Networked health care and monitoring system
First Claim
1. A passive vital information monitoring system comprising:
- a data communication medium arranged in a building;
first measuring means, connected to a household appliance used in routine physiological activities of individuals in said building, for detecting at least one physical characteristic of an individual in response to the use of said household appliance by said individual and for deriving a first data for recognizing said individual;
second measuring means connected to said household appliance for detecting at least one physiological characteristic of said individual in response to the use of said household appliance by said individual and deriving a second data indicative of the health condition of said individual;
a first communications interface unit connecting said first and second measuring means with said data communication medium for transmitting said first and second data from said first and second measuring means onto said data communication medium;
data controller means having a data storage memory; and
,a second communications interface unit connecting said data controller means with said data communication medium for transmitting to said data controller means said first and second data transmitted from said first communications interface unit onto said data communication medium;
said first and second measuring means deriving, respectively, said first and second data passively in response to the use of said household appliance by said individual to cause said first and second data to be transmitted onto said data communication medium;
said memory of said data controller means structured for preliminarily storing said first data with respect to each of a plurality of predetermined individuals;
said data controller means recognizing a particular individual based on said first data transmitted onto said data communication medium and causing said second data transmitted onto said data communication medium to be stored in said memory in relation to said particular individual.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A networked health care and monitoring system (10) capable of providing an updated reliable vital information on the health condition of individuals and adapted to support home health care and maintenance. The system includes testing and measuring instruments (39; 43; 46; 49; 56) associated with certain household appliances such as a toilet system (12) and adapted to monitor the vital information passively in response to the use thereof in connection with routine living activities of the individuals. The system may further include control devices (39; 46; 49; 56) associated with certain household appliances, such as an ergometer (15), having health care and maintenance functions and adapted to control the appliances based on the vital information monitored by the testing and measuring instruments in the system. In one embodiment wherein the system is arranged in the centralized network configuration, the testing and measuring instruments and the control devices are connected via a local area network with a data controller (20) wherein all the vital information obtained in the system is stored. Instruments and devices (39; 43; 46; 49; 56) are permitted to access the controller through the network to retrieve necessary vital information therefrom. In another embodiment arranged in the distributed network configuration, the vital information obtained by respective measuring instruments is stored therein and is furnished upon request to the other appliances.
700 Citations
45 Claims
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1. A passive vital information monitoring system comprising:
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a data communication medium arranged in a building; first measuring means, connected to a household appliance used in routine physiological activities of individuals in said building, for detecting at least one physical characteristic of an individual in response to the use of said household appliance by said individual and for deriving a first data for recognizing said individual; second measuring means connected to said household appliance for detecting at least one physiological characteristic of said individual in response to the use of said household appliance by said individual and deriving a second data indicative of the health condition of said individual; a first communications interface unit connecting said first and second measuring means with said data communication medium for transmitting said first and second data from said first and second measuring means onto said data communication medium; data controller means having a data storage memory; and
,a second communications interface unit connecting said data controller means with said data communication medium for transmitting to said data controller means said first and second data transmitted from said first communications interface unit onto said data communication medium; said first and second measuring means deriving, respectively, said first and second data passively in response to the use of said household appliance by said individual to cause said first and second data to be transmitted onto said data communication medium; said memory of said data controller means structured for preliminarily storing said first data with respect to each of a plurality of predetermined individuals; said data controller means recognizing a particular individual based on said first data transmitted onto said data communication medium and causing said second data transmitted onto said data communication medium to be stored in said memory in relation to said particular individual. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A passive vital information monitoring system comprising:
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a data communication medium disposed in a building; first measuring means, connected to a household appliance used in routine physiological activities of individuals in said building, for detecting at least one physical characteristic of an individual in response to the use of said household appliance by said individual and deriving a first data for recognizing said individual; second measuring means connected to said household appliance for detecting at least one physiological characteristic of said individual in response to the use of said household appliance by said individual; a first communications interface unit connecting said first and second measuring means with said data communication medium to permit data communication between said first and second measuring means and said data communication medium; data controller means having a data storage memory; and
,a second communications interface unit connecting said data controller means with said data communication medium to permit data communication between said data controller means and said data communication medium; said memory of said data controller means being preliminarily installed with said first data and a second data representing another physical characteristic of individual with respect to each of a plurality of predetermined individuals; said first measuring means operating for deriving said first data passively in response to the use of said household appliance by said individual and for causing said first data to be transmitted onto said data communication medium; said data controller means recognizing a particular individual using said household appliance based on said first data transmitted onto said data communication medium and causing said second data of said particular individual as installed in said memory to be transmitted onto said data communication medium; said second measuring means operating for detecting said at least one physiological characteristic of said particular individual passively in response to said use of said household appliance and for deriving a third data indicative of the health condition of said particular individual by making use of said second data on said particular individual transmitted onto said data communication medium. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15)
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16. A passive system for monitoring vital information on individuals comprising:
