Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR REMOTELY MONITORING
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention generally relates to a system and a
method for remotely monitoring, and, more specifically, to a
system and a method for remotely monitoring~a person using a
portable unit that is powered by a self-recharging battery.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
Medical devices that monitor a biological parameter of a
patient are often implanted with a battery. Typically, the
battery is replaced before the energy supply is substantially
drained. A conventional battery implanted in the patient does
not generally reveal the amount of remaining energy supply at
a given time. Thus, a conventional battery is replaced
periodically. This results in a waste of batteries as well as
possibly subjecting the patient to invasive surgery which
carries with it enhanced costs, labor and risk.
Some medical devices are powered by rechargeable batteries;
however, such batteries still require the patient to make
hospital~visits in which an external power supply device is
coupled to the rechargeable battery. This may require an
uncomfortable procedure in which the patient is hooked up to
electrodes or subjected to high intensity electromagnetic
radiation.
What is needed to help avoid these disadvantages is a portable
monitoring unit that is powered by a self-recharging battery.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present~invention provides for a system fox remotely
monitoring a person, which includes a portable unit with a
self-recharging battery, the portable unit being adapted to
monitor a biological parameter and a physical position or
location of the person; a global positioning satellite
transmitting global positioning system (GPSI data to the
portable unit; and a central unit disposed remotely from the
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portable unit, the central unit being in communication with
the portable unit via a ground station,
The present invention further provides for a method for
remotely monitoring a person including the steps of adapting a
portable unit to be powered by a self-recharging battery;
self-recharging the self-recharging battery; receiving, from a
global positioning system (GPS) satellite to the portable
unit, information relating to a physical location; monitoring,
at the portable unit, a biological parameter of the person;
and wirelessly communicating the information relating to the
physical location and the biological parameter of the person
from the portable unit to a central unit via a ground station.
The present invention also provides for a self-recharging
battery including a photocell. disposed proximately to and
under a skin surface of a person; a recharging cell coupled to
the photocell; and a battery cell coupled to the recharging
cell. The photocell is adapted'to receive ambient light and
is adapted to generate a potential difference across the
recharging cell in response to receiving the ambient light.
The recharging cell is adapted to store charge in response to
the potential difference. The battery cell is adapted to
recharge using the stored charge.
The present invention also provides for a self-recharging
battery including a transducer disposed in a region of a
person with a substantial temperature gradient; a recharging
cell coupled to the transducer; and a battery cell coupled to
the recharging cell. The transducer is adapted to generate a
potential difference across the recharging cell in response to
.heat flow through the transducer. The recharging cell is
adapted to store charge in response to the potential
difference. The battery cell is adapted to recharge using the
stored charge.
The present invention also provides for a self-recharging
battery including a transducer coupled to a pulsing blood
vessel; a rectifier coupled to the transducer; a recharging
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cell coupled to the rectifier; and a battery cell coupled to'
the recharging cell. The transducer is adapted to generate an
alternating electrical signal in response to the pulsing blood
vessel. The rectifier ~.s adapted to rectify the alternating
electrical signal. The recharging cell is adapted to store
charge in response to the rectified electrical signal. The
battery cell is adapted to recharge using the stored charge.
The present invention also provides for a self-recharging
battery including a transducer coupled to a human voice box of
a person; a rectifier coupled to the transducer; a recharging
cell coupled to the rectifier; and a battery cell coupled to
the recharging cell. The transducer is adapted to generate an
alternating electrical signal in response to acoustic waves
generated by the human voice box. The rectifier is adapted to
rectify the alternating electrical signal. The recharging
cell is adapted to store charge in response to the rectified
electrical signal. The battery cell is adapted to recharge
using the stored charge.
The present invention also provides for a self-recharging
battery including a transducer disposed proximately to and
under a skin surface of a person; a rectifier coupled to the
transducer; a recharging cell coupled to the rectifier; and a
battery cell coupled to the recharging cell. The transducer
is adapted to generate an alternating electrical signal in
response to acoustic waves ,generated by an ambient
environment. The rectifier is adapted to rectify the
alternating electrical signal. The recharging cell is adapted
to store charge in response to the rectified electrical
signal. The battery cell is adapted to recharge using the
stored charge.
