U.S. patent application number 14/082070 was filed with the patent office on 2014-03-20 for systems, methods, and devices to selectively present cumulative indicators of an individuals status over time.
The applicant listed for this patent is BodyMedia, Inc.. Invention is credited to Christopher D. Kasabach, III, Craig B. Liden, Margaret A. McCormack, John L. Moss, Christopher D. Pacione, John M. Stivoric, Eric Teller.
Application Number | 20140081666 14/082070 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 24384145 |
Filed Date | 2014-03-20 |
United States Patent
Application |
20140081666 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Teller; Eric ; et
al. |
March 20, 2014 |
SYSTEMS, METHODS, AND DEVICES TO SELECTIVELY PRESENT CUMULATIVE
INDICATORS OF AN INDIVIDUALS STATUS OVER TIME
Abstract
The invention is a system for detecting, monitoring, and
reporting an individual's physiological or contextual status. The
system works deriving a physiological or contextual status
parameter of an individual using the system. The derivation
utilizes two sensed parameters of the individual. The system is
able to present the derived parameter in relation to any other
sensed parameters, entered information, life activities data, or
other derived data.
Inventors: |
Teller; Eric; (Palo Alto,
CA) ; Stivoric; John M.; (Pittsburgh, PA) ;
Kasabach, III; Christopher D.; (Pittsburgh, PA) ;
Pacione; Christopher D.; (Pittsburgh, PA) ; Moss;
John L.; (Monroeville, PA) ; Liden; Craig B.;
(Sewickley, PA) ; McCormack; Margaret A.;
(Pittsburgh, PA) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
BodyMedia, Inc. |
Pittsburgh |
PA |
US |
|
|
Family ID: |
24384145 |
Appl. No.: |
14/082070 |
Filed: |
November 15, 2013 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
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13291982 |
Nov 8, 2011 |
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14082070 |
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11247049 |
Oct 11, 2005 |
8073707 |
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13291982 |
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09595660 |
Jun 16, 2000 |
7689437 |
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11247049 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
705/3 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A61B 5/411 20130101;
A61B 2560/0209 20130101; A61B 2560/0295 20130101; G16H 40/63
20180101; G16H 15/00 20180101; A61B 5/7264 20130101; A61B 5/441
20130101; G16H 20/30 20180101; Y10S 128/921 20130101; G16H 10/60
20180101; G16H 40/67 20180101; A61B 2560/0456 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
705/3 |
International
Class: |
G06F 19/00 20060101
G06F019/00 |
Claims
1-44. (canceled)
45. A method comprising: generating data with a wearable
physiological monitoring device, said generated data comprising at
least data indicative of a first parameter of an individual and a
second parameter of said individual wearing said wearable
physiological monitoring device; sending said data indicative of
the first parameter and said data indicative of the second
parameter to a computer processor; with said computer processor,
deriving data based on said data indicative of a first parameter
and said data indicative of a second parameter of said individual,
wherein said derived data comprises activity level data of said
individual, calories burned of said individual, and sleep data of
said individual; storing in cumulative fashion said activity level
data of said individual, calories burned of said individual and
sleep data of said individual, said stored data being derived over
a period of time; presenting to the individual indicators of
activity data of said individual, calories burned of said
individual and sleep data of said individual stored over said
period of time, wherein said indicators represent cumulative time
data for each activity over said period of time; providing the
individual with more than one user selectable indicator for
selecting more than one indicator to present to the individual; and
selectively presenting the selected one or more indicator to the
individual each selected indicator presented in relation to each
other selected indicator.
46. The method according to claim 45, said data indicative of the
first parameter and said data indicative of the second parameter
gathered by at least two sensors being chosen from the group
consisting of respiration sensors, temperature sensors, heat flux
sensors, body conductance sensors, body resistance sensors, body
potential sensors, brain activity sensors, blood pressure sensors,
body impedance sensors, body motion sensors, oxygen consumption
sensors, body chemistry sensors, body position sensors, body
pressure sensors, light absorption sensors, piezoelectric sensors,
electrochemical sensors, strain gauges, and optical sensors.
47. The method according to claim 45, said data indicative of the
first parameter and said data indicative of the second parameter
gathered by at least two sensors being two of a body motion sensors
adapted to generate data indicative of motion, a skin conductance
sensor adapted to generate data indicative of the resistance of
said individual's skin to electric current, a heat flux sensor
adapted to generate data indicative of heat flow, a body potential
sensor adapted to generate data indicative of heart beats or muscle
or brain activity of said individual, and a temperature sensor
adapted to generate data indicative of a temperature of said
individual's skin, said data indicative of a first parameter and
said data indicative of a second parameter comprising at least two
of said data indicative of motion, said data indicative of
resistance of said individual's skin to electric current, said data
indicative of heat flow, said data indicative of heart beats or
muscle or brain activity and said data indicative of a temperature
of said individual's skin.
48. The method according to claim 47, said at least two sensors
being said body motion sensor and said heat flux sensor, wherein
said derived data comprises data relating to calories burned and is
generated using at least said data indicative of motion and said
data indicative of heat flow.
49. The method according to claim 47, wherein one of at least said
at least two sensors further comprises said skin conductance sensor
which generates data indicative of the resistance of said
individual's skin to electric current.
50. The method according to claim 47, said at least two sensors
being said body motion sensor and said body potential sensor,
wherein said derived data is generated using at least said data
indicative of motion and said data indicative of heart beats.
Description
RELATED APPLICATION DATA
[0001] This patent application is a continuation of U.S.
application Ser. No. 09/595,660 filed Jun. 16, 2000 and owned by
the assignee of the present application.
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0002] The present invention relates to a system for monitoring
health, wellness and fitness, and in particular, to a system for
collecting and storing at a remote site data relating to an
individual's physiological state, lifestyle, and various contextual
parameters, and making such data and analytical information based
on such data available to the individual, preferably over an
electronic network.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0003] Research has shown that a large number of the top health
problems in society are either caused in whole or in part by an
unhealthy lifestyle. More and more, our society requires people to
lead fast-paced, achievement-oriented lifestyles that often result
in poor eating habits, high stress levels, lack of exercise, poor
sleep habits and the inability to find the time to center the mind
and relax. Recognizing this fact, people are becoming increasingly
interested in establishing a healthier lifestyle.
[0004] Traditional medicine, embodied in the form of an HMO or
similar organizations, does not have the time, the training, or the
reimbursement mechanism to address the needs of those individuals
interested in a healthier lifestyle. There have been several
attempts to meet the needs of these individuals, including a
perfusion of fitness programs and exercise equipment, dietary
plans, self-help books, alternative therapies, and most recently, a
plethora of health information web sites on the Internet. Each of
these attempts are targeted to empower the individual to take
charge and get healthy. Each of these attempts, however, addresses
only part of the needs of individuals seeking a healthier lifestyle
and ignores many of the real barriers that most individuals face
when trying to adopt a healthier lifestyle. These barriers include
the fact that the individual is often left to himself or herself to
find motivation, to implement a plan for achieving a healthier
lifestyle, to monitor progress, and to brainstorm solutions when
problems arise; the fact that existing programs are directed to
only certain aspects of a healthier lifestyle, and rarely come as a
complete package; and the fact that recommendations are often not
targeted to the unique characteristics of the individual or his
life circumstances.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0005] A system is disclosed for detecting, monitoring and
reporting human physiological information. The system includes a
sensor device which generates at least one of data indicative of
one or more physiological parameters and derived data from at least
a portion of the data indicative of one or more physiological
parameters when placed in proximity with at least a portion of the
human body. The system also includes a central monitoring unit
located remote from the sensor device. The central monitoring unit
generates analytical status data from at least one of the data
indicative of one or more physiological parameters, the derived
data, and analytical status data that has previously been
generated. The central monitoring unit also includes a data storage
device for retrievably storing the data it receives and generates.
