TWM660283U - Portable electronic devices - Google Patents

Abstract

Systems and methods for a portable electronic device to provide healthcare to a subject at a remote location. In embodiments, the portable electronic device may include: a housing operable to encase one or more components of the portable electronic device, a power source, a plurality of light emitting diodes, a communication portal electrically coupled to the power source, a distribution module electrically coupled to the power source and operatively connected to the plurality of light emitting diodes and the communication portal, and an input device.

Description

Portable electronic devices

The present invention generally relates to technological improvements in devices, systems, methods, and program products for providing health care in non-traditional environments, such as in the hallways of an overcrowded hospital or in a makeshift hospital. In an exemplary embodiment, the present invention relates to new technologies that enable health care providers to monitor the health and resolve health emergencies associated with patients outside of a typical hospital setting.

Related applications

This case claims priority to and the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Case No. 63/003,567, entitled "Systems, devices, methods, and program products for providing health care at a remote location," filed on April 1, 2020, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.

Global pandemics, including COVID-19, have highlighted the lack of space and supplies available to medical and healthcare providers. As hospitals become overwhelmed, patients are either being treated remotely or outside of a typical ward setting. Managing patients both inside and outside of a typical ward setting presents significant challenges in getting treatment to those who need it.

With the advent of temporary hospitals and treatment centers, providing hospital-quality treatment in temporary spaces has suddenly faced technical challenges. Current equipment is not made to be portable, to monitor, and to communicate with patients, monitors, and caregivers. When moved to sites outside of the hospital, current equipment faces technical challenges when operating in remote environments.

Therefore, it would be beneficial to provide a system, apparatus, method, and program product for providing health care at a remote location. It would also be beneficial to provide a portable hygiene device that can monitor patients and medical devices while alerting health care and medical providers when their personal attention is needed.

One purpose of this work is to solve one or more of the above technical problems outlined with respect to the prior art.

As shown in the various exemplary embodiments discussed herein, the unique and unconventional combination of elements described herein overcomes the technical challenges faced when treating patients at remote locations.

In an embodiment, a portable electronic device can provide health care to a subject at a remote location. In an embodiment, the portable electronic device may include: (a) a housing; (b) a power source operable to provide power to the portable electronic device; (c) a plurality of light emitting diodes electrically coupled to the power source, wherein each of the plurality of light emitting diodes is operable to: selectively i. emit one or more colors; and ii. flash, and wherein each of the plurality of light emitting diodes is positioned so that light emitted from each of the plurality of light emitting diodes is visible outside the housing; (d) a communication port electrically coupled to the power source, wherein at least a portion of the communication port is located within the housing; and (e) an input device electrically coupled to the power source and operably connected to the plurality of light emitting diodes. a light emitting diode and the communication port, wherein the input device is located outside the housing and electrically coupled to the power source via a wire, wherein the portable electronic device is operable to mechanically couple to one or more patient devices associated with the subject, wherein the portable electronic device is operable to provide notifications to one or more health care providers associated with the subject, and wherein the portable electronic device is configured to perform the following steps: A. receiving input from the subject via the input device, the input indicating that the subject requests attention from the one or more health care providers; and B. responsive to the input from the subject, illuminating one or more of the plurality of light emitting diodes.

In an embodiment, the portable electronic device may further include: (f) a hook external to the housing and mechanically coupled to the housing, wherein the hook is operable to mechanically couple to one or more patient devices.

In embodiments, one or more patient devices may include an intravenous line (IV) for infusion.

In an embodiment, the input device may include: i. a patient input device operable to receive a first one or more inputs indicating that the subject has requested attention from one or more healthcare providers; and ii. a healthcare provider input device operable to receive a second one or more inputs indicating that attention from one or more healthcare providers has been provided to the subject.

In an embodiment, the communication portal may include: i. an infrared receiver operable to receive information from a nurse call station associated with one or more healthcare providers, wherein the infrared receiver is at least partially outside the housing; and ii. an infrared transmitter operable to send communications to the nurse call station.

In an embodiment, the communication portal may include: i. an antenna operable to receive information from a nurse call station associated with one or more healthcare providers via radio waves, wherein the antenna is at least partially outside the housing; and ii. a radio transmitter operable to transmit radio frequencies to the nurse call station.

In an embodiment, the portable electronic device may further include: (f) a memory located within the housing and electrically coupled to a power source, the memory being configured to store: i. identity information associated with the subject; and ii. medical information associated with the subject.

In an embodiment, the portable electronic device may further include: (f) a computing device, at least partially within the housing and electrically coupled to the power source, configured to: i. monitor the one or more medical devices associated with the subject by receiving one or more of the following from the one or more medical devices: 1. medical data associated with a medical condition of the subject, wherein the medical data includes biometric information of the subject, and wherein the medical data is obtained by the one or more medical devices; 2. power data associated with a power source of the one or more medical devices, wherein the power data indicates one or more of the following: A. whether the one or more medical devices are functioning properly; receiving power; and B. the remaining power from one or more power sources corresponding to the one or more medical devices; ii. determining whether the emergency is occurring by determining whether the medical data associated with the medical condition of the subject indicates an emergency; iii. determining whether the one or more medical devices have sufficient power based on the power data and a predetermined minimum power threshold; iv. illuminating one or more of the plurality of light-emitting diodes in the event that the emergency occurs; and v. illuminating one or more of the plurality of light-emitting diodes in the event that one or more of the one or more medical devices do not have sufficient power.

In an embodiment, the portable electronic device may also be configured to: A. in the event of an emergency, send a first notification to a nurse call station associated with one or more healthcare providers, wherein the first notification indicates that an emergency is occurring; B. in the event of one or more of the one or more medical devices not having sufficient power, send a second notification to the nurse call station indicating that one or more of the one or more medical devices do not have sufficient power.

In an embodiment, the computing device may be further configured to: vi. store the received medical data and the received power data in a memory operably connected to the portable electronic device; vii. monitor the health of the subject based on the received medical data and the stored medical data; viii. determine the status of the subject based on the received medical data and the stored medical data according to one or more of the following: 1. compare the received medical data with typical health medical data; 2. compare the received medical data with medical information associated with the subject; and 3. compare the received medical data with the stored medical data to determine whether the subject is healthy or not; The state trend associated with the subject; ix. in the event that the state of the subject is a negative state, one or more of the plurality of LEDs are illuminated with a first color, wherein the first color indicates the negative state of the subject; x. in the event that the state of the subject is a positive state, one or more of the plurality of LEDs are illuminated with a second color, wherein the second color indicates the positive state of the subject; and xi. in the event that the state of the subject is a neutral state, one or more of the plurality of LEDs are illuminated with a third color, wherein the third color indicates the neutral state of the subject.

In an embodiment, the portable electronic device may also be configured to: A. send a first notification to a nurse call station associated with one or more healthcare providers, wherein the first notification indicates the subject's status. In an embodiment, the portable electronic device may also be operable to: B. in the event of a change in the subject's status, send a second notification to the nurse call station indicating the change in the subject's status.

In an embodiment, the portable electronic device may further include: (g) an audio output electrically coupled to a power source, wherein the audio output is configured to: i. play a first alarm in the event that an emergency condition occurs; ii. play a second alarm in the event that one or more of the one or more medical devices do not have sufficient power; and iii. play a third alarm in the event that the subject's condition is a negative condition.

In embodiments, one or more medical devices may include a ventilator.

In embodiments, one or more medical devices may include an intravenous control device.

In an embodiment, one or more medical devices may include a drug delivery device.

In embodiments, the power source may include one or more disposable batteries.

In an embodiment, the power source may include one or more rechargeable batteries.

In an embodiment, one or more rechargeable batteries can be charged via capacitive coupling.

In an embodiment, the portable electronic device may further include: (g) an audio output electrically coupled to the power source, wherein the audio output is operable to play an alarm in response to input from the subject.

In an embodiment, the portable electronic device may further include: (f) one or more sensor devices electrically coupled to a power source, wherein the one or more sensor devices may include: 1. A smoke detector including an alarm and configured to detect smoke and fire within a predetermined radius of the subject.

