“System And Method For Remote Tele-Health Services” in Patent Application Approval Process (USPTO 20190348177)

2019 NOV 28 (NewsRx) -- By a News Reporter-Staff News Editor at Insurance Daily News -- A patent application by the inventors Waterson, Vincent (Ventura, CA); Sturgess, David (Chesterfield, GB), filed on July 25, 2019, was made available online on November 14, 2019, according to news reporting originating from Washington, D.C., by NewsRx correspondents.

This patent application is assigned to Videokall Inc. (Potomac, Maryland, United States).

The following quote was obtained by the news editors from the background information supplied by the inventors: “Field

“Various embodiments of the invention relate generally to medical health care technology, and more particularly, to providing remote tele-health services.

“Related Art

“Conventional medical services and care are experiencing increased demand as a result of the increasing age of the population. Additionally, medical care is becoming increasingly more expensive and unavailable for a large portion of the population.

“Prior Art includes U.S. Patent Application No. 2010/0222649. An engagement is brokered between a consumer and a medical service provider; a request from a user to consult with a medical service provider having a service provider profile that satisfies at least some attributes in a set of attributes that define a suitable service provider is received in a server computer system; an available medical service provider satisfying at least some of the attributes in the set of attributes is identified; a communication channel is provided to establish an electronic, real-time communication between the user and the medical service provider; a measurement from a sensor configured to measure a physiological parameter of the user is received over the communication channel. This method requires the consumer to own vital signs monitoring devices and be proficient in their use and to also have access to a broadband internet system and own a computer with interfaces which will support connection of these devices.

“Prior Art includes U.S. Pat. No. 5,441,047. An ambulatory (in the home) user health monitoring system is disclosed wherein the user is monitored by a health care worker at a central station, while the user is at a remote location. The user may be a person having a specific medical condition monitored or may be an elderly person desiring general medical surveillance in the home environment. Cameras are provided at the user’s remote location and at the central station such that the user and the health care worker are in interactive visual and audio communication. A communications network such as an interactive cable television is used for this purpose. Various medical condition sensing and monitoring equipment are placed in the user’s home, depending on the particular medical needs of the user. The user’s medical condition is measured or sensed in the home and the resulting data is transmitted to the central station for analysis and display. The health care worker then is placed into interactive visual communication with the user concerning the user’s general wellbeing, as well as the user’s medical condition. Thus, the health care worker can make ‘home visits’ electronically, twenty-four hours a day.

“Prior Art includes U.S. Pat. 7,778,852. A remotely programmable and accessible medical device system including an interface unit and a medical device connected to a user is disclosed. Through a transceiver, such as a telephone or computer, a person may obtain status reports from a remotely located medical device in audible, electronic or paper form. In addition, the person may change a protocol associated with the medical device or be alerted at a remote location of an alarm associated with the medical device.

“A conventional medical device, such as a blood glucose monitor, is designed to be held in the hand by a user. The user lances a finger to draw a small amount of blood, which is applied to a disposable glucose test strip previously inserted into the monitor by the user. The results are displayed on a screen on the monitor and may also be sent via data cable to a computer for archive. The conventional blood glucose monitor cannot be used without handling by a user so that in an unmanned micro clinic it would not be possible to determine if the last user properly cleaned the monitor, using for example a medicated wipe. A medical device, which is visibly dirty (e.g., portions of the device covered in chocolate, grease from food, dirt, etc.) may be so uninviting to the next user that the user would not wish to clean the device manually, and so the device would need to cleaned automatically.

“Automatic cleaning systems would require the blood glucose monitor to be immersed or sprayed with a liquid disinfectant. The receptacle in the monitor which accepts the test strip, however, cannot be immersed or sprayed with a disinfectant.

“In view of the foregoing there is need for systems for providing affordable and accessible health care. What is needed is a remotely accessed tele-health system providing a plurality of vital signs monitoring devices in a secure, sanitized public access cabin connected to a Medical Call Center (MCC). Users of a tele-health system may be provided with convenient and affordable access to primary healthcare without having to travel a significant distance for care.”