The disclosed system also includes means for establishing
electronic communication between the sensor device and the central
monitoring unit. Examples may include various known types of long
range wireless transmission devices, or a physical or a short range
wireless coupling to a computer which in turn establishes
electronic communication with the central monitoring unit over an
electronic network such as the Internet. Also included in the
system is a means for transmitting the data indicative of one or
more physiological parameters, the derived data, and/or the
analytical status data to a recipient, such as the individual or a
third party authorized by the individual.
[0006] Also disclosed is a method of detecting, monitoring and
reporting human physiological information. The method includes
generating at least one of data indicative of one or more
physiological parameters of an individual and derived data from at
least a portion of the data indicative of one or more physiological
parameters using a sensor device adapted to be placed in proximity
with at least a portion of the human body. The at least one of the
data indicative of one or more physiological parameters and the
derived data are transmitted to a central monitoring unit remote
from said sensor device and retrievably stored in a storage device.
Analytical status data is generated from at least a portion of at
least one of the data indicative of one or more physiological
parameters, the derived data and the analytical status data, and at
least one of the data indicative of one or more physiological
parameters, the derived data and the analytical status data is
transmitted to a recipient.
[0007] The sensor device includes one or more sensors for
generating signals in response to physiological characteristics of
the individual. The sensor device may also include a processor that
is adapted to generate the data indicative of one or more
physiological parameters from the signals generated by the one or
more sensors. The processor may also be adapted to generate the
derived data. Alternatively, the derived data may be generated by
the central monitoring unit.
[0008] The central monitoring unit may be adapted to generate one
or more web pages containing the data indicative of one or more
physiological parameters, the derived data, and/or the analytical
status data. The web pages generated by the central monitoring unit
are accessible by the recipient over an electronic network, such as
the Internet. Alternatively, the data indicative of one or more
physiological parameters, the derived data, and/or the analytical
status data may be transmitted to the recipient in a physical form
such as mail or facsimile.
[0009] The system and method may also obtain life activities data
of the individual and may use such life activities data when
generating the analytical status data. Furthermore, the sensor
device may also be adapted to generate data indicative of one or
more contextual parameters of the individual. The system and method
may then use the data indicative of one or more contextual
parameters when generating the analytical status data.
[0010] Also disclosed is a system for monitoring the degree to
which an individual has followed a suggested routine. The system
includes a sensor device adapted to generate at least one of data
indicative of one or more physiological parameters of the
individual and derived data from at least a portion of the data
indicative of one or more physiological parameters when the sensor
device is placed in proximity with at least a portion of the human
body. Also included is a means for transmitting the data that is
generated by the sensor device to a central monitoring unit remote
from the sensor device and means for providing life activities data
of the individual to the central monitoring unit. The central
monitoring unit is adapted to generate and provide feedback to a
recipient relating to the degree to which the individual has
followed the suggested routine. The feedback is generated from at
least a portion of at least one of the data indicative of one or
more physiological parameters, the derived data, and the life
activities data.
[0011] Also disclosed is a method of monitoring the degree to which
an individual has followed a suggested routine. The method includes
receiving, at a central monitoring unit, at least one of data
indicative of one or more physiological parameters of said
individual and derived data based on at least a portion of the data
indicative of one or more physiological parameters, wherein the
data indicative of one or more physiological parameters and the
derived data are generated by a sensor device when placed in
proximity with at least a portion of the human body. Also received
at the central monitoring unit is life activities data of the
individual. The method further includes generating at the central
monitoring unit feedback relating to the degree to which the
individual has followed the suggested routine, the feedback being
generated from at least a portion of at least one of the data
indicative of one or more physiological parameters of the
individual, the derived data, and the life activities data, and
providing the feedback to a recipient.
[0012] The suggested routine may include a plurality of categories,
wherein the feedback is generated and provided with respect to each
of the categories. Examples of the categories include nutrition,
activity level, mind centering, sleep, and daily activities. The
feedback may be provided in graphical form and may be contained in
one or more web pages generated by the central monitoring unit.
Alternatively, the feedback may be transmitted to the recipient in
a physical form.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0013] Further features and advantages of the present invention
will be apparent upon consideration of the following detailed
description of the present invention, taken in conjunction with the
following drawings, in which like reference characters refer to
like parts, and in which:
[0014] FIG. 1 is a diagram of an embodiment of a system for
monitoring physiological data and lifestyle over an electronic
network according to the present invention;
[0015] FIG. 2 is a block diagram of an embodiment of the sensor
device shown in FIG. 1;
[0016] FIG. 3 is a block diagram of an embodiment of the central
monitoring unit shown in FIG. 1;
[0017] FIG. 4 is a block diagram of an alternate embodiment of the
central monitoring unit shown in FIG. 1;
[0018] FIG. 5 is a representation of a preferred embodiment of the
Health Manager web page according to an aspect of the present
invention;
[0019] FIG. 6 is a representation of a preferred embodiment of the
nutrition web page according to an aspect of the present
invention;
[0020] FIG. 7 is a representation of a preferred embodiment of the
activity level web page according to an aspect of the present
invention;
[0021] FIG. 8 is a representation of a preferred embodiment of the
mind centering web page according to an aspect of the present
invention;
[0022] FIG. 9 is a representation of a preferred embodiment of the
sleep web page according to an aspect of the present invention;
[0023] FIG. 10 is a representation of a preferred embodiment of the
daily activities web page according to an aspect of the present
invention; and
[0024] FIG. 11 is a representation of a preferred embodiment of the
Health Index web page according to an aspect of the present
invention.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0025] In general, according to the present invention, data
relating to the physiological state, the lifestyle and certain
contextual parameters of an individual is collected and
transmitted, either subsequently or in real-time, to a site,
preferably remote from the individual, where it is stored for later
manipulation and presentation to a recipient, preferably over an
electronic network such as the Internet. Contextual parameters as
used herein means parameters relating to the environment,
surroundings and location of the individual, including, but not
limited to, air quality, sound quality, ambient temperature, global
positioning and the like. Referring to FIG. 1, located at user
location 5 is sensor device 10 adapted to be placed in proximity
with at least a portion of the human body. Sensor device 10 is
preferably worn by an individual user on his or her body, for
example as part of a garment such as a form fitting shirt, or as
part of an arm band or the like. Sensor device 10, includes one or
more sensors, which are adapted to generate signals in response to
physiological characteristics of an individual, and a
microprocessor. Proximity as used herein means that the sensors of
sensor device 10 are separated from the individual's body by a
material or the like, or a distance such that the capabilities of
the sensors are not impeded.
[0026] Sensor device 10 generates data indicative of various
physiological parameters of an individual, such as the individual's
heart rate, pulse rate, beat-to-beat heart variability, EKG or ECG,
respiration rate, skin temperature, core body temperature, heat
flow off the body, galvanic skin response or GSR, EMG, EEG, EOG,
blood pressure, body fat, hydration level, activity level, oxygen
consumption, glucose or blood sugar level, body position, pressure
on muscles or bones, and UV radiation absorption. In certain cases,
the data indicative of the various physiological parameters is the
signal or signals themselves generated by the one or more sensors
and in certain other cases the data is calculated by the
microprocessor based on the signal or signals generated by the one
or more sensors. Methods for generating data indicative of various
physiological parameters and sensors to be used therefor are well
known. Table 1 provides several examples of such well known methods
and shows the parameter in question, the method used, the sensor
device used, and the signal that is generated. Table 1 also
provides an indication as to whether further processing based on
the generated signal is required to generate the data.
