Circulatory monitoring systems and methods

• US 20090287109A1
• Filed: 05/14/2008
• Published: 11/19/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 05/14/2008
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Gearbox LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: Searete LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Inventors: Ishikawa, Muriel Y., Ferren, Bran, Wood, Lowell L. JR., Rivet, Dennis J., Hyde, Roderick A., Wood, Victoria Y.H., Leuthardt, Eric C., Hagen, Jeffrey John
• Application Number:
  US12/152,639
• Publication Number:
  US 20090287109A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/549
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0031 Implanted circuitry
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/01 Measuring temperature of body parts ; Diagnostic temperature sensing, e.g. for malignant or inflamed tissue clinical contact thermometers G01K13/20
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/02007 Evaluating blood vessel condition, e.g. elasticity, compliance
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/02028 Determining haemodynamic parameters not otherwise provided for, e.g. cardiac contractility or left ventricular ejection fraction
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/026 Measuring blood flow A61B3/1233, A61B3/1241 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/14532 for measuring glucose, e.g. by tissue impedance measurement
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1455 using optical sensors, e.g. spectral photometrical oximeters
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/14551 for measuring blood gases
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/18 for vehicle drivers or machine operators
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/412 Detecting or monitoring sepsis
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/415 the glands, e.g. tonsils, adenoids or thymus
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/418 lymph vessels, ducts or nodes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/445 Evaluating skin irritation or skin trauma, e.g. rash, eczema, wound, bed sore
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4806 Sleep evaluation A61B5/4821 takes precedence; devices for inducing sleep A61M21/02
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4818 Sleep apnoea
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4839 combined with drug delivery
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6828 Leg
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6829 Foot or ankle
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6846 specially adapted to be brought in contact with an internal body part, i.e. invasive
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6887 mounted on external non-worn devices, e.g. non-medical devices
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2230/50 : Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/14276 : specially adapted for implantation
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/1723 : using feedback of body parameters, e.g. blood-sugar, pressure measurement of body parameters A61B5/00
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/67 : for remote operation

Abstract

Systems and methods are described for obtaining and acting upon information indicative of circulatory health and related phenomena in human beings or other subjects.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

means for obtaining information indicating a current thermal condition in a peripheral part of a subject'"'"'s body; and

means for signaling a decision whether to transmit a notification at least partly in response to one or more comparisons between the information indicating the current thermal condition in the peripheral part of the subject'"'"'s body and information indicating a prior thermal condition in the peripheral part of the subject'"'"'s body.

6. The system of claim 1 in which the means for obtaining information indicating a current thermal condition in a peripheral part of a subject'"'"'s body comprises:

means for extracting a portion of detected information as the information indicating the current thermal condition in the peripheral part of the subject'"'"'s body.

9. The system of claim 1 in which the means for signaling a decision whether to transmit a notification at least partly in response to one or more comparisons between the information indicating the current thermal condition in the peripheral part of the subject'"'"'s body and information indicating a prior thermal condition in the peripheral part of the subject'"'"'s body comprises:

means for deciding whether to transmit the notification responsive to whether any of the one or more comparisons indicate an abnormal temperature change in the peripheral part of the subject'"'"'s body.

13. The system of claim 1 in which the means for signaling a decision whether to transmit a notification at least partly in response to one or more comparisons between the information indicating the current thermal condition in the peripheral part of the subject'"'"'s body and information indicating a prior thermal condition in the peripheral part of the subject'"'"'s body comprises:

means for including auditory data with the notification.

15. The system of claim 1 in which the means for signaling a decision whether to transmit a notification at least partly in response to one or more comparisons between the information indicating the current thermal condition in the peripheral part of the subject'"'"'s body and information indicating a prior thermal condition in the peripheral part of the subject'"'"'s body comprises:

means for including thermal-decrease-size-indicative information with the notification.

16. The system of claim 1 in which the means for signaling a decision whether to transmit a notification at least partly in response to one or more comparisons between the information indicating the current thermal condition in the peripheral part of the subject'"'"'s body and information indicating a prior thermal condition in the peripheral part of the subject'"'"'s body comprises:

means for including spatial-size-indicative information with the-notification.

18. The system of claim 1 in which the means for signaling a decision whether to transmit a notification at least partly in response to one or more comparisons between the information indicating the current thermal condition in the peripheral part of the subject'"'"'s body and information indicating a prior thermal condition in the peripheral part of the subject'"'"'s body comprises:

a circular buffer containing at least the information indicating the current thermal condition and the information indicating the prior thermal condition.

23. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a sensor configured to monitor the subject'"'"'s body; and

a structure configured to support at least a portion of the subject'"'"'s body in proximity to the sensor.

2-5. -5. (canceled)

7-8. -8. (canceled)

10-12. -12. (canceled)

14. (canceled)

17. (canceled)

19-22. -22. (canceled)

24-43. -43. (canceled)

44. A system comprising:

circuitry for obtaining information indicating a current thermal condition in a peripheral part of a subject'"'"'s body; and

circuitry for signaling a decision whether to transmit a notification at least partly in response to one or more comparisons between the information indicating the current thermal condition in the peripheral part of the subject'"'"'s body and information indicating a prior thermal condition in the peripheral part of the subject'"'"'s body.

