Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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EDUCATIONAL AND INTERACTIVE HEALTH MONITOR AND METHOD
' FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to the field of health
monitoring devices. More specifically, the invention
relates to educational and interactive health monitoring
devices.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Virtually everyone in the modern world is touched by
the high cost of health care. With rising costs, fewer
and fewer people can afford an optimal level of contact
with a physician for treatment of health conditions or
preventative care. This situation may lead many members
of the population who are in needof health care to
believe they cannot afford it. These persons are less
likely to seek proper health care when needed.
Further, despite great advances in the field of
medicine, there may still be some members of the
population who feel threatened by or who harbor a
distrust or fear of health care professionals or
institutions, for any number of reasons. These persons
are also less likely to seek proper health care when
needed.
The two factors mentioned above: the high cost of
health care and distrust or fear of health care
professionals or institutions, may combine in members of
the population to prevent such persons from seeking out
and obtaining adequate health care.
Therefore, what is needed is a device which can
reduce health care costs by performing some functions of
a health care professional and at the same time reduce
possible distrust of health care professionals and
institutions by providing health care functions to a user
in a non-threatening manner.
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It is an object of the present invention to reduce
health care costs by performing some functions of a
health care professional.
1_
It is yet a further object of the present invention
to achieve the above-mentioned objects through education ~ 1
obtained in an enjoyable and interactive manner.
1
It is an additional object of the present invention
to accomplish the above-mentioned objects in a relatively
1
inexpensive and simple-to-use manner.
It is yet an additional object of the present
invention to have the capability to be functionally
expanded with interchangeable compact disks further
reducing initial cost.
The prior art discloses devices that monitor health -
related parameters. For example, U.S. Patent No.
1__
5,307,263 discloses a modular, microprocessor-based,
health monitoring system. The hand-held unit has a
1_
display screen, a control button pad, interchangeable =
1_
program cartridges and sensors for monitoring a variety --
1
of health care data. The program cartridges may include
motivational and educational material related to use of
the device, including step-by-step instructions.
Acquired data may be transmitted to a data management
unit via an interface cable and to a clearinghouse via
telephone lines. A program cartridge for monitoring
glucose levels and a glucose sensor is disclosed having
the purpose of caring for children with diabetes.
However, this device has the disadvantage of having a
relatively small liquid crystal display screen, a limited
ability to process and store data due to its small size,
and limited on-time due to its battery power. Because
this invention is directed to chronic ailments, its
educational capabilities are likely limited to teaching
how to use the device and to teaching about those chronic
ailments to which it is directed.
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Another example is disclosed in U.S. Patent No.
4,803,625 which discloses a personal health monitor that
measures a patient's weight, temperature, blood pressure
and ECG waveform. A plurality of monitors may be coupled
to a central computer via telephone lines. The central
computer may prompt the patients to take medication,
measure certain health parameters, supply answers to
selected questions or determine patient symptoms based on
patient responses to questions. The monitor transmits
patient data to the central computer. The central
computer compares collected patient data to expected
values and triggers an alarm if the data falls outside a
predetermined range. A disadvantage of this invention is
that communication with a central computer is required in
order to implement its educational capabilities. This
increases the cost and complexity of the entire system.
Yet another example can be found in U.S. Patent No.
5,024,225 which discloses a personal health monitor and
its enclosure. The object of this invention is to
provide an enclosure for a health monitor such as the one
described in U.S. Patent No. 4,803,625, discussed above.
A disadvantage of this device is that it requires the use
of a standard lap top computer as the processing unit
which increases the cost of the device.
None of the above-mentioned patented devices benefit
from the enhanced sound, video and memory capabilities of
a multimedia processor having a CD-ROM digital memory
store and operating with a television set.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is an electronic health
monitoring system. A multimedia processor is a modified
CD-ROM multimedia interactive television video game
console which comprises a microprocessor, hardware, and
software. One or more physiological data monitors are
coupled to provide a signal representative of a user's
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physiological parameter, such as blood pressure, to the
multimedia processor through an isolated interface
circuit. A hand-held program controller having
directional buttons is operated by the user to control
the various functions of the multimedia processor. A
television is coupled to the multimedia processor to
provide sound and a video display based upon output
signals from the multimedia processor. A monitor can
also be used to provide a display platform.
Interchangeable compact disks (CD-ROM) comprise
additional software. The software contained in the
interchangeable compact disks enables the system to
execute a variety of health related functions, to display
high quality moving or still video images and to produce
high quality sound accompaniment. For example, the
system may monitor a user's electrocardiographic signals
and display an ECG waveform and various other parameters,
such as heart rate, on the television screen. The system
may also interactively provide more detailed or
educational information to the user based upon the user's
operation of the hand-held program controller and also
based upon predetermined software routines and data
stored within the system.
