In-home patient monitoring system

• US 6,402,691 B1
• Filed: 09/20/2000
• Issued: 06/11/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 09/21/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Ademco Inc. (Resideo Technologies, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: HOMMED, LLC
• Inventors: Peddicord, Herschel Q., Tabor, Kent A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Shaver, Kevin
• Assistant Examiner(s): ASTORINO, MICHAEL C
• Time in patent office: 629 Days
• Field of Search: 600/300-301, 600/481, 600/506, 600/508, 600/529, 600/532, 600/538, 600/544-545, 128/878, 128/897, 128/900, 128/903-904, 128/905, 705/2-3, 340/531-539, 340/825, 340/999, 379/37-38, 379/106.02, 455/421, 455/39, 455/507, 455/521, 455/524, 455/73-90, 455/91-92, 455/95, 455/899
• US Class Current: 600/300
• 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: A61B 5/0015 characterised by features of the telemetry system
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0022 Monitoring a patient using a global network, e.g. telephone networks, internet
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/022 by applying pressure to close blood vessels, e.g. against the skin; Ophthalmodynamometers
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7405 using sound
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 19/00 Digital computing or data processing equipment or methods, specially adapted for specific applications specially adapted for specific functions G06F17/00; data processing systems or methods specially adapted for administrative, commercial, financial, managerial, supervisory or forecasting purposes G06Q; healthcare informatics G16H
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/63 for local operation
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/67 for remote operation
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 70/60 relating to pathologies
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 128/903 Radio telemetry
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 128/904 Telephone telemetry

Abstract

A system for remotely monitoring the medical condition of a number of individual patients from a centralized location. The system includes a plurality of remote monitoring units that each include both a wireless transmission device and a conventional modem for communicating over voice telephone lines. The dual modes of transmission allow the remote monitoring unit to communicate either over a wireless communication network, if available or over conventional telephone wires. The remote monitoring unit includes a voice processing system that provides audio prompts and directions to the patient to direct the patient through the vital sign data gathering sequence. The audio prompts instruct the patient on the particular steps and timing for the vital sign data gathering sequence. Once the vital sign data has been acquired, the control unit of the remote monitoring unit determines whether a wireless transmission network is available. Based on the availability of the wireless communication network, the control unit of the remote monitoring unit selects either a wireless transmission or a conventional modem transmission method for the vital sign data. The vital sign data is compiled in a main data collection station that stores an displays the vital sign data for each patient being monitored. The vital sign data contained within the main data collection station is accessible by multiple workstations through conventional web-based communication techniques.

Claims

1. A system for remotely monitoring the medical condition of a plurality of patients, the system comprising:

a plurality of remote monitoring units each operable to measure selected vital signs from a patient, each monitoring unit including both a wireless transmission device for transmitting the measured vital signs over a wireless communication network and a back-up modem for transmitting the measured vital signs over conventional telephone wires; and

a main data collection system configured to receive the vital signs transmitted by the plurality of remote monitoring units, wherein the main data collection system stores the received vital signs from the plurality of patients,

wherein each of the remote monitoring units includes a control unit that transmits the measured vital signs by the wireless transmission device when the wireless communication network is available and transmits the measured vital signs by the back-up modem only when the wireless communication network is unavailable.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein each of the remote monitoring units further comprises:

a digital scale coupled to the control unit for measuring the weight of the patient;

a blood pressure monitor coupled to the control unit for measuring the blood pressure of the patient; and

a pulse oximeter coupled to the control unit for measuring the heart rate and oxygen saturation of the patient.

3. The system of claim 2 wherein the each remote monitoring unit further includes at least one auxiliary input coupled to the control unit, the auxiliary input being configured to receive an auxiliary medical monitoring device.

4. The system of claim 3 wherein the auxiliary medical device is an ID card reader coupled one of the auxiliary inputs, the ID card configured to read an ID card assigned to each patient such that the monitoring unit can identify the patient.

5. The system of claim 2 wherein the control unit compiles the weight of the patient, the blood pressure of the patient, the heart rate and oxygen saturation of the patient into a single vital sign data packet which represents the measured vital signs for the patient.

