Wireless Health Monitor Device and System with Cognition

Abstract

A home-based remote care solution provides sensors including a basic health monitor (BHM) that is a measurement and feedback system. The BHM operates with low power integrated communications combined with an in-home, low power mesh network or programmable digital assistant (PDA) with cell phone technology. A cognitive system allows remote monitoring of the location and the basic health of an individual. The BHM measures oxygen saturation (SaO2), temperature of the ear canal, and motion, including detection of a fall and location within a facility. Optionally, the BHM measures CO2, respiration, EKG, EEG, and blood glucose. No intervention is required to determine the status of the individual and to convey this information to care providers. The cognitive system provides feedback and assistance to the individual while learning standard behavior patterns. An integrated audio speaker and microphone enable the BHM to deliver audio alerts, current measurements, and voice prompts. A remote care provider can deliver reminders via the BHM. The device may be worn overnight to allow monitoring and intervention. Through the ability to inquire, the cognitive system is able to qualify events such as loss of unconsciousness or falls. Simple voice commands activate the device to report its measurements and to give alerts to care providers. Alerts from care providers can be in a familiar voice to assist with compliance to medication regimens and disease management instructions. Simple switches allow volume control and manual activation. The device communicates with a series of low-power gateways to an in-home cognitive server and point-of-care (POC) appliance (computer). Alone the BHM provides basic feedback and monitoring with limited cognitive capabilities such as low oxygen or fall detection. While connected to the cognitive server, full cognitive capabilities are attained. Full alerting capability requires the cognitive server to be connected through an Internet gateway to the remote care provider.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is an isometric front right side view of a basic health monitor (BHM), showing representative locations of subcomponents.

FIG. 2 is a view similar to FIG. 1, showing a BHM from the left rear.

FIG. 3 is a schematic view of an overall remote healthcare system, showing a BHM and modular sensors associated with the patient and an in-home setting.

FIG. 4 is a functional block diagram of the internal components of a BHM, sensor, or similar modular device, showing functional interactions.

FIG. 5 is a schematic communications level diagram showing software components and a communications path from a BHM through a gateway to a cognitive server.

FIG. 6 is a schematic block diagram of the cognitive operation software components of the BHM and cognitive system.

FIG. 7 is an isometric view of a modular sensor device, taken from bottom front.

FIG. 8 is an exploded view of the sensor of FIG. 7, showing suggested component locations.

FIG. 9 is a view similar to FIG. 8, taken from top rear.

FIG. 10 is an isometric view taken from front right, showing a sensor attached to a base module.

FIG. 11 is an isometric view of an alternate embodiment of a BHM, taken from the front lower left side, showing a pendant or belt clip mounted BHM.

FIG. 12 is a view similar to FIG. 11, taken from upper right rear of the alternate embodiment of the BHM.

FIG. 13 is a plan view of a remote healthcare system installed in a home, schematically showing the patient and a method of determining location.

FIG. 14 is a front isometric view of the POC, showing interface components.

Claims

1. A distributed cognitive system adapted to deliver remote healthcare through medical monitoring and care intervention to a home-based patient, comprising: a health monitor having a form factor suitable to accompany a patient and adapted to measure a plurality of patient health parameters;a plurality of sensor modules suitable for deployment about the patient's surroundings and adapted to measure ambient parameters;a local computer operating software establishing a cognitive system capable of receiving measurements of patient health parameters and measurement of ambient parameters, determining trends therefrom, reaching healthcare decisions, and issuing prompts to the patient; andmeans for local bidirectional wireless communication among said health monitor, said sensor modules, and said local computer, enabling exchange of measurement results and feedback of prompts;wherein, the health monitor operates a distributed portion of the cognitive system such that the health monitor is capable of reaching patient healthcare decisions based on said health parameter measurements and of providing assistance derived from said decisions.