In addition to the background information obtained for this patent application, NewsRx journalists also obtained the inventors’ summary information for this patent application: “In an embodiment, tele-health services cabin includes a plurality of vital signs monitoring devices, a patient chair including a motorized seat back and at least one sensor encapsulated in the seat back, a cabin management unit, and videoconferencing hardware via which a remote practitioner in a remote medical call center videoconferences with a patient in the cabin to diagnose symptoms of the patient. The cabin management unit includes a processor that controls equipment in the cabin, a data input at which patient data is provided from the vital signs monitoring devices, a data output to control the vital signs monitoring devices, and a transmitter connectable to a communication link for bi-directional communication between the cabin management unit and the medical call center, where the transmitter transmits the patient data to the medical call center.

“The plurality of vital signs monitoring devices may include a stethoscope and a height measurement device. The at least one sensor encapsulated in the seat back may be communicatively coupled to the stethoscope. The motorized seat back may include at least actuator that moves the at least one sensor to a position corresponding to a position of the patient’s lungs.

“The processor may determine the position of the patient’s lungs using the following formulas:

“V=(B*R)+(B*Zv(S, A));

“H=B*Zh(S, A);

“where V is a vertical lung center V, H is a lung height, B is the seated height of the patient, S is the gender of the patient, R is a normal lung center location as a fraction of seated height, Zv is a table of vertical factors, and Zh is a table of gender factors.

“In an embodiment, the at least one sensor encapsulated in the seat back includes a stethoscope, and the motorized seat back includes at least one actuator that moves the stethoscope to a position corresponding to a position of the patient’s lungs.

“A method in a tele-health services cabin includes receiving the gender of a patient, measuring a seated height of the patient while the patient is seated in a patient chair, analyzing, using a processor, a position of the patient’s lungs based on the patient’s gender and seated height, and positioning at least one sensor encapsulated in a seat back of the patient chair to an initial position that is aligned with analyzed position of the patient’s lungs.

“The analyzing step may include calculating a vertical lung center V and a lung height H of the patient using the following formulas:

“V=(B*R)+(B*Zv(S, A));

“H=B*Zh(S, A);

“where B is the seated height of the patient, S is the gender of the patient, R is a normal lung center location as a fraction of seated height, Zv is a table of vertical factors, and Zh is a table of gender factors.

“The method may further include receiving a command from a remote medical call center to move the at least one sensor, and repositioning the sensor based on the received command.

“In another embodiment, a tele-health services cabin includes a medical device station, a cabin management unit, and videoconferencing hardware via which a remote practitioner in a remote medical call center videoconferences with a patient in the cabin to diagnose symptoms of the patient. The medical device station includes an enclosure having a wall, where an opening is formed in the enclosure wall, and a medical device disposed behind the enclosure wall, where a test strip receptacle of the medical device is aligned with the opening. The cabin management unit includes a processor that controls equipment in the cabin, a data input at which patient data is provided from the medical device, a data output to control the vital signs monitoring devices, a transmitter connectable to a communication link for bi-directional communication between the cabin management unit and the medical call center, wherein the transmitter transmits the patient data to the medical call center.

“The opening formed in the enclosure wall may be sized to allow a test strip to be inserted into the test strip receptacle of the medical device.

“The medical station may further include a bracket having a first movable arm, where the medical device is mounted on the first movable arm in a horizontal plane in the enclosure. The first movable arm may be operable to retract the medical device away from the enclosure wall and to rotate the medical device.

“The bracket may further include a second movable arm operable to press an eject button of the medical device.

“In various embodiments, the medical device may be a blood glucose monitor or a cholesterol monitor.

“In still another embodiment, a tele-health services cabin includes an automatic cleaning system, a cabin management unit, and videoconferencing hardware via which a remote practitioner in a remote medical call center videoconferences with a patient in the cabin to diagnose symptoms of the patient. The automatic cleaning system includes a cleaning chamber and at least one spray nozzle disposed in an interior of the cleaning chamber. The cabin management unit includes a processor that controls the equipment in the cabin, a data input at which patient data is provided from a medical device, a data output to control the medical device, and a transmitter connectable to a communication link for bi-directional communication between the cabin management unit and the medical call center, where the transmitter transmits the patient data to the medical call center.