According to one aspect of the present
invention, there is provided an apparatus for
interactively monitoring a physiological condition and
for interactively providing health-related information
comprising: a. a television set; b. a multimedia
processor coupled to provide audio and visual signals to
the television set; c. an interface device coupled to
control the multimedia processor; d. a physiological data
monitor coupled to provide a signal representative of a
physiological parameter of a user to the interface
device; e. a patient isolating circuit coupled between
the physiological data monitor and the interface device;
and f. a program controller coupled to provide a control
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signal to the multimedia processor based upon the user's
input, so as to provide health related information to the
user in an interactive manner based upon the signal
representative of the physiological parameter and the
control signal.
According to another aspect of the present
invention, there is provided an apparatus for
interactively monitoring a physiological condition and
for interactively providing health-related information
comprising: a. a display device comprising a display
screen and an audio speaker; b. a multimedia processor
coupled to provide an audio signal and a visual signal to
the display device wherein the multimedia processor
comprises a multiplayer having a CD-ROM drive; c. an
interface device coupled to control the multimedia
processor; d. a physiological data monitor coupled to
provide a signal representative of a physiological
parameter to the interface device; e. a patient isolating
circuit coupled between the physiological data monitor
and the interface device; and f. a controller coupled to
provide a control signal to the multimedia processor
based on a user's input, so as to provide health related
information to the user in an interactive manner based
upon the signal representative of the physiological
parameter and the control signal.
According to still another aspect of the
present invention, there is provided a method of
interactively monitoring a physiological condition and
for interactively providing health-related information
comprising the steps of: a. providing educational
information related to a physiological parameter to a
user by a multimedia processor wherein the educational
information is stored on a CD-ROM; b. sensing an analog
signal representative of a physiological parameter of the
user, wherein the analog signal is sensed by a
physiological data monitor coupled to a patient isolating
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circuit of an interface device; c. converting the analog
signal into a stream of digital values to the multimedia
processor, wherein the analog signal is converted by the
interface device; and d. displaying physiological
information derived from the digital values on a
television screen.
According to yet another aspect of the present
invention, there is provided an apparatus for
interactively monitoring a physiological condition and
for interactively providing health-related information
comprising: a. a physiological data monitor that is
adapted to measure a physiological condition of a user
and for generating a first electronic signal in response
to a measurement of the physiological condition; b. a
processor for receiving a second electronic signal that
is a function of the first electronic signal; c. an
interface isolating device coupled between the
physiological data monitor and the processor for
receiving the first electronic signal from the
physiological data monitor and providing the second
electronic signal to the processor, wherein the interface
isolating device electrically isolates the user from the
processor; d. a memory coupled to the processor for
storing a plurality of display information files, each
file corresponding to a predetermined measurement of the
physiological condition; and e. a display system coupled
to the processor for displaying one of the display
information files in response to the measurement of the
physiological condition, so as to provide health related
information to the user in an interactive manner.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Figure 1 shows a diagram of the present
invention.
Figure 2 shows a detailed diagram of the hand-
held program controller of the present invention.
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DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
Referring to Figure 1, a diagram of the present
invention is shown. A multimedia processor 1 comprises a
microprocessor, hardware, read-only digital memory (ROM),
writeable digital memory (RAM), and may also include a
compact disk read only memory (CD-ROM) drive for
accepting interchangeable compact disks for an increased
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memory store. Data and software that is medically or
health related and software routines for controlling the
-' system are stored in one or more of the digital memory
stores. In the preferred embodiment, the multimedia
processor 1 is a CD-ROM television video game console,
otherwise known as an "interactive TV" (ITV) system such
as the Interactive Multiplayer developed by 3D0 Company
and manufactured by Panasonic under the name "FZ-1 REAL
3D0 Interactive Multiplayer" or another similar~ITV
system manufactured under license from 3D0. The
multimedia processor 1 is somewhat smaller in size than
a
typical video cassette recorder (VCR). Alternately, the
multimedia player 1 is a "set-top box" which is
television compatible, has interactive capabilities and
has one or more communication ports which may connect to
the "information superhighway" through a telephone line,
coaxial cable, or other means. Such a set-top box
preferably includes an application specific integrated
circuit (ASIC), programmed arithmetic logic array chip
(PAL) or other circuit devices to implement functions of
an interface device 14 described below. Preferably, the
multimedia processor 1 also comprises a 32-bit reduced
instruction set (RISC) central processing unit (CPU) made
by ARM, a digital signal processor (DSP) for high quality
sound, and has three dimensional audio imaging for
increased directional realism in the sound effects. The
multimedia processor 1 preferably has expansion ports to
support additional user interface and other devices, such
as keyboards, joysticks, trackballs, or modems in daisy
chain fashion and to accept add-on circuits for enhanced
sound, video, or pr-ocessing performance. In addition,
the multimedia processor 1 preferably comprises an
"animation engine" having two integrated circuit chips
for displaying or moving up 64 million pixels per second
and having the ability to make a video image bend, twist,
skew, shrink, stretch, be transparent or translucent, and
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having the ability to create light and shadow effects and
having the ability to "wrap" a first two-dimensional
video image onto a second three-dimensional video image
of an object. Such video techniques are known in the
art. The multimedia processor 1 has a slot 2 for
accepting interchangeable compact disks 3 into the CD-ROM
drive. The interchangeable compact disks 3 comprise
additional software which enables the system to execute a
variety of specific health related functions and
interactions related to ECG, blood pressure, glucose
levels, pulse rate, kidney functions and so forth.