In an embodiment, the smoke detector may also be configured to: i. activate an alarm in the event of smoke detection; ii. activate an alarm in the event of fire detection; and iii. activate an alarm in the event of low battery.

In an embodiment, the smoke detector may also be configured to notify a nurse call station associated with one or more healthcare providers in the event of smoke, fire, or low battery detection.

In embodiments, one or more patient devices may include a wheelchair.

In embodiments, one or more patient devices may include a wheeled bed.

In an embodiment, one or more patient devices may include a bed.

In embodiments, one or more patient devices may include a removable rod.

In embodiments, the removable rod may include an intravenous drug delivery mechanism.

In an embodiment, the portable electronic device may further include: (f) a power distribution module electrically coupled between the input device and the communication inlet.

In an embodiment, a portable electronic device for providing health care to a subject at a remote location may include: (a) a housing; (b) a power source operable to provide power to the portable electronic device; (c) a plurality of light emitting diodes electrically coupled to the power source, wherein each of the plurality of light emitting diodes is operable to: i. emit one or more colors; and ii. flash, and wherein ... (a) a plurality of light emitting diodes each positioned so that light emitted from each of the plurality of light emitting diodes is visible outside the housing; (b) a communication inlet electrically coupled to the power source, wherein at least a portion of the communication inlet is located within the housing; and (c) a power distribution module electrically coupled to the power source and operably connected to the plurality of light emitting diodes and the communication inlet, wherein the power distribution module is located within the housing. (f) an input device electrically coupled and operably connected to the power distribution module, wherein the input device is located outside the housing and electrically coupled to the power distribution module via a second wire, wherein the portable electronic device is operable to mechanically couple to one or more patient devices associated with the subject, wherein the portable electronic device is operable to provide a power supply to the subject. The portable electronic device is configured to provide a notification to one or more health care providers associated with the subject, and wherein the portable electronic device is configured to perform the following steps: A. receiving input from the subject at the input device, the input indicating that the subject requests attention from the one or more health care providers; and B. responsive to the input from the subject, illuminating one or more of the plurality of light-emitting diodes.

In an embodiment, the portable electronic device may further include: (g) a hook external to the housing and mechanically coupled to the housing, wherein the hook is operable to mechanically couple to one or more patient devices.

In embodiments, one or more patient devices may include an intravenous catheter (IV) for infusion.

In an embodiment, the input device may include: i. a patient input device configured to receive a first one or more inputs indicating that the subject has requested attention from one or more healthcare providers; and ii. a healthcare provider input device configured to receive a second one or more inputs indicating that attention from one or more healthcare providers has been provided to the subject.

In an embodiment, the communication portal may include: i. an infrared receiver configured to receive communications from a nurse call station associated with one or more healthcare providers, wherein the infrared receiver is at least partially outside the housing; and ii. an infrared transmitter configured to transmit communications to the nurse call station.

In an embodiment, the communication portal may include: i. an antenna configured to receive radio frequencies from a nurse call station associated with one or more healthcare providers, wherein the antenna is at least partially outside the housing; and ii. the transmitted radio frequencies are configured to transmit radio frequencies to the nurse call station.

In an embodiment, the portable electronic device may further include: (g) a memory within the housing and electrically coupled to a power source, configured to store: i. identity information associated with the subject; and ii. medical information associated with the subject.

In an embodiment, the portable electronic device may also include: (g) a computing device, at least partially within the housing and electrically coupled to the power source, configured to: i. monitor the one or more medical devices associated with the subject by receiving one or more of the following from the one or more medical devices: 1. medical data associated with the medical condition of the subject, wherein the medical data includes biometric information of the subject, and wherein the medical data is obtained by the one or more medical devices; 2. power data associated with the power source of the one or more medical devices, wherein the power data indicates one or more of the following: A. whether the one or more medical devices are functioning properly; receiving power; and B. the remaining power from one or more power sources corresponding to the one or more medical devices; ii. determining whether the emergency is occurring by determining whether the medical data associated with the medical condition of the subject indicates an emergency; iii. determining whether the one or more medical devices have sufficient power by comparing the power data with a predetermined amount; iv. illuminating one or more of the plurality of LEDs in the event that the emergency occurs; and v. illuminating one or more of the plurality of LEDs in the event that one or more of the one or more medical devices do not have sufficient power.

In an embodiment, the portable electronic device may also be configured to: A. in the event of an emergency, send a first notification to a nurse call station associated with one or more healthcare providers, wherein the first notification indicates that an emergency is occurring; B. in the event of one or more of the one or more medical devices not having sufficient power, send a second notification to the nurse call station indicating that one or more of the one or more medical devices do not have sufficient power.

In an embodiment, the computing device may also be configured to: vi. store the received medical data and the received power data in a memory operably connected to the portable electronic device; vii. monitor the state of the subject based on the received medical data and the stored medical data; viii. determine the state of the subject based on the received medical data and the stored medical data according to one or more of the following: 1. compare the received medical data with typical healthy medical data; 2. compare the received medical data with medical information associated with the subject; and 3. compare the received medical data with the stored medical data to determine whether the state is related to the subject. ix. in the event that the state of the subject is a negative state, one or more of the plurality of LEDs are illuminated in a first color, wherein the first color indicates the negative state of the subject; x. in the event that the state of the subject is a positive state, one or more of the plurality of LEDs are illuminated in a second color, wherein the second color indicates the positive state of the subject; and xi. in the event that the state of the subject is a neutral state, one or more of the plurality of LEDs are illuminated in a third color, wherein the third color indicates the neutral state of the subject.

In an embodiment, the portable electronic device may also be configured to: A. send a first notification to a nurse call station associated with one or more healthcare providers, wherein the first notification indicates the status of the subject.

In an embodiment, the portable electronic device may also be configured to: B. in the event of a change in the subject's status, send a second notification to the nurse call station indicating the change in the subject's status.

In an embodiment, the portable electronic device may further include: (h) an audio output electrically coupled to a power source, wherein the audio output is configured to: i. play a first alarm in the event of an emergency; ii. play a second alarm in the event that one or more of the one or more medical devices do not have sufficient power; and iii. play a third alarm in the event that the subject's state is a negative state.

In embodiments, one or more medical devices may include a ventilator.

In embodiments, one or more medical devices may include an intravenous control device.

In an embodiment, one or more medical devices may include a drug delivery device.

In embodiments, the power source may include one or more disposable batteries.

In an embodiment, the power source may include one or more rechargeable batteries.

In an embodiment, one or more rechargeable batteries can be charged via capacitive coupling.

In an embodiment, the portable electronic device may further include: (h) an audio output electrically coupled to the power source, wherein the audio output is configured to play an alarm in response to input from the subject.

In an embodiment, the portable electronic device may further include: (g) one or more sensor devices electrically coupled to a power source, wherein the one or more sensor devices include: 1. A smoke detector including an alarm and configured to detect smoke and fire within a predetermined radius of the subject.

In an embodiment, the smoke detector may also be configured to: i. activate an alarm in the event of smoke detection; ii. activate an alarm in the event of fire detection; and iii. activate an alarm in the event of low battery.

In an embodiment, the smoke detector may also be configured to notify a nurse call station associated with one or more healthcare providers in the event of smoke, fire, or low battery detection.

In embodiments, one or more patient devices may include a wheelchair.

In embodiments, one or more patient devices may include a wheeled bed.

In an embodiment, one or more patient devices may include a bed.

In embodiments, one or more patient devices may include a removable rod.

In embodiments, the removable rod may include an intravenous drug delivery mechanism.

