Remote data collecting and address providing method and apparatus

• US 6,408,330 B1
• Filed: 10/13/1998
• Issued: 06/18/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 04/14/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Southwest Technology Innovations LLC
• Original Assignee: Carlos Delahuerga
• Inventors: DeLaHuerga, Carlos
• Primary Examiner(s): VU, VIET DUY
• Application Number:
  US09/170,169
• Time in Patent Office: 1,344 Days
• Field of Search: 709/217, 709/219, 709/223, 709/224, 709/227, 709/250, 709/313, 709/328, 709/329, 709/245
• US Class Current: 709/217
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 1/1437 Locking means requiring key or combination to open the container
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 2205/60 using magnetic or electronic identifications, e.g. chips, RFID, electronic tags
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 2205/70 Audible labels, e.g. for pre-recorded info or messages
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 7/0084 for multiple medicaments
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/35 communicating wirelessly
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2111 Location-sensitive, e.g. geographical location, GPS
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/28 the pass enabling tracking or indicating presence
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 10/60 for patient-specific data, e.g. for electronic patient records
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 10/65 stored on portable record carriers, e.g. on smartcards, RFID tags or CD
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/13 delivered from dispensers
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/20 for the management or administration of healthcare resources or facilities, e.g. managing hospital staff or surgery rooms

Abstract

An information system network and method for use thereof for remotely gathering information and storing the information at specific network memory locations for easy access, the system including at least a remote information collecting device and a network including an input device and a memory storage device, the collecting device in remotely gathering information and, based on the information gathered, generating storage addresses and browser configuration information to enable easy review and modification of collected information and subsequent storage.

Claims

1. An apparatus for use with a network system including an input device and a network device linked to the input device, the input:

device equipped to receive information including information units and network device target addresses associated with information units, the input device also capable of transferring the received units to associated target addresses, the apparatus for remotely collecting at least one information unit, correlating the at least one unit with at least one target address and providing the information unit and target address to the input device, the apparatus comprising;

a collector for remotely collecting the at least one information unit;

a memory;

a processor linked to the collector for receiving the at least one information unit therefrom and also linked to the memory for providing the information unit thereto and accessing information units stored therein, the processor also providing a target address for the collected information unit;

an output device linked to the processor for transmitting the information unit and target address to the input device; and

a clock linked to the processor for identifying the time, when collected information is received by the processor, the processor identifying an event time and including the event time in an associated information unit.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein information units and target addresses are collected and transmitted via wireless communication and the collector and output device are both included in a transceiver which collects and transmits information units.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the processor generates target addresses for collected information units.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the apparatus is used by a specific user, a user identifier is stored in the memory and the processor includes the user identifier in the information unit.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 further including an audio sensor and wherein, when audio information is collected, the processor forms an information unit therefrom and provides a target address therefore for delivery to the input device via the output device.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 further including a video sensor and wherein, when video information is collected, the processor forms an information unit therefrom and provides a target address therefore for delivery to the input device via the output device.

10. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein a browser which communicates in a computer language is loaded onto the input device and the apparatus formats information units and target addresses in the computer language prior to transmitting to the input device.

11. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein the computer language is a markup language.

12. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the network device is a memory storage device and the target address specifies a specific network device address.

14. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the input device includes a display and a browser is loaded onto the input device and is capable, when a display format is provided, of displaying information on the display, the processor further providing a display format for each information unit.

15. The apparatus of claim 14 wherein the processor provides display formats which specify browser interaction tools, the interaction tools useable by a system user to modify or approve information displayed on the display.

16. The apparatus of claim 15 wherein the interaction tools include icons and pull down windows.

38. The method of claim 5 wherein the collection device is used by a specific user and, prior to transmitting, the method includes the step of adding a user identifier to the information unit.

4. A method for use with a network system including a remote data collector device, an input device and a network device linked to the input device, the collection device including a collector, a memory, a processor and an output device and for remotely collecting information units and providing the units to the input device, the input device equipped to receive information including information units and network device target addresses associated with information units, the input device also capable of transferring the received units to associated target addresses, the method for remotely collecting information and providing the collected information to target addresses on the network device, the method comprising the steps of, using the collection device:

(i) collecting at least one information unit;

(ii) when the at least one information unit is collected, identifying an event time and adding the event time to the information unit;

(iii) providing a target address for the collected information unit; and

(iv) transmitting the information unit and target address to the input device.

41. The method of claim 4 wherein a browser which communicates in a computer language is loaded onto the input device and the method formats information units and target addresses in the computer language prior to transmitting to the input device.