TABLE-US-00001 TABLE 1 Further Parameter Method Sensor Signal
Processing Heart Rate EKG 2 Electrodes DC Voltage Yes Pulse Rate
BVP LED Emitter and Change in Yes Optical Sensor Resistance
Beat-to-Beat Heart Rate 2 Electrodes DC Voltage Yes Variability EKG
Skin Surface 3-10 Electrodes DC Voltage No Potentials Respiration
Rate Chest Volume Strain Gauge Change in Yes Change Resistance Skin
Temperature Surface Thermistors Change in Yes Temperature
Resistance Probe Core Temperature Esophageal or Thermistors Change
in Yes Rectal Probe Resistance Heat Flow Heat Flux Thermopile DC
Voltage Yes Galvanic Skin Skin 2 Electrodes Change in No Response
Conductance Resistance EMG Skin Surface 3 Electrodes DC Voltage No
Potentials EEG Skin Surface Multiple DC Voltage Yes Potentials
Electrodes EOG Eye Movement Thin Film DC Voltage Yes Piezoelectric
Sensors Blood Pressure Non-Invasive Electronic Change in Yes
Korotkuff Sphygromarometer Resistance Sounds Body Fat Body
Impedance 2 Active Change in Yes Electrodes Impedance Activity in
Body Movement Accelerometer DC Voltage, Yes Interpreted G
Capacitance Shocks per Minute Changes Oxygen Oxygen Uptake
Electro-chemical DC Voltage Yes Consumption Change Glucose Level
Non-Invasive Electro-chemical DC Voltage Yes Change Body Position
N/A Mercury Switch DC Voltage Yes (e.g. supine, Array Change erect,
sitting) Muscle Pressure N/A Thin Film DC Voltage Yes Piezoelectric
Change Sensors UV Radiation N/A UV Sensitive DC Voltage Yes
Absorption Photo Cells Change
[0027] The types of data listed in Table 1 are intended to be
examples of the types of data that can be generated by sensor
device 10. It is to be understood that other types of data relating
to other parameters can be generated by sensor device 10 without
departing from the scope of the present invention.
[0028] The microprocessor of sensor device 10 may be programmed to
summarize and analyze the data. For example, the microprocessor can
be programmed to calculate an average, minimum or maximum heart
rate or respiration rate over a defined period of time, such as ten
minutes. Sensor device 10 may be able to derive information
relating to an individual's physiological state based on the data
indicative of one or more physiological parameters. The
microprocessor of sensor device 10 is programmed to derive such
information using known methods based on the data indicative of one
or more physiological parameters. Table 2 provides examples of the
type of information that can be derived, and indicates some of the
types of data that can be used therefor.
TABLE-US-00002 TABLE 2 Derived Information Data Used Ovulation Skin
temperature, core temperature, oxygen consumption Sleep onset/wake
Beat-to-beat variability, heart rate, pulse rate, respiration rate,
skin temperature, core temperature, heat flow, galvanic skin
response, EMG, EEG, EOG, blood pressure, oxygen consumption
Calories burned Heart rate, pulse rate, respiration rate, heat
flow, activity, oxygen consumption Basal metabolic rate Heart rate,
pulse rate, respiration rate, heat flow, activity, oxygen
consumption Basal temperature Skin temperature, core temperature
Activity level Heart rate, pulse rate, respiration rate, heat flow,
activity, oxygen consumption Stress level EKG, beat-to-beat
variability, heart rate, pulse rate, respiration rate, skin
temperature, heat flow, galvanic skin response, EMG, EEG, blood
pressure, activity, oxygen consumption Relaxation level EKG,
beat-to-beat variability, heart rate, pulse rate, respiration rate,
skin temperature, heat flow, galvanic skin response, EMG, EEG,
blood pressure, activity, oxygen consumption Maximum oxygen EKG,
heart rate, pulse rate, respiration consumption rate rate, heat
flow, blood pressure, activity, oxygen consumption Rise time or the
time it Heart rate, pulse rate, heat flow, oxygen takes to rise
from a consumption resting rate to 85% of a target maximum Time in
zone or the time Heart rate, pulse rate, heat flow, oxygen heart
rate was above 85% consumption of a target maximum Recovery time or
the Heart rate, pulse rate, heat flow, oxygen time it takes heart
rate consumption to return to a resting rate after heart rate was
above 85% of a target maximum
[0029] Additionally, sensor device 10 may also generate data
indicative of various contextual parameters relating to the
environment surrounding the individual. For example, sensor device
10 can generate data indicative of the air quality, sound
level/quality, light quality or ambient temperature near the
individual, or even the global positioning of the individual.
Sensor device 10 may include one or more sensors for generating
signals in response to contextual characteristics relating to the
environment surrounding the individual, the signals ultimately
being used to generate the type of data described above. Such
sensors are well known, as are methods for generating contextual
parametric data such as air quality, sound level/quality, ambient
temperature and global positioning.
[0030] FIG. 2 is a block diagram of an embodiment of sensor device
10. Sensor device 10 includes at least one sensor 12 and
microprocessor 20. Depending upon the nature of the signal
generated by sensor 12, the signal can be sent through one or more
of amplifier 14, conditioning circuit 16, and analog-to-digital
converter 18, before being sent to microprocessor 20. For example,
where sensor 12 generates an analog signal in need of amplification
and filtering, that signal can be sent to amplifier 14, and then on
to conditioning circuit 16, which may, for example, be a band pass
filter. The amplified and conditioned analog signal can then be
transferred to analog-to-digital converter 18, where it is
converted to a digital signal. The digital signal is then sent to
microprocessor 20. Alternatively, if sensor 12 generates a digital
signal, that signal can be sent directly to microprocessor 20.
[0031] A digital signal or signals representing certain
physiological and/or contextual characteristics of the individual
user may be used by microprocessor 20 to calculate or generate data
indicative of physiological and/or contextual parameters of the
individual user. Microprocessor 20 is programmed to derive
information relating to at lease one aspect of the individual's
physiological state. It should be understood that microprocessor 20
may also comprise other forms of processors or processing devices,
such as a microcontroller, or any other device that can be
programmed to perform the functionality described herein.
[0032] The data indicative of physiological and/or contextual
parameters can, according to one embodiment of the present
invention, be sent to memory 22, such as flash memory, where it is
stored until uploaded in the manner to be described below. Although
memory 22 is shown in FIG. 2 as a discrete element, it will be
appreciated that it may also be part of microprocessor 20. Sensor
device 10 also includes input/output circuitry 24, which is adapted
to output and receive as input certain data signals in the manners
to be described herein. Thus, memory 22 of the sensor device 10
will build up, over time, a store of data relating to the
individual user's body and/or environment. That data is
periodically uploaded from sensor device 10 and sent to remote
central monitoring unit 30, as shown in FIG. 1, where it is stored
in a database for subsequent processing and presentation to the
user, preferably through a local or global electronic network such
as the Internet. This uploading of data can be an automatic process
that is initiated by sensor device 10 periodically or upon the
happening of an event such as the detection by sensor device 10 of
a heart rate below a certain level, or can be initiated by the
individual user or some third party authorized by the user,
preferably according to some periodic schedule, such as every day
at 10:00 p.m. Alternatively, rather than storing data in memory 22,
sensor device 10 may continuously upload data in real time.
[0033] The uploading of data from sensor device 10 to central
monitoring unit 30 for storage can be accomplished in various ways.
