System and method for monitoring a physiological condition

• US 20060234202A1
• Filed: 06/12/2006
• Published: 10/19/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 05/23/1994
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Robert Bosch Healthcare Systems, Inc. (Robert Bosch GmbH)
• Original Assignee: Health Hero Network Incorporated (Robert Bosch GmbH)
• Inventors: Brown, Stephen J.
• Granted Patent: US 8,616,895 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 434/323
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/14532 for measuring glucose, e.g. by tissue impedance measurement
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/339 Displays specially adapted therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 90/00 Instruments, implements or accessories specially adapted for surgery or diagnosis and not covered by any of the groups A61B1/00 - A61B50/00, e.g. for luxation treatment or for protecting wound edges protective face masks A41D13/11; surgeon's or patient's gowns or dresses A41D13/12; devices for carrying-off, for treatment of, or for carrying-over, body liquids A61M1/00
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1012 involving biosensors worn by the player, e.g. for measuring heart beat, limb activity
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/204 the platform being a handheld device
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/63 for controlling the execution of the game in time
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/02 Reservations, e.g. for tickets, services or events
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/025 Coordination of plural reservations, e.g. plural trip segments, transportation combined with accommodation
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 19/00 Teaching not covered by other main groups of this subclass teaching or practice apparatus for gun-aiming or gun-laying F41G3/26
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 23/28 for medicine
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 5/065 Combinations of audio and video presentations, e.g. videotapes, videodiscs, television systems
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 7/00 Electrically-operated teaching apparatus or devices working with questions and answers mechanically operated G09B3/00; computing arrangements G06F
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/17 delivered via infusion or injection
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/63 for local operation
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/67 for remote operation

Abstract

The invention describes a system and method for allowing an individual to view an educational program remotely. In the preferred embodiment, the invention is used as a healthcare education system. The system comprises a file server which is connected to a database holding the educational programs. A remote interface connected to the file server allows an administrator to assign educational programs to an individual. The remote interface also includes a memory card writer which records the individual'"'"'s identification code and the address of the file server on a memory card. The individual is given the memory card to take home. When the individual places the memory card in the memory card reader of a multimedia processor, the processor uses the file server address to automatically connect to the file server. The file server receives the individual'"'"'s identification code from the processor, retrieves the corresponding educational program from the database, and sends the program to the processor to be displayed. After the individual has watched the educational program, completion data in the form of the date and time the program was watched, or the individual'"'"'s response, is sent from the multimedia processor to the file server. The completion data can then be viewed by the administrator on a report screen.

Claims

1. A system for monitoring health related parameters of a user and for providing health-related information comprising:

(a) a display device including a display screen;

(b) an audio speaker;

(c) a processor configured to provide audio and visual signals to the display device and the audio speaker;

(d) at least one memory;

(e) at least one health related data monitor configured to provide a signal representative of the health related parameters of the user;

(f) an interface coupled between the processor and the health related data monitor to electrically isolate the health related data monitor from the processor; and

(g) a program controller configured to (i) receive an input from the user and (ii) provide a control signal to the processor based upon the input from the user to allow health related information to be provided to the user based upon the signal representative of the health related parameters and the control signal.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein the interface includes:

(a) a signal receiver for receiving the signal representative of the health related parameters from the at least one health related data monitor;

(b) a converter for converting the received signal into a form acceptable to the processor; and

(c) a multimedia controller for controlling the processor.

5. The system according to claim 1, wherein the program controller is configured to (i) enable the user to make selections and (ii) control functions of the system.

6. The system according to claim 5, wherein the program controller is hand-held.

7. The system according to claim 5, wherein the program controller receives inputs from the user through at least one push button switch.

8. The system according to claim 1, wherein health related information provided to the user includes moving images displayed on the display device.

9. The system according to claim 8, wherein the health related information provided to the user further includes a comparison of measurements of the health related parameters against previously stored measurements of the health related parameters.

10. The system according to claim 8, wherein the health related information provided to the user includes educational information.

11. The system according to claim 1, wherein the system is configured to store information on at least one memory for later retrieval.

12. The system according to claim 1, wherein the display device is a television display and the processor includes at least one removable memory.

13. The system according to claim 1, wherein the health related data monitor comprises an electrocardiogram (ECG) monitoring device, a pressure cuff, a temperature probe and kidney dialysis equipment.

14. The system according to claim 1, wherein the health related parameters of the user includes parameters related to ECG measurements, blood pressure, pulse rates and kidney functions.

3. A system for interactively monitoring health related parameters and to interactively provide health-related information comprising:

(a) a health related data monitor configured to (i) measure the health related parameters of a user and (ii) generate a first signal in response to a measurement of the health related parameters;

(b) a processor configured to receive a second signal that is a function of the first signal;

(c) an interface coupled between the health related data monitor and the processor and configured to (i) receive the first signal from the health related data monitor, (ii) provide the second signal to the processor and (iii) electrically isolate the user from the processor;

(d) a memory coupled to the processor to store the health related parameters of the user; and

(e) a display system coupled to the processor to display a representation of the health related parameters of the user and interactively provide health related information to the user.

