Networked system for interactive communication and remote monitoring of individuals

• US 20050273509A1
• Filed: 05/19/2005
• Published: 12/08/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 03/28/1997
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Health Hero Network Incorporated (Robert Bosch GmbH)
• Original Assignee: Health Hero Network Incorporated (Robert Bosch GmbH)
• Inventors: Brown, Stephen J.
• Granted Patent: US 7,730,177 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/224
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0002 Remote monitoring of patients using telemetry, e.g. transmission of vital signals via a communication network A61B5/07 takes precedence; transmission systems for measured values G08C; transmission H04B; transmission of digital information H04L; wireless communication networks H04W
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 10/20 for electronic clinical trials or questionnaires
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/67 for remote operation
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/24 Monitoring of processes or resources, e.g. monitoring of server load, available bandwidth, upstream requests monitoring of server performance or load G06F11/34; arrangements for observation, testing or troubleshooting for broadcast or for distribution combined with broadcast H04H20/12
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 128/905 Feedback to patient of biological signal other than brain electric signal
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 128/92 Computer assisted medical diagnostics

Abstract

A system for remotely monitoring an individual. The system includes a server system for generating a script program from a set of queries. The script program is executable by a remote apparatus that displays information and/or a set of queries to the individual through a user interface. Responses to the queries that are entered through the user interface together with individual identification information are sent from the remote apparatus to the server system across a communication network. The server system also includes an automated answering service for providing a series of questions from a stored set of questions for an individual at the remote apparatus to respond to, storing responses to each provided question in the series of questions and providing a service based on the individual'"'"'s response to the questions.

Claims

1. A system for remotely monitoring an individual, the system comprising:

a remote apparatus for interacting with the individual, the remote apparatus being in communication with a server system via a communication network;

the server system comprising;

a script generator for generating a script program from a set of queries and sending the script program to the remote apparatus, the script program being executable by the remote apparatus to communicate the set of queries to the individual, to receive responses to the set of queries, and to transmit the responses from the remote apparatus to the server over the communication network;

a database accessible by the script generator for storing the script program, the queries, the responses to the set of queries, and individual profiles; and

an answering service; and

wherein the remote apparatus comprises;

a communication component for receiving the script program from the server and for transmitting the responses to the server;

a user interface comprising a microphone, speaker and a voice communication button; and

a processor connected to the communication component and the user interface for executing the script program to communicate the set of queries to the individual, to receive the responses to the set of queries from the user interface, and to transmit the responses to the server,

wherein when the voice communication button is activated, the answering service sends a series of questions as voice communication from a stored set of questions to the remote apparatus for the individual to respond to, stores responses to each provided question in the series of questions and provides a service based on the individual'"'"'s response to the questions.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the provided service is communication with a health care professional.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the provided service is communication with a service provider.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the answering service includes a speech recognition component for receiving spoken responses to the series of questions.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the answering service includes a speech synthesis component for making the set of queries into a series of questions.

6. A method for remotely monitoring an individual at a server system in communication with an apparatus of the individuals over a communication network, the method comprising:

generating at the server system a script program from a set of queries at the server system and sending the generated script program from the server system to the apparatus, wherein the script program is executable by the apparatus to communicate the set of queries to the individual, to receive responses to the set of queries, and to transmit the responses from the apparatus to the server over the communication network; and

storing the script program, the queries, responses to the set of queries and individual profiles in a database at the server system;

activating a voice communication button at a user interface of the apparatus;

sending a series of questions as voice communication from the stored set of queries to the apparatus from an answering service for the individual to respond to, according to activation of the voice communication button;

receiving and storing at the answering service responses to the sent series of questions; and

providing a service based on the responses to the questions.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the provided service is communication with a health care professional.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein the provided service is communication with a service provider.

9. An apparatus, said apparatus comprising:

a user interface component for interacting with an individual, said user interface component comprising;

a communication component for receiving a script program from a server and for transmitting responses to the script program to the server over a communications network, the script program comprises a set of queries;

a user interface; and

a processor connected to the communication component and the user interface for executing the script program to communicate the set of queries to the individual to receive the responses to the set of queries from the user interface and to transmit the responses to the server; and

an appliance component with appliance functionality.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the appliance component is an alarm clock.

11. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the appliance component is a kitchen appliance.

12. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the appliance component is an entertainment device.

13. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the apparatus receives physiological data from a monitoring device coupled thereto.

14. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the apparatus further comprises a monitoring device for generating physiological data.

15. A medical monitoring device comprising:

a user interface component for interacting with an individual, said user interface component comprising;

a communication component for receiving a script program from a server and for transmitting responses to the script program to the server over a communications network, the script program comprises a set of queries;

a user interface; and

a processor connected to the communication component and the user interface for executing the script program to communicate the set of queries to the individual to receive the responses to the set of queries from the user interface and to transmit the responses to the server; and

a monitoring component for generating measurements of a physiological condition of the individual,

wherein said generated measurements are transmitted by the communication component to the server over the communications network.

16. The medical monitoring device of claim 15, further comprises an appliance component with appliance functionality.