“The automatic cleaning system may further include a winch having a motor and a cable spool or pulley disposed above the cleaning chamber, a cable wound around the spool, where one end of the cable may be connected to the medical device and the other end of the cable may be communicatively coupled to the cabin management unit. The medical device may be suspended in the cleaning chamber via the cable.

“The cable may be routed over the top of the cleaning chamber by a driven pulley and then looped over idler pulleys and counter weight to form a ‘U’-shaped loop of cable in a cable shaft. One end of the cable may be connected to external power and communications.

“The automatic cleaning system may further include a first bowl-shaped flap hingedly disposed at a bottom of the cleaning chamber, a first actuator operable to open and close the first flap, a base plate disposed below the bottom of the cleaning chamber, the base plate having a second flap hinged disposed thereon, a second actuator operable to open and close the second flap, and a locking mechanism to lock the first flap and the second flap closed.

“The automatic cleaning system may further include a wash cycle reservoir connected to the at least one spray nozzle, a wash cycle pump that pumps cleaning solution from the wash cycle reservoir to the at least one spray nozzle, and a drain pipe coupled to the first flap and the wash cycle reservoir to drain cleaning solution from the cleaning chamber back into the wash cycle reservoir.

“The automatic cleaning system may further include a primary reservoir connected to the wash cycle reservoir, a clean solution pump that pumps clean cleaning solution from the primary reservoir to the wash cycle reservoir, a first pipe coupled to the wash cycle pump and the at least one spray nozzle, where the wash cycle pump receives cleaning solution from the wash cycle reservoir and feeds the cleaning solution through the first pipe to the at least one spray nozzle, and a second pipe coupled to the cleaning chamber and the wash cycle reservoir to return run-off cleaning solution from the cleaning chamber back to the wash cycle reservoir.

“The wash cycle reservoir may hold an amount of cleaning solution sufficient for one cleaning cycle. The wash cycle reservoir may include an outlet to dispose of used cleaning solution to a waste solution reservoir. The automatic cleaning system may further include a filter disposed at an inlet to the wash cycle pump to collect debris, where the collected debris on the filter is cleared when the used cleaning solution is disposed to the waste solution reservoir.

“The cleaning solution may include water, microbial disinfectants, and detergents.

“The automatic cleaning system may further include an air drying system. The air drying system may include an intake fan that draws ambient air into the air drying system, a heater configured to heat ambient air from the intake fan and to deliver heated air or ambient temperature air to the interior of the cleaning chamber.

“The processor of the cabin management unit may be configured to deliver the medical device to within arms-reach of a user, measure an amount of cleaning solution required to clean the medical device, determine whether the medical device has been used and requires cleaning, determine when to retract the medical device to a predetermined location at the top of the cleaning chamber, determine whether the medical device is retracted into the interior of the cleaning chamber, determine whether a primary reservoir has sufficient amount of cleaning solution for a wash cycle, determine whether a waste reservoir has sufficient capacity to hold waste from a wash cycle, determine when to close and lock a first flap of the cleaning chamber, determine when to close and lock a second flap of a base plate disposed below the cleaning chamber, determine when to pump cleaning solution from the primary reservoir to a wash cycle reservoir, determine when to pump cleaning solution from the wash cycle reservoir to the at least one spray nozzle to decontaminate the medical device, run the wash cycle for a predetermined amount of time, run the drying cycle for a predetermined amount of time, and determine when to dispose of used solution to a waste solution reservoir.”

The claims supplied by the inventors are:

“1. A tele-health services cabin comprising: an automatic cleaning system comprising a cleaning chamber and at least one spray nozzle disposed in an interior of the cleaning chamber; a cabin management unit comprising: a processor that controls equipment in the cabin; a data input at which patient data is provided from a medical device; a data output to control the medical device; a transmitter connectable to a communication link for bi-directional communication between the cabin management unit and a remote medical call center, wherein the transmitter transmits the patient data to the medical call center; and videoconferencing hardware via which a remote practitioner in the medical call center videoconferences with a patient in the cabin to diagnose symptoms of the patient.

