Method and apparatus for monitoring vital signs remotely

Abstract

A method and apparatus for monitoring vital signs, such as cardiopulmonary activity, using a ballistograph are provided. The method and apparatus may be used to monitor an infant sleeping in a crib, a patient in a hospital, a person with a chronic disease at home or in professional care, or a person in an elder-care setting.

1 - 20 . (canceled) 
     
     
         21 . A bed system comprising:
 a bed having a plurality of bed legs configured to support the bed above a floor;   a plurality of load cells, wherein the load cells are included in the bed legs, wherein the load cells are configured to output load cell data;   a monitoring unit having a processor in data communication with the plurality of load cells and operative to:   receive the load cell data from the plurality of load cells;   generate, from the load cell data, biometric data of a user resting on the bed; and   output the biometric data that was generated from the load cell data.   
     
     
         22 . The bed system of  claim 21 , wherein the biometric data comprises user heart rate data, user respiration data, and user movement data. 
     
     
         23 . The bed system of  claim 22 , wherein the processor generates the user heart rate data from the load cell data having a frequency component about 0.1 to 10 Hz, and wherein the processor generates the user respiration data from the load cell data having a frequency component less than about 1 Hz. 
     
     
         24 . The bed system of  claim 21 , wherein the biometric data comprises blood pressure and cardiac electrical activity. 
     
     
         25 . The bed system of  claim 21 , wherein the biometric data comprises frequency of apneas and severity of apneas. 
     
     
         26 . The bed system of  claim 21 , wherein the biometric data comprises weight of the user. 
     
     
         27 . The bed system of  claim 26 , wherein the processor generates historical information including a chronology of weight change of the user. 
     
     
         28 . The bed system of  claim 21 , wherein the load cells comprise strain gauges configured to output electrical signals representative of strain along at least a vertical axis. 
     
     
         29 . The bed system of  claim 21 , and further comprising:
 a mattress having an air chamber;   a pump in fluid communication with the air chamber; and   a fluid pressure sensor in fluid communication with the air chamber and in data communication with the processor, wherein the pressure sensor is configured to output pressure sensor data, wherein the processor is operative to generate the biometric data as a function of a combination of the load cell data and the pressure sensor data.   
     
     
         30 . The bed system of  claim 21 , and further comprising:
 a wrist-worn sensor configured to output wrist-worn sensor data, wherein the wrist-worn sensor is data communication with the processor via a wireless transceiver, wherein the processor is operative to generate the biometric data as a function of a combination of the load cell data and the wrist-worn sensor data.   
     
     
         31 . The bed system of  claim 21 , wherein the processor is further operative to output the biometric data to a cell phone. 
     
     
         32 . The bed system of  claim 21 , wherein the processor is a first processor, wherein the system further comprises a second processor associated with a server, wherein the first processor and the second processor function together to generate the biometric data of the user from the load cell data. 
     
     
         33 . The bed system of  claim 32 , wherein the first processor is configured to transmit raw data to the second processor via an internet connection such that the second processor can process the raw data at a location remote from the bed. 
     
     
         34 . The bed system of  claim 32 , wherein the second processor is further operative to provide recommendations to the user based on health status data collected from the biometric data of the user. 
     
     
         35 . The bed system of  claim 21 , wherein the load cells comprise plate sensors. 
     
     
         36 . The bed system of  claim 21 , wherein the load cells comprise strain gauges. 
     
     
         37 . A bed system comprising:
 a bed having a plurality of bed legs configured to support the bed above a floor;   first, second, third, and fourth strain gauges each configured to output strain gauge data representative of strain along at least a vertical axis;   a monitoring unit having a processor in data communication with the first, second, third, and fourth strain gauges and operative to:
 receive the strain gauge data from the first, second, third, and fourth strain gauges; 
 generate, from the strain gauge data, biometric data of a user resting on the bed; and 
 output the biometric data that was generated from the strain gauge data.