Method and apparatus for remote blood alcohol monitoring

• US 8,317,697 B2
• Filed: 04/25/2006
• Issued: 11/27/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 05/19/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Alcohol Monitoring Systems Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Alcohol Monitoring Systems Incorporated
• Inventors: Iiams, Michael Leonard, Hawthorne, Jeffrey Scott, Phillips, Brian Kirby, Roushey, III, William James, Farmer, Jr., Nolan James
• Primary Examiner(s): TOWA, RENE T
• Application Number:
  US11/411,694
• Publication Number:
  US 20060202838A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,408 Days
• Field of Search: 600300-301, 600/309, 600/353, 600/364, 600/583, 436/68, 436/132, 422/84, 128/920
• US Class Current: 600/300
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2560/0406 specially shaped apparatus housings
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0008 Temperature signals
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0022 Monitoring a patient using a global network, e.g. telephone networks, internet
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/145 Measuring characteristics of blood in vivo, e.g. gas concentration, pH value; Measuring characteristics of body fluids or tissues, e.g. interstitial fluid, cerebral tissuemeasuring of blood pressure or blood flow A61B5/02; non-radiation detecting or locating of foreign bodies in blood A61B5/06
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/14546 for measuring analytes not otherwise provided for, e.g. ions, cytochromes
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/4972 Determining alcohol content for vehicle safety devices B60K28/06
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/67 for remote operation
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 128/92 Computer assisted medical diagnostics

Abstract

A tamper proof transdermal alcohol content monitoring device is made up of analog and digital sides which are securely attached to the human subject to be monitored. The analog side has a sampling circuit which draws a measured insensible skin perspiration sample from the skin of the subject and measured with an electrochemical fuel cell. A distance measurement of the device from the skin of the subject and temperature of the sample are monitored along with the transdermal alcohol content, and converted to digital signals which are transmitted to a modem when the monitor is in proximity to the modem. The signals are stored in the modem and uploaded to a central monitoring station. Automatic alerts may be sent from the central monitoring station to a supervising agency. The supervising agency may also access the information through secured dedicated websites via the Internet.

Claims

1. A modem for use with but independent from a continuous remote blood alcohol monitoring device adapted to be attached to a human subject, and for use with but independent from a monitor network, the modem comprising:

a radio frequency transceiver for communicating bi-directional radio frequency signals with the continuous remote blood alcohol monitoring device when the continuous remote blood alcohol monitoring device comes within range of the modem according to a first schedule stored in the continuous remote blood alcohol monitoring device, and without the human subject actively initiating the communicating of the radio frequency signals between the continuous remote blood alcohol monitoring device and the modem, wherein the radio frequency signals contain a plurality of data regarding the human subject and are communicated from the continuous remote blood alcohol monitoring device to the modem according to the first schedule on a non real time basis;

a central processing unit in communication with the radio frequency transceiver, wherein the central processing unit processes the plurality of data to determine if at least one predefined trigger condition exists, and if not, the plurality of data is stored in a memory in the modem for communication to the monitor network according to a second schedule stored in the memory in the modem; and

a modem chip set in communication with the central processing unit, wherein when the at least one predefined trigger condition exists, a communication link is established by the central processing unit through the modem chip set to the monitor network, and further wherein the central processing unit communicates an alert over the communication link to the monitor network while no communication link exists between the modem and the continuous remote blood alcohol monitoring device;

wherein when a positive drinking event has been detected by the continuous remote blood alcohol monitoring device and the continuous remote blood alcohol monitoring device is within range of the modem, the first schedule stored in the continuous remote blood alcohol monitoring device is bypassed and the radio frequency signals containing the plurality of data is communicated immediately from the continuous remote blood alcohol monitoring device to the modem, and further wherein communication of the plurality of data stored in the memory in the modem to the monitor network according to the second schedule only occurs when the plurality of data does not include the at least one predefined trigger condition.

2. The modem according to claim 1 wherein said central processing unit controls a plurality of processes, said plurality of processes comprising:

a schedule process that controls a plurality of communication events between the continuous remote blood alcohol monitoring device and the modem, and between the modem and the monitor network;

a monitoring process that monitors said bi-directional radio frequency signals, containing said plurality of data, between the continuous remote blood alcohol monitoring device and the modem; and

an analysis process for analyzing said plurality of data for said at least one predefined trigger condition.

3. The modem according to claim 1 wherein said plurality of data further comprises:

a set of operating instructions;

an operating data;

a time and date synchronization information for the continuous remote blood alcohol monitoring device; and

a plurality of monitoring data received from the continuous remote blood alcohol monitoring device.

4. The modem according to claim 3 wherein said central processing unit communicates through said modem chip set to the monitor network over said communication link at least a one of:

said plurality of monitoring data;

a continuous remote blood alcohol monitoring device tamper alert;

a modem tamper alert;

a time and date synchronization information;

a schedule information;

an operating data for the continuous remote blood alcohol monitoring device;

a modem operating program information; and

a continuous remote blood alcohol monitoring device operating program.