In one embodiment, the data collected by sensor device 10 is
uploaded by first transferring the data to personal computer 35
shown in FIG. 1 by means of physical connection 40, which, for
example, may be a serial connection such as an RS232 or USB port.
This physical connection may also be accomplished by using a
cradle, not shown, that is electronically coupled to personal
computer 35 into which sensor device 10 can be inserted, as is
common with many commercially available personal digital
assistants. The uploading of data could be initiated by then
pressing a button on the cradle or could be initiated automatically
upon insertion of sensor device 10. The data collected by sensor
device 10 may be uploaded by first transferring the data to
personal computer 35 by means of short-range wireless transmission,
such as infrared or radio transmission, as indicated at 45.
[0034] Once the data is received by personal computer 35, it is
optionally compressed and encrypted by any one of a variety of well
known methods and then sent out over a local or global electronic
network, preferably the Internet, to central monitoring unit 30. It
should be noted that personal computer 35 can be replaced by any
computing device that has access to and that can transmit and
receive data through the electronic network, such as, for example,
a personal digital assistant such as the Palm VII sold by Palm,
Inc., or the Blackberry 2-way pager sold by Research in Motion,
Inc.
[0035] Alternatively, the data collected by sensor device 10, after
being encrypted and, optionally, compressed by microprocessor 20,
may be transferred to wireless device 50, such as a 2-way pager or
cellular phone, for subsequent long distance wireless transmission
to local telco site 55 using a wireless protocol such as e-mail or
as ASCII or binary data. Local telco site 55 includes tower 60 that
receives the wireless transmission from wireless device 50 and
computer 65 connected to tower 60. According to the preferred
embodiment, computer 65 has access to the relevant electronic
network, such as the Internet, and is used to transmit the data
received in the form of the wireless transmission to the central
monitoring unit 30 over the Internet. Although wireless device 50
is shown in FIG. 1 as a discrete device coupled to sensor device
10, it or a device having the same or similar functionality may be
embedded as part of sensor device 10.
[0036] Sensor device 10 may be provided with a button to be used to
time stamp events such as time to bed, wake time, and time of
meals. These time stamps are stored in sensor device 10 and are
uploaded to central monitoring unit 30 with the rest of the data as
described above. The time stamps may include a digitally recorded
voice message that, after being uploaded to central monitoring unit
30, are translated using voice recognition technology into text or
some other information format that can be used by central
monitoring unit 30.
[0037] In addition to using sensor device 10 to automatically
collect physiological data relating to an individual user, a kiosk
could be adapted to collect such data by, for example, weighing the
individual, providing a sensing device similar to sensor device 10
on which an individual places his or her hand or another part of
his or her body, or by scanning the individual's body using, for
example, laser technology or an iStat blood analyzer. The kiosk
would be provided with processing capability as described herein
and access to the relevant electronic network, and would thus be
adapted to send the collected data to the central monitoring unit
30 through the electronic network. A desktop sensing device, again
similar to sensor device 10, on which an individual places his or
her hand or another part of his or her body may also be provided.
For example, such a desktop sensing device could be a blood
pressure monitor in which an individual places his or her arm. An
individual might also wear a ring having a sensor device 10
incorporated therein. A base, not shown, could then be provided
which is adapted to be coupled to the ring. The desktop sensing
device or the base just described may then be coupled to a computer
such as personal computer 35 by means of a physical or short range
wireless connection so that the collected data could be uploaded to
central monitoring unit 30 over the relative electronic network in
the manner described above. A mobile device such as, for example, a
personal digital assistant, might also be provided with a sensor
device 10 incorporated therein. Such a sensor device 10 would be
adapted to collect data when mobile device is placed in proximity
with the individual's body, such as by holding the device in the
palm of one's hand, and upload the collected data to central
monitoring unit 30 in any of the ways described herein.
[0038] Furthermore, in addition to collecting data by automatically
sensing such data in the manners described above, individuals can
also manually provide data relating to various life activities that
is ultimately transferred to and stored at central monitoring unit
30. An individual user can access a web site maintained by central
monitoring unit 30 and can directly input information relating to
life activities by entering text freely, by responding to questions
posed by the web site, or by clicking through dialog boxes provided
by the web site. Central monitoring unit 30 can also be adapted to
periodically send electronic mail messages containing questions
designed to elicit information relating to life activities to
personal computer 35 or to some other device that can receive
electronic mail, such as a personal digital assistant, a pager, or
a cellular phone. The individual would then provide data relating
to life activities to central monitoring unit 30 by responding to
the appropriate electronic mail message with the relevant data.
Central monitoring unit 30 may also be adapted to place a telephone
call to an individual user in which certain questions would be
posed to the individual user. The user could respond to the
questions by entering information using a telephone keypad, or by
voice, in which case conventional voice recognition technology
would be used by central monitoring unit 30 to receive and process
the response. The telephone call may also be initiated by the user,
in which case the user could speak to a person directly or enter
information using the keypad or by voice/voice recognition
technology. Central monitoring unit 30 may also be given access to
a source of information controlled by the user, for example the
user's electronic calendar such as that provided with the Outlook
product sold by Microsoft Corporation of Redmond, Wash., from which
it could automatically collect information. The data relating to
life activities may relate to the eating, sleep, exercise, mind
centering or relaxation, and/or daily living habits, patterns
and/or activities of the individual. Thus, sample questions may
include: What did you have for lunch today? What time did you go to
sleep last night? What time did you wake up this morning? How long
did you run on the treadmill today?
[0039] Feedback may also be provided to a user directly through
sensor device 10 in a visual form, for example through an LED or
LCD or by constructing sensor device 10, at least in part, of a
thermochromatic plastic, in the form of an acoustic signal or in
the form of tactile feedback such as vibration. Such feedback may
be a reminder or an alert to eat a meal or take medication or a
supplement such as a vitamin, to engage in an activity such as
exercise or meditation, or to drink water when a state of
dehydration is detected. Additionally, a reminder or alert can be
issued in the event that a particular physiological parameter such
as ovulation has been detected, a level of calories burned during a
workout has been achieved or a high heart rate or respiration rate
has been encountered.
[0040] As will be apparent to those of skill in the art, it may be
possible to "download" data from central monitoring unit 30 to
sensor device 10. The flow of data in such a download process would
be substantially the reverse of that described above with respect
to the upload of data from sensor device 10. Thus, it is possible
that the firmware of microprocessor 20 of sensor device 10 can be
updated or altered remotely, i.e., the microprocessor can be
reprogrammed, by downloading new firmware to sensor device 10 from
central monitoring unit 30 for such parameters as timing and sample
rates of sensor device 10. Also, the reminders/alerts provided by
sensor device 10 may be set by the user using the web site
maintained by central monitoring unit 30 and subsequently
downloaded to the sensor device 10.
[0041] Referring to FIG. 3, a block diagram of an embodiment of
central monitoring unit 30 is shown. Central monitoring unit 30
includes CSU/DSU 70 which is connected to router 75, the main
function of which is to take data requests or traffic, both
incoming and outgoing, and direct such requests and traffic for
processing or viewing on the web site maintained by central
monitoring unit 30. Connected to router 75 is firewall 80. The main
purpose of firewall 80 is to protect the remainder of central
monitoring unit 30 from unauthorized or malicious intrusions.
Switch 85, connected to firewall 80, is used to direct data flow
between middleware servers 95a through 95c and database server 110.
Load balancer 90 is provided to spread the workload of incoming
requests among the identically configured middleware servers 95a
through 95c. Load balancer 90, a suitable example of which is the
F5 ServerIron product sold by Foundry Networks, Inc. of San Jose,
Calif. analyzes the availability of each middleware server 95a
through 95c, and the amount of system resources being used in each
middleware server 95a through 95c, in order to spread tasks among
them appropriately.
