Patent Application
20190043616
Health monitoring devices have become available in a wearable format, such as worn on a user's wrist. Many of them have the capability to monitor heart rate but are limited with respect to system intelligence. There is a need in the art for improved devices as well as improved methods for interfacing with them, to enable more sophisticated analysis of vital signs, more effective engagement of available resources, and overall more timely assistance to users undergoing health emergencies. There is a further need for a system architecture that can aggregate data from multiple users anonymously, perform analysis on the data collected, compare user data with behavioral models or standards determined from the analysis, and predict a health emergency before it would otherwise occur.
Various embodiments in accordance with the present disclosure can relate to the field of wearable health sensors, and more particularly to intelligent systems comprising wearable health sensors.
In various embodiments, a personal emergency detection, notification, coordination and response method and system for individuals is disclosed. A monitoring device, for example a digital smart watch, is configured to identify an emergency using built-in sensors. The sensors are operable to perform spectral analysis of skin tissues. Example sensors include: LEDs and optical detectors for heart rate monitoring, blood perfusion checking, and tissue oxygenation checking; acceleration sensing to sense falls and accidents; and a GPS system for reporting the location of the wearer to interested parties. A communication chip with an associated antenna, and an audio chip are also included. Deviations in vital signs are used to detect health anomalies. By aggregating data that is anonymously collected from multiple users, the system constructs models that are compared with data from a specific user, to warn the user before an emergency occurs, for certain classes of health incidents.
In various embodiments, a wearable health sensing system includes an enclosure and a clasp or band for attaching the enclosure to a user's body. In addition, the wearable health sensing system includes a processor, a memory containing instructions to be executed by the processor, a communication chip, an antenna associated with the communication chip, a Global Positioning Satellite (GPS) chip, a skin tissue sensor, and an energy storage device. Furthermore, the wearable health sensing system includes a charging interface for replenishing or recharging the energy storage device. Note that the processor is operable to process data sensed by the skin tissue sensor to detect anomalies that may occur in the user's vital signs, decide on an appropriate response, notify a support system, and coordinate emergency care of the user. The health sensing system is further configurable to aggregate data from multiple users anonymously, and applies additional analysis to establish norms of behavior, and by comparing user data against the norms of behavior, predict some user health emergencies before they would otherwise occur.
In various embodiments, the skin tissue sensor of the previous paragraph includes an array of photo diodes and detectors. In various embodiments, the skin tissue sensor is operable to perform spectral analysis. In various embodiments, the wearable health sensing system of the previous paragraph further includes an accelerometer for sensing activity level and physical mishaps. In various embodiments, the wearable health sensing system further includes a speaker for producing sound, for signaling the user or nearby persons. In various embodiments, the wearable health sensing system further includes an interactive display. In various embodiments, the wearable health sensing system further includes a capacitive sensor for the health sensing system to determine if good contact is made between the skin tissue sensor and the user's skin. In various embodiments, the additional analysis of the previous paragraph can include machine learning. In various embodiments, the wearable health sensing system further includes a diversity antenna to enhance the performance of the antenna.
In various embodiments, a method involves identifying a medical emergency of a user, notifying support systems, and coordinating emergency care. The method includes providing a digital monitoring device in the form of a wearable device; providing a processor and memory for operating the digital monitoring device; providing a plurality of spaced apart light emitting diodes (LEDs) having multiple frequencies; and positioning the spaced apart LEDs adjacent the user's skin. Furthermore, the method includes measuring reflections from the user's skin; recording the measured reflections as absorption spectra; analyzing the absorption spectra to determine the vital signs; and detecting an abnormality. Moreover, the method includes deciding on an appropriate response to the abnormality; notifying one or more support systems if an abnormality has occurred; and coordinating emergency care to be administered to the user. In addition, the method includes aggregating data from multiple users to anonymously create standards for normal and abnormal data sets; and comparing the user's data set against the normal and abnormal data sets to provide early warning to the user of a potential health emergency.
