Medical data collection apparatus

Abstract

A physiological data collection device obtains physiological data from a subject interface on a subject. The physiological data collection device includes a data connector such as a USB connector for connecting directly to a computer. When the physiological data collection device is connected to the computer, the physiological data is uploaded to a remote data processing center for computer-based analysis and review by a medical professional. A report can be provided to the subject based on the analysis and review. When the subject interface is physically connected to the physiological data collection device, the data connector is prevented from being connected to an external device such as the computer.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A physiological data collection device comprising:
 an electro-cardiogram (ECG) lead-wire set;   a data collection unit comprising:
 a data connector for connecting to an external computing device, 
 a lead-wire set connector for connecting to the ECG lead-wire set, and 
 non-volatile memory coupled with the data connector and the lead-wire set connector, and 
 a processor programmed to obtain ECG data from the ECG lead-wire set and store the obtained ECG data in the non-volatile memory; and 
   wherein the ECG lead-wire set or the data collection unit or both have one or more structural components that prevent a connection between the data connector and the external computing device when the ECG lead-wire set is connected to the data collection unit and vice versa.   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the data connector comprises a male USB connector. 
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein the lead-wire set comprises a female receptacle that is configured to receive the male USB connector when the lead-wire set is connected to the data collection unit. 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 3 ,
 wherein the lead-wire set comprises a male electrode connector having lead-wire set contacts;   wherein the lead-wire set interface comprises an electrode connector receptacle having data collection unit contacts; and   wherein the electrode connector receptacle is configured to receive the electrode connector such that the lead-wire set contacts make contact with the data collection unit contacts when the lead-wire set is connected to the data collection unit.   
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 2 ,
 wherein the USB connector is configured to rotate into a recess in the data collection unit; and   when the USB connector is rotated into the recess, the lead-wire set interface is exposed so that the lead-wire set can be connected to the data collection unit via the lead-wire set interface and the recess blocks a connection of the USB connector to the external computing device.   
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein the male USB connector comprises standard USB contacts and customized data collection unit contacts; and wherein the lead-wire set connects to the male USB connector such that the lead-wire set interface interfaces with the lead-wire set via the customized data collection unit contacts in the USB connector. 
     
     
         7 . An electro-cardiogram (ECG) self-assessment kit comprising:
 an ECG sensor comprising one or more electrode leads;   multiple ECG electrodes configured to connect to the one or more electrode leads;   a power source;   a portable subject ECG data collection unit comprising:
 a USB connector configured to interface with a USB port on a computer, 
 non-volatile memory coupled with the USB connector, and 
 a processor powered by the power source and programmed to obtain ECG data from the electrode leads and to store the ECG data in the non-volatile memory; and 
   a medium storing program code that when run by the computer supports access to a remote data processing center for uploading the ECG data from the non-volatile memory to the remote data processing center when the USB connector is connected to a computer connected to a network.   
     
     
         8 . The kit of  claim 7 , wherein the data collection unit includes the medium storing program code. 
     
     
         9 . The kit of  claim 8 , wherein the program code when run by the computer supports access to the remote data processing center for uploading the ECG data without installing a software application on the computer. 
     
     
         10 . The kit of  claim 9 , wherein the program code comprising a link to a website where the ECG data can be uploaded. 
     
     
         11 . The kit of  claim 8 , wherein the program code when run by the computer supports access to the remote data processing center by automatically initiating an application for uploading of the ECG data upon determining that the USB connector is connected to the computer. 
     
     
         12 . The kit of  claim 7 , wherein the program code supports access to the data processing center by supporting a download from a remote server system to the computer of a user application for uploading the ECG data to the remote data processing center. 
     
     
         13 . The kit of  claim 7 ,
 wherein the subject interface is configured to be physically attached to the ECG data collection unit; and   when the subject interface is connected to the ECG data collection unit, the USB connector is blocked so that the USB connector cannot be connected to the computer.   
     
     
         14 . The kit of  claim 13 , wherein the USB connector comprises male USB connector that is received into a receptacle in the subject interface when the subject interface is connected to the data collection unit. 
     
     
         15 . The kit of  claim 7 , wherein the non-volatile memory has sufficient memory to store ECG data for a predefined time period; and wherein the power source has sufficient power to power the data collection unit for the predefined time period. 
     
     
         16 . The kit of  claim 7 , wherein the program code, when run by the computer, obtains and presents an ECG assessment report from the data processing center. 
     
     
         17 . The kit of  claim 7 , wherein the subject interface comprises:
 a clip for securing the subject interface to the data collection unit; and   a lanyard that allows the data collection unit to be hung from the neck of a subject when the subject interface is secured to the data collection unit.   
     
     
         18 . The kit of  claim 7 , wherein the subject interface comprises the power source. 
     
     
         19 . A method of providing a monitoring service comprising:
 providing a physiological data collection device to a subject, the physiological data collection device comprising:
 an electro-cardiogram (ECG) subject interface; 
 a data collection unit comprising a USB data connector for connecting to a computer, an interface for connecting to the subject interface, non-volatile memory coupled with the data connector, and a processor programmed to obtain ECG data from the subject interface and store the ECG data in the non-volatile memory; 
   obtaining, at a remote data processing center, the ECG data from the data collection unit when the data collection unit is connected to a USB data port on a computer having a network connection;   analyzing the ECG data for arrhythmia events;   obtaining a physician review of the ECG data; and   providing a report over the network to the subject based on the analyzing the ECG data and based on the physician review.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein obtaining the ECG data comprises obtaining the ECG data via a transmission of the ECG data over the network wherein the transmission initiates automatically upon determining that the data collection unit is connected to the USB data port. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 19  further comprising:
 obtaining demographic information regarding the subject's demographics; 
 wherein the analyzing the ECG data for arrhythmia events comprises analyzing the ECG data for arrhythmia events based at least in part on the subject's demographics. 
 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the USB data connector comprises a male USB data connector. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 19 , further comprising:
 obtaining, at the remote data processing center, a unique identifier from the data collection unit;   verifying based on the unique identifier that the physiological data collection device has been preauthorized for the steps of analyzing, obtaining a physician review, and providing; and   performing the steps of analyzing, obtaining a physician review, and providing only upon successful verification.   
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein the verifying further comprises determining that a data analysis service has not already been performed for the physiological data collection device. 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 19 , further comprising providing a medium storing program code that when run by the computer supports access to the remote data processing center for uploading the ECG data from the non-volatile memory to the remote data processing center when the USB data connector is connected to a computer connected to a network. 
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 25 , wherein the non-volatile memory comprises the medium. 
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the computer comprises a public terminal, the public terminal comprising an application for providing the ECG data to the data processing center.