Bio-information sensor monitoring system and method

• US 9,489,487 B2
• Filed: 03/22/2005
• Issued: 11/08/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 05/19/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Alcohol Monitoring Systems Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Alcohol Monitoring Systems Incorporated
• Inventors: Hawthorne, Jeffrey Scott, Iiams, Michael Leonard, Tubb, Glenn Charles, Stoll, Richard A., Shoffner, Gary Alan, Phillips, Brian Kirby
• Primary Examiner(s): Long, Fonya
• Assistant Examiner(s): RAPILLO, KRISTINE K
• Application Number:
  US11/086,192
• Publication Number:
  US 20050163293A1
• Time in Patent Office: 4,249 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0022 Monitoring a patient using a global network, e.g. telephone networks, internet
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/40 for the management of medical equipment or devices, e.g. scheduling maintenance or upgrades
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/67 for remote operation
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 128/92 Computer assisted medical diagnostics

Abstract

A bio-information monitoring system passively monitors a patient with a remote portable bio-information unit that takes various bio-information measurements at selected time intervals as well as at random times without patient intervention. The measurements are converted to digital signals which are transmitted from the bio-information unit to a modem when the bio-information unit is in proximity to the modem. The signals are stored in the modem and uploaded to a central monitoring network. Automatic alerts may be sent from the central monitoring network to a treatment provider. The treatment provider may also access the information through secured dedicated websites via the Internet.

Claims

1. A bio-information modem for use with but independent from a continuous remote bio-information unit attached to a human subject, and for use with but independent from a bio-information network, the bio-information modem comprising:

a radio frequency transceiver for communicating bi-directional radio frequency signals with the continuous remote bio-information unit when the continuous remote bio-information unit comes within range of the bio-information modem, wherein said radio frequency signals contain a plurality of data;

a central processing unit in communication with said radio frequency transceiver, wherein said central processing unit processes said plurality of data to determine if at least one alert condition exists; and

a bio-information modem chip set in communication with said central processing unit, wherein when said at least one alert condition exists, a non radio frequency communication link is established by said central processing unit through said bio-information modem chip set to the bio-information network, and further wherein said central processing unit communicates an alert over said non radio frequency communication link to the bio-information network independently from the continuous remote bio-information unit.

2. The bio-information modem according to claim 1 wherein said central processing unit controls a plurality of processes, said plurality of processes comprising:

a schedule process that controls a plurality of communication events between the continuous remote bio-information unit and the bio-information modem, and between the bio-information modem and the bio-information network;

a monitoring process that monitors said bi-directional radio frequency signals, containing said plurality of data, between the continuous remote bio-information unit and the bio-information modem; and

an analysis process for analyzing said plurality of data for said at least one alert condition.

3. The bio-information modem according to claim 1 wherein said plurality of data further comprises:

a set of operating instructions;

a sensor configuration data;

an operating data;

a time and date synchronization information for the continuous remote bio-information unit; and

a plurality of monitoring data received from the continuous remote bio-information unit.

4. The bio-information modem according to claim 3 wherein said central processing unit communicates through said bio-information modem chip set to the bio-information network over said non radio frequency communication link at least a one of:

said plurality of monitoring data;

a time and date synchronization information;

a schedule information;

an operating data for the continuous remote bio-information unit;

a bio-information modem operating program information;

and

a continuous remote bio-information unit operating program.

5. The bio-information modem according to claim 3 wherein said plurality of monitoring data further comprises:

a plurality of bio-sensor readings taken of the human subject;

a plurality of diagnostic data; and

when an error has been detected by the continuous remote bio-information unit, an error data.

6. The bio-information modem according to claim 1 wherein when said central processing unit communicates said alert to the bio-information network, said bio-information network analyzes said alert according to a rules-based database, and based on said analysis, said bio-information network may send an automatic alert to a treatment provider or to a designated individual over a new communication link.

7. The bio-information modem according to claim 1 further comprising:

an LCD display connectable to said central processing unit for displaying a plurality of status messages regarding the bio-information modem, wherein said plurality of status messages are instructions to the human subject that the continuous remote bio-information unit needs to communicate with the bio-information modem or perform a type of operation.

8. The bio-information modem according to claim 1 further comprising:

an integrated memory connectable to said central processing unit;

a main operating program stored in said integrated memory; and

a main power input circuits for receiving power from an external source, wherein when said power is first received, said main power input circuits provide power to said central processing unit, wherein said central processing unit checks a validity of said main operating program, wherein if said main operating program is invalid, said bio-information modem chip set attempts to establish a communication link to the bio-information network to download a valid version of said main operating program.

9. The bio-information modem according to claim 8 further comprising:

a real time clock connectable to said central processing unit, wherein said real time clock is updated when said communication link is established with the bio-information network, and further wherein the bio-information network uploads said plurality of data from the bio-information modem.

10. The bio-information modem according to claim 8 further comprising:

a phone line connected to the bio-information modem for establishing said communication link.

11. The bio-information modem according to claim 1 wherein the continuous remote bio-information unit monitoring of the human subject may be done twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year.

12. A method for using a bio-information modem to process data received from a continuous remote bio-information unit attached to a human subject, and for use with a bio-information network, the bio-information modem being independent from both the continuous remote bio-information unit and the bio-information network, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) communicating bi-directionally with a radio frequency transceiver in the bio-information modem radio frequency signals with the continuous remote bio-information unit when the continuous remote bio-information unit comes within range of the bio-information modem, wherein said radio frequency signals contain the data;

(b) processing, by a central processing unit located in the bio-information modem, the data to determine if at least one alert condition exists;

(c) when said at least one alert condition exists, establishing a non radio frequency communication link by said central processing unit through a bio-information modem chip set located in the bio-information modem to a bio-information network; and

(d) communicating by said central processing unit an alert over said non radio frequency communication link to said bio-information network independently from the continuous remote bio-information unit.