45. The system of claim 44 in which the circuitry for obtaining information indicating a current thermal condition in a peripheral part of a subject'"'"'s body comprises:

an interface configured to receive at least some of the information indicating the current thermal condition in the peripheral part of the subject'"'"'s body as auditory data.

46. The system of claim 44 in which the circuitry for obtaining information indicating a current thermal condition in a peripheral part of a subject'"'"'s body comprises:

an interface configured to receive the information indicating the current thermal condition in the peripheral part of the subject'"'"'s body at most about one hour after an original detection of the current thermal condition.

47. The system of claim 44 in which the circuitry for obtaining information indicating a current thermal condition in a peripheral part of a subject'"'"'s body comprises:

one or more sensors configured to receive temperature-indicative energy from a limb of the subject'"'"'s body.

48. The system of claim 44 in which the circuitry for obtaining information indicating a current thermal condition in a peripheral part of a subject'"'"'s body comprises:

circuitry for determining that the information apparently manifests the current thermal condition in the peripheral part of the subject'"'"'s body.

49. The system of claim 44 in which the circuitry for obtaining information indicating a current thermal condition in a peripheral part of a subject'"'"'s body comprises:

circuitry for extracting a portion of detected information as the information indicating the current thermal condition in the peripheral part of the subject'"'"'s body.

50. The system of claim 44 in which the circuitry for obtaining information indicating a current thermal condition in a peripheral part of a subject'"'"'s body comprises:

circuitry for obtaining an optical image of the peripheral part of the subject'"'"'s body of the information indicating the current thermal condition in the peripheral part of the subject'"'"'s body.

51. The system of claim 44 in which the circuitry for obtaining information indicating a current thermal condition in a peripheral part of a subject'"'"'s body comprises:

circuitry for detecting that the information indicates normalcy as the current thermal condition in the peripheral part of the subject'"'"'s body.

52. The system of claim 44 in which the circuitry for signaling a decision whether to transmit a notification at least partly in response to one or more comparisons between the information indicating the current thermal condition in the peripheral part of the subject'"'"'s body and information indicating a prior thermal condition in the peripheral part of the subject'"'"'s body comprises:

circuitry for deciding whether to transmit the notification responsive to whether any of the one or more comparisons indicate an abnormal temperature change in the peripheral part of the subject'"'"'s body.

53. The system of claim 44 in which the circuitry for signaling a decision whether to transmit a notification at least partly in response to one or more comparisons between the information indicating the current thermal condition in the peripheral part of the subject'"'"'s body and information indicating a prior thermal condition in the peripheral part of the subject'"'"'s body comprises:

circuitry for signaling the decision by transmitting the notification to a portable interface.

54. The system of claim 44 in which the circuitry for signaling a decision whether to transmit a notification at least partly in response to one or more comparisons between the information indicating the current thermal condition in the peripheral part of the subject'"'"'s body and information indicating a prior thermal condition in the peripheral part of the subject'"'"'s body comprises:

circuitry for ranking a higher-priority destination and a lower-priority destination for the notification.

55. The system of claim 44 in which the circuitry for signaling a decision whether to transmit a notification at least partly in response to one or more comparisons between the information indicating the current thermal condition in the peripheral part of the subject'"'"'s body and information indicating a prior thermal condition in the peripheral part of the subject'"'"'s body comprises:

circuitry for signaling the decision whether to transmit the notification partly in response to auditory information from the subject'"'"'s body.

56. The system of claim 44 in which the circuitry for signaling a decision whether to transmit a notification at least partly in response to one or more comparisons between the information indicating the current thermal condition in the peripheral part of the subject'"'"'s body and information indicating a prior thermal condition in the peripheral part of the subject'"'"'s body comprises:

circuitry for including auditory data with the notification.

57. The system of claim 44 in which the circuitry for signaling a decision whether to transmit a notification at least partly in response to one or more comparisons between the information indicating the current thermal condition in the peripheral part of the subject'"'"'s body and information indicating a prior thermal condition in the peripheral part of the subject'"'"'s body comprises:

circuitry for selecting one or more destinations for the notification.

58. The system of claim 44 in which the circuitry for signaling a decision whether to transmit a notification at least partly in response to one or more comparisons between the information indicating the current thermal condition in the peripheral part of the subject'"'"'s body and information indicating a prior thermal condition in the peripheral part of the subject'"'"'s body comprises:

circuitry for including thermal-decrease-size-indicative information with the notification.

59. The system of claim 44 in which the circuitry for signaling a decision whether to transmit a notification at least partly in response to one or more comparisons between the information indicating the current thermal condition in the peripheral part of the subject'"'"'s body and information indicating a prior thermal condition in the peripheral part of the subject'"'"'s body comprises:

circuitry for including spatial-size-indicative information with the notification.