42. The method of claim 41 wherein the computer language is a markup language.

43. The method of claim 4 wherein the network device is a memory storage device and the target address specifies a specific network device address.

44. The method of claim 4 wherein the input device includes a display and a browser is loaded onto the input device and is capable, when a display format is provided, of displaying information on the display, the method further including the step of providing a display format for each information unit and transmitting the display format with the information unit to the input device.

45. The method of claim 44 wherein the step of providing display formats includes providing display formats which specify browser interaction tools, the interaction tools useable by a system user to modify or approve information displayed on the display.

46. The method of claim 45 wherein the interaction tools include icons and pull down windows.

6. An apparatus for use with a network system including an input device and a network device linked to the input device, the input device equipped to receive information including information units and network device target addresses associated with information units, the input device also capable of transferring the received units to associated target addresses, the apparatus for remotely collecting at least one information unit, correlating the at least one unit with at least one target address and providing the information unit and target address to the input device, the apparatus comprising:

a collector for remotely collecting the at least one information unit;

a memory;

a processor linked to the collector for receiving the at least one information unit therefrom and also linked to the memory for providing the information unit thereto and accessing information units stored therein, the processor also providing a target address for the collected information unit;

an output device linked to the processor for transmitting the information unit and target address to the input device;

wherein the apparatus is used to collect a plurality of information units, the processor provides a different target address for each of the collected information units, the output device transfers the collected units and associated target addresses to the input device.

9. An apparatus for use with a network system including an input device and a network device linked to the input device, the input device equipped to receive information including information units and network device target addresses associated with information units, the input device also capable of transferring the received units to associated target addresses, the apparatus for remotely collecting at least one information unit, correlating the at least one unit with at least one target address and providing the information unit and target address to the input device, the apparatus comprising:

a collector for remotely collecting the at least one information unit;

a memory;

a processor linked to the collector for receiving the at least one information unit therefrom and also linked to the memory for providing the information unit thereto and accessing information units stored therein, the processor also providing a target address for the collected information unit;

an output device linked to the processor for transmitting the information unit and target address to the input device; and

at least first and second target address indicating buttons linked to the processor, the first button indicating a first target address and the second button indicating a second target address and wherein, when the first button is selected, the processor correlates the first-target address and a collected information unit and when the second button is selected the processor correlates the second target address and the collected information unit.

13. An apparatus for use with a network system including an input device and a network memory storage device linked to the input device, the input device equipped to receive information including information units and network device target addresses associated with information units, the input device also capable of transferring the received units to associated target addresses, the apparatus for remotely collecting at least one information unit, correlating the at least one unit with at least one target address and providing the information unit and target address to the input device, the apparatus comprising:

a collector for remotely collecting the at least one information unit;

a memory;

a processor linked to the collector for receiving the at least one information unit therefrom and also linked to the memory for providing the information unit thereto and accessing information units stored therein, the processor also providing a specific network device target address for the collected information unit;

an output device linked to the processor for transmitting the information unit and target address to the input device; and

wherein the memory storage device includes several network servers, the input device is capable of receiving more than one target address for each information unit and storing an information unit at more than one target address, and the processor is capable of correlating an information unit with more than one target address and transmitting more than one target address for each information unit.

17. A network system for information gathering, storage and retrieval, the system including:

(a) a collection device comprising;

(i) a collector for remotely collecting at least one information unit;

(ii) a memory;

(iii) a processor linked to the collector for receiving the at least one information unit therefrom and also linked to the memory for providing the information unit thereto and accessing information units stored therein, the processor also providing a network device target address for the collected information unit; and

(iv) an output device linked to the processor for transmitting the information unit and target address;

(b) a network device;

(c) an input device equipped to receive transmitted information units and associated target addresses, the input device also capable of transferring the received units to associated network device target addresses; and

a specifier apparatus which provides a target address for information to be collected by the collection device wherein, the collector receives the target address, the processor stores the target address and, when an information unit is later collected, the processor correlates the collected information unit and the target address for transmission to the input device.

19. The system of claim 17 wherein an information packet includes at least an information unit and a target address and the system input device can receive the information packet and identify each of the information unit and the target address and wherein, prior to transmitting the information unit and the target address, the processor combines the information unit and the target address forming an information packet and the output device transmits the information packet to the input device.

20. The system of claim 17 further including a specifier apparatus which provides both an information unit and an associated target address as an information packet to be collected by the collection device wherein, the collector receives the information packet, the processor stores the information packet and, when the input device receives the information packet, the input device identifies the information unit and the target address and transmits the information unit to the target address.

