Method and apparatus for triage and subsequent escalation based on biosignals or biometrics

Abstract

Provided is an electronic device to monitor a user's biological measurements in two stages, where the first stage determines whether to make measurements and/or appraisals in the second stage.

1 - 20 . (canceled) 
     
     
         21 . A user-wearable monitoring device, comprising:
 a photoplethysmogram (PPG) sensor configured to monitor heart related information for a user as a first level of monitoring for arrhythmia;   a display configured to output visual information to the user; and   a diagnostic processor configured to:
 process PPG signals from the PPG sensor to determine whether to enter a second level of monitoring for arrhythmia in the user; and 
 upon determining to enter the second level of monitoring:
 determine whether to acquire electrocardiogram (ECG) signals of the user with an ECG sensor that is a part of the user-wearable monitoring device; 
 upon determining to acquire the ECG signals with the ECG sensor:
 acquire the ECG signals of the user; 
 process the acquired ECG signals; and 
 provide to the user, on the display, at least one result of the processed ECG signals. 
 
 
   
     
     
         22 . The user-wearable monitoring device of  claim 21 , wherein the diagnostic processor is configured to, upon determining to enter the second level of monitoring, provide on the display at least one notification to the user. 
     
     
         23 . The user-wearable monitoring device of  claim 21 , wherein the diagnostic processor is configured to, upon determining to not acquire the ECG signals, perform one of: enter the first level of monitoring or enter a standby state. 
     
     
         24 . The user-wearable monitoring device of  claim 21 , wherein the diagnostic processor is configured to, upon determining to not acquire the ECG signals, enter a standby mode until the user indicates via an input interface to enter the first level of monitoring to continue to acquire a new set of the PPG signals. 
     
     
         25 . The user-wearable monitoring device of  claim 21 , wherein the diagnostic processor is configured to, upon determining to enter the second level of monitoring, provide at least one question to the user to appraise a cognitive state of the user based on the user answering the at least one question. 
     
     
         26 . The user-wearable monitoring device of  claim 21 , wherein the user-wearable monitoring device is in an idle state until the user provides an input via an input interface to enter the first level of monitoring for arrhythmia in the user. 
     
     
         27 . The user-wearable monitoring device of  claim 21 , wherein, upon determining to enter the second level of monitoring, the diagnostic processor is configured to provide at least one notification via the display to the user. 
     
     
         28 . The user-wearable monitoring device of  claim 27 , wherein the diagnostic processor is configured to determine to acquire the ECG signals based on determining that the user has responded to at least one of the at least one notification. 
     
     
         29 . The user-wearable monitoring device of  claim 21 , wherein upon determining to enter the second level of monitoring the diagnostic processor is configured to provide a notification asking the user to use an external sensor other than the user-wearable monitoring device. 
     
     
         30 . A method comprising:
 monitoring heart related information for a user as a first level of monitoring for arrhythmia using a photoplethysmogram (PPG) sensor that is a part of a user-wearable monitoring device;   outputting visual information to the user on a display; and   processing PPG signals output by the PPG sensor to determine whether to enter a second level of monitoring for arrhythmia in the user,   wherein:
 upon determining to enter the second level of monitoring:
 determining whether to acquire electrocardiogram (ECG) signals of the user with an ECG sensor that is a part of the user-wearable monitoring device; 
 upon determining to acquire the ECG signals with the ECG sensor:
 acquiring the ECG signals of the user; 
 processing the acquired ECG signals; and 
 providing to the user at least one result of the processed ECG signals on the display. 
 
 
   
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 30 , wherein, upon determining to not acquire the ECG signals, entering a standby mode until the user indicates via an input to enter the first level of monitoring to continue to acquire a new set of the PPG signals. 
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 30 , upon determining to not enter the second level of monitoring, continuing to acquire the PPG signals. 
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 30 , wherein determining whether to acquire the ECG signals does not depend on an input from the user. 
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 30 , wherein the second level of monitoring comprises one or more of: acquiring the ECG signals with improved signal quality compared to a signal quality of the PPG signals, changing a type of signal acquisition for acquiring the ECG signals, changing processing of the PPG signals and/or the acquired ECG signals, and performing an advanced method of physiological monitoring of the user. 
     
     
         35 . The method of  claim 30 , comprising, upon determining to enter the second level of monitoring, outputting on the display at least one question to the user to appraise a cognitive state of the user based on the user answering the at least one question. 
     
     
         36 . The method of  claim 30 , comprising, upon determining to enter the second level of monitoring, outputting on the display at least one notification to the user. 
     
     
         37 . The method of  claim 36 , wherein determining to acquire the ECG signals is based on determining that the user has responded to at least one of the at least one notification. 
     
     
         38 . The method of  claim 30 , comprising, upon determining to enter the second level of monitoring, providing a notification asking the user to use an external sensor other than the user-wearable monitoring device. 
     
     
         39 . A system comprising:
 a first sensor of a user-wearable device configured to acquire first signals in a first mode from a user;   a display configured to output visual information to the user; and   a diagnostic processor configured to:
 process the first signals to determine whether to enter a second mode; and 
 upon determining to enter the second mode:
 provide, on the display, at least one instruction to the user appropriate for the second mode; 
 determine whether to acquire second signals with a second sensor; 
 upon determining to acquire the second signals:
 acquire the second signals; 
 process the acquired second signals; and 
 provide, on the display, at least one notification to the user based on the processed second signals. 
 
 
   
     
     
         40 . The system of  claim 39 , wherein when the user-wearable device is in a standby mode, wait until the user indicates via an input to enter the first mode to continue to acquire a new set of the first signals.