60. The system of claim 44 in which the circuitry for signaling a decision whether to transmit a notification at least partly in response to one or more comparisons between the information indicating the current thermal condition in the peripheral part of the subject'"'"'s body and information indicating a prior thermal condition in the peripheral part of the subject'"'"'s body comprises:

circuitry for including a succession of two or more thermal images with the notification.

61. The system of claim 44 in which the circuitry for signaling a decision whether to transmit a notification at least partly in response to one or more comparisons between the information indicating the current thermal condition in the peripheral part of the subject'"'"'s body and information indicating a prior thermal condition in the peripheral part of the subject'"'"'s body comprises:

a circular buffer containing at least the information indicating the current thermal condition and the information indicating the prior thermal condition.

62. The system of claim 44 in which the circuitry for signaling a decision whether to transmit a notification at least partly in response to one or more comparisons between the information indicating the current thermal condition in the peripheral part of the subject'"'"'s body and information indicating a prior thermal condition in the peripheral part of the subject'"'"'s body comprises:

circuitry for signaling a dispensation.

63. The system of claim 44 in which the circuitry for signaling a decision whether to transmit a notification at least partly in response to one or more comparisons between the information indicating the current thermal condition in the peripheral part of the subject'"'"'s body and information indicating a prior thermal condition in the peripheral part of the subject'"'"'s body comprises:

circuitry for signaling a warning.

64. The system of claim 44 in which the circuitry for signaling a decision whether to transmit a notification at least partly in response to one or more comparisons between the information indicating the current thermal condition in the peripheral part of the subject'"'"'s body and information indicating a prior thermal condition in the peripheral part of the subject'"'"'s body comprises:

circuitry for obtaining the decision whether to transmit the notification from a caregiver who has apparently performed at least one of the one or more comparisons.

65. The system of claim 44, further comprising:

a vehicle supporting at least some of the circuitry for signaling the decision whether to transmit the notification.

66. The system of claim 44, further comprising:

a sensor configured to monitor the subject'"'"'s body; and

a structure configured to support at least a portion of the subject'"'"'s body in proximity to the sensor.

84. The system of claim 44 in which the circuitry for signaling a decision whether to transmit a notification at least partly in response to one or more comparisons between the information indicating the current thermal condition in the peripheral part of the subject'"'"'s body and information indicating a prior thermal condition in the peripheral part of the subject'"'"'s body comprises:

circuitry for obtaining the decision whether to transmit the notification from a caregiver who has apparently performed at least one of the one or more comparisons;

a circular buffer containing at least the information indicating the current thermal condition and the information indicating the prior thermal condition;

circuitry for ranking a higher-priority destination and a lower-priority destination for the notification;

circuitry for signaling the decision by transmitting the notification to a portable interface;

circuitry for selecting one or more destinations for the notification; and

circuitry for including a succession of two or more thermal images with the notification.

67. A method comprising:

obtaining information indicating a current thermal condition in a peripheral part of a subject'"'"'s body; and

signaling a decision whether to transmit a notification at least partly in response to one or more comparisons between the information indicating the current thermal condition in the peripheral part of the subject'"'"'s body and information indicating a prior thermal condition in the peripheral part of the subject'"'"'s body.

68. The method of claim 67 in which obtaining information indicating a current thermal condition in a peripheral part of a subject'"'"'s body comprises:

determining that the information apparently manifests the current thermal condition in the peripheral part of the subject'"'"'s body.

69. The method of claim 67 in which obtaining information indicating a current thermal condition in a peripheral part of a subject'"'"'s body comprises:

extracting a portion of detected information as the information indicating the current thermal condition in the peripheral part of the subject'"'"'s body.

70. The method of claim 67 in which obtaining information indicating a current thermal condition in a peripheral part of a subject'"'"'s body comprises:

obtaining an optical image of the peripheral part of the subject'"'"'s body of the information indicating the current thermal condition in the peripheral part of the subject'"'"'s body.

74. The method of claim 67 in which signaling a decision whether to transmit a notification at least partly in response to one or more comparisons between the information indicating the current thermal condition in the peripheral part of the subject'"'"'s body and information indicating a prior thermal condition in the peripheral part of the subject'"'"'s body comprises:

ranking a higher-priority destination and a lower-priority destination for the notification.

76. The method of claim 67 in which signaling a decision whether to transmit a notification at least partly in response to one or more comparisons between the information indicating the current thermal condition in the peripheral part of the subject'"'"'s body and information indicating a prior thermal condition in the peripheral part of the subject'"'"'s body comprises:

including auditory data with the notification.

78. The method of claim 67 in which signaling a decision whether to transmit a notification at least partly in response to one or more comparisons between the information indicating the current thermal condition in the peripheral part of the subject'"'"'s body and information indicating a prior thermal condition in the peripheral part of the subject'"'"'s body comprises:

including thermal-decrease-size-indicative information with the notification.

71-73. -73. (canceled)

75. (canceled)

77. (canceled)

79-83. -83. (canceled)