In various embodiments, the method of the previous paragraph includes signaling the user via a vibrating element in the digital monitoring device. In various embodiments, the method includes signaling of the user via tone or voice. In various embodiments, the method includes signaling of nearby persons via tone or voice. In various embodiments, the method includes providing confirmation by the user that an incident has occurred. In various embodiments, the method includes assuming confirmation that an incident has occurred if the user is incapacitated. In various embodiments, the method includes coordinating emergency responses through a dispatch center. In various embodiments, the method includes engaging additional responders who are in the same location as the user. In various embodiments, the method includes providing acceleration sensing and using this data to notify interested parties of falls or accidents. In various embodiments, the method includes notifying interested parties of health incidents detected by the digital monitoring device. In various embodiments, the method includes coordinating individuals and systems based on data to expedite emergency care. In various embodiments, the method includes providing tissue oxygenation sensing and reporting. In various embodiments, the method includes providing pulse rate sensing and reporting. In various embodiments, the method includes determining if the wearable device is properly positioned adjacent the user's skin. In various embodiments, the method includes providing ambient temperature sensing and using this information to calibrate the digital monitoring device. In various embodiments, the LED measurements of the previous paragraph utilize spatially resolved spectroscopy.
In various embodiments, a health sensing system includes a processor and memory for operating the health sensing system; a plurality of spaced apart LEDs in contact with the user's body and having multiple frequencies; a plurality of spaced apart photo detectors for measuring light sourced from the spaced apart LEDs that subsequently diffuses through the user's body; an array of conductive components in contact with the user's body; an array of sensing circuits associated with the array of conductive components for determining correct disposition of the health sensing system relative to the user's body; absorption spectra determined from the measurements of light sourced from the spaced apart LEDs that subsequently diffuses through the user's body; and user's vital signs determined from the absorption spectra. Note that the processor is operable to make inferences about the health of the user determined from the vital signs. In addition, the processor is operable to aggregate data from multiple users to anonymously create standards for normal and abnormal data sets. Moreover, the processor is operable to compare the user's vital signs against the normal and abnormal data sets to provide early warning to the user of a potential health emergency.
While various embodiments in accordance with the present disclosure have been specifically described within this Summary, it is noted that the claimed subject matter are not limited in any way by these various embodiments.
Within the accompanying drawings, various embodiments in accordance with the present disclosure are illustrated by way of example and not by way of limitation. It is noted that like reference numerals denote similar elements throughout the drawings.
Reference will now be made in detail to various embodiments in accordance with the present disclosure, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. While described in conjunction with various embodiments, it will be understood that these various embodiments are not intended to limit the present disclosure. On the contrary, the present disclosure is intended to cover alternatives, modifications and equivalents, which may be included within the scope of the present disclosure as construed according to the Claims. Furthermore, in the following detailed description of various embodiments in accordance with the present disclosure, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the present disclosure. However, it will be evident to one of ordinary skill in the art that the present disclosure may be practiced without these specific details or with equivalents thereof. In other instances, well known methods, procedures, components, and circuits have not been described in detail so as not to unnecessarily obscure aspects of the present disclosure.
Some portions of the detailed descriptions that follow are presented in terms of procedures, logic blocks, processing, and other symbolic representations of operations on data bits within a computer memory. These descriptions and representations are the means used by those skilled in the data processing arts to most effectively convey the substance of their work to others skilled in the art. In the present disclosure, a procedure, logic block, process, or the like, is conceived to be a self-consistent sequence of steps or instructions leading to a desired result. The steps are those utilizing physical manipulations of physical quantities. Usually, although not necessarily, these quantities take the form of electrical or magnetic signals capable of being stored, transferred, combined, compared, and otherwise manipulated in a computing system. It has proven convenient at times, principally for reasons of common usage, to refer to these signals as transactions, bits, values, elements, symbols, characters, samples, pixels, or the like.
It should be borne in mind, however, that all of these and similar terms are to be associated with the appropriate physical quantities and are merely convenient labels applied to these quantities. Unless specifically stated otherwise as apparent from the following discussions, it is appreciated that throughout the present disclosure, discussions utilizing terms such as “implementing,” “inputting,” “operating,” “deciding,” “detecting,” “notifying,” “aggregating,” “coordinating,” “applying,” “comparing,” “engaging,” “predicting,” “recording,” “analyzing,” “determining,” “identifying,” “classifying,” “generating,” “extracting,” “receiving,” “processing,” “acquiring,” “performing,” “producing,” “providing,” “prioritizing,” “arranging,” “matching,” “measuring,” “storing,” “signaling,” “proposing,” “altering,” “creating,” “computing,” “loading,” “inferring,” or the like, refer to actions and processes of a computing system or similar electronic computing device or processor. The computing system or similar electronic computing device manipulates and transforms data represented as physical (electronic) quantities within the computing system memories, registers or other such information storage, transmission or display devices.