21. The system of claim 20 wherein the specifier apparatus includes a plurality of specifier apparatuses, each specifier apparatus providing a separate information packet, the collector receiving each information packet, the processor storing each information packet and, when the input device receives the each information packet, the input device transmits the information unit in each packet to an associated target address.

22. The system of claim 17 wherein the collection device is used by a specific user, a user identifier is stored in the memory and the processor includes the user identifier in the information unit.

23. The system of claim 17 wherein the input device is also equipped to interrogate a user and only allows valid system users to transmit information units thereto.

24. The system of claim 17 wherein a browser which communicates in a computer language is loaded onto the input device and the collection device formats information units and target addresses in the computer language prior to transmitting to the input device.

25. The system of claim 17 wherein the network device is a memory storage device.

26. The system of claim 25 wherein the memory storage device includes several network servers and the processor provides target addresses which specify addresses on at least one of the servers.

18. A method for information gathering, transmission and retrieval and for use with a system including a collection device, an input device and a network device linked to the input device, the method also for use with a specifier apparatus which provides a target address for information to be collected by the collection device, the method comprising the steps of:

using the specifier apparatus, providing a target address to the collection device;

(a) using the data collection device for;

(i) storing the target address;

(ii) remotely collecting at least one information unit;

(iii) correlating the collected information unit and the target address for transmission to the input device; and

(iv) transmitting the information unit and target address to an input device;

(b) when the input device receives information units and associated addresses, transferring the received units to associated target addresses.

47. The method of claim 18 wherein an information packet includes at least an information unit and a target address and the input device can receive the information packet and identify each of the information unit and the target address and wherein, prior to transmitting the information unit and the target address, the step of correlating includes the step of combining the information unit and the associated target address to form an information packet and the step of transmitting includes the step of transmitting the information packet to the input device.

48. The method of claim 18 further including a specifier apparatus which provides both an information unit and an associated target address as an information packet to be collected by the collection device wherein, the method including the steps of, using the specifier apparatus, providing an information packet to the collection device, using the collection device, storing the information packet and thereafter transmitting the information packet to the input device and, using the input device transferring the information unit to the target address.

49. The method of claim 18 wherein the collection device is used by a specific user and the method includes the step of, using the collection device and after the step of collecting, including the user identifier in the information unit.

50. The method of claim 18 further including the step of, prior to transmitting, interrogating the ICD to determine if an ICD user is a valid system user and only allowing transmission if the user is a valid user.

51. The method of claim 18 wherein a browser which communicates in a computer language is loaded onto the input device and the method includes the step of, using the collection device, formatting the information units and target addresses in the computer language prior to transmitting to the input device.

52. The method of claim 18 wherein the system also includes a display and wherein the method further includes the step of, prior to transmitting an information unit and after an information unit is received, displaying at least a portion of the information unit information on the display for acceptance by a user.

53. The method of claim 52 further including the step of, during displaying, allowing a user to modify the displayed information unit information or accept the information unit information.

54. The method of claim 18 further including the steps of providing a user identifier to the input device and modifying the information unit by adding a user identifier to the unit prior to transmitting the information unit.

55. The method of claim 18 wherein the system also includes a temporary storage device and wherein the method further includes the steps of, when information units and associated target addresses are received by the input device, storing the units and addresses on the temporary storage device and providing a user the option to review the stored units at a subsequent time.

27. An apparatus for use with a remote data collection device and a network system, the system including an input device and a network device, the input device equipped for receiving and transmitting information units to network device addresses, the collection device for remotely collecting information units and providing the information units and associated network device target addresses to the input device wherein the target addresses indicate where collected information is to be transmitted, the apparatus for providing target addresses to the collection device, the collection device including a collector, the apparatus comprising:

a processor including an address specifier indicating a target address for collected information; and

a specifier transmitter linked to the processor for transferring the target address to the collector.

28. The apparatus of claim 27 wherein the network device is a memory storage device, the processor is linked to the memory storage device and, when an information unit is stored at a memory storage device target address, the processor identifies that the information unit has been stored.

29. The apparatus of claim 28 further including an indicator and a timer and wherein an event associated with an information unit is to occur within a specific time period and the processor monitors the specific time periods and, wherein, when a time period expires prior to an information unit associated with the event being stored, the processor indicates that the event did not occur within the specific time period via the indicator.