[0042] Central monitoring unit 30 includes network storage device
100, such as a storage area network or SAN, which acts as the
central repository for data. In particular, network storage device
100 comprises a database that stores all data gathered for each
individual user in the manners described above. An example of a
suitable network storage device 100 is the Symmetrix product sold
by EMC Corporation of Hopkinton, Mass. Although only one network
storage device 100 is shown in FIG. 3, it will be understood that
multiple network storage devices of various capacities could be
used depending on the data storage needs of central monitoring unit
30. Central monitoring unit 30 also includes database server 110
which is coupled to network storage device 100. Database server 110
is made up of two main components: a large scale multiprocessor
server and an enterprise type software server component such as the
8/8i component sold by Oracle Corporation of Redwood City, Calif.,
or the 506 7 component sold by Microsoft Corporation of Redmond,
Wash. The primary functions of database server 110 are that of
providing access upon request to the data stored in network storage
device 100, and populating network storage device 100 with new
data. Coupled to network storage device 100 is controller 115,
which typically comprises a desktop personal computer, for managing
the data stored in network storage device 100.
[0043] Middleware servers 95a through 95c, a suitable example of
which is the 22OR Dual Processor sold by Sun Microsystems, Inc. of
Palo Alto, Calif., each contain software for generating and
maintaining the corporate or home web page or pages of the web site
maintained by central monitoring unit 30. As is known in the art, a
web page refers to a block or blocks of data available on the
World-Wide Web comprising a file or files written in Hypertext
Markup Language or HTML, and a web site commonly refers to any
computer on the Internet running a World-Wide Web server process.
The corporate or home web page or pages are the opening or landing
web page or pages that are accessible by all members of the general
public that visit the site by using the appropriate uniform
resource locator or URL. As is known in the art, URLs are the form
of address used on the World-Wide Web and provide a standard way of
specifying the location of an object, typically a web page, on the
Internet. Middleware servers 95a through 95c also each contain
software for generating and maintaining the web pages of the web
site of central monitoring unit 30 that can only be accessed by
individuals that register and become members of central monitoring
unit 30. The member users will be those individuals who wish to
have their data stored at central monitoring unit 30. Access by
such member users is controlled using passwords for security
purposes. Preferred embodiments of those web pages are described in
detail below and are generated using collected data that is stored
in the database of network storage device 100.
[0044] Middleware servers 95a through 95c also contain software for
requesting data from and writing data to network storage device 100
through database server 110. When an individual user desires to
initiate a session with the central monitoring unit 30 for the
purpose of entering data into the database of network storage
device 100, viewing his or her data stored in the database of
network storage device 100, or both, the user visits the home web
page of central monitoring unit 30 using a browser program such as
Internet Explorer distributed by Microsoft Corporation of Redmond,
Wash., and logs in as a registered user. Load balancer 90 assigns
the user to one of the middleware servers 95a through 95c,
identified as the chosen middleware server. A user will preferably
be assigned to a chosen middleware server for each entire session.
The chosen middleware server authenticates the user using any one
of many well known methods, to ensure that only the true user is
permitted to access the information in the database. A member user
may also grant access to his or her data to a third party such as a
health care provider or a personal trainer. Each authorized third
party may be given a separate password and may view the member
user's data using a conventional browser. It is therefore possible
for both the user and the third party to be the recipient of the
data.
[0045] When the user is authenticated, the chosen middleware server
requests, through database server 110, the individual user's data
from network storage device 100 for a predetermined time period.
The predetermined time period is preferably thirty days. The
requested data, once received from network storage device 100, is
temporarily stored by the chosen middleware server in cache memory.
The cached data is used by the chosen middleware server as the
basis for presenting information, in the form of web pages, to the
user again through the user's browser. Each middleware server 95a
through 95c is provided with appropriate software for generating
such web pages, including software for manipulating and performing
calculations utilizing the data to put the data in appropriate
format for presentation to the user. Once the user ends his or her
session, the data is discarded from cache. When the user initiates
a new session, the process for obtaining and caching data for that
user as described above is repeated. This caching system thus
ideally requires that only one call to the network storage device
100 be made per session, thereby reducing the traffic that database
server 110 must handle. Should a request from a user during a
particular session require data that is outside of a predetermined
time period of cached data already retrieved, a separate call to
network storage device 100 may be performed by the chosen
middleware server. The predetermined time period should be chosen,
however, such that such additional calls are minimized. Cached data
may also be saved in cache memory so that it can be reused when a
user starts a new session, thus eliminating the need to initiate a
new call to network storage device 100.
[0046] As described in connection with Table 2, the microprocessor
of sensor device 10 may be programmed to derive information
relating to an individual's physiological state based on the data
indicative of one or more physiological parameters. Central
monitoring unit 30, and preferably middleware servers 95a through
95c, may also be similarly programmed to derive such information
based on the data indicative of one or more physiological
parameters.
[0047] It is also contemplated that a user will input additional
data during a session, for example, information relating to the
user's eating or sleeping habits. This additional data is
preferably stored by the chosen middleware server in a cache during
the duration of the user's session. When the user ends the session,
this additional new data stored in a cache is transferred by the
chosen middleware server to database server 110 for population in
network storage device 100. Alternatively, in addition to being
stored in a cache for potential use during a session, the input
data may also be immediately transferred to database server 110 for
population in network storage device 100, as part of a
write-through cache system which is well known in the art.
[0048] Data collected by sensor device 10 shown in FIG. 1 is
periodically uploaded to central monitoring unit 30. Either by long
distance wireless transmission or through personal computer 35, a
connection to central monitoring unit 30 is made through an
electronic network, preferably the Internet. In particular,
connection is made to load balancer 90 through CSU/DSU 70, router
75, firewall 80 and switch 85. Load balancer 90 then chooses one of
the middleware servers 95a through 95c to handle the upload of
data, hereafter called the chosen middleware server. The chosen
middleware server authenticates the user using any one of many well
known methods. If authentication is successful, the data is
uploaded to the chosen middleware server as described above, and is
ultimately transferred to database server 110 for population in the
network storage device 100.
[0049] Referring to FIG. 4, an alternate embodiment of central
monitoring unit 30 is shown. In addition to the elements shown and
described with respect to FIG. 3, the embodiment of the central
monitoring unit 30 shown in FIG. 4 includes a mirror network
storage device 120 which is a redundant backup of network storage
device 100. Coupled to mirror network storage device 120 is
controller 122. Data from network storage device 100 is
periodically copied to mirror network storage device 120 for data
redundancy purposes.
[0050] Third parties such as insurance companies or research
institutions may be given access, possibly for a fee, to certain of
the information stored in mirror network storage device 120.
Preferably, in order to maintain the confidentiality of the
individual users who supply data to central monitoring unit 30,
these third parties are not given access to such user's individual
database records, but rather are only given access to the data
stored in mirror network storage device 120 in aggregate form. Such
third parties may be able to access the information stored in
mirror network storage device 120 through the Internet using a
conventional browser program. Requests from third parties may come
in through CSU/DSU 70, router 75, firewall 80 and switch 85. In the
embodiment shown in FIG. 4, a separate load balancer 130 is
provided for spreading tasks relating to the accessing and
presentation of data from mirror drive array 120 among identically
configured middleware servers 135a through 135c. Middleware servers
135a through 135c each contain software for enabling the third
parties to, using a browser, formulate queries for information from
mirror network storage device 120 through separate database server
125. Middleware servers 135a through 135c also contain software for
presenting the information obtained from mirror network storage
device 120 to the third parties over the Internet in the form of
web pages. In addition, the third parties can choose from a series
of prepared reports that have information packaged along subject
matter lines, such as various demographic categories.