102: Portable electronic devices

102A:LED module

104: Shell

106: LED

106A: LED

106B: LED

106C: LED

106D: LED

106E: LED

106F: LED

108: Input device

108B: Line

110: Microphone

112: Audio output

114:Sensor

116: Memory

118: Processor

120: Communication entrance

122: Power supply

124: Display

126:Hook

128: Intermediate distribution module

202: Wheelchair

204:Bed

402: Charging socket

404: Nurse call line jack

406: Power distribution module jack

408:Threaded insert

502:Battery module

504:Battery module housing

602: Main module jack

604: Input device jack

608:Mounting plate

610: Removable rod

S302: Step

S303: Step

S304: Step

S305: Step

S305’: Step

S305”: Step

S306: Step

S308: Step

S309: Step

S310: Step

S310’: Step

S310”: Step

S312: Step

The above-mentioned and related purposes, features and advantages of the present invention will be more fully understood by referring to the following detailed description of the exemplary embodiments of the present invention when combined with the following exemplary drawings, wherein: [FIG. 1] is a schematic block diagram of a portable electronic device for providing health care to a subject at a remote location according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention; [FIG. 1A] is a cross-sectional view of the portable electronic device of FIG. 1 according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention; [FIG. 1B] is a schematic block diagram of a portable electronic device for providing health care to a subject at a remote location with a hook according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention; [FIG. 1C] is a schematic block diagram of a portable electronic device for providing health care to a subject at a remote location with a hook according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. [FIGS. 2A-2B] are schematic block diagrams of patient devices, each of which is mechanically coupled to a portable electronic device according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention to provide health care to a subject at a remote location; [FIGS. 2C-2D] are schematic block diagrams of patient devices, each of which is mechanically coupled to a portable electronic device according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention via a power distribution module to provide health care to a subject at a remote location; [FIGS. 3A-3B] are exemplary diagrams of a process for providing health care to one or more patients at a remote location according to various embodiments of the present invention. 4 is a schematic diagram of a front view of a portable electronic device having a hook for providing health care to a subject at a remote location according to an exemplary embodiment of the present creation; [FIG. 4A] is a schematic diagram of a rear view of the portable electronic device of FIG. 4 having a hook for providing health care to a subject at a remote location according to an exemplary embodiment of the present creation; [FIG. 4B] is a schematic diagram of a side view of the portable electronic device of FIG. 4 having a hook for providing health care to a subject at a remote location according to an exemplary embodiment of the present creation; [FIG. 4C] is a top view of the portable electronic device of FIG. 4 having a hook for providing health care to a subject at a remote location according to an exemplary embodiment of the present creation. [FIG. 4D] is a schematic diagram of an exploded view of the portable electronic device of FIG. 4 with a hook for providing health care to a subject at a remote location according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention; [FIG. 5] is a schematic diagram of a front view of a battery module of the portable electronic device of FIG. 4 with a hook for providing health care to a subject at a remote location according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention; [FIG. 6] is a schematic diagram of a front view of a power distribution module of the portable electronic device with a hook for providing health care to a subject at a remote location according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention; and [FIG. 6A] is a schematic diagram of a rear view of the power distribution module of FIG. 6 according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

The present invention generally relates to various technical improvements in devices, systems, methods, and program products for providing health care in remote or non-traditional locations, such as in the hallways of overcrowded hospitals or in temporary hospitals. In exemplary embodiments, the present invention generally relates to new technologies that enable health care providers to monitor the health and resolve health emergencies associated with patients outside of a typical ward setting.

The following description is provided to enable a person of ordinary skill in the art to make and use the present invention, and is provided in the context of a specific application and its requirements. Various changes to the embodiments will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art, and the general principles defined herein may be applied to other embodiments and applications without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. In the following description, many details are set forth for the purpose of explanation. However, a person of ordinary skill in the art will recognize that the present invention may be practiced in events where these specific details are not used. In other events, well-known structures and devices are shown in block diagram form to avoid obscuring the description of the present invention with unnecessary details. Therefore, the present invention is not intended to be limited to the embodiments shown, but should be given the widest scope consistent with the principles and features disclosed herein.

FIG1 is a schematic block diagram of a portable electronic device for providing health care to subjects at remote locations according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. The portable electronic device 102 enables health care providers (e.g., nurses, doctors, medical technicians, physical therapists, to name a few) to be aware of the status of multiple patients outside of a typical ward environment while being able to address patients who require their attention. As described in more detail below, the portable electronic device 102 can receive input (e.g., via button presses and/or audio, to name a few) from a subject (e.g., a patient) and/or one or more medical devices associated with the subject (e.g., a ventilator, a drug pump, an intravenous drip, to name a few) and forward this information to a healthcare provider so that the healthcare provider can understand the status of the subject and/or the corresponding medical devices and so that the healthcare provider can understand whether the subject is requesting and/or requires the healthcare provider's attention. In an embodiment, the portable electronic device 102 may be operably connected (e.g., via a network) to a nurse call system (e.g., a nurse triage system) such that input received by the portable electronic device 102 may be communicated to the nurse call system. In an embodiment, the nurse call system may be located in a hospital that provides services to a remote location. In an embodiment, the remote location may refer to one or more of the following: a parking lot, a stadium, a park, a hallway and/or a building of a hospital, to name a few.

In an exemplary embodiment, as shown in FIG. 1 , FIG. 1A and FIG. 1B , the portable electronic device 102 may include one or more of the following: an LED module 102A, a housing 104, one or more light emitting diodes 106A, 106B, 106C, 106D, 106E and 106F (hereinafter “light emitting diodes 106”), an input device 108, a microphone 110, an audio output 112, a sensor 114, a memory 116, a processor 118, a communication port 120, a power supply 122, a display 124 and/or a hook 126, to name a few. In an exemplary embodiment, as shown in FIG. 1C , the portable electronic device 102 may further include an intermediate power distribution module 128 having one or more input device jacks 604 and a main module jack 602. In an embodiment, the housing 104 may include one or more parts (as shown in conjunction with FIG. 1A ) of the portable electronic device 102. In an embodiment, the housing 104 may be waterproof and/or water resistant so that cleaning the portable electronic device 102 with water, soap, and/or bleach does not negatively affect the functionality of the portable electronic device. In an embodiment, the housing 104 may be made of one or more of the following materials: polyethylene terephthalate, high-density polyethylene, polyvinyl chloride, low-density polyethylene, polypropylene, polystyrene, and/or combinations thereof, to name a few. In an embodiment, the exterior of the housing 104 may include: one or more audio jacks, one or more auxiliary inputs (e.g., input device 108 connected to where power source 122 is located via line 108B), LED 106, microphone 110, audio output 112, and/or sensor 114, to name a few.

In embodiments, the LEDs 106 may refer to one or more types of LEDs, including but not limited to: micro-LEDs, decorative lights, LED floodlights, and/or LED downlights, to name a few. In embodiments, each LED 106 may display one or more colors. In embodiments, each LED 106 may flash and/or be steady. In embodiments, each LED may display a different color. In embodiments, the LEDs 106 may light up in a pattern and/or individually (flash with the same and/or different colors, flash with the same and/or different paces, and/or be steady, to name a few). In embodiments, different colors and/or different flashing patterns may indicate to a healthcare provider one or more of: the subject's status, whether the subject has requested attention, whether the subject is experiencing an emergency, whether the portable electronic device 102 detects an emergency (e.g., via sensor 114 and/or monitoring a corresponding medical device, to name a few), whether the portable electronic device 102 has a low battery, the amount of power remaining in power source 122, and/or the status of an associated medical device, to name a few. In embodiments, the LED may assist in triage management.

In an embodiment, the visibility of the LED 106 is enhanced by the LED module 102A. For example, if the subject presses a button 108A of the input device 108 indicating a request for attention from a health care provider, the LED module 102A and/or the lighting within the LED 106 may illuminate, causing the LED module 102A to illuminate a color and/or the lighting to flash. In an embodiment, the LED module 102A may be mechanically coupled to the housing 104. In an embodiment, the LED module 102A may be made of a translucent material that is waterproof and/or water resistant. In embodiments, LED module 102A may include one or more of: one or more additional LEDs (which may mirror the illumination of LED 106 and/or provide additional or different illumination), incandescent bulbs, fluorescent bulbs, compact fluorescent bulbs, and/or halogen bulbs, to name a few.