4. The system according to claim 3, wherein the interface utilizes optical isolation.

15. A method for monitoring health related functions comprising the steps of:

(a) using at least one health related data monitor to provide a signal representative of health related parameters for a user;

(b) providing a processor to produce audio and visual signals to allow for reproduction at a display device and audio speaker;

(c) electrically isolating the processor and the health related data monitor;

(d) presenting signals to the processor with a program controller in response to inputs from the user; and

(e) presenting the visual and audio signals of health related information to the user with the processor in response to receiving (i) the signal representative of the health related parameters and (ii) the inputs from the user.

16. The method according to claim 15, further comprising:

(a) receiving the signal representative of the health related parameters of the user from the at least one health related data monitor;

(b) converting the received signal into a form acceptable to the processor; and

(c) controlling the processor with a multimedia controller.

17. The method according to claim 15, wherein step (C) is performed with optical isolation.

18. The method according to claim 15, further comprising enabling the user to select and control functions of the method.

19. The method according to claim 15, wherein the program controller is hand-held.

20. The method according to claim 15, wherein the program controller receives the inputs from the user via at least one push button switch.

21. The method according to claim 15, wherein the health related information provided to the user includes moving images displayed on the display device.

22. The method according to claim 21, wherein the health related information provided to the user comprises a comparison of measurements of the health related parameters with previously stored measurements of the health related parameters.

23. The method according to claim 21, wherein the health related information includes educational information.

24. The method according to claim 15, further comprising storing information on at least one memory for later retrieval.

25. The method according to claim 15, wherein (i) the display device comprises a television to reproduce visual signals and (ii) the processor comprises at least one removable memory.

26. The method according to claim 15, wherein the health related data monitor comprises an electrocardiogram (ECG) monitoring device, a pressure cuff, a temperature probe and kidney dialysis equipment.

27. The method according to claim 15, wherein the health related parameters of the user includes parameters related to ECG measurements, blood pressure, pulse rates and kidney functions.

28. An apparatus for interactively monitoring health related parameters of a user for interactively providing health-related information comprising:

a. a display device comprising a display screen and an audio speaker;

b. a multimedia processor configured to provide a visual signal to the display screen and an audio signal to the audio speaker, wherein the multimedia processor comprises a multiplayer;

c. an interface device coupled to the multimedia processor;

d. at least one health related data monitor coupled to the interface device and configured to provide a signal representative of health related parameters of the user to the interface device; and

e. a controller coupled to the multimedia processor and configured to generate a control signal based on user inputs to allow health related information to be presented interactively.

29. The apparatus according to claim 28, wherein the multimedia processor comprises a video game console.

30. The apparatus according to claim 28, wherein the display device comprises a television set.

31. The apparatus according to claim 28, wherein (i) the multiplayer comprises a CD Rom drive and (ii) the apparatus further comprises an interchangeable compact disk removably coupled to the CD-ROM drive for providing additional functionality for the multimedia processor.

32. The apparatus according to claim 28, wherein the interface device comprises:

a. a signal receiver configured to receive the signal representative of the health related parameters of the user;

b. a converter configured to convert the signal representative of the health related parameters of the user into a form acceptable to the multimedia processor; and

c. a multimedia controller configured to control the multimedia processor.

33. The apparatus according to claim 28, wherein the health related data monitor comprises an electrocardiogram (ECG) monitoring device, a pressure cuff, a temperature probe and kidney dialysis equipment.

34. The apparatus according to claim 28, wherein the health related parameters of the user includes parameters related to ECG measurements, blood pressure, pulse rates and kidney functions.

35. An apparatus for interactively monitoring health related parameters of a user and to interactively provide health-related information comprising:

a. a display device comprising a display screen and an audio speaker;

b. a multimedia processor configured to provide (i) a visual signal to the display screen and (ii) an audio signal to the audio speaker, wherein the multimedia processor comprises a multiplayer;

c. an interface device coupled to the multimedia processor;

d. a health related data monitor configured to provide a signal representative of the health related parameters of the user to the interface device; and

e. a controller configured to provide a control signal to the multimedia processor in response to user inputs to provide health related information to the user interactively based upon the signal representative of the health related parameters and the control signal.

36. The apparatus according to claim 35, wherein the multimedia processor comprises a video game console.

37. The apparatus according to claim 35, wherein (i) the multiplayer comprises a CD Rom drive and (ii) the apparatus further comprises an interchangeable compact disk removably coupled to the CD-ROM drive for providing additional functionality to the multimedia processor.

38. The apparatus according to claim 35, wherein the interface device comprises:

a. a signal receiver configured to receive the signal representative of the health related parameters of the user;

b. a converter configured to convert the signal representative of the health related parameters of the user into a form acceptable by the multimedia processor; and

c. a multimedia controller configured to control the multimedia processor.

39. The apparatus according to claim 35, wherein the health related data monitor comprises an electrocardiogram (ECG) monitoring device, a pressure cuff, a temperature probe and kidney dialysis equipment.

40. The apparatus according to claim 35, wherein the health related parameters of the user includes parameters related to ECG measurements, blood pressure, pulse rates and kidney functions.