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BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Figure 1 illustrates an embodiment of a system and a method
for remotely monitoring of a person according to the present
invention.
Figure 2 illustrates an embodiment of a portable unit
according to the present invention.
Figure 3 illustrates an embodiment of a self-recharging
battery according to the present invention.
Figure 4 illustrates another embodiment of the self-recharging
battery according to the present invention.
Figure 5 illustrates two possible locations for a transducer
of the self-recharging battery according to the present
invention.
Figure 6 illustrates another possible location for the
transducer of the self-recharging battery according to the
present invention.
Figure 7 illustrates still another embodiment of the self-
recharging battery according to the present invention:
Figure 8 illustrates a possible location for a transducer of
the self-recharging battery according to the present
invention.
DETATLEDDESCRIPTION
Although the present invention is generally applicable to
systems and methods for remote monitoring, the following
embodiments according to the present invention contemplate
systems and methods for remotely monitoring a person.
Figure 1 illustrates an embodiment of a system and a method
for remotely monitoring a person according to the present
invention. A portable unit 100 is coupled to a person 110
that is to be monitored. The portable unit 100 is coupled to
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a satellite 130. The satellite 130 may be, for example, a set
or an array of satellites of an existing global positioning
system (GPS). The portable unit 100 is coupled to a ground
station 120. The ground station 120 may be, for example, a
part of an existing mobile phone grid or a radio
communications array. The ground station 120 is coupled to a
central unit 140.
The portable unit 100 is adapted to monitor biological
parameters of the person 100. The portable unit may monitor
acoustic, thermal, mechanical, chemical, electrical and/or
electromagnetic parameters, for example, related to human
biological parameters including, for example, temperature,
heart rate, blood flow rate, muscular activity, respiratory
rate, and brain activity of the person being monitored.
Furthermore, the portable unit 100 is adapted to monitor the
physical location of the person 110. In an embodiment
according to the present invention, the portable unit 100
receives GPS data transmitted by the satellite 130. With the
GPS data, information relating to a physical location of the
person 110 may be determined.
In an embodiment according to the present invention, the
central unit 140 makes a request for information to the ground
station 120, with which the central unit 140 is in two-way
communication. The ground station 120 wirelessly transmits an
interrogation signal to the portable unit 100, with which the
ground station 120 is in two-way wireless communication. In
response to the interrogation signal, the portable unit 100
wirelessly transmits information relating to the physical
location and/or the human biological parameters of the person
110 being monitored. Further information can be sent that is
stored in the portable unit 100 such as, for example,
identifying information, personal information or special
medical information such as personal medical conditions. The
ground station 120 sends.information'relating to information
received from the portable unit 100 to the central unit 140.
The information received by the central unit 140 can
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ultimately be stored, displayed, printed, processed or sent to
other central units in a network, for example.
The central unit 140, which may be located in a hospital or a
monitoring center, for example, may make the request for
information periodically or aperiodically, for example, by
manual intervention or a command triggered by a particular
circumstance. Furthermore, the central unit 140 may be in-
wire-to-wire or wireless communication with the ground station
120.
In another embodiment according to the present invention, the
portable unit 100, without the receipt of the interrogation
signal from the ground station 120, periodically sends
information to the ground station 120. Information relating
to the received information is sent by the ground station 120
to the central unit 140. In yet another embodiment according
to the present invention, the portable unit 100 sends
information to the ground station 120 in response to a
particular circumstance monitored by the portable unit 100 or
in response to a manual command by the person 110 being
- monitored. For example, the portable unit 100 may send
information to the ground station 120 in response to a
particular biological parameter which may be indicative of a
dangerous medical condition. In another example, the portable
unit 100 sends information to the ground station 120 in
response to a manual actuation of a switch or a specifically
programmed button by the person 110.
