Medical monitoring device and system

Abstract

A portable device that receives data provided by one or more sensors and displays statistical data related to the sensor data or otherwise related to the person. Statistical data may include high, low, average, mean value, median value, standard deviation, least square, variance, distribution, compilation, etc. for or at any given time or period of time for the person being monitored, as well as for such values for segments or groups of the population, or limit values, or target values, etc. The values may represent measurements and other data related to physiological signs and parameters such as blood pressure, heart rate, body temperature, electrocardiogram, glucose level, substances and/or chemical presence or level, analyze measurements, etc. The portable device may also display such measurements. The portable device may compute the statistical data, with or without the aid of a remote computer, and/or store statistical data, and/or a remote computer may compute and/or store statistical data. The portable device may communicate with a remote computer through a wireless link from the portable device, which may compute and/or store statistical data and measurements.

1 . A medical monitoring device sized to be carried by a person to be monitored, comprising: 
 an electronic controller;    at least one memory coupled to the electronic controller that at least temporarily stores (a) sensor data provided by at least one sensor associated with the monitored person in response to at least one physiological characteristic of the monitored person, and (b) statistical data related to sensor data provided by the at least one sensor; and    a display device that displays at least statistical data stored in the at least one memory.    
     
     
         2 . The device of  claim 1  comprising a communications unit coupled to the electronic controller that transmits sensor data over a wireless communications link and receives over the wireless link statistical data related to sensor data transmitted by the communications unit, the statistical data received by the communications unit being stored at least temporarily in the at least one memory.  
     
     
         3 . The device of  claim 2 , wherein the communications unit comprises a two-way pager.  
     
     
         4 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the display device displays sensor data stored in the memory.  
     
     
         5 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the controller includes means for computing statistical data stored in the at least one memory.  
     
     
         6 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the statistical data comprises at least one of an average, a variance, a standard deviation, a least square, a distribution, and a compilation of sensor-related data.  
     
     
         7 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the display device displays statistical data as at least one of text and graphics.  
     
     
         8 . A system comprising one or more devices as defined in  claim 2  and a remote computer and associated memory that at least temporarily stores sensor data and statistical data processed from or related to the stored sensor data, the communications unit of the device transmitting sensor data for receipt by the computer and receiving statistical data provided by the computer.  
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein the remote computer comprises a web server connected to the Internet.  
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 9 , comprising means for providing at least sensor data stored by the associated memory to devices in accordance with an authorization procedure.  
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein the remote computer provides all statistical data stored in the device's memory.  
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 8 , comprising a plurality of devices, the communications units of the plurality of devices transmitting sensor data for receipt by the computer and receiving statistical data provided by the computer.  
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein the controller is programmed to control transmission of sensor data by the communication unit to the remote computer in response to a user input to the device and to request statistical data from the remote computer in response to a user input to the device.  
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein the controller is programmed to control transmission of sensor data by the communication unit to the remote computer at programmed time intervals and to request statistical data from the remote computer at programmed time intervals.  
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein the remote computer is programmed to provide statistical data to the device according to programmed parameters.  
     
     
         16 . A medical monitoring system comprising: 
 a plurality of portable electronics units each sized to be carried by a person being monitored and each comprising:    an electronic controller;    at least one memory coupled to the electronic controller that at least temporarily stores (a) sensor data provided by at least one sensor associated with the monitored person in response to at least one physiological characteristic of the monitored person, and (b) statistical data processed from or related to sensor data provided by the at least one sensor;    a communications unit coupled to the electronic controller that transmits sensor data over a wireless communications link and receives over the wireless link statistical data based from or related to sensor data transmitted by the communications unit, the statistical data received by the communications unit being stored at least temporarily in the at least one memory; and    a display device that displays at least statistical data stored in the at least one memory; and    a remote computer and associated memory that at least temporarily stores sensor data and statistical data processed from or related to the stored sensor data, the communications unit of the electronics unit transmitting sensor data for receipt by the computer and receiving statistical data provided by the computer;    the display displaying statistical data provided only by the remote computer.    
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 16 , wherein the communications unit comprises a two-way pager.  
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 16 , wherein the display device displays sensor data stored in the memory.  
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 16 , wherein the statistical data comprises at least one of an average, a variance, a standard deviation, a least square, a distribution, and a compilation of sensor-related data.  
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 16 , wherein the display device displays statistical data as at least one of text and graphics.  
     
     
         21 . The system of  claim 16 , wherein the remote computer comprises a web server connected to the Internet.  
     
     
         22 . The system of  claim 16 , comprising means for providing at least sensor data stored by the associated memory to devices in accordance with an authorization procedure.  
     
     
         23 . The system of  claim 16 , wherein the controller is programmed to control transmission of sensor data by the communication unit to the remote computer in response to a user input to the device and to request statistical data from the remote computer in response to a user input to the device.  
     
     
         24 . The system of  claim 16 , wherein the controller is programmed to control transmission of sensor data by the communication unit to the remote computer at programmed time intervals and to request statistical data from the remote computer at programmed time intervals.  
     
     
         25 . The combination of  claim 16 , wherein the remote computer is programmed to provide statistical data to the device according to programmed parameters.