Network and method for data input, storage and retrieval

Abstract

A personal electronic carrier device (PECD) comprising means for receiving PECD data; means for storing PECD data; means for transmitting PECD data directly or indirectly PECD; and operating software means to effect the receiving, storing and transmitting the PECD data. The PECD is part of a network having a plurality of data stations and preferably a main data base. The PECD data is selected from the group consisting of medical, educational and identification data. The networks provide for the efficacious and convenient handling of data.

1 .- 28 . (canceled) 
     
     
         29 . A method for operating a personal electronic carrier device (PECD), the method comprising:
 storing, on the PECD, a medical record associated with a user of the PECD, wherein the medical record comprises medical data associated with the user;   receiving, from at least one data station in a plurality of data stations, station data associated with the user;   determining if the stored medical record includes the received station data;   in response to determining the stored medical record does not include the received station data, updating the stored medical record to include the received station data; and   operating the at least one data station to display at least a portion of the stored medical record;   wherein each of the steps of receiving the station data, determining if the stored medical record includes the received station data, updating the stored medical record and operating the at least one data station to display at least a portion of the stored medical record is controlled by a processor module provided by the PECD.   
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 29  further comprises, prior to receiving station data, authenticating a request to access the stored medical record. 
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 30 , wherein authenticating a request to access the stored medical record further comprises:
 receiving an authentication input;   storing, on the PECD, at least one authentication identifier corresponding to the user; and   determining if the received authentication input corresponds to the at least one authentication identifier.   
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 31 , wherein the authentication input corresponds to a biometric input and the authentication identifier corresponds to a biometric identifier. 
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 29  further comprises:
 detecting an unwanted request, wherein the unwanted request corresponds to an attempt to gain access to the stored medical record; and 
 in response to detecting the unwanted request, refusing access to the stored medical record. 
 
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 29 , wherein each data station in the plurality of data stations is selected from the group consisting of a kiosk, a network device, and medical equipment capable of providing data. 
     
     
         35 . The method of  claim 29 , wherein the plurality of data stations comprises at least one central data station for storing a centralized medical record for each user. 
     
     
         36 . The method of  claim 35 , wherein:
 determining if the stored medical record includes the received station data further comprises determining the stored medical record does not include medical data associated with the user; and   in response to determining the stored medical record does not include medical data associated with the user, updating the stored medical record further comprises operating the at least one data station to retrieve a centralized medical record associated with the user from the at least one central data station.   
     
     
         37 . The method of  claim 36  further comprises, prior to updating the stored medical record, authenticating a request to access the centralized medical record. 
     
     
         38 . The method of  claim 29 , wherein:
 the received station data comprises one or more sets of data; and   updating the stored medical record to include the received station data further comprises:
 identifying a user identifier associated with each of the one or more sets of data; 
 determining if the user identifier corresponds to a PECD user identifier associated with the user of the PECD; and 
 in response to determining the user identifier corresponds to the PECD user identifier, providing the one or more sets of data to the PECD. 
   
     
     
         39 . The method of  claim 29 , wherein the medical data comprises at least one of text data, video data, image data and audio data. 
     
     
         40 . The method of  claim 29 , wherein the medical data comprises data in a Digital Imaging and Communications in Medicine (DICOM) format. 
     
     
         41 . The method of  claim 29 , wherein the processor module comprises at least one of a software component and a hardware component. 
     
     
         42 . A personal electronic carrier device (PECD) comprises:
 a storage module for storing a medical record associated with a user of the PECD, wherein the medical record comprises medical data associated with the user;   a communication module for communicating with at least one data station in a plurality of data stations, wherein the communication module is configured to receive, from the at least one data station, station data associated with the user; and   a processor module configured to:
 determine if the stored medical record includes the received station data; 
 update the stored medical record to include the received station data subsequent to determining the stored medical record does not include the received station data; and 
   operating the at least one data station to display at least a portion of the stored medical record.   
     
     
         43 . The PECD of  claim 42  further comprises a security module for authenticating a request to access the stored medical record. 
     
     
         44 . The PECD of  claim 43 , wherein
 the communication module is further configured to receive an authentication input;   the storage module is further configured to store at least one authentication identifier corresponding to the user; and   the security module is further configured to determine if the authentication input corresponds to the at least one authentication identifier.   
     
     
         45 . The PECD of  claim 44 , wherein the authentication input corresponds to a biometric input and the at least one authentication identifier corresponds to a biometric identifier. 
     
