Medical monitoring system

• US 6,485,415 B1
• Filed: 09/22/1999
• Issued: 11/26/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 09/25/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Pioneer Corporation
• Original Assignee: Pioneer Corporation
• Inventors: Yasushi, Mitsuo, Yanagidaira, Masatoshi, Satoh, Hiroshi, Uchiyama, Kazuyuki
• Primary Examiner(s): Shaver, Kevin
• Assistant Examiner(s): ASTORINO, MICHAEL C
• Application Number:
  US09/401,801
• Time in Patent Office: 1,161 Days
• Field of Search: 600/300-301, 600/481, 600/500, 600/509-515, 600/529, 600/532, 600/538, 600/544-545, 705/2-4, 128/900, 128/903-904, 128/920-925, 607/30-32, 607/29, 607/60
• US Class Current: 600/300
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0022 Monitoring a patient using a global network, e.g. telephone networks, internet
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/67 for remote operation
• CPC Class Codes: G16Z 99/00 Subject matter not provided for in other main groups of this subclass
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 128/904 Telephone telemetry

Abstract

A medical monitoring system has a first detecting device provided at a place where a subject exists, for detecting organic condition of the subject, a diagnosing device for diagnosing health condition of the subject based on the organic condition detected by the first detecting device and for producing organic data. A transmitting system is provided for transmitting the organic data to a service center, and a second diagnosing device is provided in the service center for diagnosing the health condition of the subject based on the organic data.

Claims

1. A medical monitoring system for monitoring a health condition of a subject to be diagnosed at a place remote from where the subject is located, comprising:

first detecting means, disposed at the place where the subject exists, for detecting first organic information of the subject;

second detecting means, disposed at the place where the subject exists, for detecting second organic information of the subject;

a service center, being remote from the place where the subject exists, for performing a predetermined diagnosis on the subject based on the first and second organic information; and

communication means for connecting the first and second detecting means to the service center in a communicable manner,

wherein the service center includes a server for receiving and storing the first and second organic information, diagnosing means for diagnosing the health condition of the subject based on the first and second organic information, classification means for classifying the health condition into one of predetermined levels based on a result of diagnosis made by the diagnosing means, and output means for performing a predetermined outputting process in one of a plurality of notification modes corresponding to the predetermined levels in accordance with a classified level,

wherein the diagnosing means includes first diagnosing means for diagnosing the health condition and making a first diagnosis based on the first organic information, and second diagnosing means for further diagnosing the health condition and making a second diagnosis based on the second organic information,

wherein the service center requests the second organic information to the second detecting means when the server determines that the second diagnosis is necessary based on the first diagnosis.

2. The medical monitoring system according to claim 1, wherein contents of the notification modes are changed in accordance with the plurality of levels.

3. The medical monitoring system according to claim 1, wherein said second organic information comprises visual information and/or audio information of the subject.

6. The medical monitoring system according to claim 1, wherein said output means notifies the subject of no health problem being present when diagnosis done by the second diagnosing means does not indicate a health problem, but transmits the first and second organic information and visual information and/or audio information of the subject to a medical attendance when diagnosis done by the second diagnosing means indicates a health problem exists.

7. The medical monitoring system according to claim 1, wherein the second diagnosing means diagnoses the health condition of the subject based on the first and second organic information.

8. The medical monitoring system according to any one of claims 1, 2 and 3, wherein the communication means has a global positioning system.

4. The medical monitoring system according to 2 or 3, wherein the subject is located in a vehicle.

5. The medical monitoring system according to claim 4, wherein the first and second detecting means and the communication means are located at a seat in a vehicle.

9. A medical monitoring method for monitoring a health condition of a subject to be diagnosed at a place remote from where the subject is located, comprising the steps of:

detecting first organic information of the subject;

communicating the detected first organic information with a service center which exists at the place remote from where the subject is located;

storing the communicated organic information of the subject into a server of the service center;

first diagnosing the subject based on the first organic information stored into the server in the service center;

classifying the health condition of the subject into one of predetermined levels based on a result of diagnosis made by the service center; and

notifying one of a plurality of notification modes corresponding to the predetermined levels in accordance with a classification level,

wherein the method further comprises the steps of;

requesting a second organic information of the subject from the service center when the service center determines that the second organic information is necessary in order to diagnose the subject;

detecting the second organic information of the subject;

communicating the detected second organic information with the service center;

storing the communicated second organic information of the subject into the server of the service center; and

second diagnosing the health condition of the subject based on the second organic information.

10. The medical monitoring method according to claim 9, wherein contents of the notification modes are changed in accordance with the plurality of levels.

11. The medical monitoring method according to claim 9, wherein said second organic information comprises visual information and/or audio information of the subject.

12. The medical monitoring method according to claim 11, wherein the second diagnosing step diagnoses the health condition of the subject based on the first and second organic information.

13. The medical monitoring method according to claim 12, wherein the service center notifies the subject of no health problem being present when diagnosis done by the second diagnosing step does not indicate a health problem, but transmits the organic information and the visual information and/or information of the subject to a medical attendance when diagnosis done by the second diagnosing step indicates a health problem to be attended.

14. The medical monitoring system according to any one of claims 9, 10, 11, 12 and 13, wherein the subject is located in a vehicle.

15. The medical monitoring method according to claim 14, wherein detecting means for detecting the first and second organic information of the subject and the communication means for allowing the subject to communicate with the service center are located at a seat in the vehicle.

16. The medical monitoring method according to claim 15, wherein the communication means has a global positioning system.