5. The modem according to claim 3 wherein said plurality of monitoring data further comprises:

a plurality of transdermal alcohol concentration readings taken of the human subject;

a plurality of distance readings taken between the remote blood alcohol monitor device and a portion of skin of the human subject, wherein said plurality of distance readings are used to detect an obstruction there between, or to detect removal of the remote blood alcohol monitor device from the human subject;

a plurality of temperature readings taken of a plurality of consistent and predetermined samples of insensible skin perspiration from the human subject;

a plurality of diagnostic data; and

when a predefined error condition has been detected by the continuous remote blood alcohol monitoring device, an error condition data.

6. The modem according to claim 1 wherein when said central processing unit communicates said alert to the monitor network, said monitor network analyzes said alert according to a rules-based database, and based on said analysis, said monitor network may send an automatic alert to a supervising agency or to a designated individual over a new communication link.

7. The modem according to claim 1 further comprising:

an LCD display connectable to said central processing unit for displaying a plurality of status messages regarding the modem, wherein said plurality of status messages are instructions to the human subject that the continuous remote blood alcohol monitoring device needs to communicate with the modem or perform a type of operation.

8. The modem according to claim 1 further comprising:

an integrated memory connectable to said central processing unit;

a main operating program stored in said integrated memory; and

a main power input circuits for receiving power from an external source, wherein when said power is first received, said main power input circuits provide power to said central processing unit, wherein said central processing unit checks a validity of said main operating program, wherein if said main operating program is invalid, said modem chip set attempts to establish a communication link to a monitor network to download a valid version of said main operating program.

9. The modem according to claim 8 further comprising:

a real time clock connectable to said central processing unit, wherein said real time clock is updated when said communication link is established with said monitor network, and further wherein said monitor network uploads said data from the modem.

10. The modem according to claim 8 further comprising:

a phone line connected to the modem for establishing said communication link.

11. The modem according to claim 1 wherein the continuous remote blood alcohol monitoring of a human subject may be done twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year.

12. A method for using a modem to process data received from a continuous remote blood alcohol monitoring device adapted to be attached to a human subject, and for use with a monitor network, the modem being independent from both the continuous remote blood alcohol monitoring device and the monitor network, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) when a positive drinking event has been detected by the continuous remote blood alcohol monitoring device, determining if the continuous remote blood alcohol monitoring device is within range of the modem;

(b) when it has been determined that the continuous remote blood alcohol monitoring device is within range of the modem, bypassing a first schedule stored in the continuous remote blood alcohol monitoring device for communicating the data to the modem; and

(c) communicating immediately the radio frequency signals containing the data from the continuous remote blood alcohol monitoring device to a radio frequency transceiver in the modem;

(d) in the absence of the positive drinking event being detected in step (a) or when it has been determined in step (b) that the continuous remote blood alcohol monitoring device is not within range of the modem, communicating bi-directionally with the radio frequency transceiver in the modem radio frequency signals with the continuous remote blood alcohol monitoring device when the continuous remote blood alcohol monitoring device comes within range of the modem and according to the first schedule stored in the continuous remote blood alcohol monitoring device without the human subject actively initiating the communicating of the radio frequency signals between the continuous remote blood alcohol monitoring device and the modem, wherein the radio frequency signals containing the data are communicated from the continuous remote blood alcohol monitoring device to the modem on a non real time basis;

(e) processing the data by a central processing unit in the modem in communication with the radio frequency transceiver to determine if at least one predefined trigger condition exists, and if not, storing the data in a memory in the modem for communication to the monitor network according to a second schedule stored in the memory in the modem;

(f) when the at least one predefined trigger condition exists, establishing a communication link by the central processing unit through the modem chip set to a monitor network; and

(g) communicating by the central processing unit an alert over the communication link to the monitor network while no communication link exists between the modem and the continuous remote blood alcohol monitoring device, and further the communicating of the plurality of data stored in the memory in the modem to the monitor network according to the second schedule only occurs when the data does not include the at least one predefined trigger condition.

13. The method according to claim 12 further comprising the steps of:

controlling by said central processing unit a schedule process for scheduling a plurality of communication events between the continuous remote blood alcohol monitoring device and the modem, and between the modem and said monitor network;

controlling by said central processing unit a monitoring process that monitors said radio frequency signals, containing the data, between the continuous remote blood alcohol monitoring device and the modem; and

controlling by said central processing unit an analysis process for analyzing the data for said at least one predefined trigger condition.

14. The method according to claim 12 wherein the data further comprises:

a set of operating instructions;

an operating data;

a time and date synchronization information for the continuous remote blood alcohol monitoring device; and

a plurality of monitoring data received from the continuous remote blood alcohol monitoring device.