“2. The tele-health services cabin of claim 1, wherein the automatic cleaning system further comprises: a winch disposed above the cleaning chamber, the winch comprising a motor, a cable spool or pulley, and a cable, wherein: one end of the cable is connected to the medical device and the other end of the cable is communicatively coupled to the cabin management unit, and the medical device is suspended in the cleaning chamber via the cable.

“3. The tele-health services cabin of claim 1, wherein the automatic cleaning system further comprises: a first bowl-shaped flap hingedly disposed at a bottom of the cleaning chamber; a first actuator operable to open and close the first flap; a base plate disposed below the bottom of the cleaning chamber, the base plate comprising a second flap hinged disposed thereon; a second actuator operable to open and close the second flap; and a locking mechanism to lock the first flap and the second flap closed.

“4. The tele-health services cabin of claim 3, wherein the automatic cleaning system further comprises: a wash cycle reservoir connected to the at least one spray nozzle; a wash cycle pump that pumps cleaning solution from the wash cycle reservoir to the at least one spray nozzle; and a drain pipe coupled to the first flap and the wash cycle reservoir to drain cleaning solution from the cleaning chamber back into the wash cycle reservoir.

“5. The tele-health services cabin of claim 4, wherein the automatic cleaning system further comprises: a primary reservoir connected to the wash cycle reservoir; a clean solution pump that pumps cleaning solution from the primary reservoir to the wash cycle reservoir; and a clean solution pump that pumps cleaning solution from the primary reservoir to the wash cycle reservoir; a first pipe coupled to the wash cycle pump and the at least one spray nozzle, wherein the wash cycle pump receives cleaning solution from the wash cycle reservoir and feeds the cleaning solution through the first pipe to the at least one spray nozzle; and a second pipe coupled to the cleaning chamber and the wash cycle reservoir to return run-off cleaning solution from the cleaning chamber back to the wash cycle reservoir.

“6. The tele-health services cabin of claim 5, wherein: the wash cycle reservoir holds an amount of cleaning solution sufficient for one cleaning cycle; the wash cycle reservoir comprises an outlet to dispose of used cleaning solution to a waste solution reservoir; the automatic cleaning system further comprises: a filter disposed at an inlet to the wash cycle pump to collect debris, wherein the collected debris on the filter is cleared when the used cleaning solution is disposed to the waste solution reservoir.

“7. The tele-health services cabin of claim 4, wherein the cleaning solution comprises water, microbial disinfectants, and detergents.

“8. The tele-health services cabin of claim 1, wherein the automatic cleaning system further comprises an air drying system, the air drying system comprises: an intake fan that draws ambient air into the air drying system; a heater configured to heat the ambient air and to deliver the heated air to the interior of the cleaning chamber.

“9. The tele-health services cabin of claim 1, wherein the processor comprises algorithms to: deliver the medical device to within arms-reach of a user; measure an amount of cleaning solution required to clean the medical device; determine whether the medical device has been used and requires cleaning; determine when to retract the medical device to a predetermined location at the top of the cleaning chamber; determine whether the medical device is retracted into the interior of the cleaning chamber; determine whether a primary reservoir has sufficient amount of cleaning solution for a wash cycle; determine whether a waste reservoir has sufficient capacity to hold waste from a wash cycle; determine when to close and lock a first flap of the cleaning chamber; determine when to close and lock a second flap of a base plate disposed below the cleaning chamber; determine when to pump cleaning solution from the primary reservoir to a wash cycle reservoir; determine when to pump cleaning solution from the wash cycle reservoir to the at least one spray nozzle to decontaminate the medical device; run the wash cycle for a predetermined amount of time; run the drying cycle for a predetermined amount of time; and determine when to dispose of used solution to a waste solution reservoir.”

URL and more information on this patent application, see: Waterson, Vincent; Sturgess, David. System And Method For Remote Tele-Health Services. Filed July 25, 2019 and posted November 14, 2019. Patent URL: http://appft.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-Parser?Sect1=PTO1&Sect2=HITOFF&d=PG01&p=1&u=%2Fnetahtml%2FPTO%2Fsrchnum.html&r=1&f=G&l=50&s1=%2220190348177%22.PGNR.&OS=DN/20190348177&RS=DN/20190348177

(Our reports deliver fact-based news of research and discoveries from around the world.)