[0051] As will be apparent to one of skill in the art, instead of
giving these third parties access to the backup data stored in
mirror network storage device 120, the third parties may be given
access to the data stored in network storage device 100. Also,
instead of providing load balancer 130 and middleware servers 135a
through 135c, the same functionality, although at a sacrificed
level of performance, could be provided by load balancer 90 and
middleware servers 95a through 95c.
[0052] When an individual user first becomes a registered user or
member, that user completes a detailed survey. The purposes of the
survey are to: identify unique characteristics/circumstances for
each user that they might need to address in order to maximize the
likelihood that they will implement and maintain a healthy
lifestyle as suggested by central monitoring unit 30; gather
baseline data which will be used to set initial goals for the
individual user and facilitate the calculation and display of
certain graphical data output such as the Health Index pistons;
identify unique user characteristics and circumstances that will
help central monitoring unit 30 customize the type of content
provided to the user in the Health Manager's Daily Dose; and
identify unique user characteristics and circumstances that the
Health Manager can guide the user to address as possible barriers
to a healthy lifestyle through the problem-solving function of the
Health Manager.
[0053] The specific information to be surveyed may include: key
individual temperamental characteristics, including activity level,
regularity of eating, sleeping, and bowel habits, initial response
to situations, adaptability, persistence, threshold of
responsiveness, intensity of reaction, and quality of mood; the
user's level of independent functioning, i.e., self-organization
and management, socialization, memory, and academic achievement
skills; the user's ability to focus and sustain attention,
including the user's level of arousal, cognitive tempo, ability to
filter distractions, vigilance, and self-monitoring; the user's
current health status including current weight, height, and blood
pressure, most recent general physician visit, gynecological exam,
and other applicable physician/healthcare contacts, current
medications and supplements, allergies, and a review of current
symptoms and/or health-related behaviors; the user's past health
history, i.e., illnesses/surgeries, family history, and social
stress events, such as divorce or loss of a job, that have required
adjustment by the individual; the user's beliefs, values and
opinions about health priorities, their ability to alter their
behavior and, what might contribute to stress in their life, and
how they manage it; the user's degree of self-awareness, empathy,
empowerment, and self-esteem, and the user's current daily routines
for eating, sleeping, exercise, relaxation and completing
activities of daily living; and the user's perception of the
temperamental characteristics of two key persons in their life, for
example, their spouse, a friend, a co-worker, or their boss, and
whether there are clashes present in their relationships that might
interfere with a healthy lifestyle or contribute to stress.
[0054] Each member user will have access, through the home web page
of central monitoring unit 30, to a series of web pages customized
for that user, referred to as the Health Manager. The opening
Health Manager web page 150 is shown in FIG. 5. The Health Manager
web pages are the main workspace area for the member user. The
Health Manager web pages comprise a utility through which central
monitoring unit 30 provides various types and forms of data,
commonly referred to as analytical status data, to the user that is
generated from the data it collects or generates, namely one or
more of: the data indicative of various physiological parameters
generated by sensor device 10; the data derived from the data
indicative of various physiological parameters; the data indicative
of various contextual parameters generated by sensor device 10; and
the data input by the user. Analytical status data is characterized
by the application of certain utilities or algorithms to convert
one or more of the data indicative of various physiological
parameters generated by sensor device 10, the data derived from the
data indicative of various physiological parameters, the data
indicative of various contextual parameters generated by sensor
device 10, and the data input by the user into calculated health,
wellness and lifestyle indicators. For example, based on data input
by the user relating to the foods he or she has eaten, things such
as calories and amounts of proteins, fats, carbohydrates, and
certain vitamins can be calculated. As another example, skin
temperature, heart rate, respiration rate, heat flow and/or GSR can
be used to provide an indicator to the user of his or her stress
level over a desired time period. As still another example, skin
temperature, heat flow, beat-to-beat heart variability, heart rate,
pulse rate, respiration rate, core temperature, galvanic skin
response, EMG, EEG, EOG, blood pressure, oxygen consumption,
ambient sound and body movement or motion as detected by a device
such as an accelerometer can be used to provide indicators to the
user of his or her sleep patterns over a desired time period.
[0055] Located on the opening Health Manager web page 150 is Health
Index 155. Health Index 155 is a graphical utility used to measure
and provide feedback to member users regarding their performance
and the degree to which they have succeeded in reaching a healthy
daily routine suggested by central monitoring unit 30. Health Index
155 thus provides an indication for the member user to track his or
her progress. Health Index 155 includes six categories relating to
the user's health and lifestyle: Nutrition, Activity Level, Mind
Centering, Sleep, Daily Activities and How You Feel. The Nutrition
category relates to what, when and how much a person eats and
drinks. The Activity Level category relates to how much a person
moves around. The Mind Centering category relates to the quality
and quantity of time a person spends engaging in some activity that
allows the body to achieve a state of profound relaxation while the
mind becomes highly alert and focused. The Sleep category relates
to the quality and quantity of a person's sleep. The Daily
Activities category relates to the daily responsibilities and
health risks people encounter. Finally, the How You Feel category
relates to the general perception that a person has about how they
feel on a particular day. Each category has an associated level
indicator or piston that indicates, preferably on a scale ranging
from poor to excellent, how the user is performing with respect to
that category.
[0056] When each member user completes the initial survey described
above, a profile is generated that provides the user with a summary
of his or her relevant characteristics and life circumstances. A
plan and/or set of goals is provided in the form of a suggested
healthy daily routine. The suggested healthy daily routine may
include any combination of specific suggestions for incorporating
proper nutrition, exercise, mind centering, sleep, and selected
activities of daily living in the user's life. Prototype schedules
may be offered as guides for how these suggested activities can be
incorporated into the user's life. The user may periodically retake
the survey, and based on the results, the items discussed above
will be adjusted accordingly.
[0057] The Nutrition category is calculated from both data input by
the user and sensed by sensor device 10. The data input by the user
comprises the time and duration of breakfast, lunch, dinner and any
snacks, and the foods eaten, the supplements such as vitamins that
are taken, and the water and other liquids consumed during a
relevant, pre-selected time period. Based upon this data and on
stored data relating to known properties of various foods, central
monitoring unit 30 calculates well known nutritional food values
such as calories and amounts of proteins, fats, carbohydrates,
vitamins, etc., consumed.
[0058] The Nutrition Health Index piston level is preferably
determined with respect to the following suggested healthy daily
routine: eat at least three meals; eat a varied diet consisting of
6-11 servings of bread, pasta, cereal, and rice, 2-4 servings
fruit, 3-5 servings of vegetables, 2-3 servings of fish, meat,
poultry, dry beans, eggs, and nuts, and 2-3 servings of milk,
yogurt and cheese; and drink 8 or more 8 ounce glasses of water.
This routine may be adjusted based on information about the user,
such as sex, age, height and/or weight. Certain nutritional targets
may also be set by the user or for the user, relating to daily
calories, protein, fiber, fat, carbohydrates, and/or water
consumption and percentages of total consumption. Parameters
utilized in the calculation of the relevant piston level include
the number of meals per day, the number of glasses of water, and
the types and amounts of food eaten each day as input by the
user.
