Patient monitoring apparatus

• US 7,420,472 B2
• Filed: 10/16/2005
• Issued: 09/02/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 10/16/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: BT Wearables LLC (Empire IP LLC)
• Original Assignee: Bao Tran
• Inventors: Tran, Bao
• Primary Examiner(s): Lieu, Julie
• Application Number:
  US11/252,279
• Publication Number:
  US 20070085690A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,052 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 340/573.1
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/103 Detecting, measuring or recording devices for testing the shape, pattern, colour, size or movement of the body or parts thereof, for diagnostic purposes A61B5/08 takes precedence; measuring aids for tailors A41H1/00; measuring instruments specially adapted for dentistry A61C19/04
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1117 Fall detection
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/681 Wristwatch-type devices
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/0208 Combination with audio or video communication, e.g. combination with "baby phone" function
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/0211 Combination with medical sensor, e.g. for measuring heart rate, temperature
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/04 responsive to non-activity, e.g. of elderly persons G08B21/06 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 7/066 guiding along a path, e.g. evacuation path lighting strip
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/10 relating to drugs or medications, e.g. for ensuring correct administration to patients
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/30 relating to physical therapies or activities, e.g. physiotherapy, acupressure or exercising
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/60 relating to nutrition control, e.g. diets
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/67 for remote operation

Abstract

A monitoring system includes one or more cameras to determine a three dimensional (3D) model of a person; means to detect a dangerous condition based on the 3D model; and means to generate a warning when the dangerous condition is detected.

Claims

1. A monitoring system for a person, comprising:

a plurality of wireless bases positioned in a building; and

a wristwatch having

a wireless 802 protocol transceiver adapted to communicate including receiving from and transmitting to the wireless bases; and

an accelerometer to detect a dangerous condition and to generate a warning when the dangerous condition is detected; and

a device to detect a confirmatory gesture from the person responding to a signal from the monitoring system.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the wristwatch determines position based on triangulation of signals from the wireless bases in the building.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the wristwatch determines position based on RF signal strength and RF signal angle.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the 802 protocol signals are used for position estimation.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the confirmatory gesture includes a head movement, a hand movement, or a mouth movement.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the confirmatory gesture includes the Person'"'"'s voice.

7. The system of claim 1, further comprising computer readable code to transmit a help request to a remote computer.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the 802 protocol transceiver comprises one of:

802.11 transceiver, 802.15 transceiver, 802.16 transceiver.

9. The system of claim 1, further comprising code to encrypt or scramble data for privacy.

10. The system of claim 1, further comprising voice over IP (VOIP) code to allow a user and a remote person to audibly communicate with each other.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the remote person includes a doctor, a nurse, a medical assistant, or a caregiver.

12. The system of claim 1, further comprising code to store and analyze patient information.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the patient information includes medicine taking habits, eating and drinking habits, sleeping habits, or excise habits.

14. The system of claim 1, further comprising a patient interface for accessing information.

15. The system of claim 1, comprising a patient interface including:

a touch screen;

voice-activated text reading; and

one touch telephone dialing.

16. The system of claim 1, comprising code to store and analyze information relating to the person'"'"'s ambulation.

17. The system of claim 1, comprising a global positioning system (GPS) receiver to detect movement and where the person falls.

18. The system of claim1, comprising code to map the person'"'"'s location onto an area for viewing.

19. The system of claim 1, comprising:

one or more cameras positioned to capture three dimensional (3D) video of the patient; and

a server coupled to the one or more cameras, the server executing code to detect a dangerous condition for the patient based on the 3D video and allow a remote third party to view images of the patient when the dangerous condition is detected.

20. A monitoring system for a person, comprising:

a plurality of wireless bases positioned in a building; and

a cellular telephone having

a wireless transceiver adapted to communicate with the one or more wireless bases and to detect position based on the wireless bases in the building; and

an accelerometer to detect a dangerous condition and to generate a warning when the dangerous condition is detected; and

a device to detect a confirmatory gesture from the person responding to a signal from the monitoring system.