MOBILE PANIC BUTTON FOR HEALTH MONITORING SYSTEM

• US 20120052833A1
• Filed: 08/25/2011
• Published: 03/01/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 08/31/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Pomdevices, LLC
• Original Assignee: Pomdevices, LLC
• Inventors: Pendse, Ajit
• Granted Patent: US 8,890,656 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/404.1
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/33 using wide area network [WAN] connections
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/46 Computing the game score
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/798 for assessing skills or for ranking players, e.g. for generating a hall of fame computing the game score A63F13/46
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1632 External expansion units, e.g. docking stations
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/016 Personal emergency signalling and security systems emergency non-personal manually actuated alarm activators G08B25/12
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/67 for remote operation
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1095 Replication or mirroring of data, e.g. scheduling or transport for data synchronisation between network nodes
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72424 with manual activation of emergency-service functions
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2242/04 for emergency applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/12 Messaging; Mailboxes; Announcements
• 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 4/90 Services for handling of emergency or hazardous situations, e.g. earthquake and tsunami warning systems [ETWS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/06 adapted for operation in multiple networks or having at least two operational modes, e.g. multi-mode terminals

Abstract

In one example, a mobile device with a panic button includes a surface structured to removably engage a surface of a docking station. The mobile device includes a first interface to communicatively couple the mobile device to the docking station at least when the surfaces are engaged, the first interface comprising a short range wireless transceiver or an electrical connector to make contact an electrical connector of the docking station. The mobile device includes a second interface comprising a long range wireless radio. A processing device of the mobile device is configured to relay messages between the docking station and a remote caregiver computing device using the first and second interfaces to enable synchronization between the mobile device and the docking station.

Claims

1. A system, comprising:

a mobile device including a panic button, the mobile device configured to wirelessly transmit an alert responsive to actuation of the panic button;

a docking station having a surface structured to removably engage a surface of the mobile device;

a wired or short range wireless first interface on the docking station, the first interface configured to communicatively couple the docking station to the mobile device at least when the surfaces are engaged;

a long range wireless second interface on the mobile device, the second interface configured to communicatively couple the mobile device to a remote network; and

a processing device operating within the docking station, the processing device configured to exchange messaging with a remote caregiver computing device using the second interface of the mobile device.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the processing device is further configured to synchronize the mobile device with information sent to or from the remote caregiver computing device during the message exchange.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the processing device is further configured to synchronize a target address setting of the mobile device using a value from the message exchange, the target address setting controlling which remote device(s) the mobile device notifies responsive to actuation of the panic button.

4. The system of claim 2, wherein the processing device is further configured to:

receive a plurality of first communications, each first communication including data indicative of activity of a patient using the mobile device that was captured at a corresponding time;

receive a plurality of second communications, each second communication including data indicative of activity of the patient using a local or remote device that was captured at a corresponding time;

identify a trend based on information from the collected first and second communications; and

analyze data received in a new communication from at least one of the mobile device and the local or remote device based on the identified trend;

wherein the information synchronized to the mobile device is based on a result of the analysis.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the panic button comprises a push button.

6. The system of claim 2, wherein the mobile device is configured to insert at least a portion of the information into an emergency notification message and transmit the same responsive to actuation of the panic button.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the docking station includes an integrated screen display and the mobile device does not include an integrated screen display.

8. A mobile device, comprising:

a panic button;

a processing device coupled to the panic button, the processing device configured to wirelessly transmit an alert responsive to actuation of the panic button;

a surface encasing the processing device, at least a portion of the surface structured to removably engage a surface of a docking station;

a first interface coupled to the processing device and configured to communicatively couple the mobile device to the docking station at least when the surfaces are engaged, the first interface comprising a short range wireless transceiver or an electrical connector to make contact with an electrical connector of the docking station;

a long range wireless second interface coupled to the processing device and configured to communicatively couple the mobile device to a remote network; and

the processing device further configured to relay messages between the docking station and a remote caregiver computing device using the first and second interfaces.

9. The mobile device of claim 8, wherein the processing device is further configured to:

responsive to providing the docking station access to the long range wireless second interface, receive a value from the docking station; and

update a local target address setting according to the received value;

wherein the local target address setting controls which remote device(s) the mobile device notifies responsive to actuation of the panic button.

10. The mobile device of claim 8, wherein the processing device is further configured to, responsive to providing the docking station access to the long range wireless second interface, receive information relating to a health of the mobile device user from the docking station.

11. The mobile device of claim 10, wherein the information relating to the health of the mobile device user comprises a result of a trend analysis by the docking station.

12. The mobile device of claim 8, wherein the surface has integrated thereon a means for attaching the mobile device to the mobile device user or to an article of clothing.

13. The mobile device of claim 12, wherein the attaching means comprises a hoop or a clip.

14. An apparatus, comprising:

a processing device; and

a memory storing instructions that, when executed by the processing device, cause the processing device to;

establish a first connection to a mobile device that includes a panic button responsive to the mobile device communicatively coupling to the processing device;

responsive to establishing the first connection, establish a second connection with a remote caregiver computing device through the mobile device using a long range wireless transmitter of the mobile device;

response to establishing the second connection using the long range wireless transmitter of the mobile device, synchronize with the remote caregiver computing device over said second connection; and

synchronize a target address setting of the mobile device using a value from the synchronization with the remote caregiver computing device, the target address setting controlling which remote device(s) the mobile device notifies responsive to actuation of the panic button.

15. The apparatus of claim 14, further comprising a more extensive user output interface than the mobile device.

16. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the panic button comprises a push button.