[0059] Nutritional information is presented to the user through
nutrition web page 160 as shown in FIG. 6. The preferred
nutritional web page 160 includes nutritional fact charts 165 and
170 which illustrate actual and target nutritional facts,
respectively as pie charts, and nutritional intake charts 175 and
180 which show total actual nutritional intake and target
nutritional intake, respectively as pie charts. Nutritional fact
charts 165 and 170 preferably show a percentage breakdown of items
such as carbohydrates, protein and fat, and nutritional intake
charts 175 and 180 are preferably broken down to show components
such as total and target calories, fat, carbohydrates, protein, and
vitamins. Web page 160 also includes meal and water consumption
tracking 185 with time entries, hyperlinks 190 which allow the user
to directly access nutrition-related news items and articles,
suggestions for refining or improving daily routine with respect to
nutrition and affiliate advertising elsewhere on the network, and
calendar 195 for choosing between views having variable and
selectable time periods. The items shown at 190 may be selected and
customized based on information learned about the individual in the
survey and on their performance as measured by the Health
Index.
[0060] The Activity Level category of Health Index 155 is designed
to help users monitor how and when they move around during the day
and utilizes both data input by the user and data sensed by sensor
device 10. The data input by the user may include details regarding
the user's daily activities, for example the fact that the user
worked at a desk from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. and then took an aerobics
class from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. Relevant data sensed by sensor device
10 may include heart rate, movement as sensed by a device such as
an accelerometer, heat flow, respiration rate, calories burned, GSR
and hydration level, which may be derived by sensor device 60 or
central monitoring unit 30. Calories burned may be calculated in a
variety of manners, including: the multiplication of the type of
exercise input by the user by the duration of exercise input by the
user; sensed motion multiplied by time of motion multiplied by a
filter constant; or sensed heat flux multiplied by time multiplied
by a filter constant.
[0061] The Activity Level Health Index piston level is preferably
determined with respect to a suggested healthy daily routine that
includes: exercising aerobically for a pre-set time period,
preferably 20 minutes, or engaging in a vigorous lifestyle activity
for a pre-set time period, preferably one hour, and burning at
least a minimum target number of calories, preferably 205 calories,
through the aerobic exercise and/or lifestyle activity. The minimum
target number of calories may be set according to information about
the user, such as sex, age, height and/or weight. Parameters
utilized in the calculation of the relevant piston level include
the amount of time spent exercising aerobically or engaging in a
vigorous lifestyle activity as input by the user and/or sensed by
sensor device 10, and the number of calories burned above
pre-calculated energy expenditure parameters.
[0062] Information regarding the individual user's movement is
presented to the user through activity level web page 200 shown in
FIG. 7, which may include activity graph 205 in the form of a bar
graph, for monitoring the individual user's activities in one of
three categories: high, medium and low intensity with respect to a
pre-selected unit of time. Activity percentage chart 210, in the
form or a pie chart, may also be provided for showing the
percentage of a pre-selected time period, such as one day, that the
user spent in each category. Activity level web page 200 may also
include calorie section 215 for displaying items such as total
calories burned, daily target calories burned, total caloric
intake, and duration of aerobic activity. Finally, activity level
web page 200 may include at least one hyperlink 220 to allow a user
to directly access relevant news items and articles, suggestions
for refining or improving daily routine with respect to activity
level and affiliate advertising elsewhere on the network. Activity
level web page 200 may be viewed in a variety of formats, and may
include user-selectable graphs and charts such as a bar graph, pie
chart, or both, as selectable by Activity level check boxes 225.
Activity level calendar 230 is provided for selecting among views
having variable and selectable time periods. The items shown at 220
may be selected and customized based on information learned about
the individual in the survey and on their performance as measured
by the Health Index.
[0063] The Mind Centering category of Health Index 155 is designed
to help users monitor the parameters relating to time spent
engaging in certain activities which allow the body to achieve a
state of profound relaxation while the mind becomes focused, and is
based upon both data input by the user and data sensed by the
sensor device 10. In particular, a user may input the beginning and
end times of relaxation activities such as yoga or meditation. The
quality of those activities as determined by the depth of a mind
centering event can be measured by monitoring parameters including
skin temperature, heart rate, respiration rate, and heat flow as
sensed by sensor device 10. Percent change in GSR as derived either
by sensor device 10 or central monitoring unit 30 may also be
utilized.
[0064] The Mind Centering Health Index piston level is preferably
calculated with respect to a suggested healthy daily routine that
includes participating each day in an activity that allows the body
to achieve profound relaxation while the mind stays highly focused
for at least fifteen minutes. Parameters utilized in the
calculation of the relevant piston level include the amount of time
spent in a mind centering activity, and the percent change in skin
temperature, heart rate, respiration rate, heat flow or GSR as
sensed by sensor device 10 compared to a baseline which is an
indication of the depth or quality of the mind centering
activity.
[0065] Information regarding the time spent on self-reflection and
relaxation is presented to the user through mind centering web page
250 shown in FIG. 8. For each mind centering activity, referred to
as a session, the preferred mind centering web page 250 includes
the time spent during the session, shown at 255, the target time,
shown at 260, comparison section 265 showing target and actual
depth of mind centering, or focus, and a histogram 270 that shows
the overall level of stress derived from such things as skin
temperature, heart rate, respiration rate, heat flow and/or GSR. In
comparison section 265, the human figure outline showing target
focus is solid, and the human figure outline showing actual focus
ranges from fuzzy to solid depending on the level of focus. The
preferred mind centering web page may also include an indication of
the total time spent on mind centering activities, shown at 275,
hyperlinks 280 which allow the user to directly access relevant
news items and articles, suggestions for refining or improving
daily routine with respect to mind centering and affiliate
advertising, and a calendar 285 for choosing among views having
variable and selectable time periods. The items shown at 280 may be
selected and customized based on information learned about the
individual in the survey and on their performance as measured by
the Health Index.
[0066] The Sleep category of Health Index 155 is designed to help
users monitor their sleep patterns and the quality of their sleep.
It is intended to help users learn about the importance of sleep in
their healthy lifestyle and the relationship of sleep to circadian
rhythms, being the normal daily variations in body functions. The
Sleep category is based upon both data input by the user and data
sensed by sensor device 10. The data input by the user for each
relevant time interval includes the times the user went to sleep
and woke up and a rating of the quality of sleep. As noted in Table
2, the data from sensor device 10 that is relevant includes skin
temperature, heat flow, beat-to-beat heart variability, heart rate,
pulse rate, respiration rate, core temperature, galvanic skin
response, EMG, EEG, EOG, blood pressure, and oxygen consumption.
Also relevant is ambient sound and body movement or motion as
detected by a device such as an accelerometer. This data can then
be used to calculate or derive sleep onset and wake time, sleep
interruptions, and the quality and depth of sleep.
[0067] The Sleep Health Index piston level is determined with
respect to a healthy daily routine including getting a minimum
amount, preferably eight hours, of sleep each night and having a
predictable bed time and wake time. The specific parameters which
determine the piston level calculation include the number of hours
of sleep per night and the bed time and wake time as sensed by
sensor device 10 or as input by the user, and the quality of the
sleep as rated by the user or derived from other data.