In an embodiment, the input device 108 may be electrically coupled to the power source 122 via the wire 108B and the auxiliary jack on the housing 104. In an embodiment, the input device 108 may include a physical input (e.g., a button 108A) that, when activated (e.g., pressed), may request attention from a health care provider. In an embodiment, the input device 108 may include one or more input devices. For example, the input device 108 may include a patient input device and a health care provider input device to ensure that the health care provider does not touch a surface that has been touched by the subject. Continuing with the example, the health care input device may also include a physical input (e.g., a button) that, when activated, turns off the attention request. Although button 108A is shown as a physical input, it should be understood that other physical inputs are also available and suitable for use, such as switches, sliders, and/or touch screens. In embodiments, input device 108 may not include a physical input, but rather, an input not associated with physical contact is required (e.g., audio input and/or a sensor for detecting movement or change of lighting, to name a few).

As described above, in an embodiment, audio input can be received by the portable electronic device 102. For example, the portable electronic device 102 can include one or more microphones (e.g., the optionally included microphone 110), which receive the audio input, causing the portable electronic device 102 to illuminate one or more LEDs 106 and/or play an alarm via the audio output 112. In addition, in an embodiment, the health care provider can turn off the attention request via the audio input. In an embodiment, the microphone 110 can be a converter and/or any suitable component capable of detecting an audio signal. For example, the microphone 110 can include one or more sensors for generating electrical signals and circuits capable of processing the generated electrical signals. In some embodiments, the microphone 110 may include multiple microphones capable of detecting various frequency levels. As an illustrative example, the portable electronic device 102 may include multiple microphones (e.g., four, seven, ten, etc.) placed at various locations around the portable electronic device 102 to monitor/capture any audio output in the environment of the portable electronic device 102. The various microphones 110 may include some microphones optimized for distant sound, while some microphones may be optimized for sound occurring within a close distance of the portable electronic device 102. In an embodiment, one or more microphones 110 may be used as an input device to receive audio input, such as speech from a subject.

As described above, in an embodiment, the portable electronic device 102 may optionally include an audio output 112. In an embodiment, the audio output 112 (e.g., a speaker) may correspond to any appropriate mechanism for outputting audio. For example, the audio output 112 may include one or more speaker units, transducers, speaker arrays, and/or transducer arrays that can broadcast audio and/or audio content to a surrounding area where the portable electronic device 102 may be located. In some embodiments, the audio output 112 may include headphones or earbuds that may be wirelessly connected or hardwired to the portable electronic device 102, which can broadcast audio directly to the subject. In some embodiments, the portable electronic device 102 can be hardwired or wirelessly connected to the audio output 112. For example, the portable electronic device 102 can cause the audio output 112 to output audio thereon. Continuing with this example, the portable electronic device 102 can obtain audio content to be output by the audio output 112, and the portable electronic device 102 can transmit the audio to the audio output 112 using one or more communication protocols described herein. For example, the audio output 112 and the portable electronic device 102 can communicate with each other using a Bluetooth® connection or another near field communication protocol. In some embodiments, the portable electronic device 102 can communicate with the audio output 112 indirectly.

In an embodiment, the portable electronic device 102 may optionally include one or more sensors 114. In an embodiment, the one or more sensors 114 may be electrically coupled to the power source 122. The one or more sensors 114 may include one or more of the following: a smoke detector, a fire sensor, a temperature sensor, a position sensor, and/or a carbon monoxide sensor, to name a few. For example, the sensor 114 may include a smoke detector, and when it detects smoke near the portable electronic device 102, the portable electronic device 102 may cause the LED 106 to illuminate and/or play an alarm via the audio output 112. As another example, if the ambient temperature is above a predetermined threshold, the portable electronic device 102 may illuminate the LED 106 and/or sound an alarm via the audio output 112.

In an embodiment, as described above, the portable electronic device may optionally include a display 124. In an embodiment, the display 124 may be a display screen and/or a touch screen, which may be of any size and/or shape. In an embodiment, the display 124 may be a part of the portable electronic device 102 and may be located at any part of the portable electronic device 102. Various types of displays may include, but are not limited to, a liquid crystal display (LCD), a monochrome display, a color graphics adapter (CGA) display, an enhanced graphics adapter (EGA) display, a variable graphics array (VGA) display, or any other type of display, or any combination thereof, to name a few. In some embodiments, the display 124 and the portable electronic device 102 may be separate devices, or may be combined into a single device in some embodiments. In an embodiment, the display 124 may be a touch screen, which may correspond to a display including a capacitive sensing panel capable of recognizing touch input thereon.

In an embodiment, housing 104 may fully or partially encapsulate one or more parts of the portable electronic device. Referring to FIG. 1A , a cross-sectional view of FIG. 1 , housing 104 may include one or more of the following: a memory 116, a processor 118, a communication port, and/or a power supply 122, to name a few. In an embodiment, memory 116 may store information associated with a subject. For example, medical and identification information may be stored in memory 116. As another example, data from one or more medical devices monitored by portable electronic device 102 may also be received and stored by memory 116. The memory 116 may store one or more machine readable instructions that enable the portable electronic device 102 to illuminate and play sounds according to predefined keys (e.g., red for emergency, green for good, to name a few). The memory 116 may include one or more types of storage media, such as any volatile or non-volatile memory, or any removable or non-removable memory implemented in any suitable manner to store data for the portable electronic device 102. For example, information may be stored using computer readable instructions, data structures, and/or program systems. The various types of storage devices/memory may include, but are not limited to, hard disks, solid-state hard disks, flash memory, permanent memory (e.g., ROM), electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM), CD ROM, digital versatile disk (DVD) or other optical storage media, magnetic cassettes, magnetic tapes, disk storage or other magnetic storage devices, RAID storage systems, or any other storage type or any combination thereof. In addition, the memory 116 may be implemented as a computer-readable storage media (CRSM), which may be any available physical media that can be accessed by the processor 118 to execute one or more instructions stored in the memory 116. In some implementation examples, one or more applications (e.g., the software described above) may be executed by the processor 118 and may be stored in the memory 116.

In embodiments, the processor 118 may include any suitable processing circuitry capable of controlling the operation and functionality of the portable electronic device 102 and facilitating communication between various components within the portable electronic device 102. In some embodiments, the processor 118 may include a central processing unit (CPU), a graphics processing unit (GPU), one or more microprocessors, a digital signal processor, or any other type of processor, or any combination thereof. In some embodiments, the functionality of processor 118 may be performed by one or more hardware logic components, including but not limited to a field-programmable gate array (FPGA), an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC), an application-specific standard product (ASSP), a system-on-chip system (SOC), and/or a complex programmable logic device (CPLD). In addition, processor 118 may include its own local memory, which may store a program system, program data, and/or one or more operating systems. However, the processor 118 may run an operating system ("OS") for the portable electronic device 102 and/or one or more firmware applications, media applications, and/or applications resident thereon. In an embodiment, the processor 118 may execute a local client script to read and render content received from one or more websites. For example, the processor 118 may run a local JavaScript client to render HTML or XHTML content received from a particular URL accessed by the portable electronic device 102.

In an embodiment, the communication portal 120 may include any circuitry that allows or enables one or more parts of the portable electronic device 102 to communicate with each other. In an embodiment, the communication portal 120 may enable communication between the portable electronic device 102 and one or more of the following: one or more medical devices associated with the subject, a nurse call station, an additional display, one or more microphones, a radio, and/or one or more additional devices, servers, and/or systems, to name a few. As an illustrative example, the portable electronic device 102 may use the communication portal 120 to monitor one or more medical devices associated with the subject via a network. A non-exhaustive list of medical devices that may be monitored by the portable electronic device includes one or more of the following: ventilators, drug pumps, intravenous infusions, heart rate monitors, blood pressure monitors, oxygen level monitors, dialysis machines, blood glucose monitors, and/or potassium monitors, to name a few. As another illustrative example, data retrieved from the portable electronic device 102 may be transmitted to a nurse call station associated with a healthcare provider via a network such as the Internet or Bluetooth® using any number of communication protocols. For example, TCP/IP (e.g., any protocol used in each TCP/IP layer), HTTP (Hypertext Transfer Protocol), WebRTC, SIP, and wireless application protocol (WLAN) may be used. The communication portal 120 may be configured to access a network using the Wireless LAN (WAP) protocol, which are some of the various types of protocols that may be used to facilitate communication between the portable electronic device 102 and one or more of the following: one or more parts of the portable electronic device 102, one or more medical devices associated with a subject, one or more nurse call stations, additional displays, one or more microphones, radios, one or more speakers, and/or one or more additional devices, servers, and/or systems, to name a few. In an embodiment, the communication portal 120 may include an antenna and a radio frequency transmitter. In an embodiment, the communication portal 120 may include an infrared transmitter and an infrared receiver. In an embodiment, the portable electronic device 102 may communicate via a web browser using HTTP. Various additional communication protocols may be used to facilitate communication between the portable electronic device 102 and one or more components of the portable electronic device 102, the display 124, the LED 106, one or more microphones, and/or with one or more additional devices, servers, and/or systems, including the following non-exhaustive list: Wi-Fi (e.g., 802.11 protocol), Bluetooth, radio frequency systems (e.g., 900 MHz, 1.4 GHz, and 5.6 GHz communication systems), cellular networks (e.g., GSM, AMPS, GPRS, CDMA, EV-DO, EDGE, 3GSM, DECT, IS-T, to name a few. 136/TDMA, iDen, LTE or any other appropriate cellular protocol), optical, BitTorrent, FTP, RTP, RTSP, SSH and/or VOIP.