The processing of data relating to, for example, the physical
location and/or the human biological parameters of the person
110 being monitored may occur either in the portable unit 100,
the ground station 120, the central unit 140 or some
combination thereof. For example, the portable unit 100 may
receive GPS data from the satellite. The GPS data is
processed by the portable unit 100, the portable unit 100
calculating the physical location of the person 110 before
sending the calculated physical location to the ground station
120 and, subsequently, to the central unit 140.
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Alternatively, the GPS data received by the portable unit 100
may be sent to the ground station 120, which processes the
information and calculates the physical location of the person
110, the calculated physical location of the person being sent
to the central unit. In yet another alternative, the GPS data
is sent to the portable unit 100 which sends the information
to the ground station 120 which, in turn, sends the
information to the central unit 140. In this embodiment, it
is the central unit 140 which processes the GPS data and
calculates the physical location of the person 110.
Furthermore, the present invention contemplates a distributed
processing scheme in which part of the processing of the
information received by the portable unit 100 from the person
110 and/or the satellite 130 is processed, in part, by a
combination of the portable unit 100, the ground station 120
and/or the central unit 140.
Figure 2 illustrates an embodiment~of a portable unit 100
according to the present invention. The portable unit 100
includes a microchip 210, a transceiver 220, a self-recharging
battery 230 and at least one sensor 240. The portable unit
100 may optionally include a receiver 250. Furthermore, the
microchip 210 includes a processing unit 260 and an
information storage device 270.
Although Figure 2 illustrates some parts included on the
microchip 210 and some parts coupled to the microchip 210, one
of ordinary skill in the art understands, and the present
invention contemplates, that different levels of integration
may be achieved by integrating any of the coupled parts as
illustrated in Figure 2 onto the microchip 210.
The self-recharging battery 230, the at least one sensor 240,
the transceiver 220 and, optionally, the receiver 250 are each
coupled to the microchip 210. In an embodiment according to
the present invention, the at least one sensor 240, the
transceiver 220 and, optionally, the receiver 250 are each
coupled to the processing unit 260, which, in~turn, is coupled
to the information storage device. The self-recharging
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battery 230 powers the microchip 210, including the processing
unit 260 and the information storage device 270. The self-
recharging battery 230 may also power directly or indirectly
the transceiver 220, the at least one sensor 240 and/or,
optionally, the receiver 250.
In an embodiment according to the present invention, the
transceiver 220 is adapted to be in two-way wireless
communication with the ground station 120 and in one-way
wireless communication with the satellite 130. The
transceiver 220 may be a single antenna or an antenna array,
for example.
Tn another embodiment according to the present invention, the
portable unit 100 includes the transceiver 220 and the
receiver 250. In this embodiment, the transceiver 220 is in
two-way wireless communication with the ground station 120 and
t
the receiver 250 is in one-way wireless communication with the
satellite 130. The use of the transceiver 220 and the
receiver 250 is~advantageous in that the portable unit 100
generally consumes less energy. GPS frequencies tend to be
relatively high and sending information over such frequencies
by the portable unit 100 via the transceiver 220 can be energy
intensive. This embodiment contemplates the receiver 250
being adapted for receiving at high frequencies and the
transceiver 220 being adapted for receiving and sending at
lower frequencies. The sending of information over lower
frequencies by the transceiver 220 results in less energy
consumption by the portable unit 100.
The at least one sensor 240 is adapted to monitor acoustic,
thermal, mechanical, chemical, electrical and/or
electromagnetic parameters, for example, related to human
biological parameters including, for example, temperature,
heart rate, blood flow rate, muscular activity, respiratory
rate, and/or brain activity of the person being monitored.
The conversion of acoustic, thermal, mechanical, chemical,
electrical and/or electromagnetic parameters into electrical
signals, for example, is understood by one of ordinary skill
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in the art and is not detailed further.
The microchip 210 includes the processing unit 260 and the
information storage device 270 in an embodiment according to
the present invention. The processing unit 260 may include,
for example, a microprocessor, a cache, input terminals and
output terminals. The processing unit 260 may include an
information storage device which includes an electronic memory
which may or may not include the cache of the processing unit
260.
