Unlocking a body area network

• US 9,980,647 B2
• Filed: 09/29/2015
• Issued: 05/29/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 01/27/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Moriarty, Anthony, Flanagan, Jessica M., McDonald, Cameron A.
• Primary Examiner(s): NWUGO, OJIAKO K
• Application Number:
  US14/868,538
• Publication Number:
  US 20160015270A1
• Time in Patent Office: 973 Days
• Field of Search: 34053912-53913, 705 2, 705 3
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2560/0266 for monitoring or limiting apparatus function
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0022 Monitoring a patient using a global network, e.g. telephone networks, internet
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0024 for multiple sensor units attached to the patient, e.g. using a body or personal area network
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/02055 Simultaneously evaluating both cardiovascular condition and temperature
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/747 in case of emergency, i.e. alerting emergency services
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7475 User input or interface means, e.g. keyboard, pointing device, joystick
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/6245 Protecting personal data, e.g. for financial or medical purposes
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/67 for remote operation
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 50/20 for computer-aided diagnosis, e.g. based on medical expert systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/08 Access security

Abstract

Disclosed is an apparatus, system, and method to unlock a body area network (BAN) of a patient and to transmit medical data about the patient. The BAN, under the control of a body area controller (BAC), may be unlocked based upon a pre-defined patient action performed by the patient and the BAN may then be connected to a wireless device. The BAN medical data of the patient may then be transmitted by the wireless device.

Claims

1. A non-transitory computer-readable medium including code that, when executed by a processor, causes the processor to:

unlock a body area network (BAN) based upon a pre-defined patient action performed by a patient, wherein the pre-defined patient action to unlock the BAN includes pressing against a pre-designated part of the body;

connect the BAN to a wireless device; and

process information from the BAN using the wireless device.

2. The computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein, the BAN includes a body area controller (BAC) and one or more body sensor units (BSUs).

3. The computer-readable medium of claim 1, further comprising code to transmit BAN medical data of the patient by the wireless device.

4. The computer-readable medium of claim 3, wherein the BAN is connected to a wireless device of the patient and the BAN medical data of the patient is transmitted from the wireless device of the patient to an emergency service.

5. The computer-readable medium of claim 3, wherein the BAN is connected to a wireless device of a helper and the BAN medical data of the patient is transmitted from the wireless device of the helper to an emergency service.

6. The computer-readable medium of claim 3, wherein the BAN is connected to a wireless device of an emergency responder and the BAN medical data of the patient is transmitted from the wireless device of the emergency responder to a medical data server.

7. The computer-readable medium of claim 6, wherein the wireless device of the emergency responder further receives medical data about the patient from the medical data server.

8. An apparatus comprising:

means for unlocking a body area network (BAN) based upon a pre-defined patient action performed by the patient, wherein the pre-defined patient action to unlock the BAN includes pressing against a pre-designated part of the body;

means for connecting the BAN to a wireless device; and

means for processing information from the BAN using the wireless device.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein, the BAN includes a body area controller (BAC) and one or more body sensor units (BSUs).

10. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein, BAN medical data of the patient is transmitted by the wireless device.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the BAN is connected to a wireless device of the patient and the BAN medical data of the patient is transmitted from the wireless device of the patient to an emergency service.

12. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the BAN is connected to a wireless device of a helper and the BAN medical data of the patient is transmitted from the wireless device of the helper to an emergency service.

13. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the BAN is connected to a wireless device of an emergency responder and the BAN medical data of the patient is transmitted from the wireless device of the emergency responder to a medical data server.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the wireless device of the emergency responder further receives medical data about the patient from the medical data server.

15. A apparatus comprising:

a transceiver; and

a processor coupled to the transceiver, the processor configured to;

unlock a body area network (BAN) based upon a pre-defined patient action performed by the patient, wherein the pre-defined patient action to unlock the BAN includes pressing against a pre-designated part of the body; and

connect the BAN to a wireless device through the transceiver, wherein information from the BAN is processed using the wireless device.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein, the BAN includes a body area controller (BAC) and one or more body sensor units (BSUs).

17. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein, BAN medical data of the patient is transmitted by the wireless device.

18. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the BAN is connected to a wireless device of the patient and the BAN medical data of the patient is transmitted from the wireless device of the patient to an emergency service.

19. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the BAN is connected to a wireless device of a helper and the BAN medical data of the patient is transmitted from the wireless device of the helper to an emergency service.

20. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the BAN is connected to a wireless device of an emergency responder and the BAN medical data of the patient is transmitted from the wireless device of the emergency responder to a medical data server.

21. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the wireless device of the emergency responder further receives medical data about the patient from the medical data server.