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a data communication medium arranged in a building; detection means, connected to a household appliance usable in routine physiological activities of the individuals in said building, for detecting at least one physical characteristic and at least one physiological characteristic of an individual in response to the use of said household appliance by said individual for deriving a first data useful in recognizing said individual and a second data representing the health condition of said individual; a first communications interface unit connecting said detection means with said data communication medium for transmitting said first and second data from said detection means onto said data communication medium; data controller means having a data storage memory; and a second communications interface unit connecting said data controller means with said data communication medium for transmitting to said data controller means said first and second data transmitted from said first communications interface unit onto said data communication medium; said detection means deriving said first and second data passively in response to the use of said household appliance by said individual and causing said first and second data to be transmitted onto said data communication medium; said memory of said data controller means structured for preliminarily storing said first data with respect to each of a plurality of predetermined individuals; said data controller means recognizing a particular individual using said household appliance based on said first data transmitted onto said data communication medium and causing said second data transmitted onto said data communication medium to be stored in said memory in connection with said particular individual. - View Dependent Claims (17)
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18. A networked health care and monitoring system comprising:
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a data communication medium arranged in a building; a first household appliance disposed in said building for use in routine physiological activities of individuals; measuring means connected to said first household appliance for detecting at least one physiological characteristic of an individual in response to the use by said individual of said first household appliance for deriving data indicative of the health condition of said individual; a first communications interface unit connecting said measuring means with said data communication medium for transmitting said data onto said data communication medium; a second household appliance disposed in said building for use in health maintenance activities of individuals; control means for controlling said second household appliance; a second communications interface unit connecting said control means with said data communication medium for controlling data communication between said control means and said data communication medium; data controller means having a data storage memory; and a third communications interface unit connecting said data controller means with said data communication medium for controlling data communication between said data controller means and said data communication medium; said measuring means deriving said data indicative of the health condition of said individual passively in response to the use by said individual of said first household appliance to cause said data to be transmitted onto said data communication medium; said data controller means storing in said memory said data transmitted from said measuring means onto said data communication medium and transmitting said data onto said data communication medium in response to the use by said individual of said second household appliance; said control means controlling said second household appliance based on said data transmitted from said data controller means onto said data communication medium. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27)
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28. A networked health care and monitoring system comprising:
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a data communication medium arranged in a building; a first household appliance disposed in said building for use in routine physiological activities of individuals; first measuring means connected to said first household appliance for detecting at least one physical characteristic of an individual in response to the use by said individual of said first household appliance for deriving a first data useful in recognizing said individual; second measuring means connected to said first household appliance for detecting at least one physiological characteristic of said individual in response to the use by said individual of said first household appliance for deriving a second data indicative of the health condition of said individual; a first communications interface unit connecting said first and second measuring means with said data communication medium for transmitting said first and second data from said first and second measuring means onto said data communication medium; a second household appliance disposed in said building for use in health maintenance activities of individuals; third measuring means connected to said second household appliance for detecting at least one physical characteristic of an individual in response to the use by said individual of said second household appliance for deriving a third data useful in recognizing said individual; control means for controlling said second household appliance; a second communications interface unit connecting said third measuring means and said control means with said data communication medium for controlling data communication between said third measuring means and control means, in the first place, and said data communication medium, in the second place; data controller means having a data storage memory; and a third communications interface unit connecting said data controller means with said data communication medium for controlling data communication between said data controller means and said data communication medium; said first and second measuring means operating, respectively, for deriving said first and second data passively in response to the use by an individual of said first household appliance for causing said first and second data to be transmitted onto said data communication medium; said data controller means recognizing a particular individual using said first household appliance based on said first data transmitted onto said data communication medium and storing in said memory said second data in connection with said particular individual; said third measuring means deriving said third data in response to the use by an individual of said second household appliance for causing said third data to be transmitted onto said data communication medium; said data controller means being responsive to said third data as transmitted from said third measuring means onto said data communication medium for recognizing a particular individual using said second household appliance and for causing said second data representing the health condition of said particular individual using said second household appliance to be retrieved from said memory and transmitted onto said data communication medium; said control means of said second household appliance controlling said second household appliance based on said second data transmitted from said data controller means onto said data communication medium.
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29. A networked health care system comprising:
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a data communication medium arranged in a building; a household appliance disposed in said building for use in health care and maintenance activities of individuals; measuring means connected to said household appliance for detecting at least one physical characteristic of an individual in response to the use by said individual of said household appliance for deriving a first data useful in recognizing said individual; control means for controlling said household appliance; a first communications interface unit connecting said measuring means and said control means with said data communication medium for controlling data communication between said measuring and control means and said data communication medium; data controller means having a data storage memory wherein said first data and a second data representing the health condition of an individual are stored for each of a plurality of predetermined individuals; and
,a second communications interface unit connecting said data controller means with said data communication medium for controlling data communication between said data controller means and said data communication medium; said measuring means passively deriving said first data in response to the use by an individual of said household appliance for causing said first data to be transmitted onto said data communication medium; said data controller means being responsive to transmission of said first data onto said data communication medium for recognizing a particular individual corresponding to said first data and for causing said second data representing the health condition of said particular individual to be transmitted onto said data communication medium; said control means controlling said household appliance based on said second data transmitted onto said data communication medium.
