Mobile communication device and other devices with cardiovascular monitoring capability

Abstract

A general-purpose mobile communication device, general-purpose computer user-interface device, and other non-health-related electronic devices with cardiovascular monitoring capability. Various aspects of the present invention may comprise a general-purpose mobile communication device (e.g., a cellular telephone, portable email device, personal digital assistant, etc.) comprising a communication interface module adapted to communicate with a general-purpose communication network, and at least one module operational to acquire cardiac information from a user of the general-purpose mobile communication device. The general-purpose communication device may, for example, comprise a cardiac sensor (e.g., electrodes) disposed on the mobile communication device, which may be utilized to acquire cardiac information during use of the mobile communication device. Various aspects of the present invention may also comprise a non-health related electronic device (e.g., a general-purpose mobile communication device, general-purpose user-interface device for a general-purpose computer, gaming controller, etc.) that, during normal non-health-related utilization, acquire, analyze and/or communicate user health-related information.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 - 31 . (canceled) 
     
     
         32 . A safety system in a vehicle, comprising:
 a cardiac sensor within a steering wheel; and   a cardiac information acquisition module configured to acquire cardiac information from a driver via the cardiac sensor, wherein:
 the acquisition of the cardiac information from the driver is covert, 
 the cardiac information acquisition module comprises a communication interface configurably coupled to a mobile device, and 
 the acquisition of the cardiac information is associated with a communication via the mobile device. 
   
     
     
         33 . The system of  claim 32 , wherein the cardiac sensor comprises a first electrode and a second electrode. 
     
     
         34 . The system of  claim 32 , wherein the cardiac information acquisition module comprises a memory device configured to store the cardiac information. 
     
     
         35 . The system of  claim 32 , wherein the system comprises a touch screen display that is configured to generate an alert message based, at least in part, on the cardiac information. 
     
     
         36 . The system of  claim 32 , wherein the cardiac information acquisition module is configured to periodically acquire the cardiac information from the driver. 
     
     
         37 . The system of  claim 32 , wherein the cardiac information acquisition module is configured to acquire the cardiac information from a user of the mobile device in response to a command from the user for the mobile device to acquire the cardiac information. 
     
     
         38 . The system of  claim 32 , wherein the system comprises a touch screen display that is configured to present information related to the cardiac information. 
     
     
         39 . The system of  claim 32 , wherein the system comprises a processor that is configured to analyze at least a portion of the cardiac information. 
     
     
         40 . The system of  claim 32 , wherein the system comprises a processor that is configured to analyze the cardiac information by, at least in part, comparing a primary component of a cardiac signal to a primary component characteristic associated with a known cardiac pathology. 
     
     
         41 . The system of  claim 32 , wherein the system comprises a processor that is configured to analyze the cardiac information by, at least in part:
 determining a difference between a current cardiac signal and at least one previous cardiac signal; and   determining an existence of a cardiac pathology based, at least in part, on the determined difference.   
     
     
         42 . A method for operating a safety system in a vehicle, comprising:
 covertly acquiring cardiac information from a driver via a cardiac information acquisition module, wherein:
 the cardiac information acquisition module is operably coupled to a cardiac sensor in a steering wheel, 
 the acquisition of the cardiac information is associated with a communication via a mobile device, 
 the mobile device is configurably coupled to the cardiac information acquisition module; and 
   communicating the cardiac information via the mobile device.   
     
     
         43 . The method of  claim 42 , wherein the cardiac sensor comprises a first electrode and a second electrode. 
     
     
         44 . The method of  claim 42 , wherein the method comprises storing the cardiac information in a memory device. 
     
     
         45 . The method of  claim 42 , wherein the method comprises:
 generating an alert message based, at least in part, on the cardiac information; and   displaying the alert message via a touch screen.   
     
     
         46 . The method of  claim 42 , wherein the method comprises periodically acquiring the cardiac information from the driver. 
     
     
         47 . The method of  claim 42 , wherein the method comprises presenting information, related to the cardiac information, on a touch screen display. 
     
     
         48 . The method of  claim 42 , wherein the method comprises analyzing at least a portion of the cardiac information. 
     
     
         49 . The method of  claim 42 , wherein the method comprises analyzing at least a portion of the cardiac information by comparing a primary component of a cardiac signal to a primary component characteristic associated with a known cardiac pathology. 
     
     
         50 . The method of  claim 42 , wherein the method comprises analyzing at least a portion of the cardiac information by:
 determining a difference between a current cardiac signal and at least one previous cardiac signal; and   determining an existence of a cardiac pathology based, at least in part, on the determined difference.   
     
     
         51 . The method of  claim 42 , wherein the method comprises communicating particular information related to the cardiac information over a general-purpose communication network. 
     
     
         52 . The method of  claim 42 , wherein the method comprises determining whether to send the cardiac information to a destination associated with medical care.