In an embodiment, the communication portal 120 may use any communication protocol, such as any of the exemplary communication protocols mentioned previously. In some embodiments, the portable electronic device 102 may include one or more antennas to facilitate wireless communication with a network using various wireless technologies (e.g., Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, radio frequency, etc.). In yet another embodiment, the portable electronic device 102 may include one or more universal serial bus (USB) ports, one or more Ethernet or broadband ports, and/or any other type of hardwired access port, so that the communication portal 120 allows the portable electronic device 102 to communicate on one or more communication networks via the network.

In an embodiment, the portable electronic device 102 can be mechanically coupled to one or more patient devices. For example, as shown in FIG. 1B , the portable electronic device 102 can include a hook 126. In an embodiment, the hook 126 can be attached to an IV. Referring to FIGS. 2A and 2B , the portable electronic device 102 can be mechanically coupled to a wheelchair 202 and/or a bed 204. In an embodiment, the portable electronic device can be mechanically coupled to a detachable rod 610, which, in an embodiment, can include intravenous drug therapy.

FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram of a front view of a portable electronic device 102 for providing health care to a subject at a remote location having a hook 126 according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 4D is a schematic diagram of an exploded view of the portable electronic device 102 of FIG. 4. Referring to FIG. 4 and FIG. 4D, in addition to the parts discussed with respect to FIG. 1-1C, the portable electronic device 102 may also include a charging jack 402 and a nurse call line jack 404. In an embodiment, the charging jack 402 may be used to recharge the power source 122 located in the battery module 502 when the power source 122 is rechargeable. In an embodiment, the nurse call line jack 404 may accept a line 108B that allows the patient to communicate with a nurse call station and/or a health care provider. In an embodiment, the portable electronic device 102 may include a power distribution module jack 406 for connecting the wire 108B to the intermediate power distribution module 128. In an embodiment, the portable electronic device 102 may include a threaded insert 408 to facilitate mounting the portable electronic device 102 to the removable pole 610.

1C, the portable electronic device 102 of FIG. 1-1B may include an intermediate power distribution module 128 electrically coupled between the input device 108 and the communication inlet 120. In an embodiment, the intermediate power distribution module 128 may be electrically coupled to the power supply 122 of the portable electronic device 102 and may be operably connected to the light-emitting diode 106 and the communication inlet 120. In an embodiment, the intermediate power distribution module 128 may be located outside the housing 104 and may be electrically coupled to the power supply 122 via the line 108B. In an embodiment, as shown in FIG. 6 and FIG. 6A, the intermediate power distribution module 128 may include one or more input device jacks 604, a main module jack 602, and a mounting plate 608. In an embodiment, one or more input device jacks 604 may allow connection of one or more wires 108B between the intermediate power distribution module 128 and the input device 108. In an embodiment, the main module jack 602 may allow the wire 108B to be connected to the portable electronic device 102. In an embodiment, the mounting plate 608 may be used to mount the intermediate power distribution module 128 to the removable pole 610.

2C and 2D , the portable electronic device 102 may be mechanically coupled to the wheelchair 202 and/or the bed 204 and the intermediate power distribution module 128. In an embodiment, the input device 108 may be coupled to the communication inlet 120 of the portable electronic device 102 via the intermediate power distribution module 128 of FIG. 1C . In an embodiment, the portable electronic device 102 may be mechanically coupled to the detachable rod 610, which may include intravenous drug therapy in an embodiment. Coupling the portable electronic device 102 to the detachable pole 610 for IV drug therapy One problem is that in this embodiment, the hanging of the portable electronic device 102 can cause any of the one or more wires 108B of the input device 108 to become tangled or caught on the wheelchair 202, bed 204, or any other external object. In an embodiment, the intermediate power distribution module 128 provides a technical solution to the tangled cable problem by reducing the connection points of the input device 108 so that the one or more wires 108B of the input device 108 may not interfere with the operation of the portable electronic device 102, wheelchair 202, or bed 204.

In an embodiment, the portable electronic device 102 may include a power source 122. In an embodiment, as shown in FIG. 5, the power source 122 may be located in a battery module 502 having a battery module housing 504. In an embodiment, the power source 122 may be a port for connecting the power source 122 thereto. In an embodiment, the power source 122 may be a disposable battery and/or a rechargeable battery. In an embodiment, the power source 122 may include one or more of the following: an alkaline battery, a lithium battery, a lithium-ion battery, a carbon battery, a lead-acid battery, and/or an electromagnetic battery, to name a few. In an embodiment, the power source 122 may be recharged via capacitive coupling.

In embodiments, as used herein, portable electronic device 102 may correspond to any suitable type of mobile electronic device, including but not limited to desktop computers, mobile computers (e.g., laptops, ultra-thin notebooks), mobile phones, portable computing devices such as smartphones, tablets and phablets, televisions, set-top boxes, smart televisions, personal display devices, and/or personal digital assistants (PDAs), to name a few. In some embodiments, portable electronic device 102 may be relatively simple or basic in structure, such that no or a minimal number of mechanical input options (e.g., keyboards, mice, trackpads) or touch inputs (touch screens, buttons, etc.) are included. For example, the portable electronic device 102 may be capable of receiving and outputting audio, and may include power, processing power, storage/memory capacity, and communication capabilities. However, in other embodiments, the portable electronic device 102 may include one or more components for receiving mechanical input (e.g., via input device 108) or tactile input, such as a touch screen and/or one or more buttons (e.g., button 108A).

In an embodiment, the portable electronic device 102 may be a voice-activated electronic device. As described herein, a voice-activated electronic device may correspond to any device that can be activated in response to detecting a specific word or phrase (e.g., a word, phoneme, phrase or phrase, or any other type of sound or any series of time-related sounds). For example, the voice activated electronic device may be one or more of the following: an Amazon Alexa enabled device, an Amazon Echo®; an Amazon Echo Show®; an Amazon Echo Dot®; a smart TV (e.g., a Samsung® smart TV); a Google Home®; an Apple Siri enabled device; an "OK Google" enabled device; a voice controlled thermostat (e.g., a Nest® with voice control; a Honeywell® Wi-Fi Smart Thermostat), a smart vehicle, a smart transportation device, a wearable device (e.g., a Fitbit®), and/or a smart accessory, to name a few.

In an embodiment, the subject may speak one or more words and/or phrases as part of a request for attention from a healthcare provider (hereinafter "request"). In an embodiment, the request may be detected by the microphone 110 of the portable electronic device 102 and/or a microphone operably connected to the portable electronic device 102. The subject may, for example, speak a request - such as "I need water". As used herein, a request may refer to any question, request, comment, word, character, phrase, and/or instruction that may be spoken to the microphone 110 of the portable electronic device 102 and/or a microphone 110 operably connected to the portable electronic device 102.