In operation, according to at least one embodiment of the
present invention, the receiver 250 receives GPS data from the
satellite 130. The GPS data is received by the microchip 210
l5 and, in particular, the processing unit 260. Although the GPS
data is continuously received by the receiver 250, the
processing unit 260 may periodically or aperiodically (i.e.,
via manual intervention or as a function of circumstance, for
example) receive the GPS data. The GPS data may then be
processed in the processing unit 260 which may include
determining the physical location of the person 110 being
monitored. The GPS data and/or the determined physical .
location are stored in the information storage device 270.
The at least one sensor 240 senses biological parameters of
the person 110. These biological parameters are converted
into electrical signals by the at least one sensor 240 and
received by the processing unit 260. The sensing of
biological parameters by the at least one sensor 240 may be a
periodic or an aperiodic function (i.e., triggered by a
request from the processing unit 260 or as a function of
circumstance, for example). The processing unit 260 may
process the electrical signals by converting them into
information relating to, for example, a measure of
temperature, heart rate, blood flow rate, muscular activity,
respiratory rate, and/or brain activity. The processing unit
260 stores the processed and/or unprocessed electrical signals
_ in the information storage device 270. The transceiver 220
receives the interrogation' signal, for example, from the
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ground station 120. The transceiver 220 then sends the
.interrogation signal to the microchip 210, in particular, to
the processing unit 260. Upon receiving the interrogation
signal the processing unit 260 uploads the information stored
in the information storage device onto the transceiver 220.
The transceiver then sends the uploaded information to the
ground station 120.
In another embodiment according to the present invention, the
microchip is activated only when the transceiver 220 receives
the interrogation signal from the ground station 120. This
embodiment has an advantage in that energy consumption is
minimized. Upon receiving the interrogation signal, the
processing unit 260 accepts data from the receiver 250 and the
at least one sensor 240. The processing unit 260 may accept
the data over a time interval to achieve more precise data or
to develop a history of data. Such data may be processed
and/or stored in the information storage device 270. Upon
completion of the processing and/or storing of the data, the
information contained in the information storage device is
uploaded onto the transceiver 220 and transmitted to the
ground station 120.After completing the transmission of the
uploaded data via the transceiver 220, the processing unit 260
is no longer active in receiving, processing and/or.storing
information until the next interrogation signal is received
from the ground station.
In another embodiment according to the present invention, the
transceiver 220, without the optional receiver 250, is adapted
to receive the GPS data from the satellite 130 and the
interrogation. signal from the ground station 120.
Furthermore; the transceiver 220 transmits information from
the processing unit 260 to the ground station. Operation is
similar as described above.
The information storage device 270 may also store preset
information relating to identification, personal information
or special medical information, for example. This information
may have been programmed before the coupling of the portable
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device 100 to the person 110. Alternatively, the information
may have been transmitted to the portable device 100 after the
portable device 100 was coupled to the person 110. Such
information may include the person s name, home address, phone
~ number and/or a listing of relatives to contact in case of
emergency. Furthermore, the information permanently stored in
the portable device 100 may relate to special medical
information such as allergies to medication or that the
patient is diabetic or asthmatic, for example. All of this
information may be uploaded onto the transceiver 220 and
transmitted to the ground station 120. Such information may
be of special significance to medical personnel when the
person is disoriented or unconscious and unable to
communicate .
Figures 3-8 illustrate exemplary embodiments of the self-
recharging battery 230 according to the present invention. A
self-recharging battery 230 is advantageous in a method and a
system for remote monitoring.
Figure 3 illustrates an embodiment of the self-recharging
battery 230 according to the present invention. The self-
recharging battery 230 includes a photocell 310, a recharging
cell 320 and a battery cell 330. The photocell 310 is
disposed proximately to a skin surface 340 of the person 110.
In the illustrated example, the photocell 310 is~just under
the skin surface 340. The photocell 310 is coupled to the
recharging cell 320. In one embodiment, the recharging cell
is a capacitor. The recharging cell 320 is coupled to the
battery cell 330. The battery cell 330 is coupled to and
powers the microchip 210.