[0068] Information regarding sleep is presented to the user through
sleep web page 290 shown in FIG. 9. Sleep web page 290 includes a
sleep duration indicator 295, based on either data from sensor
device 10 or on data input by the user, together with user sleep
time indicator 300 and wake time indicator 305. A quality of sleep
rating 310 input by the user may also be utilized and displayed. If
more than a one day time interval is being displayed on sleep web
page 290, then sleep duration indicator 295 is calculated and
displayed as a cumulative value, and sleep time indicator 300, wake
time indicator 305 and quality of sleep rating 310 are calculated
and illustrated as averages. Sleep web page 290 also includes a
user-selectable sleep graph 315 which calculates and displays one
sleep related parameter over a pre-selected time interval. For
illustrative purposes, FIG. 9 shows heat flow over a one-day
period, which tends to be lower during sleeping hours and higher
during waking hours. From this information, a person's bio-rhythms
can be derived. Sleep graph 315 may also include a graphical
representation of data from an accelerometer incorporated in sensor
device 10 which monitors the movement of the body. The sleep web
page 290 may also include hyperlinks 320 which allow the user to
directly access sleep related news items and articles, suggestions
for refining or improving daily routine with respect to sleep and
affiliate advertising available elsewhere on the network, and a
sleep calendar 325 for choosing a relevant time interval. The items
shown at 320 may be selected and customized based on information
learned about the individual in the survey and on their performance
as measured by the Health Index.
[0069] The Activities of Daily Living category of Health Index 155
is designed to help users monitor certain health and safety related
activities and risks and is based entirely on data input by the
user. The Activities of Daily Living category is divided into four
sub-categories: personal hygiene, which allows the user to monitor
activities such as brushing and flossing his or her teeth and
showering; health maintenance, that tracks whether the user is
taking prescribed medication or supplements and allows the user to
monitor tobacco and alcohol consumption and automobile safety such
as seat belt use; personal time, that allows the user to monitor
time spent socially with family and friends, leisure, and mind
centering activities; and responsibilities, that allows the user to
monitor certain work and financial activities such as paying bills
and household chores.
[0070] The Activities of Daily Living Health Index piston level is
preferably determined with respect to the healthy daily routine
described below. With respect to personal hygiene, the routine
requires that the users shower or bathe each day, brush and floss
teeth each day, and maintain regular bowel habits. With respect to
health maintenance, the routine requires that the user take
medications and vitamins and/or supplements, use a seat belt,
refrain from smoking, drink moderately, and monitor health each day
with the Health Manager. With respect to personal time, the routine
requires the users to spend at least one hour of quality time each
day with family and/or friends, restrict work time to a maximum of
nine hours a day, spend some time on a leisure or play activity
each day, and engage in a mind stimulating activity. With respect
to responsibilities, the routine requires the users to do household
chores, pay bills, be on time for work, and keep appointments. The
piston level is calculated based on the degree to which the user
completes a list of daily activities as determined by information
input by the user.
[0071] Information relating to these activities is presented to the
user through daily activities web page 330 shown in FIG. 10. In
preferred daily activities web page 330, activities chart 335,
selectable for one or more of the sub-categories, shows whether the
user has done what is required by the daily routine. A colored or
shaded box indicates that the user has done the required activity,
and an empty, non-colored or shaded box indicates that the user has
not done the activity. Activities chart 335 can be created and
viewed in selectable time intervals. For illustrative purposes,
FIG. 10 shows the personal hygiene and personal time sub-categories
for a particular week. In addition, daily activities web page 330
may include daily activity hyperlinks 340 which allow the user to
directly access relevant news items and articles, suggestions for
improving or refining daily routine with respect to activities of
daily living and affiliate advertising, and a daily activities
calendar 345 for selecting a relevant time interval. The items
shown at 340 may be selected and customized based on information
learned about the individual in the survey and on their performance
as measured by the Health Index.
[0072] The How You Feel category of Health Index 155 is designed to
allow users to monitor their perception of how they felt on a
particular day, and is based on information, essentially a
subjective rating, that is input directly by the user. A user
provides a rating, preferably on a scale of 1 to 5, with respect to
the following nine subject areas: mental sharpness; emotional and
psychological well being; energy level; ability to cope with life
stresses; appearance; physical well being; self-control;
motivation; and comfort in relating to others. Those ratings are
averaged and used to calculate the relevant piston level.
[0073] Referring to FIG. 11, Health Index web page 350 is shown.
Health Index web page 350 enables users to view the performance of
their Health Index over a user selectable time interval including
any number of consecutive or non-consecutive days. Using Health
Index selector buttons 360, the user can select to view the Health
Index piston levels for one category, or can view a side-by-side
comparison of the Health Index piston levels for two or more
categories. For example, a user might want to just turn on Sleep to
see if their overall sleep rating improved over the previous month,
much in the same way they view the performance of their favorite
stock. Alternatively, Sleep and Activity Level might be
simultaneously displayed in order to compare and evaluate Sleep
ratings with corresponding Activity Level ratings to determine if
any day-to-day correlations exist. Nutrition ratings might be
displayed with How You Feel for a pre-selected time interval to
determine if any correlation exists between daily eating habits and
how they felt during that interval. For illustrative purposes, FIG.
11 illustrates a comparison of Sleep and Activity Level piston
levels for the week of June 10 through June 16. Health Index web
page 350 also includes tracking calculator 365 that displays access
information and statistics such as the total number of days the
user has logged in and used the Health Manager, the percentage of
days the user has used the Health Manager since becoming a
subscriber, and percentage of time the user has used the sensor
device 10 to gather data.
[0074] Referring again to FIG. 5, opening Health Manager web page
150 may include a plurality of user selectable category summaries
156a through 156f, one corresponding to each of the Health Index
155 categories. Each category summary 156a through 156f presents a
pre-selected filtered subset of the data associated with the
corresponding category. Nutrition category summary 156a displays
daily target and actual caloric intake. Activity Level category
summary 156b displays daily target and actual calories burned. Mind
Centering category summary 156c displays target and actual depth of
mind centering or focus. Sleep category summary 156d displays
target sleep, actual sleep, and a sleep quality rating. Daily
Activities category summary 156e displays a target and actual score
based on the percentage of suggested daily activities that are
completed. The How You Feel category summary 156f shows a target
and actual rating for the day.
[0075] Opening Health Manager web page 150 also may include Daily
Dose section 157 which provides, on a daily time interval basis,
information to the user, including, but not limited to, hyperlinks
to news items and articles, commentary and reminders to the user
based on tendencies, such as poor nutritional habits, determined
from the initial survey. The commentary for Daily Dose 157 may, for
example, be a factual statement that drinking 8 glasses of water a
day can reduce the risk of colon cancer by as much as 32%,
accompanied by a suggestion to keep a cup of water by your computer
or on your desk at work and refill often. Opening Health Manager
web page 150 also may include a Problem Solver section 158 that
actively evaluates the user's performance in each of the categories
of Health Index 155 and presents suggestions for improvement. For
example, if the system detects that a user's Sleep levels have been
low, which suggest that the user has been having trouble sleeping,
Problem Solver 158 can provide suggestions for way to improve
sleep. Problem Solver 158 also may include the capability of user
questions regarding improvements in performance. Opening Health
Manager web page 150 may also include a Daily Data section 159 that
launches an input dialog box. The input dialog box facilitates
input by the user of the various data required by the Health
Manager. As is known in the art, data entry may be in the form of
selection from pre-defined lists or general free form text input.
Finally, opening Health Manager web page 150 may include Body Stats
section 161 which may provide information regarding the user's
height, weight, body measurements, body mass index or BMI, and
vital signs such as heart rate, blood pressure or any of the
identified physiological parameters.
[0076] The terms and expressions which have been employed herein
are used as terms of description and not as limitation, and there
is no intention in the use of such terms and expressions of
excluding equivalents of the features shown and described or
portions thereof, it being recognized that various modifications
are possible within the scope of the invention claimed. Although
particular embodiments of the present invention have been
illustrated in the foregoing detailed description, it is to be
further understood that the present invention is not to be limited
to just the embodiments disclosed, but that they are capable of
numerous rearrangements, modifications and substitutions.
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