Alternatively, the interchangeable compact disks 3 are
instead interchangeable cartridges, similar to
interchangeable video game cartridges, having high
density digital mass storage, such as flash memory cards.
The multimedia processor 1 is coupled by a television
interface cable 5 to a television 4 of the conventional
1
type or to a television having enhanced video or sound
capabilities. The multimedia processor 1 supplies
electronic information to the television 4 through the
television interface cable 5 to enable the television 4
to produce appropriate images on the television screen 6
and to enable the television 4 to projectappropriate a
1
audio sounds from the television speaker 7 or speakers.
1
Stereo sound effects may be employed in those televisions
having stereo capability. In addition, auxiliary
speakers or sound amplification devices may be coupled to
1
the television 4. The multimedia processor 1 is also
coupled to a program controller 8 by acontrol interface
cable 9. The program controller 8 enables the user to
make selections and to controlthe functions of the
health monitoring system. The program controller 8 is
also shown in Figure 2 and is described in more detail
below.
The multimedia processor 1 is also coupled to a
physiological data monitor 10. The physiological data
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PATENT
monitor 10 is coupled to the user's body to obtain
electrical signals representative of a physiological
parameter. The physiological data monitor 10 is coupled
to the multimedia processor through an interface device
14. The interface device 14 includES hardware and
software necessary to receive signals from the
physiological data monitor 10 by means of the signal
receiver 14(d), to perform signal conditioning or
processing by means of the processor 14(b) and the
-~ converter 14(c), to control the multimedia processor 1 by
means of the multimedia controller 14(a), and to provide
signals representative of a physiological parameter to
the multimedia processor 1 through an interface cable 15.
Such signal processing may include digital to analog
conversion, analog to digital conversion, digital
reformatting, and signal scaling and may be based upon
the system hardware, software, user input or upon
requirements of the physiological data monitor 10.
Preferably, the physiological data monitor 10 is
electrically isolated from the rest of the system by a
patient isolating circuit 14(e). For example, such a
patient isolating circuit may comprise an optically
isolating circuit such as the "MAX250/MAX251" +5 volt
powered isolated RS-232 driver/receiver manufactured by
MAXIM. Preferably, the interface device 14 comprises the
patient isolating circuit described above by being
integrally housed within the same housing, however, the
patient isolating circuit may be separately housed or
incorporated into the physiological data monitor 10. In
addition, the multimedia processor 1 may provide control
signals to the interface device 14 through the interface
cable 15 based upon the hardware and software in the
multimedia processor 1 and upon the user's input to the
program controller 8. Additionally, the program
controller 8 may be coupled to provide control signals
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PATENT
directly to the interface device 14. The interface
device 14 may be external to the multimedia processor 1,
but in the preferred embodiment, the interface device 14
and the interface cable 15 are integrally mounted
internal to the housing of the multimedia processor 1 as
is the patient isolating circuit.
As an example only, Figure 1 shows a physiological
data monitor 10 in the form of an electrocardiogram (ECG)
monitoring device. The ECG monitoring device has three
electrodes 11,12,13 which couple to the user's body to
obtain analog electrical signals representative of the
user's cardiac activity. However, the physiological data
monitor 1Q may comprise a pressure cuff, a temperature
probe, a blood glucose sensor, kidney dialysis equipment,
and so forth. Standard or modified patient monitoring
equipment provided by other manufacturers may be used.