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30. A networked health care and monitoring system comprising:
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a data communication medium arranged in a building; a first household appliance disposed in said building for use in routine physiological activities of individuals; measuring means, including a data storage memory, connected to said first household appliance for detecting at least one physiological characteristic of an individual in response to the use by said individual of said first household appliance to derive data indicative of the health condition of said individual; a first communications interface unit connecting said measuring means with said data communication medium for transmitting said data onto said data communication medium; a second household appliance disposed in said building for use in health maintenance activities of individuals; control means for controlling said second household appliance; and
,a second communications interface unit connecting said control means with said data communication medium for controlling data communication between said control means and said data communication medium; said measuring means deriving said data indicative of the health condition of said individual in response to the use by said individual of said first household appliance to cause said data to be stored in said memory; said control means causing said measuring means to transmit onto said data communication medium said data stored in said memory thereof in response to the use by said individual of said second household appliance; said control means controlling said second household appliance based on said data transmitted onto said data communication medium. - View Dependent Claims (31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43)
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44. A networked health care and monitoring system of the distributed network configuration comprising:
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a data communication medium arranged in a building; a first household appliance disposed in said building for use in routine physiological activities of individuals; first measuring means connected to said first household appliance for detecting at least one physical characteristic of an individual in response to the use by said individual of said first household appliance for deriving a first data useful in recognizing said individual; second measuring means, including a data storage memory, connected to said first household appliance for detecting at least one physiological characteristic of said individual in response to the use by said individual of said first household appliance for deriving a second data indicative of the health condition of said individual; a first communications interface unit connecting said first and second measuring means with said data communication medium for permitting data communication between said first and second measuring means and said data communication medium; a second household appliance disposed in said building for use in health maintenance activities of individuals; third measuring means connected to said second household appliance for detecting at least one physical characteristic of an individual in response to the use by said individual of said second household appliance for deriving a third data useful in recognizing said individual; control means for controlling said second household appliance; and
,a second communications interface unit connecting said third measuring means and said second control means with said data communication medium for permitting data communication between said third measuring means and said control means, in the first place, and said data communication medium, in the second place; said first and second measuring means deriving said first and second data, respectively, passively each time said first household appliance is used by an individual for causing said second data to be stored in said data storage memory thereby to provide a storage of said second data for a plurality of individuals; said third measuring means deriving said third data in response to the use by an individual of said second household appliance for causing said third data to be transmitted onto said data communication medium; said second measuring means being responsive to said third data as transmitted from said third measuring means onto said data communication medium for recognizing a particular individual using said second household appliance and for causing said second data representing the health condition of said particular individual using said second household appliance to be retrieved from said storage memory and transmitted onto said data communication medium; said control means of said second household appliance controlling said second household appliance based on said second data transmitted from said second measuring means onto said data communication medium.
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45. A networked health care and monitoring system of the distributed network configuration comprising:
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a data communication medium arranged in a building; a first household appliance disposed in said building for use in routine physiological activities of individuals; first measuring means, including a data storage memory, connected to said first household appliance for detecting at least one physical characteristic and at least one physiological characteristic of an individual in response to the use by said individual of said first household appliance for deriving a first data useful in recognizing said individual and a second data indicative of the health condition of said individual; a first communications interface unit connecting said first measuring means with said data communication medium for permitting data communication between said first measuring means and said data communication medium; a second household appliance disposed in said building for use in health maintenance activities of individuals; second measuring means connected to said second household appliance for detecting at least one physical characteristic of an individual in response to the use by said individual of said second household appliance for deriving third data useful in recognizing said individual; control means for controlling said second household appliance; and
,a second communications interface unit connecting said second measuring means and said control means with said data communication medium for permitting data communication of said second measuring means and said control means with said data communication medium; said first measuring means deriving said first and second data passively each time said first household appliance is used by an individual to cause said second data to be stored in said data storage memory thereby to provide a storage of said second data for a plurality of individuals; said second measuring means deriving said third data in response to the use by an individual of said second household appliance for causing said third data to be transmitted onto said data communication medium; said first measuring means being responsive to said third data as transmitted from said second measuring means onto said data communication medium for recognizing a particular individual using said second household appliance and for causing said second data representing the health condition of said particular individual using said second household appliance to be retrieved from said storage memory and transmitted onto said data communication medium; said control means of said second household appliance controlling said second household appliance based on said second data transmitted from said first measuring means onto said data communication medium.
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Specification