     
         46 . The PECD of  claim 45 , wherein
 the communication module is further configured to detect an unwanted request, wherein the unwanted request corresponds to an attempt to gain access to the stored medical record; and   the security module is further configured to refuse access to the stored medical record.   
     
     
         47 . The PECD of  claim 45 , wherein each data station in the plurality of data stations is selected from the group consisting of a kiosk, a network device, and medical equipment capable of providing data. 
     
     
         48 . The PECD of  claim 45 , wherein the plurality of data stations comprises at least one central data station for storing a centralized medical record for each user. 
     
     
         49 . The PECD of  claim 48 , wherein the processor module is further configured to:
 determine the stored medical record does not include medical data associated with the user; and   operate the at least one data station to retrieve a centralized medical record associated with the user from the at least one central data station.   
     
     
         50 . The PECD of  claim 49 , wherein the processor module is further configured to authenticate a request to access the centralized medical record. 
     
     
         51 . The PECD of  claim 42 , wherein:
 the received station data comprises one or more sets of data; and   the processor module is further configured to:
 identify a user identifier associated with each of the one or more sets of data; 
 determine if the user identifier corresponds to a PECD user identifier associated with the user of the PECD; and 
 provide the one or more sets of data to the PECD in response to determining the user identifier corresponds to the PECD user identifier. 
   
     
     
         52 . The PECD of  claim 42 , wherein the medical data comprises at least one of text data, video data, image data and audio data. 
     
     
         53 . The PECD of  claim 42 , wherein the medical data comprises data in a Digital Imaging and Communications in Medicine (DICOM) format. 
     
     
         54 . The PECD of  claim 42 , wherein the processor module comprises at least one of a software component and a hardware component. 
     
     
         55 . A system for providing a centralized medical record associated with a user, the system comprises:
 at least one data station in a plurality of data stations, wherein each of the plurality of data stations comprises a station communication module configured to provide station data associated with a plurality of users; and   a personal electronic carrier device (PECD) for the user, the PECD comprises:
 a storage module for storing a medical record associated with the user, wherein the medical record comprises medical data associated with the user; 
 a communication module for communicating with the at least one data station, wherein the communication module is configured to receive, from the at least one data station, the station data associated with the user; 
 a processor module configured to:
 determine if the stored medical record includes the received station data; 
 update the stored medical record to include the received station data subsequent to determining the stored medical record does not include the received station data; and 
 operate the at least one data station to display at least a portion of the stored medical record. 
 
   
     
     
         56 . The system of  claim 55 , wherein the PECD further comprises a security module for authenticating a request to access the stored medical record. 
     
     
         57 . The system of  claim 56 , wherein
 the communication module is further configured to receive an authentication input;   the storage module is further configured to store at least one authentication identifier associated with the user; and   the security module is further configured to determine if the authentication input corresponds to the at least one authentication identifier.   
     
     
         58 . The system of  claim 57 , wherein the authentication input corresponds to a biometric input and the at least one authentication identifier corresponds to a biometric identifier. 
     
     
         59 . The system of  claim 55 , wherein
 the communication module is further configured to detect an unwanted request, wherein the unwanted request corresponds to an attempt to gain access to the stored medical record; and   the security module is further configured to refuse access to the stored medical record.   
     
     
         60 . The system of  claim 55 , wherein each data station in the plurality of data stations is selected from the group consisting of a kiosk, a network device, and medical equipment capable of providing data. 
     
     
         61 . The system of  claim 55 , wherein the plurality of data stations comprises at least one central data station for storing a centralized medical record for each user. 
     
     
         62 . The system of  claim 61 , wherein the processor module is further configured to:
 determine the stored medical record does not include medical data associated with the user; and   operate the at least one data station to retrieve a centralized medical record associated with the user from the at least one central data station.   
     
     
         63 . The system of  claim 62 , wherein the processor module is further configured to authenticate a request to access the centralized medical record. 
     
     
         64 . The system of  claim 55 , wherein:
 the received station data comprises one or more sets of data; and   the processor module is further configured to:
 identify a user identifier associated with each of the one or more sets of data; 
 determine if the user identifier corresponds to a PECD user identifier associated with the user of the PECD; and 
 provide the one or more sets of data to the PECD in response to determining the user identifier corresponds to the PECD user identifier. 
   
     
     
         65 . The system of  claim 55 , wherein the medical data comprises at least one of text data, video data, image data and audio data. 
     
     
         66 . The system of  claim 55 , wherein the medical data comprises data in a Digital Imaging and Communications in Medicine (DICOM) format. 
     
     
         67 . The system of  claim 55 , wherein the processor module comprises at least one of a software component and a hardware component.