System and method for electro-cardiogram (ecg) medical data collection wherein physiological data collected and stored may be uploaded to a remote service center

Abstract

A data collection unit obtains physiological data from a subject interface on a subject. The subject interface can be connected to the data collection unit. When the subject interface is connected to the data collection unit, subject interface contacts on the subject interface make contact with data collection unit contacts on the data collection unit. Some of the data collection unit contacts are for communicating physiological data from the subject interface to the data collection unit. Some of the contacts are for powering the data collection unit upon the subject interface being connected to the data collection unit and for powering down the data collection unit upon the subject interface being disconnected from the data collection unit.

1 - 22 . (canceled) 
     
     
         23 . An ECG system comprising:
 an ECG data collection unit comprising:
 a processor configured to store ECG data in a non-transitory computer-readable memory; and 
 a male data connector connected to the processor, wherein the male data connector is configured to be operatively inserted into (i) a computer data port and (ii) a wearable ECG subject interface. 
   
     
     
         24 . The ECG system of  claim 23 , wherein the male data connector is a USB connector. 
     
     
         25 . The ECG system of  claim 23 , wherein the male data connector comprises data collection unit contacts. 
     
     
         26 . The ECG system of  claim 25 , wherein the male data connector is configured such that the data collection unit contacts electrically connect to contacts of the wearable ECG subject interface when the male data connector is operatively inserted into the wearable ECG subject interface. 
     
     
         27 . The ECG system of  claim 26 , wherein the ECG data collection unit further comprises a power source. 
     
     
         28 . The ECG system of  claim 27 , wherein the ECG data collection unit is configured to stop providing power from the power source when the wearable ECG subject interface is disconnected from the ECG data collection unit contacts. 
     
     
         29 . The ECG system of  claim 28 , wherein the ECG data collection unit is further configured to automatically obtain data from the wearable ECG subject interface upon the wearable ECG subject interface being connected to the ECG data collection unit. 
     
     
         30 . An ECG system comprising:
 a wearable subject interface; and   an ECG data collection unit comprising:
 a processor configured to store ECG data, received from a machine-readable signal, in a computer-readable memory, and 
 a male data connector connected to the processor, wherein the male data connector is configured to be operatively inserted into (i) a computer data port and (ii) a wearable subject interface. 
   
     
     
         31 . The ECG system of  claim 30 , wherein the male data connector is a USB connector. 
     
     
         32 . The ECG system of  claim 30 , wherein the male data connector comprises data collection unit contacts. 
     
     
         33 . The ECG system of  claim 32 , wherein the male data connector is configured such that the ECG data collection unit contacts electrically connect to contacts of the subject interface when the male data connector is operatively inserted into the subject interface. 
     
     
         34 . The ECG system of  claim 33 , wherein the ECG data collection unit further comprises a power source. 
     
     
         35 . The ECG system of  claim 34 , wherein the ECG data collection unit is configured to stop providing power from the power source when the subject interface is disconnected from the ECG data collection unit contacts. 
     
     
         36 . The ECG system of  claim 30 , wherein the ECG data collection unit further comprises a first data collection unit contact and a second data collection unit contact, and wherein the subject interface comprises a first subject interface contact and a second subject interface contact that: when not connected to the first data collection unit contact and the second data collection unit contact, respectively, are configured to create an open circuit, and when connected to the first data collection unit contact and the second data collection unit contact, respectively, are configured to create a closed circuit. 
     
     
         37 . The ECG system of  claim 36 , wherein the first data collection unit contact is in series with the second data collection unit contact, and wherein the ECG subject interface, when connected to the data collection unit contacts, is configured to bring the first data collection unit contact into electrical connection with the second data collection unit contact. 
     
     
         38 . The ECG system of  claim 30 , wherein the subject interface comprises a pair of electrodes. 
     
     
         39 . The ECG system of  claim 37 , wherein the subject interface contacts comprise a third subject interface contact and a fourth subject interface contact for bringing the pair of electrodes into electrical communication with the processor. 
     
     
         40 . The ECG system of  claim 30 , wherein the ECG data collection unit is further configured to automatically obtain data from the subject interface upon the subject interface being connected to the ECG data collection unit. 
     
     
         41 . The ECG system of  claim 30 , wherein the ECG data collection unit is configured to automatically stop obtaining data from the subject interface upon the subject interface being disconnected from the ECG data collection unit.