2. The distributed cognitive system according to claim 1, wherein: said plurality of sensor modules operates a distributed portion of the cognitive system such that the sensor modules are capable of reaching decisions concerning ambient conditions based on said ambient parameter measurements and are capable of interactively sharing information over said bidirectional communication means to locate said health monitor.

3. The distributed cognitive system according to claim 1, wherein said health monitor further comprises: means for delivering audible alerts, voice prompts and messages from the cognitive system to the patient;means for recording audible response from the patient;processing means for interpreting measurements and delivering feedback responses.

4. The distributed cognitive system according to claim 1, wherein: said health monitor has the form factor of an earpiece and said adaptation of the health monitor to measure a plurality of patient health parameters comprises a sensor selected from the group consisting of an oxygen saturation sensor, a body temperature sensor, a carbon dioxide level sensor, a pulse sensor, a blood glucose level sensor, an EKG sensor, an EEG sensor, a respiration sensor, a motion sensor, and any combination thereof.

5. The distributed cognitive system according to claim 4, wherein: said earpiece comprises a light source and an optical sensor carried in suitable positions to receive a patient's earlobe there between when the earpiece is worn on a patient's ear, enabling parameter measurement through optical detection through the earlobe.

6. The distributed cognitive system according to claim 1, further comprising: a remote computer at a care provider site, having capability for speech reception and speech output; andmeans for remote bidirectional communication between said remote computer and said local computer;wherein said health monitor and said sensor modules include microphone and speakers capable of exchanging spoken prompts over said means for local bidirectional wireless communication, whereby the remote computer is enabled to deliver spoken prompts through the health monitor and sensor modules.

7. The distributed cognitive system according to claim 1, wherein: said adaptation of said sensor modules to measure ambient parameters comprises a sensor selected from the group consisting of an ambient temperature sensor, a photo sensor, an infrared sensor, a motion sensor, an occupancy sensor, a door position sensor, a medication delivery sensor, and any combination thereof.

8. The distributed cognitive system according to claim 1, further comprising: a remote computer at a remote care provider site;means for remote bidirectional communication between said remote computer and said local computer;a point-of-care appliance providing interactive communications with a patient, including a display for presenting information, a calendar for scheduling activities, and a touch screen for interacting with a patient;wherein said point-of-care appliance is in communication with said means for local bidirectional communication, enabling communications with the local computer, and is in communication with said means for remote bidirectional communication, enabling communications with the remote computer.

9. The distributed cognitive system according to claim 8, wherein said point-of-care appliance further comprises means for speech and voice recognition.

10. The distributed cognitive system according to claim 1, further comprising: a point-of-care appliance providing capability for interactive communications with a patient, includinga display for presenting information;a calendar for scheduling activities;a touch screen for interacting with a patient;a proximity detector triggering alerts;timing means for scheduling measurements;a speaker delivering audible alerts, voice prompts and messages;a microphone for recording audible response;processing means for interpreting measurements and delivering feedback responses; andmeans for acting as a gateway to said health monitor, sensor modules, and local computer.

11. The distributed cognitive system according to claim 10, wherein said point-of-care appliance further comprises a sensor selected from the group consisting of an infrared temperature sensor, a motion sensor, an accelerometer sensor, magnetometer sensor, and any combination thereof.

12. A system adapted to deliver remote healthcare through medical monitoring and care intervention to a home-based patient, comprising: a point-of-care appliance adapted for interactive communications with a patient, including: a display for presenting information;a calendar for scheduling activities; anda touch screen for interacting with a patient;a health monitor having a form factor suitable to accompany a patient and adapted to measure a plurality of patient health parameters;a plurality of sensor modules suitable for deployment about the patient's surroundings and adapted to measure ambient parameters;a local computer operating software establishing a cognitive system capable of receiving said measurements of patient health parameters and said measurements of ambient parameters, determining trends therefrom, reaching healthcare decisions, and issuing prompts to the patient; anda wireless bidirectional gateway enabling communications between said health monitor, sensor modules, and local computer.