Wireless infant health monitor

Abstract

A system for wirelessly monitoring the health of an infant comprising a sensing module removably disposed within a wearable article. At least a portion of the sensing module can be in contact with an infant's foot. The sensing module can include a processing unit configured to receive and process health readings received by the sensing module. A wireless transmitter can also be in communication with the processing unit. The wireless transmitter can be configured to transmit the processed health readings to a receiving station. The receiving station can indicate an alarm if the processed health readings indicate a health trend that falls outside of a particular threshold.

We claim: 
     
         1 . A sensor system for wirelessly monitoring health of an infant, comprising:
 a wearable sensor unit configured to be in contact with the infant;   a receiving station configured to be in wireless communication with the wearable sensor unit and in communication with an internet gateway;   one or more processors; and   one or more computer-readable media having stored thereon executable instructions that when executed by the one or more processors configure a computer system to perform at least the following:
 receive at the receiving station from the wearable sensor unit at least a blood-oxygen level of the infant, and 
 display on a mobile phone historical information relating the at least the blood-oxygen level. 
   
     
     
         2 . The sensor system as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the wearable sensor unit further comprises an accelerometer. 
     
     
         3 . The sensor system as recited in  claim 2 , wherein the accelerometer is utilized to identify erroneous blood-oxygen levels received by the wearable sensor unit. 
     
     
         4 . The sensor system as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the wearable sensor unit further comprises a sensor disposed within a sock. 
     
     
         5 . The sensor system as recited in  claim 4 , wherein the sock is configured to be worn around a foot of the infant and the sock comprises:
 a pocket configured to removably hold at least a portion of the sensor; and   an alignment feature configured to guide an arm of the sensor such that a pulse oximeter sensor disposed upon the arm is configured to be held in close contact with the foot of the infant.   
     
     
         6 . The sensor system as recited in  claim 1 , further comprising executable instructions that when executed by the one or more processors configure the computer system to indicate an alert at the mobile phone, wherein the alert is associated with a sensor reading that is outside a predetermined threshold. 
     
     
         7 . The sensor system as recited in  claim 6 , further comprising executable instructions that when executed by the one or more processors configure the computer system to indicate the alert at the receiving station, wherein the alert is associated with the sensor reading that is outside the predetermined threshold. 
     
     
         8 . The sensor system as recited in  claim 6 , wherein the alert comprises a particular type of alert selected from a set of multiple alert types. 
     
     
         9 . The sensor system as recited in  claim 8 , wherein the particular type of alert is selected from the set of multiple alert types based upon the sensor reading. 
     
     
         10 . The sensor system as recited in  claim 9 , further comprising executable instructions that when executed by the one or more processors configure the computer system to:
 receive pulse oximetry readings from the wearable sensor unit sensor;   identify the particular type of alert based the pulse oximetry readings; and   trigger the alert.   
     
     
         11 . A computer-implemented method for wirelessly monitoring health of an infant, the computer-implemented method being performed at a computer processor, the computer-implemented method comprising:
 receiving a sensor reading at a wearable sensor unit, the wearable sensor unit configured to be in contact with the infant;   receiving, at a receiving station and from the wearable sensor unit, at least a blood-oxygen level of the infant, the receiving station configured to be in wireless communication with the wearable sensor unit and in communication with an internet gateway;   communicating, to a mobile phone from the receiving station, the at least the blood-oxygen level of the infant; and   displaying, on the mobile phone, historical information relating the at least the blood-oxygen level.   
     
     
         12 . The computer-implemented method as recited in  claim 11 , further comprising receiving an accelerometer reading from an accelerometer integrated within the wearable sensor unit. 
     
     
         13 . The computer-implemented method as recited in  claim 12 , further comprising based upon the accelerometer reading received from the accelerometer, filtering erroneous blood-oxygen levels received by the wearable sensor unit. 
     
     
         14 . The computer-implemented method as recited in  claim 11 , wherein the wearable sensor unit further comprises a sensor disposed within a sock. 
     
     
         15 . The computer-implemented method as recited in  claim 11 , further comprising displaying an indication of an alert at the mobile phone, wherein the alert is associated with a sensor reading that is outside a predetermined threshold. 
     
     
         16 . The computer-implemented method as recited in  claim 15 , further comprising displaying an indication of the alert at the receiving station, wherein the alert is associated with the sensor reading that is outside the predetermined threshold. 
     
     
         17 . The computer-implemented method as recited in  claim 15 , wherein the alert comprises a particular type of alert selected from a set of multiple alert types. 
     
     
         18 . The computer-implemented method as recited in  claim 17 , further comprising selecting the particular type of alert from the set of multiple alert types based upon the sensor reading. 
     
     
         19 . The computer-implemented method as recited in  claim 15 , further comprising:
 receiving pulse oximetry readings from the wearable sensor unit;   identifying a particular alarm level based the pulse oximetry readings; and   triggering the alert.   
     
     
         20 . A sensor system for wirelessly monitoring health of an infant, comprising:
 a wearable sensor unit configured to be in contact with the infant;   a receiving station configured to be in wireless communication with the wearable sensor unit and in communication with an internet gateway;   an internet gateway configured to be in communication with the receiving station and a mobile phone;   one or more processors; and   one or more computer-readable media having stored thereon executable instructions that when executed by the one or more processors configure a computer system to perform at least the following:
 receive at the receiving station from the wearable sensor unit at least blood-oxygen data of the infant, 
 communicate from the receiving station and to the internet gateway the at least the blood-oxygen data of the infant, and 
 display on a mobile phone a graph of historical information relating the at least the blood-oxygen data of the infant.