In some embodiments, the request may begin with a wake word, which may also be referred to as a trigger expression, a wake expression, or an activation word. In response to detecting the utterance of the wake word, the portable electronic device 102 may be configured to detect any word following the detected wake word and interpret it as an actionable input or command. In some embodiments, the portable electronic device 102 may be activated by a phrase or a phrase that the portable electronic device 102 may also be configured to detect. Therefore, the portable electronic device 102 is also able to detect and interpret any word that follows the phrase or phrase. For example, the subject may state a "health request" before stating a response. In an embodiment, a wake word may not be required for the portable electronic device 102 and/or microphone 110 to detect and analyze audio data associated with a request. For example, the portable electronic device 102 may be configured to listen for an answer in the form of audio data upon receiving physical input via the input device 108.

As used herein, the term "wake word" may correspond to a "keyword" or "keyword phrase", a "starter word" or "starter word", or a "trigger", a "trigger word" or a "trigger expression". An exemplary wake word may be a phrase, such as the phrase "health request", however it should be understood that any word or series of words may alternatively be used as a wake word. In addition, the wake word may be set or programmed by a healthcare provider and/or subject, and in some embodiments, more than one wake word (e.g., two or more different wake words) may be available for use. In yet another embodiment, the trigger for activating the portable electronic device 102 may be any series of temporally related sounds.

In an embodiment, microphone 110 and/or microphone (hereinafter referred to as "microphone") can detect a spoken request using one or more microphones resident thereon. After detecting the request, the microphone can transmit audio data representing the request to the processor 118 of the portable electronic device 102. Alternatively, microphone 110 can detect a response and transmit the response to the portable electronic device 102 and the processor 118. Microphone 110 can also send one or more additional associated data to the portable electronic device 102. Various types of associated data that may be included with the audio data include, but are not limited to, the subject's location, identity information, medical information, time of the request, date the request was detected, an IP address associated with the portable electronic device 102, device type, or any other type of associated data, or any combination thereof, to name a few.

The audio data and/or associated data, if detected by a microphone operably connected to the portable electronic device 102, may be transmitted to the portable electronic device 102 over a network, such as the Internet, using any number of communication protocols. For example, Transmission Control Protocol and Internet Protocol (TCP/IP) (e.g., any of the protocols used in each TCP/IP layer), Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP), and Wireless Application Protocol (WAP) are some of the various types of protocols that may be used to facilitate communication between the microphone and the portable electronic device 102.

The portable electronic device 102 may be operably connected to one or more servers, additional microphones, and/or output electronics (e.g., display 124, audio output 112, and/or LED 106), to name a few, each of which communicates with one another. The portable electronic device 102, one or more servers, additional microphones, and/or output electronics may communicate with one another using any of the aforementioned communication protocols. Each server operably connected to the portable electronic device 102 may be associated with one or more databases or processors capable of storing, retrieving, processing, analyzing, and/or generating data to be provided to the portable electronic device 102. For example, each of the one or more servers may correspond to a different type of medical device, so that natural language understanding can interpret different types of scientific terms. In some embodiments, one or more servers may correspond to a collection of servers located in a remote facility, and the caregiver and/or subject may store data on and/or communicate with one or more servers using one or more of the above-mentioned communication protocols.

Referring back to the portable electronic device 102, once the portable electronic device 102 receives the audio data, the portable electronic device 102 may analyze the audio data to determine which words are included in the spoken request by, for example, performing speech-to-text (STT) processing on the audio data. The portable electronic device 102 may then apply natural language understanding (NLU) processing to determine the meaning of the spoken request. The portable electronic device 102 may also determine whether the request indicates an emergency and cause the LED 106 to illuminate and/or sound an alarm. In an embodiment, the meaning of the request may also cause the portable electronic device 102 to send a notification and/or request to a nurse call station.

In an embodiment, the portable electronic device 102 may provide an audio and/or visual response to the response. For example, in some embodiments, the response to the verbal request may include an audio response indicating that one or more health care providers are adhering to the request. When it is determined that the content should be output, the portable electronic device 102 may generate the first response audio data by obtaining text data representing the first response audio data and using text-to-speech (TTS) processing. The first response audio data may represent a first audio message notifying the subject that the request is third in the queue and will be resolved soon. The portable electronic device 102 may play the responsive audio data via the audio output 112 and/or transmit the responsive audio data to a speaker operably connected to the portable electronic device 102 so that the responsive audio data will be played upon receipt.

As described above, the portable electronic device 102 may also send content to the display 124 in response to the verbal request. For example, in some embodiments, the portable electronic device 102 may determine that the request is for a company and that the response may be to obtain a short motivational video from one or more category servers and send the content to the display 124 along with instructions to display the content. Upon receiving the content and instructions, the display 124 may display the content.

3A-3B are exemplary flow charts of processes for providing health care to one or more patients at a remote location according to various embodiments of the present invention.

The process of FIG. 3A , in an embodiment, may begin at step S302. At step S302, in an embodiment, the portable electronic device 102 monitors one or more medical devices associated with the subject by receiving medical data and power data from the one or more medical devices. In an embodiment, the medical data may be data from one or more medical devices monitored by the portable electronic device 102, and may include one or more of the following: body temperature, oxygen level, medication administration, heart rate, blood pressure, blood sugar level, potassium level, and/or combinations thereof, to name a few. In an embodiment, the power data may include one or more of the following: remaining power of one or more medical devices, a low battery indicator, a dead battery indicator, remaining battery life, and/or combinations thereof, to name a few.

In an embodiment, the medical data and power data received by the portable electronic device 102 may be monitored for an emergency. In an embodiment, the data may indicate that a medical emergency is occurring. For example, the medical data may indicate an unsafe oxygen level for the subject. In an embodiment where a medical emergency is occurring, the process may continue with step S304. In step S304, the portable electronic device 102 may illuminate one or more LEDs 106 in a first color (e.g., red). The portable electronic device 102 may send a notification to a nurse call station and/or a healthcare provider indicating a health emergency. In an embodiment, the LED 106 may also flash. In an embodiment, a medical emergency may cause the portable electronic device 102 to call a health care provider (e.g., using Facetime via the display 124, audio via the microphone 110 and/or audio output 112, to name a few).

In an embodiment, the data may indicate that a power emergency is occurring. For example, the power data may indicate that a ventilator is low on power. In an embodiment where a power emergency is occurring, the process may continue with step S305'. In step S305', the portable electronic device 102 may illuminate one or more LEDs 106 in a second color (e.g., orange). The portable electronic device 102 may send a notification to a nurse call station and/or a healthcare provider indicating the power emergency and/or a medical device associated with the emergency. In an embodiment, the LEDs 106 may also flash.

In an embodiment, the data may indicate that both a medical emergency and a power emergency are occurring. For example, the power data may indicate that a ventilator is low on power and the medical emergency may be a drop in the subject's oxygen level. In an embodiment where both a medical emergency and a power emergency are occurring, the process may continue with step S305". In step S305", the portable electronic device 102 may illuminate one or more LEDs 106 in a third color (e.g., yellow). The portable electronic device 102 may send a notification to a nurse call station and/or a healthcare provider indicating a health emergency and a power emergency and/or a medical device associated with the emergency. In an embodiment, the LED 106 may also flash.

In an embodiment, the medical data and power data received by the portable electronic device 102 may not indicate that an emergency is occurring. In an embodiment, the process may continue with step S306. In step S306, in an embodiment, the medical data and power data may be stored in the memory 116. As shown in FIG. 3A, the process may be repeated to continue monitoring for an emergency. In an embodiment, the process may continue with FIG. 3B.

Referring to FIG. 3B , in an embodiment, the process may continue with step S308 . In step S308 , in an embodiment, the portable electronic device may determine the patient's status. In an embodiment, the status may refer to a health status, a medication status (e.g., whether medication has been recently administered), a mental health status, and/or a combination thereof, to name a few. In an embodiment, the status may be determined by comparing the medical data received by the portable electronic device 102 with the medical data stored in the memory 116 of the portable electronic device 102 . In an embodiment, if the data indicates that the patient is in a stable state (e.g., good) state, the process may continue with step S310 . In step S310, in an embodiment, the portable electronic device 102 may illuminate one or more LEDs in a first color (e.g., green). The portable electronic device 102 may send a notification to a nurse call station and/or a healthcare provider indicating the subject's status. In an embodiment, the LED 106 may also flash. In an embodiment, the audio output may also play an audio file.