In operation,, ambient light 350 (e. g., environmental light,
natural light) penetrates the skin surface 340. The ambient
light 350 is absorbed by the photocell 310. In response to
the ambient light 350 being absorbed by the photocell 310, the
photocell 310 generates a potential difference (e.g., a
voltage) across the recharging cell 320. The recharging cell
320 stores charge which, in turn, is used to recharge the
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battery cell 330.
Figure 4 illustrates another embodiment of the self-recharging
battery 230 according to the present invention. The self-
recharging battery 230 includes a transducer 410, the
recharging cell 320 and the battery cell 330. In the .
illustrated example, the transducer 410 is disposed
proximately to the skin surface 340. Because of differences
in temperature between the body just below the skin surface
340 and the ambient atmosphere 430, a heat flow 420 is
generated. In part, the heat flow 420 passes through the
transducer 410. The transducer 410 may be, for example, a
heat sensitive semiconductor transducer. The heat flow 420
passing through the transducer 410 creates a potential
difference between opposite sides of the transducer. The
potential difference.is provided across the recharging cell
320, the recharging cell 320 storing charge. The stored
charge is used to recharge the bat''tery cell 330.
Although Figure 4 illustrates a temperature difference between
the skin surface 340 and the ambient atmosphere 430, other
temperature differences may be employed. For example, Figure
5.illustrates that the transducer 410 may be placed between a
fat layer 520 and a muscle layer 530, or between the fat layer
520 and a skin layer 510. Since each layer 510, 520, 530 has
different relative thermal properties, different heat flows
can be generated. Accordingly, the effectiveness of the
transducer 410 as a recharger is dependent upon the location
within the body and upon what materials are employed in
creating the heat flow. Figure 6 illustrates that the
transducer 410 may be disposed between a first body part 610
and a second body part 620. The transducer 410 employs the
heat flow from the first body part 610 to the second body part
620 in charging the recharging cell 320.
Figure 7 illustrates an embodiment of the self-recharging
battery 230 according to the present invention. As the
schematic indicates, the self-recharging battery 230 includes
the battery cell 330, the recharging cell 320, a rectifier 710
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and a transducer 720 (e.g., a piezo-electric device). The
battery cell 330 is coupled to the recharging cell 320 which,
in turn, is coupled to the rectifier 710 which, in turn, is.
coupled to the transducer 720 which, in turn, is coupled to a
blood vessel 730.
In operation, blood is naturally pulsed through the blood
vessel 730 causing the blood vessel 730 to have a cycle of
expansion and compression. The expansion and compression of
the blood vessel 730 is hereinafter referred to as the pulse.
The pulse acts upon the transducer 720. The mechanical
pressure provided on the transducer 720 by the pulse causes
the transducer 720 to generate an alternating electrical
signal. The alternating electrical signal passes through the
rectifier 710. The recharging cell 320 uses the rectified
electrical signal to store charge which, in turn, is used to
recharge the battery cell 330.
Figure 8 illustrates the placement of the transducer 720 in an
advantageous location proximate to the skin surface 340 and to
a human voice box 810 from which resonates audible sounds
(e.g., talking). The transducer 720 (e.g., a microphone) is
stimulated either by the vibrations generated by the voice box
810 as indicated via sound waves 830 or by vibrations
generated in the ambient atmosphere 430 as indicated by sound
waves 820. Thus, via the transducer 720, the self-recharging
battery 230 is recharged when the person 110 is talking, for
example, or when the person 110 is in a noisy ambient
environment.
In the foregoing description, the method and the system of the
present invention have been described with reference to
specific embodiments. It is to be understood and expected
that variations in the principles of the method and the system
herein disclosed may be made by one of ordinary skill in the
art and it is intended that such modifications, changes and
substitutions are to be included within the scope of the
present invention as set forth in the appended claims. The
specification and the drawings are accordingly to be regarded
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in an illustrative, rather than in a restric ive sense.
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