초록 ▼

Embodiments of the invention provide a method and apparatus for a wireless health monitoring system for interactively monitoring a disease or health condition of a patient by connecting a mobile phone to or with a digital camera and/or a medical monitoring device. The health related data or visual i

Embodiments of the invention provide a method and apparatus for a wireless health monitoring system for interactively monitoring a disease or health condition of a patient by connecting a mobile phone to or with a digital camera and/or a medical monitoring device. The health related data or visual information from the camera is transmitted to a server using standard internet protocols and may be integrated with various operating systems for handheld or wireless devices, especially those with enhanced capabilities for handing images and visual data.

대표청구항 ▼

What is claimed is: 1. A computer program, residing on a computer-readable medium, containing instructions for causing a server in signal communication with the internet to: provide a device application and user interface to an mobile phone, wherein the user interface or device application contains

What is claimed is: 1. A computer program, residing on a computer-readable medium, containing instructions for causing a server in signal communication with the internet to: provide a device application and user interface to an mobile phone, wherein the user interface or device application contains instructions for causing the mobile phone to receive data from a generic input/output port and from a camera; receive a signal corresponding to a health parameter or a visual image from the mobile phone, the health parameter or visual image corresponding to a disease state or condition of a patient; calculate a response based at least in part on the received signal; communicate the response to the mobile phone; and display features according to the response. 2. A device for monitoring health, comprising: a mobile phone in signal communication with a digital camera, the mobile phone running an application, the application functioning to accept inputs from the digital camera and from a communications port, the communications port including a wireless link to a network; and a server application connected to the network and in communication with the mobile phone, the server application accessible by a caregiver for monitoring health as indicated by the mobile phone. 3. The device of claim 2, wherein the mobile phone is a cellular phone. 4. The device of claim 2, wherein the mobile phone is a satellite phone. 5. The device of claim 2, wherein the digital camera is integral with the mobile phone. 6. The device of claim 2, wherein the mobile phone further comprises internal memory. 7. The device of claim 6, wherein the internal memory is selected from the group consisting of: microdrive, RAM, flash memory, and combinations of the above. 8. The device of claim 2, wherein the mobile phone further comprises an external memory. 9. The device of claim 8, wherein the external memory is a memory card or memory stick. 10. The device of claim 2, wherein the digital camera is not integral with the mobile phone. 11. The device of claim 10, wherein the digital camera is connected to the mobile phone via a wired connection. 12. The device of claim 10, wherein the digital camera is connected to the mobile phone via a wireless connection. 13. A device for monitoring health, comprising: a mobile phone in signal communication with a digital camera, the mobile phone running an application, the application functioning to accept inputs from the digital camera and from a communications port, the communications port including a wireless link to a network, the mobile phone further having a port for connection to a medical device; and a server application connected to the network and in communication with the mobile phone, the server application accessible by a caregiver for monitoring health as indicated by the mobile phone via the camera and a signal from the medical device. 14. The device of claim 13, wherein the mobile phone is a cellular phone. 15. The device of claim 13, wherein the mobile phone is a satellite phone. 16. The device of claim 13, wherein the connection between the mobile phone and the medical device is wired. 17. The device of claim 13, wherein the medical device is selected from the group consisting of: blood glucose monitors, blood pressure monitors, body weight scales, heart rate monitors, respiratory monitors, temperature monitors, ECG monitors, and combinations thereof. 18. The device of claim 13, wherein the mobile phone further comprises internal memory. 19. The device of claim 18, wherein the internal memory is selected from the group consisting of: microdrive, RAM, flash memory, and combinations of the above. 20. The device of claim 13, wherein the mobile phone further comprises an external memory. 21. The device of claim 20, wherein the external memory is a memory card or memory stick. 22. The device of claim 13, wherein the connection between the mobile phone and the medical device is wireless. 23. The device of claim 22, wherein the wireless connection is via a variety of 802.11. 24. The device of claim 22, wherein the wireless connection is via Bluetooth. 25. The device of claim 22, wherein the wireless connection is via IR. 26. The device of claim 22, wherein the wireless connection is via broadband wireless. 27. The device of claim 22, wherein the wireless connection is via wireless USB. 28. A method of wirelessly monitoring the disease state or condition of a patient, comprising: providing a user interface and application to an mobile phone; entering a health parameter to the mobile phone via a generic input/output port or entering a visual image to the mobile phone via a digital camera, the health parameter or visual image corresponding to a disease state or condition of a patient; wirelessly transmitting the health parameter or visual image to a server; receiving the determined health parameter at the server; calculating a response based on the determined health parameter; and delivering the response to the mobile phone. 29. The method of claim 28, wherein the mobile phone is a cellular phone. 30. The method of claim 28, wherein the mobile phone is a satellite phone. 31. The method of claim 28, wherein the connection between the mobile phone and the medical device is wired. 32. The method of claim 28, wherein the medical device is selected from the group consisting of: blood glucose monitors, blood pressure monitors, body weight scales, heart rate monitors, respiratory monitors, temperature monitors, ECG monitors, and combinations thereof. 33. The method of claim 28, further comprising transferring information between the medical device and the generic input/output port using an adaptor. 34. The method of claim 28, wherein the digital camera is integral with the mobile phone. 35. The method of claim 28, wherein the mobile phone further comprises internal memory. 36. The method of claim 35, wherein the internal memory is selected from the group consisting of: microdrive, RAM, flash memory, and combinations of the above. 37. The device of claim 28, wherein the mobile phone further comprises an external memory. 38. The device of claim 37, wherein the external memory is a memory card or memory stick. 39. The method of claim 28, wherein the digital camera is not integral with the mobile phone. 40. The method of claim 39, wherein the digital camera is connected to the mobile phone via a wired connection. 41. The method of claim 39, wherein the digital camera is connected to the mobile phone via a wireless connection. 42. The method of claim 28, wherein the connection between the mobile phone and the medical device is wireless. 43. The method of claim 42, wherein the wireless connection is via a variety of 802.11. 44. The method of claim 42, wherein the wireless connection is via Bluetooth. 45. The method of claim 42, wherein the wireless connection is via IR. 46. The method of claim 42, wherein the wireless connection is via broadband wireless. 47. The method of claim 42, wherein the wireless connection is via wireless USB.