# US 2021/0275070 A1 · Method and apparatus for sending a message to a subject > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2021/0275070 A1 - Document ID: US20210275070A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 16/488,979 - Filed: 2018-02-27 - Published: 2021-09-09 - Earliest claimed: 2017-03-01 - Assignees: Koninklijke Philips N.V. - Applicants: Koninklijke Philips N.V. - Inventors: GERT-JAN LAURENS SCHUURKAMP; ELISE CLAUDE VALENTINE TALGORN; ISABELLA HOI KEE WONG; ADRIANUS JOHANNES MARIA DENISSEN - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20210275070A1 ## CPC - A61B 5/165: {Evaluating the state of mind, e.g. depression, anxiety} - A61B 5/0533: Measuring galvanic skin response - A61B 5/1118: {Determining activity level} - A61M 21/02: for inducing sleep or relaxation, e.g. by direct nerve stimulation, hypnosis, analgesia (for massage A61H; electrotherapy A61N, e.g. applying alternating or intermittent electric currents for producing anaesthesia A61N1/36021) - A61B 5/0002: {Remote monitoring of patients using telemetry, e.g. transmission of vital signals via a communication network (endoradiosondes A61B5/07)} - A61B 2560/0242: adapted to measure environmental factors, e.g. temperature, pollution - A61B 2562/0219: Inertial sensors, e.g. accelerometers, gyroscopes, tilt switches - A61M 2021/0044: {by the sight sense} - A61M 2205/3303: Using a biosensor - A61B: DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION (usefulness limited to only animals A61D) - A61M: DEVICES FOR INTRODUCING MEDIA INTO, OR ONTO, THE BODY (introducing media into or onto the bodies of animals A61D7/00; means for inserting tampons A61F13/26; devices for administering food or medicines orally A61J; containers for collecting, storing or administering blood or medical fluids A61J1/05); DEVICES FOR TRANSDUCING BODY MEDIA OR FOR TAKING MEDIA FROM THE BODY (surgery A61B; chemical aspects of surgical articles A61L); DEVICES FOR PRODUCING OR ENDING SLEEP OR STUPOR {(Electrotherapy, e.g. producing anaesthesia by the use of alternating or intermittent currents A61N1/36021)} ## Abstract According to an aspect, there is provided a method of sending a message to a subject, the method comprising obtaining (30; 502) measurements of one or more physiological characteristics of a subject over time; determining (32; 504) a psychological state of the subject for a plurality of time periods from the measurements; and in the event that it is determined that the subject is in a psychological state of interest in a first time period, sending (34; 514) a message to the subject in a time period subsequent to the first time period in which it is determined that the subject is not in the psychological state of interest. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method of sending a message to a subject, the method comprising: obtaining measurements of one or more physiological characteristics of a subject, wherein the measurements are taken over a first plurality of time periods; determining a psychological state of the subject during each of the first plurality of time periods; and when it is determined that the subject is in a psychological state of interest in a first time period, sending a message to the subject in a second time period subsequent to the first time period, wherein in the second time period the subject is not in the psychological state of interest. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method as in claim 1, wherein the message requests that the subject identify the psychological state of interest in the first time period. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method as in claim 1, wherein the method further comprises: determining baseline values of measurements of the one or more physiological characteristics associated with a baseline psychological state, wherein the determining comprises: comparing a current set of the measurements of the one or more physiological characteristics to the baseline values; and determining that the subject is in a psychological state of interest if the current set of measurements of the one or more physiological characteristics deviate from the baseline values. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The method as in claim 3, wherein the determining comprises determining that the subject is in a psychological state of interest if the current set of measurements deviate from the baseline values by more than a predetermined amount. ### Claim 5 (depends on 3) The method as in claim 3, wherein the determining comprises determining that the subject is in a psychological state of interest if the current set of measurements deviate from the baseline values for longer than a predetermined minimum amount of time. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method as in claim 1 further comprising: obtaining movement measurements of the movements of the subject over a second plurality of time periods; and obtaining environmental measurements of one or more environmental parameters over a third plurality of time periods, wherein the determining comprises determining the psychological state of the subject for each of the first plurality of time periods and each of the second plurality of time periods and each of the third plurality of time periods. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The method as in claim 6, wherein the determining comprises determining that the subject is not in a psychological state of interest if at least one of the movement measurements or the environmental measurements indicate that the subject is performing a physical activity. ### Claim 8 (depends on 6) The method as in claim 6, wherein the determining comprises determining that the subject is not in a psychological state of interest if at least one of the movement measurements or the environmental measurements indicate that the subject is physically stressed due to environmental factors. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) A computer program product comprising a non-transitory computer readable medium, wherein the computer program product comprises computer readable code, wherein the computer readable code is configured such that, on execution by a suitable computer or processor, the computer or processor is caused to perform the method of claim 1. ### Claim 10 An apparatus for sending a message to a subject, the apparatus comprising: a processing circuit, the processing circuit configured to: obtain measurements of one or more physiological characteristics of a subject, wherein the measurements are taken over a first plurality of time periods; determine a psychological state of the subject during each of the first plurality of time periods; and send a message to the subject in a second time period subsequent to a first time period in which it is determined that the subject is in a psychological state of interest, wherein in the second time period the subject is not in a psychological state of interest. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The apparatus as in claim 10, wherein the message requests that the subject identify the psychological state of interest in the first time period. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) The apparatus as in claim 10, wherein the processing circuit is further configured to: determine baseline values of measurements of the one or more physiological characteristics associated with a baseline psychological state, wherein the processing circuit is configured to determine a psychological state of the subject by: comparing a current set of the measurements of the one or more physiological characteristics to the baseline values; and determining that the subject is in a psychological state of interest if the current set of measurements of the one or more physiological characteristics deviate from the baseline values. ### Claim 13 (depends on 10) The apparatus as in claim 10, wherein the processing circuit is further configured to: obtain movement measurements of the movements of the subject over a second plurality of time periods; and obtaining environmental measurements of one or more environmental parameters over a third plurality of time periods, wherein the processing circuit is configured to determine a psychological state of the subject by determining the psychological state of the subject for each of the first plurality of time periods and each of the second plurality of time periods and each of the third plurality of time periods. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The apparatus as in claim 13, wherein the processing circuit is configured to determine the psychological state of the subject by determining that the subject is not in a psychological state of interest if at least one of the movement measurements or the environmental measurements indicate that the subject is performing a physical activity. ### Claim 15 (depends on 10) The apparatus as in claim 10, wherein the apparatus further comprises a physiological characteristic sensor for measuring one or more physiological characteristics of a subject over time. ### Claim 16 (depends on 13) The apparatus as in claim 13, wherein the processing circuit is configured to determine the psychological state of the subject by determining that the subject is not in a psychological state of interest if at least one of the movement measurements or the environmental measurements indicate that the subject is physically stressed due to environmental factors.