Visual medical monitoring system for a remote subject

Abstract

The present invention is of a system, which features bi-directional communication for measuring and transferring medical data and for communication with medical personnel. The apparatus is preferably integrated with at least one of, but more preferably both, audio and video conferencing between an external (home and office) subject and a medical service center. The invention is particularly useful for subjects having some type of medical risk who wish to be supervised by a medical service center, as well as supervision for emergency situations.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A gateway for communicating medical information and conferencing information, said gateway comprising:
 a first communication unit structured for communicating with a patient medical monitoring unit, the patient medical monitoring unit structured to measure a physiological parameter of a subject to form physiological data;   a second communication unit structured for communicating with a medical service center connected with said gateway via a public communication network, said medical service center and said gateway being structured to communicate said physiological data and to communicate conferencing information, said conferencing information comprising at least one of audio information and video information; and   a switching unit structured to controllably alternate between communicating said physiological data and communicating said conferencing information.   
     
     
         2 . A gateway according to  claim 1  wherein said controllably alternating communication comprises at least one of:
 said gateway controlling said medical service center; 
 said medical service center controlling said gateway; 
 remotely controlling said alternating of said communication; and 
 manually controlling said alternating of said communication. 
 
     
     
         3 . A gateway according to  claim 1  additionally including at least one of: a tone generator and a tone decode usable in said remote controlling of said alternating. 
     
     
         4 . A gateway according to  claim 1  additionally including a timer for activating said monitoring unit on scheduled times. 
     
     
         5 . A gateway according to  claim 4  additionally operative to receive said scheduled times from said medical service center. 
     
     
         6 . A gateway according to  claim 1  additionally configured to receive said physiological data from said medical monitoring unit, and to store said physiological data until transferred to medical service center. 
     
     
         7 . A gateway according to  claim 1  additionally configured to receive from said medical service center a call bearing data, and to store said data until transferred later on to said medical monitoring unit. 
     
     
         8 . A gateway according to  claim 1  additionally configured to automatically answer a call from said medical service center and perform at least one of:
 activating said microphone and speaker; 
 transferring received measurement; and 
 transferring stored data. 
 
     
     
         9 . A gateway according to  claim 1  additionally configured to automatically initiate a call to said medical service center and perform at least one of:
 activating said microphone and speaker; 
 transferring received measurement; and 
 transferring stored data. 
 
     
     
         10 . A gateway according to  claim 1  wherein said gateway is a cellular telephone. 
     
     
         11 . A gateway according to  claim 1  wherein said alternating is performed over at least one of: same communication session, same call, same communication line, and a single call. 
     
     
         12 . A method for communicating medical information and conferencing information, the method comprising the steps of:
 communicating with a patient medical monitoring unit, the patient medical monitoring unit structured to measure a physiological parameter of a subject to form physiological data;   communicating with a medical service center connected with said gateway via a public communication network, said medical service center and said gateway being structured to communicate said physiological data and to communicate conferencing information, said conferencing information comprising at least one of audio information and video information; and   controllably alternating between communicating said physiological data and communicating said conferencing information.   
     
     
         13 . A gateway for communicating medical information and conferencing information, said gateway comprising:
 a first communication unit structured for communicating with a patient medical monitoring unit, the patient medical monitoring unit structured to measure a physiological parameter of a subject to form physiological data;   a second communication unit structured for communicating with a medical service center connected with said gateway via a public communication network, said medical service center and said gateway being structured to communicate said physiological data and to communicate conferencing information, said conferencing information comprising at least one of audio information and video information; and   a display unit structured to display said conferencing information together with said data on other parts of a single display.   
     
     
         14 . A gateway for communicating medical information and conferencing information, said gateway comprising:
 a first communication unit structured for communicating with a patient medical monitoring unit, the patient medical monitoring unit structured to measure a physiological parameter of a subject to form physiological data; and   a second communication unit structured for communicating with a medical service center connected with said gateway via a public communication network, said medical service center and said gateway being structured to communicate said physiological data and to communicate conferencing information, said conferencing information comprising at least one of audio information and video information;   wherein said physiological data and to communicate conferencing information are communicated over at least one of: same communication session, same call, same communication line, and a single call.   
     
     
         15 . A medical service gateway for communicating medical information and conferencing information, the medical service gateway comprising:
 a communication unit structured for communicating with a gateway via a public communication network, said medical service gateway and said gateway being structured to communicate physiological data and to communicate conferencing information, said conferencing information comprising at least one of audio information and video information; and   a switching unit structured to controllably alternate between communicating said physiological data and communicating said conferencing information.   
     
     
         16 . A medical service gateway according to  claim 15  wherein said controllably alternating communication comprises at least one of:
 said gateway controlling said medical service center; 
 said medical service gateway controlling said gateway; 
 remotely controlling said alternating of said communication; and 
 manually controlling said alternating of said communication. 
 
     
     
         17 . A medical service gateway according to  claim 15  additionally including at least one of: a tone generator and a tone decode usable in said remote controlling of said alternating. 
     
     
         18 . A medical service gateway according to  claim 15  additionally configured to perform at least one of:
 remotely activate a microphone and speaker of said gateway; 
 remotely activate said gateway to transfer measurement; and 
 remotely activate said gateway to transfer stored data. 
 
     
     
         19 . A medical service gateway according to  claim 15  wherein said alternating is performed over at least one of: same communication session, same call, same communication line, and a single call.