6. The system of claim 5 wherein the control unit encodes the vital sign data packet prior to transmission of the data packet by the control unit.

7. The system of claim 1 wherein each monitoring unit further includes a voice processor and speaker coupled to the control unit such that the control unit can generate audio messages to the patient through the voice processor and speaker.

8. The system of claim 7 wherein the audio messages created by the control unit are audio prompts directing the patient to record their vital signs.

9. The system of claim 1 wherein the wireless transmission device is a wireless transceiver.

10. A system for remotely monitoring the medical condition of a patient, the system comprising:

a plurality of monitoring units each being operable to measure selected vital signs from a patient, each monitoring unit including a wireless transmission device for transmitting the measured vital signs over a wireless communication network and a back-up modem for transmitting the measured vital signs over conventional telephone wires, each monitoring unit further including a control unit coupled to a voice processor and a speaker, wherein the control unit generates audible message to provide instructions to the patient through the voice processor and the speaker;

a network storage unit operable to receive and store the measured vital signs transmitted by the monitoring units, the network storage unit having a separate mailbox assigned to store the transmitted measured vital signs from the plurality of monitoring units; and

a main data collection system configured to access the network storage unit to download the vital signs transmitted by the monitoring units and stored in the network storage unit, wherein the main data collection system stores the downloaded vital signs for the plurality of patients,

wherein the control unit transmits the measured vital signs by the wireless transmission device when the wireless communication network is available and transmits the measured vital signs by the back-up modem only when the wireless communication network is unavailable.

11. The system of claim 10 wherein each of the monitoring units further comprises:

a digital scale coupled to the control unit for measuring and transmitting the weight of the patient to the control unit;

a blood pressure monitor coupled to the control unit for measuring and transmitting the blood pressure of the patient to the control unit; and

a pulse oximeter coupled to the control unit for measuring and transmitting the heart rate and oxygen saturation of the patient to the control unit;

wherein the control unit generates the audible message to direct the patient through the steps required to measure the weight, blood pressure, heart rate and oxygen saturation from the patient.

12. A method of monitoring the vital signs of a plurality of patients from a central location, the method comprising the steps of:

positioning a monitoring unit at a remote location with each patient, the monitoring unit including a wireless communication device for transmitting the vital signs over a wireless communication network and a back-up modem for transmitting the measured vital signs of the patient over conventional telephone wires;

operating the monitoring unit to measure the vital signs of the patient at predetermined time intervals;

determining the availability of the wireless communication network;

transmitting the measured vital signs with the wireless communication device when the wireless communication network is available;

transmitting the measured vital signs with the back-up modern over the conventional telephone wires only when the wireless communication network is unavailable, and

receiving and storing the vital signs in a main data collection unit at the central location for each of the patients.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein the steps of measuring the vital signs of the patient include:

measuring the weight of the patient;

measuring the blood pressure of the patient; and

measuring the pulse rate and blood oxidation of the patient.

14. The method of claim 13 further comprising the step of operating the monitoring unit to generate audio messages to the patient to direct the patient through the steps of measuring the vital signs of the patient.

15. The method of claim 13 further comprising the step of measuring the temperature of the patient.

16. The method of claim 12 wherein the vital signs of the patient are measured once each day.

17. The method of claim 12 wherein the vital signs of the patient are measured up to four times each day.

18. The method of claim 12 further comprising the step of:

receiving and storing the transmitted vital signs in a network storage unit, the network storage unit having a mailbox assigned to the main data collection unit; and

operating the main data collection unit to download the stored vital signs from the network storage unit.

19. The method of claim 18 wherein the vital signs downloaded from the network storage unit include a serial number assigned to each patient being monitored such that patient identifiable information is not stored in the network storage unit.

20. The method of claim 12 further comprising the steps of:

generating a prioritized patient list at the main data collection unit based upon the vital signs downloaded, the patient list being prioritized based on the immediate need for medical attention;

requesting a medical personnel to acknowledge the vital signs for each member of the prioritized patient list within a selected time period after downloading of the vital signs; and

generating a notification message to the medical personnel when the vital signs are not acknowledged in the time period.

21. The method of claim 20 wherein the notification message is a wireless page to the medical personnel.