Various embodiments described herein may be discussed in the general context of computer-executable instructions residing on some form of computer-readable storage medium, such as program modules, executed by one or more computers or other devices. By way of example, and not limitation, computer-readable storage media may comprise non-transitory computer storage media and communication media. Generally, program modules include routines, programs, objects, components, data structures, etc., that perform particular tasks or implement particular abstract data types. The functionality of the program modules may be combined or distributed as desired in various embodiments.
Computer storage media includes volatile and nonvolatile, removable and non-removable media implemented in any method or technology for storage of information such as computer-readable instructions, data structures, program modules or other data. Computer storage media includes, but is not limited to, random access memory (RAM), read only memory (ROM), electrically erasable programmable ROM (EEPROM), flash memory or other memory technology, compact disk ROM (CD-ROM), digital versatile disks (DVDs) or other optical storage, magnetic cassettes, magnetic tape, magnetic disk storage or other magnetic storage devices, or any other medium that can be used to store the desired information and that can be accessed to retrieve that information.
Communication media can embody computer-executable instructions, data structures, and program modules, and includes any information delivery media. By way of example, and not limitation, communication media includes wired media such as a wired network or direct-wired connection, and wireless media such as acoustic, radio frequency (RF), infrared and other wireless media. Combinations of any of the above can also be included within the scope of computer-readable media.
In various embodiments, a personal emergency detection, notification, coordination and response method and system for individuals is disclosed. A monitoring device, for example a digital smart watch, is configured to identify an emergency using built-in sensors. The sensors are operable to perform spectral analysis of skin tissues. Example sensors include, but are not limited to: LEDs (light emitting diodes) and optical detectors for heart rate monitoring, blood perfusion checking, and tissue oxygenation checking; acceleration sensing to sense falls and accidents; and a GPS (Global Positioning Satellite) system for reporting the location of the wearer to interested parties. A communication chip with an associated antenna, and an audio chip can also be included. Deviations in vital signs are used to detect health anomalies. In various embodiments, by aggregating data that is anonymously collected from multiple users, the system constructs models that are compared with data from a specific user, to warn the user before an emergency occurs, for certain classes of health incidents.
A sensor module 7 is shown within
Within
It is noted that the health monitoring system 10 may not include all of the elements illustrated by
If the activity measured in decision block 42 is normal, the method 200 proceeds to decision block 41. However, if the activity measured in decision block 42 is not normal, the wearer is notified in block 43. The process 200 flows to decision block 44 wherein the user is asked if he or she is okay. If the user responds in the positive, the method 200 proceeds to start bubble 40. However, if the user responds in the negative, location (GPS or GNSS) data is sent in block 45 to a support network, which typically includes a Public Safety Answering Point (PSAP). An example of a PSAP is a 911 call center, which will be engaged in block 46 by the encoded messages from health monitoring system 10. In addition, other medical resources may also be called upon, as in block 47. The other resources may include medical personnel such as doctors or nurses, or medical equipment such as defibrillators. If assistance is offered by a local responder, then health system 10 will coordinate the emergency response activities and assign roles to the local responders in block 48. If either the PSAP or local responders are available and engaged, emergency care will be delivered to the user as in block 49.
In a preferred embodiment in accordance with the present disclosure, health system 10 will be configurable to aggregate data from multiple users anonymously, and apply additional analysis to establish norms of behavior, and by comparing user data against the norms of behavior, predict some user health emergencies before they would otherwise occur. The additional analysis preferably includes machine learning.
The system 300 may also contain communications connection(s) 322 that allow the device to communicate with other devices, e.g., in a networked environment using logical connections to one or more remote computers. Furthermore, the system 300 may also include input device(s) 324 such as, but not limited to, a voice input device, touch input device, keyboard, mouse, pen, touch input display device, etc. In addition, the system 300 may also include output device(s) 326 such as, but not limited to, a display device, speakers, printer, etc.
In the example of
It is noted that the computing system 300 may not include all of the elements illustrated by
The foregoing descriptions of various specific embodiments in accordance with the present disclosure have been presented for purposes of illustration and description. They are not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the present disclosure to the precise forms disclosed, and many modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teaching. The present disclosure is to be construed according to the Claims and their equivalents.
This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62/541,029 filed Aug. 3, 2017, entitled “A Personal Emergency System for Emergency Identification, Emergency Notification, and Emergency Response for an Individual,” by Ryan HOWARD et al., which is hereby incorporated by reference.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 62541029 | Aug 2017 | US |