13. The method according to claim 12 further comprising the steps of:

controlling by said central processing unit a schedule process for scheduling a plurality of communication events between the continuous remote bio-information unit and the bio-information modem, and between the bio-information modem and the bio-information network;

controlling by said central processing unit a monitoring process that monitors said radio frequency signals, containing the data, between the continuous remote bio-information unit and the bio-information modem; and

controlling by said central processing unit an analysis process for analyzing the data for said at least one alert condition.

14. The method according to claim 12 wherein the data further comprises:

a set of operating instructions;

a sensor configuration data;

an operating data;

a time and date synchronization information for the continuous remote bio-information unit; and

a plurality of monitoring data received from the continuous remote bio-information unit.

15. The method according to claim 14 further comprising the steps of:

communicating by said central processing unit through said bio-information modem chip set to the bio-information network over said non radio frequency communication link at least a one of said plurality of monitoring data, a time and date synchronization information, a schedule information, an operating data for the continuous remote bio-information unit, a bio-information modem operating program information, and a continuous remote bio-information unit operating program.

16. The method according to claim 14 wherein said plurality of monitoring data further comprises:

a plurality of bio-sensor readings taken of the human subject;

a plurality of diagnostic data; and

when an error has been detected by the continuous remote bio-information unit, an error data.

17. The method according to claim 12 further comprising the steps of:

analyzing by the bio-information network said alert according to a rules-based database; and

based on said analysis, sending an automatic alert to a treatment provider or to a designated individual over a new communication link.

18. The method according to claim 12 further comprising the step of:

displaying on an LCD display of the bio-information modem a plurality of status messages regarding the bio-information modem, wherein said plurality of status messages are instructions to the human subject that the continuous remote bio-information unit needs to communicate with the bio-information modem or perform a type of operation.

19. The method according to claim 12 further comprising the steps of:

connecting the bio-information modem to a power source;

receiving power in said central processing unit;

checking by said central processing unit a validity of a bio-information modem main operating program for the bio-information modem stored in an integrated memory;

checking by said central processing unit a validity of a monitoring main operating program for the continuous remote bio-information unit stored in said integrated memory;

when at least a one of said bio-information modem main operating program and said monitoring main operating program is invalid, establishing a communication link by said bio-information modem chip set to the bio-information network;

downloading to the bio-information modem from the bio-information network a valid version of at least a one of said bio-information modem main operating program and said monitoring main operating program;

storing at least a one of said bio-information modem main operating program and said monitoring main operating program in said integrated memory;

updating a real time clock of the bio-information modem; and

uploading by the bio-information network the data from the bio-information modem.

20. The method according to claim 19 wherein said establishing step further comprises the steps of:

(1) checking by said central processing unit for a dial tone of a phone line connected to the bio-information modem;

(2) if no dial tone is detected, generating a no phone line connected alarm by said central processing unit;

(3) waiting by said central processing unit a predefined period of time; and

(4) repeating steps (1) through (3) until a dial tone is detected.

21. The method according to claim 20 further comprising the steps of:

(5) when a dial tone is detected by said central processing unit, dialing a phone number for the bio-information network;

(6) monitoring by said bio-information modem chip set if said communication link is established to the bio-information network;

(7) if at least a one of a busy signal and a no answer is detected, generating a no connection alarm by said central processing unit;

(8) waiting by said central processing unit a predefined period of time; and

(9) repeating steps (5) through (8) until said communication link is established.

22. The method according to claim 21 further comprising the step of:

once said communication link is established, downloading a monitoring instructions, a schedule information for said bio-information modem, and a schedule information for the continuous remote bio-information unit for later delivery to the continuous remote bio-information unit; and

downloading a hang up instruction to the bio-information modem.

23. The method according to claim 22 further comprising the steps of:

once said hang up instruction is downloaded, hanging up by said central processing unit and powering off said bio-information modem chip set;

activating said radio frequency transceiver;

communicating a standard message over said radio frequency signals to the continuous remote bio-information unit;

when the continuous remote bio-information unit is within a range of the bio-information modem, receiving an answer message over said radio frequency signals sent from the continuous remote bio-information unit;

extracting by the bio-information modem the data from the continuous remote bio-information unit;

validating by the bio-information modem an operating program of the continuous remote bio-information unit;

updating by the bio-information modem a real time clock of the continuous remote bio-information unit;

downloading said schedule information for the continuous remote bio-information unit;

terminating said radio frequency signals sent from the bio-information modem to the continuous remote bio-information unit;

when the continuous remote bio-information unit is not within said range of the bio-information modem, terminating said radio frequency signals; and

waiting a predefined period of time before recommunicating said standard message over said radio frequency signals to the continuous remote bio-information unit.

24. The method according to claim 23 further comprising the steps of:

scanning by said central processing unit the data to determine if an immediate alert needs to be communicated to the bio-information network;

when said immediate alert needs to be communicated, establishing a communication link to the bio-information network; and

when there is no said immediate alert to be communicated, waiting a predefined period of time before activating said radio frequency transceiver again.

25. The method according to claim 12 wherein steps (a) through (d) may be performed twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year.