In an embodiment, if the data indicates that the patient is in a neutral (e.g., no change) state, the process may continue with step S310'. In step S310', in an embodiment, the portable electronic device 102 may illuminate one or more LEDs in a second color (e.g., yellow). The portable electronic device 102 may send a notification to a nurse call station and/or a healthcare provider indicating the subject's status. In an embodiment, the LED 106 may also flash. In an embodiment, the audio output may also play an audio file.

In an embodiment, if the data indicates that the patient is in an adverse (e.g., negative or negatively changing) state, the process may continue with step S310". In step S310", in an embodiment, the portable electronic device 102 may illuminate one or more LEDs in a third color (e.g., red). The portable electronic device 102 may send a notification to the nurse call station and/or the health care provider indicating the subject's state. In an embodiment, the light-emitting diode 106 may also flash. In an embodiment, the audio output may also play an audio file.

In an embodiment, the change in status may cause the portable electronic device 102 to alert the nurse call station about the change in status.

This process can be repeated, as in step S312, until the subject is completely treated. In an embodiment, the steps of the process described in conjunction with FIG. 3A and FIG. 3B can be rearranged or omitted.

As mentioned in the above literature, this creation overcomes the aforementioned technical problems.

Although the present invention has been described in conjunction with the exemplary embodiments described above, it is apparent that many alternatives, modifications, and variations will be apparent to those skilled in the art. Therefore, the exemplary embodiments of the present invention as described above are intended to be illustrative rather than restrictive. Various changes may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention.

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Now that the embodiments of the present invention have been shown and described in detail, various modifications and improvements thereof will be apparent to those skilled in the art. Therefore, the exemplary embodiments of the present invention as described above are intended to be illustrative rather than restrictive. The spirit and scope of the present invention should be broadly interpreted.

102: Portable electronic devices

102A:LED module

104: Shell

106: LED

112: Audio output

126:Hook

402: Charging socket

404: Nurse call line jack

Claims (57)