15. The method according to claim 14 further comprising the steps of:

communicating by said central processing unit through said modem chip set to said monitor network over said communication link at least a one of said plurality of monitoring data, a continuous remote blood alcohol monitoring device tamper alert, a modem tamper alert, a time and date synchronization information, a schedule information, an operating data for the continuous remote blood alcohol monitoring device, a modem operating program information, and a continuous remote blood alcohol monitoring device operating program.

16. The method according to claim 14 wherein said plurality of monitoring data further comprises:

a plurality of transdermal alcohol concentration readings taken of the human subject;

a plurality of distance readings taken between the remote blood alcohol monitor device and a portion of skin of the human subject, wherein said plurality of distance readings are used to detect an obstruction there between, or to detect removal of the remote blood alcohol monitor device from the human subject;

a plurality of temperature readings taken of a plurality of consistent and predetermined samples of insensible skin perspiration from the human subject;

a plurality of diagnostic data; and

when a predefined error condition has been detected by the continuous remote blood alcohol monitoring device, an error condition data.

17. The method according to claim 12 further comprising the steps of:

analyzing by said monitor network said alert according to a rules-based database; and

based on said analysis, sending an automatic alert to a supervising agency or to a designated individual over a new communication link.

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

displaying on an LCD display of the modem a plurality of status messages regarding the modem, wherein said plurality of status messages are instructions to the human subject that the continuous remote blood alcohol monitoring device needs to communicate with the modem or perform a type of operation.

19. The method according to claim 12 further comprising the steps of:

connecting the modem to a power source;

receiving power in said central processing unit;

checking by said central processing unit a validity of a modem main operating program for the modem stored in an integrated memory;

checking by said central processing unit a validity of a monitoring main operating program for the continuous remote blood alcohol monitoring device stored in said integrated memory;

when at least a one of said modem main operating program and said monitoring main operating program is invalid, establishing a communication link by said modem chip set to the monitor network;

downloading to the modem from said monitor network a valid version of at least a one of said modem main operating program and said monitoring main operating program;

storing at least a one of said modem main operating program and said monitoring main operating program in said integrated memory;

updating a real time clock of the modem; and

uploading by said monitor network the data from the modem.

20. The method according to claim 19 wherein said establishing step further comprises the steps of:

(1) checking by said central processing unit for a dial tone of a phone line connected to the modem;

(2) if no dial tone is detected, generating a no phone line connected alarm by said central processing unit;

(3) waiting by said central processing unit a predefined period of time; and

(4) repeating steps (1) through (3) until a dial tone is detected.

21. The method according to claim 20 further comprising the steps of:

(5) when a dial tone is detected by said central processing unit, dialing a phone number for said monitor network;

(6) monitoring by said modem chip set if said communication link is established to said monitor network;

(7) if at least a one of a busy signal and a no answer is detected, generating a no connection alarm by said central processing unit;

(8) waiting by said central processing unit a predefined period of time; and

(9) repeating steps (5) through (8) until said communication link is established.

22. The method according to claim 12 further comprising the step of:

once said communication link is established, downloading a monitoring instructions, a schedule information, and a characterization table for later delivery to the continuous remote blood alcohol monitoring device;

downloading a schedule information for the modem; and

downloading a hang up instruction to the modem.

23. The method according to claim 22 further comprising the steps of:

once said hang up instruction is downloaded, hanging up by said central processing unit and powering off said modem chip set;

activating said radio frequency transceiver;

communicating a standard message over said radio frequency signals to the continuous remote blood alcohol monitoring device;

when the continuous remote blood alcohol monitoring device is within a range of the modem, receiving an answer message over said radio frequency signals sent from the continuous remote blood alcohol monitoring device;

extracting by the modem said data from the continuous remote blood alcohol monitoring device;

validating by the modem an operating program of the continuous remote blood alcohol monitoring device;

validating by the modem a characterization table of the continuous remote blood alcohol monitoring device;

updating by the modem a real time clock of the continuous remote blood alcohol monitoring device;

terminating said radio frequency signals sent from the modem to the continuous remote blood alcohol monitoring device;

when the continuous remote blood alcohol monitoring device is not within said range of the modem, terminating said radio frequency signals; and

waiting a predefined period of time before recommunicating said standard message over said radio frequency signals to the continuous remote blood alcohol monitoring device.

24. The method according to claim 23 further comprising the steps of:

scanning by said central processing unit said data to determine if an immediate alert needs to be communicated to said monitor network;

when said immediate alert needs to be communicated, establishing a communication link to said monitor network; and

when there is no said immediate alert to be communicated, waiting a predefined period of time before activating said radio frequency transceiver again.

25. The method according to claim 12 wherein steps (a) through (d) may be performed twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year.