Personal health monitor

A personal health monitor adapted to be powered by an alternating circuit power source, said monitor comprising:

• means for collecting information indicative of the physical condition of a patient;
• means for recording the collected information;
• and
• means for supplying a DC supply voltage to power the collecting means and the recording means, said supplying means comprising:
• a rechargeable battery connected to the collecting means and the recording means;
• a battery charger adapted for connection to the alternating circuit power source and comprising means for supplying a charging current to the battery;
• a switch positioned to interrupt the flow of charging current from the battery charger to the battery and switchable between a first state, in which the switch isolates the battery from the charging circuit, and a second state, in which the switch allows the charging current to flow to the battery;
• first means for automatically placing the switch in the first state during at least selected periods of interaction between the patient and the collecting means;
• and
• second means for automatically placing the switch in the second state during at least selected periods characterized by an absence of interaction between the patient and the collecting means.

A personal health monitor adapted to be powered by an alternating current power source, said monitor comprising:

• a patient monitor comprising at least a display, a blood pressure sensor, a patient temperature sensor, a patient weight sensor, a controller which comprises means for presenting messages to a patient via the display, means for recording readings from the sensors in a log, and means for transmitting the log to a central location for analysis by trained medical personnel;
• a rechargeable battery;
• means for supplying power from the battery to the patient monitor;
• a battery charger adapted for connection to the alternating current power source and comprising means for supplying a charging current to the battery;
• a switch interposed between the battery and the alternating current power source and switchable between a first state, in which the switch isolates the battery from the alternating current power source, and a second state, in which the switch interconnects the battery and the alternating current power source via the battery charger;
• first means, includes in the patient monitor, for automatically placing the switch in the first state whenever the means for recording readings from the sensors is operative in order to insure that the alternating current power source patients to danger to the patient and no disturbing influence to the readings from the sensors;
• and
• second means for automatically placing the switch in the second state during at least selected periods characterized by an absence of interaction between the patient and patient monitor.

A personal health monitor comprising:

• first means for automatically collecting a first set of data indicative of a first set of parameters indicative of the physical condition of a patient;
• second means for automatically comparing the first set of data with a set of test criteria and for indicating when the first set of data fails to meet the test criteria;
• third means for automatically collecting a second set of additional data from the patient only when the first set of data fails to meet the test criteria, said second set of additional data indicative of at least one additional parameter, not included in the first set of parameters, selected to provide additional diagnostic information useful in interpreting the first set of data;
• and
• fourth means for automatically transmitting the first and second sets of data to a central location for analysis by trained medical personnel;
• wherein the first set of data comprises information indicative of at least one physical measurement of a parameter included in the first set of parameters and indicative of the physical condition of the patient;
• wherein the second set of data comprises information indicative of at least one physical measurement of said additional parameter.

A personal health monitor comprising:

• a patient monitor adapted for home use, comprising at least a display, a patient answer input device, a plurality of sensors including blood pressure sensor, a patient temperature sensor, and a patient weight sensor, and a controller which comprises first means for presenting messages including questions to a patient via the display, second means for recording patient answers to selected ones of the questions and readings from selected ones of the sensors in a log, and third means for automatically transmitting the log to a central location for analysis by trained medical personnel;
• means, included in the second means, for automatically collecting a first set of data from a first selected set of sensors and questions and recording said first set of data in the log;
• means for automatically comparing the first set of data with a set of test criteria and for indicating when the first set of data deviates excessively from the test criteria;
• means, included in the second means and operative only when the first set of data deviates excessively from the test criteria, for automatically collecting a second set of additional data from a second selected set of sensors and questions and recording said second set of data in the log prior to transmission of the log by the third means, said second selected set of sensors and questions including at least one sensor or question not included in the first selected set of sensors and questions;
• said second set of additional data selected to provide additional diagnostic information useful in interpreting the first set of data.

A personal health monitor adapted for home use comprising:

• a display;
• a plurality of patient sensors including at least a blood pressure sensor, a patient temperature sensor, and a patient weight sensor;
• a controller comprising first means for presenting messages of a patient via the display, second means for recording a plurality of patient parameters indicative of readings from selected ones of the sensors in a log;
• and third means for automatically transmitting the log to a central location for analysis by trained medical personnel;
• means for storing information indicative of a selected range of normal values for a first one of the parameters, said selected range of normal values varying in accordance with a second one of the parameters such that the selected range of normal values when the second parameter has a first value differs from the selected range of normal values when the second parameter has a second value, said first and second parameters selected such that the correlation between the first and second parameters is diagnostically significant;
• means for alerting the central location only when the first parameter is outside the selected range of normal values.

A personal health monitor comprising:

• first means for automatically collecting a first set of data indicative of a first set of parameters indicative of the physical condition of a patient;
• second means for automatically comparing the first set of data with a set of test criteria and for indicating when the first set of data fails to meet the test criteria;
• third means for automatically collecting a second set of additional data from the patient only when the first set of data fails to meet the test criteria, said second set of additional data indicative of at least one additional parameter, not included in the first set of parameters, selected to provide additional diagnostic information useful in interpreting the first set of data;
• and
• fourth means for automatically transmitting the first and second sets of data to a central location for analysis by trained medical personnel;
• wherein the second set of data comprises information indicative of at least one physical measurement of said additional parameter.

A personal health monitor adapted for home use comprising:

• a display;
• a plurality of patient sensors including at least a blood pressure sensor, a patient temperature sensor, and a patient weight sensor;
• a controller comprising first means for presenting messages to a patient via the display, second means for recording a plurality of patient parameters indicative of readings from selected ones of the sensors in a log;
• and third means for automatically transmitting the log to a central location for analysis by trained medical personnel;
• means for storing information indicative of a selected range of normal values for a first one of the parameters, said selected range of normal values varying in accordance with a second one of the parameters such that the selected range of normal values when the second parameter has a first value differs from the selected range of normal values when the second parameter has a second value, said first and second parameters selected such that the correlation between the first and second parameters is diagnostically significant;
• means, including in the controller, for recording in the log a plurality of patient parameters indicative of readings from selected additional ones of the sensors, only when the first parameter is outside the selected range of normal values.