For example, Johnson ~ Johnson makes a blood pressure
cuff called "Dynamap" and Boehringer Mannheim makes a
blood glucose indicator called "Accucheck Easy." Such
patient monitoring equipment provided by other
manufacturers often have an RS-232 port or analog output
jacks. Therefore, to save manufacturing costs, the
present invention includes the ability to interface with
.
of connectors by including compatible
such types
2S connectors and related hardware in the interface device
14. Each of the various physiological data monitors to
are interchangeable and each may have corresponding
software stored on an interchangeable compact disk 3.
In an embodiment of the present invention, the
multimedia processor 1 has selectable modes wherein a
language such as English, French, German, Italian, or
Spanish is selected a.ld a level of sophistication or
educational background of the user is selected. This may
be implemented by a hardware switch coupled to the
multimedia processor 1 or by a hidden software function
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which is accessible, for example, only when a specific
combination of control buttons are activated during
system power up. such hidden software functions are
known in the art. As an example of the use of the
selectable modes, a doctor could select an appropriate
.language and level of sophistication of a user or patient
using the~hidden software function. The user then takes
the system to the user's home and goes through an
interactive health monitoring or an interactive,
educational program which is tailored to the language and
level of sophistication or educational background of the
user. The user then returns to the doctor's office with
the system where information obtained from the patient is
downloaded from the health monitoring system to a
computer at the doctor's office. This information then
enables the doctor to quickly pinpoint any problem areas
that the particular patient is experiencing which saves
the doctor's time, effecting a savings in medical
resources. Then the system may be reconfigured for a
different user having a different native language and
level of sophistication or educational background and the
process repeated.
Referring to Figure 2, a hand-held program
controller 8 is shown_ The program controller 8
comprises a variety of push button switches. The push
button switches are coupled to be activated by control
buttons 101, 102, 103, 104, 105, 106, 107, 108, and which
are manipulated by the user for controlling the health
monitoring system. The program controller 8 has a group
. of directional control buttons 101, 102, 103 and 104 in
the center of which is printed the label "SELECT". The
button 105 is printed with the label "INDEX". The
button 106 is printed with the label "PAUSE". The
button 107 has the
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label "BACK" printed on or near it. The button 108 has
the label "FORWARD" printed on or near it. The specific
configuration of the buttons and labels is by way of
example only and it should be apparent that any number of
S alternate configurations of buttons, keys, or different
labels would suffice to achieve the objects of the,
program controller 8.
As an example of how the health monitoring system
operates, a user first sets up the system in a manner
similar to setting up a television-type video game, such
as that manufactured by 3D0. Next, an interchangeable
compact disk 3 is inserted into the slot 2 of the
multimedia processor l.~ In this case, an ECG disk is
installed. Then, the user connects the physiological
data monitor 10 to the user's body. In this case, the
ECG electrodes 11,12,13 are attached to the user's chest.
Next, the user turns the system on. Then the software of
the interchangeable.compact disk 3 and the software of
the multimedia processor 1 guide the user through a
series of educational and interactive steps including
measurements of physiological parameters and display of
the results. In this case, for example, the health
monitoring system may display on the television screen a
moving or still image or images and possibly audio
signals to explain what an ECG is, why ECG measurements
are important to health care and to guide the user
through the steps necessary to take ECG measurements:
Then, the health monitoring system displays the results
. of the measurements and may have audio effect's as well.
In this case, the user's ECG trace or waveform may be
displayed in analog form along with the user's heart rate
in numerical form, while a~audio representation of the
user's beating heart may be present. The health '
monitoring system may also compare the user's
measurements with previously stored measurements of the
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PATENT
same user's ECG or with measurements representative of a
normative physiological parameter. eased upon these
comparisons, the system may guide the user through
additional measurements, store information for later
retrieval or downloading, recommend that the user seek
the services of a health care professional, ask questions
of the user, give advice in areas such as the user's diet
and exercise habits, and so forth. In addition to the
above, the health monitoring system may provide functions
'~ related to blood pressure, glucose levels, pulse rate,
kidney function, and so forth..
The present invention has been described in terms of
specific embodiments incorporating~details to facilitate
the understanding of the principles of construction and
operation of the invention. Such reference herein to
specific embodiments and details thereof is not intended
to limit the scope of the claims appended hereto. It
will be apparent to those skilled in the art that
modifications may be made in the embodiment chosen for
2o illustration without departing from the spirit and scope
of the invention. Specifically, it will be apparent that
to one of ordinary skill in the art that the device of
the present invention could be implemented in several
different ways and the apparatus disclosed above is only
illustrative of the preferred embodiment of the invention
and is in no way a limitation.
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~IMEND~D ~~~
