiologic data represents the second value of the first physiologic parameter, to the remote server.

36. The method of claim 1, wherein the second identifier represents at least the identity of the first user.

37. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

(J) at the device, using a fourth transmitter module to wirelessly transmit a seventh signal representing a time to the remote server.

38. A system comprising:

a device comprising;

a first receiver module to wirelessly receive a first signal from a first object, at a first time, wherein the device and the first object are distinct from each other;

a second receiver module to wirelessly receive a second signal from the first object, at a second time, the second signal comprising a first identifier representing an identity of the first object;

a processor module to;

store a second identifier representing at least one of an identity of the device and an identity of a first user;

determine, at a third time, based on the first signal received from the first object, that the device is in proximity to the first object;

a first transmitter module to wirelessly transmit, in response to determining that the device is in proximity to the first object, a third signal comprising the first identifier, and a fourth signal comprising the second identifier, to a remote server;

a first sensor module to sense, at a fourth time after the third time, a first value of a first physiologic parameter of the first user;

wherein the first sensor module comprises a second transmitter module to transmit a fifth signal comprising first physiologic data representing the first value of the first physiologic parameter to the device;

wherein the device further comprises a third receiver module to receive the fifth signal representing the first physiologic data; and

wherein the device further comprises a third transmitter module to wirelessly transmit, after determining that the device is in proximity to the first object, a sixth signal comprising the first physiologic data to the remote server.

39. The system of claim 38:

wherein the processor module further comprises means for determining, at a fourth time after the first time, that the device is not in proximity to the first object; and

wherein the system further comprises means for wirelessly transmitting, to the remote server, after determining that the device is not in proximity to the first object, data indicating that the device is not in proximity to the first object.

40. The system of claim 39:

wherein the first sensor module further comprises means for sensing, at a fifth time after the fourth time, a second value of the first physiologic parameter of the first user;

wherein the first sensor module further comprises means for transmitting second physiologic data representing the second value of the first physiologic parameter to the device; and

wherein the system further comprises means for wirelessly transmitting, after determining that the device is not in proximity to the first object, the second physiologic data to the remote server.

41. The system of claim 38:

further comprising a second sensor module to sense, at a fourth time after the third time, a second value of a second physiologic parameter of the first user; and

wherein the system further comprises means for wirelessly transmitting, after determining that the device is in proximity to the first object, the second physiologic data to the remote server.

42. The system of claim 41, wherein the device includes the first sensor module and the second sensor module.

43. The system of claim 38:

wherein the processor module further comprises means for determining, at a fourth time after the first time, that the device is not in proximity to the first object; and

wherein the system further comprises means for terminating, in response to determining that the device is not in proximity to the first object, transmission of the first physiologic data to the remote server.

44. The system of claim 43, wherein determining that the device is not in proximity to the first object comprises determining that the device is not receiving a signal from the first object, and determining that non-receipt of the signal from the object indicates that the device is not in proximity to the object.

45. The system of claim 38:

wherein the processor module further comprises means for identifying, after the first time, location data representing a current location of the device; and

wherein the device further comprises a fourth transmitter module to wirelessly transmit the location data to the remote server.

46. The system of claim 45, wherein the means for identifying the location data representing the current location of the device comprises means for identifying the location data in response to determining that the device is in proximity to the first object.

47. The system of claim 45, wherein the fourth transmitter module comprises means for wirelessly transmitting the location data to the remote server in response to determining that the device is in proximity to the first object.

48. The system of claim 38:

wherein the processor module further comprises means for identifying, after the first time, location data representing a current location of the first object; and

wherein the device further comprises a fourth transmitter module to wirelessly transmit the location data to the remote server.

49. The system of claim 38:

wherein the first sensor further comprises means for sensing, at a fourth time before the first time, a second value of the first physiologic parameter of the first user; and

wherein the third transmitter comprises means for initiating wireless transmission of a seventh signal comprising second physiologic data in response to determining that the device is in proximity to the first object, wherein the second physiologic data represents the second value of the first physiologic parameter, to the remote server.

50. The system of claim 38, further comprising:

a fourth transmitter module to wirelessly transmit, after determining that the device is in proximity to the first object, to the remote server, data indicating that the device is in proximity to the first object.

51. The system of claim 38, wherein the device includes the first sensor.

52. The system of claim 38, wherein the processor module is adapted to determine that the device is in proximity to the first object by:

identifying a current location of the device;

identifying a current location of the first object; and

determining that the device is in proximity to the first object in response to determining that the current location of the device and the current location of the first object satisfy a proximity condition.

53. The system of claim 38, wherein determining that the device is in proximity to the first object comprises determining that the device received the first signal from the first object.

54. The system of claim 53:

wherein the device further comprises a fourth receiver module to receive a seventh signal from the first object, wherein the second signal represents a location of the first object; and

wherein determining that the device is in proximity to the first object comprises determining that the device is in proximity to the first object based on the location of the first object.

55. The system of claim 38, wherein the first receiver module and the second receiver module are the same module.

56. The system of claim 55, wherein the first receiver module, the second receiver module, and the third receiver module are the same module.

57. The system of claim 38, wherein the device includes the first transmitter module.

58. The system of claim 57, wherein the device includes the third transmitter module.

59. The system of claim 58, wherein the first transmitter module and the third transmitter module are the same module.

60. The system of claim 38, wherein the device includes the third transmitter module.

61. The system of claim 38, wherein the first time is the same time as the second time.

62. The system of claim 38, wherein the first signal and the second signal are the same signal.

63. The system of claim 38, wherein the third signal and the fourth signal are the same signal.

64. The system of claim 38, wherein the processor module is adapted to determine that the device is in proximity to the first object using radio frequency identification (RFID) technology.

65. The system of claim 38, wherein the processor module is adapted to determine that the device is in proximity to the first object using near field communication (NFC) technology.

66. The system of claim 38, wherein the processor module is adapted to determine that the device is in proximity to the first object using optical identification technology.

67. The system of claim 38, wherein the first transmitter module comprises:

means for wirelessly transmitting the third signal to the remote server without any substantial delay after determining that the device is in proximity to the first object.

68. The system of claim 38, wherein the third transmitter module comprises means for wirelessly transmitting the first physiologic data to the remote server in response to determining that the device is in proximity to the first object.

69. The system of claim 38, wherein the device further comprises means for storing second metadata.

70. The system of claim 38, wherein the third transmitter module comprises means for initiating transmission of the first physiologic data to the remote server.

71. The system of claim 38, wherein the first physiologic data comprises timestamp data representing the first time.

72. The system of claim 38:

wherein the first sensor comprises means for sensing, at a fourth time before the first time, a second value of the first physiologic parameter of the first user; and

wherein the third transmitter module further comprises means for wirelessly transmitting a seventh signal comprising second physiologic data, wherein the second physiologic data represents the second value of the first physiologic parameter, to the remote server.

73. The system of claim 38, wherein the second identifier represents at least the identity of the first user.

74. The system of claim 38:

wherein the device further comprises a fourth transmitter module to wirelessly transmit a seventh signal representing a time to the remote server.