Wireless Transmission Of Temperature Data For A Geographic Area

Abstract

A user obtains an individual's body temperature data and transmits the data to a medical monitor (e.g., a medical device) for display. Additional data includes a timestamp and location of the body temperature data. Once the data is transmitted, a user may view the medical monitor for a temperature reading. For example, a doctor may take a patient's temperature and the temperature reading is displayed on a medical monitor. The body temperature data of each patient is detected using a preferred temperature detector, such as a temporal artery thermometer using an arterial heat balance approach. After collecting an individual's body temperature data, the body temperature data can be transferred to a processor. By sending body temperature data for many individuals for a geographic region, the processor can identify a pattern (e.g., a pandemic) in the body temperature data.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of identifying a disease outbreak, comprising:
 receiving at a processor, over wireless communications paths, body temperature data from a plurality of individuals from plural locations, each location transmitting data for multiple individuals from a common temperature detector; and   in the processor, using statistical analysis of only the body temperature data from the plurality of individuals at the plural locations to determine a pattern in percentage of fevers per time period to indicate a disease outbreak in a geographic area.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising scanning across the temporal artery for each individual to obtain body temperature data. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising storing the body temperature data in a database in the processor. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1  wherein receiving the body temperature data comprises receiving cell phone signal transmission. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4  wherein the body temperature data is received in the form of a Short Message Service (SMS), text message, or email message. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising displaying the pattern to a user of the processor. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the pattern identifies an epidemic. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the pattern identifies a pandemic. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the pattern identifies an outbreak in an identified geographic location. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the pattern identifies an outbreak in multiple geographic locations. 
     
     
         11 . A processor for identifying a disease outbreak, the processor:
 receiving body temperature data for a plurality of individuals at plural locations, including temperature data for multiple individuals from a common temperature detector at each location; and   using statistical analysis of only the body temperature data from the plurality of individuals at the plural locations to determine a pattern in percentage of fevers per time period in the received body temperature data to indicate a disease outbreak in a geographic area.   
     
     
         12 . The processor of  claim 11  wherein the received body temperature data is collected by scanning across the temporal artery of each individual. 
     
     
         13 . The processor of  claim 11  wherein the processor stores the body temperature data in a database. 
     
     
         14 . The processor of  claim 11  wherein receiving the body temperature data uses cell phone signal transmission. 
     
     
         15 . The processor of  claim 14  wherein the body temperature data is received in the form a Short Message Service (SMS), text message, or email message to transmit body temperature data. 
     
     
         16 . The processor of  claim 11  wherein the processor displays the pattern to a user of the processor. 
     
     
         17 . The processor of  claim 11  wherein the pattern identifies an epidemic. 
     
     
         18 . The processor of  claim 11  wherein the pattern identifies a pandemic. 
     
     
         19 . The processor of  claim 11  wherein the pattern identifies an outbreak in an identified geographic location. 
     
     
         20 . The processor of  claim 11  wherein the pattern identifies an outbreak in multiple geographic locations.