A portable electronic device for providing health care to a subject at a remote location, the portable electronic device comprising: (a) a housing; (b) a power source operable to provide power to the portable electronic device; (c) a plurality of light emitting diodes electrically coupled to the power source, wherein each of the plurality of light emitting diodes is operable to: i. emit one or more colors; and ii. flash, and wherein each of the plurality of light emitting diodes is positioned so that light emitted from each of the plurality of light emitting diodes is visible outside the housing; (d) a communication port electrically coupled to the power source, wherein at least a portion of the communication port is located within the housing; and (e) an input device electrically coupled to the power source and operable The portable electronic device is operatively connected to the plurality of LEDs and the communication port, wherein the input device is located outside the housing and electrically coupled to the power source via a wire, wherein the portable electronic device is operable to mechanically couple to one or more patient devices associated with the subject, wherein the portable electronic device is operable to provide notifications to one or more health care providers associated with the subject, and wherein the portable electronic device is configured to perform the following steps: A. receiving input from the subject at the input device, the input indicating that the subject requests attention from the one or more health care providers; and B. illuminating one or more of the plurality of LEDs in response to the input from the subject. The portable electronic device of claim 1 further comprises: (f) a hook external to the housing and mechanically coupled to the housing, wherein the hook is operable to mechanically couple to the one or more patient devices. A portable electronic device according to claim 2, wherein the one or more patient devices include an intravenous injection (IV) for infusion. A portable electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the input device comprises: i. a patient input device operable to receive a first one or more inputs indicating that the subject has requested attention from the one or more healthcare providers; and ii. a healthcare provider input device operable to receive a second one or more inputs indicating that attention from the one or more healthcare providers has been provided to the subject. A portable electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the communication portal comprises: i. an infrared receiver operable to receive communications from a nurse call station associated with the one or more healthcare providers, wherein the infrared receiver is at least partially located outside the housing; and ii. an infrared transmitter operable to send communications to the nurse call station. A portable electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the communication portal comprises: i. an antenna operable to receive radio frequency from a nurse call station associated with the one or more healthcare providers, wherein the antenna is at least partially outside the housing; and ii. an radio frequency transmitter operable to transmit radio frequency to the nurse call station. The portable electronic device according to claim 1 further comprises: (f) a memory within the housing and electrically coupled to the power source, configured to store: i. identity information associated with the subject; and ii. medical information associated with the subject. The portable electronic device according to claim 1 further comprises: (f) a computing device, at least partially within the housing and electrically coupled to the power source, configured to: i. monitor the one or more medical devices associated with the subject by receiving one or more of the following from the one or more medical devices: 1. medical data associated with the medical condition of the subject, wherein the medical data includes biometric information of the subject, and wherein the medical data is obtained by the one or more medical devices; 2. power data associated with the power source of the one or more medical devices, wherein the power data indicates one or more of the following: A. whether the one or more medical devices are receiving power; and B. the remaining power from one or more power sources corresponding to the one or more medical devices; ii. determining whether the emergency is occurring by determining whether the medical data associated with the medical condition of the subject indicates an emergency; iii. determining whether the one or more medical devices have sufficient power by comparing the power data with a predetermined amount; iv. in the event that the emergency occurs, illuminating one or more of the plurality of LEDs; and v. in the event that one or more of the one or more medical devices do not have sufficient power, illuminating one or more of the plurality of LEDs. A portable electronic device according to claim 8, wherein the portable electronic device is further configured to: A. in the event that the emergency occurs, send a first notification to a nurse call station associated with the one or more healthcare providers, wherein the first notification indicates that the emergency is occurring; and B. in the event that one or more of the one or more medical devices do not have sufficient power, send a second notification to the nurse call station indicating that the one or more of the one or more medical devices do not have sufficient power. The portable electronic device of claim 8, wherein the computing device is further configured to: vi. store the received medical data and the received power data in a memory operably connected to the portable electronic device; vii. monitor the state of the subject based on the received medical data and the stored medical data; viii. determine the state of the subject based on the received medical data and the stored medical data according to one or more of the following: 1. compare the received medical data with typical healthy medical data; 2. compare the received medical data with medical information associated with the subject; and 3. compare the received medical data with the stored medical data; data comparison to determine a state trend associated with the subject; ix. in the event that the state of the subject is a negative state, one or more of the plurality of LEDs are illuminated in a first color, wherein the first color indicates the negative state of the subject; x. in the event that the state of the subject is a positive state, one or more of the plurality of LEDs are illuminated in a second color, wherein the second color indicates the positive state of the subject; and xi. in the event that the state of the subject is a neutral state, one or more of the plurality of LEDs are illuminated in a third color, wherein the third color indicates the neutral state of the subject. A portable electronic device according to claim 10, wherein the portable electronic device is further configured to: A. send a first notification to a nurse call station associated with the one or more healthcare providers, wherein the first notification indicates the status of the subject. A portable electronic device according to claim 11, wherein the portable electronic device is further configured to: B. in the event of a change in the status of the subject, send a second notification indicating the change in the status of the subject to the nurse call station. The portable electronic device of claim 10 further comprises: (g) an audio output electrically coupled to the power source, wherein the audio output is configured to: i. play a first alarm in the event that the emergency occurs; ii. play a second alarm in the event that one or more of the one or more medical devices do not have sufficient power; and iii. play a third alarm in the event that the state of the subject is a negative state. A portable electronic device according to claim 8, wherein the one or more medical devices include a respirator. A portable electronic device according to claim 8, wherein the one or more medical devices include an intravenous control device. A portable electronic device according to claim 8, wherein the one or more medical devices include a drug administration device. A portable electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the power source comprises one or more disposable batteries. A portable electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the power source comprises one or more rechargeable batteries. A portable electronic device according to claim 18, wherein the one or more rechargeable batteries are charged via capacitive coupling. The portable electronic device of claim 10, further comprising: (g) an audio output electrically coupled to the power source, wherein the audio output is configured to play an alarm in response to the input from the subject. The portable electronic device according to claim 1 further comprises: (f) one or more sensor devices electrically coupled to the power source, wherein the one or more sensor devices include: 1. A smoke detector including an alarm and configured to detect smoke and fire within a predetermined radius of the subject. A portable electronic device according to claim 21, wherein the smoke detector is further configured to: i. activate the alarm in the event of smoke detection; ii. activate the alarm in the event of fire detection; and iii. activate the alarm in the event of low battery. A portable electronic device according to claim 22, wherein the smoke detector is further configured to notify a nurse call station associated with the one or more healthcare providers in the event of smoke, fire, or low battery detection. A portable electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the one or more patient devices include a wheelchair. A portable electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the one or more patient devices include a wheeled bed. A portable electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the one or more patient devices include a bed. A portable electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the one or more patient devices include a detachable pole. A portable electronic device according to claim 27, wherein the detachable rod includes an intravenous drug delivery mechanism. The portable electronic device according to claim 1 further comprises: (f) a power distribution module electrically coupled between the input device and the communication port. A portable electronic device for providing health care to a subject at a remote location, the portable electronic device comprising: (a) a housing; (b) a power source operable to provide power to the portable electronic device; (c) a plurality of light emitting diodes electrically coupled to the power source, wherein each of the plurality of light emitting diodes is operable to: i. emit one or more colors; and ii. flash, and wherein Each of the plurality of light emitting diodes is positioned so that light emitted from each of the plurality of light emitting diodes is visible outside the housing; (d) a communication inlet electrically coupled to the power source, wherein at least a portion of the communication inlet is located within the housing; and (e) a power distribution module electrically coupled to the power source and operably connected to the plurality of light emitting diodes and the communication inlet, wherein the power distribution module is located within the housing. (f) an input device electrically coupled and operably connected to the power distribution module, wherein the input device is located outside the housing and electrically coupled to the power distribution module via a second electrical line, wherein the portable electronic device is operable to mechanically couple to one or more patient devices associated with the subject, wherein the portable electronic device is operable to provide a power supply to the subject. The portable electronic device is configured to provide a notification to one or more health care providers associated with the subject, and wherein the portable electronic device is configured to perform the following steps: A. receiving input from the subject at the input device, the input indicating that the subject requests attention from the one or more health care providers; and B. responsive to the input from the subject, illuminating one or more of the plurality of LEDs. The portable electronic device of claim 30 further comprises: (g) a hook external to the housing and mechanically coupled to the housing, wherein the hook is operable to mechanically couple to the one or more patient devices. A portable electronic device according to claim 31, wherein the one or more patient devices include an intravenous injection (IV) for infusion. A portable electronic device according to claim 30, wherein the input device comprises: i. a patient input device configured to receive a first one or more inputs indicating that the subject has requested attention from the one or more healthcare providers; and ii. a healthcare provider input device configured to receive a second one or more inputs indicating that attention from the one or more healthcare providers has been provided to the subject. A portable electronic device according to claim 30, wherein the communication portal comprises: i. an infrared receiver configured to receive communications from a nurse call station associated with the one or more healthcare providers, wherein the infrared receiver is at least partially outside the housing; and ii. an infrared transmitter configured to send communications to the nurse call station. A portable electronic device according to claim 30, wherein the communication portal comprises: i. an antenna configured to receive radio frequency from a nurse call station associated with the one or more healthcare providers, wherein the antenna is at least partially outside the housing; and ii. an radio frequency transmitter configured to transmit radio frequency to the nurse call station. The portable electronic device of claim 30 further comprises: (g) a memory within the housing and electrically coupled to the power source, configured to store: i. identity information associated with the subject; and ii. medical information associated with the subject. The portable electronic device of claim 30 further comprises: (g) a computing device, at least partially within the housing and electrically coupled to the power source, configured to: i. monitor the one or more medical devices associated with the subject by receiving one or more of the following from the one or more medical devices: 1. medical data associated with a medical condition of the subject, wherein the medical data includes biometric information of the subject, and wherein the medical data is obtained by the one or more medical devices; 2. power data associated with a power source of the one or more medical devices, wherein the power data indicates one or more of the following: A. whether the one or more medical devices are receiving power; and B. the remaining power from one or more power sources corresponding to the one or more medical devices; ii. determining whether the emergency is occurring by determining whether the medical data associated with the medical condition of the subject indicates an emergency; iii. determining whether the one or more medical devices have sufficient power by comparing the power data with a predetermined amount; iv. in the event that the emergency occurs, illuminating one or more of the plurality of LEDs; and v. in the event that one or more of the one or more medical devices do not have sufficient power, illuminating one or more of the plurality of LEDs. A portable electronic device according to claim 37, wherein the portable electronic device is further configured to: A. in the event that the emergency occurs, send a first notification to a nurse call station associated with the one or more healthcare providers, wherein the first notification indicates that the emergency is occurring; and B. in the event that one or more of the one or more medical devices do not have sufficient power, send a second notification to the nurse call station indicating that the one or more of the one or more medical devices do not have sufficient power. According to the portable electronic device of claim 37, the computing device is further configured to: vi. store the received medical data and the received power data in a memory operably connected to the portable electronic device; vii. monitor the state of the subject based on the received medical data and the stored medical data; viii. determine the state of the subject based on the received medical data and the stored medical data according to one or more of the following: 1. compare the received medical data with typical health medical data; 2. compare the received medical data with medical information associated with the subject; and 3. compare the received medical data with the stored medical data to determine a state trend associated with the subject; ix. in the event that the state of the subject is a negative state, one or more of the plurality of LEDs are illuminated in a first color, wherein the first color indicates the negative state of the subject; x. in the event that the state of the subject is a positive state, one or more of the plurality of LEDs are illuminated in a second color, wherein the second color indicates the positive state of the subject; and xi. in the event that the state of the subject is a neutral state, one or more of the plurality of LEDs are illuminated in a third color, wherein the third color indicates the neutral state of the subject. A portable electronic device according to claim 39, wherein the portable electronic device is further configured to: A. send a first notification to a nurse call station associated with the one or more healthcare providers, wherein the first notification indicates the status of the subject. A portable electronic device according to claim 40, wherein the portable electronic device is further configured to: B. in the event of a change in the status of the subject, send a second notification indicating the change in the status of the subject to the nurse call station. The portable electronic device of claim 39 further comprises: (h) an audio output electrically coupled to the power source, wherein the audio output is configured to: i. play a first alarm in the event that the emergency occurs; ii. play a second alarm in the event that one or more of the one or more medical devices do not have sufficient power; and iii. play a third alarm in the event that the subject's condition is a negative condition. A portable electronic device according to claim 37, wherein the one or more medical devices include a respirator. A portable electronic device according to claim 37, wherein the one or more medical devices include an intravenous control device. A portable electronic device according to claim 37, wherein the one or more medical devices include a drug administration device. A portable electronic device according to claim 30, wherein the power source comprises one or more disposable batteries. A portable electronic device according to claim 30, wherein the power source comprises one or more rechargeable batteries. A portable electronic device according to claim 47, wherein the one or more rechargeable batteries are charged via capacitive coupling. The portable electronic device of claim 39 further comprises: (h) an audio output electrically coupled to the power source, wherein the audio output is configured to play an alarm in response to the input from the subject. The portable electronic device of claim 30 further comprises: (g) one or more sensor devices electrically coupled to the power source, wherein the one or more sensor devices comprise: 1. a smoke detector including an alarm and configured to detect smoke and fire within a predetermined radius of the subject. A portable electronic device according to claim 50, wherein the smoke detector is further configured to: i. activate the alarm in the event of smoke detection; ii. activate the alarm in the event of fire detection; and iii. activate the alarm in the event of low battery. A portable electronic device according to claim 51, wherein the smoke detector is further configured to notify a nurse call station associated with the one or more healthcare providers in the event of smoke, fire, or low battery detection. A portable electronic device according to claim 30, wherein the one or more patient devices include a wheelchair. A portable electronic device according to claim 30, wherein the one or more patient devices include a wheeled bed. A portable electronic device according to claim 30, wherein the one or more patient devices include a bed. A portable electronic device according to claim 30, wherein the one or more patient devices include a detachable pole. A portable electronic device according to claim 56, wherein the detachable rod includes an intravenous drug delivery mechanism.