30. The apparatus of claim 29 wherein the indicator is an alarm.

31. The apparatus of claim 27 wherein the apparatus is a first apparatus in a system which includes other apparatus and the information unit is received from one of the other apparatuses.

32. The apparatus of claim 27 wherein the apparatus also provides the collected information unit and the processor correlates the information unit with the target address forming an information packet and the output device transfers the information packet to the collection device.

33. The apparatus of claim 27 wherein the input device includes a display and a browser is loaded onto the input device and is capable, when a display format is provided, of displaying information on the display, the processor further providing a display format for each information unit.

34. The apparatus of claim 33 wherein the processor provides display formats which specify browser interaction tools, the interaction tools useable by a system user to modify or approve information displayed on the display.

35. The apparatus of claim 34 wherein the interaction tools include icons and pull down windows.

36. The apparatus of claim 27 wherein the apparatus is capable of providing more than one target address for a single information unit.

37. The apparatus of claim 27 wherein the input device and collection device communicate in a computer language and the output device provides the target addresses in the computer language.

39. A method for use with a network system including a remote data collection device, an input device and a network device linked to the input device, the collection device including a collector, a memory, a processor and an output device and for remotely collecting information units and providing the units to the input device, the input device equipped to receive information including information units and network device target addresses associated with information units, the input device also capable of transferring the received units to associated target addresses, the method for remotely collecting information and providing the collected information to target addresses on the network device, the method comprising the steps of, using the collection device:

(i) collecting at least one information unit;

(ii) providing a target address for the collected information unit;

(iii) transmitting the information unit and target address to the input device; and

wherein the method is used to collect a plurality of information units and the method further includes the steps of providing a separate target address for each of the collected information units and transferring the collected units and associated target addresses to the input device.

40. A method for use with a network system including a remote data collection device, an input device and a network device linked to the input device, the collection device including a collector, a memory, a processor and an output device and for remotely collecting information units and providing the units to the input device, the input device equipped to receive information including information units and network device target addresses associated with information units, the input device also capable of transferring the received units to associated target addresses, the method for remotely collecting information and providing the collected information to target addresses on the network device, the method comprising the steps of, using the collection device:

(i) collecting at least one information unit;

(ii) providing a target address for the collected information unit; and

(iii) transmitting the information unit and target address to the input device; and

wherein the collection device further includes at least first and second target address indicating buttons linked to the processor, the first button indicating a first target address and the second button indicating a second target address and wherein the method includes the steps of, when the first button is selected, correlating the first target address and a collected information unit and when the second button is selected correlating the second target address and the collected information unit.

56. A method for use with a remote data collection device, a network system and a specifier apparatus, the system including an input device and a network device, the input device equipped for receiving and transmitting information units to network device addresses, the collection device for remotely collecting information units and providing the information units and associated network device target addresses to the input device wherein the target addresses indicate where collected information is to be transmitted, the method for providing target addresses to the collection device, the collection device including a collector, the method comprising the steps of, using the specifier apparatus:

identifying an address specifier indicating a target address for information to be subsequently collected; and

transferring the target address to the collector for storage by the collection device.

57. The method of claim 56 wherein the network device is a memory storage device, the specifier apparatus is linked to the memory storage device and the method further includes the step of, when an information unit is stored at a memory storage device target address, identifying that the information unit has been stored.

58. The method of claim 57 wherein the specifier apparatus includes an indicator and a timer and wherein an event associated with an information unit is to occur within a specific time period and the method further includes the steps of, using the specifier device, monitoring the specific time periods and, wherein, when a time period expires prior to an information unit associated with the event being stored, indicating that the event did not occur within the specific time period via the indicator.

59. The method of claim 56 wherein the specifier apparatus is a first apparatus in the system and the system includes other specifier apparatus and the method includes the step of, after transferring the target address to the collector, transferring an information unit form another of the specifier apparatuses.

60. The method of claim 56 wherein the method also provides the collected information unit and the method includes the step of, prior to transferring, correlating the information unit with the target address forming an information packet and the step of transferring includes transferring the information packet to the collection device.

61. The method of claim 56 wherein the input device includes a display and a browser is loaded onto the input device and is capable, when a display format is provided, of displaying information on the display, the method further including the steps of, prior to transferring, providing a display format for each information unit.

62. The method of claim 57 wherein the step of providing display formats includes the step of providing display formats which specify browser interaction tools, the interaction tools useable by a system user to modify or approve information displayed on the display.

63. The method of claim 57 wherein the input device and collection device communicate in a computer language and the specifier apparatus provides the target addresses in the computer language.